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 8)
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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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585

BL and NOEL all good advice, thanks..I already know I have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, fibromyalgia, arthritis in all joints, sciatica, myotonia congenital, distal atrophy, migraines, occipital neuralgia (which could also be a cause of OccipitalNeuralgiaVertigo) many old sprains and breaks throughout body, DDD, meninges leak, and old ununited fractures in vertebra...and yes I do believe I started out as Endogenous Deficient in the first place....and doc I saw first time lied to my face and said Its against the law for me to give more than 4.......I told him that the levothyroxine reduces absorption rate of oxy by 30% could he at least raise it so I get the amount he thinks he should prescribe me? He said "it's against the law" lies I know....10mgs IS helping mobility and leg pain.....mbeing on 120-600mgs a day for past 6 years...I forgot about back pain n now it's back with a vengeance, along with the complimentary head, neck pain that goes with it.....I'm getting sick of trying to find a doc that really gives a damn....,if it weren't so expensive I'd go back to self medicating

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584

Spyz, if all symptoms are relieved with opiates, it is highly doubtful it is MS. Chances are that is why an MRI with contrast of the brain was not done.

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583

Spyz, I spent 6 good years of my life in severe pain and my world had grown to the size of my bedroom and bathroom. No Dr. could "see" what was wrong with me, so there was nothing wrong with me, other than being a bored housewife wanting opiates. With the exception of tooth surgery I had not been on any opiate in 42 years. I was carrying back library books in a huge stack and did not know there was a speed bump. I went down and so went down hard. Went to ER, nothing on x-ray, Cscan, or MRI. Here are 9 Vicodin and see your regular dr. In the middle of changing health ins, no primary Dr. I grinned and bared it. My life included screaming into a pillow so the neighbors wouldn't hear. Couldn't, work, drive and though friends hung in there there's just so much good times talking over a bed table. We had a family vacation coming up booked a year in advance and partially paid. We opted to go. The places we were going to were about 500 mile round trip. On that "vacation" we were riding cable cars to get to our destination. I got a real workout, with no possibility of getting off until the trip ended. I was in so much pain. This place was based on an old western town. Nothing but hard wood benches everywhere. I did do one morbidly entertaining thing while there, they had a coffin standing upright, stuffed with whatever and sewn with pink silk. Looked like the most comfortable place I'd find, I got in crossed my arms and let anybody who wanted to, to take a picture, long as I could remain in there. That did not go over good with the management. My husband ended the vacation and we headed to the biggest hospital around, Vanderbilt in Nashville. I could not have arrived at a better time, a fellow neurosurgeon was visiting. They ask if I would be a volunteer patient, comping the bill if they could show how they ruled out problems. Told him never diagnosed never helped. Since my last bunch of evaluations, I had the entire L5/S1 spine bulging all the way out, with two more to follow. I told him that was horrible but it was the burning, 3rd degree pain of my right leg leaving me in worse pain. I had run into, by accident, on vacation one of the few Dr.'s seriously studying Reflex sympathetic dystrophy. One of the first things he did was evaluate the the nerves in that upper right leg. My diagnostic results came out looking like a roller coaster. The Dr said after numerous studies, RSD was like a 3rd degree burn and the only thing that can help that kind of pain is opiates. I know I had been told 120 that's it, but because of my excellent Dr.'s notes and diagnostics on file, I don't want to say where but I am over 2 1/4 x the 120 dose mg. I don't know if they have done any nerve evaluation on you, but without them, I would still be sitting up in my room in my bed. I did attempt to have my back repaired, 4 surgeries, and a titanium cage. I would advise anyone to try everything first! My back is a mess. I did have to go to a specialist for opiates, but in some cases, with good notes apparently you can go over the limit. At the same time, I watched as the police escorted two people away for Dr shopping because they said, "Florida is the only state that does not have an internal system to inform other pharmacist that they have just been to their store. The whole thing will turn out bad, there will be OD's, new illicit drug users, and suicides. I think it's one of the most poorly thought out idea in years!! And yes I could of been one of the three mentioned above.

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582

Hydromorophone is the generic or medical name for dilaudid.

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581

BL I haven't pursued it since while on opiates all symptoms are relieved.....

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580

Spyz, if a doctor is decent and believes the patient might have MS or wants to rule it out, they will order an MRI with contrast of the brain. If you believe you have MS and your doctor won't order the tests, you need to change doctors. Or you can get a copy of your medical records and see what the doctor has written about the possibility of MS, if anything.

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579

BL I know MS is a catch all phrase of a painful condition much like Muscular Dystrophy. I've been diagnosed with both but have never had any real work up or tests done. Here in Nashville Vanderbilt won't even see you for MDA unless you are in a wheelchair. I've been told I'll never be in a wheel chair but will need leg braces. As for the MS...chronic debilitating vertigo, sensory deficits and or sensations....Bell's palsy, etc. etc. even pain doctors here all they care about is a MRI for your back....my legs are my problem not my back so hurrah for the lower doses! Now I get to lay in bed all day and watch my life slip away.....as for MOMSTER not having actual papers, most docs really don't give a damn enough to go through proper follow up

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578

Do not come to Mo. Strict straight..the worst guidelines ever for pain management.

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577

Do not come to Mo. Strict straight..the worst guidelines.

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576

Momster, have you had diagnostic testing done to confirm the MS diagnosis ? No doctor can be sure a patient has MS without diagnostic tests results showing it. Have you gotten a copy of your medical records and read them to see exactly what your doctor wrote ? You need medical proof that you have MS and that is the reason you couldn't walk the line.

