Anyone

[YannaGrace]

My doctor of many years just retired September 2015.  He has been prescribing me 15 mg oxycodone 3x per day for 5 years for chronic pain. He prescribed it w/o acetaminophen because he did not believe I needed all the tylenol. I take ibuprofen to help with pain and inflammation as needed. Once he changed my prescription to oxycodone - no acetaminophen added, it turned out that it cost 1/3 of the percocet. Since he retired, the provider I have seen at the same practice, said the "oxycodone w tylenol" is more appropriate for my condition. This person hasn't read my chart of 20 years with my former provider! She cannot tell me why it is more "appropriate". I went to a pain clinic, and the provider there said they do not provide instant release opiates w/o acetaminophen BECAUSE they are the most abused drugs. Excuse me. I thought my doctor's job was to provide for my medical health. Does anyone else feel angry that providers would prescribe a drug that costs 3x as much as one that has been working BECAUSE other people abuse it? Or that the drug you need, that works for you, is on the market at a price you can afford (I am self-pay) and the provider write you one that you can't even get filled? I have never asked for my medication early, do not constantly ask for it to raised, always passed drug screens (that by the way costs $244 each), and had the correct pill count when asked. Am I wrong, or is this crazy? I don't believe it is even ethical.

[Tuckamore]

Hi Yanna,

Welcome to our Pain Management Forum. I am delighted you found us and took the time to post. I am so sorry that you lost your long time physician. I too lost my long time physician and have experienced similar issues. I have been fighting for good PM(Pain Management) since.

I not only hear your anger - I feel your anger. It is ludicrous what abusers, dealers and divertors have done to we honest chronic pain (CP) patients. We are paying dearly for their "sins". The War of Drugs has really become the War of CP patients and their medical providers.  

The DEA and FDA are breathing down the necks of physicians that prescribe opiates. They face scrutiny of every opiate RX they write. Red Flags are automatic is certain situations, including prescribing opiates that are more easily abused than others.

There is a way your new physician can order the plain oxycodone. It requires good documentation with valid reasons. I think you have justifiable reasons for remaining on the opiate you have been prescribed for years. I'll take some convincing but it may be doable.

Talk to your pharmacy and obtain a print out of the cost difference between the two opiates. Take that print out to your new physician. If he/she is compassionate and understanding you may have a chance.

Good PMP that prescribe opiates are hard to come by. I'm not certain how plentiful they are in your area. Changing physicians can be difficult these days when you are a CP patient. It's worth considering.

Angry? I can't tell you how angry I am. However anger is counter productive, It'll get us no where. We need to make our anger and frustrations known. Write our governmental representatives, our congressman, state representatives and yes, the President of our United States. Write them all. Sign every appropriate petition you can find to begin to change this opiate-phobic climate.

Yes the "War of Drugs" has reduced the number of deaths and ER visits of our youth and abusers. Most of the Pill Mills are gone - dirty, greedy physicians are out of business, thankfully. However, just as we all thought, those true abusers and addicts just went to other drugs. We now have a Heroin epidemic - along with other street drugs. We are left to deal with the consequences of that so called War of Drugs.

Please be active in our community. You'll find support and understanding. MedHelp has been beneficial for me since 2008. I'm hopeful it'll be the same for you. We all learn from one another.

I'll look forward to hearing from you again soon.

Warm Regards,
~Tuck

[namnam46]

Hi YannaGrace.  :)

First, let me tell you how pleased we are you have found our PM ( Pain Management ) Forum here on MH ( MedHelp ).

I'm sorry your Doctor has retired from his practice.  :(   I know how devastating this can be to us PM Patients!  

If you are talking about the short-acting Oxycodone then I think your new Doctor is trying to combine your nsaid's (ibuprofen is an nsaid) in 1 pill to help your pain and not considering the cost to you. I was ASTOUNDED when I checked with my pharmacy to check the price difference. I have Medicare so it doesn't affect me like it does you since you don't have insurance. The difference was Oxycodone 10/325 was $277.75 versus the same amount in plain Oxycodone was only $99. 95.  Basically 1/3 the cost as you said.   I doubt that your Doctor has ANY idea as to the price difference and you need to sit down and talk openly and honestly with them about the fact that you can't afford the Oxycodone with acetiminophen versus the plain Oxycocdone.  If you tell them the reason why they might be more understanding and willing to work with you on this.

The opioid climate that we live in is extremely frightening for ALL CP ( Chronic Pain ) Patients as yourself and most of us here on the PM Forum at MH.  It's our new world and we are working hard to try to be able to keep our medications that help us with our pain.  

I'm so VERY SORRY for what you are having to deal with and I HOPE this has been of some help to you.  PLEASE talk openly and honestly with your new Doctor and I hope that they are willing to work with you.  Your ONLY other option would be to try a different Doctor and you have to be careful about how that looks so they don't think you are Doctor shopping.  

Please let me know what happens when you talk with your Doctor.  I wish you the very best and look forward to your update.
                          .........         Sherry    :)