DEA moves Vicodin to a schedule 2 drug.

[surfsatwerk]

I approve of this move.

 

[DaTT]

I been thinking of talking with my GP. i have been seeing him since i was 18 (i'm 42 now).

You should.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Been that way in NY for almost a year.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

A doctor cannot mail a script for a scheduled drug like this. You must see them in person and they must give you the script.

Now whether this truly happens every time is up for debate.

I don't know which state you refer to, but in NY it's absolutely legal although there's a process involved. Also urine tests are done in ny at least once a year.

 

[02ranger]

A new RX means a doctor appointment each month. now you pay for a doctor visit that takes 2 minutes just to get a RX.

It's going to cost more just to get the damn thing.

Only people this change hurts are those that are doing it legally.

If anything this will make it easier to get on the street. More expensive, sure, but also more prevalent, because the people who already sell part of their prescription for extra money are now going to sell more of the prescription to cover the extra cost. It'll also drive others who were on the fence to start selling theirs as well........

 

[RadiclDreamer]

As much as I hate the abuse that goes on, I think its very BS. My father has chronic pain due to to a verified medical issue that can only be treated, never fixed. This makes it much harder on those who need it. How about clamping down on docs that write massive amounts of narc scripts?

 

[smackababy]

How about clamping down on docs that write massive amounts of narc scripts?

That is a lot harder to do, if those kind of stats are even tracked. Similar to have slowing guns going to criminals would be better combated cracking down on gun dealers illegally selling guns, rather than legislation. But, common sense hardly prevails when emotions are involved.

 

[Phoenix86]

Why would we want to cut down on idiots ODing?

Because it's more illegal, duh.

 

[Gooberlx2]

That is a lot harder to do, if those kind of stats are even tracked.

Right, that's complicated. Indeed some docs might be pain script factories, but most aren't. Take Waggy's pain clinician...is he going to be targeted for the sole fact that he's a pain specialist? His whole job is basically writing pain scripts.

When you start combining the multitude of variables, like specialty, patient demographics, patient's condition(s), region, clinic/doctor reputation, patient load, etc, etc... it becomes really fuzzy to say when how much is too much for a single physician. Combine that with the fact that a lot of that health information is private and protected, and not available to the regulatory/enforcement agencies to see.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

As much as I hate the abuse that goes on, I think its very BS. My father has chronic pain due to to a verified medical issue that can only be treated, never fixed. This makes it much harder on those who need it. How about clamping down on docs that write massive amounts of narc scripts?

No, if they do crack down on doctors, they'll do it like a shotgun and hit everyone whether a dealer or some minor clerical mistake. That way even well meaning doctors will be too scared to ever write a prescription for anyone.

 

[Skel]

As much as I hate the abuse that goes on, I think its very BS. My father has chronic pain due to to a verified medical issue that can only be treated, never fixed. This makes it much harder on those who need it. How about clamping down on docs that write massive amounts of narc scripts?

Don't kid yourself. The doctors and patents are already tracked. It's one of the key points in (most) pain center's patent contracts. They can and will pull your prescription history to verify the patent isn't attempting to fill multiple prescriptions. Doctors are tracked even farther and when a pattern emerges that doctor is audited/fined/closed down. The doctor should have a complete file on why the patent was prescribed the medication and why he chose the dosage he did. If he is unable to backup why the prescription was written he loses his license. These kind of drugs are more of a big deal than a lot of people (sadly including those in the power to make changes to laws) believe.

 

[waggy]

A How about clamping down on docs that write massive amounts of narc scripts?

they are. that is one of the problems. They don't want to get looked at for writing many scripts. So they give the MIN they think the patient needs. it's never enough

Also the feds are going after pharmacy's. they will nail them if they think they are giving them to early or ignoring scripts. There is a reason Walgreens will not do them.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Many doctors abuse the prescription of those drugs for patients and this change won't make a big difference to them. A lot of them write scripts at the patient's request and against good judgment simply because they want the patient to come back and they don't want to be hassled when they tell the patient "no".

Just saying...a lot of them are about charging insurance for the visit and don't care what drugs the patients walk with.

 

[SlowSpyder]

All this will do is inconvenience patients with legitimate needs. People who want to use the medicine recreationally will still do so. I guess this means hydrocodone abuse will now only be as widespread as oxycodone abuse...

