2014 New Pain Medication Laws Dictating To Doctors That They Cannot Prescribe Anything Equivalent 120 Mg Of Morphine Or Higher A Day Per Patient (Page 4)
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I was told Friday by my Pain Management Doctor at my monthly appointment that the DEA was implementing a new law dictating to doctors on how much pain medication they could prescribe per patient per day. It could be equal to no more than 120 mg of Morphine per day per patient and they had to comply within 3 months for all of their patients. I am trying to find out as much information on this as possible. I don't know if my Pain Management Doctor is stating fact or if he is just running scared and if he is stating fact, I don't know if this is federal or state (Alabama) mandated. I spoke directly with the Southeastern division of the DEA in Atlanta this morning and they are not aware of any law of this nature coming into effect and I also contacted another pain clinic locally that has never heard of it either. So I have been trying to reach my Pain Management Clinic and get a copy of the law itself so I will know if it's federal or state and if it is an actual law or just a state regulation and if it's even true but so far no one has called me back so I thought I'd try my luck here and see if anyone has heard of this. This really has me bothered. It looks like either way, true or not, to get adequate pain care I am at least going to have to move out of state if not the entire country. I will ask my questions about that in a different post. But if this is in any way true, and it seems my pain doctor is going to be going by these guidelines whether it is or is not true, it is going to cut my pain meds by almost half. I am on 120 mg of Oxycodone and 8 mg of Dilaudid per day which I was told equals 212 mg of Morphine per day. And before someone decides to tell me that I don't need that much pain medication, I will go ahead and say to you, you don't know me, you don't know what conditions I have that cause me Daily Severe Chronic Pain and other Daily Severe Pain to warrant that much medication, you don't know my tolerance for pain meds, I do NOT take any pain medication to feel high, I ONLY take pain medication to relieve some of the pain as what I am on doesn't even relieve all of my pain, I do NOT drink, I do NOT do street drugs, I see my doctor every 28 days just as I am supposed to, I take my medication as prescribed and the way I am supposed to take it except when I had extreme oral surgery a month ago and I did have to break up my tablets for about a week but they were put on my tongue and NOT up my nose and they were IR tablets so I was fine doing that as I had checked with my pharmacist prior, and you don't feel what I feel or see me lying in bed 24/7 crying from the pain because it is so excruciating and unrelenting so please before anyone starts telling me that I don't need that much pain medicine just stop now before you even start. Those of you that have to live with daily pain will surely understand where I am coming from being this defensive as I'm sure you know you are treated as a drug addict by most doctors even. Thanks in advance for any help with my question.

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REPORT

Happened to me today. Was cut back last year, now again. What's crazy is the overdose cases are mostly illicit drugs and fentanyl knockoffs! Actual pain patients are too afraid of running out to take extra! I'm going to have to sell my house (or just let the bank have it) because I can't live here in this amount of pain. I'm going to have to move to a dry climate. I hurt less there. I guess I'll be living in my camper. It's all I can do to take care of myself now, but the humidity hurts for some reason. My problems stem from birth defects. I tried to do too much when I was younger. I wish I'd known how badly it would mess me up. Hindsight is 20/20. I just wish I'd kept a copy of everything I've had done. When I was sent to pain management it was the time when they said we have a right to live without extreme pain. Now men in suits say too bad...I wish they had to live in my body a month or two. Then they'd see things differently. I hope my house sells fast. Talk about a motivated seller! AR isn't desirable anyway. Good luck fellow pain patients. Wish me luck...

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Re: Jbow (# 659)

Jbow, there are no new laws. It is still up to each doctor to prescribe what they believe in the professional judgment each patient needs. But, there is a CDC Guideline Recommendation that most doctors are treating as a law. There is a link below to the CDC Guidelines and a link to Tennessee Chronic Pain Guidelines. If your doctor is not a Pain Management Doctor you need to consider seeing one if you want opiates. Although there is no guarantee a Pain Management Doctor will prescribe the same medication and dosages you have been taking.

CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain — United States, 2016-
cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/rr/rr6501e1.htm

Tennessee Chronic Pain Guidelines-
tn.gov/assets/entities/health/attachments/ChronicPainGuidelines.pdf

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Re: Bart (# 19)

Thank YOU BART ! I TOO just posted same response ! They are mere SUGGESTIONS ! I think many people that insist on claiming it's because of the new laws they are being cut down or told to go to PM simply want to believe anything other then they just don't need as,much or they have messed up in some way.....and some simply beleive whst they are told. Regardless every DR has the consent to write pain meds as they see fit ! Dosage amount & quantity !!

