Truth About Pain Mangement And Why You Cannot Get Opiates

I SEE MOST POST ON HERE ASKING FOR SOMEONE TO FILL A CERTAIN DRUG THEY NEED. WELL TIMES ARE CHANGING FOR MORE THAN 1 REASON. IT IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ANY DOCTOR THAT WILL TAKE A NEW PATIENT AND PRESCRIBE ANY ANY ANY, CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. THANKS TO DEA, WAR ON DRUGS IS NOW IN PAIN MANAGEMENT. ALSO INSURANCE COMPANIES AND A RECENT STUDY, THAT SHOWED A PATIENT MAY DIE IN THEIR SLEEP IF GIVEN OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TABS OF OPIATES IN A DAY. THIS IS A POOR EXAMPLE OF A STUDY. COULD BE 4 MG OR 1000 MG THAT IS WHY YOU NOW SEE ALL THE INSURANCE COMPANIES NOW PUTTING CAPS ON THE AMOUNT THEY WILL ALLOW YOU TO HAVE. THEY I GUESS ARE NOW PLAYING DOCTOR. THEY ARE MAKING IT HARDER AND MORE WORK FOR DOCS TO EVEN WANT TO PRESCRIBE CERTAIN MEDICATIONS.

I HAVE BLUE CROSS AND MEDICARE AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM FILLING THE SAME DOSE OF MEDS I WAS ON FOR YEARS UNTIL LAST YEAR. I HAD TO GET THE PAIN CLINIC TO DO AN OVERRIDE W/ NO NOTICE WHICH TAKES THERE TIME AND MONEY. 1 MORE REASON DR WONT WRITE FOR THEM. NOW THIS YEAR IT'S WORSE. BLUE CROSS, THE BIGGEST INS COMP NOW REQUIRES THIS EVERY 6 MONTHS CAUSING GREAT CONFUSION AND TIME MONEY, TO SAVE THERE ASSES FROM DEA. BUT I HAVE 3 MEDS THAT ALL WILL NEED THEM TO BE DONE IN ADVANCE AT DIFFERENT MONTHS WHO CAN KEEP TRACK. YOU CANT GET YOUR MEDS A DAY EARLY THEN ONLY TO FIND WHEN YOU FINALLY THINK YOUR GOING TO GET YOUR MEDS. THE PHARMACY CANNOT FILL THEM. THEN TAKING ADDITIONAL DAYS IN MANY CASES TO GET OVERRIDE. LIKE MY CASE THEY ALLOW NO MORE THAN 4 MORPHINE TABS IN A DAY. DOES NOT MATTER THE MILLIGRAM. THERE IS NOT A 45 TAB SO I HAD TO GET A 30 AND 15 FOR IT PUT ME AT 6 DAILY, FORCING PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY GET A HIGHER DOSE AT DOCTOR'S END SO THEY DONT HAVE TO GO THRU THE BULL.

IT'S GETTING HARDER IN SO MANY AREAS. TO GET HELP FOR PAIN OR ANXIETY. IT COST SO MUCH FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR YOU KNOW THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL THESE DRUG PANELS WE TAKE JUST FOR THE RIGHT OF GOING TO A PAIN CLINIC. I AM EXHAUSTED FROM THE RED TAPE. I AM BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND WHY DOCS WONT DO IT. IT'S NOT RIGHT, IT'S A CRIME. WE NEED SOME GOOD LAWYERS TO START TAKING LEGAL ACTION. SOON IT WILL BE THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET WHAT WORKS IS TO DO SO ILLEGALLY. JUST LIKE NOW I CANNOT EVEN GO TRY AND GET A MJ CARD TO TREAT MY PAIN OR I COULD NOT QUALIFY FOR PAIN MANG. I THINK THE INSURANCE COMPANIES WANT US TO USE MJ TO SAVE THEM THE MONEY. THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

PLEASE GO SIGN THE PETITION I FOUND AT 'WE THE PEOPLE'. SIGN THE PETITION YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR IT ON STE AND ITS EASY BUT MAKE SURE YOU CHECK YOUR EMAIL AFTER TO VERIFY ITS YOU OR IT WONT COUNT. NO PERSONAL INFO SHOWS. IT ASK DEA TO KEEP OUT OF PAIN MANG AND IT BE KEPT OUT OF WAR ON DRUGS. AND PAIN CONTROL REFORM FOR DR TO BE ALLOWED TO PRESCRIBE WHAT IS RECOMENDED BY DRUG COMPANIES. FOR PAIN MEASURES TO WORK. ITS UR RIGHTS. TO HAVE PAIN CONTROL A DR DUTY TO GIVE IT BUT NOT MANY ARE. ITS TIME TO RAISE SOME NEEDS TO THE CAUSE. IF YOU CAN GET ON HERE AND ASK FOR MEDS TAKE THE TIME TO ACT. FILL OUT THE PETITIONS THAT ARE YOUR ONLY HOPE. GO TO POLITICAL SITES BOMBARD THEM WITH EMAILS DAILY. WE ALL NEED TO I HAVE DONE T TO A FEW WHEN I AM ABLE AND THEY DO RESPOND.

