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My hubby and I had picked Kentucky to move to last year but when we found it had such a repressive law enacted against certain medications that we had to very reluctantly cross it off our list. I am hoping someone can help me with this as I hadn't found this forum at that time. Dumb me, I should have just asked my concerns here.
I am unfortunate enough to suffer from diseases which produce daily, chronic, sometimes unbearable full body pain. The medications I take allow me to get out of bed, perform "activities of daily living" and occasionally go to a store or a movie. Also taking walks out in the fresh air is one of my few remaining pleasures, and I enjoy it very much.
However, you can imagine my shock when I found out that most of my medications are now restricted to a ridiculous degree in Kentucky. I take hydrocodone for pain (can't take anything closer to morphine as I'm too sensitive to those meds), Soma for intense muscle spasms and knotting up and also to be able to sleep at night. In addition, I take klonopin for alloydnia (severe skin sensitivity to touch). There's others, but they are the ones of concern.
I was wondering is it really true that these medications are so controlled that one can only get an Rx for one month or worse, two weeks? The sledge hammer approach--we have a drug problem so let's just not let anyone have ongoing access to them even though they have life threatening pain--is devastating and unfair. One must address the individual problems, such as people reselling their meds etc. instead of denying real chronic pain patients the relief they need.
If anyone has any more information on this subject, please let me know. Believe me, it is very hard fighting these diseases, getting people to understand how life altering and threatening they are, and just trying to enjoy a few hours out shopping, going to museums etc. is a monumental task that requires much pre-planning.
Anyone who has met me would never know I take these medications. They think I am "normal". They supply the chemicals that my body no longer can, or doesn't have enough of.
Sorry I went through such a long explanation for the subject in question but I've found so many who are not familiar with RSD, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and myalgic encephalomyelitis (formerly Chronic Fatigue syndrome).
Any information on the pharmaceutical rulings on these medications would be most appreciated. Thank you in advance.
I know since most of the ones you listed are a schedule 2 controlled drug, they have to be given month to month, but that is supposta be everywhere, not just Kentucky.
I do know many friends and family that have cronic pain, and they gt their RX's with no problems. Mostly it comes down to the doctors themselves, not the pharmacy, or the state.
Anyway, what part of Kentucky were you looking at?
I know since most of the ones you listed are a schedule 2 controlled drug, they have to be given month to month, but that is supposta be everywhere, not just Kentucky.
I do know many friends and family that have cronic pain, and they gt their RX's with no problems. Mostly it comes down to the doctors themselves, not the pharmacy, or the state.
Anyway, what part of Kentucky were you looking at?
Thank you for your super fast reply! I wasn't expecting anything so soon.
Some states, like NJ where I now live, allow up to 3 refills on the hydrocodone, no limit on SOMA (my doc wrote 10 refills on the script!) and I think Klonopin is limited to 2 refills.
Am I reading the ruling wrong? It does sound like it. I thought it meant that a person could only get, say, one month of Hydrocodone and then not get it again for a certain period of time. The one pretty tough is SOMA, which is on a 14 day script in Kentucky. Guess that would mean that a written script would be required every two weeks? Not convenient but I wouldn't let that stop me from living there either, since the state is so appealing in other ways.
We are looking at either the Louisville or Lexington area. Hubby is an LPN and I saw many, many openings around those two cities.
A place within a radius of about 20 miles from either hub as we want to live out in the country yet have access to medical facilities, shopping etc. With my conditions it is difficult for me to travel too far yet I have lived in whatever is left of "country" in NJ for the last 20 years and can never, ever go back to a more crowded environment. Since my pets are my friends as well, we need a place where neighbors won't be complaining about furry and feathered critters.
Again, I appreciate your prompt reply. Love City-Data; I have learned so much here.
As is true everywhere, it all depends on your doctor. Some doctors are on a mission to save you from yourself, others may partially accommodate, and others may fully accommodate your needs. I have heard from a Dr. if you are getting 120 or more somas a month both the doc and you may be looked at more closely. Best to stay under 120 for both your sakes. I've been eating somas and a variety of painkillers daily for over ten years now. Somas really aren't a problem, but the painkillers sure CAN be! The better ones turn me into a monster after so long. Up, down, agitated seems to be my pattern. I have to stay away from them if i want to remain married. Of course constant pain will make a person a wee bit cranky, too.
