The Old Folks Home

[getaclue]

Ok, my research has taken me to some scary places. It's not just that insurance companies will no longer pay for pain medications starting Jan. 1, 2019, but pharmacies are going to be limited on how much they can get per month, thus limiting how much is available. In addition, they are saying that any person will NOT be able to get more than a week's supply, per month, or longer. Pharmacists are being instructed to tell patients that are able to get a weekly prescription, that they're out of the medication, and can not fill it. Trying to find a pharmacy that does have the medication available, will constitute "pharmacy shopping", and get you banned from ever getting them. They've gone too far!

 

[bruceha2000]

I AIN'T agonna "like" THAT post @getaclue!!

So just HOW are they going to decide how much a given pharmacy will need per month?

I understand that "they" (who is "they"??) are trying to reduce the number of opioid pills hanging out unused in people's houses for someone to steal. I get that "they" are trying to reduce the number of people who may get dependent on opioids. But this is pretty darn black and white, one size fits all no matter what.

Hey Bruce! Like I said, I click 'like' on even posts that are sad or whatever because I want folks to know that I've read their posts and are offering support. Isn't that what BYC is all about?

We need an "empathy" smilie!

I thought BYC was all about chickens!

 

[chickadoodles]

Well, it's NOT Jan 1, yet, so do the weekly thing for him. In fact, I'd talk to the Dr. about a few refills, and get them filled before Jan 1.

Ok, my research has taken me to some scary places. It's not just that insurance companies will no longer pay for pain medications starting Jan. 1, 2019, but pharmacies are going to be limited on how much they can get per month, thus limiting how much is available. In addition, they are saying that any person will NOT be able to get more than a week's supply, per month, or longer. Pharmacists are being instructed to tell patients that are able to get a weekly prescription, that they're out of the medication, and can not fill it. Trying to find a pharmacy that does have the medication available, will constitute "pharmacy shopping", and get you banned from ever getting them. They've gone too far!

There is no way to get them ahead of time. We can't afford them.
Ls is right only the criminals will have all the PAIN PILLS! Because they are not going to stop getting theirs just because the insurance companies and pharmacies are making it harder for the honest citizens to get their pain meds legally.
This is an awful mess! If all the insurance CEO'S would have to get bone surgery they would realize how stupid this is!

 

[CapricornFarm]

I thought pain pills were fairly inexpensive.

 

[drumstick diva]

Pain pills have never worked for me but, I guess they just gave me minor stuff. I've discovered that you can only really hurt one place at a time. So if your arm is killing you just ram your toe into a cabinet door and be satisfied with that pain.

Or if you are real good at it(Yes I am) I just channel the pain to some where else. When the dentist is drilling, I concentrate on on my hand. Dentists freak because they think any minute I will start screaming. NO!!

Just just need strong concentration.

 

[microchick]

I'm not doubting you @getaclue, but that sounds like a pretty much blanket solution that cannot begin to cover the millions of elderly Americans who are suffering from debilating pain from arthritis and other joint ailments. Then you have the people who are on Hospice and dying or undergoing cancer treatment or people who are post surgical or who have suffered from severe injury with multiple broken bones.

You just cannot be a nurse and tell a patient who has a broken hip that cannot be set because they are a poor candidate for surgery 'sorry, you can't have an oxycontin, your one week supply is gone. Here, bite down on this piece of leather and the next three weeks will just fly by!'

Personally I have told my doctor that I rely on Tylenol ES and try not to take my RX pain meds too often. I got chastized and told that Tylenol dosage has just been revamped from 4 grams per day (8 500 mg tablets) to 3 grams or less. Ibuprofen risks cardiac damage. Aspirin causes bleeds.

OKEEE everybody I can just see the new RX back to the hunk of leather that you get to bite down on!

 

[CapricornFarm]

So many people depend on pain pills to get through their lives. The need is real. I hope it doesn't become so bad that people have to self medicate with liquor.

 

[bruceha2000]

And so you don't get addicted to leather, you can alternate with a bullet.

 

[microchick]

Cap I can still remember our instructor for our surgical rotation back in college asking us if we remembered watching westerns where the doc gave the cow poke he was digging a bullet out of a bottle of red eye and tell him to drink it? We all nodded. What do you get when a drunk person has a doctor cut into them with a scalpel? A wide awake completly sober patient in agony.

 

[drumstick diva]

I always though you were supposed to bite on a bullet - they did that in all the cowboy movies. I just never had any pullets around. I supposed you could just grind your teeth too dust