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Post by Lexica on Sept 4, 2019 23:03:40 GMT
I’ve said on here many times that I am on heavy pain meds and will be for the rest of my life. A few years after my spinal surgery, which was the causation for my chronic pain, they diagnosed fibromyalgia, which has its own type of exaggerated intense pain that normal pain medications won’t alleviate because the pain doesn’t have a typical causation. So I get pain from both which means something somewhere is always hurting. I’m okay with it and just do the best that I can with what my body will tolerate.
With the current opioid crisis, my doctor (I’m with Kaiser) was required to cut my pain meds down to the level determined by insurance to be their maximum acceptable dosage. I’m at their approved level now. I also have submit to regular blood tests to show that I am taking the meds instead of selling them. Today, they added something new. Kaiser is now requiring its doctors to counsel and offer every opioid patient a prescription for naloxone, which will reverse the effects of an opioid should you accidentally take too much.
I appreciate that Kaiser is being very proactive and responsible with their patients who have opioids around their home. And if my medications were in danger of being abused by someone, I would definitely keep naloxone in the house. I live alone so I turned it down because I will never accidentally take more than my prescribed dosage.
Well, I do play around with my daily allotment, skipping some in order to have enough to get me through a day that will cause more pain. I told my doctor that I do this because my new reduced dosage is not enough to keep me at a livable level of pain every day. I will spend a day watching movies or reading so that I won’t need my pain pills as much. Then the next day will be a planned heavy work day where I would need more just to make it through the day. My doctor is fine with this and I have never exceeded the dosage that I was on for years before the required cutback. He said what I was doing was fine as long as I was careful to never exceed X number of Norco in a day.
As I was driving home, I started wondering who would want the naloxone in their home for an emergency. Other than someone with small children who might accidentally swallow the pills, someone with a teen with a suspected addiction problem, or someone in the home who might be depressed and suicidal, I couldn’t think of any other situation where someone would want or need it. I don’t think someone who is intentionally taking more of an opioid than they should be would actually use the naloxone. If they took too much, they wouldn’t be aware enough to get to the naloxone at all, would they?
If you have an opioid prescription, has your doctor recommended that you keep naloxone at home?
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Post by h2ohdog on Sept 4, 2019 23:13:32 GMT
I’m sorry you're in so much pain and that the opioid crisis is affecting your meds. I think it’s smart for the dr to give all opioid pain patients Naloxone. It’s just a CYA thing the drs do now.
I just spent a year volunteering to help coach people recovering from opioid addiction (and other drugs/alcohol) and I carry naloxone.
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Post by busy on Sept 4, 2019 23:26:22 GMT
My stepfather isn’t on any pain meds, but he is on quite a number of other daily meds and more than once, he’s accidentally doubled a dose or something. It’s a lot of pills to deal with and mistakes happen. My mom doublechecks his meds when he puts them in his pill organizer but still... he’s missed an alarm or forgotten he’s taken something or whatever and has ended up taking too much of something a few times. Fortunately, none of those had any negative outcomes, but if he were on an opioid, I’d insist on having the naloxone on hand just in case.
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Peal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,524
Jun 25, 2014 22:45:40 GMT
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Post by Peal on Sept 4, 2019 23:36:56 GMT
I saw a commercial for Naloxone just today. The indication there was that it was for the person who was prescribed the meds and took too many. Either by accident, need, or want. The viewer could decide that. (unless there was narration, I had the sound off) But the other person in the household administered the naloxone. If you lived alone I imagine you wouldn't be able to administer the naloxone after you od'd. It'd be too late. So there wouldn't be any point for the OP to have it around anyway.
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Post by beaglemom on Sept 4, 2019 23:45:53 GMT
I was thrilled when my very upset fil told me that they had forced him to bring home a kit. The man had been up to 30+ vicodine a day, he is on a much lower dose these days after a very, very long process. I have found pills on the floor of their home. I avoid having my children there without me as much as possible. But knowing he has this in the house makes me slightly less paranoid about being there with my kids.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 6, 2024 16:51:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2019 23:56:24 GMT
Nope, it was never suggested to me. I really can't take too much or else I'm short at the end of the month, so I dose it out in pill boxes ahead of time. They test my blood/urine so they know I'm not taking anything else, and I'm not taking too much........ I've been on them for 7 years now. I think the only way I could take too much is if I purposely INTENDED to take that much.
