Creating Addicts and Opiophobia . . .

There's a good article in this weeks The New Yorker about a pain pill epidemic in Statten Island. It's by Ian Frazier, a generally accurate journalist. I was happy to see this quote from, as he wrote, " a widely used pharmaceuticals textbook" with this advice on Opiophobia. "Although many physicians are concerned about 'creating addicts,' very few individuals begin their drug addiction problems by misuse of prescription drugs . . . fear of producing such medical addicts results in needless suffering among patients with pain."

The article put the blame squarely on the shoulders of Purdue PHARMA, the creators and misrepresentors of both MSContin and OxyContin. They were fined $634.5 million in 2007 while making billions off their drugs. I just wanted y'all's opinion on this matter. Personally, I have to agree with Mr. Frazier. . . . . Q

Quincy Purdue Pharma started this mess way before 2007. In fact when their big bucks miracle OxyC became a reality even, shortly before 2000 the company was hitting the Drs offices with reps prepared to offer vacation packages, cars, money, and stocks in a race to run up the numbers of prescriptions written. Pharma waged war on other companies and pain meds to get drs to switch their patients.

Millions of OxyC were now on the medicine shelves. Drs were putting their entire rosters of patients who had been on other meds on this miracle 12 hour med. Misled by Pharma to the levels of addiction potential this drug carried. They were holding true to their promise and drs were getting perks promised and the OxyC epidemic was born. ER drs were prescribing it for toothaches! !

Then the addicts figured out a way around the simple design of the enteric coating that was supposed to be a deterrant from abuse and now heroin had been replaced. Housewives were quickly becoming the number one category of abuse patients and still Pharma raged on with slick advertising campaigns.

Then after a few years of this epidemic the DEA, FDA, and PROP say enough. Too many addicts, too many deaths, too many clinics or pill mills and way too many Drs getting rich on the demise of millions now addicted to OxyC. Their first hit was forcing Pharma to stop production of 120 mg OxyC and tighten the reins on 80. They took down clinics and drs writing and not even seeing patients, and so the "war on drugs " began. Pharma was ordered to cease the perks, drs were told to halt prescribing or be brought before the medical board.

The street value rose to over a $1 mg and millions now addicted cut off and forced to the streets and poverty trying to beg, borrow, and even steal to get. Pharmacy robberies were at an all time high and Pharma was now in court battling charges an fines.

Thousands of drs lost their license and everything they owned getting caught up in this mess. This ran on rippling through a decade and seeing the number of private methadone clinics triple to meet the demands. Suboxone was born as a quick fix and CPers were now caught in the vortex and left without drs and meds.

Sound familiar? History repeated itself this time with Oxy IR and Florida is set on the very same path Ky, IN, VA,and IL had been on with OXyC and the war on drugs got stronger.

Once again the CPer takes the hit and now drs are terrified of joining the masses of Drs with charges an sanctions against their license.

Will it ever end? I don't believe so. I don't think the FDA nor DEA will ever allow the back off of vigilance in watching an monitoring, controlling amounts an dosages because history has now proven that a great deal of drs and pharmacys, various other entities can no longer be trusted to first "Do no harm" greed moved in to obscure their vision.

Hi Vickie,
I was hoping that someone would chime in with the rest of the story but you brought the whole orchestra, thanks. Indeed, OxyContin was brought out in 1996, which gave Purdue plenty of time to rake in billions so that the fine looks awfully puny when compared to the crime. The main perpetrator , Arthur Sackler is known as the father of modern Pharmaceutical advertising, kinda makes ya sick, huh? . . . Q

Dixie,
Have you tried breaking them in half and taking 7.5 mg 8xday or every three hours. Spreading out the dosage has always helped even out the roller coaster ride of IR meds for me. I discussed this with my Dr. And was given a green light to do this. Normally I'd advise you to talk to your PM doc but since he is so psycho I have no idea of what he would think. It's unfortunate that you were driven to PM and then having been stuck with such a miserable Dr. I will do some more research on price reductions of OxyContin for you, there must be a way though C has tried to get it with no luck. BTW, she also breaks hers in half to even out the serum level. This, Oxycodone, is not a bad drug, it certainly works for me but I sure can understand the waking up in the morning agony. I take an Oxycodone 30 at 4:00 in the AM to avoid that . . . Q

