Big Pharma's Lockdown On Legitimate Chronic Pain Patients (Page 76)

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: Ty Dollar Sign (# 1498)

Hi Ty! Although bittersweet you make me actually feel better knowing you are experiencing same effects from MALLINCKRODT generic brand as I’ve thought I was going nuts! Seems all manufacturer’s same...obviously the formulation of the actual pain meds indeed have been drastically changed to give ZERO positive results therefore detouring misuse. But in doing so they have hurt all legit Chronic Pain Patients. Not only have we been dose cut, what we may receive is useless. Pls write your story to the National Pain Report via NIH. Our voices must be heard.

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Ty Dollar Sign (# 1483) --

I was prescribed 90 Hydrocodone per month, 10/750, for my various aches and pains, including arthritis and chronic migraines... along with 30 Soma , one a night for chronic insomnia and muscle spasms, 10 MIL Valium for anxiety and panic attacks. I worked for almost a decade longer on the meds, than I would have been able to if I hadn't had them to take.

I know all about the pill mills, mostly in S FL... these young, able bodied men and women traveled from our small town in N FL, some funded by older persons who had the $$ to subsidize some of these druggies for a portion of whatever they got. It was a big racket in our small town, around 2008 or 2009, peaking at around late 2011 when the government started cracking down on the pill mills and doctors that ran them, then on to the pharmaceutical companies.

So we all know how it started, why the legitimate pain patients got drawn into it is a mystery to me. I got cold turkeyed... the recreational users got addiction treatment. I went from a solid 105 lbs down to now 84 lbs since 2011, when it happened to me Pain management is a joke,even if I can find one that accepts Medicaid and will actually take the time to find out what my medical issues are and prescribe accordingly,so that I can once again live a mostly normal, pain free life. I may have been dependent, but I will take that anytime over the hell I go thru daily. And I can't stay in bed... caregiver to 86 yr old Mom... I live, but just barely get to enjoy a day or night without being in pain.

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Re: Ty Dollar Sign (# 1487)

And I never asked for anything stronger, except 10 Percocet a month for breakthrough pain, like migraines and back, and at times arthritis. I was on the same meds for 25 years and life was good. I took the blue Lorcet tabs. And Soma that has been around since the fifties. Never got a script early, or ran out. I did not abuse my medications... and Norco is a joke...

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w john (# 1499) --

Your Wrong! What we have here is real.pain mgmt people. Getting wrapped into the drug war because years ago pill Mills with drs. who wanted to make fast cash, 20k a day or more. Added to the heroin oxy war. Now because of new guidelines nobody thought of patients who have real problems would be swept up into them. Some being cut to nothing... Cancer patients...failed surgery patients ect..My comment about trump wasn't an attack on him. You don't see me using childish names. I stand with my comments that the wrong people were put in charge of something they know nothing about. Some have given up and taken their life.. Some have no life because they no can't get out of bed to do normal house things. By the time the CDC came out with new guidelines. People were dead. Heroin addiction has been around a long time..but then they find oxy on foil does the same thing. Then came the elephant fentanyl in 2016 or so killing more. It didn't help at the time when marijuana and oils and cbds without the thc was fine to be good medicine, then Jeff sessions comes out and lies about it saying. That marijuana is 10 times more dangerous than heroin! So much silence rebukes that.. he's just picked the wrong people who know nothing... And though I may interject politics. I'm not name calling like a 5 the grader and there is no rules against it. There are rules against badgering though. Druggies don't come on here and whine as you call it... people with pain mgnt have been wrapped up in this Opioid was and hurt by it and dont know where to go. And when they find this place.. a place that they think can help. They certainly don't want to hear a bully.

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Re: Ty Dollar Sign (# 1484)

They stuck their noses in because kids have died... Lots of them... Laced heroin... then the cheap pill mills opened in FLA... easy money. Easy high. It's really sad that the medical field didn't see this coming...and have some sense when these makers of oxy we're being pushed. I was asked if I wanted to try it and said heck no! I knew what it did...

