Can a Doctor Refuse to Prescribe Medication? What Do I Do?
John is a 60-year-old man who was the victim of a motor vehicle accident in 1996 that left him with multiple injuries, including skull, vertebral and other bone fractures. He was hospitalized for several weeks and basically had his entire face rebuilt and rods placed...
Overcoming the Fear of Stopping Methadone
I was moved to write a letter to a patient who completed an Accelerated Opioid Detox off Methadone last week. She is in the Post Acute Withdrawal (PAWS) stage, which can be very challenging. I have changed the name of the patient, but wanted to share the sentiments...
Anesthesia Detox – Why We No Longer Perform It
Every now and then, I get questions about whether we still do the Anesthesia Detox. This treatment method has many names and variations, including an Ultra-Rapid Detox (URD or UROD), a Rapid Drug Detox, an Anesthesia-Assisted Rapid Opioid Detoxification (AAROD), or a...
Suboxone Alternatives to Detox Off Pain Medication
COVID-19 aside, the landscape of family practice has changed dramatically in the last few years, especially as it pertains to prescribing medication for patients with chronic pain. The CDC reports that starting in 2006, the total number of opioid prescriptions...
