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Medication – Prescription Drugs-Health Issues
Looking for folks who are the same medication as you and what they think of it. Exercise, diet ideas. Remember we are not giving professional advice, and you should consult your doctor regarding any and all health issues you may be concerned with.
1,336 topics in this forum
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What is wrong with VA Pharmacies and Pain Doctors? Ok, before I start let me tell you that my head is not on straight. Over the last week I have had to call the pharmacy and my doctor to try to get my pain meds. Several times a year even though I see my doctor three to four times a year my prescriptions runs out or my prescription is changed to where I am completely out of medication. I do not understand this since I call way in advance to get my refill but something goes wrong. Then the pharmacy tells me that my doctor forgot to do something and when I call my doctors nurse she tells me that the pharmacy is missing the doctors response and in the mean time I run out o…
Last reply by Silent Uproar, -
- 16 replies
- 3.8k views
For those who must take opioid painkillers there is a medication that will reverse the effects that opioids cause in the bowels. Opioids that attach to the brain nerve receptors do the same thing in the bowels and MOVANTIK is the medication you need. I am on both Morphine SR and IR and I swear I almost gave birth to a cleveland brown last Sunday. Its not fun whenever you cannot go but hurt horrifically. Movantik stops opioids from attaching itself to the nerves in the bowels but does not effect on what its suppose to do in the brain. Movantik works. The VA of course doesn't have this medication in the formulary but all you have to do is see a private PCP and most of the t…
Last reply by Silent Uproar, -
- 31 replies
- 28.4k views
Last spring when I was at VA. I gave the list of drugs that I was taking. The primary Doctor at Va said half the thing on list they don't have or cover. Is there a list of prescription drugs that VA cover's? Like my Lupron shot for my Cancer is $2,300 out pocket. Right now i have privite insurance, which I'm going to lose shortly. What does a Vet. do that is unemployed?
Last reply by PMinBMd, -
I guess my number has finally come up with the VA. They are now wanting to implant a Spinal Cord Stimulator in my lumbar and cervical spine. I have asked them to rethink this and to implant a Intrathecal Pain Pump (Morphine Pump). Reasons: TENS unit has been worthless for me from the beginning while the pain medications have helped me a lot. If the TENs units don't help me then why would they think the SCS would?. I have a friend who has the Intrathecal Morphine Pump for his low back and he said it works great for him. I have asked others people and even Dr. Bash. Dr. Bash explained that a SCS is just a TENs unit and there is no difference. He said he had that implanted …
Last reply by rpowell01, -
- 1 reply
- 1.1k views
I have been taking Provigil for OSA because I am often sleepy during the day. The only problem I am having with it is that normal dose drives up my blood pressure. It does wake me up and motivate me. I am cutting my normal dose in half to see it if it still drives my BP too high. John
Last reply by Buck52, -
- 2 replies
- 1.1k views
I hope I posted this in the right spot. I just got off the phone with a Doctor that is a specialist in Chronic Multi Symptom Illness/Gulf war illness. He told me that no troops were given PB pills since the start of the new war. Only troops from the 1991 war were given these. I remember being given Mefloquin for malaria and PB pills. This was in 2003 and then at the start of 2004 we were told to stop taking them both. The weird thing is he told me that PB was taken 3 times a day and I am certain that I did not take any pills 3 times a day. My memory is a little hazy but I am about 95% certain that the pills were Mefloquin and Pyridostigmine Bromide. Was anyone from 2…
Last reply by DocC03, -
- 0 replies
- 1.3k views
I am one of many Veterans with Multiple "Chronic Pain Issues," I am 100% SC disabled, was treated and functioning well with Opioids on daily basis for over 7 years issued by my Primary Dr. I served my Country for 9 years in 4 Branches of the Military and worked as a Civilian at the Military Entrance Processing Station in San Jose, CA. When the New Pain Medication Policy started to unravel in 2014 I was mandated to detox or go to Chronic Pain Clinic-It took over 9 months to be seen at a Women’s Multidisciplinary Pain Clinic (significant funding); a 2 1/2 hr. road trip (5 hr roundtrip); no follow up; and a denial of medication for my pain. I was told later, by primar…
Last reply by Espalda, -
- 2 replies
- 2.1k views
I normally ignore all the advertising on television for medications, but I have a lot of trouble sleeping, and the sleep aid commercials sometimes get my attention. A couple of months ago I saw one for Belsomra. It's different because instead of increasing the sedation effect in your brain, it supposedly switches off the "be awake!" activity. I won't lie, the ad was also cute. But it sounded like it might be worth a try. I asked my VA psychiatrist about it. She looked into it and learned that it's still not on the VA formulary, but since I'd been on almost every drug they have, the VA agreed to let me try it. I started at 10mg, which did very little, so she bumped me up t…
Last reply by Espalda, -
- 6 replies
- 2.6k views
I have a copy of the VA Formulary of all their medications. If a medication is not on the list does this mean they won't prescribe it? I've been on Oxycodone 5mg every 6 hours for 2 years now. I feel my body has become tolerant to the medication that its not even helping me anymore so what I have to do is take 2 5mg Oxycodone TWICE a day. I don't go over the 4 unless the pain is above a level of 10 and some of you know what I mean about the pain level being over a 10. On my last refill of Oxycodone my VA PCP changed it from every 6 hours to every 4 hours as needed but left the quantity at 120. He said if I was able to wean down to two a day, which I did for two weeks, …
Last reply by Chuck75, -
- 7 replies
- 2k views
If you have Neuropathic foot pain, give serious consideration to the VA's relatively new Acupuncture Pain clinics and Empowering Wellness Program. I'm about 3 months into the Acupuncture and I'd have to say it really helps with the pain level, as much if not more than the Pregabalin. I started using an Essential Oils Pain mixture, supplied by a Non VA Podiatrist, back in 03/15. Only use it at night but it really helps. Have even applied it to other painful non-neuropthy areas and found it helped with regular muscle and joint pain as well. Non-VA supplied cost, about $30.00 per mos supply. My VMC just opened the EWP center about 11/15 and I 've been having them put a …
Last reply by DocC03, -
- 0 replies
- 987 views
I am running a small hospital near Virginia Beach. I want to grow my business thus I need additional support for clinical service, customer support, workflow processes. My elder sister told me about Hidesigns; these guys provide outstanding clinical service support and also offer pharmacy benefit management. They also provide value that stabilizes a company and improves member care. After checking their site I am pretty sure they provide good solutions but I am still concern is there any other option?
Last reply by dorothybaez, -
Lantus Insulin Pen
by Guest Vietnam Tanker- 5 replies
- 9.3k views
Does anyone get the Lantus SolarStar Insulin Pen from the VA. The VA Docs and the VA Specialist (Endocrinologist) will not prescribe (too expensive for the VA) although it is in the formulary as a special request drug. I do not understand why they will not write a scrip for it. I currently get it from a civilian Doctor but pay for it out of pocket.
Last reply by fabny,