I do not have any patients on methadone. It’s not that I haven’t ever written a prescription for methadone, but nothing on a regular basis. Why? Because I don’t play the chronic pain game very well.

I chopped off the distal portion of my left thumb in a trailor hitch accident about 8 years ago. I needed to have surgery to repair it. Surgeons took a part of my left forearm and transfered it to my thumb to give it a pad for grasping and holding things. Over all, it works pretty well. I USED TWO ALEVE, TWICE A DAY FOR PAIN CONTROL!!!!!

I don’t think that my pain is any better or worse than anyone else’s pain. I just choose to react to my pain differently. I don’t want to be running around in the altered state of mind that comes with the use of narcotics and I certainly don’t want to be married to my physician on a monthly basis to get my monthly fix of pain medicines.

I suggest physicians buck up. Just refuse to abuse. It is our responsibility to say no to excessive amounts of narcotic pain medicines. I know that is not what the chronic pain patient wants to hear any more than my grandson wants to hear no to his third request for candy before breakfast. But who is the adult here? Who is the person trained in the dangers of narcosis?

I have set limits in my practice. 1. No methadone for chronic pain. 2. Only 90 Percocet, Vicodin, or Tylenol #3 per month. 3. No cheating, ever. You lose it? See you next month. You over-used it and ran out early? See you next month. You’re begging more and more? I then discharge you from my practice. I didn’t play games with my children like, “Eat three peas and then you can have your dessert.” And I am certainly not going to play this game with an adult.