Dixie, we have read here that the ones that are taking the new formula some say they get around 8 hours of relief versus 12. But there again, you have to keep in mind we all react so differently. It would not be something I can say is 100% accurate. ER meds are so much more effective in pain control over the IR. Oxycontin is really no different than any other medication if taken responsibly & you should have no problem. All meds come with potential risks & side effects which will usually go away in time. With IR we are stuck watching a clock till it is time for another one & in the meantime the pain levels are all over the place, very inconsistent. Most drs now will not leave a patient on IR only. The fact that your PM dr is allowing it for the time being with you says something.

Take care.

The addicts who take pharma pills for pleasure is the reason why most of us in real pain either can't get meds filled because there is a lack of inventory or insurance is cracking down on policy holders because they think we are addicts.

You will see an increase of new pills in the market that cannot be cut, snorted or turned into a liquid (for shooting with needles). Right now Xartemis XR is a 7.5 Oxycodone / 325 Acetametaphin that has no Euphoria (high feeling), cannot be snorted (turns to paste) and cannot be liquefied (turns to gum). You don't even know you're taking this medication.

These are the type of meds we will be taking in the future. For those in pain who do get a buzz from medication this will be gone soon to the new bench mark medication such as Xartemis XR.

The pill manufactures want addicts because that's who's putting Billions in their pockets. The new non-high meds are coming.

Once again greed ruins it. I just hate the way if you have chronic pain you are looked at by medical community as some kind of drug seeking addict.

If you depend on a med to help you stay functional and productive that is not addiction. Most people with chronic pain only take enough of their meds to bring the pain down to tolerable.

I hate the way that the government has come between doctors and their patients. All the rules have turned doctors into judges of their patients not believing the patient and always doing what they need to just to cover their a** instead of helping the patient. And patients are forced into blindly following the docs advice or staying with the doc they have (even if they don't like them) for fear they may be thought of as doctor shopping. Patients are forced into telling untruths to the doc for fear they won't get their meds. This is no way to run health care.

Hey TD...No, I don't mind.  Once upon a time I had phenomenal insurance through our Fortune 500 employer, but the economy crashed, as did our coverage.  We are fortunate to have medical/hospital insurance at this point.  However, I have no dental or prescription coverage at all. 

I have to pay OOP for everything. I need Donnatal for intestinal spasms (can no longer afford), Meloxicam and Diclofenac for arthritis, Linzess for severe constipation (can't afford), Zoloft, Ativan, Neurontin (now with shingles in eye) and Oxycodone. I CANNOT afford the OxyContin.  

My husband has a genetic HBP/Heart issue that is med-resistant.  His condition requires 5 meds per month to keep his heart regulated and prevent spiking of his BP. His dad died at 45 of a massive heart attack, while playing golf with my (then 15 year old) husband.  So...we can't "skimp" on his meds.

I have to say that I am MORTIFIED with the costs of pain medications.  It took me forever to surrender to PM.  Upon doing so in January of this year, I could not believe that I absolutely cannot afford the meds that my PM doctor feels will help me.

YES...I have applied to Pharm companies, begged for assistance, filled out applications only to be told that "on paper" our income is not within parameters.  In other words, NO!  The stress and worry of PM has contributed, if not caused shingles in my eye/face for 14 weeks now.  HELP!

Dixie

Oh, Judy...prayer is never "petty"...Thank you for your support. I am so happy that you have your surgery behind you. I agree with your doctor in that you still need to stay ahead of your pain in order to heal=) Please allow yourself the time to heal, although we ALL want it to happen "yesterday". Folks who don't have a clue will rush you and make you feel less of yourself. Don't allow that.

