Darvocet Removal Was/is A Disgrace & Political! (Top voted first)

I periodically took Darvocet for 10 years for moderate to severe back pain due to four bulging disks prior to the FDA's removal. I only took it when I had a pain cycle appearing, which was seldom more than once a month. I had NO problems. I was able to function well without grogginess, a clear head, diminished pain, and NO signs of side effects. My physician has been trying several of the optional medications and Tramadol does NOTHING for my pain. Any other optional medications (i.e. hydrocodone) leave me incapacitated, sleeping, and woozy, which completely shuts down my days. I try to avoid taking it when the pain approaches, because I hate the side effects, which causes my pain to worsen. Since the removal of Darvocet, I must take off work excessively, feel hopeless, and my quality of life has drastically been reduced. It is a disgrace, and only a political maneuver that caused the removal of Darvocet. All medications, even over-the-counter drugs, have side effects, and a large amount of them CAN POSSIBLY result in heart problems. I would love to have the freedom to risk the possibilities of heart problems, rather than go through life in such pain, or taking optional mind altering meds!!! I'm desperate for the relief that I used to achieve after only taking Darvocet for a day or two!!!

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I shouldn't have sarcastically said "that sounds fair", I should have said that I have trouble finding sound reason in the decision. The examples you site aren't comparable to my situation. People can still drive their car after passing the DUI checkpoint, and after jumping through all required hoops, they can still board the plane. If the process to receive Darvocet were equivalent to that of obtaining Sudafed, then they would be similar.

However, making Darvocet illegal for everyone would be the same as making it illegal for anyone to drive because some people choose to drive drunk, or grounding ALL flights because a few people break the laws. I believe most people would agree those reactions would be illogical.

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So, basically, you're saying that because people couldn't control themselves to use their prescription medication correctly, the rest of us have to suffer.

And, frankly, I'm tired of everyone touting "there are other safer medicines". This isn't true for everyone. I have a kidney disorder that prohibits me from taking NSAIDS and I have a true allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to codeine. I'm only 36, but I deal daily with pain of fibromyalgia and degenerative arthritis. Thankfully, I have a high pain tolerance and for many years, I only had 1 bottle of 30 Darvocet pills filled per calendar year. Occasionally, you just need something to help with the pain. And I really wish people would quit trying to push Tramadol (Ultram) as the "extremely close" alternative to Darvocet. It makes me extremely nauseous, makes me drowsy but never touches the pain.

I've read some of the studies of deaths by overdose, but I've yet to find one broken down by those who were using Darvocet with alcohol, or abusing other substances as well. I think it would be a safe bet that they were abusing others drugs. So, the rest of us are left to suffer in pain and a lower quality of life because addicts couldn't get their act together. That sounds completely fair.

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Dawn, unfortunately, life isn't fair. We are all affected by others that don't go by the laws in one way or another. It may be a DUI road block, having to go through all the things that are mandatory before boarding a plane or not being able to get a particular medication. But that's life in 2015.

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Hello, Marie! How are you doing? I'm very sorry that you're in pain and I hope you find something that helps, very soon.

Darvocet didn't just create a risk of heart problems, it actually frequently caused fatalities, due to the heart issues, as well as very high rates of overdose. Since it was a very mild narcotic, many people often took multiple tablets, when one didn't control their pain.

If you need something milder, Codeine with Acetaminophen is still available, so you may want to ask your doctor about it.

The FDA classifies this medication as a narcotic analgesic, so it has the potential to be habit forming and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

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You also may want to try cutting the meds in half. For examplt if you have a tablet of hydrocodone/acetaminophen only take half. The side effects may not be as bad as with a full.tablet. Darvocet being removed had everything to do with Safety ans nothing to do with politics.

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