Eating all these drugs over time will probably kill us also, so what is a person to do? Maybe there is a happy medium somewhere in between?? Hopefully that happy medium can be found.
I didn't directly answer your ?, I'm still getting the somas with many month scripts being written.
I went to this Dr. one time and he looked at what i was taking and said in a really concerned way..You know, somas when digested are the same as a qualude...I said in a shocked way, really? And i thought, oh the horror! Those heinous lemon 714's!!
Last edited by FreeMarketSlave; 11-02-2007 at 11:33 AM..
As is true everywhere, it all depends on your doctor. Some doctors are on a mission to save you from yourself, others may partially accommodate, and others may fully accommodate your needs. I have heard from a Dr. if you are getting 120 or more somas a month both the doc and you may be looked at more closely. Best to stay under 120 for both your sakes. I've been eating somas and a variety of painkillers daily for over ten years now. Somas really aren't a problem, but the painkillers sure CAN be! The better ones turn me into a monster after so long. Up, down, agitated seems to be my pattern. I have to stay away from them if i want to remain married. Of course constant pain will make a person a wee bit cranky, too.
Eating all these drugs over time will probably kill us also, so what is a person to do? Maybe there is a happy medium somewhere in between?? Hopefully that happy medium can be found.
I didn't directly answer your ?, I'm still getting the somas with many month scripts being written.
I went to this Dr. one time and he looked at what i was taking and said in a really concerned way..You know, somas when digested are the same as a qualude...I said in a shocked way, really? And i thought, oh the horror! Those heinous lemon 714's!!
Your post brought a smile to my face! I can really understand what you are saying. At least you have shown there is a humourous side to all of this.
I take 2 Somas a day, usually less if I don't feel like I need a full one in the afternoon. So that is 60 a month. No way would I want to go any higher on them.
I am still amazed that the two most abused and deadliest drugs, cigarettes and alcohol, are freely available and destroying bodies and minds each day.
But anyway, to get back on topic--so it's finding a compassionate, understanding doctor. The ultimate would be one who is involved with research into these "orphan" diseases, like the one I see here in NJ. Unfortunately, the treatment which gives the best relief, IV Ketamine for 5 days, ranges from 70% pain reduction to over 90%, costs from $30,000 to $50,000 with the results lasting from 3 weeks to over 3 years. But my insurance will not cover it as it is "experimental". I am willing to be a guinea pig after all these years (since 1992).
So far, the situation is not as bad as I thought. Everything else about the state seems very nice. I'm sure there is a way to iron out the Rx problem, if indeed it is one.
I know one female in her late thirties who has RSD. She has been a guinea pig from the beginning, with a bunch of different implants(batteries going dead) and the such. Nothing has helped her, so now she has a morphine implant going on. To be honest i'm surprised she hasn't gotten a staph infection with all the operations. The paper work on the morphine pump makes one believe it is not a problem. One look at her and you know that isn't the case. Even her color is wrong. Edgar Allen Poe comes to mind.
I always wondered if fleas and mosquitos didn't have a roll in her getting it. She had a multitude of both living with her for years. Do they have any idea how a person gets RSD?
Edit,Louisville is where her operations were performed.
Thank you for your super fast reply! I wasn't expecting anything so soon.
Some states, like NJ where I now live, allow up to 3 refills on the hydrocodone, no limit on SOMA (my doc wrote 10 refills on the script!) and I think Klonopin is limited to 2 refills.
Am I reading the ruling wrong? It does sound like it. I thought it meant that a person could only get, say, one month of Hydrocodone and then not get it again for a certain period of time. The one pretty tough is SOMA, which is on a 14 day script in Kentucky. Guess that would mean that a written script would be required every two weeks? Not convenient but I wouldn't let that stop me from living there either, since the state is so appealing in other ways.
We are looking at either the Louisville or Lexington area. Hubby is an LPN and I saw many, many openings around those two cities.