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Post by mom on Sept 5, 2019 0:09:18 GMT
I would fill a prescription for naloxone -- even though no one in my home uses pain medicine. We have friends & family over all the time (and our kids have friends over) - while I know most people, I don't know all my kids friends who stop by, especially now that they are in college. I figure it wouldn't hurt to have it in my medicine kit. I wouldn't go out of my way to get a prescription for it, but if they ask me, sure. I will fill it and have it if I ever needed it.
Edited to add: My sister is a recovering pill addict. More than once has she OD'd at home. Maybe that influences me being ok with having it at home? The last time she overdosed (there were many, many times) she was at work in her small town Library. The ambulance didnt carry it on their truck so she had to wait to get help. Thankfully she ended up ok. But it could have been bad. If I can help someone else, then so be it.
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snyder
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,232 
Location: Colorado
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Post by snyder on Sept 5, 2019 1:04:55 GMT
I turned on the tv yesterday and Dr. Phil was on and they were talking about it. Didn't get the whole story, but said any place that has opioids should have a prescription for it. Actually, they said you don't have to have a prescription for it, just talk to your pharmacist. Wouldn't hurt to have it around. As mom mentioned, you just never know. |
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Post by Lexica on Sept 5, 2019 1:05:05 GMT
My stepfather isn’t on any pain meds, but he is on quite a number of other daily meds and more than once, he’s accidentally doubled a dose or something. It’s a lot of pills to deal with and mistakes happen. My mom doublechecks his meds when he puts them in his pill organizer but still... he’s missed an alarm or forgotten he’s taken something or whatever and has ended up taking too much of something a few times. Fortunately, none of those had any negative outcomes, but if he were on an opioid, I’d insist on having the naloxone on hand just in case. I used to set up my mom’s meds for her too. Thankfully so far, I have never made a mistake on my meds. I have a system in place where I fill up a month’s worth of meds into 4 of those 7-day pill boxes. I know when I am starting the last box of the month that it is time to get my refill order in. I sit at my kitchen table with a white sheet thrown down as a table cloth because there have been times that the pills escape my grasp and they roll too easily when they land on the wooden table. I’m sure there will come a day when I can no longer be trusted to manage my pills on my own and I guess I’ll move to an assisted living home. |
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Post by bearmom on Sept 5, 2019 1:14:16 GMT
It likely isn’t Kaiser, but a legal requirement. In Michigan you have to sign a form acknowledging you received counseling about opioids before they can be prescribed.
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Post by Lexica on Sept 5, 2019 1:40:17 GMT
It likely isn’t Kaiser, but a legal requirement. In Michigan you have to sign a form acknowledging you received counseling about opioids before they can be prescribed. Wow. It very well could be a state legal requirement. I didn’t have to sign anything. Yet. |
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dantemia
Full Member
Posts: 315
Jun 27, 2014 19:28:17 GMT
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Post by dantemia on Sept 5, 2019 2:23:36 GMT
It’s a best practice advisory and all hospitals will probably eventually do the same.
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Post by mustlovecats on Sept 5, 2019 2:43:48 GMT
My father was given naloxone after surgery because he had an opioid and an anti anxiety medication, both of which were necessary, and together they lower the overdose threshold. It was covered 100% by his Advantage plan.
Some public places are keeping naloxone in case of an overdose on premises and I even know a couple of people who do. As bad as the epidemic is and as many people as I know who struggle, I’m glad people do carry it.
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StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,675
Location: Ohio
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Post by StephDRebel on Sept 5, 2019 3:01:42 GMT
I don't take then but I keep it in my home, in my work bag, and in my purse. My dh keeps it at work and in his car.
We are in and out of too many places with too many people to not have it. My #1 fear is rolling up on someone who has overdosed in a bathroom. I had three experiences with people overdosing near me befrie I started carrying it. Knock on wood, I've not had to administer it since.
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StephDRebel
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,675
Location: Ohio
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Post by StephDRebel on Sept 5, 2019 3:04:08 GMT
I turned on the tv yesterday and Dr. Phil was on and they were talking about it. Didn't get the whole story, but said any place that has opioids should have a prescription for it. Actually, they said you don't have to have a prescription for it, just talk to your pharmacist. Wouldn't hurt to have it around. As mom mentioned, you just never know. This is accurate. I just got ours at CVS. I think it was just over $100 for a two pack. |
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Post by h2ohdog on Sept 5, 2019 3:13:35 GMT
Walmart told me that most insurance will cover the cost.I'm not sure whether that's just here because we have such a problem in rural northern WI.
