The Lies that Prescription Opiate Addicts Tell Their Doctors

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, abusing prescription opiates and opiate addiction has reached epidemic levels in the United States. You have to wonder how people get these prescriptions if they are so highly controlled. Most of the time they lie to doctors and pharmacists to feed their addiction.

I have a Back Injury

Back injuries are hard to identify and pin down. Soft tissue back injuries are among the most common for people to fake. There are not tests that show a soft tissue injury so a doctor is left taking the word of the addict as well as the addict’s history.

I’ve Never Taken an Opiate for Pain

Many believe that if they have been prescribed opiates in the past and abused them. Telling doctors about their past experiences will cause their doctor to cut them off so they do not disclose their previous opiate use.

I Do Not Have a Regular Doctor

Most opiate addicts have more than one doctor to prescribe the medication.

Another common lie they tell is that they do not have a regular doctor or another doctor. Most addicts have more than one doctor to prescribe pain medication. They use a few doctors to keep  their supplies going. If one doctor stops prescribing the medication, they have a back up.

Addicts will also doctor shop and keep the doctors that prescribe the prescription opiates they want. The others they never see again. Most doctors are wise to this practice but some still will prescribe painkillers easily.

I am Changing Doctors Because my Insurance was Cancelled

This is another lie that people tell when they go to the doctor to get prescription drugs. Most doctors understand changes in insurance cause people to switch doctors. A doctors office will check both your insurance and previous records to make sure that the switch actually happened and you are not just doctor shopping.

I only Take the Prescribed Amount

Although doctors can usually tell when there is problem with medication. If you are habitually running out of medication due to accidents or other reasons, they know that you are abusing the medications. Most people mention that their prescription is no longer working very well and ask for a stronger dose.

I Lost my Prescription

Although it does happen, most of the time if you go to the doctor and say that you lost your prescription, they will hesitate to write you another one. Losing, washing, or otherwise accidentally destroying your prescription usually is a sign that you are either trying to get more drugs or that you are selling your drugs.

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My Prescription Bottle was Stolen

Another common lie that addicts tell their doctors and sometimes their pharmacists is that their actual medication was lost or stolen. Although this is sometimes true, usually it is a sign of an addict trying to double their prescription. Most pharmacists are wise to this one as well.

If someone does steal your prescription from a purse, medicine cabinet, or car, file a police report if the medication is a narcotic. These medications are dangerous and the police will need to be on the lookout for the stolen prescription. It also gives you credibility if you did in fact have it stolen.

If you find yourself telling any of these lies to your doctor or pharmacist, you are probably addicted to your prescription opiate medication. For help call 800-994-1867Who Answers?.