stanwood is right... this article is completely incorrect and the writer doesn't know what they are talking about
- hydrocodone when combined with tylenol is a schedule 3 restricted drug already... the FDA panel voted to move it to the much more restrictive schedule 2
- the article infers its not controlled at all now which is wrong... it is already carefully controlled at schedule 3
moving it to schedule 2 means two things:
- patients will now have to go to a doctor every month to get a new script instead of once every 6 months... making people with pain conditions cough up 6 times the money on doctor visits, gas etc....
- hydrocodone is the only moderate pain killer left at schedule 3... when it's gone, there won't be anything for patients to get easily for long term conditions without going to a doctor every 4 weeks....
it's absurd... more regulation and the middle class having to pay more than ever if they have a serious condition and need pain control....
I've been down this road. I have a pinched nerve in my back and I take a minimal amount of Hydrocodone each day. At first I had to go to a pain clinic who wanted to substitute a $1200 spinal injection instead of my $3.00 per month pills. This along with a co pay for every visit.
I finally told my doctor either he wrote the script for the pills or I got a different doctor.
I still have the same doctor and no more pain clinic.
This would be interfering in a physicians ability to treat their patients. Those who are prescribed medication are because they have significant pain that can not be treated effectively by over the counter pain relief. So what happens when a person who has chronic long term pain when they reach some arbitrary set limit? Sorry, but you'll just have to go and live with the pain? It really comes down to common sense on the prescribing physicians part. A person who broke their finger two months ago that comes back seeking more pain killers should cause an alarm to go off in the doctors head.
I suffer from chronic pain due to arthritis in most of my body. I've tried so many treatments for my spine and none work for longer than3-4 weeks. Finally, (and reluctantly) went to a surgeon who looked at my MRI's and said he was so sorry, but he could do nothing. Vicodin keeps me from laying on the floor and howling some days and my Dr. moniters it. Wish the FDA and so many of the lawmaker's could have severe pain for a few days or barf their toenails up from Chemo, etc. Then maybe they'd mak MJ legal and leave the pain meds alone.
Writers/News 'People' aren't concerned with the facts, only a good (selling) news story. Don Henley's 'Dirty Laundry' lyrics are a brilliant analogy of this BS. It's ok to advertise all these prescription drugs, Enbrel, Intercept, Chantix, Cymbalta, yadda, etc. I personally love the Cialis one's. If you can't get a boner, there's a reason for it. Probably because you don't deserve to have one, or one of the meds you're on prevents it, so you need to take another med to fix it. And now ladies and gentleman we advertise vibrators (oh my, I thought they were neck massagers) on the TV too! I'm considering flyng Phil Mickelson to my home so he can open every f'ing screw top jar in the house because this arthritis med is a MIRACLE, he's a proffessional ATHLETE, so it must be true! HA! Where do I sign? All of this BS aired of the TV for meds that are not available without a prescription. Hey, you've got the script pad out, how about prescribing something fun? I go MAD when I see the ads for 'Cancer Treatment Centers of America'. They have the balls to state in the FOUR & A HALF minute ad "You should not expect these results". Why the F put it on the TV? Desperation to survive? Yes, survive, not LIVE. Hmmm, I have this disease that more than likely will be my demise, but I'll look to an ad on the TV to stear me in the right direction to find a cure. WTF? I wonder if I need to have health insurance? YES, and that's the only way they will see you unless you've got millions of $$$, or willing to take out four mortgages on your home that will outlive you by many, many years. But in the AD, everyone is happy as a clam, dancing aroung the Maypole, and they just bought a new puppy! Perhaps they should consider using the $$$ pissed away to promote this bollucks, and contribute it to people that need it in a hope that they can be 'Cured'. We all know the chances of that. The same chance you have of beating this horrible 'Cancer' monster of a disease. Play the lottery.......
Disgustedne1...., Hey buddy! Don't allow anyone to disparage your words by labeling them as a rant. I can hear your explosion of thoughts, rumbling and cascading all over the landscape like a charging herd of elephants. But, you know what? What matters are all those little gems of relevance dropping behind the herd as it rushes and gushes forth like a tsunami called the truth!!!!
