Gov. Scott wants 3-day limits on prescribed opiates, $50 million
Source: CBS12, Announcement by Governor Scott
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — Gov. Scott wants 3-day limits on prescribed opioids and more than $50 million to fight the growing problem in Florida.
The governor is traveling across the state to push his proposals for the upcoming legislative session. Scott spoke at the headquarters for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Tuesday afternoon after a stop in Bradenton earlier in the day.
"This is an issue that is impacting our entire state and we have to find a way that works," Scott said.
The major legislation being proposed by the governor includes restricting how opioids are prescribed. For people to get more than a 3-day supply, they'd have to meet strict conditions for a 7-day supply. Other measures include requiring all healthcare professionals who prescribe or dispense medications to take part in the Florida Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, the statewide database tracks prescriptions for controlled substances.
Read more: http://cbs12.com/news/local/scott-wants-3-day-limits-on-prescribed-opioids-50-million
This is an issue of extreme concern to me, because I am a chronic pain patient whose syndrome is incurable. I have been taking Tramadol, a synthetic opiate, as part of the cocktail of medications to at least alleviate some of my symptoms for the past ten years. The medications were by no means a cure, and still aren't, but I was suicidal the first year before I began pain management treatment at the University of Miami - UM/Sylvester hospital system. I haven't been since.
There are many other people in my same position, and as much as Scott and his supporters speak to the virtues of what they're doing, they say nothing about the people with a legitimate and ongoing need for these medications who will be negatively impacted. When I say negatively impacted, I mean anything from a return to a worsened debilitation to outright death if their dosages are suddenly cut so dramatically. Chronic pain treatment requires a constant supply of the medication in the system. Note, the constant supply in system thing applies to a lot of other medications, not just opiates. You can't just suddenly cut someone down from that to seven or three days, assuming these new rules don't scare even more doctors away from prescribing.
I spoke with my pharmacist at CVS right after this was on the news. She's become as much a part of my pain management team as the doctors. She said that right now, what's been passed down is that they're only giving seven day supplies to people getting the meds from hospitals (ie ER patients). If the legislation passes, it will go down to three days and introduce a host of other rules, and she didn't know what CVS would do for people like me at that point. Her best guess was that I would have no choice but to wean off and try to find something else with my doctor, but it took a ton of experimentation to find this combination of meds. Her only hope in my case was that, if this passes, Tramadol is low on the list of medications they're concerned with and might be excluded. No promises.
I would encourage everyone to call the governor's office to speak in support of the chronically ill and disabled who will suffer as a result of this bill. Yes, there's an opioid problem and it does need to be addressed. However, there are many, many people who have a legitimate need and will be endangered either by the withdrawal or its consequences to their quality of life. You can reach his office by calling the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 and request the office of Governor Rick Scott of Florida.
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For those that suffer from CIP (Chronic intractable pain) this is a nightmare.
Many will give up and either commit suicide or die or turn to heroin. Good job (not!)!!
Some think this is an overstatement but it is not.
I heard from a sort of relative the other day. It is an old woman 88 years of age that was born with a severe deformity in her spine. She has suffered her entire life, having had many surgeries over the years.
Today at 88 years of age, she is all bent over from osteoporosis and the spinal deformity she has lived with her entire life and the chronic intractable pain that goes with it.
She is now being told no more pain medication for her. She has been going to a pain clinic and they want to cut her off. She will die if they do. She was in tears and it seems that she does not have a clear DX in her medical files! I was shocked to hear this, but NO DX when she was born with the problem? 
She was a Democrat in her day. Now her greedy puke kids have convinced her to be a puke. And so she is now (well maybe she is done now, I don't know) and she called me on the phone crying. She can't live without the pain meds. She voted for it and now she has it; a clear case of buyer's remorse. 
As a person who lives with the same problem (but yes, I have the shitty DX that is required), I have compassion for her as I know what her problem is and have known about it my entire life. The deformity she was born with is something one would not care to advertise, but it is very real. 
Why is there no DX in her records? 
I know they tried to scrape it out of mine (peripheral neuropathy) and I fortunately have a copy of the original unaltered notes that state I have nerve damage, MS, etc. etc. etc. All of it = severe chronic pain and yes, they have attempted to remove it from my medical records which clearly state I have had this problem since 1984. FUCK THEM.
If they cut me off, I will end up in a wheelchair real fast and I too will die soon. They know this. Shame on them the stinking rats that they are. May they go down with the stinking ship they sailed in on.
100% agree and yes, I too am sickened by this bullshit!
How many will die because of this crap? HOW MANY?
NSAIDS almost killed me I kid you not. I am missing 1/2 of my intestines because of them. It made my options few after that but they found something that works for me and I need to take one pill of "it" a day to continue to be able to walk, drive and otherwise function.
These bastards are living their wonderful little lives with no health problems it seems to me. They have no idea what living in chronic pain is like.
If the cut me off, I'm done. I don't care to live with all of the ugly pain. It is not acceptable to me and the pills I get don't knock it out completely, I'd need a stronger dose but have not dared ask for it out of fear, fear they might try to label me a drug addict.
So very sad this whole thing is.
Why criminalize those that are sick and suffering? WHY?
Yep, 'tis the case w/peripheral neuropathy and the progressive disease known as multiple sclerosis.
I wonder if M.S. is on their little "list"? If it isn't they need to add it ASAP. At the local support group, about one-third of us suffer from severe chronic pain.
