What is Digg?Sponsored by HowLifeWorks
How Much Are You Over-Paying For Your Auto Insurance view!
howlifeworks.com - Car insurance rates have dropped leaving many people paying far more than they need to...
174 Comments
- nik707, on 07/05/2009, -6/+74People need to read the whole article on this, they are getting rid of the Tylenol, not the real pain medicine. The conservatives had them combined to keep people from taking too much (I.E. you take too much vicodin and your liver fails). Hydromorphone and Oxymorphone are still available and will be prescribed in place of these drugs.
Tylenol is a bad drug, I don't have a figure, but it has killed a lot of people. There is no reason to combine it with other drugs. Percodan is the same as percocet but has aspirin instead of tylenol and this drug is not going away either.
People are on the wrong side of this issue, educate yourselves. This is good news and good policy. - aphexcoil, on 07/05/2009, -1/+54Guess it's back to Heroin ...
- bradysbeau, on 07/05/2009, -3/+34If you're rich like Michael Jackson you can get anything you want...the rest of us will just have to keep on using generic Ibuprofen.... Good thing it works..lol
- TheJimid, on 07/05/2009, -0/+31I heard strong Kush strains are very similar to Vicodin in the way they make you feel.
- ohanon, on 07/05/2009, -1/+31As a pharmacist, I can say that this article is misleading. The advisory board has stated that the maximum dose of acetaminophen should be reduced from 1000mg per dose to 650mg, and the daily dose reduced from 4000mg to 3350mg. They have recommended that medications containing higher doses of acetaminophen, like Vicodin HP (7.5mg hydrocodone, 750mg acetaminophen) not be used. Plain Vicodin is 5mg hydrocodone, 500mg acetaminophen, and would not be affected by the recommendation. Thus, we may loose some dosing options, but not ALL doses of Percocet, Vicodin, and Lortab.
- JanSimpson, on 07/05/2009, -12/+36Why is FDA just now taking a drug that has been around for a long time just taking it off the market? Could it be a money handshake for another drug to take it place? Why is Tylenol just now the "bad drug" which has been sponsored and used by every doctor and every hospital? Could it be that healthcare reform Mafia Thug Politics is getting in the way? It is time that the Lobbyist, Government, Private Sector stop lying to the American Public to get their palms greased... It is time that we take care of the issues and the citizens of the country - we will see another amendment to the Homeland Security Report about Terrorist to include Healthcare Providers? Where are the left wing extremist on that list? any of them you can think of?
- DirtyVicar, on 07/05/2009, -2/+25Give it up... you can't reason with a Digg mob once it gets going full steam.
- inactive, on 07/05/2009, -2/+25Now I can devote more time to using Propofol.
- drunkenoaf, on 07/05/2009, -1/+23I reckon this is all a gambit by the FDA to get drugs companies to add glucuronide to all drugs containing acetaminophen (paracetamol).
Glucuronide is the molecule that your liver attaches to acetaminophen when it metabolises it. You've only got limited amounts. When the glucuronide runs out, your liver does other things... which cause "free radical chain reactions" -- highly toxic stuff.
If you add as much glucuronide that the body can absorb and use to metabolise the acetaminophen, you can't overdose on it and die a horrible death.
Drugs companies can. But don't. As it's cheaper for you to just be limited to buying 2 packs at the supermarket each time you visit the checkout.
- inactive, on 07/05/2009, -6/+25LEGALIZE IT
- lordmike, on 07/05/2009, -1/+18According to my pharmacist, the FDA is trying to make up for the fact that they screwed the pooch on Vioxx and other drugs that ended up killing people, so they've become ulra-paranoid and are now going after even old, safe drugs to try and show the pubic that they are "doing something" about safety. Of course, I'm sure it's only a coincidence that these old drugs are available in generic and Big Pharma could care less about restricting them.. I haven't seen any news from the FDA about the dangers of any drugs still under patent, even though many of them are very toxic (especially newer antibiotics that need to be stronger due to resistance to older antibiotics)
- inactive, on 07/05/2009, -0/+16If you're rich and dead like Michael Jackson, it really doesn't matter what you want.