Welcome to the USA of pharmacopeia. We've been grown, since infants, with the message that only 'mommy makes it better, with a feel good pill--baby aspirin.' When we could enter the pharmacy and buy OTC's.., including condoms, we were hooked. We can even convert some of that stuff(cough meds.) into some bad @!$%#.., crack, etc.. Turn 18 and now your amongst the big players..., mom, dad's, grandparents, aunts, uncles and their medicine cabinets. What a treasure "chest', Back in the day.., it could be referred to, not as a cabinet, but as a MEDICINE CHEST..., as in a place for 'valuables'. What a wonderful way to convince the young and old that the stuff in there is very, very, important and therefore very OK, for use. Caution? Hell.., anyone old enough to read knows that caution means forbidden, therefore a curious and adventurous youngster/adult will always ignore the warnings and 'GO FOR IT!! The mind masters know all this..., it is called marketing, yields immense profits. The pharmaceutical, tobacco, sugar vendors are absolutely in control of such skills. At the end, the C C of America are there to welcome & congratulate us on our successful adventures maneuvering through the maze of toxic mines and finally arriving at their wonderful world of toxic I.V.'s to extend our lives a few more months and years.
I am a chronic pain patient but fully support moving this drug to a Schedule II. It may make access more difficult for people like me, but keeping this highly addictive medication out of the hands of kids, drug dealers, etc is more important then MY access. Young men being killed for dealing this stuff weighs on my conscience, and an addict can take down an entire family.
We do need to prepare ourselves for the onslaught of addicts, as this drug is highly abused. I hope they can get the best possible care and that we don't shame them, as no-one knew initially how quickly someone could get hooked on this drug.
are you going to give a poverty stricken pain patient money for the extra 8 doctor visits a year they are going to have to do if this schedule change happens?
Honestly I dont see this as a big addiction drug. I took it after shattering my shoulder for a few months.
When the pain finally lessoned I quit taking it and moved to just over the counter pain killers for a few more months.
Even though I will have pain for the rest of my life I dont take the major pain killers.
I can see how some in dire pain their whole life may need it , if that is the case , they are going to need it for life so what is the problem even if it were addictive. There pain is not going away until they die anyway.
The tylenol is MUCH worse for your body than the hydrocodone. Just a few months ago, the news stories were plastering tales of patients getting liver damage from the acetaminophen component. Why don't they just prescribe plain low dose hydrocodone and tell patients to use tylenol concurrently?
Funny we are so worried about people becoming addicted, but it's much less of a problem than alcoholism. Some psych book I just read said the addiction rate was extremely low. Let's start limiting the amount of booze you can buy in a day ;)
Hydrocodone is already controlled as a Schedule 3 drug. I live with chronic pain from 2 herniated disks, Degenerative Disc Disease and arthritis of the spine. I am only 40 years old and can no longer walk, sit, sleep, without constant, daily pain. The medicine does not take away the pain completely but does alleviate it so that I can have a functioning life, work and be a productive member of society. I also implement other pain relieving techniques, such as physical therapy (which though it does help in the long run, it is painful and leaves me very sore), I also use an TENS unit (Electro-therapy), as well as daily stretching, low-impact water exercises, and meditation and prayer as pain takes it's toll on the body & soul. I get nerve blocks every 3-4 months and the amount of cortisone that I've had injected is now eroding the enamel from my teeth, as well as some weight gain, which I keep at a minimal as extra weight on my spine will only make my condition worse. I do not consider myself an abuser of this medication. I am a recovered alcoholic (8years) and I know fully the downfall of addictions. I also know that this, and other types of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, as well as gambling, shopping, eating, etc. can ALL cause addictions. Abusers of ANYTHING will find a way to feed their addictions. As a mother of a teenager, I keep all medications under lock & key. Just as I would if I had alcohol or a gun in the house. My doctor works closely with me and my therapists for pain management. I also take random urine tests to make sure I am taking safe levels of the drug, and that I am not using others drugs, or not using it at all and selling them on the streets to abusers (which does happen alot). Rescheduling this drug will only make it more difficult for the ones in true need to get them. It will not stop the black market from selling them (and making a HUGE profit) and it will not stop the abusers from abusing it. I currently have no insurance, and can not afford to see my specialist EVERY month for an ongoing, chronic condition, that is likely to worsen with time. My doctor does not deem it necessary to see me every month, and as the educated professional, I believe it should be up to them, not the government, to deal with health issues. Neither the F.D.A not the D.E.A. have been to medical school to be doctors, nurse practitioners, pain specialists, therapists, etc. and so they do not have the training to decide what is best for my medical conditions. Are there now more prescriptions being written than 10 years ago? Absolutely, but one must also consider the fact that there are now hundreds of thousands of baby-boomers in need of medication. Are there people who will abuse the drug? Absolutely, and they will abuse other more readily available substances as well. Please do not make the ones in need suffer for the actions of abusers. Do not make the doctors so afraid of losing their license that they are too scared to write needed prescriptions. Doctors should not be made to "police" their patients.
