I'm really tired of this war on painkillers.

[911]

If a doctor issues a script for oxycodone, for example, and the patient takes it to a pharmacy to be filled, that pharmacist has a responsibility to check the database to find out the number of pills that person has been receiving and in what period of time. If the numbers go outside of the parameters that has been set by the Pennsylvania Drug Monitoring Program, (which by the way just went into affect this month and is sharing its information with 15 other states), then they are allowed to deny the script.

As for refusing to fill a script for a cancer patient, I believe that there is some latitude given. This is a new program and me being retired, I don't have all of the information about the PDMP (Prescription Drug Monitoring Program). I do know that there is a process involved in this program and is very closely monitored to the point of almost being real time.

If you are really interested in the program, you can go here: http://www.health.pa.gov/your-depar...ngprogram/pages/pdmp-portal.aspx#.Whb6AkqnHDc

I have seen the ugly side of overdosing by many people of all ages and colors. My youngest was 11 and my oldest was 87. At the time of my retirement, there was talk about the Troopers carrying Narcan or Naloxone. I haven't followed up on that to see if that came about or not. It's horrible to have to go to a parent's home and tell them that their child is lying in the morgue and we need someone to identify the body. Even when the 87 year old died, I had to call the 83 year old sister and have her report to the hospital to ID her brother.

I do sympathize with those that have severe enough pain and can't legally buy a painkiller. But, this is what it has come to. I would go to the ER and ask them for help. First thing they ask a patient is, "What's your pain level on a scale of 0-10?" Tell them 9. If they don't or won't give you anything, I have no other advice for you. There is a sign in my doctor's office reading, "We do not prescribe opiate medications."

 

[tnthomas]

In the bad old days I used to buy weed on the streets of NYC. At first I was a babe in the forest, but over time I learned to stick with one or two dealers.

Back then, when you bought weed you got ... weed. That was it. That was all you got. It might have been a bit "skunkier" - lower grade - than what you thought you were getting, or perhaps you'd be shorted a few grams, but that was it.

Now? Now I'd never buy weed on the street. These jerks cut it with all sorts of junk. Why? I don't know. To get a bigger bang for your buck? No thanks.

I can only imagine how much of a gamble it would be to get a few pain pills on the street now. As 911 said, you just don't know what you're getting unless you have an analytical lab in your basement.

But I can sympathize with the pain issues. Ever since I had my toe removed my foot has given me varying amounts of pain. When they first removed it in the hospital they put me on a morphine drip. THAT worked pretty well. I was a happy fella for a while.

But then they started backing off on the morphine and started me on some BS pain pills that did nothing to curb the pain.

Today - almost a year later - I'm still struggling to get something useful, like the Lyrica my roommate used to give me from her own prescription. That stuff works for me.

But when I told the docs? No, no, Philly, we have to start you off on 100 mg. of Gabapentin. We'll see how you tolerate it in the next 3 months, then maybe we'll increase the dosage a little bit.

Are you kidding me, Doc? I already know what works - why don't you just give me what experience has taught me I can tolerate?

I look forward to when PA finally implements the MMJ system.

I count my blessings, I currently have less than a 2-3 pain level most days, so I'm getting by. I hear people mention pot as a remedy for pain...I used pot for about a 5 year period in my yute.



But, I never knew pot to have an analgesic effect...?

Gabapentin, what a cruel joke, not quite the hoax that acetaminophen(eg: Tylenol, Paracetamol) is. In my view, nothing much more than a nice bump for pharmaceutical sales.

Big pharma. the FDA & DEA in-my-humble-opinon are exacerbating the Nation's drug crisis, and there will be no end in sight.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

911, what happens when a pharmacists says" If you bought all your medication,here, we wouldn't run out. We are out". What happens when pharmacists have their own campaign against the ravages of opioid addiction, and when they feel the person is over medicated say, "We're out". And yes, I can personally attest to that. She came out and told me why they were "out". And you quite easily dismiss my pain, "But, this is what it has come to". With pain medication, I can stay in my home, bath, drive, live a full life. Without pain medication, I'm bedridden. I don't have a lot of money. I can't pay for 24 hr care. What the hell do you think is going to happen to me? You've seen what happens to people like me. Tell everybody what is going to be my life.

Exactly how does your doctor treat people in great pain, if he doesn't prescribe opiates?

 

[SifuPhil]

I count my blessings, I currently have less than a 2-3 pain level most days, so I'm getting by. I hear people mention pot as a remedy for pain...I used pot for about a 5 year period in my yute.

View attachment 45038

:lofl: - great movie!

But, I never knew pot to have an analgesic effect...?

There have been great advances in marijuana botany over the years. They can now grow strains that are specific for certain symptoms. That's the difference between medical and recreational weed now - the former is for relief of symptoms, the latter for just the mental effects.

Everyone's pain is different - it is usually classified as nociceptive or neuropathic. Nociceptive pain is caused by tissue damage or inflammation. Neuropathic pain is caused by nervous system damage or malfunction. Traditionally, CBD is the compound that is found in the greatest proportion in medical marijuana, while THC is found to a larger degree in recreational pot. An interesting, fairly-recent trend is to mix the two cannabinoids to achieve a sort of synergy that is highly effective in pain management. There are many studies on the analgesic effect of marijuana; in fact, Harvard led a comprehensive review back in 2015 of just such usage and determined that it was indeed efficacious.

Gabapentin, what a cruel joke, not quite the hoax that acetaminophen(eg: Tylenol, Paracetamol) is. In my view, nothing much more than a nice bump for pharmaceutical sales.

Perhaps at higher dosages it might be useful, or maybe it's just that it isn't right for me.

 

[tnthomas]

If I were to get some, I'd want both the CBD and THC....I don't drink, smoke or do anything else fun, wouldn't mind a little buzz with my pain relief.

That's why I actually look forward to my bi-annual endoscopy, as they get me some demerol, by which I enjoy 3 or 4 seconds of euphoria.

 

[RadishRose]

Tylenol (acetaminophen) damages the liver with regular use.

Gabapentin is ok for restless leg syndrome but a joke for pain.