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February 22nd, 2012
02:15 PM ET
Dr. Sanjay Gupta: The truth about prescription medication addictionWhenever I hand a prescription for pain pills to a patient, I tell them, “Remember not to drink any alcohol when taking these medications.” For years, we in the medical community thought that simple message was getting through. It turns out we were wrong. Every 19 minutes someone dies because of misuse of prescription medications. Sometimes it is because they take too much. Many times it is because they forget or ignore the warning their doctor gave about combining the medications with alcohol. And tens of thousands of people die every year as a result. As much attention as we pay to illicit drugs such as cocaine or heroin, the truth is prescription medications kill more people in this country than those illicit drugs combined. Perhaps it is a perception issue: “It came from a pharmacy, therefore, it must be safe.” They certainly can be safe, but they can also be incredibly addictive, with more than 1.9 million Americans hooked on prescription pain medications alone. Researchers are racing to find something that can help, and there are a few promising things in development. A recent study, the first large-scale trial aimed at painkiller dependence, offered some hope. Almost half of those addicted to painkillers - 49% - were able to reduce their drug abuse when taking Suboxone for at least 12 weeks. The drug works by reducing withdrawal symptoms and relieving cravings. Unfortunately, the success rate dropped to less than 10% [8.6%] once patients stopped taking the drug. In the study, patients receiving intensive addiction counseling did no better than those who didn’t. Naltrexone – sold under the brand names Revia and Vivitrol, an injectable, long-acting formulation – has also been used for prescription painkiller abuse. But naltrexone only has the potential to work in patients who are already off the painkillers long enough that the drugs are out of their system. Truth is most of the researchers I have interviewed over the last decade all seem to agree on one thing: addiction is a brain disease. The latest science shows how the dependence on drugs or alcohol can change the brain chemistry, altering pain and reward centers. As a result of this latest science, the idea of therapy alone to treat addiction is waning. I should point out that millions of patients use prescription pain medications every year safely, without becoming addicted, and certainly without dying. For nearly 30,000 people a year though, they pay the price with their lives. As a doctor, I will look my patients in the eye every time I hand them a prescription to tell them the concerns about the pills they will take. It won’t just be a casual reminder about not taking the medications with alcohol, but a forceful warning backed up with scary but forceful statistics. I will remind them that they could become addicted, and they could die. That is our jobs as doctors, and it is one way to save thousands of lives.
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  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. Recent Comments
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Thanks a bunch for all the new pain rx regulations. The only one who has benifited is my ins co. I pay $7 co pay for 1 month and $14 for 3 months so 1 md visit and 3 mo pain rx costs $ 19. Mow I pay because I can obtain less pills at one time 2 md visits =$10 and 2 drug co pays =$14 which is $24 for 1 month. So for 12 mo instead of $76 I now pay $288 or more. I am a 69 year old RN with severe spinal stenosis hoping for surgery but need the pain rx to function and yes I still work. So thanks a lot how about educating people on how to take their meds. Every time I obtain a new rx I have to speak with the pharmisist and the bottles are labeled not to - while on this rx. Don't people listen or read.? How about a new class for chronic pain pts so our costs will decrease. Perhaps a 3 md panel .
I agree with patt so much. I'm 67 and have degenerated disks in my spine. The pain would be constant without the 5 MG of Oxycodone I take. As it is now, I can not stand in one place for any length of time, Oxycodone or not. The deterioration of my spine is due in no small part to my care of my wife of 50 years who has MS and who needs my help getting up out of her recliner onto the electric wheel chair onto the toilet or bath and back and forth again all day 24/7. My options are to have nerves in my spine cauterized one side at a time until they find out which side is causing the problem. Then I am told that the procedure would last six months at the most at which time it would be done again. I live in the State of Florida where pain killer use is discouraged so much that I have to go from pharmacy to pharmacy to find the medication unless I can find a sympathetic Pharmacist who will make a call to find out who has them in stock. There is no sympathy for those with chronic pain here. It is almost like I am a criminal for having pain as I grow older.
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My son & daughter in law are doctors on Long Island & are are running out of gas for their cars & will not be able to get to the hospital to help care for patients. The stations with electricity have no gas & the ones with gas have no electricity. If they wait on a line, people will die. Can you help?
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Suboxone also causes addiction, sometimes worse than the drug you were trying to get off. I think he should have mentioned that...
It can, but generally if you're already addicted before you start on Suboxone, that's not an issue. Those who abuse Suboxone haven't been addicted to other opioids. Most research suggests that those addicted to other opioids will feel nothing from suboxone.
My father was a prescription addict from the time I was 12 until his death at 82. The doctors just kept prescribing for him, passing him on to other doctors. I believe the medical profession has been criminally involved in this epidemic for decades.
I think you need to STOP criminiliizing use of the ONLY medication most people can take to relieve chronic pain. Opiates should be taken AS PRESCRIBED ONLY and if addicts die, perhaps personal responsibility should be taken into account. I for one know many older people who would live horrible painful lives if they did not have access to high quality pain medications and they've never overdosed because they read the labels. It's that simple. DO NOT get in the way of the only medication we have for pain just because human error causes some American's to feel they need to step in and control everyone because someone in their life didn't control themselves. PERIOD.
IIn the early 90's, while rock climbing in Maine, I took a bad fall and seriously hurt my back. I had emergency surgery and while I was paralyzed for 7 days, on the 8th day feeling returned below my waist. While I will never be the athlete I once was, I can walk, and have full use of all my bodily functions. The downside is that I have permanent nerve damage and backpain that is never going to get better. Depending on a variety of conditions, my backpain can range from slight background pain I hardly notice to taking an hour to get out of bed in the morning if I can make it at all. While I have been offered various pain injections, because of where they need to inject me, there is always a slight risk and potential of incurring more spinal damage and of course recently, many pain injection users have been infected with a nasty virus from a contaminated batch of injections. I refuse to risk that.