A place within a radius of about 20 miles from either hub as we want to live out in the country yet have access to medical facilities, shopping etc. With my conditions it is difficult for me to travel too far yet I have lived in whatever is left of "country" in NJ for the last 20 years and can never, ever go back to a more crowded environment. Since my pets are my friends as well, we need a place where neighbors won't be complaining about furry and feathered critters.
Again, I appreciate your prompt reply. Love City-Data; I have learned so much here.
No problem! I stumbled onto this site looking at different Amry posts, for when we move in a few months, lol!
I know you said Louisville or Lexington, but have you thought about other areas as well? I live in Newburgh, IN about a hour and a half east of Lousiville, and I just looked and there are currently 7 openings for LPN's in this area, the cost of living is cheaper, and it's a smaller area, so naturally less crime, lol.
The only reason I know about KY and the Rx sch 2 drugs is (I am from KY originally, and still have dr's there it's a 20 mins drive to KY, across the river) is that my 8yr old's ADHD meds are sch2 and I have to drive every month and pick the script up in person. The refills on Lortabs and Soma are no big deal I don't think , and have to do with the doctor him/her self, ya know?
If nothing else, you can live in Kentucky, and find a doctor in Indiana and then got your scripts from him/her. I don't think there is a limit/ban on meds here.
The only thing I found about what you are talking about is limited to Nurse Practitioners only, and not actual doctors.
I know since most of the ones you listed are a schedule 2 controlled drug, they have to be given month to month, but that is supposta be everywhere, not just Kentucky.
Yep, haint got nothin to do with unwanted Ky regs at all. In fact y'all find counties settin their own rules on drug prescription/regulation as it oughta be, contrary even to rest of USA.
For example back during prohibition near 100 yrs ago when everybody else outlawed alchohol - Woodford County proudly declared Bourbon as medicine. Local distillery never completely shut down and didnt push export outa the county either. Docs wrote scripts for pints to patients as they saw fit. Thats the way it oughta be across the board.
Meanwhile another couple of counties apparently now suing oxycontin mfgr on account of damages done with drug company pushin their product in certain targeted areas?? There's the spark thats got everbody's panties twisted in knotts.
Gotta hope and pray Frankfort leaves rest of Commonwealth alone and dont start writin rules based upon one county's private feud with pharmaceutical drug companies. God save the Commonwealth of micro-management, says me.
And correct me if I'm wrong, but its my understanding politicians in Governor's office got no business tellin Judge Execs how to operate their counties at all. Even with Fletcher M.D. running the show.
I truly sympathize with your plight darkangel, as I too suffer from disabling fibromyalgia as well as rheumatoid arthritis. Unfortunately, I am unable to give you any advice in finding a physician in Kentucky,as I too have been searching since the retirement of my own internist/pain management specialist. It seems as though they're few and far between and those that have been lucky enough to find one are unwilling to share information. I've been at my witts end for almost 2 months now myself and have become open to traveling (although I have no idea who to go to). If you have insurance, I agree with the poster who suggested going to Indiana.
Since my hubby and I have decided to stay in NJ, at least for the time being, I won't have to worry about getting my meds. NJ is considering legalizing medical marijuana, something that is long overdue.
I only wish that people would realize just how terrible having severe chronic pain really is. If these legislators could only experience it for five minutes, there would be no problem about allowing pain patients access to anything that can help. And I say "help", because I have yet to receive a medication that leaves me pain free. I tell people to imagine having the worst toothache they have ever had in their life, and try to live with it day and night. Now take that toothache and spread the pain all over the body. The only relief comes when I'm asleep--that is, if I'm lucky enough not to have it wake me several times a night.
It is frightening to think that some bureaucrat can make a ruling that can have a devastating effect on one's life. The fact that approx. 15% of chronic pain sufferers choose to end their own lives should be enough to convince those who are more fortunate to show more compassion and understanding.
My meds make my life somewhat bearable. People cannot tell if I have taken my pain meds, but they sure can tell when I haven't. Just taking one day at a time and hoping for either a cure or to be able to afford outpatient Ketamine IV therapy (being pioneered here in NJ by my Doctor along with one or two others).
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Many Thanks!
yet I have lived in whatever is left of "country" in NJ for the last 20 years and can never, ever go back to a more crowded environment. Since my pets are my friends as well, we need a place where neighbors won't be complaining about furry and feathered critters.