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I too have suffered with long term severe chronic pain. I have been treated like an addict. I have never failed a ua, always take meds as prescribed.
This recent suggestion from the DEA is just that, a suggestion. They are coming down on all doctors to have supported documentation for their patients & their need for the high levels (they deem as high) of pain meds. I've heard that the doctors need to fill out a form(s) supporting the patients need for higher doses. I think a lot of docs are unaware of this or they just don't want to be bothered & are just afraid of ruffling feathers.
It primarily stems from people who have lost a loved one who took pain meds. It's unfortunate that there have been deaths due to overdose.
Especially those from teenagers grabbing pills that were not secured by the family/friends.

These parents who lost their child are angry & heartbroken. I can't begin to imagine their pain.
They have the need to blame someone so now it's focused on the drugs, the pharmaceutical companies, the prescribers etc.
Which among other things has led to the recent events. Now everyone is being made to suffer.

No one should be allowed to set these limitations especially those who are not doctors & have no experience dealing with pain, much less chronic pain.
From what I heard these limitations are a suggestion.
It's not fair to the people who are compliant & are truly suffering.

I think the pain docs should stand together & support their patients.

Med prescribing & doseages should be left up to the physicians discretion.

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Chris,
Will pray that you be given something that works for your pain. Chronic pain is torture. When I was working, I was able to take 5 20mg of oxycontin daily, plus Klonopin for bipolar disorder. Now I take 6 30mg oxycodone and my clonazepam plus some serax. I have bad pain in an inguinal hernia, which I am having surgery for this September.
Sam

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Jace,

I'm also a pain management patient in Alabama, and have been seeing my current pain management doctor for ten years. He hasn't mentioned any problems with the Alabama State examiners to me ever, and I hope he never has trouble with them. He doesn't prescribe large amounts of medication, but he does have me on Oxycontin 30 mg 2 x a day, and Percocet 7.5 3 x a day. He prescribes what you need, but I know he doesn't prescribe the amount you currently take. He has strict rules and is a very nice and compassionate doctor. However, I'm really sorry to hear of the trouble you are having with your doctor. I think he's just trying to cover his a** when he says he's being pressured. He will put the blame on anyone besides himself to try to cut your medications down. I hope he won't end up doing that to you. By the way, it's illegal in the state of Alabama to record someone without informing the other person and getting their permission. I just wanted to let you know because I don't want you to get in legal trouble. Best of luck to you, and I hope things get better for you. God Bless!

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Is there anyone who lives in Tennessee that can send me a copy of this supposedly new law about Dr.s not being allowed to write over 120mgs of pain meds? Or does anyone have any concrete information? If so, please post it...

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Is this in Tennessee? My Dr. of over 12 years
just told me he was stopping my extended release pain meds. I'm a wreck,worried sick!!

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I absolutely know what you mean. You sound just like me. I am on 366 MME thats morphine milligrams just in case. According to the Alabama State board of examiners it is up to the doctor. You can look them up they have a web site with lots of info. My doctor told me it was them putting pressure on him. If you read their quidelines and if their adhering to it. They are not supposed to harass doctors. So im going to my doctor with this information. Going to have a pocket recorder this time and get him to repeat that they are harassing him according to him only about me. I worked 28 years before an accident I had. Total of 12 surgeries not all on my accident. 7 of the surgeries were. 4 neck surgeries, 2 shoulder surgeries and 1 of the worst back surgeries you can have. The problem is you cant fix damaged nerves. Some can repair themselves but mine are severe in my neck. So I know your pain, I live it everyday, every minute, every second. I feel like im fighting for my life everyday. One other thing that medicine I had neen on it for three years with no problems.

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I totally agree with what you are saying! For one, I too suffer 24/7 chronic pain from not only Avascular Necrosis (had two total knee replacements). I also have, from horse accident, three bulging discs in my lower back, faucet joint spasms on both sides and sciatic nerve damage.
I spend most my days in bed in pain. I walk with cane and use wheelchair for long time standing or walking. Im only 52 years young and now looking at having hip replacements.
I have been treated like a drug abuser by my very own PMP! Its degrading to say the least! I too, do not use street drugs or alcohol.
Its the true abusers that have ruined it for those who truly suffer.
I dont think that the government should be able to decide who needs pain medicine and how much. THEY ARE NOT DOCTORS! Nor should they control who gets medical ins. and who doesnt...but dont get me started on the Obama unaffordable care!
I just wanted to speak my opinion on your behalf....because you are not alone. ;)

