Big Pharma's Lockdown On Legitimate Chronic Pain Patients (Page 33)

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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REPORT

Really agitated right shoulder Oxycontin guy who (# 639) --

Hey, it does come down to politics. From a back surgery & 2 rotator cuff surgeries patient. Oh I forgot, 2 stint implants next to the family jewels + pinched nerves in both shoulders. Then yearly migraine headaches that have visited me for the last 35 years.

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Re: Bobby C (# 641)

"Some professionals claim to be “experts”; however, few are experts in the entire scope of their chosen field of study. Most likely they will end up being “specialists” in certain subsets of their profession. Either because they have become interested in one or more subsets, or that is where there is a need to provide services.

Has anyone noticed that there are seemingly endless array of personal injury attorneys appearing on TV, offering to sue someone because someone has gotten injured or died?

I have heard or read from countless chronic pain patients, about them contacting an attorney to sue over patient abuse/neglect/discrimination – and all have been turned down.

They are being turned down because in our legal system, the “value of life” of a person who is handicapped/disabled, elderly, unemployable, retired, is about the same as the value of the family pet… nearly ZERO. Likewise, if a law firm did take such a case, most states have a rather low cap on settlements… To a point where there is no financial upside for the law firm for winning the case.

But the “the times they are a changing”… An increasing number of various healthcare entities are seemingly taking it upon themselves to practice medicine. Some of those entities are insurance companies, PBM’s, large hospital corporations, chain pharmacies and other such entities.

Now is the time for chronic pain patients to start contacting law firms and point out to them – EDUCATE THEM… all the patient abuse, neglect and discrimination that is going on at the hands of these corporate entities that are called “healthcare companies” – and individually these companies are harming hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of chronic pain patients.

With 20 to 30 million intractable chronic pain patients in our country, the total number of patients being affected is really not known. All we know is that whatever the number is today, it is GROWING."

Source: "Do we need to educate the professionals?", nationalpainreport.com. Web. June 5th, 2018.

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Medical marijuana would be great if I could only afford it. Getting the medical card alone is way out of my income zone. I'm on a very tight fixed budget, like many of us who just can't afford it unless insurance will pay for it but that will never happen.

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Re: Cindy (# 635)

I hope and pray you continue NOT to have to fight with your insurance company. I had to file an external appeal which took 3 months to get my dosage of meds that has been same for 10+ years. I won the appeal- this time but every Jan 1 new regulations are passed.

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Re: Hop63 (# 644)

It is not the new regulations so much but insurance companies change their "formulary" medication list. If you have already taken them to Court to make them pay for (less any copay) the medication they cannot change "the rules" to make a medication that you have already been approved for to all of a sudden become unavailable. The insurance companies INTENTIONALLY omit certain medications from their formulary list thinking that it will insulate them from providing these medications. If they omit certain medications they can be ordered to pay for and provide it anyway. Especially if it is medically necessary.

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I don't understand this at all. Where I live I have no problem getting my narcotics for my pain. I'm just curious why so many people are having such a hard time getting their pain medication? Are you abusing it going to different pharmacies perhaps I'm just trying to figure this out that's all.

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Re: Dolly girl (# 646)

Hi Dolly Girl, I can honestly tell you that I have NEVER abused my medication. I have been with the pain management I see for 2 1/2 years (since I moved to Missouri) and their random drug panels have shown nothing more than my meds and alcohol last November!! I let them know that when I run out of my meds early some months, I drink a few beers to take the edge off. In California my primary dr was able to prescribe and he’s the ONLY one that truly listened to me and understood my pain and was able to control my pain so I had some sort of quality of life!! Actual pain management in my eyes is anything but pain management!! I know I’ve been with this forum for quite awhile and almost everyone on here is true chronic pain patients that are not abusers!! I’m not sure where you live but please count your blessings that you have not yet been impacted by the new “suggestions” from the FDA!! This is all because of those that abuse, pill seek, doctor jump, etc....plus the fact that ALL the opioid overdoses include heroin and illegal fentanyl!! If those illicit drugs were not grouped with actual pain medication, their data would be completely different!!! Sincerely.

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Re: w john (# 645)

Sorry, not in NY. The pharmacy won’t allow me to pay cash. They also won’t allow the amount “covered” by insurance to be paid by insurance and the rest be paid for in cash. This would require two prescriptions from the doctor for the same medication which is NOT allowed. These changes will soon be National not regional.

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Re: w john (# 645)

If a medication is deemed medically necessary then yes, insurance will cover it, but of course there are exceptions to this rule.. after all, the poor insurance companies can't afford to pay for everything that a Dr. Prescribes and says that you need... what a joke!

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HOUSE (# 648) --

They may cover it if it is on the formulary list. If it is not then they will fight you every step of the way. I am currently involved in such a case and it was heard a few days ago before an Administrative Law Judge. I am awaiting the decision, hopefully, soon. If it is medically necessary one might eventually win but, again, if it is not on the formulary list then they will fight you.