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Re: C (# 1504)

I am NOT "WRONG" as you put it. Your whole whine is about who was appointed to OVERSEE a fact finding committee. WHAT is actually being DONE by anyone of any political persuasion? Not much. And why is that so? Because it is a political hot potato right now. You rant on and on about your OPINION. I see things the way I see them. If you oppose my position then that is your right --- and that does not make me a "bully". Your animus for anything anyone says that is different from you makes you the "BULLY"-- not me.You will never change anyone's position by continually posting your nonsense (that, btw, NEVER is accompanied by any proof). You may not like who President Trump appointed to some committee but it is what it is.

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Re: Ty Dollar Sign (# 1496)

I worked most of my life... unfortunately the biker lifestyle when I was young and danced for under the table was an early chunk. But beyond that I paid taxes for many years s. Got married later in life and did not work for over 10 years, cut my disability from SS gone, just because I got married and stayed home. So when we split, it was SSI or nothing. Just so you know, not everyone on SSI NEVER or HARDLY worked and paid into SS. I did, just the rules about having to have so many work credits the 10 years before you need it will not qualify for SSD, and then a person has to go the SSI route. Just to let you know... does anyone get married thinking about a possible divorce... too late to know what's in store for now older, disabled lady?! Nope....

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Re: C (# 1504)

Totally agree, similar here in Australia. They have done surveys when opiates were available back in the 60s 70s vietnam war days. The crime rate hardly existed, but since their war on drugs, there have been more overdoses, murders, robberies, etc. Kids are destroying their brains, lives, families, etc. Things like ice & MDMA were never around. Seems to me your so called leaders don't realise the damage they are doing in so many ways. Got to be a change before it's too late.

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When are we getting past this subject. Someone please start a new one under a new topic of pharma's stronghold.

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Recently my pain provider reduced my paltry oxycodone 15 mg 4 per day to 10 mg. The 15's gave me some relief the 10's might as well be aspirin. As a 20 + year chronic pain patient I have been humiliated, mistrusted and treated like a criminal because I take opiates. I have also been treated with respect and understanding by legitimate providers who stopped practicing pain management due to restrictions and surveillance by the DEA. The government needs to get out of telling doctors what they can do. In my opinion they are violating Hippa laws everytime they receive information about my prescriptions and should be sued for these intrusions. I am tired of hurting when drugs exist that would greatly improve the quality of my life.

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Re: Grace (# 1510)
Many posters have spoken or posted about suing people or organizations that are responsible for violating laws or their rights but no one, so far, has been willing to put in the work to find an Attorney that will represent them. Of course, one could be hired but few, if any, people have the funds to fight these large oversight groups. Many will not even try to find an Attorney to represent them pro se because the issue is a public relations hot button and most Attorneys would never touch this issue with a ten foot pole. It is just like many post about testing their medication to be sure it is the correct amount but when they are confronted with actually having to donate pills to be tested and the cost they just figure it is not worth it. It has to be prescribed pills from a Pharmacy. Any medication coming from a manufacturer will not be trusted.

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Re: w john (# 1506)

He appointed at first someone who sells and makes clothes and jewelery... The whole committee isn't for pain people...

My whine.. heck with you. I'm entitled to my opinion and your a bully. People have died because they were taken off their meds.. They also does in Ukraine because money for investigations ... This President could do more if he wanted to and he chose not to so he can set up his family for life.... And by the way... I voted Johnson a true conservative... not a National claiming to be a Republican

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Re: Lou (# 1508)

Exactly ! !
Thanks for backing up my post .
5 ? votes as well !

