I may have posted this somewhere else, can't remember. If not, on Feb 29 Canada banned oxycodone to anyone but cancer patients. I don't take it so I thought it wouldn't affect me, but when I wennt to my Dr. this week, she gave me an earful about how the law now says no one but cancer victims should be on opiate pain meds, and she believed it! I told her there are a lot of conditions out there more painful than cancer and that last for decades, unlike cancer. She said hundreds of thousands will be taken off their pain meds. (this will cause suicides!) This law won't stop abusers from getting their stuff illegally, it only stops lawful citizens in pain from getting help. They also changed the oxycodone so if you take more than 1 you'll get sick! What cancer victim needs to be made sicker by his pain meds?
Is there anyone who has heard an earful from their own doctors? Will your Dr. keep you on your pain meds or take them away? I'm going to do what I can from bed to get this changed, with other pain sufferers.
Oh God, this is going to create havoc. You can cite thousands of Fibromyalgia articles that state the best treatment is opiates. And that's just Fibro. How many other chronic, life-time sufferers are out there with no pain meds now? Things much worse than Fibro? Canada needs to 1) re-educate their Doctors, if they are agreeing, and 2) re-educate the government on the proper dispensing of medication also. Wait until a high-ranking politician needs something and GOD FORBID, is denied, then things will be questioned.
We have many many Doctors here in the states that "over-prescribe" opiates---they are in the paper every day. So now the Doctors who are giving it legitimately are scared THEY will end up in the paper, and their license in jeopardy. My Rheumatologist is scared to death to write anything. Come on, he's in the PAIN business! He should be able to write whatever HE feels is necessary.
It's a double-edged sword, both countries are still denying the patients what they need.
I'm so sorry to hear about this. I don't know what they think they're accomplishing by taking this approach. It's obvious what the consequences will be - more illegal trade as well as suicides.
Yes they are paranoid about pain meds any more. What really amazed me, based on my experience with "morphine" in the ER, is our doctors are also pulling this trick of of putting ipecac or something like that in it, at least for some, and making you throw up and pass out. That's what "morphine" did to me. At least I got my gallbladder attacks under control with natural measures.
Over here the fibro groups have been very proactive in dealing with legislation to keep that kind of thing from happening. They've been fighting this tooth and nail with some degree of success I guess despite my ER experience.
I hear that drug trade is run from the gov. on down. I think this is because it gives them an excuse to occupy & oppress foreign countries as well as us. Just my 2 cents worth.
Hi Katha, The E/R most likely gave you Versed, or something similar. It's like Valium, Ativan, etc. but stronger. It's supposed to help relax you in addition to the Morphine, and make you take a little nap. But it definitely sounds like you had a reaction to one of them. I tell them I'm allergic to Versed, because during a colonoscopy where they sedated me with it, I woke up in the middle of the procedure. OUCH ! So I never want to take that risk again! Plus, I'm allergic to all codeine--so I can't have Morphine, Vicodin, Oxy, Lortab....none of them. The only thing that DOESN'T make me dry-heave for hours and hours on end is Demerol, and the E/R is OK in an emergency with it--but I only had one Doctor give it to me for maintenance, that was pain management--the only year I was ever really functional--But I don't see him anymore. So now for my severe Fibro flare ups? Basically, Motrin.
I don't pay attention to legislation much, but I heard from 2 of my Doctors that the Pharmaceutical Companies are really hurting right now--some don't have any new drugs in the works, some have over-marketed the "new shiny toy", which never caught on---and MANY are having shortages of drugs---stating: "the shipments of the medicine are being hijacked from China by pirates". Go FIgure.
Hi Katha, The E/R most likely gave you Versed, or something similar. It's like Valium, Ativan, etc. but stronger. It's supposed to help relax you in addition to the Morphine, and make you take a little nap. But it definitely sounds like you had a reaction to one of them. I tell them I'm allergic to Versed, because during a colonoscopy where they sedated me with it, I woke up in the middle of the procedure. OUCH ! So I never want to take that risk again! Plus, I'm allergic to all codeine--so I can't have Morphine, Vicodin, Oxy, Lortab....none of them. The only thing that DOESN'T make me dry-heave for hours and hours on end is Demerol, and the E/R is OK in an emergency with it--but I only had one Doctor give it to me for maintenance, that was pain management--the only year I was ever really functional--But I don't see him anymore. So now for my severe Fibro flare ups? Basically, Motrin.
