Don't mess with my pain meds until you have something better!!

[starmac]

My wife takes tylanol 3 with Codeine. Been on it for years, it is the only thing that lets her keep the fibromyalgia pain backed off.

Now she works at the local Essentia call center. So she knows how to work the system.
But last summer they decided they were not going to give out opoids anymore. To anyone.

She went to 5 different doctors before one finally told her that she is not going to find what she is looking for. It was one of those "Policy" things. You know, the kind written by someone who sits behind a desk who has no real world experience. Not a doctor, more likely a lawyer.

She even tried their so called "Pain Clinic", no go. Those are really for dealing with problem patients you know.

So she tried to quit, for 6 weeks she struggled with tapering off. Dealing with pain, side effects.
In the end, she admitted she'd rather be dead than live like that.

So she was forced to go out of network, pay 600$ 4 times a year out of her own pocket to keep her prescription for Tylenol 3 with Codeine. She does not abuse them, she takes 2 a day. Has for 25 years.

But someone behind a desk can write a "Policy" put her through months of agony.

No I'm not happy with what they call "Medicine". Its a rip off, designed to separate you from your money. And that is pretty much all they care about.

GhostHawk, you are not that far from the border, Tylenol 3 can be bought at any drugstore in Canada, the last time I bought any, no prescription, iirc you can bring 2 bottles back and you can buy the 100 pill bottles. I can't take them because of my proffession, but I have picked them up for others several times.

[Tracy]

This article claims the crackdown on prescription pain meds is driving the illicit opioid problem:
https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/...killing-people

[white eagle]

that is like saying the ar15 is the cause of school shootings
it makes no sense to me why they just call it a heroin problem instead
of making the people who really need these to suffer for the few who
kill themselves
want to solve the opiod problem atop giving the junkies a free ticket back
with naloxone

[Jniedbalski]

The more the government cracks down on pain meds the more the drug dealers will bring illegal drugs. The government hasent learned over probation have they. I have been on pain meds for over ten years. It’s almost impossible to find a doc that will prescribe even with documation that you need it. China is bring in heroine that is usually fental. It’s a synthetic drug that they make that is easy to transport because it’s so small a quanity 100 times more powerfully.than morfen . If they make it impossible for people that need it they will find a way to get it.china will just start shipping more over and the dealers will have a open market.

[shooter93]

The only people who will be hurt by the "crack down" will be those who need it. If you think you're going to stop an addict from getting drugs you're a fool. Pain is different for everyone and some can tolerate an amount of pain others can't. I've been through the entire gambit after a number of very major surgeries. They may be finally after three years of extreme pain getting me to where I can function and work again. I have tried every type of medication and acupuncture. nerve blocks, nerve burns etc. It would be easier to tell you what I haven't tried than what I have. It is nasty chronic pain all the time.

[Duckiller]

Big pharma and people in general won't control them selves . Big pharma wants big bucks selling drugs. People just want to get happy and not worry about side effects,m therefore they die. Gov has a problem with citizens committing suicide, either knowingly or unknowingly. Check out the number of states that have voted for medical or recreational use of marijunana. It is all BS. Marijuana is mostly recreational use. People think they have a Constitutional right to get high. These are people that have never read the Constitution. I am truly sorry for people with major pain management problems but their are too many idiots running around loose.

[JBinMN]

Once again, the gubment thinks they should be able to get involved in the privacy & the personal liberty of the citizens. Communism/Socialism, Leftist & Marxist BS....

Those who try to do such things are "Domestic enemies" of the US Constitution.

WHEN & IF the gubment tries to implement a "National database" of ANY medication or medical treatment legally prescribed by MDs, interfering with the confidentiality of the Dr. /Patient relationship, as well as breaking the HIPAA laws already implemented to protect such confidentiality, and that is when they have overstepped their bounds.

It is no different that the legal confidentiality one is supposed to have with their attorney,as well as the 5th Amend. Right of the US Constitution which allows that no one is required to provide evidence against themselves.

