Pain Medication Reduction

[JayBrown1]

While on my appointment my doctor mentioned to me that due to the effects of long term use of pain medication the VA are wanting doctors to talk to their patients about reducing their pain meds. Some effects can be liver and kidney problems and ED after long term use of pain meds. I have been taking 2 different pain meds one 3 times a day and the other 4 times a day for over ten years now. She wants me to think about reducing my meds and let her know on my next appointment. I put in a claim for ED years ago and was denied and the reason for denial was there was no proof that my ED was from my medication. Now my doctor is telling that my pain meds over long term use can cause ED.

What am I to think about the VA?

[JayBrown1]

John999: I also take 600mg NSAIDS 4 times a day for the past 12 years. I do agree with you on your points, my doctor has asked me to consider decreasing my pain meds starting with dropping from 4 doses a day to three.

[john999]

I don't think the government has the right to determine what people put in their bodies. Only when they commit crimes to get substances should they go to jail. Pot could generate billons in tax revenue. Most of the hysteria about so-called narcotics is just due to ignorance and government propaganda. This is my opinion. Way back in the 60's and 70's the government established methadone clinics and drug treatment. When drugs became more of a minority problem (crack) all that went down the drain. Opiates by themselves are just not harmful. In the 19th century many well known people were addicted to cocaine and opiates. Then government decided to exclude Chinese immigration and since Chinese used opium then opium became illegal.

[brokensoldier244th]

careful, does this constitute getting political? Mods, and all that.

:-)

[john999]

I don't think it is political except in the sense of VA politics. The VA takes their cues from what happens in D.C. If the government wants a war on drugs then the VA will be right behind them. I am sick of being denied drugs at the VA that could help me because of the war on drugs. I cannot get Oxycontin which would help me since it is a time release form of oxycodone. The new longer acting form of hydrocodone will most likely not be prescribed at the VA.

I had to get drugs to help with my OSA using my own insurance because VA said I was taking opiates. This is just BS. The entire situation was "cost". The VA did not want to pay the cost of my Provigil. The VA is glad to prescribe me morphine or methadone which are two truly dangerous drugs because they are cheap. They are hypocrites pretending they are against opiates when all it is is the cost factor. They screwed up and prescribed the Fentanyl patch for me and then fired the doctor who prescribed it. Fentanyl is expensive.....bad dog.

[Pete53]

Its usually the interns that push for med reductions or changes. Thank God we do mot have to accept these changes if we are willing to fight back

[RUREADY]

I don't think it is political except in the sense of VA politics. The VA takes their cues from what happens in D.C. If the government wants a war on drugs then the VA will be right behind them. I am sick of being denied drugs at the VA that could help me because of the war on drugs. I cannot get Oxycontin which would help me since it is a time release form of oxycodone. The new longer acting form of hydrocodone will most likely not be prescribed at the VA.

I had to get drugs to help with my OSA using my own insurance because VA said I was taking opiates. This is just BS. The entire situation was "cost". The VA did not want to pay the cost of my Provigil. The VA is glad to prescribe me morphine or methadone which are two truly dangerous drugs because they are cheap. They are hypocrites pretending they are against opiates when all it is is the cost factor. They screwed up and prescribed the Fentanyl patch for me and then fired the doctor who prescribed it. Fentanyl is expensive.....bad dog.

AMEND john999,this is the way it is