SO FAR I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYONE SAY NOR DO DOCTORS WANT THERE NAMES PUT ON A SITE LIKE THIS SAYING THEY WILL GIVE THESE MEDS. IF SO THE DEA WILL GO AFTER THEM LIKE THE CLINIC I WAS IN AND STOP THERE PRACTICE TO INVESTIGATE. IT'S JUST CRAZY WRONG BUT TRUE. I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYONE ON THIS SITE SAY THEY'RE HAPPY AND GETTING GOOD PAIN MANAGEMENT WITH NO PROBLEMS. ITS WHY SO MANY ARE SELF MEDICATING NOW AND TURNING TO MJ. LAST TIME I WAS IN DOCTOR OFFICE GETTING MY MEDS CUT TOO. DUE TO LOSS OF PAIN MANG AND THEY WONT FILL ONLY TEMP AND PUT ME ON A TAPER PLAN.

THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM ACROSS FROM ME WAS ASKED TO GIVE A U/A WAS IN TEARS. I HEARD HER TALKING TO THE NURSE AND TOLD HER SHE HAD TAKEN MJ DUE TO THE LACK OF PAIN CONTROL AND KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO LOSE THE LITTLE SHE WAS GETTING. I FELT SO BAD FOR HER AND THE SAD PART IS THAT MJ IS LEGAL IN THIS STATE NOW. I MAY HAVE TO GO FOR A CARD. IT'S THE ONLY OPTION LEFT. I WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH WITHDRAWALS AGAIN AND AGAIN FROM ALL THE SURGERIES I HAVE HAD AND STILL HAVE TO HAVE A COLOSTOMY. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU. LET ME NO IF YOU GET LUCKY, ANY OF YOU. I HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANYONE ON A FIRST VISIT GETTING CONTROLLED MEDS, UNLESS ITS A BROKEN BONE OR TRAMA IN ER.

I DONT HAVE MUCH HOPE. I JUST PRAY TO THE LORD TO GIVE ME STRENGTH TO BEAR IT ALL UNTIL HE TAKES ME HOME. PS - BEWARE OF WEB-BASED PHARMACIES AS IT IS NOT LEGAL. YOUR TAKING CHANCES. JUST TO SET THAT STRAIGHT.

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Don't lump Pot and Opiates together. I hate when people do that with Meth & Pot as well, total ignorance. One comes from god, one comes from a can of Raid with other poison. The Insurance companies who used to pay for your Drugs also have to pay for the office visit too for those of us who don't have Medicare. This costs them lots of money for drug seekers. This is the Soma forum, why post here? Sure the Government is changing the rules, but making Pot legal. I just found out my City oversees a grow operation, how cool. I wish they would also oversee all the Meth makers here but that is not possible or profitable.

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One of the reason these petitions fail is because the people who write them and reply to them are ignorant when it come to the law and facts. The policies your insurance company has are just that, the insurance companies policies. The max the FDA Recommends is 120 mg Morphine daily. There are no Laws. A Recommendation Is Not A Law.

