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Doctors told to limit opioid pain relievers
Philly.com ^ | Sept 15, 2013 | Philly.com

Posted on 09/15/2013 7:50:03 AM PDT by Innovative

Patients should not be prescribed long-acting or extended-release opioid pain relievers unless they need daily, round-the-clock care for pain that can't be managed by any other means, the Food and Drug Administration has told doctors.

The new guidelines - meant to stem the country's growing epidemic of opioid abuse and addiction - will not place formal new restrictions on prescriptions by physicians, but administration officials hope to chasten physicians who prescribe the medications for anything other than ongoing, intractable pain.

(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: health; medicine; pain; painkillers
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To: Standing Wolf
I'm sorry, one and all, for my sloppy formatting immediately above! Here's what I meant to write:

Oh, fine! Go ahead and be realistic, Innovative! See if I care!

In full seriousness: control of the citizenry is to the feral government as heroin is to drug addicts.

21 posted on 09/15/2013 8:43:04 AM PDT by Standing Wolf (No tyrant should ever be allowed to die of natural causes.)
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To: Standing Wolf

” control of the citizenry is to the feral government as heroin is to drug addicts.”

Unfortunately, very true. And what is worse, is that the people accept it, because it is so gradual. Where do you draw the line?

It always reminds me of the story about the frog.

If you throw a frog into boiling water, it immediately jumps out. If you put it into cold water and very slowly turn up the heat, so the temperature difference at each step is very small, it just sits there, until it’s cooked.

We are all just like that frog in the slowly warming water...


22 posted on 09/15/2013 8:44:37 AM PDT by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
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To: JRandomFreeper

Proof of the existence of entropy may be found in the devolution of an iconic Democratic President’s famous “I feel your pain”.

Now, the Democrats are letting teh citizen feel their own pain and are trying to dragoon physicians into not prescribing pain meds.

“Let ‘em eat aspirin.”

Oops, make the: “Let ‘em eat generic aspirin”.


23 posted on 09/15/2013 8:49:51 AM PDT by GladesGuru (Islam is antithetical to, and Islam is irreconcilable with, America. Therefore - Islam Delenda Est)
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To: BraveMan

I am sorry about you and your friend’s experiences — but the drug is not to blame, it’s the people. Many illegal drugs are illegal and people still find and take them.

You can’t blame the car for people driving it recklessly, nor the alcohol for people abusing it.

Also — just because some abuse it, that is no reason to make it unavailable to everyone else.

There may be some unethical doctors who write prescriptions wholesale, but the vast majority are ethical and now they will all be afraid and won’t want to write prescriptions even for people who truly need it.

Doctors are already even reluctant to write prescription for “regular” medications, which are not at all in the addictive category — just to save money for the insurance company, writing prescriptions for cheaper drugs, that are not the most effective for the condition and are reluctant to write prescriptions for ones that are more effective, but more expensive. Same with ordering tests.

Doctors’ judgment is being substituted by government edicts of “one size fits all”, to the detriment of patient care.


24 posted on 09/15/2013 8:53:02 AM PDT by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
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To: petitfour
Bingo!

The art of statist is to oppose controls on everyone in the name of those who might actually need the help of the government.

That is what, "it's for the kids" is all about. We as a society assume that children are incapable of taking care of themselves and therefore someone or something must interpose itself and control their lives. If you go under the ghetto and find children who can't read and teenagers shooting each other dead in drug wars, the statist has all the excuse he needs to step in and legislate or regulate. These are extreme examples, but statist do it when they oppose homeschooling and we do it across the board once we have raised the justification of "for the children."

Liberalism seeks out the eccentric to justify control over the normal.


25 posted on 09/15/2013 8:54:31 AM PDT by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat, attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: Innovative

The State of Washington has already clamped down on opiate prescriptions to the point that doctors feel that they are playing Russian Roulette with their license to practice medicine every time they write one. It is not a tenable situation for doctors or patients.


26 posted on 09/15/2013 8:59:32 AM PDT by steve86 (Some things aren't really true but you wouldn't be half surprised if they were.)
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To: BraveMan

“Opioid based painkillers replace one type of pain with another. No thanks; I’ve seen the damage done, and I’ll have no part of that.”

