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 6)
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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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Jennifer, I thought you might be interested in this.

CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS) OPIOID MISUSE STRATEGY 2016-
cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/Partnerships/Downloads/CMS-Opioid-Misuse-Strategy-2016.pdf

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No one should be allowed to tell someone how much pain meds they need. Nobody knows how much pain someone else is in. Also everyone is different when it comes to opiate tolerance and body chemistry. I have been on pain management for 10 years. And I have taken every opiate on the market. Finally get on one that helps me the most which is oxymorphone er and ir, now they are taking away my breakthrough altogether and wont even prescribe me my oxymorphone anymore. Going to put me on oxycodone that I was on prior to oxymorphone. It came no where close to ridding me of pain. Thats why he changed it in the first place. I wont be able to control my pain at all. It's total bulls***. They get you on it good then jerk the rug out from under. All this will cause is an illicit drug epidemic. People will turn to street drugs where they wont have to pay 175 - 200 for drug panels when you're not getting the medicine you need. They need to rethink their new approach because they'll be more overdoses from street drugs than prescription drugs ever had.

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I am truly sorry Mr. or Miss Hater is unable to read let alone comprehend and cherry pick a post over 1 year old with out any context around it for the time it was added. for those that can read and comprehend they would not see any personal attack on anyone other than the stress of regulations and the reason why. I did not post anything that was not true. The only facts I have ever written in regards of people with addiction problems was how sad it is that the treatment they do receive when they finally ask for help is sadly inadequate. It is a disgrace how addicts are treated so many get stigmatized after they get help and sadly easier for most to give up due to being made worse for even trying. Even with that I still don't believe people with medical conditions outside of addiction issues should have to pay for it as well and there should not be a one size fits all attitude for so many "individual" issues. And just in case anyone wants to see my original post without wasting time searching, here it is. At the time I posted I was using a cell phone with horrible auto correct, also this was one of if not my first post on this site I just found with high emotions that day due to the context of what was happening at that time. Also I believe the only things mentioned about addiction is that it has always been around here. It is post and date written as well.

32Jenny Says:
Thu, Oct 08 '15, 1:39 PM via mobile:

I live in Tennessee and this is happening here starting this month as well... I have done research since my last post and please forgive any auto correct errors since I am using my cell to respond. Here is what I found out so far.. and it's in multiple but all equally important steps. To state the obvious they don't know the difference between long acting and short acting meds so to lump together is quote frankly going to cut me by 3/4 and sadly was just getting to true functional level go figure =(.

1st. Dr's can write however if they do they get audited and threaten to take away license if they don't like the answers of why we are prescribed. So it says they won't be fined or get put in jail. They will just make them not have license which threatens their job..

2. They are starting with only some insurances and of course medicaid is first. The people like me that just lost job and needed insurance for my many issues M.S/fibromyalgia/slipped L5 disc/post tibular tendonitis both ankles and many other issues.. Poor working class people with jobs that have kids and seniors that are not on medicare yet.

They were sneaky. First they ate using Medical definitions in new law that have been proven incorrect 15 years ago. They also are using outdated treatment terminology to make it fit agenda. They do not have the true definition of addiction listed in law so they are confusing it. It has been proven that people like us are not addicted to these meds they are like Tylenol to use because we use them only to function in work take care of kids and not be bed ridden.

3 The state health department is mandating 3 to 6 URI E specific tests a year. (Very different then the ones you take every time you go in these get sent to lab and cost $650 or more a piece.

4. The insurance company will only pay for 2. I asked if I could pay out of pocket for 3rd and was told he was not allowed to take my payment in cash.

So if the insurance company only pays for 2 and the state mandates 3 or more. And only if you are taking 120 milligrams Morphine equivalent they are not allowed to see you until the next fiscal year since state mandates more he or she can not write without being audited.

I AM VERY AFRAID!

They also stopped covering my adderall that finally controlled the fatigue that comes with my disease. Not allowed to take that with any opioid!!!

I HAVE HAD THIS THIS PAIN SINCE 1996. I did not start taking meds till pain was so bad I couldn't get up without crying and had 2 toddlers under 4 to take care of. Also I was having panic attacks my pain I was trying to ignore was internalizing once pain controlled those stopped. I don't want to be bed ridden . Why should I have to be because of the true addicts that abuse anything they get hands on and have nothing to do with people like us that are lawful and always have been.

When you break your arm they give you something, it however goes away and you forget pain.

I wanna know if someone beats their legs with a baseball bat till black and blue. And then keeps hitting them every 5 minutes 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Then tell them we have meds that will help you but to bad.. Instead you need to be bed ridden instead of a productive member of society.

