New Va Pain Medication Policy

[rpowell01]

yes your correct but if your strong like I am you can come off of them. I just came off of Morphine IR overnight. Hurt like you know what but I am off of them. Got tired of them and the Morphine ER together so now I take Morphine ER and Tramadol which are perfect together IMHO.

[john999]

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Edited June 8, 2016 by john999
messed up post due to computer problem

[john999]

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I messed  up my post because my computer is so slow.   I went back on morphine for a couple of weeks and when I stopped I barely slept for two days.   If you don't think you are hooked just stop your pain meds and see how you feel.   I know I am physically dependent on opiates after ten years on them.  I want to stop but I have chronic pain that does not respond to anything else.  There is a new nation wide policy on opiates and it is not good.   If you have opiates from VA now never let them stop your script because you will never get it back as told to me by VA pharmacy tech. 

 

[rootbeer22]

jeffperry1134:

 

I'm not familiar with your case, but I don't think the intent is to have a Vet go thru withdrawals and I would recommend contacting your local patient advocate today about your situation. We are starting to hear this type of thing more often and it seems like a miscommunication. Especially, if you have a chronic condition that requires these pain meds in the first place. If you can, it would be best to meet with the Patient Advocate in person if you can to get a quicker response.

 

God speed Rootbeer22 

[63SIERRA]

The VAMC in Temple ts invoulantarily cut me off of my narcotic pain meds abt a year ago for no justifiable reason. what had happened was the local cops caught a guy with abt 15 rx bottles from different botles from different vets who were selling thier pills.  Around the same time, someone working inside the Hospital pharmcy, stole a dufflebag full of nacotics and sold them. So as you can imagine the heat came down from the media, DEA and all of the other organizations that get involved with these type stories. 

well a few days ago, I went in for an appointment and they told me I had blood and urine test... no problem I said, and went and got my blood work and they handed me a piss cup.. so I ask the phelbotomist what exactly was the urine test for.. she informed me it was for a drug screen... I informed her that I was not recieving any narcotics from the VA and inquired why they would want to do a drug screen on me.. Her answer was, I dont know, they cut me off of my hydrocodones and I still have to take a drug test.....

ok now who smells a rat here... ??? 

Heres what I predict is going on... Ok the VA got thier nose twisted real good for dispensing out way too many narcotics, due to over prescribing, in liue of other sometimes more effective care.... so they cant buy as many as they used to.. So now EVEN THOUGH they have probably cut off 90 to 95 percent of thier patients off of the narcotics, they are STILL pissing veterans.. I would bet  my right testical that some company id getting paid ALOT of money to perform these piss tests, that are likely as clean as spring water, due to the VA cutting everbody off.

So I told the phlebotomist I was going to use the nice little clear, sterile cup for a jellybean jar, stuck it in my pocket, then went to my appointment..'

The next day, I get a call from my primary doc, asking why I didnt have results for the drug screen...

well I  lit into him pretty stoutly and told him it was not the VAs concern what drugs I was taken, being I was INVOULANTARILY taken off of them, was paying out of pocket to see an outside competant doctor, I had no opiod contract with the VA in regards to narcotic medications.. there was a slight pause. then the doctor said, ,,"well I guess you have a point"

So the lesson in this is, dont let the VA do a drug test on you, and charge the  system, becuase they have a good ole boy contract with some big company that is likely making a killing on piss tests, that mean nothing anymore, because the VA  cut everybody off.

wasnt trying to hi jack this thread, just trying to give insight on what the big picture is.. So if the VA doesnt have you on opiod pain meds, REFUSE a piss test for a drug screen.

Edited June 17, 2016 by 63SIERRA

[63SIERRA]

just a little food for thought. Some insurance companies are charges as high as 1900.00 for a full panel urinalysis, and that is what the VA does, because I have actually looked at the tests,,, they check everything from anchol, to mariijana, opiods, benzodiazapines,. and on and on.. Keep in mind as well they werent only testing vets to see if they were taking other illigal substances, they were testing vets to see if they were actually taking the opiates they prescribed them, That is how MANY vets were caught  and why they were removed from thier opiod therapy.

So now, those that have been removed, either justifiably, or not, its a moot point, why do drug screens?

It would be my guess that whoever is doing these urine tests for the VA are getting the going rate, or more.

So isnt that the VA in true form, getting thier cake and eating it too, and the veterans suffer.

Im going to do some research into who is doing the drug screens for the VA and how much they are charging.

If the VA is paying a company millions of dollars to do unwarranted , unjustified drug screens, while veterans are suffering with no medication, or folks such as myself paying out of pocket to get my medications .... the shitz gonna hit the fan

Edited June 17, 2016 by 63SIERRA