Easy to say, until you find yourself thrashing about, out of control, with pain that only opiates can control.

Been there, experienced it. In my case, surgery relieved the pain but without the opiate based pain killer, I was unable to hold still for the CAT scan which I knew was essential prior to any operation.

SOmetimes, will alone can’t overcome pain.

As for addiction, remove the government and most of those issues go away.

Just removing the War on Drugs and the militarized Geheimness StaatPoleitzi we know as SWAT teams would be worth any number of addicts killing themselves with open market drugs.

Cheap drugs remove the major reason that druggies commit crimes - that reason being crime is presently their only way to finance their addiction.

Decriminalize drugs, remove criminals largest motive to commit crimes

Their life is their business. Don’t “protect” them by infringing my rights!

Druggie deaths is never a valid reason to infringe the rights of American citizens.


27 posted on 09/15/2013 9:08:08 AM PDT by GladesGuru (Islam is antithetical to, and Islam is irreconcilable with, America. Therefore - Islam Delenda Est)
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To: nathanbedford
The art of statist is to oppose [propose ?] controls on everyone in the name of those who might actually need the help of the government.

Might this be what you meant to say?

28 posted on 09/15/2013 9:08:09 AM PDT by doc11355
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To: doc11355
No, I meant to say, or rather dictate, "impose" not "oppose."

I can blame Dragon NaturallySpeaking software for making the mistake but I don't know whom to blame for failing to proofread.


29 posted on 09/15/2013 9:11:20 AM PDT by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat, attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: Innovative

This area of medicine is very complex and often mismanaged by emotions versus results.

My wife and I are on the opposite end. We do terrible with the narcotics/opiods.

We have to go through hoops and bs not to get these drugs.

My wife gets very sick GI/nausea with a single dose of an injectable or po dose of an opiod. The last thing you want when you are post op. She, also, develops bizarre mental reactions from these drugs.

I have zero pain relief with these narcotic/opiate drugs. When, I take them post op, it like getting hit in the forehead with a baseball bat wrapped with a lot of gauze. My mental processes go to hell, and I’m very shaky when I try to get up to answer some of nature’s calls.

Last week, I had some lengthy and complicated foot surgery, and the Orthopod/foot surgeon as per my suggestion used Toradol IV during and on closure.

He gave me an rx for po Percocet an rx for Toradol. Re the Precocet, which I took as directed for one day and half the dose for the next day and DCed it on the third day. No real pain relief besides filling like someone hit me in the forehead with the baseball described above. Constipation for me comes with a single dose of a narcotic/opiate.

In spite of warnings that PO Toradol, a non steroidal, might not cover the pain. I started rotating the doses of the Toradol and Percocet on the first day at home post surgery., I’m doing fine with it and had no narcotics after the second day. I started walking with the boot two days ago, and I am apparently about a week ahead of schedule re recovery.


30 posted on 09/15/2013 9:16:54 AM PDT by Grampa Dave ( When insane/feral Islamics are killing each other, stand back and let Allah sort them out!)
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To: Innovative
There are some of us that have no where else to go but opiates. The non-narcotic Tramadol I was taking stopped working 18 months ago. That was good stuff while it lasted.

I take 4 15mg ER morphine tablets per day for lower back pain. It dulls the pain enough to let me function at a much reduced capacity. Without it I can barely move. I am caught between the pain if I don't take them and the nausea if I do. I go through a sleeve of saltines a day fighting nausea.

The only good news here is that I am not experiencing any feelings of opiate addiction. As a Friend of Bill W., I have a pretty good handle on that.

SweetiePalm can't drive any more so I have to do the grocery shopping. If I am going out I have to wait so long after taking a morphine that I usually can barely get the car unloaded from the pain. I take a morphine and have to sit or lie down until it takes effect, usually about an hour.

I am very concerned that some unknowing bureaucrat is going tell my doctor that he can't prescribe for me any more or reduces the amount to where I am bed ridden.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)

LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

31 posted on 09/15/2013 9:46:26 AM PDT by LonePalm (Commander and Chef)
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To: Grampa Dave

The unfortunate situation is that true personalized care is becoming non-existent. Doctors used to be well acquainted with the patient and their reactions to different medications and would tailor them to the individual, but unfortunately most doctors don’t bother anymore and it’s only going to get worse.

