August, 2016
I saw a patient tonight that was about 40 years old. He came in for other reasons, but in the interview, he said he was on a Fentanyl patch for chronic back pain. My patient commented that he went out in the woods this morning to put up his deer stand.
Fentanyl is a synthetic form of morphine. It is a mind altering substance, meaning that it clouds judgement, alters reaction time and just plain messes with the mind. Yeah, just like alcohol.
I can see it now. Come November my patient will come in from a hunting accident;
“I fell out of my deer stand and broke my neck.” or,
“I thought he looked like a deer so I shot him. I didn’t realize that it was my Brother-in-law.”
or some other ridiculous story.
So, these Doctors (this is not an unusual occurrence) are sending him out to work as a welder and hunt while this trans-dermal patch makes sure he has sufficient narcotic in his body to relieve his pain 24/7
I’m often embarrassed by my colleagues.
Your grumpy Uncle/Brother Dave.
Weary