E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Leave a Comment:
Hydrocodone is a schedule III drug. Where did you get your info? Better look it up again because it makes the writer look foolish....
stanwood is right... this article is completely incorrect and the writer doesn't know what they are talking about
- hydrocodone when combined with tylenol is a schedule 3 restricted drug already... the FDA panel voted to move it to the much more restrictive schedule 2
- the article infers its not controlled at all now which is wrong... it is already carefully controlled at schedule 3
moving it to schedule 2 means two things:
- patients will now have to go to a doctor every month to get a new script instead of once every 6 months... making people with pain conditions cough up 6 times the money on doctor visits, gas etc....
- hydrocodone is the only moderate pain killer left at schedule 3... when it's gone, there won't be anything for patients to get easily for long term conditions without going to a doctor every 4 weeks....
it's absurd... more regulation and the middle class having to pay more than ever if they have a serious condition and need pain control....
I've been down this road. I have a pinched nerve in my back and I take a minimal amount of Hydrocodone each day. At first I had to go to a pain clinic who wanted to substitute a $1200 spinal injection instead of my $3.00 per month pills. This along with a co pay for every visit.
I finally told my doctor either he wrote the script for the pills or I got a different doctor.
I still have the same doctor and no more pain clinic.
This would be interfering in a physicians ability to treat their patients. Those who are prescribed medication are because they have significant pain that can not be treated effectively by over the counter pain relief. So what happens when a person who has chronic long term pain when they reach some arbitrary set limit? Sorry, but you'll just have to go and live with the pain? It really comes down to common sense on the prescribing physicians part. A person who broke their finger two months ago that comes back seeking more pain killers should cause an alarm to go off in the doctors head.
I suffer from chronic pain due to arthritis in most of my body. I've tried so many treatments for my spine and none work for longer than3-4 weeks. Finally, (and reluctantly) went to a surgeon who looked at my MRI's and said he was so sorry, but he could do nothing. Vicodin keeps me from laying on the floor and howling some days and my Dr. moniters it. Wish the FDA and so many of the lawmaker's could have severe pain for a few days or barf their toenails up from Chemo, etc. Then maybe they'd mak MJ legal and leave the pain meds alone.
Writers/News 'People' aren't concerned with the facts, only a good (selling) news story. Don Henley's 'Dirty Laundry' lyrics are a brilliant analogy of this BS. It's ok to advertise all these prescription drugs, Enbrel, Intercept, Chantix, Cymbalta, yadda, etc. I personally love the Cialis one's. If you can't get a boner, there's a reason for it. Probably because you don't deserve to have one, or one of the meds you're on prevents it, so you need to take another med to fix it. And now ladies and gentleman we advertise vibrators (oh my, I thought they were neck massagers) on the TV too! I'm considering flyng Phil Mickelson to my home so he can open every f'ing screw top jar in the house because this arthritis med is a MIRACLE, he's a proffessional ATHLETE, so it must be true! HA! Where do I sign? All of this BS aired of the TV for meds that are not available without a prescription. Hey, you've got the script pad out, how about prescribing something fun? I go MAD when I see the ads for 'Cancer Treatment Centers of America'. They have the balls to state in the FOUR & A HALF minute ad "You should not expect these results". Why the F put it on the TV? Desperation to survive? Yes, survive, not LIVE. Hmmm, I have this disease that more than likely will be my demise, but I'll look to an ad on the TV to stear me in the right direction to find a cure. WTF? I wonder if I need to have health insurance? YES, and that's the only way they will see you unless you've got millions of $$$, or willing to take out four mortgages on your home that will outlive you by many, many years. But in the AD, everyone is happy as a clam, dancing aroung the Maypole, and they just bought a new puppy! Perhaps they should consider using the $$$ pissed away to promote this bollucks, and contribute it to people that need it in a hope that they can be 'Cured'. We all know the chances of that. The same chance you have of beating this horrible 'Cancer' monster of a disease. Play the lottery.......
Disgustedne1...., Hey buddy! Don't allow anyone to disparage your words by labeling them as a rant. I can hear your explosion of thoughts, rumbling and cascading all over the landscape like a charging herd of elephants. But, you know what? What matters are all those little gems of relevance dropping behind the herd as it rushes and gushes forth like a tsunami called the truth!!!!