- lordmike, on 07/05/2009, -3/+17According to my pharmacist, It won't happen.... there are no direct alternatives available, and oxycodone is already backordered out the wazoo and in very short supply. Coedine by itself isn't available. A few months ago, the FDA tried to suddenly ban all liquid morphine 'cos it was grandfathered in 40 years ago and never formally approved... well, they forgot that millions of cancer patients have no other option for pain medicine. They backed down...
- SirBruce, on 07/05/2009, -1/+13Ibuprofen is just as dangerous for the liver, but has an added danger: increased risk of heart attack. And NSAIDs like iburpofen conflict with many heart medications so many people can't take it. If you're taking Advil or another NSAID you should read this study:
http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/fu ...
Basically, if you only take 1 advil and never take another, up to a year later your risk of heart attack is still higher than normal. If you only started taking advil 1 day ago, your risk of heart attack the next day is still higher than normal. And the more you take, the higher your risk. - Phatlip012, on 07/05/2009, -0/+12My grandfather just passed two weeks ago. Given his condition, he couldn't swallow pills, and we couldn't give him pain medicine intravenously because we were taking care of him at home. Liquid morphine was the only option, and it kept him comfortable throughout his last days (he called it the "good *****").
- winterspan, on 07/05/2009, -0/+11The point is NOT to get rid of hydrocodone or oxycodone pills, its to get rid of the added acetaminophen that is destroying so many livers. Doctors just need to prescribe small dosage tablets of pure hydrocodone, oxycodone, or morphone. The problem is that these pure pills are more strictly regulated as they are more liable to abuse and addiction. The laws should change, and make pure pills schedule III like everything else.
- hark659, on 07/05/2009, -0/+11FDA knew about it for a long time.
- dafragsta, on 07/05/2009, -2/+13True, but if there are health problems, they should at least warn you and mandate that a description of the risks be distributed with them.
- coheedcollapse, on 07/05/2009, -1/+11I hate when people act like they should just replace every medication with pot Sure it won't kill your liver, but neither will acetaminophen in most situations. Added benefit is that every time you need to relieve a headache, you won't be getting high as *****.
Seriously. I avoid taking allergy medicine because it makes me a tiny bit drowsy. Why would I want to get high every time my back hurts enough to pop a tylenol?
By the way, I'm for the legalization of marijuana (even though I don't smoke), I just think people on Digg are sometime exceptionally smug about it. - copypastry, on 07/05/2009, -2/+12s'ok, House will switch to something else.
- SkinnerBox, on 07/05/2009, -5/+15That's what complex social issues need: arguments we used in third grade.
- emt1451, on 07/05/2009, -1/+11Good thing you can still be prescribed oxycodone, which is the main painkiller in Percocet. And if you just DESPERATELY need the pathetic acetaminophen, you can take a Tylenol. Problem solved.
Sorry about the cancer BTW. - bdolcourt, on 07/05/2009, -0/+10I believe you mean N-acetylcysteine.
In overdose the enzymes that glucuronidate and sulfate acetaminophen saturate, shunting it down the CYP2E1 pathway forming the intermediate, NAPQI. NAPQI is quenched with glutathione. When glutathione is consumed without quenching all the NAPQI, liver injury occurs. The sulfur groups on N-acetylcysteine regenerates glutathione and is the standard treatment for acetaminophen overdose. - catalysis, on 07/05/2009, -0/+9Good, they should be providing patients with unadulterated opiates when necessary. If the doctor believes the Tylenol combination is absolutely needed (unlikely), he can prescribe the two medications. Most patients are unaware that Tylenol is the leading cause of liver failure and it has a very shady history. It is good in some situations but it is far more toxic than many drugs only available by prescription. Combining Tylenol with potentially addictive drugs as an abuse deterrent is unethical.
- SirBruce, on 07/05/2009, -3/+12This is terrible.
I *just* switched from Ibuprofen to Acetaminiphin because the former is an NSAID and conflicts with my other drugs, not to mention increases the risk of heart attack. Now they want to reduce my maximum strength Tylenol from 500mg to 325mg? Now I'll have to take 3 at a time instead of 2. Alleve does nothing for me (I'm immune to it's mechanism of action). What am I supposed to take, aspirin? - deepbl, on 07/05/2009, -1/+10Who cares? You know what makes narcotic painkillers so effective? It's not some ***** over-the-counter additive.. it's the NARCOTICS. If the FDA ever decides to remove the hydrocodone, *then* we'll have something worth talking about.