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Post by mlynn on Sept 5, 2019 7:11:03 GMT
DH has been on opioids for a couple of decades. We have Narcan on hand. I am supposed to have it on hand at all times so I carry it in my purse. Drug interactions and sickness can affect how you tolerate the opioid. You could be on the same dose for ten years, come down with the flu, and suddenly the dose is not tolerable. DH ran out of amitriptyline at one point. When it was added back in, he had a problem with the opioid, even though the dose had remained consistent.
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theshyone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,422
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Post by theshyone on Sept 5, 2019 7:38:04 GMT
The area I live has such a drug problem anyone can walk into a drugstore and get a naloxone kit free. Everyone is being encouraged to keep one in their vehicle if they see a overdose happening. The number that are saved by this are staggering and the number not saved is huge.
My niece is a drug addict, and every so often mom felt sorry for her and let her live there. When I was cleaning out mom’s place we had to get the cops in to tell us how to clean it out safely, and we were told to keep a couple naloxone kits with us as we cleaned. What really surprised me was the number of used naloxone kits that we found as we cleaned the place out. I asked about that one day when the rcmp came to check on our progress and was told addicts will deliberately OD to get the highest high and their drug buddies are supposed to administer the naloxone to revive them, but often are to out of it themselves to do this.
Once I found all that out I looked at her boyfriends overdose and death in a different light.
I think the kits definitely have a use.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Sept 5, 2019 13:59:21 GMT
I think if you can get a kit just to have on hand for a reasonable cost, I would do it because you just never know. I think it falls into the ‘better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it’ category.
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Post by shevy on Sept 5, 2019 19:16:06 GMT
I was on Oxy after my motorcycle accident in 2017 and had to accept and fill an Rx for Naloxone. My husband also had to agree that he would use it, should he think I need it.
I've been on opioids for 20+ years due to a chronic condition. I've never had Naloxone in the past, nor has my doc given me a new Rx for it. I take a small dose of Tylenol w/codeine daily.
But I am so tired of fighting to live with pain. Fighting to get meds to make me feel like a normal, everyday person. 
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buggirl47
Full Member
Posts: 181
Apr 7, 2015 21:54:54 GMT
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Post by buggirl47 on Sept 5, 2019 19:21:20 GMT
I have lived on norco off and on for 5-6 years now. take it when needed. so one RX for 30 days might last me 4-5 months. but some months I need more. i even cut mine in half to help it last. my dr Kaiser told me to keep on them i must see her again. it is a back issue that is not going to ever go away but becuase of the opiod issue in america I am required to now see my dr when needing refills. go figure. lol. oh well i get them as needed.
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Post by katiejane on Sept 5, 2019 20:33:06 GMT
Sounds like a good idea. I have taken too many meds by accident once. I had been ill and got mixed up with the timings of my meds and took them too close together, so effectively it was an overdose. Fortunately it was within date levels and it has only happened once in 20 years of meds. Being safe is no bad thing.
Sorry you are in pain and the med levels are not working. Being in pain is exhausting.
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Post by Scrapper100 on Sept 7, 2019 0:52:45 GMT
Sorry that you are having trouble getting the relief you need and have to have days where you are in pain so you can take extra on other days. That's just sad. I recently had surgery and they only gave me 2 days worth and I really wished I had more but to drive 2 hours to the hospital for more just wasn't a possibility. Luckily my pain was very short lived vs ongoing. I hate taking meds but sometimes they are necessary.
I know it's a huge problem in our country but there are people like you with a real need that shouldn't have to go without. Nothing against monitoring it within reason but it seems sometimes it's a little over the top. Never heard of the kits but they do sound like a good idea as it's better to be safe than sorry but obviously if you live alone it's not likely to help.
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Post by PNWMom on Sept 7, 2019 2:28:26 GMT
It’s a best practice advisory and all hospitals will probably eventually do the same. Yes. I am a discharge coordinating RN at a major trauma center. I manage all the patients admitted to the Urology and Ortho Spine teams (both traumas and planned surgeries). We send most everyone home with an Rx for Narcan. There are so very many circumstances where it could be needed, it just makes sense. It's not very spendy and it is easy to use. I'd love to have a kit to keep in my car at some point along with my bag mask and gloves. You never know what you'll come across when you're out and about. |
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