AMA, DEA and Pain Medications

Use this section to discuss your experiences with prescription drugs, iron injections, and other medical interventions that involve the introduction of a drug or medicine into the body. Discuss side effects, successes, failures, published research, information about drug trials, and information about new medications being developed.

Important: Posts and information in this section are based on personal experiences and recommendations; they should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a healthcare provider.
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jumpyowl
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Location: Yantis, TX
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AMA, DEA and Pain Medications

Post by jumpyowl »

This post is to quote the contribution of Eric Leopold from San Mateo, CA:

Read the news item below if you take prescription drugs containing opiates. You may have a hard time if the government has its way. If this sounds bad to you, contact your lawmaker using this easy to find your local politician Web site and complain now: <http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/>.
Eric/San Mateo, CA

AMA TO VOICE CONCERNS TO DEA OVER PAIN MEDICATION PRESCRIBING POLICY

The American Medical Association will work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to address physician concerns that an interim policy statement published by the agency in November could interfere with the way doctors prescribe opioid analgesic medications to some patients. Doctors worry that the statement could make it illegal to write multiple pain medication prescriptions for a patient on the day of a visit and evaluation. Physicians also worry that they no longer could legally write directions for dispensing additional medication on future, specified dates. At the AMA's Interim Meeting in Atlanta this month, delegates called on the Association to support interpreting federal law in a way that would let doctors continue to write pain medication prescriptions for patients in need, while letting the Government provide oversight and regulation to minimize risks to patients' health and safety.
Jumpy Owl

becat
Posts: 2842
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:41 pm

Ok Can't happen

Post by becat »

Ok this is not the way I wanted to start the New Year, But I will if I have to. I'm a proud American, always have been. I love my country.
Having said that..................
I'm one of the people that benefits from opiates. Anyone that doesn't know about it can read "My RLS Mountain" in this thread. Anyone that can't see the difference is blind. I know it can be hard to get a true read about someone simply in reading the post here, but mine is honest and open. I have not hidden my struggles with my search for a Quality fo life improvement. A treatment that works. A good many of you helped me through it. The fact that is, it wasn't easy to get, this medication that has given me a life back. Now that I have it, I'll be ......hmmmmm...gosh darned if my government is taking it away.
You'll find this subject of regulations vs. the health and well being in far too many post here. It's not just medications, it's testing and treatment as well. I'm not speechless, as most of you know, I'm just mad. I don't want some pencil pusher telling my doctor or me how my treatment should go. My well being should not be decided by someone in Washington. 2 reasons
for this.
1. They normal get what they need to live well. Not to mention that my tax dollars pay for their health care. And will continue when they retire.
2. My doctor and I are the only people that should make MY health care choices. He's been educated for years to do the job. I've educated myself about my body and it functions. No insurance company, no government, has the education to make those choices for me.
I'll research this much more and if I find that this is what is happening.....let all beware. This is where we come in as a larger voice. All chronic illness groups will have to jump in. You may not be on pain killers just now, you may never be, but trust me this effects you too. If your on a path of RLS being progressive and no cure, might become your problem as well.
I've got unlimited long distance phone calls, sucks to be a Texan in Washington if this is true.
Quality of life statements might be in order for more than our community. (I would never use any of the statements I've gotten for this unless you each told me I could.)

becat
Posts: 2842
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:41 pm

Post by becat »

Here is what I found. If I'm understanding this wrong, someone explain it to me.
So, looks like a monthly visit for pain medication. And how likely is it that doctors will want the DEA in the office to supervise this action? The war on drugs should not be confused with healthcare.

www.ama-assn.org

AMA to voice concerns to DEA over pain medication prescribing policy
The American Medical Association will work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to address physician concerns that an interim policy statement published by the agency in November could interfere with the way doctors prescribe opioid analgesic medications to some patients.

Doctors worry that the statement could make it illegal to write multiple pain medication prescriptions for a patient on the day of a visit and evaluation. Physicians also worry that they no longer could legally write directions for dispensing additional medication on future, specified dates.

At the AMA's Interim Meeting in Atlanta this month, delegates called on the Association to support interpreting federal law in a way that would let doctors continue to write pain medication prescriptions for patients in need, while letting the government provide oversight and regulation to minimize risks to patients' health and safety.

*********************************
For what it is worth, make any emails or letters to your congress-person short and well mannered. I will do my best to stick to this as well.

ViewsAskew
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Location: Los Angeles

Post by ViewsAskew »

Hey, Becat. How the heck are you? Seems like Ruby, Jumpy, Jan and I have been posting together, but I haven't been on the same threads with you. Nor have I heard from Brady in a long time. Hope all is well with you.

