3 Lies That Patients Accuse Their Doctors of Telling

Doctors are at the core of the prescription drug epidemic. The associated physician comes under intense scrutiny each time there's an overdose death of a high-profile individual who was a recipient of regular and unnecessary opiates.

An inquiry under these circumstances is warranted. In addition, growing awareness prompts some patients to retrospectively blame dishonest doctors for their painkiller addictions.

This trend is troubling though there are many physicians who uphold their duty to humanity and conduct themselves honorably.

Nevertheless, the fact that there are doctors who contribute to the prescription drug epidemic by prescribing unnecessary narcotics is disturbing, especially in light of increasing overdose deaths.

Curious about the general thinking patients have about prescription drug abuse, we decided to poll 50 patients of varied diagnoses, to gather proposed data.

We interviewed 50 long-term-care patients regarding their relationship with prescription drugs and their physicians. The following information is the result of the polling, of which 39 had unfavorable attitudes toward their physician and a general distrust of the medical profession.

3 Lies That Patients Accuse Their Doctors of Telling

1. "You will probably have to take this medication the rest of your life." A patient we'll call "Sylvia" said she had been under her doctor's care for 3 plus years for type II diabetes. She had asked him what could be causing her occasional foot pain. Without any further testing, he prescribed the painkiller, Roxiprin, or Oxycodone--telling her she would probably have to take it the rest of her life. Her husband urged her to get a second opinion, which would have happened sooner if the doctor hadn't been a friend of the family. Instead of one, she obtained two different opinions and both of them told her that she did not need to take Roxiprin "for the rest of her life" for foot pain. Sylvia had to undergo detox treatment, and she urges everyone to always get a second opinion before committing to a prescription drug regimen.
2. "Take this and you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight." A 42-year-old school teacher shared her story of addiction to the diet pill Didrex, a popular anorexic drug among teens. Her physician told her she could eat whatever she wants with this diet pill, and she would still lose weight. She found herself abusing the pill, taking it sporadically with no scheduled regimen. After developing increased body temperature, and erratic heartbeat and chest pains, another physician explained that those were side effects of Didrex and advised her to stop immediately and undergo a medically supervised detox program. Appetite suppressants are not in the category with cocaine or opiates. However, patients develop dependencies for them as they do for caffeine and sugar. 
3. "There is nothing you can do for mild diabetes except taking pills or insulin injections." Mike swore he would not be alive had he not been proactive. He told us that their family physician told him he was "borderline" diabetic. The doctor told him that he could adjust his diet and lifestyle and would not have to take pills or insulin. His job relocated him to California, where he had to see a new physician who told him he needed pills for now but would need insulin in another year or so. Mike made an appointment with his family doctor to verify his new diagnosis. He was happy to learn he wasn't a diabetic in need of long-term medications. But Mike was also disappointed that someone entrusted with his wellbeing would make such a fraudulent claim.

More claims were made, however, these three had similarities among over 20 participants and could, therefore, be more widespread as part of a growing trend of medical misconduct.

Doctors are an intricate and necessary part of every community, which makes talking about willful malpractice a delicate subject. Nevertheless, alarming statistics validate the concern.

For instance, the use of psychotropic drugs such as Prozac increased 22% from 2001 to 2010. One in five adults taking at least one psychotropic medication that--according to 2012 research--they may not need, or medication deemed "inappropriate".

Dr. Steven Hollon, Ph.D., a Vanderbilt University psychology professor had this to say:

"I would say at least half the folks who are being treated with antidepressants aren't benefiting from the active pharmacological effects of the drugs themselves but from a placebo effect."

"If people knew more, I think they would be a little less likely to go down the medication path than the psychosocial treatment path." 

Dr. Hollon's opinion also substantiates the belief by a growing number of patients that doctors should provide the pros and cons about drugs they're prescribing.

Patients believe they shouldn't suffer because doctors are scheduling too many patients and "herding them through the office like cattle", not taking the personal time needed to ensure quality care.

Instead, individuals are viewed more as prescription drug victims than patients. And doctors are at the forefront of liability in prescribing drugs to patients they don't need and or practicing illegal trafficking by writing bogus prescription narcotics for a price.

This is not true of all doctors, however, the data collected from the 50 polled suggests it's better to get several opinions before committing to a long-term prescription drug schedule.

It's also wise to research drugs and compare them against your physical soundness. Some prescription drugs used to treat one ailment, aggravates or prompts other infirmities.

Article was written by Peggy Hatchet James
Copyright © 2015