Va Pain Management

[yoggie2]

I was wondering about VA Pain Management I see a private Dr. for treatment and pain med's if the VA has these meds in generic form do I have to go through pain Mgt to get them filled? or talk to my blue team Doctor? I'm looking to save money on my meds, a service connected injury. Thanks Rick

Edited November 25, 2007 by yoggie2

[allan]

Hello Bob,

Personal Care Providers(PCP's)such as RN's, PA's etc. need to get what they recomend, signed off on by the MD that oversees their work.

The Pain Clinic is "NOT" the only way to recieve the proper medication you need.

An MD is licensed to prescribe pain medication such as Oxycodone. If your facility does not provide it, that is an administive issue.

According to the DOD/DVA guidlines doctors must follow, they are athorized to prescribe it.

[allan]

Here are the Opiod Guidelines for care providers

I don't know what these guielines are for, if a care provider has the choice to ignore them.

Allan

[yoggie2]

Allen, I went to the VA in Florida and they did not offer Oxycodone which helps me greatly compared to the Vicodine and Morphine they offered, because the buy in bulk I was told and that was all they get in that region of Florida, there for it depends on the VA hospital you assign to. RC

[allan]

>there for it depends on the VA hospital you assign to?

Hello RC,

I'm trying to figure out what VA MD's prescribe to patients that are intolerant to methadone and morphine, if their guideline recomends oxycodone cr and management says no to prescribing it? Or is it simply, "we can make you sick, take it or leave it" as a treatment plan? Oh how humain! Does that come with their license from the AMA these days?

I know vets that get it out of the same facilities that preach it's been banned by some MD's.

I hear you can get it prescribed at one VAMC, but not the other, or one MD but not the other, or one part of the country but not the other. It's a Dr choice and a facilities choice I think. And I understand everyone has their reasoning.

But it seems to me that if your going to set guidelines to releave chronic pain from veterans (system wide), including those that are "intolerant" to the other medications available, than it should be a nation wide benefit for "all" patients that are intolerant to methadone and morphine, like the guidelines say.

One select group of vets, at one select VAMC somewhere can get it proscribed, no problem, while the rest are told it's banned across the country, it's way to expensive to just hand that out to anyone and so on.

My last MD's way of resolving the issue, was to write in the VAMC records that I no longer have a need for pain medication, and removing diagnoses i've had in my medical records. No health issues, no need for health care. Problem solved as far as he was concerned.

There is a good number of us that become very sick from taking morphine or methadone that don't seem to rate an alternative, wether there is one or not.

This is one major difference I see between Private scetor health care and DVA health care.

"If someone gave me the secret handshake, I forgot it long ago."

[betrayed]

Hello Bob,

Personal Care Providers(PCP's)such as RN's, PA's etc. need to get what they recomend, signed off on by the MD that oversees their work.

The Pain Clinic is "NOT" the only way to recieve the proper medication you need.

An MD is licensed to prescribe pain medication such as Oxycodone. If your facility does not provide it, that is an administive issue.

According to the DOD/DVA guidlines doctors must follow, they are athorized to prescribe it.

Petty issue but PCP is Primary Care Provider not Personal care provider

[yoggie2]

Allen, morphine or methadone is there (VA) answer to pain Mgt. I have tried these drugs though they help the side effect out way the help they provide i.e Flash backs sever Night mares and to awake crazed by them. These meds are more problem then there worth taken with my other meds, I do not how ever have the amount of problem with oxycodone or percocet and the story you get is that it is addictive? morphine or methadone is not "OH PLEASE"? Please don't take my word for it call the VA clinic in Naples Fl, morphine is there mac dad of pain meds and Vicodine is the second even at the hospital. When I lived there I went to see the doctor there I saw my self, he scrolled through them and that was all they offered. I moved to Indiana to reinvent the wheel and found they do how ever do offer it here. Though oxycodone is not as lasting as morphine I feel it is more effective with constant pain and is more expensive than vicodine maybe this is why its carried at select hospitals? I have no idea why but I found this to be true. RC