FDA Panel Votes to Eliminate Vicodin and Percocet

Hypo, I did read the article.

And I still say, just because some people are stupid about using OTC meds shouldn't mean that ALL of us deserve to have them taken away.

Even water is harmful if too much is ingested.

when are they going off the market? any news on when they will be pulled? it's a shame because i have a pt who has osteoarthritis and takes it PRN for pain and it helps her. wonder what she will do now? poor lady..

anyone heard when vicodan and lortab and percoet will be pulled? my elderly patient takes it for her osetoarthritis , she has been on it for years and takes it twice a day. poor lady i wonder what she will do?

how limiting it must be for pain management to have to use a opiod bound up with a apap that has a daily tolerance max.
just use the two items separately apap and whatever opiate oxycodone or hydrocodone which btw isn't common in the UK.

Its amazing how many people don't equate acetaminophen with Tylenol...or ibuprofen with Advil.

plain, unadulterated opiates, hmmm
and you can 'script them to be given together...
we have been doing that for Darvocet in long term care.....one darvon and 2 tylenol......

As someonewho is anaphylactically allergic to acetaminophen - full blown throat swelling to the point of being unable to breath, hives, the full gamut, I can tell you that it is difficult to get MDs to prescribe non-acetaminophen compounds.

I have a medic alert on at ALL TIMES, including surgery and have noted clearly on chart, and still get scripts for acetaminophen containing meds.

Another issue is that so many combo meds get scripted that fewer and fewer places carry the noncombos. In some places, it is difficult to get plain codeine, to get darvon, etc.
There are also medical subsidies for lower income patients that will cover percocet but not oxycodone, because of worries about abuse. I have cancer patients (who in many cases should not be taking tylenol) whose prescription plans cover percocet but not oxycodone. This may force some changes.

I would assume that prescribers will take into account that percocet and vicodin are no longer available and prescribe accordingly. The pain meds ARE out there. And it doesn't have to be oxycontin (though this is a great med if there's no potential for abuse).

Taking oxycodone on it's own for a post-operative patient is a better option than percocet anyway (I work in surgical). There is more flexibility for more frequent, higher doses if needed. I am constantly talking to patients about the 4g max of acetaminophen, and 99% of the time they were unaware of the risks. I think combo meds, in general, confuse pharmaceuticals for the average consumer--especially OTC meds, and ESPECIALLY those with acetaminophen, though ASA and Ibuprofen can be fairly harmful as well.

A lot of my patients are on Coumadin, and they have acute post-operative pain. If they only have percocet, and KNOW not to take more than 2 tabs q4 hours, they will often turn to the next best thing--Ibuprofen, which they should also not be taking due to bleeding risk. I say, take the medications separately--you can take the appropriate amount of opiate (which for many chronic pain patients is WAY higher than 10mg oxycodone q4 hours) and a safe amount of Tylenol.

I don't know why it's taken so long for this to happen, and I wish it would happen to OTC meds too.