@tazscott
Good Saturday Morning,
I do not think that docs are reacting to 'media hype.'
I think they are reacting to the legal system that has bound their hands.
We cannot expect doctors to do things that might land them with huge fines, loss of license or in jail.
As unhappy as these guidelines make me feel, in MY OPINION, I don't blame the docs.
There ARE pain patients who DO abuse their meds, I know a couple who do.
When I talk about 'abuse', I mean using more than is prescribed.
Could be the prescribed dosage no longer does its job, so taking more is a form of 'abuse.'
As I mentioned in another post, one of my former pain docs used to do a urine screening at each visit.
This was more than 5 years ago.
He must of had a reason.
For me, I've always been afraid of pain meds and used them VERY sparingly.
I'd be given enough for a month and maybe use one or two.
When I had spinal surgery, the doc prescribed pain meds in the hospital and for only a week or two after that.
I think media hype comes in when they say that their are less 'harmful' ways to deal with pain.
Let's remember that these legislatures 'react' to some things so quickly without thinking things out.
Also, we have to remember that it is lay people who make medical decisions from the insurance companies up to the legislatures.
Our medical field is certainly fractured and we need 'THE BEST' of the 'BEST' IN THE MEDICAL FIELDS to help make the decisions that impacts their patients (us).
Opppps, sorry, went off on a tangent.
Think I feel strongly about this???????? LOL

Best of the day to you!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)