- Subduction, on 07/05/2009, -0/+9Yes, pot fixes everything. I heard Granddaddy Purple cures ticks and gives Lou Gehrig's Disease to people you don't like.
- inactive, on 07/05/2009, -3/+12Well that's bad news. I had stage three testicular cancer last year that made it's way into my lungs and brain. The brain tumor caused a stroke and left blood in my brain which causes debilitating pain. a low dose (5mg) or percocet is the only thing that has worked for me other than marijuana or unhealthy amounts of aspirin.
I can't function with this kind of pain and would have to be taken back to the hospital. - ZeroCubed, on 07/05/2009, -1/+9yeah, he'll just use medical marijuana.
- MrKite, on 07/05/2009, -1/+9That's ok, I'll just crush my hand with a paperweight.
- sirjoebob, on 07/05/2009, -0/+8Sorry about your grandfather. It is rough to see a relative go through that kind of thing. My grandmother was forced to use pills in late-stage pancreatic cancer and they never helped because she could not keep them down. This would be a grave mistake by FDA. I am really tired of the government telling us what helps us feel better.
- celerity, on 07/05/2009, -0/+8Ibuprofen doesn't work for everyone, especially those with chronic pain or those who are allergic to it.
- Subduction, on 07/05/2009, -2/+10PCP
- NorthMass, on 07/06/2009, -0/+7That is what I truly believe. People of an adult age should be able to take any drugs they want as long as they don't drive intoxicated.
Hurting your own body shouldn't be a crime. - richiewrt, on 07/05/2009, -0/+7Thanks for clearing that up. I was worried as i take a 10/325 hyrdocodone for back pain (hopefully not much longer, just had surgery).
- meepus, on 07/05/2009, -0/+6I'm so sick of the public school teacher trying to tell my kids what to think! I want them to go to private school!
Okay, fine. No one's stopping you from doing that, or from taking too much tylenol and destroying your liver. But just so you know, it's not really up for debate as to whether or not acetaminophen will destroy your liver. It does. Period. So whether or not you take it? That's up to you. If you can't get it at CVS, be a big boy and order it from India or China. But don't sit here and act like you have some moral high ground just because you're an idiot who wants to be allowed to be an idiot in peace. You clearly don't deserve to be so lucky to have people more intelligent than you who will make sure you don't poison yourself. I hope you have fun with cirrhosis, idiot. - sirjoebob, on 07/05/2009, -0/+6Many chronic pain sufferers are prescribed amounts of these drugs that are potentially hazardous to your liver.
- ohanon, on 07/05/2009, -0/+6Hydrocodone is a schedule II narcotic when used alone. Adding the APAP makes it a Schedule III and reduces prescribing limitations.
- FKnight, on 07/05/2009, -0/+6My Bad -- I was wrong -- -I have Hydrocodone-APAP (I didn't see the APAP part before) which is Hydrocodone/Acetominophen.
- Ummagumma, on 07/05/2009, -8/+14Somewhere, Rush Limbaugh sheds a tear.
- BoneStamp, on 07/05/2009, -1/+7It's the same reason the god given natural wonder drug (cannabis) is not a legal medicine at the federal level or in most states. Politics.
- KarateMedia, on 07/05/2009, -0/+61) Hydrocodone w/ Ibuprofen is also available. Because I drink, I once asked my dentist for the H&I mix instead of the typical H&A mix. Yes, Ibuprofen has its own side effects (especially with drinking), but if you are concerned about your liver, there is another option.
2) I don't understand why they don't just add NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) to all acetaminophen-containing drugs. This is what they give you in the hospital for acetaminophen overdose -- and from everything I've read, people who are required to take regular, high doses of acetaminophen also take oral capsules of NAC. You can pick it up at GNC - I take it occasionally when I drink, b/c the chemical it helps break down is also created when you drink (which is why it's bad to mix alcohol and acetaminophen)
3) What suddenly happened recently to make this push happen now? I remember about 2 years ago going to my doctor, concerned that I'd taken some Vicodin while drinking - he asked how much I'd had, and then replied, "Don't worry, most people I know would just consider that a fun night out." Of course, the bastard is never willing to prescribe hydrocodone for me, but I guess his friends are having fun :)
4) The only times in recent history that I've thrown up while drinking is after someone has said, "Hey have one of these pills." Hydrocodone can make me nauseous, and apparently, if I have it after drinking heavily, that's the end of the night for me. But I guess vomiting is betting than dying... - ohanon, on 07/05/2009, -1/+7Hydrocodone, not hydromorphone
- sirjoebob, on 07/05/2009, -0/+6Obama doesn't run the FDA *****.
