Va Pushing To Decrease Pain Medication

[JayBrown1]

I recently called in a renewal of my pain medication and when I checked my doctor decrease it from 90 pills to 60. I had agreed that I would decrease it 120 to 90 until my next appointment and then we would decide if I can tolerate it at that level but just after a month and a half I told I couldn't too much pain at this point instead she decrease it without letting me know in advance. I secured message her and she told I was right and that we did say we would only drop it 30 but the VA is pushing to get veterans off of opiates and suggest that I get some bengay or capsaicin cream to help with the pain. I have been taking 2 pain meds for over 20 years now and using Capsaisin creams for over 10 years and I am still in a lot of pain and now within 2 months they have already cut my meds in half. My pain level has not been under 5 since 2004, some days I don't even get out of bed especially with the pain that runs through my legs. I had to quit working in 2008 due to severe pain.

This is scary because next the only thing I will be getting is Tylenol. I wrote in my response to my doctor that whole the VA is looking at reducing our pain meds they will create alcoholics because veterans will have to find alternatives to deal with their pain.

Has anyone else had their meds reduce!

[JayBrown1]

I have been taking urine test! I was told by my doctor that there is a push for doctors to reduce pain medications because there were too many people who are taking these meds and are having problems. I take my meds and every time I have an appointment I do a urinalysis test not only to prove that I am taking my meds but to make sure I am not taking anything like cocaine, cannibus or any other illegal drugs. I get copies of my medical records to update my file it shows what I am taking and there have never been a problem in that regard.

All I know is what my doctor said to me but she never showed me anything in writing. However I do have an email message from her stating the same thing.

I am just going to see where this is going and how bad my pain is going to get with this reduction until my appointment again in September. I have been living with pain for over 20 years now I guess I will just have to get use to being in more pain.

[lotzaspotz]

Thank you, Sierra, was just about to add that suggestion. File a claim for increased pain due to the condition. If the pain is increased then the severity and functional impact of the increase needs to be rated and the veteran needs to be compensated for it. From

help desk@vetsfirst.org, 1.7, Scheduler Ratings:

"Further, 'functional loss due to pain' should be rated and evaluated separately because the Diagnostic Codes do not "contemplate the functional loss resulting from pain on undertaking motion." DeLuca v. Brown, 8 Vet. App. 202, 205-06 (1995); see also Cullen v. Shinseki, 24 Vet. App. 74, 84 (2010) (describing the holding in DeLuca as "requir[ing] that the disabling effect of painful motion be considered when rating joint disabilities"). However, "pain alone does not constitute a functional loss under VA regulations that evaluate disability based upon range-of-motion loss." Mitchell v. Shinseki, 25 Vet. App. 32, 38 (2011). 'Pain in, like deformity of or insufficient nerve supply to, a particular joint may result in functional loss, but only if it limits the ability to perform the normal working movements of the body with normal excursion, strength, speed, coordination[, or] endurance.'' Id. (quoting 38 C.F.R. § 4.40)."

Edited June 6, 2014 by lotzaspotz

[JayBrown1]

Thanks for the info because I didn't even think of possible withdrawal effects. I hope I don't have any. I will take your advice!

[john999]

If the VA wants you to withdraw they need to provide medical help. It is malpractice to just cut you off, or reduce without medical supervision. To reduce you off benzos or opiates like many of us take for anxiety/pain is dangerous. There must be a way to sue these MF'ers for malpractice when they do these dumb things. If they want to reduce you in serious way tell them you cannot do it on your own. Tell them you will kill yourself and have a letter forwarded to leaders of Vet's in congress upon your death with names and particulars. This is extreme, but so is cutting off vets from meds after years. I have been on opiates for ten years it is the only relief I get from pain.

John

[stillhere]

They tried that once on me last year and I jumped both feet all over the doc that was backing up my regular PC. When my regular PC got back she put in one for my 90 pills.

I think the doctors are being tracked by the VA to see how many opiates they write. Hell I just went through a gall bladder surgery and besides the IV stuff they were giving me I was doing 2 percs every 3 hrs. And still wanting more pain was over the wall. Better now but back is still gonna need them.

Had me on ebrell the injection stuff for my back once a week but I get sick to much to really take it. Works pretty good at limbering me up but not perfect.

Stillhere

[Chuck75]

"I think the doctors are being tracked by the VA to see how many opiates they write"

You expected something different?

Anyway, the tracking extends even farther, and undoubtedly includes "expensive" medication

that has a cheaper alternative available. Never mind that the alternative may not be as effective, or have

greater side effects.