So yes...I use hydrocodone. Lortab, specifically. It has saved my life. Without them I would be unable to work and provide for my family. I would not have a house...a car...I would another hard luck case on disability sucking on the teat of society until I finally died and someone else took my place.
The issue is how you use your pain meds. There are some people who just ingest what is given to them and never bother to learn about what they are taking. I advise anyone who is on prescription pain medicine to regulate how much they take and when. Do not take more that prescribed even if your pain level is higher. To prevent addiction go at least 48 consecutive hours without them if you can, at least one time a month. Maybe a weekend you don't have to work...try taking an OC pain med instead during that time. If you use them responsibility...give your body a chance to flush them from your system on a regular basis...you can use them safely. I have been using the same dose for almost 7 years. It can be done.
A.C. For the most part I agree with you. A serious breakdown in the chain, are the recipients of the narcotics. They need to be taken correctly & SECURED in ones home. Young people who "party" with Rx meds, are most likely abusing other substances too. Require patients to be informed of the potential dangers & to safe-guard their meds. Some of these cases are older adults choosing to take their lifes.
All this media attention on"accidental" deaths, pushes the Pharm boards to increasingly restrict the prescribing of pain reducing meds. Some MDs are becoming gun-shy. In a decade we will see a rise in accidental death by street drugs & guns.
as a former prescription drug abuser, this hits home for me. I got addicted to painkillers when I was 19 after breaking my arm. I abused strictly percocet and vicodin for 4 years until after a car accident where I realized how close to death I have been on so many occasions. it became second nature 2 pills a day just for a buzz. drinks at night with friends... pills in my system even weed anything to enhance it. Then the day came when I realized all it did was slow me down. I watched friends die and their families fall apart. Ive been sober 6 months now, and I would never wish this on anyone. All I can say is, take care of yourselves. If you're depressed, anxious, whatever; Get help before its too late.
This is such a difficult thing, especially when talking about pain medications. So many people need help, but the risk of addiction and even worse is so great. It seems that natural alternatives should be considered just to avoid the side effects. Even something as simple as Ibuprofen can have serious side effects if you investigate it. http://www.healyourbulgingdisc.com/ibuprofen.html
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Most pain patients do not become addicted to their opiod medications. They may develop a physical dependence which is a very different animal, addiction being defined by craving and a compulsion to have the drug as well as well as willingness to do whatever one needs to, including going outside the law, to get the drug (or substance)
Most pain patients do not enjoy the sensation of cloudiness, dry mouth, feeling groggy, etc. They take these medications because they have either not responded to anything else (or a need to add them to the treatment(s) being already employed or there is nothing else that can be given.
I have yet to see an article that breaks down how many of these incidences of death/overdosage is the result of taking one;s own prescription or people using them illicitly having stolen them or bought them on the street.
Carol Jay Levy
author A PAINED LIFE, a chronic pain journey
Women In Pain Awareness Group, Facebook
Blog: The Pained Life, 30 years, and counting.
accredited to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities member U.N. NGO group, Persons With Disabilities
Hi Dr. Sanjay Gupta,
This is probably the last chance I tell you and CNN. I hope you read this email and take this email seriously. From my experience, I know that American news media are skeptical. Because of their skeptical, Alzheimer's patients will have NO HOPE. They believe that only American doctors/researchers can find cure for Alzheimer's diseases. I tell you that giving them another 100 years, it is guaranteed that they cannot find cure for Alzheimer's diseases. Treatment NOT= Cure.
I am sure if I tell you that a medical researcher in China has already successfully achieved Reverse Aging, you will say, "It is impossible" because you and CNN are skeptical. However, that is true, 100% true. That researcher was born in 1964, right now, she looked as when she was 32 years old. If you see her, you might think she is 20 years younger than you. This is not a joke. It is not plastic surgery, laser/IPL treatment, or Botox injection.
The medical treatment she invented not only can CURE all the wrinkles from head to toe, give people a 30 years younger appearance AND health, it can cure most of aging-related diseases, including varicose/spider vein, flat-feet, memory loss.
Since this invention can cure most of aging-related diseases, don't you think, logically, it can cure Alzheimer's? Of course, it can. It says most likely this invention can cure Parkinson's diseases, too.
The inventor said, "Free Radical Theory is False; Alzheimer is a type of aging-related memory loss, aging-related memory loss is mainly caused by blood-clots, people have thousands of micro-blood-clots; Antioxidant Food cannot reverse aging, that is misleading. Laser/IPL treatments remove wrinkles by destroying veins/capillaries. Plastic surgery, laser/IPL treatments can cause more blood clots, more American people will experience early memory loss. That is for sure."
Einstein is not the only great inventor in the world. You can be skeptical, but I ask you to read the ALL the 100+ pages before making skeptical judgment. If you insist on being skeptical, one day, it will proof that being skeptical can end people's life. However, be open-minded can save people's life.
Remember the Four Great Invention in China. If you have a chance to meet this new Reverse Aging inventor, the invention news will SHOCK the world.
If you are not skeptical, this email will save BILLIONS of people's life, and bring joys to the world.
See longlifu-tech (com) -> Rejuvenation (see images)
AND longlifu-tech -> Rejuvenation -> Index table (Please read all of the 100+ pages), read the pages with IMG first.
IF YOU DON'T READ THE 100+ PAGES listed in the index table, you are skeptical.
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Substance dependence, commonly called drug addiction, is a compulsive need to use drugs in order to function normally. When such substances are unobtainable, the user suffers from withdrawal. A drug user may not be aware that their behavior is out of control and causing problems for themselves and others. .:"
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