Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Flag 1
Using long acting narcotics is effective in dealing with such pain; however, it is not without drawbacks.
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Great post RF1 - I am sure you are well versed in pain management from your medical field. For chronic pain (read - not acute on chronic) - do you feel methadone is underused? Extremely effective and long acting with minimal abuse potential. Titrating up the dose does take time, but gives a long steady state once you get there.
We tend to wait to use methadone for end-of-life care in my field (and our pediatric palliative team seems to support this practice).
(I hope this post isn't seen as a hijack.)
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"The dignity of man is not shattered in a single blow, but slowly softened, bent, and eventually neutered. Men are seldom forced to act, but are constantly restrained from acting. Such power does not destroy outright, but prevents genuine existence. It does not tyrannize immediately, but it dampens, weakens, and ultimately suffocates, until the entire population is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid, uninspired animals, of which the government is shepherd." - Alexis de Tocqueville
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