quote:

Originally posted by SgtGold:
And for those who say that a chronic pain patient should just 'get control' of their condition, you have no idea what you're talking about.

As usual, the solution to the problem is a sledgehammer approach when a differential approach is needed.

Handing out weeks' worth of opioids for an uncomplicated tooth extraction was too far in the wrong direction. Denying meds for someone who has already tried back surgery and can't get relief is a different situation.

Same can be said for individuals taking SSRIs (like my daughter). Sometimes you can't just "suck it up".

Yep, My insurance Co.(Aetna)just put the following into place for me. From now on a 7 day supply every 3 months!!! Does not matter I have been taking the same dose at the same strength for the past 7 yrs for chronic pain. At least it's relatively cheap at cvs. At least as long as My Rheumatologist continues to meet the Federally headaches associated with writing the scripts. He has already said he is not going anywhere near the "POT".

quote:

Handing out weeks' worth of opioids for an uncomplicated tooth extraction was too far in the wrong direction. Denying meds for someone who has already tried back surgery and can't get relief is a different situation.

I doubt the prescription label says take all until gone. It’s on an as needed basis for pain I’m sure. Nobody forces anyone to take any or all. Read labels. Ask the pharmacist questions. Throw unused pills away. (These are general comments not directed at anyone here.)

quote:

Originally posted by Jimineer:
I doubt the prescription label says take all until gone. It’s on an as needed basis for pain I’m sure. Nobody forces anyone to take any or all.

You're right, but if someone has the brain chemistry that leads to addiction, having 30 tablets is all it takes to get the ball rolling. Young people (think wisdom teeth) are particularly susceptible.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimineer:




I doubt the prescription label says take all until gone. It’s on an as needed basis for pain I’m sure. Nobody forces anyone to take any or all. Read labels. Ask the pharmacist questions. Throw unused pills away. (These are general comments not directed at anyone here.)

works well in theory, and likely for most if not all the folks on this forum,

however it is often not that easy,

I used to manage several grocery stores with the usual RX inside,

good side of town, no issues, no drama, rarely have anyone upset or having a question that I had to get involved in at the RX

when I was in a hood section of town,,,,, weekly, sometimes almost daily,

person gets script,
person gets script filled,
person takes 2x's the prescribed amount, or sells off some of the pills, and runs low,

Class II's cannot be filled early, (other than the RX is allowed to give away one or 2 if the time is short) with out some specific qualifications (IIRC, been a few years since I was in that business) so,,,,,


person who needs the meds, (either for pain management or to get a fix, or to resell) comes in a week early
script no worky, refill not available,, sorry,

insert hissy fit by person

meaning I would get a call to come to the RX cause someone was having a fit (as in being an ASS,,,,)

funny how folks will yell scream and have a fit directed at a cute RX or Tech, but when the gray haired almost old guy shows up and explains they can either calm down and listen, or leave, or we can call the Police and let them handle it,, that person will usually relax and leave,,

and then there are the visits by the DEA and cops over forged scripts,
and the visits to get records etc for abuse by some doctors,



my point is that there are folks like kkina that need the stuff, and more that don't and simply abuse the system

however we (the public, politicians and law enforncement) take a shotgun approach to the problem, vs using a sniper rifle,,

but I guess it is easier to ban/limit/restrict it all vs just find those that abuse,,

sound familar?

kkina, are you still on the high doses of prednisone? I am sorry you are suffering enough to need that level of pain killers. That's an enormous amount of pain.

I wish a way could be found to help you without all of the side effects.

quote:

Originally posted by deepocean:
kkina, are you still on the high doses of prednisone? I am sorry you are suffering enough to need that level of pain killers. That's an enormous amount of pain.

I wish a way could be found to help you without all of the side effects.

Yes, though I have gotten down to a more reasonable level. I take 20mg every other day. The alternating schedule helps to alleviate adrenal suppression somewhat. So it's the equivalent of 10mg/day. I do wonder how my health might improve if I could get off Prednisone completely, but with my eczema that's an iffy propostion.

I am just getting over a severe myalgia session this morning. Pretty bad for several hours. All the while I'm thinking how some people have accused me of faking the whole thing.