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I ONLY PUT MARIJUANA ON AS IF YOU CHOSE TO USE IT YOU CANNOT GET TREATED IN PAIN MANAGEMENT AND UNTIL IT CHANGES YOU CAN NOT GET EITHER LEGALLY ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE BED RIDDEN DONT NO THE FIRST THING ON GETTING A CARD OR HELP. I GET DRUG PANELS FOR MARIJUANA EVERY TIME I GET A SCRIPT. IT'S A SHAME AND PART OF THE REASON INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE FIGHTING SO HARD TO GET RID OF PAIN PATIENTS ALL TOGETHER AND CONTROL OUR EVERY MOVE WE COST THEM MONEY AND DOCTORS TIME. I WAS ONE WHO YEARS AGO WENT DOOR TO DOOR WITH PETITION TO GET IT LEGAL HERE IN OR, WHICH WILL HAPPEN SOON, BUT IF YOUR SICK ON DISABILITY YOU CAN NOT GET MONEY ITS EXPENSIVE ETC. THERE IS NO GOOD ANSWER I STATED I DONT WANT TO GO ON MARIJUANA FOR I WONT GET MEDICAL HELP DONT HAVE MONEY OR WAY TO DO IT AS WELL ITS NOT AVA YET. AND SAME WITH METHADONE. ITS JUST ANOTHER ADDICTIVE MED. I DONT LIKE BEING TREATED LIKE A CRIMINAL FOR HAVING PAIN, I THINK MARIJUANA SHOULD BE USED FOR MANY USES AND COULD SAVE POVERTY. ITS GOOD FOR SO MANY THINGS BUT AGAIN THE DEA TOOK THAT AWAY LIKE THE PAIN MEDS THERE NOW DOING THE SAME TO GAIN MORE POWER AND TAX DOLLARS. ITS A SHAME FOR ALL, I THINK ALL HAVE A RIGHT TO DO WHAT THEY WANT IN SO FAR AS THERE BODY FOR WE ALL WILL ANSWER TO THE SAME GOD. WHICH IS THE REASON I FIGHT TO LIVE AND HAVE NOT TAKEN MY LIFE TO THIS POINT. I SUFFER THAT MUCH THE SAME FOR WALLS ARE CLOSING IN ON ME. I WISH I COULD GET MEDICAL MJ NOW BUT I AM IN NEED OF A COLOSTOMY AND WOULD BE TREATED LIKE A DRUG ADDICT WHICH IS A SHAME FOR OPIATES I AGREE ARE WORSE THANK MJ THAT IS A DIFFERENT STORY AND SUBJECT. IF ALL THESE PEOPLE COULD GET IT WE WOULD NOT SEE THIS PROBLEM. I AM JUST ASKING THE DEA TO KEEP THERE WAR ON SO CALLED DRUGS OUT OF THE DOCTORS OFFICE.

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Someone not being able to get pain meds has more to do with if there is medical proof that supports the pain and their attitude than the Laws. No one likes having the drug panels or having to sign pain contracts. But, if you have a bad attitude and a feeling of entitlement, that can cost you your pain meds. For example, there are DUI Checkpoints, everyone who goes through it is looked at as if they were DUI. Do people stop driving because they don't like it being assumed they are DUI? No, they don't.

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Eddy (post #1) makes some good valid points. Although in response to post #3, I do think it's a shame that more pain management practices don't allow the adjunctive use of marijuana along with their prescribed meds. My theory is that marijuana would take away from their profits since pain patients wouldn't necessarily have to go through their doctor to get it (and they may not require as many pharmaceutical meds as a result of taking mj). However over in Southern California, my dad (age 62) is still being prescribed norco even after informing the doctor that he's been taking medical marijuana as well. He just tells them that the marijuana doesn't relieve all of his pain and therefore needs the additional help of hydrocodone. So it may just be certain types of facilities that choose not to allow mj in their practice or it's based on the sole discretion of the doctor... I just wanted to bring that up because there may be other doctors in your area who have a totally different viewpoint on this topic. And as a patient/customer, you should have say in who you spend your money on...

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I do agree with Grandma Pat and David too, its just that these opiates are addictive and after a period of time patients feel entitled to lifetime refills. Everything seems to be changing but these medicines in question are really not that expensive so its not the cost factor, its Government interfering in our personal lives. I personally don't like opiates, have about 4 spare bottles of Norco from a Semi Truck accident. I did find out my Doctor had lost his DEA privileges to write for these medicines and was using the Hospital's DEA # where he also works. More important to me is Soma, the sub forum we are at now and recently had my alternate PCP write for a large amount to cover 6 months. I also unfortunately take Xanax and have quite a few but realize they are addictive and will one day have a problem. What is still mind blowing is the Medical Marijuana dispensaries allowed in my State, California. More and more states seem to be allowing it. I have learned my City oversees a local growing operation and of course there is a 20% tax on all purchases which can be quite costly. In my state your recommendation can cost $30 and is done by young or retired Doctors. In Nevada its around $500 and you need to see a Psychiatrist to obtain your card. Plus marijuana is not an opiate and does not work the same. You should see Arizona, its new there and the prices are very low. The Doctors visit is expensive as well. I think greed is coming into play while legitimate people are suffering. We are living in very strange times. Good luck Grandma!

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Grandma, I have another message waiting to be approved but here is good news if it passes the filter!

WASHINGTON -- The embattled head of the Drug Enforcement Administration will resign next month, Attorney General Eric Holder announced Tuesday.

DEA chief Michele Leonhart has long clashed with the Obama administration on drug policy and recently received bipartisan criticism for her handling of the discipline of DEA agents who participated in "activities" with prostitutes in Colombia. In a statement, Holder said that Leonhart had told him she would depart the agency in mid-May.

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David, it is up to each individual dr or clinic how they want to deal with chronic pain patients who use medical marijuana. But, just because it may be legal in a state doesn't mean that the dr that is rxing pain meds will not have a problem with it. Needless to say in states where it isn't legal, there isn't a choice.

