Big Pharma's Lockdown On Legitimate Chronic Pain Patients (Page 4)

Is narcotic pain medicine becoming a thing of the past?

Why are doctors across America phasing out the practice of prescribing effective pain medication?

Will big pharmaceutical companies ever truly understand what it's like to face the other side of the coin?

Lately there's been a musty scent in the air surrounding the use of prescribed narcotic pain medication. Many doctors appear to be running scared as the DEA scours through fields of medical records, inspecting prescribing pads like a mouse scavenges for food in a dimly lit cellar.

Should the day come when doctors recommend Ibuprofen to a feeble man who's been involved in a terrible car accident (breaking several bones / requiring extensive surgery), is this doctor at risk of malpractice when there are more effective options available that they choose not to pick, out of fear? Fear of what? Doing the right thing? No, I don't think this is the reason... Somewhere along the line, in the not too distant past, doctors were loosely prescribing narcotic pain medication as if it would never go out of style. Nowadays, the harsh penalty of potentially losing their license for writing any unknown number of opiate prescriptions over so many calendar days or some other form of strict criteria, has been enough to prevent many physicians from taking even subtle "risks" with patients who are expressing obvious signs of pain and discomfort.

The unfortunately unique problem with pain is that it's not a physical object and in order for others to detect it, they'd have to rely solely on the backbone of our body language using their intuition - something that's gone missing in western practice. If more doctors took the time and really got to know their patients front to back, then they will be their own best judge of deciding what the right thing to do is, regardless of what the DEA thinks about their decision or what their drug representative wants out of the deal. Sadly, until patients are put before profits, the foundation of America's healthcare system remains in jeopardy like an iceberg affected by global warming.

While I believe that the vast majority of human beings in their right mind would choose to do the right thing, we must all work together to become the change we wish to see within every aspect of our lives; and knowing that by doing so, it will shine light on those crossing our path that need it most.

In the meantime, some patients may have to find another way to manage their pain without putting their life or health at risk. Others are turning to natural alternatives such as kratom, cannabis, turmeric and/or implementing various lifestyle changes into their daily regime... But the key is to never give up hope.

What will you do?

Warm regards to all who face life's challenges head on.

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Re: Claude (# 51)

I'm with you Claude but I can't locate post #9. I don't remember what you said but I agree we need to do something. Living with pain hard enough but taking our medication away seems excessively cruel to me. I wish I didn't need medication but it keeps me going. I'm able to function better with it. People who take it for reasons other than pain will always find something to use and people who profit from it by selling it will find other means to make a living. I've heard of people who are terminally ill, in severe pain, whose caretakers are afraid to give them too much pain medication because of the fear of addiction. Go figure! When someone reaches the point of no return, I say keep them comfortable and let them go in peace. Google "Pill Farms in Florida" and get an idea of how this opiate epidemic came about. Interesting!

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Just filled out a complaint form for the FDA about Rhodes Pharmaceuticals and their generic Percocet 10 325 that are making my stomach sick and causing headaches and it's not the strength it says it is. I said all I ask is take a random pill of this medication and send it to your lab before someone dies from what's in it and what's not in it, like the right mg of the active ingredient or pain medication. You should too if you're having problems with this medication or that's all you're going to get at every pharmacy because it's half the price of other generics according to my pharmacist. Why would this medication cost half of what the other generics do? That should be a RED FLAG right there.

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I see so many questions on pain management nowadays and the DEA has absolutely taken over and we let them! There's no sense in having drug panels and especially for tramadol! If everyone doesn't start getting together they're going to end up making everyone's life hell. What I don't get is how they drop people without notice! Doesn't that say there's nothing wrong with you and everything you were told was just a big lie! I mean I get it people abuse things but they have made everyone think opiates don't work and you're addicted. I took a class in college once that said people take years to become truly addicted especially if they're in pain. It's dependence, and you depend on them as much as diabetics and high BP meds to have a good quality of life. They're lying to everyone and under-medicating! I think soon lawyers will start finding a way to sue over this. I mean if you've been given the same drug for years it's going to need to be adjusted! Taking one extra a day for pain isn't abusing it. Think about it... you're given the same drug for years and suddenly at any given moment a dr panics and can drop you! I mean doesn't that just say he's basically stupid and diagnosed you wrong? Example - john has several herniated disc, neuropathy, and doing his best on the pain meds given and has been fully compliant at every visit, ok. Say the next month john takes one extra a day because he's been on the same dose for years and having new pain or just a bad flare up. John decides he will for first time discuss this with his dr because he's been running out and feels it's time he addresses it. The next day John gets a call stating he's no longer compliant and dropped. So what happened to all his injuries? Did they go away? No! This is just so wrong! And I've read so many stories like that from people who have good drug panels, no ER visits and doing their best to work! This is against our constitutional rights and they're pushing dangerous drugs to try. That's why big pharmaceutical companies haven't stood up. I see people sweat it every appointment they have and drs know this! I guarantee the family members have opioids in their homes! We are all being treated bad and if we don't stand up and sign every petition and ask attorneys what can be done this will only get worse.

