http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/287790-clinical
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) defines opioid use disorder as a problematic pattern of opioid use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by at least two of the following, occurring within a 12-month period…
Opioid tolerance usually does not develop in patients with cancer who are being treated for pain; the need for increasing doses in those patients typically is due to an increasing level of pain.
Really? So, when a patient has cancer, their pain is real… as opposed to every other pain patient? And what happens when a cancer patient complains of increasing pain even when they’re in remission? Are they still believed? Will a cancer patient who’s in remission but still suffering from chronic pain — say from the after effects of treatment or surgery — also be denied pain medications? Or if you have cancer, does that give you access to prescription pain medication for life?
I wonder how many of the other 100 million chronic pain patients would agree that only cancer pain is real?
I tell you what, cancer is your ticket to having your pain levels believed. Since the medical industry developed and created tests for cancer, this medical condition can be “proven.” Since there are no tests for many chronic pain conditions, or even for mental conditions like PTSD, then too bad, so sad — doctors don’t believe you.
Guess what? Patients don’t believe doctors anymore, either. So there.
All Things Chronic 