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Hop63 (# 647) --

I don't understand why you would reply to my post with the information you posted. I don't know the rules in every State and I never posted anything in reply to how one may or may not pay EXCEPT if there is a copay or deductible due when you pick up a prescription the pharmacy will take any form of payment presented cash or otherwise. I guess I could understand how they would not allow you to pay for part of a prescription with insurance and part with cash but I do not understand how that works. I have never lived in ny and do not know how their rules work.

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I posted this on the Prolia side effects for the ladies there. Now it's your turn. You don't need your opioid pain meds. There is a new herbal product in the USA that is legal in every State except 4. It's made from certain tree leaves in
Indonesia, Thailand and that part of the world. It's name is red bali. You probably have a little shop where you live that carries a lot of herbal remedies and vitamins. This is a fantastic substance because it acts on our brains as if it were a real opioid yet one cannot OD on it or have to take other drugs to come off of it. I totally switched from Oxycodone 10mg's to it and my brain is very happy. It's quite reasonably priced too for $9/bag. If you don't have red bali where you live, it can be ordered on the net. I have to assume that is where our supplier is getting it and re-selling it. It also does not cause respiratory distress when sleeping. Since you are already on pain meds, you will not have to start small at 1/4 teaspoon. You can take what you are currently using. There are charts that explain how much equals what. Much better option than chemicals. Set yourselves FREE. Be well~

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Re: w john (# 650)

So sorry to offend. I thought it was relevant to your conversation with HOUSE. If you are keeping up with new guidelines and legislation you would realize all of us legitimate pain patients will be screwed soon. Maybe NY is ahead of the rest of the US as usual. But it’s coming to your town soon. Try not to be so rude next time, please.

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House-

I had the same thing happen with my medication. My doctor appealed insurance company decision not to pay twice. Then I had to go through an external appeal. I got an advocate to assist me in filing an appeal against the insurance company which was reviewed by an agency in another state. The process took 3 months. Eventually the ruling was in my favor but it was stressful and took a long time to settle. It is only for 1 year and the decision was back dated to the first time I was denied. That means next January 1st I can expect the process to start over again.

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Re: Cindy (# 635)

I would like to know what states everyone lives in that are having so much trouble with their insurance companies and their medications. I just don't understand why you're having so much trouble.. So far so good for me keeping my fingers crossed.

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Hop63 (# 651) --

No one was rude to you. As usual ny and californicate lead from behind. YOU say you cannot pay cash for a prescription. I say bulls***. Many have no insurance and have to pay cash for their prescriptions. For you to say that pharmacies will not accept cash for a prescription is a flat out lie. Don't lecture me on chronic pain patients. I am on the fore front fighting for just such patients. You seem like you are looking for a fight and if you are you have come to the right place. Maybe this time you really have a reason to be offended. How you could be offended and reply to my former post with the total nonsense you posted is a mystery to me. If you want to be offended then be offended but stop posting your nonsense.

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Danni (# 652) --

I'm in Michigan... My last pain mgnt appointment they are taking me from 7.5 mcg patch to .....2 patchs... One is a 5.0 and the other a 1.2 and a couple Norco for breakaway...I was talking about insurance changing ect and asked why my insurance wouldn't cover both patchs to lower my dose when a loud mouth bully jumped in. They approved the 1.2 not both and everyone knows with fentanyl you can jump from 7.5 to 1.2 I don't know why the CVS didn't put in the 5.0 but then again they handle my RX coverage for my work.and I guess they are cheaper..doing an appeal and it's going to be a crazy ride on this downturn I'll probably get crabby and turn into a bully

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Re: MacTurk (# 1)

I feel for you. I can no longer take my walks or work my job. I am 66 with so many things wrong only pain medication gives me back my life... I cannot find any pain meds or a doctor to help me. They want me to go to a spine clinic where all they do is inj. me full of crap in my back... Does nothing... We all need to band together, there is promise and hope in numbers.

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Re: Dolly girl (# 646)

I live in Ohio but I think all the states are working toward the same goal. Which is decreasing dosages and weaning patients totally of all opioids without regard to their level of pain. The Federal Government is auditing all doctors for the number of narcotic prescriptions they write per month. They must show a downward trend in both number written and dose prescribed. What state are you in? The only explanation I have for you not being affected is that 1) you’re on a very low dose already or 2) your doctor writes very few prescriptions for pain so the auditors are leaving him alone. No we don’t use different pharmacies. We are made to sign a contract to only use one and if we go to another our doctor is notified. Most states have a narcotic data base that is referenced by doctors and pharmacies to see if, where, when and for how many mg you have filled a narcotic prescription and what doctor prescribed it. So you can’t get it from other doctors or even dentists. In my state the oral surgeons have been told to stop prescribing narcotics for wisdom teeth removal. You have been very lucky so far but believe me this will eventually affect you also. We are all living in fear of what will be taken away from us at each monthly appointment.

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C (# 653) --

Hi... I'm sorry you're going through this. My best friend she lives in Buffalo New York and her pain clinic has cut her way way back to where it's almost like taking nothing for her. And she's in a lot of pain. The insurance they argue with her it's just a mess. I wish you the best of health. If I was coming off as being a bully I didn't mean too. I apologize. :)

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