Just When you Thought Oxycontin was bad enough

[nygirl7]

With SO many people becoming so heavily addicted to Oxy's they needed to come out with something stronger?!  Now this, I just don't really understand - we all know pain but to make Fentanel pills?!!!!  Holy God.

Cephalon seeks ok for new use for cancer pain drug
By Linda Loyd

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Cephalon Inc. said today it submitted a supplemental new drug application to U.S. regulators to sell its cancer pain medicine Fentora for chronic pain, such as lower back and neuropathic pain.

Fentora, which is a tablet form of the narcotic drug fentanyl, is currently approved to treat "breakthrough," or rapid onset of severe pain, in patients who can tolerate opioid medicines, such as morphine, and are already taking pain medication for their underlying cancer pain.

Cephalon in September sent warning letters to doctors to alert patients of serious side effects, including several reported deaths, in patients who use Fentora improperly to treat post-operative pain or migraine headaches.

Cephalon shares rose 97 cents, or 1.26 percent, to $78.23 on the Nasdaq.


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[alagirl]

In essence, I don't think there is an issue with medications themselves but with prescription guidelines.  For instance, it troubles me that so many people are being given methadone these days.  What's up with that?  Methadone was supposed to be a drug used to get people off of heroin in the 70's.  Now they're prescribing the stuff left and right, along with klonipin.  I see people nodding off all over town...  It's bizarre.

[alagirl]

drugs unfortunately get onto the street and kids who are stupid and don't know better take them.
it worries me a LOT as a mom.
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I'm a mom too.  My son is 19.  And I don't mean to sound condescending, but that's where parenting comes into play.  My kid isn't stupid and he doesn't do drugs, or drink, or smoke.  And if he ever had done any of those things he'd still be picking himself up off the ground in the next county where I would have kicked his teenage butt.  But I never had to do that, because he was too afraid of me to even try it.  As he told a friend, "My mom could crush my fragile little world."  And he was right...

[alagirl]

I just disagree.  I've had issues requiring serious painkillers like morphine and demerol and oxycontin and lesser pain medications like lortab and darvocet.  I've never had issues going off the more profound pain medication.  You use it for the issue you need it for, and then you stop when that issue is resolved.  It's a modality like any other pharmaceutical.  I've also never noticed this narcotic "withdrawal" that people talk about so much.  I have narcotics and when I'm in a serious pain cycle I may use a lot, then I may not use any for several days after that if I don't need them and I don't notice anything.  Right now, I have a horrible migraine that's been going on for about three days - which is really lovely coupled with my normal interferon/procrit bone and joint pain.  I'm scarfing up everything in the medicine cabinet AND I guarantee you that before the night is out my son will be driving me to my doc's house for a shot.  I would LOVE to have fentanyl tabs at the house so I didn't have to go out.  It would be great.  At least my doc will treat me at his house so I don't have to spend $150 at the emergency room.  It's an issue for people with chronic pain.  The expense.  The more modalities open to us, the easier, the more cost effective, and the less time consuming our treatment is for us.

[nygirl7]

how 'strong' do things have to be though?  drugs unfortunately get onto the street and kids who are stupid and don't know better take them.

it worries me a LOT as a mom.

Nobody should get behind the wheel after tossing backa few either really but it's sort of like having a beer or a glass of grain alcohol is what I'm saying.  Not that people shouldn't be entitled to pain meds - just what else are they going to invent next to make them stronger?

[alagirl]

Now they can just take to many pills and there will be no time to save them from themselves.
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I get really confused about why I have to suffer in pain because someone else has a problem with personal accountability.  "Saving them from themselves?"  "Taking too many pills?"

It's like saying nobody should get to drive because some people can't seem to help getting behind the wheel after they've tossed back a few.

[nygirl7]

From a severe accident to morphine and then demerol and then oxy's then having a doctor say OK you've been on the legal limits of this stuff for a month...it's time for you to go off them now - to full blown withdrawl and the beginning of heroin use.........I've seen how EASY it is to get completely and totally hooked by doctors. To ANYONE.

I was a very hard working single mom who got caught out there completely by pain killers and I LOVED them but let me tell you - kids who don't know better and idiots like me who just took what the doctor said.............addiction happens FAST and if you've been through narcotic withdrawl there is nothing more fun than that.

I don't think they need to keep making the narcotics that they send people home with stronger (in the case of cancer patients maybe but you KNOW that these are going to get out on the street fast) and into high schools faster...and it scares the bejezus out of me.

HACK - my exhusband used to cut the patches open and drink the gunk out of them..........he committee suicide three months ago whacked out on booze and drugs............enough is enough.  I hesitate to even THINK of it being one of my kids.