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This is simply not true in Texas. Docs are afraid to prescribe much in the way of narcotics. Pain is not always easy to identify the source. Many dentists in my area are not prescribing Vicodin for office procedures that they have prescribed this for in the past.

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I was actually trying to respond to BL's "medical proof" comment.

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Julie, it takes more than being diagnosed with a condition that can be painful. There also has to be proof, usually diagnostic evidence, that a condition is severe enough that it indicated the prescribing of pain meds. Just because someone has an MRI that says they have Degenerative Disc Disease is not enough for a dr to prescribe pain meds.

Many of the people that became addicted to pain meds go started by getting a rx for pain med from a dentist. Studies have shown that most dental procedures don't require the strong pain meds the dentist use to write. Although it does depend on the dentist, where they are located and who the patient is. Dentists are still prescribing pain meds for some procedures. I have relatives in Texas and in the psat few months two of them had to have a tooth pulled an they were prescribed pain meds.

Drs aren't afraid to prescribe pain meds in Texas or any place else if there is medical proof that the patient needs them and the patient doesn't have any history of drug abuse or behavior that is problematic and the other criteria is met. It is common for a dr to tell a patient they are afraid to prescribe pain meds instead of telling them the real reason they won't prescribe them to that patient. It is also common for drs to tell their patients that the law requires pain contracts, tox reports and them coming in every 30 days, which is not true.

David, a dr that writes a rx for pain meds has to believe that the patient won't break the law by diverting or abusing the meds. If they are willing to break federal law and go against the instructions of their pain dr and take marijuana, most drs won't trust them. There also isn't anyway to regulate the dose a patient receives and how often when it comes to marijuana, at least not so far. Another reason most drs won't allow their pain patients to use pain meds and marijuana is because many of those who use marijuana also engaged in other illegal activity and have friends that do.

EDDY, that sense of entitlement prevents a lot of patients from being able to get pain meds. Even if they have the other things that are needed. Having chronic pain managed is not a right or a law, despite what some people think.

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BL,

Thanks for the feedback pertaining to marijuana and doctor/patient relations. One thing I do want to mention however, is that there are regulated dosing protocols for marijuana (in the form of CBD/THC tinctures) that pain patients can use to determine dosing over an allotted period of time. My mom is a disabled pain patient taking a CBD/THC 50/50 mixture with specific dosing guidelines that last her up to 30 days, depending on how much or how frequently she doses based on her doctor's recommendation. Times are definitely changing in the realm of cannabis and I believe there are enough 'forward thinkers' in that industry to keep the ball rolling in the right direction so pain patients and doctors can remain on the same page. Once "big brother" (DEA/FDA/PHARMA/FEDS) get on board with the program, I'm sure there will be a lot more doctors/clinics following suit as a result.

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David, Thanks for the info. I was referring to the tox panels that are done in pain management and how the levels are measured. There would need to be a reliable way for a UA to prove that a patient isn't abusing medical marijuana by the levels in their system. I apologize for not clarifying that.

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BL I have seen some of your post! What do you suffer from? You are making statements but are you medically licensed and qualified to do so or are you just against everyone here? Don't want to overstep the boundaries or not know the entire story behind your answers. I maybe on a different page so if I am please feel free to correct me. I don't want to mislead you or anyone else as I expect the same in return.
MY SURGEON prescribed both and was very diligent in keeping my pain controllable current and chronic!! On that note we discussed long term care and that we would reduce most after a successful surgery and recovery. People will not heal if they are in pain constantly and unable to control it. Also have to take mental health into consideration

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"There also isn't anyway to regulate the dose a patient receives and how often when it comes to marijuana, at least not so far. Another reason most drs won't allow their pain patients to use pain meds and marijuana is because many of those who use marijuana also engaged in other illegal activity and have friends that do."

I think BL has some great advice to share although accurate medical dosing of marijuana has now become a reality, my town is going to become one of California's top scientific MMJ manufacturing locations. However I am confused a little BL that many marijuana users are involved in other crimes. I've been a lifelong user, heck it is now legal in my state, and I just am not involved in crime. A matter of fact neither are the gangs anymore when it comes to marijuana, no money in it these days!

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Re: GRANDMA PAT (# 3)

Hi, Grandma. I'm in Australia. I attend a pulmonary rehab course. 70% of people there are also baby boomers who grew up in the 60s & 70s (thank god) and smoked whatever was happening, just making the point marijuana is not really harmless and there is definitely something to be said for making opiates, codeine, ect., hard to get when used properly are best for pain then making cannabis available to everybody. I don't agree. Hope our useless gov doesn't get any ideas from mr Tramp. Thanks. Stay well.

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