I understand that if I am pregnant or become pregnant while being treated at Southern Grace Pain & Regenerative Medicine, I will NOT receive medications and all prescriptions must be obtained and approved by my treating obstetrician during my pregnancy.
Please read the following carefully regarding the risks associated with opiate therapy
Opiates  (narcotics) may cause drowsiness that can be worsened with alcohol, benzodiazepines and other sedating medications. Do NOT drive or operate machinery. An overdose of these medications can cause severe side effects, even death.
Opioids MUST ONLY be taken as directed. Federal law prohibits giving these medications to anyone else. Physical dependence will develop with regular use, but does not by itself indicate addiction; this means that a withdrawal syndrome will develop if one stops the medication abruptly. Tolerance may develop to the pain-relieving effects of opioids; this means that the pain relief may decrease over time, but in chronic pain conditions this process occurs slowly.
Other common, usually temporary, side effects include nausea, itching and sweating. Psychological depression and lowered testosterone levels (especially in men) may also occur. Sleep apnea, if present may be worsened by opioids. Constipation commonly occurs, and often does not improve with time. It is impossible to predict opioid side effects in any individual patient. Having side effects on one opioid does not necessarily mean there will be side effects on another narcotic medication.
Most chronic pain conditions do NOT respond to opiate therapy long term. Some pain may only be partially responsive to opiates. Total elimination of pain is an unrealistic goal. Increasing dosages may indicate that opiates are not effective or that there is an underlying problem with addiction or psychological dependence. Discontinuation of opiate medications may need to be done under these circumstances: not enough pain relief, persistent side effects, not achieving goals of opiate therapy (such as improvement of function), problematic dosage increases or inability to comply with the treatment agreement.
I, the undersigned, agree to follow these guidelines that have been fully explained to me. All of my questions and concerns regarding treatment have been adequately answered.
I give permission to the staff and physicians at Southern Grace Pain & Regenerative Medicine clinic to contact my other healthcare providers, for the purposes of sharing information concerning my situation, as is deemed necessary for coordinated, high quality care.
If I do not follow these guidelines fully, the physicians at Southern Grace Pain & Regenerative Medicine may have the right to decline care.