I was hoping there was an easy way to put in my two cents on this subject to congress, but guess you just have to write a letter. I love those online petitions that go through congress.org where the letter is already written for you. Wonder how much that costs? If it's not too much, maybe we could start one and post it everywhere.

I ran into an offshoot of this problem today at my pharmacy. I'm going out of town and will run out of the benzo I take before I get back. It's 5 days before my refill, but I can't get it until the EXACT day. I'll have to call the NEW doc in the morning and see if she will write me a DIFFERENT script for it and see if that will work. If not, guess I might not be very awake for the trainings that I am doing!

Ann

jumpyowl
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Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 2:59 pm
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My one penny's worth!

Post by jumpyowl »

That is a typical insurance problem, Ann. They usually give you 1-2 days (earlier) when you can pick up the medication but that is it!

If one uses medications that have been around for some time, the best way to get them is to go to a different pharmacy, do not let them know that one have insurance, and pay the regular price that is sometimes less than one's co-pay for the more expensive drugs.

I did that for my wife and I was amazed how easy everything became. The doctor wrote "take as needed". Now we can refill it practically any time. The pharmacist also loves the lack of red tape.
Jumpy Owl

becat
Posts: 2842
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2004 11:41 pm

Hi Ann and Jumpy

Post by becat »

Hi to You Ann, and Jumpy, my dear. Ann i hear a smile in your post however sleepy you are, glad to see it.
It's just my thought but I can see that these are both subject THIS FOUNDATION would like to get involved with.
This thing with the docs and the medications is a place where the foundation could contact the other chronic illness foundations. We RLSers are not the only ones this effects. The heads should be reaching out to other heads of the other foundations and work this together. The thought that together our fist is bigger applies here.
It might take all knids of us coming out of the woodwork to change it. As Americans each voice counts. I just think to ignore this is stupid.
Honestly what doc is going to want to deal with people in pain if this takes hold? I certainly don't want to waste one day of the month, every month to get my medications. It's hard enough to get in when I need to. This my friends is not the war on drugs.
About the insurance companies and Pharmacies. I know that most pharmacies follow often strange on tight rules. But I know several people that are able to get medications before the due date. Before I travel I always am up there refilling something. I can't remember if they have had to call the doc or not. I do think that I'm lucky to have had the same pharmacy for the last 8 years or so. They know me. :(

lifejoy

Post by lifejoy »

God help America..maybe one day all of the politicians will say, "OH, WOW! Would you look at how many people's lives we could've saved if we had done more research and told the truth about marijuana, and if we weren't so stingy with opiates, people could have lived a better life." It's not so complicated..look at countries with open pharmacies, or at Amsterdam, where drug use statistics show the same abuse as the States and England, etc. We need to wake up and realize that opiates, and I must throw in marijuana, are useful for MANY types of conditions, not just surgeries and cancer patients. IMO America (and every country) should adopt an agency where a medical association calls the shots and not politicians that look at data that shows statistics in their favor. The truth needs to shine bright, and it will eventually. Drugs that are high in abuse are, oddly, the drugs that are most beneficial and hard to receive. I cannot receive a measly 5mg of hydrocodone for RLS, yet when my friend gets his wisdom teeth pulled he receives a bottle of thirty 10mg percocet with a couple of refills....?!?! Honestly, where is the logic? I'm just a dumb teenager, but I do my share of reading and I see firsthand how opiate abuse starts in highschool with small surgeries, such as wisdom teeth, where the kid gets ten times the amount of medicine he/she needs, then sells the rest for 5 bucks a pop (with ease), then gets caught, then gets put into the statistics, and finally is then given to politicians and newspapers. Not only is this one of the basic problems, but also if we had fewer corrupt doctors none of these dictative regulations would be necessary. If there are any doctors reading this, you worked your arse off for where you are, and I congratulate you for your hard work, but get on any fellow doctors you know that abuse the system; they are indirectly making people's lives a living hell of pain. That's all i've got for now..but i'm still a pretty angry..

jumpyowl
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Happiness

Post by jumpyowl »

I agree there are lots of things out there or even closer to us that we could and do get angry about.

I just received this poem from a lady whom I was privileged enough to help with her dry eyes. I tyhought I share it with you all:

The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed
each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup
perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home
today.
Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she
smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.
As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual
description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung
on her window.
"I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old, having
just been presented with a new puppy.
"Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room. Just wait."
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied.
"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.
Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is
arranged... it's how I arrange my mind.
I already decided to love it. It's a decision I make every morning when I
wake up I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the
difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out
of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day
and all the happy memories I've stored away, just for this time in my
life."
Old age is like a bank account: you withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the Bank
account of memories.
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Toni
Jumpy Owl

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