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575

I'm in the same boat it seems, as everyone else...I live in Gresham, OR. I've been a chronic pain patient for apx 15 yrs. It started with a compression fracture to my T-6, and currently I have spinal stenosis, possible MS, (A doctor verbally diagnosed me with MS and the very next visit denied ever saying it?? I have all the symptoms and it was said in the presence of my daughter but no one wants to complete the diagnosis?), My spine is pretty much jelly, I had neurosurgery to replace my C3/C4 in my neck and the surgeon ordered the wrong size so instead of a nice titanium piece, they let me sit on the operating table for an hour while they rounded up a plastic piece that would work. Ive had severe neck pain ever since that was done 5 yrs ago. The surgeon said I should have it replaced within a year but I didnt have the insurance to request it. I finally got Obama Family Care and the doctor I went to see immediatly announced that I was a morphine addict, without looking at my chart or history or anything, stopped all my medication and he said I would thank him in 6 months. Well I tried his way because I was so tired of the humiliation of being medicated. No go, I've given up...I just lay in bed, I guess I'm red flagged from a bogus DUI I got from Gresham PD. I blew a zero and passed all diagnostics but couldn't walk the line due to my MS. My Public Defender wouldn't plead for me and now no doctors will even agree to see me. Life is so hard being in so much pain.... I don't wish chronic pain on anyone. For 15 yrs I never abused my medications and now I cant even get treated. I wish you all good luck..

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574

Most of the push for the new laws have come from the Obama Administration not just Republicans. Watch the last 3 President Obama press conferences on drug overdoses. He even has a new special this week on reducing prescription abuse with the singer Macklemore from Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. YES there are Republicans from the House and Senate pushing laws, but most of it has come from Dems. I was able too walk a few times a week before the opioid law, now I'm back to being bed ridden and lost 13 pounds. These new laws will in all likelihood kill me. They want to look strong preventing opioid overdoses and addiction, but they are killing the actual patients who didn't abuse. They made it so it sounds like just a recommendation, not a law, but doctors are scared to get on The DEA Radar and risk having their license taken away. I've had 5 doctors quit in the last year. I hope everyone can survive the politicians games.

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573

Spyz, if you wouldn't mind could you enlighten us why BL is such a jerk, since you seem to know more about him than any of us and he certainly has never offered any info about himself ... His comments are always uncaring and very egotistical.
If he were in our shoes needing empathy& support then it absolutely does not come off that way . Honestly there has never been anything from him that is beneficial to this forum.

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572

The 120 mg equivalents thing is evidently everywhere. It is here in Oregon. My Dr. told me I have to go down to that level. MS Contin (extended release) equals 1 1/2 times what it says -so a 30 mg tablet equals 45 equivalents. MSIR is straight across. 30 mg equals 30 equivalents. I here what you say - who the bleep should be deciding what dose our doctor can give us? What's next, death panels?

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571

BL-yes, palliative care must be dx's by your dr, I thought I had made that clear.
Again you must step in with degrading and harassing remarks. It seems you cannot help yourself from being arrogant to all of us who are in need of empathy and help.
I truly wish you would enlighten us with your story, perhaps it may let us understand why you are here??
Btw, the best definition for palliative care is outlined by the World Health Orgsnization, not sure where your info is coming from. You seem to feel you R the expert --your story would help illustrate why you have this attitude.

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570

Lynx, a patient having chronic pain does not mean they meet the Palliative Care criteria.

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569

KITTYMOOSLEY, I too at one time thought BL to be nothing more than an old codger, waiting with baited breath to pounce on us and make us only feel more tired, old and sick....we must keep in mind that with these posts along with Facebook posts and cell phone texts, our emotions and actual intent doesn't always show through. BL is not gloating but is actually in the same predicament that we are in. BL like myself oftentimes come across as rude, arrogant and even cross at times when really we are just blunt and to the point...remember, we all have different information that benefits each of us..together we gain knowledge and God willing, we gain grace to love and support others like ourselves going through these difficult times...

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568

B L & posters- the CDC guidelines for the 120 mg limit apply to pain patients EXCEPT for those with cancer, palliative, or end of life care. This is written in the guidelines- therefore if your pain Dr. Dx's your treatment as palliative the guidelines do not apply
T his exemption has not really been understood by allot of our drs, I believe , mostly due to the same fear of the DEA that keeps drs from treating us as they should. Our chronic pain which is considered palliative should have no limits upon it, thus your dr. Should have no problem treating you under this exemption.
Of course the DEA has overstepped their boundaries in many instances without retribution thus there may be justifiable fear from our drs. Even tho the guidelines have this exemption clearly stated the crooked DEA will do whatever they wish. In my opinion with no controls being enforced upon this gov created group of vigilantes we have no hope of things being corrected, unless someone has the power& knowledge to override their actions.

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567

BL, why don't you do us all a favor and just go away! You're not a chronic pain patient, you just come on here to gloat about others suffering, and I'm fed up with you and your unhelpful attitude!!

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566

I know it's political but frustrating nevertheless....my previous docs said, "oh my! I see in your x-rays where your pain is coming from!" Now they say "oh it's just a teeny old fracture! I'm sure you're used to the pain by now!" WTF? These are 250lb men in good health telling me that! Turning to the streets is a last result for relief and unfortunate that those blindly 'running this show' can't see that! THEY are killing us! No! I will not lay here in agony on 10 useless mgs. of medicine when I know what has worked for me is still available! Those guidelines are for primary care docs not pain docs! It makes ya wonder...'do I even want to see a doc that is too stupid or scared to do his job?" Nazi docs obeyed and look what they did to some of the Jews! We need educated doctors with balls to stand for us, not retreat!

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