 

[smackababy]

^While I agree there are some bad ones out there, I hardly think that is the norm. I mean, if making a ton of money was the goal, and not some altruism, they would have become Wall Street swindlers, not doctors.

I know TraumaRN has posted about obvious abusers that come in basically every night to attempt to score and are frequently turned away.

 

[crab]

also something not mentioned is the FDA are going after Pharmacy's and doctors now. So they are hesitant to stock or give out schedule II drugs. From what i hear Walgreens will not stock or fill schedule II.

They do and will.

 

[Gooberlx2]

There is a reason Walgreens will not do them.

Walgreens totally does schedule ii scripts in Denver. Is it just the pharmacist at yours that sucks?

 

[waggy]

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1MSIM_enUS576US576&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=walgreens%20refusing%20to%20fill%20pain%20meds


there are tons of stories about peole getting refused to fill pain meds.

also the DEA has targeted Walgreens in many states

http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/dea-focuses-on-walgreens-in-crackdown-on-prescription-painkillers/

a few pain forums i get on have people who has had trouble getting them filled at walgreens.

 

[DaTT]

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1MSIM_enUS576US576&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=walgreens%20refusing%20to%20fill%20pain%20meds


there are tons of stories about peole getting refused to fill pain meds.

also the DEA has targeted Walgreens in many states

http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/dea-focuses-on-walgreens-in-crackdown-on-prescription-painkillers/

a few pain forums i get on have people who has had trouble getting them filled at walgreens.

Are some Pharmacies selling these drugs without scripts? That's just asking for jail time, no?

The paper trail should be easy to follow. If pills out equals scripts in, then no flags should be raised. Not sure what cash transactions have to do with anything.

 

[Hugo Drax]

Merica?

 

[Skel]

Walgreens totally does schedule ii scripts in Denver. Is it just the pharmacist at yours that sucks?

https://www.google.com/webhp?source...=UTF-8#q=walgreens refusing to fill pain meds


there are tons of stories about peole getting refused to fill pain meds.

also the DEA has targeted Walgreens in many states

http://www.drugfree.org/join-togeth...ens-in-crackdown-on-prescription-painkillers/

a few pain forums i get on have people who has had trouble getting them filled at walgreens.

From what the pharmacist at my local Walgreens tells me, each store has a limit on how many milligrams of opiate they're allowed to receive. That number gets to be split up between the medication dosages and types. That's why you have a bunch of people unable to fill higher dosage medications regardless if they're rapid or extended release. Anything over 10 milligrams is hard to fill and they sell out of other dosages quickly. The stores attempt to order more to fill the prescriptions they get, or know they'll getting (really common with chronic pain people to know they're getting a prescription for x amount on x day) but are unable to get the medications in due to being over their limit. It's a ridiculous over reaction to opiate abuse but I've heard it's worse with other pharmacies. Costco allegedly won't touch prescriptions that are over x amount of pill or x amount of dosage regardless of who it is.

 

[WilliamM2]

You have to have a full appointment with the doctor no you can't just pick it up. Also many pain clinics will have you sign document saying you won't get refills anywhere but 1 place.
Y
ou have to have a visit with the drug counselor on a random bases. usually every 2-3 months. on top of all that you get random drug screening too!

Most pain clinics already do all of that.

 

[waggy]

Most pain clinics already do all of that.

yes i know. i was explaining the process i go through for the pain clinic for someone who asked a question.

 

[amicold]

I'm a bit confused by this. I had thought it was a schedule II all along, the same as Oxycodone. It makes no sense for them not to be the same schedule as it's the same kind of drug. As for the ruling, it makes it sound like all that is going to happen is the patent will need to see the doctor for the prescription, and the max is 90 days worth of meds.

Hydrocodone has to be formulated with an nsaid or other combination (cough syrup) in the US, and it is a comparatively weak opioid by comparison to most others. You would not OD from the hydrocodone before you died of liver failure from the apap in all the tablets you have to eat. From my experience the people that complain about the difficulty of obtaining (legally) scheduled drugs are the ones in denial about dependence. A lot of people have chronic medications that improve their quality of life but how many people on anxiety/depression medication can tell you how long until they need a refill?

 

[xSauronx]

yeah. it won't cut down on idiots buying it and ODing. but it is going to cut down those with chronic pain getting some relief.

thats the worst thing. people who need pain relief suffer because of assholes. my GF gets vicodin rarely, but is on something else that just got changed as well, and getting meds was already an unfortunate pain in the ass for her.