More Illegal Tyranny by the Gubment... Another attack on it by "Domestic enemies" & MUST STOP!

[10-x]

Good thread. Like many have bad back, have all kinds of injections, nerve burning ECT, no good. Tramadol works, monthly visit to pain management MD is what it takes. He tells me he wished all his patients were like me. I hate taking anything, but to get " the knife out of your back", you have to do what you have to do.

[MaryB]

I have been through the pain management wringer, only thing that helps is oxycontin and percocet. Slow release oxy and a perc when I wake up so I can get my muscles moving without feeling like someone is stabbing a knife in my spine(My spine is self fusing slowly... extremely painful process... plus a laminectomy, neck fusion, rotator cuff twice on my right shoulder, carpal tunnel twice right wrist, thumb tendon shortened and reattached, knee scoped, and a nerve tumor removed from left hip that left long term nerve damage. Oh and I am ignoring a torn left rotator cuff, left wrist carpal tunnel, and torn acl's in both knees, and a bone spur right hip!). At 8pm I repeat that and at midnight just a perc to sleep. My script is for up to 3 oxy a day and 6 perc, I have days I use more but tend to take the minimum I can to be able to function and to sleep.

I am having trouble with the pharmacy not having the meds, government is cutting supply and hurting those of us who are responsible about taking our meds. And hospitals are having supply problems of the injectables for people who have had surgery! This stupidity has to end.

[GhostHawk]

GhostHawk, you are not that far from the border, Tylenol 3 can be bought at any drugstore in Canada, the last time I bought any, no prescription, iirc you can bring 2 bottles back and you can buy the 100 pill bottles. I can't take them because of my proffession, but I have picked them up for others several times.

Saving that for last resort. I know they are readily available there.

Also getting 3 months supply of my blood pressure meds, Bystolic from Canada drug online.

Local pharmacy with Medicare and Part D Suppliment is 560$ for a months supply.
I can get 3 months supply from canada for less than half that.

And that Part D suppliment I pay for, listed that drug as being covered. But within a month after signing up it was no longer covered. That is how they rip you off. Its in the fine print, they can change anything at any time.

[glockfan]

I have been through the pain management wringer, only thing that helps is oxycontin and percocet. Slow release oxy and a perc when I wake up so I can get my muscles moving without feeling like someone is stabbing a knife in my spine(My spine is self fusing slowly... extremely painful process... plus a laminectomy, neck fusion, rotator cuff twice on my right shoulder, carpal tunnel twice right wrist, thumb tendon shortened and reattached, knee scoped, and a nerve tumor removed from left hip that left long term nerve damage. Oh and I am ignoring a torn left rotator cuff, left wrist carpal tunnel, and torn acl's in both knees, and a bone spur right hip!). At 8pm I repeat that and at midnight just a perc to sleep. My script is for up to 3 oxy a day and 6 perc, I have days I use more but tend to take the minimum I can to be able to function and to sleep.

wheew.....i thought my body was a wreck ! Mary, in your case, waking up in the morning should be called '''soldier on'''; just walking must be an act of god!

[Thundarstick]

You really don't think HIPPA protects you from the government finding out anything about you, do you?

We go through mandatory HIPPA training every year about who can and can't access your "protected health information", and the government sure isn't on the restricted list!

[JBinMN]

You really don't think HIPPA protects you from the government finding out anything about you, do you?

We go through mandatory HIPPA training every year about who can and can't access your "protected health information", and the government sure isn't on the restricted list!

They should be at the TOP of the list, IMO.

I am one of those who is getting very tired of the gubment sticking its nose into folks business.


P.S. - it is HIPAA, not HIPPA. Just sayin...

