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Out Of Pain Meds

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  • Content Curator/HadIt.com Elder
On 2/14/2016 at 11:22 AM, rpowell01 said:

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.

Hiya Rpowell,
That actually sounds like a good idea. In my case, my pain meds were originally prescribed by dental for TMJ - just once - and then by my PCP for TMJ and later for spine pain. It makes me wonder if your VAMC might have a different pain policy than mine. My PCP has recently told me the same thing about meds from specialists. I asked my PCP to talk with my specialist, but they refused.

The problem with EMGs is they are not perfect. Prior to surgery on my arm, I passed the EMG with flying colors, but the alternating numbness and piercing pain were not picked up. My surgeon did some specialized test which measured pressure sensitivity reception in order to identify which sub branches of the nerves were impacted. I can't remember what he called it. I can definitely tell a difference after having surgery.

I had a family member who had neck surgery and an artificial disc was installed. They could barely move, but can now function relatively normally. The drawback to the artificial discs is that the adjacent bones might eventually fracture. When I got out of the Army, I don't think they had half the new solutions available today. I'm not sure what they will do for your neck, but I hope it gives you some relief.

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No one on this site is out to Embarrass or Accuse anyone of anything. We just try to support each other the best way we can. Most days we are all we got and need in my opinion. You have a right to Vent as we all do. Good luck my friend

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Can I hear an Amen!  No disrespect to God or Any Veterans.  

I have been very careful to take my scripts as prescribed by my docs.  I am on a few and with Sleep Apnea I know your complaints.  I try to make sure all the paperwork and signatures, pill counts, piss tests, and all that jazz get documented so there are no delays in my meds.  Try not to take the anxiety meds too often and only use them when I really need them.  I have to say don't take any chances and heed to the warnings.  I myself had a long episode of 90 secs or so of breathing problems my machine confirmed this. It is no joke.

Even with that I about went skitzo this past week.  I ran out, there were problems with the refills, and I went through some serious issues.    Withdrawal and over bearing pain not a good mix. Couple that with other issues and well it can get very serious extremely fast.

I still, went, oh lets say maybe a little more than difficult to manage for my loved ones to endure.  I have to say some of the meditation techniques, self talk and breathing exercises helped a bunch.  Even with some knowledge and will power I danced a fine line between loosing mind so I can relate.

Support and understanding are a big plus and a big help.  Family and my extended family here on this site pull a person through.  Hang in there guys and gals.  " it can't rain all the time"

Take it easy, things will be okay.  Stay strong everyone.  "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast"  

 

 

 

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  • HadIt.com Elder

I make sure I have backup.   Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies.  The VA has been as much as ten days late on my narcotic meds and I have been in pain management for many years.  The VA will screw up your meds no matter how bad you need them.   The reason they are so difficult with any type of opiates is they thing they will get into trouble if you OD or get caught selling your drugs etc.   They don't care about your health or pain.   They care about their rear ends is all. Protect yourself at all times when you deal with these jerks.  If is our job to use them and not be used by them.  You can tell I really love these people.  The doctors at the VA are the ones who could not do a practice on the outside, or because they are just lazy and incompetent.

 

 

                         John

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The problem doesn't lie with the VA its mainly because of the DOJ putting pressure on ALL pharmacies. I have a friend who had problems getting his Oxycodone and he is on both Morphine SR and Oxycodone and he is on higher doses and gets his meds from the private sector. The problem is everywhere.. The VA's pharmacy is now most likely audited by DOJ. We cannot blame the pharmacies but the epidemic of abusers out there and DOJ putting pressure on US who are actually in pain. The  DOJ has grouped EVERYBODY, ppl in pain, people with cancer and in pain in the same group of those who is abusing these medications.

But I never had a problem with my VA pharmacy in Tampa. The only issue I ever had was UPS sent my pain meds to Kentucky while I live in Florida. I had to wait an extra few days and I went to the ER with my empty prescription bottle and the ER MD knew my situation and they already had my med list in their system from previous visits. I reported this to my VA PCP and VA Pharmacy and they said this was okay.

john999 is right, do not let them push you around and say they cannot do this or that. The way I got my pain meds was I send hundreds if not thousands every single day to VA PCP who finally sent me to the VA PM Neurologist. I caught him in a lie and confronted him in a secured message about some lies he said in his progress notes such as saying he did an exam whenever he didn't. Whenever I confronted him about this he knew I was telling him the truth and started me on Oxycodone. Yes they are ignorant about upping the medications to proper dosages but I cannot blame them as our bodies builds up a tolerance to these meds.

Now as for EMGs I had TWO, one by the VA that showed Bilateral Lower Radiculopathy in 2013 and I had another one in the private sector in 2015 that now shows CHRONIC Radiculopathy and now with PolyNeuropathy. Your not going to get TWO wrong EMGs and if they line up then you have a good diagnosis. Surgery will mess up EMG results because of the scaring so don't forget about that.

They just don't have a answer about pain, they have tried mental health meds to no avail on many people. They THOUGHT that because pain comes from the brain they could cheat the body by loading vets up with mental health medications. Sorry but if break your leg and need surgery you don't give somebody mental health meds for their pain. NOR do you DECLINE to do surgery because of FBSS. Not everybody is the same and they are putting all of us with spine problems in a statistical grouping. They feel if they leave us alone we will be okay. They don't understand or appear to care that pain causes more problems in people's lives than anything else and I mean a lot of physical problems.

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  • Content Curator/HadIt.com Elder

Rpowell,
After reading your post, it reminds me of when Ronald Reagan said: "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help."

 

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