- ZetaRho, on 07/05/2009, -0/+6I am sorry to hear about your Grandfather. You say liquid morphine was the only option... was Duragesic out of the question for some reason? Duragesic is a patch that contains the most powerful opioid, Fentanyl. It's very effective. I have cancer and that's what I use. (In addition to Dilaudid and Methadone).
Just curious. - winterspan, on 07/05/2009, -2/+7This has nothing to do with hydrocodone (Vicodin) or oxycodone (Percocet). The problem with these widely prescribed pain killers is that they include large doses of NSAIDs like acetaminophen (Tylenol) which is toxic to the liver when taken in large quantities over time.
These small dose opiate + large dose acetaminophen/ibuprofen drug combinations are widely prescribed schedule III (not strict) substances and far easier to get than pure narcotic tablets because it was thought that the added acetaminophen or ibuprofen kept people from taking far more than the normal dosage and from abusing them via insufflation or IV injection.
Unfortunately, there are many addicts and non-addicts alike that are on Vicodin or Percocet around the clock that end up with way too much acetaminophen in their bloodstream. Many others with high liver sensitivities get liver damage from relatively moderate doses. Either way, it is causing a ton of liver damage and is not worth it. Adding in adulterants like tylenol is NOT stopping abuse and addiction.
For harm reduction purposes, Vicodin, Percocet, Percodan, and all the other combination drugs should either be pulled off the market or the added acetaminophen/ibuprofen/aspirin dosages need to be dramatically lowered. Similarly, The regulatory laws need to be changed.
Currently, tablets exclusively containing small dosages of Hydrocodone, Morphone, Oxycodone, Codeine, are Schedule II, which adds far stricter regulation. With Schedule II, Doctors have to use special water-marked triplicate pads, they can't call or fax in these prescriptions, refills are limited, etc. These small-dose tablets need to be moved to the less strict and less hassle Schedule III just like existing Vicodin/Percocet.
Until the laws can be changed, Doctors should prescribe tablets with the highest possible ratio of opiate : NSAID, or move patients to schedule II pills without acetaminophen.
// On a different note, I don't want to start a whole new topic of conversation, but IMO, the whole federal drug scheduling system needs to be tossed, and everything legalized in a regulated system.
- Vastly reduced violent crime by putting drug dealers out of work.
- Vastly reduced theft and burglary as drugs become 100X cheaper than their street prices.
- No more pharmacy robberies
- Reduced harm and injury from low-quality, adulterated street drugs.
- Savings of billions of dollars on law enforcement and court costs. The DEA and drug divisions of police units could be tossed, overall law enforcement needs would go way down due to the drop in murder, thefts, robberies, etc. - imikedaman, on 07/05/2009, -1/+6Be honest... are you actually going to go out and see to it that the issues and citizens of the country are taken care of, or are you going to wait for someone else to do it for you?
Who am I kidding, you couldn't even be bothered to read up on the issues first. - Phatlip012, on 07/05/2009, -0/+5Well, Morphine was the drug of choice because it not only helped with pain, but it also helped his breathing. See, my grandfather had respiratory and heart problems. He worked at a steel mill his whole life, and got asbestos poisoning among other problems from working in the mill. That, and he was a smoker his entire life which didn't help things.
It tears me up, because unhealthy working conditions at the mill had a lot to do with his health problems later in life. That, and adding insult to injury, the mill shut down and he lost his pension so he had to work into his late 70's just to make ends meet. He actually JUST quit working 3 years ago. That's another story though.
But yeah, morphine was preferred because it helped with his breathing. - protonone, on 07/05/2009, -2/+7I guess I'll just turn to booze to dull my aches and pains. Do you think I can right off those purchases as a medical expense?
- richiewrt, on 07/05/2009, -0/+5This risk of taking excessive amounts of tylenol have been known for a long time. Even says it on the bottle in big letters under the warning label.
-
Show 51 - 100 of 177 discussions
© Digg Inc. 2009
— Content created and posted by Digg users is