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-profes...ml?language=es

[Thundarstick]

Fupa, sorry HIPAA

[sparky45]

The OP won't be affected by this, it's aimed at Drs who are pill pushers, and patents who abuse opioids. IE, I have known lots of addicts that brow beat, guilted, begged, and otherwise manipulated family members to feign pain to get prescriptions for them! I use to perform loads of drugscreens on employment applications, now I do loads to make sure the patient is taking the med they are prescribed! My late FIL had osteoarthritis so severely he had to have Morphine just to sleep a few hours, so I do know about people who need these meds. Personally, I'm of the opinion that long term pain relief should go through a Dr that specializes in pain management, I also think a GP MD has absolutely no business prescribing mind altering drugs to patients with no psychological exam or follow up! All these drugs need to be better controlled, followed, and regulated, but when the drug reps have regular dinner dates with clinics staff and Drs to tell them all about the latest greatest drug they have just rolled out it does make one wonder about the whole sit up, not mentioning the Washington bribes!

Apparently you forgot how the govt manipulates; first a foot in the door, and then they think they are experts and amend legislation to their liking simply by voice vote (at times). Keep the govt OUT of our PERSONAL lives.

[sparky45]

I do get my opioids from a doctor at the Pain Management Clinic, located inside the hospital. They communicate with my GP and my surgeon and then the doc at the pain management center is the one who prescribes the meds. As I said, Ibuprofen is not effective on my acute pain. I cannot take Acetaminophen (Tylenol) due to a reaction to it, although it also is not effective on my acute pain.
I am aware of and have read some of the studies on Ibuprofen, but in the real world, my ex wife died from a dependency on and abuse of OTC Ibuprofen for her chronic pain (she was stubborn and rarely would go to a doc for it), so I know it can kill you just as dead as any opioid and isn't the nice, safe alternative to chronic pain they would have you believe. Any pain med should be monitored and regulated, but I'm just saying don't throw the genuine pain sufferers into a generic class of people and deny us the relief just to satisfy some feel-good goal and make the numbers look good on a Federal level.

I think that OTC drugs such as Ibuprofen are also quite dangerous, because people that use those are self medicating and never have to seek out a doctor, whereas opioid users at least do use the doctors until they stop following the directions and drift into dependency.

Again, I am not saying I wouldn't hand in my opioids and never use them again, if somebody presented another drug that worked at least as well, just don't cut me off an tell me to go chew on a rawhide-wrapped stick for my pain. (at the Wound Treatment Center, they are scared to prescribe anything, so they just tell me to go keep it elevated and squeeze a ball or lift a weight to take my mind off it).
I deserve to be able to function and work and sleep peacefully and enjoy activities and there is a drug out there that allows me to do that....... and at the moment, its name is Opioid.

Ibuprofen in long term higher doses WILL adversely affect the Liver and about all other organ systems. Dangerous drug if used in management of chronic pain.

[Dadswickedammo]

I am in the middle of this now. My Dr. At the V.A. is under fire prescribing me Vicodin I was in a wheel chair last week with degenerative discs with the Vicodin back at work with staggering pain but standing sitting and working.
I think it's all political buzz words .

[nekshot]

I only got one thing to say for me. Sign as many petitions as I can to legalize hemp!

[osteodoc08]

It has been an ongoing problem for years. In GA we have the “PMPAWARE” database that we were required to sign up for. Most clinical staff can sniff out the seekers from the folks that truly need help.

Tylenol is metabolized in the Liver

NSAIDS are metabolized in the Kidneys.

NSAIDS carry side effects including renal failure and GI bleeding and ulcers. Not to mention increased risks of heart attack and stroke. They are far from benign and, I personally feel, are far more dangerous than narcotics (when taken appropriately) in an aging population.

[MaryB]

wheew.....i thought my body was a wreck ! Mary, in your case, waking up in the morning should be called '''soldier on'''; just walking must be an act of god!

I don't need rice crispies cereal, I snap crackle and pop getting up! Many mornings I stand then kind of lean on the wall until the pain settles a bit, then limp down to shower(heat helps first thing) then breakfast of champions, pain meds and V8 LOL some mornings I semi roll to the floor in a very crouched position then hand walk erect up the wall to get my back unkinked... getting old isn't for sissies and I haven't hit 60 yet!