I've never taken OxyContin (original or reformulated). It's the next step (ER) for Oxycodone, to maintain steady serum levels.

I think people who have managed to maintain their prescription coverage are much like I WAS. As long as I had great insurance with $25 copay for name brand, I never bothered to even consider the actual costs of meds. Carma has been a bee-otch, I guess. I truly did not believe I'd ever be in a place that I could not afford to fill a prescription. Of course, I never believed a prescription could cost $400 per month either=(

I am indeed suffering, but I have done so for most of my adulthood. I have a very steep threshold for pain and have developed various coping skills throughout my life. However, those skills like my bones, have worn dangerously thin.

HUGS~~Dixie

You're not wasting our time by posting. That is why we are here.

One thing to keep in mind is that while I understand your pain, as many of us do, the most important thing to do is to talk with your doctor *before* you "run out of meds." It's behaviours such as these that will make it hard for you (and eventually for everyone else) to obtain proper pain management.

Seeing the doctor when the pain begins to no longer be managed is key. Not sucking it up or taking more than your recommended dose of pain meds as a way to cope,....these are important.

If you want the doc to listen and treat you with respect and courtesy and take you seriously, you need to do the same with him first and he must see that you are willing to comply with the directions he's set forth.

Please don't wait too long for help. Pain truly can be managed, but you have to be persistent and communicate regularly with your pain doc (ie: every 28 days).










M.

Thanks, TMouse...Yes, my doctor is aware that I have no prescription coverage. 

He gets very frustrated with me when I tell him I cannot afford these prices.  He tells me "There are meds that can change your life if only you can afford them".  That's HARD to hear, when you so desperately want your life of pain to change.  You know it's there, but you just can't reach it!  He did try Methadone (no) and Morphine ER (no).  I could afford those of course, but the side effects and constipation (up to 11 days, TMI) were just too severe.

I am taking Oxycodone for now.  He won't prescribe 120 per month for 15 mg 4xday. Instead, he has prescribed 60 of 30 mg to be broken in half and taken every 4 hours.  It just makes no sense to me.

HUGS~~Dixie

Merrida

thanks but i already use those

i let my doc wean and lean even though it is bad with less

i do what he asks

and the subject of better management and care is over

a specialist rheumatologist out of my state said sorry we have done and tried everything

my doc is close to the same i understand and try to be nice and comply

but he holds the key but new what is it fcc and hospital medical the whole nine yards a couple months ago or a year passed crap loads of new laws

no pain meds in ers etc

so my doc on caring about me and also clamped by those rules refuses delodid what the ers used to give

always works my body never adjusts or other problems for years its always worked

but i cant get it im going to him soon i am making a last plee as nice as i can

stubborn refusing to quit is all thats let medical has stopped and failed me

even when i went out of state and to specialists maybe 45 is a better goal than 50

every time i try to exercise my fibro fights back no matter how easy i do them then being out unable to move its quick sand

that last accident did me in i was rear ended while waiting for a car to turn she did over 40mph into use no brakes

i broke my brake pedal pushing so hard (specialist says recent band failure is delayed from pushing so hard)

my local fir screwed up then didnt flex our doors didnt slide board under me

they pulled me thats the first time and start of expressing pain i shocked my wife the names and cussin

my lower is gone just chiro help chiro help for pain thank full for a week or more of relief my fibro is permanent flare only higher it goes is it takes me out for days weeks if i fight to much

its my life and funny what you learn to just live with

i have a gland dying in my brain so i get lovely pass out migraines they said out of options and tried all the meds

im just thank full my emergency immatrex helps

3 neurologist 3 sleep labs lost count of docs i have had

my local medical last i asked had 3 of those giant sliders full of my records

so its hard to believe in answers or hope

i just trust myself and try to learn new ways to manage what else is there when there's nothing left

but theres never nothing hope and attitude is left being positive or negative

i try positive

thanks for the reply