medical ethics question

[kathrynt]

I'm trying to get a crapload of knitting done by Christmas. Knitting is very hard on the hands, arms, and joints (hi liralen!) and I'm already feeling the stiffness and soreness. There are a lot of things I can do to lessen the damage done; sit right, ice my tired joints before they get painful, take breaks, lift weights, switch from English to

Comments

[mamishka]

I will note that you have often pointed out how very cool your doctor is and how she listens to you and often will give you what you ask for because you have thought it out well. I think if I were you that I would go talk to your doctor about your concerns and get her opinion on the matter. I think if you point out what it is that you are doing, your experience with said drugs in question, your past arm nerve damage, and the fact that you are taking these steps as a preventative step rather than having to fix damage after the fact, I think you have a good shot at convincing her of your need. If you go in for a "consultation", you're not outright asking her for the prescription, you're asking her if your thinking is sound with regards to asking for a prescription ... which is kind of a different thing. That way if she sez no, I don't think you're going to get marked down as some sort of drug abuser and if she sez yes, well then happy day.

[risu]

Why would it be unethical? If it were seriously dangerous to take or unethical to prescribe, it wouldn't be prescription-only; it'd be available from any supermarket on the basis of being over a threshold age. :)

Rebecca

[emmacrew]

I am recently returned from my doctor who let me decide if I wanted antibiotics for my throat now or if I wanted to wait for the culture to come back (possibly not until Monday). That's even more of an ethical dilemma since I don't want to create resistant bacteria (but even if the culture is negative I am going to finish the course, cuz that's what you do). I think you should have a chat with your doctor about the wisdom part, and not worry about the ethical part. Sounds smart to me.

[cyberduck]

Count me in amongst those saying "it can't hurt to ask". Sounds like your in pain, sounds like they've got a pain-reliever. You might try and spin the question a little, explain your circumstances and ask what her opinion is about pain relivers. Further explain that you've taken some basic otc and they were only mildly effective. She may volunteer to hook you up with something nice if you word it right.

Ethically, I think it would only be an issue if you were just using it for direct recreation. If you were just taking Celebrex 'cause it gave you a wicked high, yeah, that would be unethical (and weird; we'd all stare at you).

Personally? I'm against medicating unless it's *really* necessary. You've got some non-body-chemistry-adjusting solutions, I'd be inclined to stick with those.