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I beive alot of the hype around this matter is not as much as the goverment coming in and telling the doctors what to do and the doctors running scared.I have pulled up the law on the internet."and before anyone says it no i dont belive everything i read on the net..I also maybe wrong with the way i interuped it but the CDC really was making suggestions on how to cut down on people like i have read about in what some have said in their comments as well.If you have all your records and the Doctor and his Staff keep the proper records your meds. will remain as is. Now that i have already pissesd off half the readers already i tell you a little about my situation i to was cut down from 40mg of oxymorphone and 30mg of oxycodone aday to a mere 80 mg of oxycodone per day and im hurting like a mother ****** plus sick as a damn dog from my meds. being cut.I have a phycharstic also other than just my pain doctor..I know i mispelled alot of words including that one ..im on 40mg of dexdroamphmine" adderall" and 4mg of xanax ,120mg prozac plus 3mg lunesta a day..This is just my thoughts on what is really happening..I think that the doctors are cutting down ligetiment patients that truly need there meds. to offset those patients that dont really need it that goes just for the big money they can make on the street with them.you see if lets say for example if your are a doctor that has 10 patients that are all on high dose of pain medication and the goverment reminds them again of what they should of already been doing keeping up to date records of pain pat. and if they are prescribing to pat. without proper records they would be shut down.. well of his 10 pain pat. say 4 dont really need the meds.so he dosent have proper papers to see them every month.thats several thousand dollars out the door for him.sp what dose he do he cuts everyone down so he will stay under the radar while keeping all 10 pat. and not losing his monthly income and blaming it on the goverment so he dont look bad..money bottom line its what got the doctors to doing it in the 1st place..they cant afford to lose monthly pat. so they cut everyone and give a little to alot. I doubt the why i tried to explain all this i even made much since guess i will have to read this myself..Lol.

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Whitedove4258, if you want to continue to take a anti-anxiety medication you need to see a psychiatrist for it.

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I agree wholeheartedly....my pain Dr. Has kept lowering And lowering mine I was on 3 / 30's oxycodone now I'm down to 3/10mg's a day. I have real bad anxiety and have been on meds for it since I was 16. Now they want to take my Xanax away. My first ever pain doctor gave me 5mg.valium with a low dose of lortab. It worked fine. I don't know how or why people let the government come in and tell us what we can or can't take for our illnesses. They need to stick to the illegal drugs get them off the streets that's what's killing most people. If they would just legalize marijuana we wouldn't have to EVER take another pill!!!

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If you're in Alabama you are not gonna get any pain meds, that's for sure. If someone makes a phone call to your doc you're out! The drug panel they give you are mostly bulls*** I know of two people that bought fake pee and both of them failed. And they had their meds in it. I don't do it, but alot of people do. I'm too scared. Where I go if you fail a drug panel you will be cut down and pay 290.00...if they call and you don't answer it's 400.00. And for a regular drug panels it's 165.00. And you're put on probation so you come in every 2 weeks. It's a big money scam. This is not just me, it's everyone that goes there. I had to take a loan for 1300.00 just to pay for all that and have to pay nearly double back. I go this week and don't know what lil surprise to be looking forward to.

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Hi Grace,

Check out Beardon Pain Management Clinic. I know a couple of people that go there and as long as you have proof that you have pain (MRI, Ct scan), they will help you out. Good luck.

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Vould they not have upu a pain pump which they gull with you meds

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I think we live in a communistic place with the government telling Dr's how to Dr.

Yet we can't tell the government how to govern.

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We gotta FIGHT this. A legal suit against the Collage of Physicians & the Government. I too am being taken down. I will have only 2 choices illicit drugs or suicide. Which is the better of the 2 I don't know. But I will NOT live in chronic pain. I have no way. Well looks like next year I will have to say I am an addict to get pain relief. Or the ladder. My mind is mixed up. I will not suffer at the hands of ppl who don't care about us!

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I hear you as in Canada i am in the same damn boat & ANGRY as Hell !!
Why should we be made to suffer cause of junkies over dosing !!???
I feel we're screwed and it's only going to get worse unless we all in Canada & USA stand together and fight this BS !

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This is an old post but hope it will help someone. I have read that the same thing is happening now in Canada with suggested guidelines. I heard it first on a radio station that has done a series about chronic pain patients in Canada.

GlobalNews: Chronic pain sufferers terrified and (they will tell you) terrorized

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