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Have given up hope that I will ever be able to live a normal, pain-free life again. At only 62, and had been on Lorcet for a blanket of pain issues with Soma for acute chronic insomnia, one at bedtime. Lorcet three times a day for two decades... worked the first 10 years longer than I would have without it. I was one who was not even tapered... just cut off and left to my own misery in opioid withdrawals, along with no help for pain and not able to sleep for 6 months or longer.
What happened to the Hippocratic Oath? Just a bunch of words now, doesn't mean a thing to these doctors who 'seem' to be running scared about writing what their patients of years need to alleviate our pain effectively. I am losing my hair and the ability to live my life as a caregiver to my mother who is in end stage dementia.
Thanks to the overblown out of proportion 'War on Opioids', that NEVER should have carried over to private practice doctors and their patients who were all doing just fine, no overdosing, responsible pain patients who took their medication as prescribed. It was Pain Management Clinics that misused their practices who caused this 'war', yet now I can't have my proper medication unless I now go to a Pain Management Clinic.
What's wrong with this hypocrisy... it doesn't make sense to me.
Now if you will excuse me, I have had a MIGRAINE HEADACHE going on 3 days with nothing but Tylenol 3 to treat the pain. Used to get 10 Percocet for the breakthrough pain from Migraines... my kingdom for my pain meds!!!

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Re: Roro (# 4)

So, I work the pharma industry... your interpretation of the genetic vs. name brand is way off. I am a chemist, I work for one of the biggest pharma out there. I work in what’s called “dissolution” testing. The FDA requires all drugs, be it “name brand” or “generic” to release at least 85% of API (primary ingredient “ regardless manufacturer. I have to admit these drugs have different “excipients” - “additives” that may have an effect on the drugs effectiveness. But to state that “generic” drugs are different is a farce. There’s variability even within “name” brands....

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Re: Carol (# 1515)

Thankyou for your info. Question is, a large percentage of CPP’s are sharing the same concern’s of original formulation effectiveness & similar unwanted side effects.
How can all of us long-term legitimate Chronic Pain Patients in basically the same timeframe...boom; like “overnight” ...suddenly get stopped in our tracks physically & mentally with ill side effects knowing the tolerance factor does not apply.
The formulation structure has been altered; removing &/or adding something more or less. Obviously you’re admirably well-educated with this knowledge; ie; Percocet, et al Pain meds. Please educate us with the fact’s so least we can comprehend it all with reason.
Thankyou.

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Re: Carol (# 1515)

If it had an effect on the drug's effectiveness because there is a new additive put into it, then it is effectively a 'different' medication... something is added to make it a different formula, so how can you call that difference a 'FARCE'??!

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Re: Carol (# 1515)

So let me see if I understand your post .... you can reduce the efective ingredient 15% which equals the 85% you said .... and they can change the (so called) inhert ingredients that may or may not reduce the effect that the reduced by 15% ingredient thus not helping with the pain as it should be ..... that is pretty much the body of your post is it not ...... yet you call my post a farce ...... WHO DO YOU THINK YOU A FOOLING ..... NOT ME ..... YOU PROVED MY POST ...... THANK YOU ...... anyone with chronic pain for over 2 years knows that my post is correct ... they may not know why its correct but they know it is ....... so ur a drug company chemist what else would you try to say your post proves your calling my post a farce is a farce of its own

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Great Poste,so true .it's bad enough having medical problem being in pain , without being judged by a dr who has probley just got out of med school ,read all the books and then play god and tell you what to do about your pain ,even though your old enough to be their granparent ,why should anyone have to put up with pain when there's meds that will help !!who gives anybody the right to think for us ,IV had ibaproven (sorry bout spelling )found it a waist of time ,just because a few rock stars abused meds doesn't mean we all have to suffer ,what gives anybody the right to refuse help with pain meds ,I know for a fact that there is high number of medical professionals with addiction problems ,thanks.

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Re: Roro (# 1518)

I couldn’t have said it better Roro! Excellent synopsis of FACTS! Thanks for reading between the line’s & speaking up on the behalf of CHRONIC PAIN PATIENT’s (CPP’s) suffering everywhere! It’s people like you who care enough to assure us we are not losing our minds, being mislead by deliberate false detouring of so-called “facts” all based on their falsely pre-scripted narrative’s” denying the truth being BIG PHARMA, FDA, DEA, et al behind our back’s have altered & reformulated all narcotic pain medicines to purposely make them in effective at the expense of the well being & lives of LEGITIMATE CHRONIC PAIN PATIENT’s!
This is another avenue for BIG PHARMA to create new drug’s for investor’s to make more big buck’s$$! Follow the money!

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