Are Va Medical Centers Over-Prescribing Narcotics To Veterans?

[Philip Rogers]

Okay, Carlie, we'll agree to disagree. I read Jones v Scheshinski (or whoever) and I stand by my statement, to my way of thinking. ;-)

pr

[ncjoe1970]

The VA gave me benzos way back in the seventies. Worked like a champ. Allowed me to settle down enough to tend to my studies and get a degree in engineering. Then, out of the clear blue, they cut me off cold turkey. I spent the next thirty years to get my benzos back, no deal. Instead, they crammed big pharma's SSRI's. I did the research and low and behold, discovered the big lie. They do nothing but bad. Google tartive dysphoria sometimes.

I spent most of my career working for municipalities and managed to come away with private health insurance. I got a private psychiatrist who reinstated my benzos. Yes, I know, they are addictive. They say I will want more and more. They lie. I've been back on them for well over a year and have no need to increase either dosage or number of dosages. They calm me down so I can function in society. They take away most of the anger. In short, they give me most of my life back.

So, perhaps I am the exception to the rule. I only know that they work for me. If I am taking away time at the far end, I'll accept that in light of what they are doing for me now.

Jaz

If they are given responsibly they can work. They are NOT for long periods of time, nor at the amount I was prescribed. The Psychiatrist that had me on 360mg, or 3 1mg tablets x 4 times daily told me that some people needed to be on this many. When I developed the seizure disorder he stated it was a side effect and he treated me for seizures and NOT a Neurologist for years. It was a staff member of his that got me off the Benzos, away from him and in rehab. My memory is forever changed and I have a seizure disorder that has gotten worse, not better in the 4 years I've been off of Benzos. He took a leave of absence for over a year after I filled the 1151 and is now back at work when the judge sided with him. Cover your ass is what I'm saying and trust no one....

[carlie]

Okay, Carlie, we'll agree to disagree. I read Jones v Scheshinski (or whoever) and I stand by my statement, to my way of thinking. ;-)

pr

O-kee-do-key.

[Vync]

The last time I went to the VAMC emergency room I was in a serious amount of obvious pain. After five hours, they provided pain medication that actually worked. I asked what took so long and was told that they were trying to address pain by treating first with milder medication, moving up to the stronger medications. The side effects of the lesser medications caused me to get really sick and lose a couple of days of work.

[john999]

After 4000 years they have found that nothing beats the poppy for pain relief (short term). They have long acting narcotic but VA won't prescribe thusually.

They want you on that awful morphine or maybe on oxycodone. I got the fentynal patch which works for about a day. It is supposed to work for three days. It won't even stick for three days.

[63SIERRA]

many times the va docs UNDERMEDICATE pain sufferers. It causes a conditon called CLOCK WATCHING. Where a patients entire day surrounds the taking of thier medication, and trying to stretch them out, to keep the pain at bay. The va give out hydro and 500 mg aceto, like the regular army gives out Motrin, I believe the va gets big contracts for certain meds, and give them out, and not always the best thing a patient could be on. Take me for instance I have one kidney and lost the other one to kidney cancer. I asked my doc to cut the vicodon to 325 mg of acetoratpoison, from 500., she gave me long speech abt how many mg of aceto is safe perday. So I told her, ok, now cut that in half. I have one kidney REMEMBER!!! well she just played it off, and stood firm. They could have me on much better meds like oxycontin, morphine pills without acetominophen, norco, ect, but they push the 5/500 hydros. Heck even a 10 mg/ 325 vicodin would be better for me because less acetominophen, but they dont care, they push what they are told to push/..

If I could find a marijana that didnt mess with my mind and just shut my body down and put the brakes on my back pain, I would tell the va to shove thier trash where the sun dont shine. Ive heard some really talented growers in holland can grow different types od marijana that have different effects like mostly relieve pain,. not make you trip out and laugh like your retarded.