America is supposed to be free and oh yeah more than half the overdoses are from illicit drugs! I feel for all of you and didn't realize how bad it has gotten until I got lupus and other stuff. It makes me sick we are dictated to! A man in my area killed himself for severe cancer pain Bc they cut his dose! He was 61. This is an outrage and that tramadol btw is easier on your stomach and heart and they know it! Hydrocodone 5mg was up once on the Senate to be sold otc. There's a lot they won't say and if everyone stood up and stopped this we could have our drs back and they could be drs! Some so-called pill mills were actually good drs who wanted to help their patients, not all were bad. I'm sorry I'm jumping from subject to subject, it's just an outrage how things have gotten! Also, a lot of things cause false readings. I worked in a lab for a very long time and you can request a drug confirmation (that's usually sent off and breaks it down to a simple vitamin you took) if you were ever dismissed for something you didn't take. Also, tell them to take a hair sample if they want to be technical! Don't let them scare you into being held hostage for pain control. Also, it may be a good idea to start videotaping each visit in case you end up having to sue for a dr giving you drugs to help then cutting you off. Not everyone is drug seeking. They need to go back and learn more about that, and how can you tell them the truth about dose adjustments if they are just going to drop you?! It shouldn't be that way! So please people think about standing up so there's no more forums about people in true pain and being cut off. We deserve better! Again sorry I'm ranting and I wish all of you to be well and I hate it so bad the posts I read about people being cut back or cut off. NOBODY should live in that fear whenever there's enough bad things going on! If enough people in each town stand up at these places and write and call senators and congressmen, things can change. These dr's wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for our hard working money. They need to actually be standing with the patients!

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Re: BJ (# 61)

there are multiple pages at after comments there is a page tab.....
claude i to have tried to get a petition going and tried to link it here and after 6 months it had 13 signers very disappointing ......
goat c ...... that would be a good thing but not sure if it will work with out some sort of verivacation ...... mayne/hopefully the dr has a way to verify ... you are be n couragious good for you

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Re: Tommy (# 59)

Hi Tommy thanks for your reply and your information. I was sure you were right. Luckily for me it was for short term and I am not feeling any pain as far a my teeth go. At least not yet. I don't even bother with the pills and won't if I get pain in my abscessed tooth. . But I know from my other problems that they were not worth a ****. You are right. Cheap is better for profiting companies. And I think you are right about it not changing because of us "DRUG SEEKERS".....It's enough to drive you mad and madder. I just wish people would pay more attention the links I put up there. That might be the only help we can get. It was good hearing from you again. Paul

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Re: Paul (# 65)

I just got a text from President Trump on his tax reform. I said you need to reel in your FDA for not following up on complaints about Rhodes Pharmaceuticals and their generic medicine. I said it's making ppl sick because they are adding toxic fillers and using less mg to save money. I said if you want to keep my support you need to talk with Scott Gottlieb head of the FFA for sitting on his hands and not acting on complaints about Rhodes Pharmaceuticals before someone dies. I'll call him Monday because I'm so sick I can't get out of bed from taking this trash Rhodes Pharmaceuticals is putting out to sell to the American people.

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Re: Roro (# 64)

The petition to sign for a Schedule 2 Narcotics Card to be instituted by the Government can be found on change.org. We must band together and sign all petitions that can help us get our message across and our needs met without discrimination.

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I meant to type FDA not FAA. I put FDA on the text to Trump

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Re: Tommy (# 68)

Actually Tommy, you typed in FFA If i recall right...But I type in FAA then that might be a real problem thinking we are all Flying High.with the Federal Aviation Admin. lol.

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Re: Red (# 53)

Oh gosh ! It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to take a picture of your scripts and keep for your records . it seems we have to keep records of everything to protect ourselves .

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Re: Tommy (# 66)

Hi Tommy, hope you get to feeling better. Let me know how it goes with the call if you do it. .
Thanks,
P.

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Re: Ktb (# 70)

As a matter of fact I did just that!! I also take Plavix & it has changed color,size & shape 3 time....it makes me wonder who make the choice as too what we get,is it real or what? It is all scary. Everyone pleas pay attention & ask questions!!

