Re: I need help finding information to present in court

I want to address your point "And I disagree heartily! What about a little
PERSONAL responsibility? "

What effect does opiate use have on the personal hygiene of the patient?

Plus another point, I just tripped across the fact that opiate use causes
nasal constriction leading to mouth breathing, which will also contribute to
dry mouth, which also causes dental decay.

If like me, my nasal passages will close up on me as soon as I lie down.
Just the fact that I must go to sleep, causes mouth breathing for at least a
full third of a day. during this third of a day how can you get up to use
toothpaste, dental floss and any other device that fights tooth decay.





"Loose Cannon" <lambchop.lc@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:h4t2uo$eem$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"oldgoat" <oldgoatmail@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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Dear Cane,

Wow, this is wild... I just did a search on Yoohoo and came up with this
webpage:
http://www.cofad1.state.az.us/memod/IC/IC070096.pdf

It's just about exactly what you're looking at trying. Unfortunately the
outcome wasn't successful, but there is no denying that there is a
connection between narcotics and tooth decay.

A connection I was made aware of early on in my life of cp.

There's been quite a few
people in here over the years with tooth issues.

Myself included.

The dry mouth and tooth
decay are listed in the prescriber's info for most narcotics.

Exactly. Something I knew of before my doc told me.

I hate to say
this, their jobs are tough enough in this atmosphere of narcophobia, but
this problem should lay at the feet of the doctor.

And I disagree heartily! What about a little PERSONAL responsibility?
It's not like it was 20 yrs ago....the entire of the PDR is available
online now! You can go to one of many websites to learn about the downside
of our meds without being a doctor or putting out a penny. If someone can
stir up enough to post the questions, why cant they stir up enough
gumption to research their meds before and during their use?

They go to great effort
with their "implied consent" aka a narcotics contract to beat in to the
patient all kinds of warnings and hoops (compliance urine screens, DWI
absolution among my favorites) for you to jump through, but you never
hear a word about your teeth rotting out of your head.

Maybe not YOUR doctor, but mine did!

It's bad enough that you
walk around with your teeth always clinched from the pain but to have to
worry about them cracking and breaking is just over the top. It would
have been nice to know about before they were gone. Mailing your teeth in
to the dentists office for work is a convenience I would have been happy
to live without.

OK, here's a question....suppose the doc told you in advance that the dry
mouth would cause serious tooth problems. Would you have refused the pain
meds and protected your teeth?

How many here wouldve done that? Who wouldve refused the pain meds &
suffered, just to protect their teeth?

There was a woman a few yrs ago posting about suing over Actiq rotting her
teeth. Wow, putting a sugary sucker into your mouth several times a day
causes tooth decay????? Gee, didn't we all grow up hearing about that side
effect? If she ever found a lawyer, she surely hasnt succeeded or she
wouldve posted about it by now, or so I'd guess. Im an Actiq user and
have dealt with some terrible issues as a result. But it's always been a
balancing act, and choosing to suffer with awful pain vs. dealing with
tooth decay? I'm always going to get help with the chronic pain first and
I certainly wouldnt DREAM of holding a doc responsible for not informing
someone in writing that they could lose their teeth. Hell, they could
also end up with prolapsed rectums from these meds as well as a whole host
of other stuff that isn't pretty. They don't make those forms long enough
to cover it all. So thats where it's OUR responsibility to learn about
all those meds we are putting in our body since we live in an age of
instant information from home!

If we keep dumping this stuff on our doctors, there won't be any of them
left to take care of us any more! They'll all bail like Doc Work and so
many others have.




Best of luck my friend--og






"Cane" <notavailable@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4Okcm.38672$8l4.6282@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I am going to a hearing with the Industrial Commission where the
insurance company is refusing to pay for dental work caused by the use of
opiate medications for at least 8 years.



For background, below is a letter I received from my family dentist.



I have had the privilege to provide dental care to Mr. John Doe since
September 1985. When John was first examined his teeth were in good
condition with an average number of dental restorations for his age.
John continued to see us over the years and never had any severe dental
problems with the exception of the occasional filling that wore out.

In late 2002, things began to change and I began seeing a dramatic
increase in Johns rate and severity of dental caries. Throughout 2005
and 2006 John was seen several times with extensive decay issues
involving multiple teeth. These caries issues involved most all of his
posterior teeth. His homecare had not changed, and it was difficult to
determine the cause of this dramatic increase in problems.

There is a strong possibility that the increase in caries was due to
strong narcotic pain relievers John had to take. Often I have seen
patients on similar therapies experience an increase in dental caries,
primarily due to xerostomia associated with the narcotic medications.



The words 'xerostomia' means 'dry mouth' and "dental caries' is 'dental
decay'.



I was injured in June 2000, I had not taken any regular pain medication
(other than the very occasional Darvocet) until a year after the injury
in June 2001. At that time I was only taking Oxycontin 20mg 2X/day.



What I am need of, from friend in here, to present in the court hearing.



Any reports that you know of that shows

Opiate use causes dry mouth or dental complications/decay

Dry mouth/xerostomia causes dental complications/decay



So far I have paid out of pocket over $17,000 for the initial work
needed from this. The opposing attorney states that I am not eligible
for reimbursement for this work.



I am in need of more dental restoration that is estimated at $15,000 +.
This is what I am trying to get the insurance carrier to pay for.



Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. I am asking you
for help, because this group surely knows more than any attorney out
there and most doctors.



Thanks in advance



Cane






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Relevant Pages

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