I saw a great article on perscribing practices - Pain Management Message Board

Guitar Lover · 08-12-2004, 08:09 PM

I saw a headline with something about pain meds and FDA. Expecting the worst, I was shocked to see the article was about how the FDA is going to back off of docs who use opioids to treat chronic pain. I wish I had the article to wirte some quotes but in summary it stated that Dr's are afraid to use Oxycontin and morphene when it is the answer to give people their lives back. It stated that addiction is rarely an issue when oxycontin and fentenyl are used properly. Also it said that docs just don't want the hassles that go along with an investigation and they just don't perscribe it. It also said the FDA would back off and not make doctors lives a hassle just because he uses opioids to treat pain I was waiting to see " Article by SHORELINE" LOL

Has anyone else read anything?

GL

ps everybody together " Happy birthday to me Happy birthday to me111

carol632 · 08-12-2004, 09:15 PM

Yes, I read the article....I think I will post it tomorrow so all can see it.

Carol

Kissa · 08-12-2004, 09:21 PM

I haven't seen it yet but heard it was around! I'll have to search for it see if I can find it. I'm very interested in reading it. I am glad to hear that the FDA is really looking at things in a new light. This could bring a lot of hope for many people who need it.
Funny thing is, there's been articles and news stories out for years and even studies proving or showing that the percentage of people who become addicted is very slim.

BTW looks like shore is banned, check any post with his name and look under it.

and a very very happy birthday to you Guitar I hope your day was good to you!

scotty12 · 08-12-2004, 10:26 PM

yes,i read the article.

its very good news if in fact the dea is going to back off from investigating drs.so many drs have been harassed and bullied and because of that so so many cp patients have suffered.

there has been talk that hydrocodone will be changed to a class II med.maybe this publicity will calm a wary dentist from prescribing a triplicate rx for vicodin to cover routecanal pain.

i only hope this news affects the chronic pain patients, not just those who are revovering from a surgery,but those who are not getting better.many of us have empathic drs but still have their pain undermanaged.

i do believe that if patients were to choose a good daily analgesic and proper dosing schedule,many would stay with the same drug. maybe a SA med every 3 1/2 or 4hrs.i think alot of opiate dependant patients just want round the clock dosing.im not sugesting raise everyones dose til they are painfree and cant function.just figure 24 hours to keep the pain down.

im one of these patients.still taking SA meds.my dr doesnt feel comfy changing to a long acting med just yet.oxycodone has always worked well and maybe he doesnt want to change to oxycontin,which in all probability would make my life alot better.i wouldnt wake up feeling so achy i cant straighten up.
my first few minutes of each day area agonizing.either i wake up in the middle of the night and hold out as long as i can to take my first dose of the day at 4 or 5 AM, setting myself up for another night of the same now that i started so early, or somehow fall back asleep and be in much worse pain if i sleep a few extra hrs.

.....sorry,i needed to vent.if opiates are accepted practice in the treatment of chronic pain then a waiting room of pain clinic patients who all happen to be walking out with scripts shouldnt raise any flags at the dea or your neighborhood pharmacy.everyone who walks into a bakery walks out with cake.the thought of accusation should not cross your pain docs mind if you need an increase in the number of pills for a given time.weve suffered enough........scotty

sgibson · 08-18-2004, 01:04 PM

Scotty,

I understand your frustrations. I'm also suffering right now. I stopped seeing my PM after 2 years about 2 months before my fusion. My ortho took over rx'ing my meds at that point. I think that's highly unusual but I had already been his patient for a couple years. Well, I had my fusion in January of this year and my ortho has continued to rx my pain meds. The problem is I have become tolerant to my meds because I have been on the same dose for years. (Fentanyl 50mcg @ 48hrs and oxy 20mg @ 4-8hrs) My ortho hasn't increased my meds to accomodate my pain. He has however continued to rx my pain meds longer than I would think most surgeons would. It's been 8 months now. He has been trying to get me into a very good (in his mind) PM doc and they have finally set my appointment for the 13th of Sept. Supposedly this is the best PM in the area and that is why he is so booked and is only accepting me as a favor to my surgeon. My surgeon wanted me in with a PM that is not afraid to use high dose opiates. My last PM was what Shore called a needle jockey. I had so many steroid injections before I got smart enough to do any research. I just accepted the fact that the doc knew what he was doing. It wasn't until they told me that I was at my limit for injections and the only other thing they could do for me was IDET barring a fusion. Well, insurance company said no way to IDET so I was fused a couple months later. I have done some research on this doc and found out he is the head of the Massey Cancer Center pain clinic and several other pain clinics including one at a rehab hospital. He has numerous modalities available. I will however tell him up front that I will not subject myself to anymore of those steroid injections. I am scared that I have already allowed damage to be done by them. Both of my parents have osteoporosis, and I have malaborbtion problems and have to take high doses of calcium daily and am still deficient. I am horrified that my other PM didn't see all of this as warning factors before injecting me numerous times. I had no less than 10 sets of injections consisting of at least 6 injections at a time. There is no way another doc will subject me to that again. The bad part is I was getting no relief from those injections. My PM however continued to inject me because everytime my PCP had me on high doses of Prednisone for my asthma my leg pain would improve. He took this as a sign that his injections could eventually work. I am so worried by the fact that I still have to take high doses of Prednisone on a monthly basis due to my severe asthma. That combined with the injections I received plus my family history of osteoporosis is just plain scary. They risked all this to avoid upping my fentanyl patch. Perhaps if these guidelines had been in place sooner I would not have been subjected to that lunacy. Unless of course this doc was just doing these injections for the money. (MY opinion) Because he was using an "operating room" with that guided flouroscopy to do the injections my insurance was billed 5,000 dollars every time I had injections. I just pray that this PM will prove to be a lot better than that one. I was incorrectly sent to another PM about 2 months ago. It turned out that he was another one of the "diagnostic" type PM's and told me after about 5 minutes that I was already on higher doses of opiates than he prescriped. He was actually very nice though and even refunded my copay. My ortho apologized profusely for the mix up. I just hate jumping through damn hoops to get the help I need. I'm hoping these new guidelines will help the CP'ers here in Virginia get the help we need and deserve. It seems ever since the ***** hunt in Northern Virginia with the PM docs there that we CP'ers here are having a harder and harder time finding the relief we so deserve. I'm just praying my new PM is compassionate and dedicated to the patient instead of his wallet. Take care everyone.

God Bless,
Sherry