A million little questions (or just one) about addicts and medical care:

[jane_pippin]

I'm reading A Million Little Pieces at work right now. (Don't knock it for being an Oprah book--as Stephen Colbert would say, this choice took balls.) I'm only about 80 or so pages in so please don't tell me what happens--I just have a question inspired by what I've read so far. (And if you care, I guess my question has a spoiler so stop reading this now if that matters to you.)

If you don't know what it is, it's a memoir of a guy who was an addict and so far (just started it remember) it's the story of his time in a treatment facility. He came in a day after waking up on a plane with nothing, including no idea how he got there or where he was going. He was beat up from an accident and was missing some teeth.

Which brings me to my question:

The treatment center sets him up with a dentist who will fix him up. However, he's in treatment so he can't have painkillers, anesthesia, or novocaine. Now, I understand the no painkillers part. What I don't get is why a person who is already being given pills by a treatment center to help with his addiction, who is at the dentist because the treatment center got him there, and is at all times under the care of the dentist, the assistants, an escort from the center, and medical personnel at the center once he's back from the appointment, can't be given novocaine during the dental procedures. To me it just seems cruel, unusual, and inhumane to make a person endure that kind of pain. Then again, I'm not a recovering addict nor do I treat them so I guess that's why I'm asking.

What do you think?

[RetroLounge]

1. I would think it depends on the treatment center.

Some are more interested in having control rather than what's in the patient's best interest.

Never heard of no Novacaine. Might be an embellishment, after all, he was drugged up when he got there...

RL

[jane_pippin]

3. Oh--to clarify--when the dentistry happened he had been at the center

and clean (minus their pills) for about 5 days to a week.

It could be an embellishment. However, after reading this part of the book it doesn't seem like something one would forget. (Not having novocaine that is.)

You might be on to something with the it depends where it is idea though. Different centers, different rules for patients maybe. Still. I think this particular rule is a bit much, to put it mildly.

[KitchenWitch]

2. Seems very extreme

I will PM you in a moment, I know of an experience that can shed some light.

Painkillers are necessary so a body (or mouth in this case) can heal.

[jane_pippin]

4. Ok, thank you. I'll look for it. n/t