Does anyone reading that does not have pain volunteer? Have to do it for 6 months minimum to understand. Make your choice remain in bed or take something and Live Life?

I talked to many M.S patients that are bed ridden..I am not yet.. the only difference they were not given pain meds to function legs hurt to bad to want to keep walking and their muscles became to weak..

I keep moving but once you make it to painful to do so you will make me bed ridden years before I need to be.

Not satisfied? Got to listen to hype over the true addicts that have been around since beginning of time?..

Back in the day they used coke. Then they switched to opiates.. Those were truly addictive..So they finally made a break through medically and made percodan which is what is now called percocet it's not new!!! Grow up people please and read your history!!!

So now what's the next step to battle this breach of our patient rights? Yes we do have rights. They wrote a bill to keep us out of pain. How is this not breaching that?

Rant over. Please we need help with out being treated like this.. Stress is worse than anything on people trying to fight the disease they did not ask for. And making us swallow tons of tylenol that is killing my liver to calm quivering pain is going to cost more in long run to treat live cancer. It's healthier to give us what we need and we take less then the gobs of tylenol that dont work but you are hopeful and try anything.

I am scared for some people that are worse off than me, that may not be as strong willed. Some people can't take pain and they may wonder what's the point?

That is blood on the over reach omg government's hands if you ask me...

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Titans4ever17, in some states, sickle cell is in the same classification as terminal cancer when ti comes to prescribing opiates.

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Tara,

That's not anything new MORPHINE has always been a schedule II narcotic as such federal law prohibits any refills on this class drug and always has.Well at least since the control dangerous substance act was initiated many decades ago.As a cancer patient requiring pain control she should have been made aware of these restrictions at the time therapy was initiated.Hope that helps clear things up.regards, Kenie.

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Hi All
I truly don't understand all this talk about Tennessee pain specialists refusing to prescribe opiate class Rx's for legit. Intractable conditions. I suffer from a genetic condition ( sickle cell anemia ) and have had no issues having my Dilaudid and Fentanyl prescribed.I limit its use to only the most excruciating flare ups that become intolerable.My only issue was once having my pharmacy having to order the hydromorphone specially which resulted in a 72 hour delay,but I managed.My doc stated that if pain is documentable and there is no flags or marks in your rx history most pms generally won't have an issue with prescribing these meds.No one should be forced to suffer needlessly so if your docs are unreasonable it's probably best to seek an alternate prescriber.

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Jenny reply to # 32

You are so close minded...perhaps it's karma rolling your way for your rant is so biased towards other suffering souls who like yourself was born with a disease , That disease is addiction how many true pain sufferers through no fault of their own became addicted to opiates sparking what was once merely a predisposition for addiction now transformed into a full blown addiction. So let's trash them too. You are a bitter angry person and I have absolutely zero empathy for your kind. It's people like you that cause untold stigmatization towards addicts when it's the last thing we need. You ARE NO BETTER THEN US. Just had to voice my opinion since that's our right!!!'

Ps. Perhaps your repeated denial for disability is based on fact not some fictous delusional sympathetic disorder you convinced yourself you suffer from. At least addicts are considered disabled or perhaps your anger is so deep because your denial prohibits you from being real and accepting your own addiction

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I live in Knoxville. I was on abt 460 mg a day in 2012 that's when cuts started in the last year I'm cut to 120 mg a day or have tried 4 different dr's in the last year and basically their all the same I have cervical stenosis, torn rotator cuff,multiple bulging discs plus my back is eat up with arthritis to quote my latest Dr's office I need a lead on a caring, and compassionate Dr in Knoxville. I have records, mri, etc to document everything.

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I questioned about the Government now or is going to Dicate how many meds they can persribe in a day
In -" ONTARIO CANADA!!!
But all I got was replies for the USA !
PLEASE IF ANY Canadian ppl here which can help me or knows about this please post a comment. From Ontario Canada " ONLY " ,PLEASE. Thank You. The USA is not the same as Canada I would like to know about Chronic pain patients here if there are any on here.

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I live in Tennessee. I've had chronic pain since 1997. I was on oxycodone 15mg, 4 times a day. Morphine 30mg extended release, 3 a day. This helped at first but after yrs of same amount, my pain was getting unbearable. Doc was talking about new laws & dropped my morphine from 90 a month to 60. I actually didn't think one less each day would be a big deal since by this time I'm always in pain. Man was I wrong!!! When I went back for my monthly appointment (got to bring bottles monthly for pill count) I had one less morphine in my bottle. I told doctor I took it one night after waking up with back spasms. I got punished by doctor dropping my 120 15mg oxycodone down to 90 10mg. Morphine dropped to 60 15mg. This was 4 months back & each time saying they'll up me again. But still haven't. I go back Feb 1st & telling my doctor I'm quitting. The problem is the doctor running the clinic cos the doctor I see has to do as he says. I think if a doctor runs a clinic for people in chronic pain, they should have had chronic pain before or still have pain their self. Nothing worse than a doctor who eyeballs ya when you say **MY PAIN IS GETTING UNBEARABLE** SINCE YOU DECIDED TO TAKE MY MEDS AWAY. And they wonder why some people start using illegal drugs after getting cut down to nothing.

