News Articles about Acetaminophen

[OllieR]

Well, as far as I had seen nobody else had posted articles about the big changes in the pain management community yet, so I here goes! Anyways, I wanted to share some of these articles, not to scare anyone, but hopefully the opposite. This morning my local paper ran a story that stated there was a vote to lower the maximum dosage of tylenol and eliminate important medications combining acetaminophen and narcotics (vicodin, percocet, etc.) completely from the market. They said there was a vote from the panel supporting this decision and that the FDA usually follows this panel. Which naturally led me to believe big changes were coming... though it was hard to believe as these medications help many people! SO I researched more and found some articles that presented more information that may help others who read similar articles to the one I saw in my local paper:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31664450/ns/health-more_health_news/

http://www.examiner.com/x-7945-Tampa-Spiritual-Wellness-Examiner~y2009m7d1-FDA-committee-urges-Vicodin-and-Percocet-be-taken-off-the-market--a-retort

They raise important issues such as the fact that lowering the maximum dosage is not solving an interior problem with a person, but an exterior one (perhaps a solution that will cover them, though not necessarily help others.) It also mentioned the impact of taking combination medicines off the market with how many people it is prescribed to and one article I read suggested there could be other changes such as having to prescribe acetaminophen and narcotics separately so patients are more aware of their intake, or putting warnings on the prescriptions. Of course tylenol will still be readily available, but there is talk of lowering the doses.

In conclusion! They are not talking about changes to other medications like Nyquil with acetaminophen and personally I think it will never fly by the way it is (which to me seems an underlying concern of people overdosing coupled with a desire to not lose too many profits). And after my initial shock of reading a misinformed article (one that made it sound like decisions have been made, when in reality I believe the issues have only been brought to the surface), the concerns the panel and FDA are raising seem valid (which is why I am hoping it helps to post other articles here). Perhaps this could be a much needed discussion about the true dangers of overdosing, but also expose the reaction of pain doctors and patients who use these medications responsibly to feel better. I would love to see an issue such as this lead to better care if doctors, patients, and organizations such as the FDA feel that there are safer ways to administer the medicines to those who need it and lower incidents of those who overdose.

[Krisi]

I read this on a couple of different sites. In fact foxnews seems to have more of the voting information than msnbc.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529666,00.html?test=latestnews

The problem I see is that 20-17 they voted in favor of banning vicodin, percocet, etc.

"A Food and Drug Administration panel on Tuesday voted 20-17 that prescription drugs that combine acetaminophen with other painkilling ingredients should be pulled off the market."

"In a separate vote, the panel voted overwhelmingly, 36-1, that if the drugs stay on the market they should carry a black box warning, the most serious safety label available."

That vote was seperate. The FDA doesn't have to follow the recommendations though most of the times they do. I can see puting a black box warning on the products to protect liabilities.

My question is what are the millions of people that live with chronic pain going to do to they do pull these drugs off the market? Are we going to get something? Are we going to have to go to the hospital or clinic to get each dose? I understand people abuse these drugs and die from these drugs, but many of us that truly need them are going to be the ones suffering. I wonder if they have thought of how many people won't be able to function and work and will have to apply of social security disability. I wonder if they have thought of how many people might commit suicide if they can't get their SEVERE pain treated. Sure they might be doing this to save the lives of people that abuse the drugs, but how is that going to affect the people that need them to just make it through the day. This is truly a sad situation.

This might be bad and I never wish pain on anyone, but I don't think the 20 that voted for the ban have ever had severe pain in their life. If they had severe pain and they found that tylenol and other over the counter medicines don't work they wouldn't have voted that way. Tylenol is like candy to me. I see putting a black box warning on the drug, but I don't understand pulling it off the market. Had this been 10 years ago before I was in pain I might have thought oh they are trying to do something good. I know better now.

Also, even changing the dosage etc on the extra strength tylenol is slightly amusing since the amount to treat OA is like the 4gs that is on the current bottle. They also act like changing it to 650mg is going to do something. People will just take more when the 650mg doesn't work risking possibly more overdoses. The 650mg is slightly over one pill by 150mg. I have a bottle at my desk that clearly states " Do not use with other medicines containing acetaminophen" and " Taking more than the recommended dose (overdose) may cause liver damage." If people aren't reading labels now do they think they are going to just magically start?

Next thing the FDA is going to do is put warnings on bottles of water that state "Consuming too much water can be fatal"

Sorry I am just very upset.

[JenAZ07]

They make pain relievers without acetaminophen. I take Oxyfast...which is just liquid oxycodone (no acetaminaphen), but they also have pill forms without it. So...I don't think it will be as damaging to the chronic pain patients....they will just have to have their pain meds adjusted.

The real problem/challenge will come in educating the medical profession about what other options there are for pain relief. I know a lot of drs (and pharmacists) have no idea what Oxyfast is when they see me list it as a med I take. I have had to explain it and show the bottle to a few people so they could see what I was talking about. And I know a lot of PM drs don't like to prescribe this because you do have to be careful and responsible in taking it. I would be very easy to take too much...and it is hard sometimes to set aside your allottment for the day like many of us do with our pill form meds.

