Shelter Island doctor shares lessons on opioids with seniors
“We don’t have phenomenal ways to manage pain,” Island physician Joshua Potter told some 60 seniors who gathered for lunch at the Community Center April 24 to learn about opioids and other medications.
The program was part of a series developed with grant money received last year that enables the Shelter Island Police Department to arrange separate forums for students and then their parents to provide information on the dangers of opioid abuse.
The programs were developed in coordination with Town Social Worker Alexandra Hakim. The funding is from a sharing agreement stemming from a legal settlement totaling $2.6 billion that New York Attorney General Letitia James negotiated with pharmaceutical companies involved in the manufacture and distribution of opioids. Suffolk County secured money for distribution to towns; Shelter Island is to receive about $100,000 annually for three years.
The Town allocated $30,000 toward social services offered by Ms. Hakim, while Sergeant Anthony Rando took the lead on behalf of the Police Department to work with Ms. Hakim and school officials in developing the forums. Money has also been allocated to enhance the work of the East End Drug Task Force with $15,000 used for the local forums.
The senior luncheon with Dr. Potter represents the same investment in opioid education. Senior Center Manager Kelly Brochu and Recreation Director Bethany Ortmann coordinated the logistics with food provided by Slice and desserts from Stars Café.
It’s difficult to talk about opioids without sounding like you’re “fear mongering,” Dr. Potter said. His approach to seniors was somewhat different than the way the subject is discussed with students, since many seniors have health issues that can involve severe pain.
Use of opioids to treat pain on a short-term basis following surgery or an injury can be useful, or for managing cancer-related pain, or palliative care to improve comfort. But they aren’t recommended for chronic conditions such as arthritis or back pain, he said.
Seniors have to be aware of side effects, including memory difficulties, sleeplessness, confusion, dizziness, nausea and constipation, the doctor said. Opioids can affect breathing, and their use can worsen the way in which some patients react to pain since they affect brain function.
Drinking while taking opioids is extremely dangerous, Dr. Potter said.
At the extreme end, some recommend Tylenol to ease the pain of compression fractures in the back or disk pain. But Tylenol doesn’t do much, Dr. Potter said, and other over-the-counter pain medication, such as Motrin or Aleve, can affect kidney function and the intestinal tract.
Speaking about tramadol, Dr. Potter said it’s a drug that is extremely variable and difficult to determine how a patient may react to its use. Some patients over-react while others under-react, he said.
Questioners asked about lidocaine patches and acupuncture. They can be effective for localized pain, Dr. Potter said, and there aren’t many side effects to have to consider.
Another element of significant importance to seniors is ensuring their medications are well-secured from visitors, including relatives. Never offer medication prescribed for you by a doctor to a friend, he cautioned. A medication essential for a patient to take could be lethal with a single dose to someone for whom it wasn’t prescribed, he warned.
