First Do No Harm: The DEA targets Physicians who treat their patients pain.
Public Comments (15,444)
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Jul 9th, 2015Someone from New Port Richey, FL writes:
I have long term physical pain problems. Some have been repaired surgically. Some I hope to have repaired when I can afford it. These problems started over 15 years ago. They aren't going away with policy changes or threatening doctors and pharmacies for treating patients. My last surgery was billed at over $100,000 (USD). I paid my part. I pay for my insurance. I have put my part into the system. I've paid more into insurance premiums over the years than I've ever used. Recently, I was refused my pain meds refilled by a pharmacist at Walgreens. In his opinion, I didn't "need" them, and shouldn't take them. I went to my (spine) doctor about this. They were surprised that I was able to get there on my own. Calling the pharmacy and speaking with that pharamacist, they were told that he doesn't care. They advised him of my problems. They warned of the risk of fatal withdrawals from a patient just stopping their pain meds. Still the pharmacist doesn't care. I guess if I die, then he doesn't have to deal with me any more. I have multiple problems with my spine. Any one of them is enough to make someone cry. It has given me a high pain threshold. I'm still in a lot of pain, I just don't show it often. The best I can relate is if you've been hit with a baseball bat, or stabbed. Those don't hurt as much. It's not a physical something hitting me. It's the nerves sending impulses of the worst possible pains for no reason. My primary care doctor, although he does have a DEA number, cannot prescribe pain drugs to me because it will risk his license. I carefully explain all of my prescriptions to both my primary care and spine doctors, so they both know exactly what and when each other prescribe. I pay careful attention to what they prescribe me to ensure there are no unwanted interactions, and that I am taking the minimum required to maintain a somewhat "normal" quality of life. Right now, my quality of life is "pain". If this does reach Congress, my patient records can be available to them. They can see that everything I'm describing is true. Walgreens is literally the only location in the area that stocks hydrocodone. They may stock them just because I have been receiving them from that location for a long time. Watching the last of my prescription run out, I went to two dozen pharmacies. All the CVS stores told me "We're out, but our shipment will come in [various days]". Returning on that day, they'd tell me the same thing with a different day. I was later informed that they only order a small amount, so they will "run out" quickly. Most Walmart pharmacies all say they simply don't stock them. Target, Publix, and others don't stock them. Small one-location pharmacies have been trying to order, but their suppliers keep telling them that they are backordered. After two weeks, I found a smaller Walmart location 20 miles away that did have some in stock. I'm again out -
Jul 9th, 2015Someone from Holiday, FL writes:
I've been on pain management since 1982 after fracturing my spine and shattering my pelvis in a 30 ft fall. It worsened as I aged, as arthritis developed and spread and I was later in an auto accident causing damage to another portion of my spine. I lost my job and insurance from the car accident , and since I could no longer afford the new drug test requirements every 2 months, I couldn't keep getting pain medication. This resulted in me being unable to work or function normally at all. I've now been housebound for the past 5 years due to the amount of pain I'm in and my entire savings is gone. I did get approved for SSDI, but there is still another 2 year wait for Medicare. While I"m looking forward to getting pain management treatment again, I don't know if I'll be even able to fill my prescriptions as many pharmacies are not carrying or filling opiates any more. Needless to say, if these over the top regulations hadn't gone into effect in the first place, I would have had something resembling a life for the past 5 years, instead of suffering in pain and depression from the pain and contemplating suicide nearly every day to escape it. (and no, my state didn't expand Medicaid)REPORT COMMENTS
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Jul 9th, 2015Someone from Okmulgee, OK writes:
These medicines made me functional. Now they took them away, I'm stuck in bed. I have children who need me!REPORT COMMENTS
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Jul 9th, 2015Someone from Arnold, MD writes:
Sick and tired of being treated like******by all healthcare professionals.REPORT COMMENTS
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Jul 9th, 2015Someone from Lexington, NC signed.
Jul 9th, 2015Someone from Shawnee, OK signed.
Jul 9th, 2015Someone from Shawnee, OK signed.
Jul 9th, 2015Someone from Denver, CO signed.
Jul 9th, 2015Someone from Troy, MI writes:
100 million Americans suffer a pain that lasts longer than one month, and seek treatment for it. Tens of thousands commit suicide annually, because their pain will not resolve. Senator Joe Manchin, for reasons that are completely unfathomable, makes the absurd claim that the Clinton-Bush policy of making pain medication less accessible, which actually motivates sick people to kill themselves because their pain is intolerable without medication to relieve it, has somehow prevented more suicides. The method by which Senator Manchin arrives at this absurd conclusion is simple: Every time a patient uses the last of their pain medication in a suicide attempt, he labels the suicide as an "opioid-related death" and not as a suicide. This is how a poiicy that causes suicide, blames the suicicde-prevention drugs for the suicides that the poicy caused. Please let 100 million Americans get access to their safe and legal medications for pain, and stop threatening us that those medicines may be cut off becauREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 9th, 2015Someone from Shinnston, WV writes:
this is ridiculous I've been on pain medicine for eight years with same doctor and never had any problems and all of a sudden I'm told she can't give to me anymore Bc of state and now no other doctors will take me Bc either they don't do it or don't have the room I have 3 young kids and I can't even do anything with them Bc I hurt so badREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 9th, 2015Someone from Shinnston, WV signed.