I don't pay attention to legislation much, but I heard from 2 of my Doctors that the Pharmaceutical Companies are really hurting right now--some don't have any new drugs in the works, some have over-marketed the "new shiny toy", which never caught on---and MANY are having shortages of drugs---stating: "the shipments of the medicine are being hijacked from China by pirates". Go FIgure.
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If it was Versed I was given I'm surprised. I normally take Ativan so am used to that. Versed must be quite different and I will ask to avoid it next time. As for the the "shortages", I would imagine China and other countries who don't know how to make them are either paying us big bucks to get them, or like they said, hijacking shipments. The result is, more scary, weak drugs made from someone's garage. - Don't feel bad about taking Motrin. I take aspirin! Besides, how long can you take an opiate before it stops working?
who ever is making these insane laws needs to experience the pain we and others do maybe then they will think twice about such laws that limit who gets what pain meds. i know fibro can b really painfull at times when we have a flare up and not so bad at other times but that should mean we cant get pain relief when we need it.yes cancer is painful but so is fibro,lupus,ms and other pain conditions no one should take away the right for people to get pain relief no matter what they have. these laws need to b changed.
Hi, I work in a hospital assisting the Dr’s w colonoscopy, I administer versed & Demerol , recently we changed the Demerol to fentanyl it causes less nausea , back 2 the versed , it’s common to “wake up during the procedure” it’s called conscious sedation meaning you are only in a light sleep , if you remember waking up the dr may not have given enough versed, some under sedate , while others over sedate & we have trouble waking you up , I would recommend a different endo dr , sounds like you did not get enough versed, but after working with tons of endoscopist , I would rather be under sedated than over sedated , there have been times we have trouble getting a patient to breath because of 2 much versed , the right dr, knows how 2 find the right balance, alot of patients with chronic pain take alot of meds & the versed & Demerol just are not enough , for those an anesthesiologist can safely sedate without the patient feeling anything . Hope this helps if you say you are allergic to versed they won’t use it & with only Demerol u will for sure feel more , ask for an anesthesiologist or find a new dr. God bless
Renie said:
Hi Katha, The E/R most likely gave you Versed, or something similar. It’s like Valium, Ativan, etc. but stronger. It’s supposed to help relax you in addition to the Morphine, and make you take a little nap. But it definitely sounds like you had a reaction to one of them. I tell them I’m allergic to Versed, because during a colonoscopy where they sedated me with it, I woke up in the middle of the procedure. OUCH ! So I never want to take that risk again! Plus, I’m allergic to all codeine–so I can’t have Morphine, Vicodin, Oxy, Lortab…none of them. The only thing that DOESN’T make me dry-heave for hours and hours on end is Demerol, and the E/R is OK in an emergency with it–but I only had one Doctor give it to me for maintenance, that was pain management–the only year I was ever really functional–But I don’t see him anymore. So now for my severe Fibro flare ups? Basically, Motrin.
I don’t pay attention to legislation much, but I heard from 2 of my Doctors that the Pharmaceutical Companies are really hurting right now–some don’t have any new drugs in the works, some have over-marketed the “new shiny toy”, which never caught on—and MANY are having shortages of drugs—stating: “the shipments of the medicine are being hijacked from China by pirates”. Go FIgure.
This is horrible. I cannot believe this. I hope there are protests going on. The first doctor I had said she was concerned about Ultram being addictive and gave me a small amount for the month. It made me aware I should probably save it for the worst flares and I did. I changed doctors several times since but my current doctor is very happy to write a prescription for any narcotic. Fortunately I can't take them on a regular basis...they irritate my stomach but I have bottles of oxycodone,ultram and another narcotic lying around the house. None of which I have come close to emptying. This is wrong. There are rights to having control over our bodies being violated. I think if someone searched the law books something here is illegal. How is it ethical to allow cancer patients to suffer? I hope you are able to have some influence over this
Hi dozer, the cancer patients are the only ones who CAN get a new narcotics prescription now. Those who have been on pain meds responsibly for years, some doctors got really scared by the new law and cut off everyone. Some like my Dr. cut some off, lowered doses on others, on a case by case basis, making it known that she could cut me off anytime. Canada has laws that suit the socialized medicine scheme. (Anything to save money, even let sicker or disabled people die.) I still say this law will not stop drug abusers, it will just stop us who get it from a Dr. and take it responsibly. If i only had fibro, there's no way I'd get strong pain meds. I suffered so much for 20 years, but with all the damages of lupus and trigeminal neuralgia, I am allowed some help.Thanks for caring.