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Re: Red (# 72)

You make the choice on what you get (mostly). The drug store's purchasing agent decides what the drug store will have in stock... But you can ask your drug store to order from specific manufacturers - some will, others may not..... But you can call and find out what each store carries till you find the product that works for you (not all products are created equal - bioequivalent is far from equal) and if you have a contract with the dr you should let them know if you change drug stores and that your previous drug store changed brands and that the brand they now carry does not work with your body chemistry.... (how you word things can make a big difference in how it is accepted or not).... Before you drop off your script ask who manufactures what you are picking up... Do not give them your script if you do not want that brand.... And confirm the manufacturer before you pay or sign for your meds.... I have had at least 3 drug stores change brands from the time I dropped off my script and went back to pick them up the next day.... Needless to say, they were not happy when I refused delivery and return of my scripts, but they did so after I reminded them that these are not the brand you advertised to me that they carried.... (for those that don't know there is a manufacturer name or code just after the strength of the medication). So when you find a med that works for you make a note of the manufacturer listed on that bottle and confirm future scripts will be that brand.... Be well and try to make your body alkaline rather than acidic as this will (supposedly) help fight all ailments.

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It is nit just the pain medication that are i jeopardy. It is meds like thoradol and promethazine. What i dont understand and never will is if it os the DEA and not the doctors who are doing this to patients who are suffering from chronic pain then why dont docs just say the DEA is not allowing me to prescribe you this type of help. Why treat the patient as if he/she is some type of leopard who is asking for the world? I think that if we all came together and put this DEA in the same type of pain that we go through -- yes i am talking torture. Maybe all of a sudden pain meds would no longer a problem.
A little radical but when the quality of life has been compromised as mine has -- radical doesn't seem to be unnecessary.

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Re: Joann from Portland Oregon (# 74)

Torture is what restricting available medicine from those that need it is...... The govt has no problem torturing American citizens in chronic pain, but you soldiers better not torture the terrorist that is murdering and torturing innocent people around the world.

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Re: Joann from Portland Oregon (# 74)

I wish medschat would take all of these posts and send them to the DEA and/or any federal agency and maybe, just maybe, we might be heard. Hopefully someone there is doing their job and is a real person. I think that some cops would listen. But I think they would have to be high in rank to help....Is there any cop pro opiate?

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Stay away from K**s** if you can. They are on the program to get all but cancer and post-surgical patients off all opioids. First they'll switch you to their new (and only) vendor Mallink***** which produces subpar and ineffective meds...they will do this without telling you, you'll just be surprised when you pick up your prescription. Then you'll have so many gross side effects, and so much new pain, that you'll decide to titrate off the dang stuff alltogether. Yes they won with me. They beat me down.

So sick of the bureaucracy surrounding scheduled medication, so sick of being treated like a drug addict. It is soul murder. And there's always a problem. They don't want any chronic pain patients on ANY opioid pain medication...even if it helps them actually have some measure of a life. That's not practicing good medicine, as far as I'm concerned. If I could switch insurance I would.

My docs are generally very good...but their boss, K**s** is on a power trip...so they can put their results, their percentages, and 'quotas met' in press releases and journal articles. Numbers matter, but actual patients do not. But I hope they're ready...hope the country's entire medical community is ready...for a suicide uptick. There will be a backlash to this, as people are faced with having to constantly deal with 100% of their pain 24x7. Not only is it inhumane, it goes against the patients' Bill of Rights. Yeah so, when did that get thrown out the window?

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Re: Tommy (# 62)

I also filed a complaint with the FDA for Mallinckrodt generic hydrocodone. It is ineffective and subpar. The inert ingredients cause rashes, headaches, lactose intolerance, and acne breakouts. I was switched to them with no prior warning. I'm titrating off this crap, because it is now the only vendor my healthcare provider uses... and I have to use their pharmacy.

Please file a complaint (you can do so online) with the FDA if you were switched to a generic, ineffective med. I swear the manufacturers like Mallinckrodt are putting something BAD into these generics that makes you o sick that you want to get off them. The side effects are really bad.

The generic hydrocodone that I'm currently titrating off of takes about 2 hours to start working at all, the little bit of pain relief lasts about 45 mins, and then you're thrown into w/d because you are only dosing every six hours. It's not right, something is definitely UP and ongoing, and I believe what is really going on with these extremely subpar generics WILL eventually come out in the open. It's got to. But we need to file complaints and get this on record. It can't just be a discussion on a website. We have to make formal complaints to the right agencies and officials who can actually DO something.

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Re: Paul (# 76)

First of all the DEA does not give a rats a** about the problems of chronic pain. And for that matter, neither do the primary care doctors. The absolute only way to seriously get attention is "hit them (the doctors) where it hurts". And where it hurts is in the pocketbook. If we all just refused to keep our appointments for a few months, that would get their attention. Can you imagine all patients refusing to be treated in a subhuman fashion? Many patients would have to commit to this but it would work. The DEA would see how horrible their decisions have impacted our lives. If there is one thing that all doctors care about -- it is the bottom line.

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Re: Natasha (# 78)

I talked to the FDA today and they said we are getting many complaints on generic medicine. They said be sure a fill the online form out which I said I did, twice. I offered my medication to be run through their lab to see what's in it. They said but what will you take? I said not this toxic medicine. They said we'll be back in contact with to find out what's going on. I refuse to let up

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