Dad living with chronic pain says patches work for him
By Mary Dennehy
JACK Lawlor lives with chronic nerve pain due to a narrowing of his spine and disc protrusions in his neck, which results in a number of painful, daily symptoms such as severe pins and needles, numbness and spasms.
Since 2011, Jack has been using Versatis, the pain relief patch that has been making headlines after patients and advocacy groups took to LiveLine to highlight the removal of the patches from thousands of people nationwide in what has been described as a “cost cutting measure” by Government.
Working since he was 16, the Firhouse dad (58) had to give up his job in 2014 due to the limitations his condition placed on him.
Each month, Jack gets two boxes of the patches on his medical card, with the local man “categorically” stating that these patches work for him – and are not a “placebo”.
In 2015, Jack was diagnosed with spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spine that places pressures on the nerves running through the spine.
“A blanket decision was made to remove medical card holders and drug scheme user from the supply of these patches, and this decision was made regardless of the patient’s condition”, Jack told The Echo.
“I will have to pay over €200 a month to get them now.
“If I had no patches left tomorrow I would be in a lot of pain.
“Chronic nerve pain can be quite debilitating, think of what pins and needles and numbness feels like and multiply that by 50.
“I have nerve pain into my hands and down my legs to my ankles and sometimes into my feet… and I also get spasms.”
Before using the patches, Jack was given the option of a surgery which may have alleviated his symptoms at a cost of €50k to the State.
However, a pain management specialist recommended Versatis to Jack, and since using the patches he has been able to better manage his pain.
“I can categorically say that these patches work for me, I am not imaging that,” Jack said.
“The Government is not thinking about the extra cost associated with taking these patches away from people… or the extra drugs that people will have to take to manage the pain, and which will impact on their quality of life.
“If these patches are taken away, the State will have to pay for additional treatments, operations, hospital visits and in some cases a partner or spouse may have to apply for a carer’s allowance or home care package to care for a loved one.”
He added: “This move will place an extra cost on the State and extra stress and pain on people in need of the patches and their families.”
“The Government has really hit a nerve with this decision, they are taking away something that works because they simply don’t want to pay for it.
“I have worked all of my life and I am conscious of the cost base to the Irish taxpayer.
“However, removing theses patches will cost taxpayers more and it’s not right that people like me who need these patches are being made to feel like leeches on the State by [Government].”
When contacted by The Echo, a HSE spokesperson said that the change was introduced due to “the drug being inappropriately prescribed by condition and duration” – and that “utilisation” in Ireland was “out of line” with other jurisdictions.
The spokesperson added: “There is no clear scientific explanation for the benefit of a locally acting topical therapy for generalised and widespread pain.
“It must be appreciated that there can be a significant placebo effect.”
According to the HSE, the Medicines Management Programme has “dealt with a number of appeals since this initiative was rolled out.”
For further details on the campaign to have Versatis patches made avail to the 25,000 people currently using them visit the Patch Us Back Up Facebook page.
