Shoreline

Hey Murph, I've heard the same thing about the diamond clinic as far as their use of opiates, but that was 3 years ago. Everytime a new medical director comes on board often policies change. I've seen it happen at local PM clincs that have gone from not using opiates to using them selectively to using them on many patients. It just depends on the new medical directors position on opiates. However when a major policy change occurs because of differenrt beliefs from the new medical director, other docs and staff that won't get on board with wide spread use of opiates have large turnovers. Just because the medical director is comfortable using LA mopiates doesn't mean that every doc and NP or PA is going to stay on and instantly change their beliefs about the use of opiates. I they have run the place with a fairly high success rate for the last 10 years without making every patient dependnet on opiates, the docs that have been there that long aren't going to instantly change their POV on the use of opiates.

So what they offered 3 years ago, may be very different from what they offer now. If the new staff hapens to be apposed to the use of opiates, there first goal is to get you off them. It's kind of tough to learn new techniques and try new methods that don't offfer the imediate and level of relief that opiates do why your going through withdrawal.

MY only concern is that if you go to the clinic and they don't use opiates, It would be much eaasier to taper down the Vicodin fairly quickly rather than trying to taper off Long acting morphine. If it were me, and there was some way to continue your old med regemin untill you go to the clinic I would shoot for that. Now isn't the greatest time to switch your protocol knowing it's likely goingto be switched again in 3 weeks. Those 3 weeks may give you enough time to significanlt reduce your Vicodin use where 3 weeks is enough time to start to develop dependence on round the clock morphine.
Take care, Dave