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Ten years ago at the age of 58 I went for a work physical at their appointed clinic. Questionnaire with pages of your medications taken. I don't take any so put lines through all those pages with N/A on them. Young woman sitting next to me did the same.
We got screamed at by the NP looking at our forms. "What is WRONG with you people?" She threw our Questionnaire back at us. I should be congratulated at my age for not being on some kind of medication. The 19 year old young woman started crying. She should not be on ANYTHING at her age. Her Mom was there with her, thankfully. Both she, and I, demanded to see an MD not the NP after her unprofessional conduct. Is it now Un-American to be not taking some kind of medication?
I read a study which concluded that all people over the age of 50 should be taking Statins, even if they have normal levels. Want to guess WHO did that study? Merck. Sell more product. Medications for the HEALTHY! Prevention, including drugs, is big business for the Big Pharms.
The only prescription medication I ever took in my entire life on a regular basis were birth control pills. I certainly don't need that any longer at 68.
I'm sorry, but "they give them out like candy" is just not universally true. I have to practically beg my neurologist to allow me the ONE low-level pain pill a day the he prescribes. Unfortunately my daily head and neck pain doesn't always follow the once-a-day schedule, so I have to live with constant ice packs to numb the nerves enough so I can go about my daily activities.
^^ This. Doctors don't hand out narcotic pain meds Iike Skittles. I'm a chronic pain patient. I have a very painful condition in the bone of my lower right leg. Bone pain is very hard to get a handle on. But I have to see an actual pain specialist, and getting established took multiple referrals and documentation of my condition. No other doctors, PCP, orthopedic, neurological etc will touch pain management for me.And I had to sign a strict contract. The only place I can receive pain drugs from is the pain doctor unless I'm admitted to a hospital.
Narcotic medications are closely tracked. By the DEA. If a pain patient get a Rx from any other than their pain doctor from any pharmacy other than the one they get their normal script from it tosses red flag" , and the DEA contacts the pain specialist, the pharmacy and the patient. Even if it's just like maybe 5 pills all Hell breaks loose. If supplemental meds are needed, say for post surgical etc, the pain doctor has to be notified in advance and they will authorize the Rx.
Patient requests for early refills are also noted and flagged. The rules are VERY stringent, and there's zero grey area. Being a chronic pain patient a person gives up a LOT of privacy in doctor/patient confidence. The feds and the state are firmly planted between a doctor and patient where narcotic meds are concerned. Any ...indiscrepancies..and the patient is flagged as an abuser/diverted out of hand. Guilty until proven innocent. I think it would be easier to embezzle a million dollars than it is to even get a single pain pill from a different doctor other than ones pain speciist.
However, and interestingly enough, abusers don't seem to have any problems getting these drugs. All the tangle of red tape only seems to punish legitimate patients. Many patients, and even doctors as well, don't know all the ins and outs of the regs. I've had hospitalists who were fully aware I am under contract with a pain doctor write me discharge Rx's for pain drugs. I have to look through any scrip slips to make sure there are none in there before I turn them in to the pharmacy. Just giving it to the pharmacy whether I actually fill it or not will flag me. I don't need the hassle.
I see a lot of commentary on here about how easy it is to get narcotic script and I have to wonder where it is all this is happening. Not here in N NV that's for sure. You have to have a concrete diagnosis from more than one doctor and detailed documentation of a condition to even be considered for a referral to pain management here. And once established you're under a microscope. Yep, and despite all that there doesn't seem to be any issue for abusers to get Rx narcotics. How they're doing it I don't know, but I hear about the opioid epidemic and how many people either OD or get busted every day. I know that I'm certainly not a contributing factor.
I make sure that nobody who doesn't have a genuine need to know has any clue I'm a pain patient. I guard that information like nuclear launch codes.
Last edited by NVplumber; 07-15-2017 at 10:11 AM..
So sorry to hear that. My sister is still in terrible pain 2 years after a semi hit her. I know she also uses ice quite a bit as well to avoid taking the pain pills.
I know pain, dealing with body wide OA, so yes I take otc pain meds daily. If only I didn't but I take an alt pain med too and living with damage from hip replacement in 2010 which hasn't helped my body re: pain. And nerve damage.
There are many cases of accidents, surgeries etc etc where meds are part of a person's life.
A young woman was brought into my room at the last rehab and she lost a leg in an auto accident and during that time was found to have out of sight diabetes, so insulin and drugs will be in her life forever and she's 33.
Last edited by jaminhealth; 07-15-2017 at 10:07 AM..
The title of the thread is extremely misleading. The concern is about four categories of prescription medications, not about drugs as the title implies.
What do you mean? You don't buy your prescriptions at the drug store?
^^ This. Doctors don't hand out narcotic pain meds Iike Skittles. I'm a chronic pain patient. I have a very painful condition in the bone of my lower right leg. Bone pain is very hard to get a handle on. But I have to see an actual pain specialist, and getting established took multiple referrals and documentation of my condition. No other doctors, PCP, orthopedic, neurological etc will touch pain management for me.And I had to sign a strict contract. The only place I can receive pain drugs from is the pain doctor unless I'm admitted to a hospital.
Narcotic medications are closely tracked. By the DEA. If a pain patient get a Rx from any other than their pain doctor from any pharmacy other than the one they get their normal script from it tosses red flag" , and the DEA contacts the pain specialist, the pharmacy and the patient. Even if it's just like maybe 5 pills all Hell breaks loose. If supplemental meds are needed, say for post surgical etc, the pain doctor has to be notified in advance and they will authorize the Rx.
