Don Sesso, DO, FCCP

I read Dr. Unger’s guest editorial, “Staring down the opioid epidemic” (J Fam Pract. 2017;66:8) and thought that he made some good points, but as an internist for 38 years and a detox addiction specialist for the past 7 years, I have seen too much “pendulum swinging” with regard to opioids.

The state of Pennsylvania is enforcing opioid prescription laws so intensely that I now see underprescribing of needed medications by physicians and dentists. For example, I recently had dental surgery and wasn’t prescribed a narcotic. I suffered for 24 hours with ineffective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. And a relative of mine experienced excessive pain following gynecologic cancer surgery because the surgeon wouldn’t prescribe opioids for fear of reprisal.

I would like to see someone conduct a nationwide survey of primary care physicians regarding their views on narcotics for pain so that I can better understand my colleagues’ perspectives on this issue.

Don Sesso, DO, FCCP
Gwynedd Valley, PA

In his guest editorial, Dr. Unger urged family physicians to treat patients who are addicted to opioids with buprenorphine. It’s a shame that so few of us do so.

Patients who are addicted to opioids are no more difficult to treat than patients with diabetes, yet we, as family physicians, often fail to fulfill our basic duty to respond to their illness. Using buprenorphine to help a patient who is addicted to opioids achieve sobriety is highly effective. And treating these patients is amazingly satisfying, as you’ll never have more grateful patients than these.

I began integrating buprenorphine treatment into my family practice 10 years ago. It has made me much more effective in treating my patients who are addicted to alcohol, and it has provided me with a great deal of personal satisfaction in the latter part of my career.

I challenge all family physicians to step up and do their duty to help combat the opioid epidemic.

David A. Moore, MD
Salt Lake City, Utah

I read Dr. Unger’s guest editorial, “Staring down the opioid epidemic” (J Fam Pract. 2017;66:8) and thought that he made some good points, but as an internist for 38 years and a detox addiction specialist for the past 7 years, I have seen too much “pendulum swinging” with regard to opioids.

The state of Pennsylvania is enforcing opioid prescription laws so intensely that I now see underprescribing of needed medications by physicians and dentists. For example, I recently had dental surgery and wasn’t prescribed a narcotic. I suffered for 24 hours with ineffective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. And a relative of mine experienced excessive pain following gynecologic cancer surgery because the surgeon wouldn’t prescribe opioids for fear of reprisal.

I would like to see someone conduct a nationwide survey of primary care physicians regarding their views on narcotics for pain so that I can better understand my colleagues’ perspectives on this issue.

Don Sesso, DO, FCCP
Gwynedd Valley, PA

In his guest editorial, Dr. Unger urged family physicians to treat patients who are addicted to opioids with buprenorphine. It’s a shame that so few of us do so.

Patients who are addicted to opioids are no more difficult to treat than patients with diabetes, yet we, as family physicians, often fail to fulfill our basic duty to respond to their illness. Using buprenorphine to help a patient who is addicted to opioids achieve sobriety is highly effective. And treating these patients is amazingly satisfying, as you’ll never have more grateful patients than these.

I began integrating buprenorphine treatment into my family practice 10 years ago. It has made me much more effective in treating my patients who are addicted to alcohol, and it has provided me with a great deal of personal satisfaction in the latter part of my career.

I challenge all family physicians to step up and do their duty to help combat the opioid epidemic.

David A. Moore, MD
Salt Lake City, Utah

I read Dr. Unger’s guest editorial, “Staring down the opioid epidemic” (J Fam Pract. 2017;66:8) and thought that he made some good points, but as an internist for 38 years and a detox addiction specialist for the past 7 years, I have seen too much “pendulum swinging” with regard to opioids.

The state of Pennsylvania is enforcing opioid prescription laws so intensely that I now see underprescribing of needed medications by physicians and dentists. For example, I recently had dental surgery and wasn’t prescribed a narcotic. I suffered for 24 hours with ineffective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. And a relative of mine experienced excessive pain following gynecologic cancer surgery because the surgeon wouldn’t prescribe opioids for fear of reprisal.

I would like to see someone conduct a nationwide survey of primary care physicians regarding their views on narcotics for pain so that I can better understand my colleagues’ perspectives on this issue.

Don Sesso, DO, FCCP
Gwynedd Valley, PA

In his guest editorial, Dr. Unger urged family physicians to treat patients who are addicted to opioids with buprenorphine. It’s a shame that so few of us do so.

Patients who are addicted to opioids are no more difficult to treat than patients with diabetes, yet we, as family physicians, often fail to fulfill our basic duty to respond to their illness. Using buprenorphine to help a patient who is addicted to opioids achieve sobriety is highly effective. And treating these patients is amazingly satisfying, as you’ll never have more grateful patients than these.

I began integrating buprenorphine treatment into my family practice 10 years ago. It has made me much more effective in treating my patients who are addicted to alcohol, and it has provided me with a great deal of personal satisfaction in the latter part of my career.

I challenge all family physicians to step up and do their duty to help combat the opioid epidemic.

David A. Moore, MD
Salt Lake City, Utah