Is anyone else having problems at or with there VA dr. About there pain meds?

SPC Ray Blaylock — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 11:30:16 -0400

Is there anyone else out there having problems with there VA drs about there pain medication? And or any narcotics for that matter.?

Response by SP5 Peter Keane made Mar 13 at 2020 11:42 AM

SP5 Peter Keane — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 11:42:48 -0400

VA has stopped prescribing opiates to ALL outpatients. Initially it was just for those testing positive for THC, but with the high number of suicides and the potential for addiction, only inpatients will get narcotics.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Mar 13 at 2020 12:26 PM

CSM Richard StCyr — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 12:26:42 -0400

I have to constantly waive mine off on pain meds. Motrin and topical gels are still working fine for pain control.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2020 12:51 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 12:51:41 -0400

Since overprescribing opiates, and the resulting harm it caused, the VA has restricted narcotics. My PCP wouldn't, or maybe couldn't by policy, write a prescription for a narcotic, despite shredded lateral meniscus, torn medial meniscus, torn ACL, and bone on bone contact. He had to have the Pain Management doctor write me 5 days of oxycodone/acetaminophen to permit the topical acetaminophen time to be effective. I was surprised that the combination of ibuprofen and the topical held me off until I could get a knee replacement.
If you haven't been referred for pain management, you may want to request it.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Mar 14 at 2020 12:13 PM

SGM Steve Wettstein — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 12:13:35 -0400

SPC Ray Blaylock I have been told, by my last two PCMs, that they weren't able to prescribed narcotics. I had to go to a Pain Management Doc to get them.

Response by TSgt David Olson made Mar 14 at 2020 5:49 PM

TSgt David Olson — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 17:49:21 -0400

The VA has changed the way prescription pain medications are prescribed. I am a disabled veteran with a 100 % rating. Also a retired NCO from the USAF. Up until the past several years my doctors could prescribe various medications such as oxycodone. However due to the habit forming properties of these drugs, the US government has issued guidelines for prescribing said drugs. I refer you to the opiate addiction problem nationwide. I was prescribed oxycodone and similar for pain following two operations by the VA. Today VA doctors are required to follow very strict rules and patients also have strict rules. You would be required to have a test every 30 days to see the effects of the drug. There are additional rules but I won't I'm not going to try and list all of them. There is nothing wrong with either the VA or its doctors, the government is trying to control an addiction problem.