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Is VA Opioid addiction a disabling condition?

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AZAFVET

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I am now "addicted" to Vicodin thanks to a VA doctor prescribing it for me more than ten years ago.  I am now 70% disabled according to the VA for complications brought on from being struck by a vehicle and receiving a lumbar compression fracture fifty years ago. The hydrocodone does help me function and now the VA wants me to get off of the drug but, as yet, offer any replacement therapy to counteract my pain.  I have tried accupuncture, two laminectomy surgeries, epidural injections, spinal neurostimulator trial and the VA Pain Clinic was offering distractive therapies such as art and model cars as a way to reduce chronic pain. These did little to relieve my chronic pain and were certainly not a replacement for my Vicodin.  My civilian PCP told me that I would never be pain free and that I would experience pain for the rest of my life it is just the degree that it can be reduced.  

The VA introduced me to opioids and made them readily available for the past ten years and I am now "addicted" to the relief they bring and the ability to function as well as I do.  The VA now wants to withdraw them from me, I want to know whether this addiction and now withdrawal can be listed as a disabling condition and worthy of a compensation rating.  I am convinced that some of my problems that are chronicled in medical files such as kidney problems, ED and so on are related to my ten year usage of hydrocodone.  

Does anyone have any thoughts or experiences with this issue?  If so, I would appreciate any input.

Thanks

 

 

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This has happen and is currently happening to over 368.000 veterans & claiming

Opioid Addiction/pain pills addiction & VA is to blame and they can't figure out what to do?  they put us in this bad predicament but yet fail in there healthcare for chronic pain relief.

Unfortunate there is no other pain relief a this time from what you have already tried, rehabilitation therapy  is trial and error ,some people it helps  some it don't

Until some one finds the answers  were F*****.

If your PCP is thinking about cutting you off your Hydro?

I would recommend that you talk to your PCP and let him/her know you have found a way to manage your pain with your Hydro mixed with  other  light weight pain pills such as Ibuprofen / Etodolac ect,,ect,,.and it does seem to help but only when you have taken your Hydro as prescribe as written  on your bottle.

Maybe this will help the Dr and not actually take away your Hydro...the VA is telling all Dr's to stop prescribing the II narcotics completely but it is still up to the Dr if they prescribe it...if a veteran gives them information about abusing this drug or any other II pain narcotics they will flat take you off of it  and that is dangerous  so most Dr will wing us from it.

So let your PCP know you have found a way to manage your hydro better...and hopefully they won't take you off of it.

Yes if any S.C  medications you take causes you to have other disabling problems you can file a claim for that.

jmo

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Buck is correct- if the VA prescribes a veteran ANY medication that aggravates or causes an additional ratable disability, they can file for the secondary disability that the medication caused.

Also I believe Allen V Principi would apply.

I read a different figure on line that 68,000 vets are addicted due to VA pain medication.But I did not find a single case at the BVA (maybe it is too soon) whereby a VA induced addition was found to have cause an additional ratable disability.

You might want to contact this law firm:

https://www.classaction.com/opioids/lawsuit/

And read this:

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/veterans/2015/08/19/va-hospital-fault-marine-veterans-death/32001365/

I followed this case but have no information at all if the family sued VA for wrongful death.

I recall at the time this happened thinking that maybe the family thought the IG investigation was, in fact, a FTCA claim. I bet no one at Tomah VAMC ever informed them of their rights to file FTCA.

The Statute of Limits has long since passed.

This was a prime facie case of a veteran being overmedicated at the Tomah VA, aka "Candyland".

 

 

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get off the pills VA got to cut back on pain meds, I have been on pills & patches and they all fail in the end

I use pot and it helps for me and all my doctors know .I refuse to take anymore pain pills or patches from VA 

OR PRIVATE doctors

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Well, your life is at a crossroads, and your decisons here will affect the rest of your life.  Make good choices.  

Yes, you could persue benefits for this, but it will be at best a very long fight.  

You might check to see if there is the equivilant of Alcoholics Anon for pills in your area.  

Knowing there are others who you can call for emotional help is a big deal..and they may be able to tell you how they got off pills.  

My son got off pills, alcohol, and smoking in the same week, after he got saved.  It took a higher power for him, and he is doing fabalous, now.  He is married to a MD (yes a woman doctor), and he has a great life.  

I guess I had "a little" to do with his success, I did gently push him into this church, kind of like what I am doing for you, now.  Its your life, dont waste it on pills.  

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