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tara, your mother needs to see a Pain Management Doctor for treatment of her chronic pain. A Pain Management Doctor may or may not prescribe Morphine.

Christine, I did not say there was a scientific study. I said doctors have learned. What I said is based on what doctors have said and what chronic pain patients have said. Even if this were not true, that does not mean doctors are going to go back to prescribing opaites for chronic pain like the use to.

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I see a pain management doctor in Jacksonville Florida and I was told the exact same thing that the DEA is cutting down on how much they can prescribe her day this is totally ridiculous

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BL- I would like to see the studies supporting the info you have just presented on ôpiates and the long term effects, that patients do better on lower doses, the bad side effects, etc.
Your answer sounds like a personal opinion not a recently released set of studies done under scientific conditions. To my knowledge
There has been no such findings. You putting propaganda in this forum is revolting when we need compassion and trust worthy people
Responding here.
Please take back all your unverified,useless propaganda and leave this forum

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My Mother has only seen this dr. for all medications including her 6 month shot for the cancer she had 5 years ago. He should have mentioned no more refills on Morphine, since there is a new prescription every month that has to be picked up. NO refills on Morphine.

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My Mother has only seen this dr. for all medications including her 6 month shot for the cancer she had 5 years ago.

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tara, doctors rarely know when a patient calls and ask to speak to them unless the doctor or nurse call the patient back. What was the doctor suppose to bring up at the December appointment ? If the doctor did not write it in your mothers medical records and your mother did not being it up, the doctor has no way of knowing what it was.

Did your mother sign a Pain Contract with her current doctor ? If she did and another doctor prescribes her pain meds, she can be dismissed by both doctors with no more prescriptions. Most new doctors want a copy of patients medical records before treating them to verify they have a medical need for pain meds and that they have not been dismissed for risky behavior, breaking a pain contract. etc.If the new doctor writes her a prescription for pain meds and she goes back to her other doctor for another pain prescription, that is Doctor Shopping. She could also end up with no doctor and no pain meds and not be able to find another doctor that will treat her pain. Almost all doctors check the state Prescription Monitoring Program to see what Schedule II meds a patient has been prescribed recently and by what doctor. The phamacist sends this info in when a prescription is filled. It has nothing to do with insurance, the pharmacy you go to or if your pay cash or use insurance to pay for prescriptions.

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My Mother has been taking the same medications with no changes. She allergic to these "new" pain relievers, she was on Darvocet before that was discontinued, that is how the Dr. finally prescribed Morphine. This Doctor will not even call her back after 25+ years, only some Office Manger with no manners at all. What's really crazy is she had an appointment December 19,2016 and the Dr. said nothing.
She did get an appointment with a different Doctor.

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tara, your mother cna change doctors. What she can't do is go to two different doctors to get pain medications. Her age may play a major role in her doctor taking her off of the Morphine. Other medications she takes and other health problems she has may have also been a factor. You have no guarantee another doctor will put her back on the Morphine.

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Christine, a patient cannot force a doctor to prescribe a particular med at a certain dose if they do not want to or do not feel it is needed. Even if the CDC removed their recommendations that does not mean doctors will not continue to go by it.

Doctors have learned a lot about the treatment of chronic pain with opiates in recent years. The pharmaceutical companies lied to the doctors when they said there were no long term side effects of using opiates. They also lied when they said dosages could continue to be increased with no negative side effects.

Doctors have learned in the past few years that patients that have been on high doses of opiates for chronic pain for a long time and have weaned off of opiates for a while do much better. When opiates are needed again, much lower doses work very well. It is difficult in the beginning, but after a while patients really do feel and function better.

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My 85 year old Mother was taken off Morphine completely and she only takes 45 mgs. daily. Doctor gave her no notice at all. She is allergic to everything else. This is only for pain she has never abused or even tried to get her prescription filled early.
Now if goes to a different Dr. she would be considered Dr. shopping. What is wrong with this, people that really need it can't this medication, while drug abusers will still get this drug. This is wrong to treat our elderly like they are the ABUSER !

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