How Can I Get Off These Bloody Pain Medications?

How Can I Get Off These Bloody Pain Medications?

A recent publication by Health and Human Services (HSS) reports that opioid prescriptions in the US peaked at 255 million in 2012 and decreased to 191 million in 2017. Prescribers—and the rest of the world—have become well aware of the unanticipated consequences of...
My Patient’s Most Shameful Secret

My Patient’s Most Shameful Secret

One of the most troubling aspects of my job as a medical addiction professional reared its head last week as I entered the exam room for a follow-up visit with Gordon.* Gordon has had a very successful career in banking. He is the 64-year old divorced father of three...
Hospice Care and an Addiction Treatment Clinic

Hospice Care and an Addiction Treatment Clinic

This may not be what you would expect to read in a blog of an addiction treatment program but opioids are my best friend right now. You see, my father in law is dying. Sure, he’s 95, but a month ago he was working and driving! And yet here he lies at a beautiful...
I’m Addicted But I’m Not An Addict

I’m Addicted But I’m Not An Addict

Looking at my schedule a few weeks ago, I saw that a new patient was coming in for a consultation to learn more about our Accelerated Opioid Detox (AOD). Detox means different things to different people. If you google the word, you’ll find references to various liquid...