Should a Doctor be able to Prescribe....

[Mojo Chick'n]

I voted no because the kid OD'd on Tylenol - was he taking it because he is stupid enough to think it might get him high, and that maybe the patch would do so also?

Kids will try to find anything to get off on - if they are so inclined. They can get very creative, but not always in an intelligent thought out manner. (not that getting off is usually an intelligent option, but there are tried and tested methods that most kids would not think of or research).

seems to me he is looking for an alternative to the Tylenol which obviously wasn't his best choice to begin with.

and yeah, I've been on the patch for quitting smoking - I got dizzy - for some kids, dizzy = getting high

meri

 

[twentynine]

NO! NO! NO!

What do you do---- ignore he pleas for a patch.

He is the perfect place to go COLD TURKEY.

He has already been treated for an overdose of one drug, just what he needs is a prescibetion for another one.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I really don't think it would be wise to prescribe a nicotine patch to someone who OD'ed on an OTC drug, whether it was accidental or intentionally. They already have some issues going on and a nicotine patch will only compound those issues, especially if it isn't certain he has smoked before. I agree with another poster who mentioned that he would be showing S/S of nicotine withdrawal by now.

However, I would say that it should ultimately be the decsion of the parent/guardian. If they are 16, they are still a minor and the parent should be consulted.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
My first thought was that he was looking for an alternate "buzz". I agree with Sitka.

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

I tipped the vote... I said NO.

 

[pips&peeps]

Not without parental consent.

 

[rizq]

In this situation, I would say no as well. It doesn't sound like this kid needs it to quit smoking, but is looking for some sort of fix. If he is not in withdrawal after - what was it, 24 hours? - then I don't believe he needs it.

Overall, however, yes they should be able to IF THERE IS A TRUE NEED. I really believe that if a 16-year-old child is smoking and wants to quit, they should have every support available (as long as it is safe and under the guidance of a doctor) to effect that change before any more years have passed, making it even harder to quit.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Tylenol is very easy to od on. It is probably one of the riskiest drugs most of us have in our homes. And oding on it is nasty...permanent liver damage. That being said, I a doctor should be able to use his/her judgement to prescribe a med for a kid, even nicotine. They can prescribe schedule II and III drugs to minors, why not a nicotine patch?

Should the doctor be allowed to prescribe:yes
Should the doctor prescribe: probably not.

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Quote:
It was an "issue" because we were debating on whether to call the doc for the perscription or not. None of the nurses there had been posed with that situation before, so we were discussing it. We were/are not the deciding factor- and it was passed on via a note for the rounding physician to discuss/decide.

mom'sfolly :

Tylenol is very easy to od on. It is probably one of the riskiest drugs most of us have in our homes. And oding on it is nasty...permanent liver damage. That being said, I a doctor should be able to use his/her judgement to prescribe a med for a kid, even nicotine. They can prescribe schedule II and III drugs to minors, why not a nicotine patch?

Should the doctor be allowed to prescribe:yes
Should the doctor prescribe: probably not.

When a tylenol level is drawn, it can tell a clinician; by the level in the bloodstream; how much was ingested, and judging by that level one can tell whether it was accidental or incidental in most cases. Lets just say that in this case someone would have had to "accidentally" taken darn near an entire bottle to achieve the levels found here...
I did a bit of "polling" on my own last night. I asked the ER doc, she said she treats anyone over 12 as an adult. When asked about the legality of the whole thing, she said "I am a doctor- I could prescribe it if I deemed it nessecary." When the same question was proposed to the neruologist on call, he shook his head "no". He is a man of few words.

So I guess it is personal preference dependant upon the physician/situation. Sure was a good way to kill some time last night, tho!​

 

[mom'sfolly]

With non-accidental levels of tylenol, the poor kid is going to be one sick puppy for a long time. Sad, when you think about it.