ragdoll316
Newbie
Reged: 12/27/01
Posts: 33
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I just recently learned that Tennessee has put a limit on opiate painkillers restricting them to 120 per month. I am not sure about hydrocodone, but I have a friend with severe chronic pain who was, without warning, told this by the local pharmacist regarding her oxycontin and percocet when she took in her January prescription. I was just wondering if this was national or local law. Does it also apply to schedule III narcotics? Just another wound to those of us walking (sometimes anyway) wounded in chronic pain.
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zengaboyFB
Newbie
Reged: 01/07/04
Posts: 29
Loc: NYC, LA, Bucks Co. PA
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Wow, that is scary, if true. It does not seem to make sense, but then regarding these issues, what does? I know that Watson, the manufacturer of Norco says not to exceed 6 pills in 24 hours. That would be 180/month. Tenneseans, keep us posted-the domino theory-scary. Z.
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scissorhands
Member
Reged: 06/04/03
Posts: 167
Loc: Hell
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I'm a fellow Tennessean and that doesn't sound like good news at all, my PM doctor allows me 120 Hydro/Watson brand a month, which equals one every six hours. I go back Feb 4 at which time he will decide if he will up my dosage which we discussed at our last appt to 1 every 4 hours, this would be 180 month...If this is true, I'm sure I'll find out next Wed...Will definitely let my fellow Tennesseans know.
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Baseball is wrong...Man with four balls cannot walk!
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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I am extremely hesitant to accept this as fact without a resource being offered up. It would be HIGHLY unlikely that any state agency would make such a unilateral quantification of prescribing limits on opiates. There are cancer pain sufferers and others out there than use FAR more than 120 pills of WHATEVER they are using per month.
This is just assinine if TN has REALLY instituted such a practice and I imagine the oncologists and pain management doctors would be up in arms about this!
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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zeuzjuz
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 12/16/01
Posts: 1155
Loc: the milky way
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I agree that this sounds very odd. Number of tablets prescribed should be entirely at the doctors' discretion, and not a legal matter. Do you (original poster) have a link or reference to this 'law' ?
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//zeuzjuz
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kewlone4u
Enthusiast
Reged: 03/26/02
Posts: 227
Loc: Tennessee
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A freind of mine is prescribed 150 roxicodone and goes to the PM doc tommorrow,
i will report the results, later, KO
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C' ya---KO
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PrivateRealm
Threadhead
Reged: 03/18/03
Posts: 879
Loc: usa
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I live in TN (Nashville) and I have heard nothing of this, but I am interested if anyone has any links or evidence.
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KeriAnne~~~
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take - but by the moments that take our breath away."
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kewlone4u
Enthusiast
Reged: 03/26/02
Posts: 227
Loc: Tennessee
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NOT TRUE!!!! My friend went to the PM doc today and got 150 30 mg roxicodone, along with his other meds. I saw the bottle with my own eyes, so it just ain't the truth!!
Hope this makes someones day!!!!
Later, KO
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C' ya---KO
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ragdoll316
Newbie
Reged: 12/27/01
Posts: 33
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After talking to my friend again, she said her doc had to send in her medical records to whatever powers that be, I am getting this info from her, and she is very upset so I am so sorry I can't give you any clearer explanation. She did say that her doc found out this deal shouldn't effect her breakthru meds...percs, just the oxy. Her doc, who is GREAT I must say, said this regulation, I hesitate to call it a law because I just don't know, ONLY effects oxy. Someone decided that anyone getting an amount over 120...don't know if milligrams are taken into consideration... hers are 40's, anyway they decided that particular amount would kill EVERYBODY taking it and they must be SELLING THEM. Her doc up'd her milligrams to 80, she got her prescription and is doing much better and should be able to get her breakthru's tomorrow, so I'll update you guys. Another friend with MS got the same 120 story (Walgreens is the pharmacy, they are the only pharmacy around who carry the quantity and are so awful awful to chronic pain patients. This is getting too long so I'll let you guys know how the refill of the percs goes. I can't believe somebody can arbitrarily decide on a number and label us (CP folks) drug dealers. I am going to do some research and try to figure out what is going on. Thanks guys for the responses, they really helped.
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ragdoll316
Newbie
Reged: 12/27/01
Posts: 33
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Sorry folks, I've had my own pain issues today and after reading my post, it HAS to be the NUMBER of pills that is the issue. If the doc can up the milligrams and give you basically the same amount actual painkiller...well, it sounds like another attack on oxy - as usual. I'm going to try to find a link to a story or something to back up whatever this is and to see what kind of domino effect it could have on the rest of us, cuz you know what rolls down hill.
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Hertz50
Journeyman
Reged: 04/02/03
Posts: 73
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Ragdoll
I agree. Basing a prescription limit on the "number of pills"
is stupid and ridiculous. There is absolutely no relevance to pain mgmt at all.
The variety of analgesics, dosages, drug delivery systems, and strengths available to any physician makes this one of the dumbest and least relevant of any "rule" foisted upon us by a regulator.
Does anyone think for a second that a physician caring for a chronic cancer patient or failed back syndrome or intractable neurologic sufferer gives a rat's Best if kept off the board about how many pills? All one has to do is alter the dosage, change the drug, change to route of administration etc.
If anyone is cowered by how many pills you can obtain per Rx you are totally missing the point.
This is garbage forget about it!
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night_shade
Threadhead
Reged: 08/26/03
Posts: 907
Loc: The State of Hockey
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This is just simply not true. NOWHERE does the TN Board of Pharmacy website suggest there is any limitation to the number of pills (of any kind) that a physician can prescribe, including Schedule II narcotics. If such a rule were instituted, it would DEFINITELY appear on the TN Board of Pharmacy website.
See for yourself.
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Never underestimate the predictability of stupidity.
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