Welcome to the USA of pharmacopeia. We've been grown, since infants, with the message that only 'mommy makes it better, with a feel good pill--baby aspirin.' When we could enter the pharmacy and buy OTC's.., including condoms, we were hooked. We can even convert some of that stuff(cough meds.) into some bad @!$%#.., crack, etc.. Turn 18 and now your amongst the big players..., mom, dad's, grandparents, aunts, uncles and their medicine cabinets. What a treasure "chest', Back in the day.., it could be referred to, not as a cabinet, but as a MEDICINE CHEST..., as in a place for 'valuables'. What a wonderful way to convince the young and old that the stuff in there is very, very, important and therefore very OK, for use. Caution? Hell.., anyone old enough to read knows that caution means forbidden, therefore a curious and adventurous youngster/adult will always ignore the warnings and 'GO FOR IT!! The mind masters know all this..., it is called marketing, yields immense profits. The pharmaceutical, tobacco, sugar vendors are absolutely in control of such skills. At the end, the C C of America are there to welcome & congratulate us on our successful adventures maneuvering through the maze of toxic mines and finally arriving at their wonderful world of toxic I.V.'s to extend our lives a few more months and years.
Thank you Disgustedne1, for being you! Gogoody
I am a chronic pain patient but fully support moving this drug to a Schedule II. It may make access more difficult for people like me, but keeping this highly addictive medication out of the hands of kids, drug dealers, etc is more important then MY access. Young men being killed for dealing this stuff weighs on my conscience, and an addict can take down an entire family.
We do need to prepare ourselves for the onslaught of addicts, as this drug is highly abused. I hope they can get the best possible care and that we don't shame them, as no-one knew initially how quickly someone could get hooked on this drug.
are you going to give a poverty stricken pain patient money for the extra 8 doctor visits a year they are going to have to do if this schedule change happens?
Honestly I dont see this as a big addiction drug. I took it after shattering my shoulder for a few months.
When the pain finally lessoned I quit taking it and moved to just over the counter pain killers for a few more months.
Even though I will have pain for the rest of my life I dont take the major pain killers.
I can see how some in dire pain their whole life may need it , if that is the case , they are going to need it for life so what is the problem even if it were addictive. There pain is not going away until they die anyway.
The tylenol is MUCH worse for your body than the hydrocodone. Just a few months ago, the news stories were plastering tales of patients getting liver damage from the acetaminophen component. Why don't they just prescribe plain low dose hydrocodone and tell patients to use tylenol concurrently?
Funny we are so worried about people becoming addicted, but it's much less of a problem than alcoholism. Some psych book I just read said the addiction rate was extremely low. Let's start limiting the amount of booze you can buy in a day ;)
Hydrocodone is already controlled as a Schedule 3 drug. I live with chronic pain from 2 herniated disks, Degenerative Disc Disease and arthritis of the spine. I am only 40 years old and can no longer walk, sit, sleep, without constant, daily pain. The medicine does not take away the pain completely but does alleviate it so that I can have a functioning life, work and be a productive member of society. I also implement other pain relieving techniques, such as physical therapy (which though it does help in the long run, it is painful and leaves me very sore), I also use an TENS unit (Electro-therapy), as well as daily stretching, low-impact water exercises, and meditation and prayer as pain takes it's toll on the body & soul. I get nerve blocks every 3-4 months and the amount of cortisone that I've had injected is now eroding the enamel from my teeth, as well as some weight gain, which I keep at a minimal as extra weight on my spine will only make my condition worse. I do not consider myself an abuser of this medication. I am a recovered alcoholic (8years) and I know fully the downfall of addictions. I also know that this, and other types of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, as well as gambling, shopping, eating, etc. can ALL cause addictions. Abusers of ANYTHING will find a way to feed their addictions. As a mother of a teenager, I keep all medications under lock & key. Just as I would if I had alcohol or a gun in the house. My doctor works closely with me and my therapists for pain management. I also take random urine tests to make sure I am taking safe levels of the drug, and that I am not using others drugs, or not using it at all and selling them on the streets to abusers (which does happen alot). Rescheduling this drug will only make it more difficult for the ones in true need to get them. It will not stop the black market from selling them (and making a HUGE profit) and it will not stop the abusers from abusing it. I currently have no insurance, and can not afford to see my specialist EVERY month for an ongoing, chronic condition, that is likely to worsen with time. My doctor does not deem it necessary to see me every month, and as the educated professional, I believe it should be up to them, not the government, to deal with health issues. Neither the F.D.A not the D.E.A. have been to medical school to be doctors, nurse practitioners, pain specialists, therapists, etc. and so they do not have the training to decide what is best for my medical conditions. Are there now more prescriptions being written than 10 years ago? Absolutely, but one must also consider the fact that there are now hundreds of thousands of baby-boomers in need of medication. Are there people who will abuse the drug? Absolutely, and they will abuse other more readily available substances as well. Please do not make the ones in need suffer for the actions of abusers. Do not make the doctors so afraid of losing their license that they are too scared to write needed prescriptions. Doctors should not be made to "police" their patients.