Levorphanol, Methadone, and the Management of Intractable Chronic Pain: An Interview with Kerry Schmidt, BA,MBA; Jack P. McNulty, MD,FACP; and George B. Muller, RPh.

For former National Football League player Kerry Schmidt, BA,MBA, chronic pain is a part of everyday life. To repair sports-related trauma sustained during his 6-year career as a defensive back, Schmidt has undergone 24 major orthopedic surgeries over the past three decades and will undergo two or three additional procedures to repair his lower back. Now a sports reporter, a syndicated sports columnist, and a business owner, Schmidt says his pain at times has rated a 10-plus on a 10-point pain scale. Schmidt recently took control of his constant discomfort. After he consulted with Jack P. McNulty, MD,FACP, a specialist in the management of chronic pain, who collaborated with George B. Muller, RPh, a compounding pharmacist, Schmidt found relief with no adverse effects from the seldom-prescribed drug levorphanol.