The Washington Post reports that Darvon and Darvocet will now carry black box warnings, which will help restrict their use. This is after the European Union's "FDA-equivalent" decided to stop the marketing and selling of these products altogether.
With the data on fatal overdoses, why won't the FDA just recommend stopping production?
I'll tell you why. Many doctors see Darvocet and Darvon as appeasement methods, giving patients some form of pain control or satisfying their need for a prescription for such. With the FDA declining to ban these drugs, I think it is more just giving in to the manufacturer, than looking at any data or usage of the drug.
Really, Darvocet is just Tylenol with sugar, and Darvon is the sugar by itself.
Are there any studies proving these drugs are useful in pain control?
Oral Surgeon: Here you go son, I'm giving you Darvocet for your pain from your bone impacted teeth I just removed.
Patient (me): Thanks. I really would have preferred something that works, like Norco or Percocet or Tylenol #3.
Oral Surgeon: Your pain shouldn't be that bad. Only 3 were impacted.
The rest of the week, the bottle of Darvocet remained in the drawer, and I took Ibuprofen around the clock as well as getting a prescription from another doctor for Vicodin due to the pain.
Really, I'd recommend staying away from Darvocet, and the potential for CNS issues as well as pain control problems, and go with Ibuprofen OTC if you can manage (for inflammatory pain). Unless of course you cannot take NSAIDS. (GI, Kidney, other concerns).
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