War on drugs -- license to torture Americans in pain?

This is a very disturbing development. The DEA / CDC have succeeded in bullying physicians into not prescribing, or reducing doses of pain medications. I'm not dealing with pain now but is this another thing I need to fear in my journey with prostate cancer? Is Malecare speaking up on this subject?

foxnews.com/health/doctors-...

[Darryl Partner]

Opioid regulation has been a Malecare advocacy issue for almost three years. During that time, we have yet to meet a prostate cancer patient or prostate cancer focused doctor who felt that appropriate pain reduction care was stymied because of a regulation. If you know of anyone who feels that their pain medications were negatively affected by CDC regulations, please let me know via email (to preserve their privacy). darryl at malecare.org Also, please donate generously so we can devote more time and resources towards patient care advocacy. Unlike other so-called patient advocacy organizations, Malecare doesn't take ten's of millions of dollars from pharmaceutical companies, and then bow to do their bidding. To work for all of us, we need your generosity. malecare.org/donate

[j-o-h-n in reply to Darryl]

Repeat:

Malecare doesn't take tens of millions of dollars from pharmaceutical companies, and then bow to do their bidding. To work for all of us, we need your generosity. malecare.org/donate <===<<<

GIVE TILL IT HURTS, you won't need a pain killer, donating will stop the pain...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 12/12/2018 7:07 PM EST

[Drcrunch]

This does not apply to cancer patients, more to orthopedic cases.

[Hidden in reply to Drcrunch]

I hope that remains true. My personal experience with this crack-down on opioids was that I was denied a refill on lorazepam, which I used on an as-needed basis for insomnia. It was inexpensive and worked very well and I'd been using it for years. Not any more. My doctor was obviously afraid to prescribe it.

[Shooter1 in reply to Hidden]

lorazepam worked well for me too.... insurance and pharmacy decided I was to at risk to use it at 68. Thought dr's were the ones to decide things like that.

[Mkeman in reply to Shooter1]

Same advice as above.

[Mkeman in reply to Hidden]

Get a different doctor. Or try Xanax.

[Fairwind]

Generally, the DEA leaves Oncologists alone.....

[Don1157]

Good luck with that plan.

[Bluebird11]

I've noticed a hesitancy since 2 1/2 years ago.

[Excell]

I have found that pot took a lot of pain away after surgery. And now after someone on this board told me to try pot oil for the hot flashes. Let me tell ya it works. We all will agree that opiate addiction is a terrible thing. But, my body, my Life.

[Don1157]

I meant to sound more supportive than I did, especially with the marijuana.

[yucca13]

The opioid guidelines used by the Medicare and Medicaid Services exempt patients in palliative and hospice care or those being treated for "active" cancer-related pain. I am so tired of my husband being made to jump through the Prior Authorization hoops supposedly required by his Medicare drug plan. They have no right to be interfering with a cancer patient's right to have his prescriptions for pain medications filled without all the b.s. of multiple prior authorizations.

I finally found a senior representative who works for Express Scripts admit that it is not the correct policy according to CMS. I suggested that he educate his employees about the application of the guidelines. After going through a two week delay in getting the prior authorization because of the doctor's office not replying in a timely manner, I was thoroughly disgusted at what E.S. attempts to get away with in trying to deny filling opioid RXs. Maybe if more people correct them that these guidelines do not apply to active cancer patients they will stop their harassment.

[Hidden in reply to yucca13]

Right. And I am a cancer patient with some back and neck problems. I could be a cancer patient with non-cancer related orthopedic pain, then I'm in the same boat with these other people who are being denied the pain meds that they need. I suppose I could lie and claim cancer related pain. I hate bureaucrats and self righteous drug war fighters.