I'm going to try one more pharmacy for my Oxy, but beyond that I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Now, it seems to me anybody with a legitimate need for such strong pain-killers ought to be able to find a legitimate doctor to prescribe them, and that such a doctor would tend not end up on any kind of "black list."

Absolutely.

One would think medical professionals would be allowed to do their job, which boils down to 'relieve suffering'.

I've had pain meds, despised the way they made me feel, but will use them again if I get another kidney stone. I would hope to heck that my doc doesn't get penalized for doing her job.

Have you tried a good massage therapist?

My mother is some kind of massage magician. Been doing it for decades. Focuses on chronic pain patients and has positive results. But she is specialized and tries to fix them, not turn them into long term clients.

I imagine you’ve tried that already, though.

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Now, it seems to me anybody with a legitimate need for such strong pain-killers ought to be able to find a legitimate doctor to prescribe them, and that such a doctor would tend not end up on any kind of "black list."

Absolutely.

One would think medical professionals would be allowed to do their job, which boils down to 'relieve suffering'.

There have been dramatic changes regarding how doctors prescribe pain meds. The doc is limited to how many he can prescribe and the individual patient is limited to the number of pills he may be recieve. Obviously, this puts specialists like orthopedic guys in a difficult position. Another reason why you should never throw pills away. Some day you may need pain meds and have no way of getting an Rx. Many states have even instituted a data collection system to track doctors in real time.

It sucks. Another reason why the government should NOT practice medicine.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: PD,

quote:

Originally posted by PD: Another reason why you should never throw pills away. Some day you may need pain meds and have no way of getting an Rx.

Be careful with that. "Found" narcotics in parents and grandparents homes are a significant source for teenage addicts or those on the way.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:

quote:

Originally posted by PD: Another reason why you should never throw pills away. Some day you may need pain meds and have no way of getting an Rx.

Be careful with that. "Found" narcotics in parents and grandparents homes are a significant source for teenage addicts or those on the way.

I’m more concerned with my own medical needs - not teenage addicts.

I have always hesitated on posting in opioid postings, but figured I would chime in. The “Opioid Crisis” seems like a too broad approach and calling it a “crisis” is looking for sensationalism.

Every time I see commercials or news about this “crisis” I see them show prescription pills. Yet when they speak about deaths, most seem to be from heroin. Yes, people abuse prescription pills, but I think the main problem is heroin abuse.

I have a friend who has pancreatitis and suffers horrible pain daily. They have tried everything with him including pain implants. The only think that works for him is a mixture of pain pills he does not abuse, which are prescribed and monitored by a pain clinic. He is officially declared disabled by the government due to his problems. Now the pain clinic has substantially cut his prescription without tapering him down due to not wanting to deal with the DEA and he had to suffer through withdrawals to adjust to the sudden lower dosage. Now that he is on the lower dosage, it does not do much for him and he is in agony everyday. Anyone who has to take these pills on a regular basis builds up a tolerance and needs a higher dosage to obtain the same effect.

It is a bad situation as yes there is abuse, but to take such a wide approach to the situation hurts a lot of honest people suffering from real pain. Sadly, I imagine there are people who benefited from pain pills, were stopped being prescribed them, and then went to something like herion for relief and then became a death statistic being used to justify this “crisis.” This comes from someone who doesn’t take pain pills other than times I have had surgery and used them as a part of recovery. I have had surgeries where I tried to get through the pain with OTC and that did not work. If I was only given 15 pills for the full recovery, then I would have suffered the remaining recovery. Everyone has a different pain tolerance and some people may be able to tough it out after a surgery but some can’t. Hell, they couldn’t even numb me for a vasectomy so I suffered like hell while they did it and that has nothing to do with opioids so that is one example of how everyone responds to medication differently.

Of course you do not want to have to take opioids everyday forever, but I feel for the OP and I am sure he has tried everything he can instead of just popping pills.

quote:

Originally posted by 1s1k:

quote:

Originally posted by bigmule:
I’m of the opinion, and few reputable dr types I have associated and spoke about this with, the opioid crisis is overblown. Like the Russia probe.(We all may could agree that Fentanyl pushed it over the top.)

Seriously?

100%

quote:

Originally posted by lyman:


sound familar?