Patient requests for early refills are also noted and flagged. The rules are VERY stringent, and there's zero grey area. Being a chronic pain patient a person gives up a LOT of privacy in doctor/patient confidence. The feds and the state are firmly planted between a doctor and patient where narcotic meds are concerned. Any ...indiscrepancies..and the patient is flagged as an abuser/diverted out of hand. Guilty until proven innocent. I think it would be easier to embezzle a million dollars than it is to even get a single pain pill from a different doctor other than ones pain speciist.
However, and interestingly enough, abusers don't seem to have any problems getting these drugs. All the tangle of red tape only seems to punish legitimate patients. Many patients, and even doctors as well, don't know all the ins and outs of the regs. I've had hospitalists who were fully aware I am under contract with a pain doctor write me discharge Rx's for pain drugs. I have to look through any scrip slips to make sure there are none in there before I turn them in to the pharmacy. Just giving it to the pharmacy whether I actually fill it or not will flag me. I don't need the hassle.
I see a lot of commentary on here about how easy it is to get narcotic script and I have to wonder where it is all this is happening. Not here in N NV that's for sure. You have to have a concrete diagnosis from more than one doctor and detailed documentation of a condition to even be considered for a referral to pain management here. And once established you're under a microscope. Yep, and despite all that there doesn't seem to be any issue for abusers to get Rx narcotics. How they're doing it I don't know, but I hear about the opioid epidemic and how many people either OD or get busted every day. I know that I'm certainly not a contributing factor.
I make sure that nobody who doesn't have a genuine need to know has any clue I'm a pain patient. I guard that information like nuclear launch codes.
You've very wise not to let anyone know.
I don't know how the abusers and the addicts get them either. I hope the increasing regulations trying to prevent the OD's and addictions don't hurt you and others with true pain issues.
I don't know how the abusers and the addicts get them either. I hope the increasing regulations trying to prevent the OD's and addictions don't hurt you and others with true pain issues.
Regulations have tightened up but I know of someone who got them illegally from a pharmacist. How that all happened I don't know but it did. Even they can be corrupt like our politicians, money is god to many.
Last edited by jaminhealth; 07-15-2017 at 10:40 AM..
We all know articles like this from the source is opinion and written with an agenda in mind. I consider myself pretty damn healthy for an 80 year old and yes, I take some meds: I take advil or something similar when my back gives me just to much trouble. I take Oh and I do take a couple of vitamins each morning. Now, how about you? We know you take a lot of alternative supplements and still have your share of problems. Now I will add some people do not take meds of any kind regardless of their age. I say as long as they can manage with no meds good for them.
I don't know how the abusers and the addicts get them either. I hope the increasing regulations trying to prevent the OD's and addictions don't hurt you and others with true pain issues.
Well, just like with some other things it's the honest, legitimate people who pay the price for the bad ones. I truly wish I could do without the meds. But I just cant. I tried. Made it about 5 months. I was a basket case. The pain kept me from being able to do much of anything. Couldn't get any quality rest. Had to use my AFO and a cane to walk, stairs were extremely difficult, the pain effected my appetite and I couldnt eat. OTC stuff? I couldn't take enough to blunt the hurt. I couldnt focus at all. Zero quality of life. In the end three separate doctors told me I needed to get back on a pain control program. Unfortunately the narcotics are the only medications that can provide the level of control I need.
With them I can function pretty highly. Mentally and physically. I don't have to expend so much focus and energy fighting down the pain . So, in that regard suppose I qualify for the example the OP is looking for. With the medications Iead a pretty normal life. As normal as can be. Hell, I even looked into amputation as an alternative. I consulted with five different doctors about it. They all said I would be worse off going that route especially since the meds work.
An amputation would have to be done above the knee. And there's nothing wrong with my knee. It's just that the bone and soft tissue below it have suffered to much damage to provide a suitable attachment point for a prosthetic. As things are , other than the fact I have to take meds, the existing limb is more functional than an above the knee prosthetic could ever be. With my AFO and the meds I can scamper about pretty well. And of course a feeling g foot is always desirable.
As good as modern prosthetics are, they won't work as well for everyone as they do for these cases we see on TV all the time of people who run marathons or dance. Those are exceptional cases and despite the publicity are not normal results.
We all know articles like this from the source is opinion and written with an agenda in mind. I consider myself pretty damn healthy for an 80 year old and yes, I take some meds: I take advil or something similar when my back gives me just to much trouble. I take Oh and I do take a couple of vitamins each morning. Now, how about you? We know you take a lot of alternative supplements and still have your share of problems. Now I will add some people do not take meds of any kind regardless of their age. I say as long as they can manage with no meds good for them.
Everyone is different, I consider myself a strong vigorous person at 79 in a few weeks. And yes a lot of supps since 25 yrs and dealing with bodywide OA as I've talked about here...mom and her sisters all had OA so perhaps I was doomed...and from years of dancing and lots of exercise.
And years of sugars, carbs, fluoridation, could all these attributed to the advanced OA and genetics.
And true my dad never took supps, had a few meds and lived to almost 96, maybe the alcohol saved him. It sure raised havoc in the family. He and my mom could have had undx'd diabetes as there just was not the testing back then as there is today. I never knew much about diabetes until my friend told me all about her condition and reading so much now, so I'm very aware of that health issue.
And as far as supplementing, I'd bet 90% of those in the rehabs were Vit D deficient.
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