Out Of Pain Meds

[GuaymasJim]

The CDC is reporting that almost 29,000 people died from opiate overdoses in 2014.  Unfortunately, and I believe deceitfully, they do not distinguish between the deaths caused by heroin supplied by “El Chapo” and the pain medications legally prescribed by your local PCP.  If you drill down into the statistics and the CDC narrative explaining them, you will see that the wording gets real funky when it comes to that glaring defect.

When you compare those 29,000 poor souls to the 88,000 people whose deaths were alcohol related, the enormous hypocrisy being perpetuated becomes very clear.  If you do the math, alcohol kills 300% more people than all opiate overdoses combined.  Both numbers are heartbreaking, but only one of them is making the news.  Doctors don’t prescribe beer, wine, or whiskey; and I haven’t seen any reports of the ATF cracking down on alcohol abuse.

I strongly suggest that anyone on an opiate medication regime sign up online at painmedicinenews.com—it’s free. It is also almost entirely anti-opiates, so you can see the who, why, what, and how we are going to lose access to effective pain medications.

For instance, if you happen to live in Massachusetts, it’s even more dire.  Here are two chilling quotes (the emphasis is mine) from the February 4, 2016 edition of Pain Medicine News:

“The bill approved by the state House represents a compromise between the legislature and the governor’s office, after the latter had submitted a proposed bill to both houses of the state legislature late last year. According to media reports, Gov. Baker’s proposal, called STEP (Substance use Treatment, Education and Prevention), would have limited initial opiate painkiller prescriptions to three days and allowed physicians to commit a person involuntarily to a drug treatment facility for up to 72 hours if he or she is considered an immediate danger to himself or herself, or others.”

“When contacted by Pain Medicine News, Bob Twillman, PhD, FAPM, executive director of the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM), acknowledged that the group had concerns about the governor’s original proposal, but called the revised legislation “much improved.” Still, he added that there are “a couple of things” the AAPM would like to see changed, among them a provision that “could lead to … involuntary commitment for treatment of a substance use disorder, based on somewhat vague criteria and with the note that, if there is inadequate room in hospitals, those individuals undergoing such treatment can be moved to a correctional facility.”

Once you remove all the boilerplate this is what’s left:  Have a contentious conversation about pain medications with your provider or have some of that heathen devil weed in your system when you pee in the cup, (s)he commits you for 72 hours but there is no room for you at your local VAMC, so they can put you in jail.

If this information has peaked your interest, please visit the following sites to really get informed:

http://www.painmedicinenews.com/Web-Only/Article/02-16/FDA-To-Conduct-Extensive-Review-of-Opioid-Policies/35229/ses=ogst

http://www.painmedicinenews.com/Policy-and-Management/Article/02-16/Massachusetts-Leads-the-Way-on-Opioid-Overdose-Fight-but-Will-Pain-Patients-Suffer-/35168

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6450a3.htm?s_cid=mm6450a3_w

http://www.cdc.gov/features/alcohol-deaths/

 

[Vync]

It sounds almost like the movie The Matrix. They are just looking for more ways to control people. By using misconstrued figures, they are using the end to justify the means.

[rpowell01]

I also had issues and got it all straightened out by calling the Patient Advocates office and threatening my PCP with a Congressional Inquiry. Here is the thing folks, if a Pain management Neurologist/Specialist originally ordered the pain meds, the VA PCP CANNOT change that order without first getting permission from that PM MD. If you don't believe me as pharmacy. There are rules set in place for a reason so a non specialist doesn't mess with that specialist's treatment plan. Remember a specialist has more authority over your treatment than your PCP because he/she is the specialist.

Now, there are a difference between those who ABUSE pain killers and those who are actually in pain. Out of those 29,000 that overdosed how many were in fact in pain? See the government, because of DOJ, are now placing all of us into one pool, abusers and those of use in actual pain and has proven are pain by tests such as an EMG or two. Now the VA is handing out sheets of paper that reads that accidental overdoses of those who are actually in pain is happening because of mental health medications those in the group such as Xanax. Can you believe that? After all these years they are now realizing people are not "overdosing" because of their pain meds but because they also were given, prescribed or took medications like Xanax. Let me tell you this, I have Sleep Apnea now because of the Chronic Pain. I knew something was wrong when my wife would tell me that I was snoring like a pig. It was nights I had no choice except to take Xanax with my pain meds as prescribed. I have Anxiety so I have a hard time sleeping at night because of that and because of pain. Believe me quit taking the group of meds that are in the same group as Xanax. No I don't get to sleep until 3am now, again, but I feel better whenever I wake up. I am not tired and sleepy like was whenever I was taking both.

I am currently on Morphine SR and Morphine IR, just switched from Oxycodone. I hate Morphine but I have no choice as of right now until myself and my PM Neurologist can come up with a better solution. He has finally put in a surgical consult with Neurosurgery, after 5 years of upper radiculopathy and 3 years of lower radiculopathy. I am at the point where I want some of my life back and if I can most likely get some of it back with surgery on my neck, which BTW is the worst of the two, then I am willing to try that. I would rather try something than not to try something. I have already tried just about every conservative treatment there to no avail. I am now at the point I am willing to have them decompress my neck, one way or another before it kills me because of the straightening of Lordosis or it may now have started to go reverse. This is deadly so make sure you keep an eye on this if you have DDD or DJD or even Spondylosis which is both.

[TALON II FE]

Sorry, deleted a rant, inappropriate

 

Edited February 14, 2016 by TALON II FE

[Navy04]

Sorry to hear that everyone is having such a hard time. What ultimately do we do for the Pain? Live on Pills for Life, See DRs for Life, what is the Answer? I dont Drink or Take any ILLegal Drugs, but I dont think that those are the answers either.  In the end, I dont think that anyone will take full responsibility for anything. We just have to make the best of it, try to Live for our Families, and do what is right. Good luck to all of you on here and God Bless!!!

[TALON II FE]

In my case, I don't use anything chronically, every day, etc.  I never did and never would (nor would I want to) take any type of medication daily.  I just need a break sometimes and help sleeping occasionally.  It is irresponsible medicine that makes this impossible and I am disillusioned with the current state of medical care in this country in general.  I have dealt with chronic pain for years and years.  My deleted post was out of line and I apologize to whoever read it, it was just frustration.  I have been sick for weeks and in a lot of pain, so it 'hit a nerve'.