Those who don’t fall into the “average patient” category will and are suffering — as you shared your and your wife’s experiences.


32 posted on 09/15/2013 9:47:15 AM PDT by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
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To: GladesGuru; Innovative
Oh, I know a thing or two regarding pain".

Please don't misconstrue my previous post as approving of more meddlesome intrusion by the government. Recognize it as an emphatic warning about Opioid based painkillers. Recognize their dangers. Get off them as soon as you can!
33 posted on 09/15/2013 9:48:46 AM PDT by BraveMan
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To: BraveMan

‘Recognize it as an emphatic warning about Opioid based painkillers. Recognize their dangers.”

I couldn’t agree with you more — it is unfortunate that some take it, even though they don’t really need it, but that is no reason to deny the meds to those who truly need it. This is where a normal doctor-patient relationship would be helpful — where the doctor knows the patient and his/her needs and reactions. Unfortunately this is fast becoming non-existent and is being replaced by “one-size fits all” — but it doesn’t...


34 posted on 09/15/2013 9:52:06 AM PDT by Innovative ("Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing." -- Vince Lombardi)
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To: Innovative

I’ve never taken anything stronger than ibuprofen but I have see Oxy and such wreck a lot of lives.


35 posted on 09/15/2013 9:52:14 AM PDT by AppyPappy (Obama: What did I not know and when did I not know it?)
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To: Innovative

I was prescribed hydrocodone and oxycodone for pain caused by a back injury from a car accident. The medication worked very well to manage the pain and I typically only took it after physical therapy or at night to sleep. The doctors then switched me to Tramadol stating that they felt it was better if I took a non habit forming pain medicine for long term therapy. Yeah, that worked out great! The Tramadol didn’t touch the pain so after a couple of weeks I simply quit taking it and coped with the pain. I was only able to stop taking the Tramadol for a few nights. I had severe physical withdrawal. It was an absolute battle to get off that crap. I shared this with the doctor and he just wrote me a prescription for something else.

Well I filled the prescription, went home, and read the informational packet that came with the medication. It was an anti depressant that had a wide range of possible side effects such as suicidal episodes and psychotic episodes. I immediately called the doctors office and let them know I refused to take it because of the possible side effects. The doctor told me he’d just give me more Tramadol. I told him to shove it.

Personally, I’ve never had an issue with withdrawals when I stop taking Percocet, Vicodin, or any of its generic forms. No bad side effects, nothin. That synthetic “non habit forming” crap was horrible though.


36 posted on 09/15/2013 10:03:17 AM PDT by Render
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To: Innovative

Have lived a fairly normal life thanks to hydrocodone for the past 6 years. I personally fear decisions and attitudes that will affect my access to these drugs. In my case, they are cheap and effective, giving relief that expensive man made alternatives have failed to do. I am fortunate that these drugs do not give me a high or make me sleepy. Instead they give me energy and reduce my pain level to the point that I can sit through a movie or perform minor work around the house. Continued access to these drugs is not automatic. I have to periodically see my pain doctor and have blood work performed. On occasions when pain is out of control or special situations (travel w/o access to medical treatment in U.S.), I’ve had to have an epidural. The cost of an epidural is around $1,800 versus $50 for a 90 day supply of hydrocodone. Besides the cost, there are risks associated with epidurals as well as negative long term effects from steroid injections. I gladly prefer the hydrocodone to riskier treatment, higher costing drugs, and the prospect of no treatment.


37 posted on 09/15/2013 10:27:55 AM PDT by Boomer One
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To: BraveMan
No thanks; I’ve seen the damage done, and I’ll have no part of that.

Well, good for you. But do you have the insight to understand that what is good for you is not necessarily good for everyone else?

38 posted on 09/15/2013 10:41:04 AM PDT by OldPossum
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To: OldPossum

Yes.


39 posted on 09/15/2013 11:03:29 AM PDT by BraveMan
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To: Catmom

Prescription drug overdose deaths now exceed deaths from motor vehicle accidents in many states. This is not a hypothetical problem....And..What is the problem? You die of something, anyways, and Obamacare is taking care of the old age hypothetical problem.


40 posted on 09/15/2013 11:08:03 AM PDT by Safetgiver ( Islam makes barbarism look genteel.)
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