I am a chronic pain patient and I was prescribed Actiq several years ago. I have tried various other pain medicines and nothing touches the pain like Actiq. I've come up against a type of road block however. The doctor who was prescribing it seemed uncomfortable so I changed doctors. My new doctor flat out refused. Every subsequent doctor has followed suit in refusing to prescribe it. I just don't understand. They've prescribed just about everything else under the sun, and I feel like I'm dying. Any help is appreciated.
I am looking for a doctor in or around Lancaster, PA who prescribed Actiq?
- Posted:
- 1 Dec 2009 by SatireFireFly
- Topics:
- actiq, pain, breakthrough pain
Details:
Answers (1)
13 Dec 2009
Hey SatireFireFly
ACTIQ as you probably know is a breakthrough narcotic for cancer patients only and RARELY for patients with Chorinc Pain without cancer. The FDA is currently studying the effects of ACTIQ on non-malignant patients to see if it's acceptable for those non cancer patients. Any person who is prescribed ACTIQ that has no cancer is basically getting the medication off- label which doctor's rarely do even though 80% of ACTIQ is prescribe off-label for people with chronic pain such as you and I who do not have cancer. It also depends on the doctor you are visiting. I am currently seeing a Pain Management/Anesthesiologist who really know their medications and how they work. I'm currently in the process of being prescribe narcotics. I think I want to use the Fentanyl Patch along with ACTIQ for breakthrough pain (At least I hope my doctor will prescribe it for me anyways.) Basically it's really hard to get the stuff unless you find the right doctor who understands breakthrough pain. Best of luck to you and your management of pain!
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By the way.. Does your insurance cover it? I hope my doctor will prescribe it for me and I hope my Insurance covers it.
Yes my insurance covers it, I've managed to stretch the last box prescribed to me in 2006 up until this past weekend when I had to use my last lozenge. Do you mind telling me who you see for pain management? I wish the FDA would help patients like you & I, lots of meducations are prescribed "off label" but if they work, they work.
I agree! I just contacted my Insurance and asked if Actiq is covered under my plan. They replied back saying flat out NO. I hope that isn't the case.l I hope my doctor can change their mind because I have a feeling I will need something like that for breakthrough pain. They are coming out with a Intra-nasal spray make with fentanyl that supposedly starts working within 5 to 15 minutes! (That also made for patients with cancer though). It upsets me that most of the breakthrough pain medication is made for cancer patients yet they don't make pharmacuticals for you and I who are in just as much pain as a cancer patient.
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I live in Utah so I don't think the name of my doctor will be of any help. Dr. Bradley Urie. But I bet if you went to a Pain Management/Anesthesiologist you will get better results. They know their pharmaceuticals and how they work. Look for one around your area. I hope you can find one. They're pretty easy to find. Search for an Anesthesiologist and most usually specialize in Pain Management. You can also check out http://directory.medscape.com/physician/home.aspx and search for "Pain Medicine" under "Specialty". That's where I found my doctor. Good Luck !
I haven't had much luck with pain management specialists, in fact they've closed more doors then they've opened. I was sent to pain management through a fibromyalgia clinic where they advised me they only do trigger point injections. These were EXTREMELY painful for me and so since I didn't, "tolerate them well" the doctor advised I should see a pain management specialist comfortable with putting me on chronic opioid therapy. My doctor sent me to a pain management specialist an hour away and they actually decreased my medication strength which needless to say was less then helpful. I contacted my PCP to get a new pain management specialist but they gave me what seemed like a bunk reason - they said none of the Lancaster county specialists would take me because I don't live in the county...
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but I do! So I asked to be referred to a pain management specialist near my Mother's home, she can give me the support I need, the assistance I require, and from what I've heard the doctor's there are more sympathetic to our plight. Best of luck to you as well.
See Advancing Pain in Newark, Delaware (Dr. Xing). They prescribe Actiq. I am in the same boat as I had been on it for a few years and then my company switched insurance carriers and the new one only covered Actiq for cancer pain. Tried appealing it three times and no luck so now i'm off it and nothing has come close to helping with the pain. Good luck...