Drug Tests

[Vync]

This is due to the epidemic of addiction to pain medication and VA announced this month their plans to reduce opiate prescriptions/addiction. There are so many abusers, that they treat us all the same. I agree it is invasive and should not be done without discussion with the patient and certainly not without cause for suspicion.

Mo3,

You're absolutely right!. I went to the VAMC ER the other day for a horrible migraine and TMJ pain. After sitting in the lobby for hours, the first medication they gave me was IV NSAIDS. An hour later, they came back with something stronger. Then an hour later they brought in the morphine and I finally started to get some relief.

JBasser is definitely right too! I went to the VAMC ER to get relief from agonizing service-connected pain. Instead, this new pain medication policy merely prolonged my pain and pissed off my wife because they took too long.

From VAMC Patients Rights and Responsibilities:

You have the right to have your pain assessed and to receive treatment to manage your pain. You and your treatment team will develop a pain management plan together. You are expected to help the treatment team by telling them if you have pain and if the treatment is working.

[autumn]

Probably really simple. If the program says no drugs no drugs. The VA is federal and it is still illegal to posses or use marijuana so it would most likely cause you to be removed from the program.

I re-read my first part and wanted to be sure not to offend anyone when I said probably really simple as I can see if might sound condescending.

i just checked the VA MS Center of Excellence website and they too echo what you mentioned. if federal states illegal, then illegal. trumps state law. that sure puts some chronic suffer'ers in a catch-22 situation. well, folks gotta do what they gotta do to manage their health and QoLife.

i actually did take your original reply a bit condescending but my nerves/brain are a bit more sensitive to this VA stuff than most folks. it didn't start out that way at all. i always gave VA benefit of the doubt, beleived what they told me, did what they asked, until years later the truth started to emerge. so i'm on the other side of the fence with that. didn't ask for it, just turned out that way. appreciate your help and thoughts and explanation.

[WhyMista]

i just checked the VA MS Center of Excellence website and they too echo what you mentioned. if federal states illegal, then illegal. trumps state law. that sure puts some chronic suffer'ers in a catch-22 situation. well, folks gotta do what they gotta do to manage their health and QoLife.

i actually did take your original reply a bit condescending but my nerves/brain are a bit more sensitive to this VA stuff than most folks. it didn't start out that way at all. i always gave VA benefit of the doubt, beleived what they told me, did what they asked, until years later the truth started to emerge. so i'm on the other side of the fence with that. didn't ask for it, just turned out that way. appreciate your help and thoughts and explanation.

No I completely see why it came off condescending. I agree that it does put people who have prescriptions for it in a bind but even if the VA wanted to allow it they couldn't because of federal law. I personally plan on going to somewhere private for my mental health issue now that my disability is on its way.

It really is a shitty situation because you're forced to choose what part you need more.

[Chuck75]

i agree. its that "suspicion" aura that kinda got to me and the fact my neuro only said he wanted a blood test to for an upcoming mri and standard blood work. never mentioned all the drug screening that was reported.

"they treat us all the same" The VA practices "instutional medicine". Thus, don't expect too much in the way of personal consideration or relationships.

Even private physicians are having problems, due to the way medicare and medical insurance works.

[63SIERRA]

I recently got a copy of recent medical records, and they are testing from tobbacco, to cocaine. There has been a huge drop in customers at the temple va in texas, from what I understand. Seems they have been catching ALOT of people without the prescribed opiates in thier systems, who are there even asking for more. So they urine test them, then when they find out they havent took the prescribed meds, then they cancel thier prescriptions. S

[63SIERRA]

Once the va cancels the prescription, lots of vets dont have a reason to go to the va anymore, because they were going just to get the meds to sell. Something else va should if they are already not testing for, is if veterans who are claiming PTSD and depression fradulently are taking thier medications,. No meds, no compensation.