You left out the part about the Screamer from The Hood calling the retail chain's 1-800 "bitch at us number" to file a racism or racial profiling complaint against the pharmacy staff.

kkina ... hang in there. I hope you can find the mix of treatments that will make things tolerable.

quote:

Originally posted by chongosuerte:
Have you tried a good massage therapist?

My mother is some kind of massage magician. Been doing it for decades. Focuses on chronic pain patients and has positive results. But she is specialized and tries to fix them, not turn them into long term clients.

I imagine you’ve tried that already, though.

Yep.

You mentioned eczema, which I've been dealing with for 20+ years. Have you looked into some of the new biologics that have recently been approved to the market? I'm currently taking Dupixent, and it's reduced flare-up's to near zero with only an occasional irritation; I can sweat and work-out without any problems, no issues hitting the pool or, beach. The side-effects are there but, nowhere close to the problems associated with long-term topical steroid usage.

I have had chronic pain my whole life.

When I was about 4 years old, I remember telling my older sister that; "I wish I had no feelings."

It was 55 years later when we talked, that I got to explain, that I meant, "I wish we had no feeling." as in the feeling of physical pain/sensation.

Nearly 60 years have passed and I now realize that that I have always had pain, and that it likely has and is stress related. But having been a "lifelong" manifestation, my "system" has made it habit or "normal".

I have been fortunate to have a brain that can block it out daily, but sometimes it becomes so unbearable it is beyond description.

I have had some events where drugs have been used in certain situations and provided a "break", and while it was a very appreciated break, I am apprehensive that a long term regimen of drugs would also "dull" my mental faculties, or result in possible addiction/dependence.

And that is more worrisome to me that the pain.

I will not elaborate on the mental/emotional weight of it all, or where it has taken me on occasion. Those who have or had similar manifestation, understand.

If you have never experienced this in your life, you are most blessed.

If you have, you have my prayers and best wishes that you endure and overcome.

That's all I can offer.

I surly hope it helps.

The whole world of painkiller pharma has changed, some for the good and a lot for the bad. Healthcare organizations in conjunction with the govt and media have been broad brushing regular folks who use oxy and other pain killers legitimately into the same area as abusers which is totally unfair.

Out here in Colorado, the governor just signed legislation severely limiting how much of a painkiller substance can be prescribed within a given time frame. This is happening in many other parts of the country.

For someone like me who is extremely athletic, has no history of abuse and who unfortunately had a bicycle accident through no fault of my own, fracturing T-12 and L-2 and who rehabilitated myself through PT, exercise, stretching, diet and just being in good condition, I am LUMPED into the masses of folks who are considered abusers even though I take only 1 or 2 5mg oxy A WEEK... to keep the pain in check. I could take more but am ONLY given 56 PER YEAR. Read this correctly... only fifty six PER YEAR. And now, the govt and Kaiser want to cut this amount big time.

Kaiser's protocol is to prescribe anti depressants and massive amounts of Tylenol to control the everyday pain but both of these pharma have significant side effects. I have absolutely NO side effects with an occasional oxy. HOWEVER... because it's an OPIOID, all of a sudden it's on the BLACKLIST for prescribing even though it works very well.

Kaiser has my medical records, been with them over 25 years and they've seen elsewhere that I have not sought any oxy from other Docs. Be very careful... you will be tracked on the databases as are the opioid pill docs who are now being tracked and blacklisted big time. BTW, Florida is well known for opioid pill pushing docs are they are being run out of business!

I've had to advocate for myself as we all now have to do. The abusers have ruined it for the regular folks who need it to manage pain regularly or now and then.

The heroin users will simply increase. When addicts and abusers are cut off, they simply abuse something else. Just like gun control, there are laws already on the books for docs that wish to “over prescribe”. As a cop in S. Florida I witnessed all the cycles of drug use and nothing changes other than the drug used to escape reality. On a side note there are some people that suffer from so much chronic pain it really is better to be drugged somewhat just to not suffer so much, daily. I have suffered from severe back/sciatic pain so bad that I couldn’t move and have had tears in my eyes. If that had been chronic or daily , my ass would have done what ever it takes to ease the pain. Here in Florida, as of July 1st , docs can write a 3 day supply of pain meds or 7 days worth if it is “deemed necessary”. I’m certain the government officials backing this shit will be able to not abide by the same guidelines they have implemented should they suffer from pain.