New restrictions on painkiller prescriptions take effect Saturday | syracuse.com
Syracuse, N.Y. – Central New Yorkers with prescriptions for Vicodin and other painkillers containing hydrocodone will not be able to get them refilled starting Saturday unless they go to their doctor for a new prescription.The change is required by the state's new I STOP law, designed to address the epidemic of prescription painkiller abuse and addiction sweeping Central New York and the rest of the nation.Hydrocodone will become classified as a schedule 2 drug Saturday. That means refills will no longer be allowed for hydrocodone prescriptions. Even people holding hydrocodone prescriptions authorized for more ...
Source: Psychology of Pain - February 18, 2013 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Source Type: blogs
Medications that Increase the Risks of Patient Falls
Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries for adults 65 and older.
Alzheimer's Reading Room
“Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries for adults 65 and older, and research suggests that those taking four or more medications are at an even greater risk than those who don’t – perhaps two to three times greater,” said Susan Blalock, Ph.D., an associate professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.
In 2007, more than 21,700 Americans died as a result of falls and more than 7.9 million were injured by a fall including over 1.8 million older adults who had a fall-rela...
Source: Alzheimer's Reading Room, The - February 14, 2013 Category: Dementia Authors: Bob DeMarco Source Type: blogs
Drugs for Diabetes Pain
By David Spero
Pain researcher Rebecca Sudore, MD, says, "Adults living with Type 2 diabetes are suffering from incredibly high rates of pain, at levels similar to patients living with cancer." Sounds awful. But what can we do about it? Actually, quite a bit.
Let's look at medications first. Because chronic pain involves emotions, thoughts, stress, general health, and the entire body, there are at least six different categories of drugs that can help with pain. They include: narcotics, anxiolytics (“tranquilizers"), antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, medicines for seizures, and alternative treatments.
With all tho...
Source: Diabetes Self-Management - February 6, 2013 Category: Diabetes Authors: David Spero Source Type: blogs
Healthcare Update 01-14-2013
Interesting facts about the human body. Did you know that your stomach acid can melt zinc? Your femur is 4 times stronger than concrete? In your life you make enough saliva to fill two swimming pools? More strange facts at the link.
If your stomach acid can’t dissolve it, then try some Coca-Cola. Study shows that Coke is quite effective in dissolving physobezoars (balls of indigestible plant material) in the stomach.
Having sex … in a hospital bed … with other people in the room … after just delivering a baby? Look for pictures on the internet – another patient’s family took the pictures and visitors ar...
Source: WhiteCoat's Call Room - January 14, 2013 Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Authors: WhiteCoat Tags: Healthcare Update Source Type: blogs
Fwd: New York City to Restrict Powerful Prescription Drugs in Public Hospitals’ Emergency Rooms - NYTimes.com
Some of the most common and most powerful prescription painkillers on the market will be restricted sharply in the emergency rooms at New York City's 11 public hospitals, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said Thursday in an effort to crack down on what he called a citywide and national epidemic of prescription drug abuse.Under the new city policy, most public hospital patients will no longer be able to get more than three days' worth of narcotic painkillers like Vicodin and Percocet. Long-acting painkillers, including OxyContin, a familiar remedy for chronic backache and arthritis, as well as Fentanyl patches and metha...
Source: Psychology of Pain - January 12, 2013 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Source Type: blogs
Suck it up, Buttercup
New York's Nanny Mayor Bloomberg has a message for folks in pain:
"[M]ost public hospital patients will no longer be able to get more than three days’ worth of narcotic painkillers like Vicodin and Percocet."
And of course, no 16oz Big Gulps to wash 'em down with, either.
This flies in the face of President Obama's promise that all Grandma (and, presumably, other hospitalized folks) needs is a little pill.
Now, it's easy to treat this as a bit humorous, but there's a serious element here: these are government-run health care facilities, deciding unilaterally - without regard to providers' recommendations or patients'...
Source: InsureBlog - January 11, 2013 Category: Medical Lawyers and Insurers Source Type: blogs
Grannies Back!
This IS The Fun Part! said... Did ya miss me?? I've out having a total right knee replacement! OUCH!! Don't ever let anyone tell you that this is a quick, easy deal. I can't ever recall having pain like this . . . and those pills they give ya - - - don't even touch it. About 3 to 4 more months of therapy and they say I might start feeling almost human again. I'm finally home after a month in the hospital and rehab. And the dang thing still hurts enough that the doctor is still prescribing Percocet 10/500 every 4 hours! Feels so good to be back among friends again! Love ya, Grannie Andrew Replied:...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - January 11, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Real Teens Ask: What Are Opioids?
Teens have a lot of questions about drugs, which is why NIDA holds an annual Drug Facts Chat Day to explain the science behind drug abuse. At the last Chat Day, “casa grande” from Casa Grande Union High School in Arizona asked: What are opioids?
Opioids, also known as “opiates,” are a class of drugs with powerful pain-relieving properties. So, some are prescribed by doctors like Percocet, Vicodin, and codeine for people who need them. But then there are also street drugs like heroin that are also opioids—so yeah, Vicodin and heroin are in the same class of drugs!
When prescribed by a doctor, opioids can be used i...
Source: NIDA Drugs and Health Blog - June 7, 2010 Category: Addiction Authors: Sara Bellum Source Type: blogs
Black tar heroin coming to white people near you
Graph: Black tar heroin vs powder heroin, and HIV among injection drug users vs HIV among men who have sex with men, in a map of the US and Canada fromCiccarone and Bourgois 2003--click on the graph for a full-size picture.Black tar heroin is moving east,says the LA Times, in this first part of a three part article I'll be reading over the next days, being moved by folks from Xalisco, Mexico. The strategy described in theLA Times article involves low-profile low-weaponry low-volume operations targeting white people who've been using prescription opiates, and moving small cheap quantities of black tar heroin as an alternati...
Source: hemodynamics - February 15, 2010 Category: American Health Tags: Afghanistan bacterial ecology black tar heroin drug companies drug dealers Mexico Source Type: blogs
Rx Drug Abuse
Have you ever wondered about whether medications prescribed by a doctor could actually be dangerous? Or whether giving a friend a prescription pill you take for ADHD could be bad for them?
Sometimes, people assume that if your doctor prescribes you medications, then they are safe for anyone. Prescription drugs, like Ritalin or Adderall for ADHD, or Tylenol 3 or Percocet for pain, can be extremely effective when used as prescribed…by the people they were prescribed for.
But people who have not been seen by a doctor for these conditions are asking friends to share their drugs for a variety of reasons. For example, Adderall...
Source: NIDA Drugs and Health Blog - November 24, 2009 Category: Addiction Authors: Sara Bellum Source Type: blogs
Making Sense of Headlines on Acetaminophen Pain Relievers
Depending on which headlines you’ve seen recently, you may think that some pain relievers are being recalled because they’re dangerous and you might be wondering if you need to clean out the medicine cabinet and throw out any number of these products. I’m going to try to explain this highly complex situation, but the bottom line is that when taken as directed, all of the pain relievers currently on the market, be they prescription or over the counter (OTC), are still considered to be safe and effective and you don’t need to throw them away (and nothing is being recalled at the moment either).
The bo...
Source: Dr. Z's Medical Report - July 2, 2009 Category: Physicians With Health Advice Authors: Ed Zimney, MD Tags: Healthy Living acetaminophen aging alcohol alcohol consumption blog chronic pain community directed Dr Z Ed Zimney Everyday Health FDA FDA advisory hydrocodone injury liver liver damage medblog narcotic news OTC Source Type: blogs