Jul 9th, 2015Someone from Shinnston, WV signed.
Jul 9th, 2015Someone from Commack, NY signed.
Jul 9th, 2015Someone from South Burlington, VT writes:
You should know these policies effect far more than just drug perscriptions, Doctors will tend to do a poor job diagnosing a patient if they fit this absurd profile that lists things chronic pain patients who have been undertrated or not diagnosed suffer from like bad hygiene, crying often at a doctor's visit, shabby clothing, etc as signs of addiction when they are also clearly signs of someone who may have gone years without even a diagnosis for their life wrecking pain condition. This is literally an insane situation. It took myself 8 years to get a diagnosis even let alone proper medical care because due to my very young age I was profiled by the doctors, which made them slack hard on even trying to figure out my condition. This is unacceptable,REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 8th, 2015Someone from Flushing, NY signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Beaver Falls, PA signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Omaha, NE signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Mitchell, GA signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Mitchell, GA signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Alamogordo, NM signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Rego Park, NY signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Mc Kees Rocks, PA writes:
Causing pain and suffering so wrong I am in legitimate pain. Y do you make the meds if u won't help meREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 8th, 2015Someone from Dothan, AL signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Palmdale, CA signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from West Plains, MO writes:
I stand with Daniel T from NY. Whoevers remains out of these genosidal trials may..... may get treated. Comes with a heavy price on yours to pay. What's the next med you going to pull to weed out the idiots?. You tried to pull simple meds such as ibuprofen and Tylenol a short time back. Thank you fox news!. Just one question I ask. Was you born this way or did you have to join a cult to kill ?. They say when you have no remorse over hurting people it means your are ............ Your own teachings say that!Mr. Dea.,Govt or what evil is behind this monstrosity of watching innocent people endure pain to make your life a downhill ride. My door is always open. Is yours?. It's true what is said about these times. What is good is evil and what is evil is good. That come from someone far more of a man than I.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 8th, 2015Someone from Milwaukee, WI signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from North Chelmsford, MA signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Rego Park, NY signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from New York, NY signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Portland, OR signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Deerfield, IL writes:
I have several severe debilitating neuropathic and orthopaedic conditions that lower my quality of life to next to nothing.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 8th, 2015Someone from Whitestone, NY signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Bayside, NY writes:
The DEA, in an effort to curb drug abuse and sales - but without an easy method of doing so - is instead turning to criminalizing patients with chronic pain due to injuries, nerve damage, and many other conditions. These patients NEED narcotic medication in order to function adequately and to not have to suffer anguish every moment of their lives. But the DEA does not consider the welfare of human lives, but instead considers what is the easiest method to be able to make their own job easier. Instead of being a criminal justice responsibility, they are simply trying to cut off the availability for patients who are suffering horrible pain and genuinely need these medicines. The DEA is committing horrible atrocities against humanity and nothing less than this. They are detached and disinterested and indifferent to the suffering experienced by millions of human beings, but want to avoid the extremely difficult challenge of finding and prosecuting the actual criminals. Instead, it is easier for them to simply criminalize the entire system and exert a choke-hold on doctors, patients and pharmacies alike. The end result is they are committing horrible atrocities and it should not be allowed to continue. Patients give up and commit suicide because of this. There is no humanity left in such a system. It's time for it to be put to a stop NOW, so that we do not find ourselves looking back years from now and wondering "why didn't anyone come to their senses?"REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 8th, 2015Someone from Fort Lauderdale, FL signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Linden, VA writes:
I have an injured spine. This condition arose from being a conscientious, hard worker. 7 days a week, 24 hours of every day is filled with extreme pain and my primary and pain management physicians are afraid to provide useful pain medication. Please help me!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 8th, 2015Someone from Greenville, NC signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Somerset, NJ signed.
Jul 8th, 2015Someone from Hughes, AR writes:
I live in horrible amounts of pain from inflammation soft tissues aAll my joints I have RA Carpal tunnel fibromyalgia and borderline lupus all while I raise my 3 small children I need pain meds to due that!! Do I like the fact I have to take medicine to function no I don't but I have to just to function please realize by doing all this divide and illegal drug abuse and deaths will dramatically increase!!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 8th, 2015Someone from Morgantown, IN writes:
I was ran over by a drunk driver and left a quadriplegic. Coupled with Ankylosing Spondylitis, my pain is chronic and severe. Through no fault of my own, I lost my job, my insurance, my wife's job and insurance. Should I suffer for the rest of my life too? I believe that being out of pain is a basic human right!REPORT COMMENTS
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