I personally like the idea of pain meds without the acetaminophen because I really don't think the acetaminophen does much for me. Just an additive and why take something that could cause harm if it doesn't help? Benefits of it do not outweigh the risks, but I also learned a long time ago not to "rock the boat" when it comes to what my PM dr wants to prescribe. I do worry about what kind of precedent this will set for the pain management and chronic pain communities -- along the lines of -- will a few bad apples mess it up for the rest of us. I was recently switched to Oxycotin (along with my Oxyfast) and I know there have been a lot of public deaths related to overdose or abuse of this drug. Will the FDA decide to pull this from the market next? Or other long acting pain meds. Just a scary thought for those of us with chronic pain and no cure for our underlying disease.

[Tuckersmom]

Acetaminophen is the only pain reliever I can take. All of the others can affect your kidneys in a bad way. I was taking Aleve and my kidney levels showed acute 3rd stage kidney disease, so I had to get off of it. However, taking too much Acetaminophen can affect your liver. If Acetaminophen were to be removed from the market, I would no longer have any medicine to treat all of the arthritis pain I now suffer with at age 53.

[Krisi]

Jen,

I was being really dramatic. I know there are other things us pain patients can take, but the last fear you mentioned is the main fear I have. :( If this is their first move to decrease deaths it won't be their last. People die from the narcotics themselves too. To me it is like what is going to be next. Will they decide narcotics will be the next to be taken off the market because of deaths? :( I am with you acetaminophen just seems like an additive and I question whether it works at all for me. I know it works for others. I know I could take 3 or 4 extra strength tylenol which is over the recommended value without it even having an effect. I tried it once because I was desperate, I knew the risks they are clearly posted. I just don't want to be stuck one day without meds because of the people that abuse them. My opinion and this might be harsh, but they need to take personal responsibility for their actions. Everyone should be responsible for their own body unless they are a child or have dementia, etc.

[JenAZ07]

Krisi,

I agree. Hearing about Michael Jackson and getting a shot of demerol before he died...made me cringe because I am nervous the media is going to (they already are) portraying this as another case of death by narcotics. What people don't realize is that if you take it as prescribed and for medical purposes, yes narcotics are dangerous, but they can and have been taken safely by millions for many years. Jackson, Heath Ledger, Anna Nicole...just a couple that give narc meds a bad name. It makes it that much harder for those of us who really need it to get it. And you are right...what if they are next....then what? Take oxycotin and oxycodone off the market....and people like me.....who take the meds to function and live a somewhat normal life won't be able to. I would have to quit my job, go on disability, I wouldn't be able to care for my young children. Truly...I don't know that I could (or would want to) survive that much pain. It would be a mess. Would they offer us pain pumps? I work in a professional office....I wouldn't be able to work with a pain pump. Would they tell me I have to go to a nursing home or something? My hubby takes narcotics for spinal disc issues as well. What would happen to our children? Very scary to think about.

I am sure you are right....that the people who voted in favor of this have no experience with pain and don't see the ramifications of this decision. I just wonder....where were all the drug company lobbiest during all this? The makers of Percocet, Vicodan, Lortab.....where were they? Probably really mean to say....but I will anyway.....I sometimes wish people could spend a week or two in our shoes and see what we all go through. (need a week because I don't think one or two days would be enough to really sink in.) I think there would be a lot more compassion for chronic pain patients if people have any clue what it is like to live with severe pain. Just my thought.

You are right....people do need to take responsibility for their own actions....that is not being harsh. I have taken more than the recommended dosage of ibuprofen on more than one occassion....and knew I was doing it. I knew what could happen. Pain makes you do funny things.....I am not convinced that merely splitting up the pills into acetaminophen pills and straight narcotics is going to change those people or make them more aware of what they are taking. Most pain patients I think know how much they take (and know how much they can take). I think that if people are taking more than they should....they either know better....or they aren't paying attention to how much they take and aren't being responsible with their meds. Breaking up the two meds is not going to now make these people responsible. Might have the opposite affect....make them think they can take more narcs at a time and cause more narcotic ODs. Again....a few bad apples can ruin it for a bunch of us. :mad:

[OllieR]

Somebody else posted about this in the newbie section and if you guys are concerned you should please read it because her information is more accurate. Honestly, I posted it because I was so concerned this morning and then through more research found out there wasn't very much reason to be so I thought others could benefit from knowing more too. As my first post says they are definitely not going to take acetaminophen off the market, but they are considering lowering the maximum safe dose (who knows, maybe just to cover their butts, because of course people are going to keep taking what they feel like they need and what works for them). Also, the girl on the other post said she had information from the FDA that said the media skewed the information about the narcotics and that the vote actually was against removing them from the market.

I really posted this for information purposes and of course of an example of the unfortunate controversy that seems to revolve around pain medications. I think it's interesting that the media is taking up this issue and like you guys am hoping it turns out good instead of furthering damaging the already skewed reputation of pain medication seekers.

[Tuckersmom]

I saw an Orthopedic surgeon today. He said that Acetaminophen will be off the market in about a year.