no more opiates for noncancer patients?
 

http://abcnews.go.com/m/story?id=16857129&sid=26

Disgusted

There are to many conditions that qualify to have prescription opiates for them.

Unreal! wow...

What so many do not understand that this pain, because it is not cancer, and cannot be seen, must not really exist. When truth be told, there are article that will say these deseases are equivalent to a person with cancer; but the person with the cancer knows most likely will soon end. The rest of us with this terrible chronic pain frequently go into depression because we know this will last indefinitely. How do we get the media to understand this??

Yes...if you are lucky enough to get a good Pain Specialist that understands the pain and knows how to correctly to do what is necessary to prescribe these meds to people with chronic painful deseases.

(Gerry)

I tried to read it but it goes in so many circles that no-one wins. It is seems that basically that only the people dying can get the right pain meds. I have seen reports saying that the only pain that rivals the pain felt by cancer is people with RSD.( not that this is what i am saying) I do not dare guess at what others may be "feeling" as pain is different for each person and is not a physical thing same as love and hate. but this is ridiculous how do they say the work for the citizens of the US when we seem to be left out of their equation . now that is discrimination, and we are the minority here. I hope some one higher up see,s this soon.

RSD, as well as a few other diseases with severe chronic pain that is potentially life- long . As previsously mentioned in the article I read; since this pain frequently can't be seen; it is not treated with the pain that is often equal to that of a person dying of cancer.

Unfortunately, we can live this way for many many years without being properly treated and the meds withheld. The biggest problem is the usage of addicts making it difficult for those who need these meds to just get thru the day.

There must be a better way than this.. no alternative was truly given. Its like telling a dr to stop treating patients because there are hypochondriacs in the world. How do you know who it is until its too late .

I am fortunate to have a Pain Specialist who presecribes the necessary meds. He is very much aware of the pain we go thru. As previously mentioned; the only chance is seeing a doctor specializing in pain. The surgeons, intenists, will not give the heavy meds needed for this type of pain. Your internist may be able to refer you to someone; but again will not likely prescribe.

(Gerry)

You are so right!! We lay here in pain every day of our lives and because someone else abused the opiates its us that are going to have to pay!! Soo mad, I'm in pain everyday of my life and I just pray that the burning will end.

My wife who suffers with RSD has given up on doctors for the time being. She is extremely frustrated being treated like a drug seeking addict by doctors. She is on SSDI, she is on medicare. She has hundreds if not a thousand pages in her medical file. So why is she treated like a drug seeker? DEA....it's part of the war on drugs and those who are ill are paying for it. The costs of meds are through the roof. At one point I was paying close to $1000 a month for my wife's pain medication out of pocket, a narcotic that in reality are dirt cheap to manufacture. Change the chemical structure for patent purposes, throw in a few DEA agents and some regulations=$1000 a month for something that should cost $15. :mad:

As expensive as the meds are, their street value is enormous. Many patients are over prescribed. Some sell their meds or use them to get high. That's just reality.

I don't mind providing evidence that I'm taking my meds as directed--either with pill counts or urine samples. I've never felt demeaned having to do so. We can't expect docs to be mind readers...

And I doubt very highly, a law limiting pain meds to only cancer patients will ever come to pass. There is just too much money that would be lost...

All else fails, we can sneak over the border into Canada. ;)

Those pee tests are suspect too. We were told the cost would be $85. More like $600 billed to medicare. And this was a pattern I read about quite often up and down the east coast. The patient was told the cost would be around $85 then they received a bill for $600.

"Dr. Stephen Ross, who holds a slew of addiction and psychiatry titles at New York University hospitals and said he is in favor of the petition. He said about one-quarter of all patients who try heroine, an illegal opioid, become addicted. "

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In addition to the frightening prospects of any such legislation coming to pass, I also have issues with the writing and content of that article........


Could someone please explain to Dr Ross that a heroine is a woman to be admired, not an illegal drug ! :rolleyes:

Then.....mention to him that the statistics on the number of people who try an illegal drug and become addicted should have NO bearing on issues of licensed doctors prescribing needed LEGAL medications for their patients. :eek:

One article in the journal isn't cause for concern. In my opinion. Things aren't going to change any time soon. Just my thoughts.

I don't have a pass port.. think I could try swimming across niagra???? I get drug test every time I go to a dr, so some time 6 times a month, some pee Nd some blood. Im ok with this because I feel the prescribing dr,s need to know they aren't creating druggies, plus they also monitor kidney,and liver functions to make sure the drugs aren't causing damage... I think if I went to a dr that prescribed pain meds to me in long term doses and didn't test me .. That would scare me.

After reading the article, I have to agree.