Doctor shopping for drugs is common

Unless you have gone through surgery, you may not understand what happens afterward. You may not realize just how much pain this can bring into a person’s life.

Due to the pain and discomfort, many people turn to painkillers for relief. In fact, a recent study found that approximately 20 percent of patients operated on for orthopedic trauma, such as broken bones, shopped around for painkillers after the procedure. Furthermore, it was found that those who used narcotic painkillers in the past were more likely to doctor shop in the future.

Here is something else to consider: The study suggests that doctors are not communicating with each other with regard to the needs of their patients.

The lead author of the study added the following:

“There needs to be coordination if additional pain medications are needed. Patients should not be receiving multiple narcotic pain medication prescriptions from multiple providers without coordinating with their treating surgeon.”

Unfortunately, this is not the way things typically work. As a result, a person could find themselves abusing a prescription drug, thus causing other health concerns. Additionally, there are times when a person takes this too far, eventually landing them in trouble with the law in Maryland.

Doctor shopping for painkillers is common. There are situations in which doctors and other medical professionals are somewhat responsible for this activity.

If a person is accused of a crime in relation to shopping around for drugs, it could impact his or her life in many ways. This is why it is important to always be on the same page as your medical team.

Source:WebMD, “Doctor-Shopping for Painkillers Common After This,” Randy Dotinga, HealthDay, accessed March 07, 2016

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