tdiu Take Caution Trying Subxone For Severe Chronic Pain

[rootbeer22]

Folks:

This seems like a very tough situation for pain patients and all of the new rules associated with the control of pain meds. My understanding is that Suboxone was used in Europe for general (moderate) pain and it was found to have other properties that were useful to treat addicts as well. Just because someone used/uses Suboxone does not mean that they are an addict? Some pain patients respond well to suboxone based upon their genetic and biological make-up but they may have never been characterised as addicts? Unfortunately, I've heard that many in the medical community may label then as such which is very unfair. But that's more about being educated about the drug rather than a medical professional speaking out of turn. Not many like it...but when someone breaks the rules with pain meds...many others who had nothing to do with breaking the rules..will suffer by policies meant to cover a few but legally will cover everyone. In my opinion, these issues should remain between the patient and doctor..were it should stay...

Edited November 19, 2014 by rootbeer22

[john999]

VA now has a relationship with Florida drug enforcement and checks on prescriptions. I read my VA medical record recently, and it said the VA had checked to see if Florida, where I live, had documentation of me getting drugs from out of state, or from other pain doctors in Florida. I never gave them permission to shop me around to the Florida DEA or anyone else. I foolishly thought my medical records at the VA were private. I asked for a HISA grant and/or specially adaptation to my bathroom and I see where the VA wants to check with neighbors, employers, hospitals, doctors, worker's compensation, medicare, SSA and a host of others to see if I am a drug addict or some kind of criminal.

I limited their access to the VA, SSA and my wife. Now I am probably screwed, but I am not allowing those bastards to go on a fishing expedition just for me to get some adaptation to my bath tub so I don't break a hip. This reminds me of that quality of life program where the "counselor" wanted me to prove medically that providing me with some music lessons would significantly improve my mental health. I told them to just shove it. I am building up significant hate for the VA and government in general. They got me addicted or at least dependent on opiates and on benzo's and now I am a drug dependent problem child. I will show them what a problem child can do with a pen, and paper, and email.

[rootbeer22]

john999

Did you sign a pain contract with a VA doctor? If you did, you probably gave them the authority to check other sources that you may have access to for pain meds? That said, there are a lot of protections under the HIPPA, the Privacy Act and a handful of other regulations. Also, you can obtain a copy of a report of anyone have accessed your medical files. The Facility Privacy Officer where your records are stored at can get you a copy of your access report. You can also question any access that you feel was not done properly according to the law? My experiecne has been that it's very routine for medical folks to look at you medical files but there are some restrictions that they all must follow. There's a reason for those protections and its important because especially when it comes to pain meds, some medical folks who are also human can form opinions that may or may not be accurate? But, this can result in possible bias towards a pain patient that may not be accurate...but once the opinon is formed -it's hard to change it? I think that's why first impressions are so lasting for all types of situations.

Edited November 20, 2014 by rootbeer22

[georgiapapa]

rootbeer22,

Very informative post. I was not aware veterans could get a copy of a report from the Facility Privacy Officer showing who has accessed their medical files.

Thanks

[Pete53]

I think the VA is scared to death of the DEA. The War on Drugs is a now a War on Vets as well. I won't let them use the pain clinic to push me onto Suboxone unless I want to do that. You know heroin was a cure for morphine addiction back in the day. Methadone was a cure of heroin addiction. I have known people on methadone programs. They are just as doped up as heroin addicts and still searching for a buzz. I have used pain meds via the VA for about 8 years with never a dirty urine test or a test that showed I was not using as prescribed. That may not stop them, however, since the VA is looking for any excuse to kick me out of the program. They keep changing the rules of the game. DAV-72 is right to be suspicious of the VA's motives regarding opiates. All the pain doctors should be suffering from chronic severe pain so they could feel an ounce of compassion for their victims.

John

The VA Pharmacy works for DEA and not the VA. You can't even complain to VA about Pharmacy

[john999]

I did sign an agreement for the opiates because I knew I was going to use them as prescribed, so I was not worried. Now I am just angry that they are shopping me around to the DEA and have branded me as having a problem .... "opiate dependence". I originally asked the VA for Vioxx or Celebrex and the pain clinic said I needed to be on morphine sulfate. It was due to the cost of Celebrex and Vioxx at the time 2003. Morphine is cheap as is methadone, percoset and most opiates. I think Oxycontin is expensive, so that's out. So the VA started me on the road to opiate dependence and now they blame me and say it is one of my problems. This is just one of the reasons I hate their guts. They have threatened to take me off the opiates I get now, but I backed them down. I have chronic pain and there is just no answer to it. They won't even give me PT to help me with the pain. They gave me Cymbalta and that helped a little, but as well all know it makes a male impotent as do all SSRI's. About the only thing the VA is good for is a check and pills. I would not let them operate on my ingrown toenail. They gave me steroid shots in both heels and before I got home I could not walk. I told them about my foot pain and I got triple pain as a result.

John