How Will People in Severe Pain Cope Without Narcotics?

The Feds Team up to get Doctors to Say No to Narcotics

In the fall of 2014 the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) made it much harder for doctors to prescribe opioid analgesics. Hydrocodone (found in Lortab, Norco and Vicodin) was changed from a Schedule III drug to a Schedule II drug. That meant that doctors could no longer call in, fax or send an electronic prescription to the pharmacy. Patients in severe pain now need a paper prescription that is good for one month at a time. No refills are allowed.

The FDA Gets on Board:

Now, the Food and Drug Administration has gotten into the act. It has just issued new scary boxed opioid warnings that remind doctors that drugs like hydrocodone and oxydodone can cause abuse, addiction, overdose and death.

The agency has always been cautious about telling physicians how to practice medicine. That’s because the law governing this federal agency doesn’t authorize it to regulate how doctors diagnose and treat patients. But the new stronger boxed warning on short-acting opioids will doubtless scare a lot of doctors, pharmacists and patients into thinking twice about prescribing, dispensing or taking a narcotic

The CDC Gets into the Act:

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) likewise “does not regulate the practice of medicine.” Nevertheless, this federal organization has recently issued a new guideline to curtail use of opioid narcotics in treating pain. The fallout has been instantaneous and contentious.

In essence, the CDC has said that narcotics like hydrocodone or oxycodone are not appropriate for treating chronic pain. For acute pain, such as after surgery or an accident, the CDC recommends the lowest effective dose and says that “three days or less will often be sufficient.” Tell that to someone who has been in an automobile accident and suffered numerous broken bones and soft tissue injuries.

The goal of the guideline is to reduce opioid abuse and overdose deaths. That is a worthwhile objective. It remains to be seen if the actions of the DEA, FDA and CDC will accomplish those goals. But the consequences for people in severe pain could be devastating.

One Reader Shared her Severe Pain Story:

“I have suffered with chronic pain in my neck and lower back due to degenerative disc disease for six years. I am 51 years old. I have had two surgeries for herniated discs in my cervical spine. The pain returned after each surgery. Consequently, I have been taking painkillers for five years.

“During that time, I’ve tried physical therapy, acupuncture, TENS [transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation], heat, ice, steroid injections, chiropractors, ultrasound and cold laser. (Over-the-counter medicines like Tylenol or ibuprofen don’t touch the pain.)

“Some treatments helped but none got my pain under control so I could function well without painkillers. My lower back in particular drives me crazy because of the buzzing nerve sensation!

“My prescription is for two morphine sulfate extended-release tablets daily plus lower dose immediate-release tablets as needed. I manage them so that on most days I take one of each, and I have never abused them. I would love not to take any opioids but my life would be miserable without them.

“Until you experience chronic pain, you have no idea how it affects one’s ability to function. In recent months, I have been treated like a criminal. I have had random urine tests (which I must pay for), have been required to sign an agreement outlining rules about obtaining and using painkillers and I must go to my doctor’s office to obtain the physical prescription every 30 days.

“My doctor is apologetic and does not appreciate having to play police. She insists that this is not an attempt to take away painkillers from those who need them, but my anxiety level is going through the roof as I worry about what comes next.”

This person seems to have a good relationship with her doctor, who is evaluating the benefits and potential risks of opioids as the CDC recommends. Like hundreds of others who have shared their stories on our website this pain patient is justifiably worried about the new guideline.

Sandra in Alabama shares a similar sentiment:

“I have been ‘certified’ as having chronic pain for the past 30 plus years. I even carry a letter in my wallet stating this very fact from a noted neurosurgeon.

“What is already happening to me is not being able to have access to the pain medications ‘when I need them.’ These meds are very dangerous if used for the wrong reasons and not watched by a physician. However, when one has chronic pain 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, there is only one alternative. The CDC needs to recognize these patients and not ‘punish’ us because we are in constant pain.”

Read hundreds of other stories from people in severe pain at this link.

What Will Doctors Do?

Many doctors may respond to the CDC mandate by restricting their prescriptions of narcotic pain medicines. That means some people with chronic pain will no longer have access to the drugs that give them enough relief so they can meet their daily responsibilities.

We welcome your thoughts about the actions of the DEA, FDA and CDC. Please comment below and vote on this article at the top of the page.