First Do No Harm: The DEA targets Physicians who treat their patients pain.
Public Comments (15,444)
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Sep 29th, 2014Someone from Portland, OR writes:
This is not about public safety; this is about the DEA maintaining relevance in a society that is tired of their very existence. The DEA needs a new class of drug "addicts" in order to justify their existence. Get rid of the DEA. They are not doctors, they are a corrupt and obsolete organization. -
Sep 29th, 2014Someone from Las Vegas, NV writes:
This has become a VERY SERIOUS ISSUE! Its serious not only for the very valid reasons in this Petition, but the fact alone that there are more senior citizens in this country than ever before because of the "baby boomer" generation aging now, it stands to reason that there would be an INCREASED need for QUALITY OF LIFE pain relief, NOT A DECREASE ! Are these people nuts? My beloved Mother had an undiagnosed illness for many years that she suffered terribly with. All she wanted to do was sleep, so she didn't feel the pain...how can you sleep or have ANY QUALITY OF LIFE under those circumstances? She didn't and spent her remaining years in debilitating pain before passing to God's heavenly kingdom. I also suffer from chronic pain & I, too, understand how it feels to not even want to lift your head in the morning. What everyone who's had this happen, knows what it feels like to cry all day long some days, then go to the doctor & either be made to feel like a "druggie" or be outright refused an appt at all if u even use the word "pain". The pharmacies are also heartless & sometimes downright cruel. They make us fell like criminals, instead of the legitimately sick people we are. What happened to the words compassionate and caring in medicine. THAT should be the FIRST thing med students & pharmacists, technicians, etc should be taught!!! The DEA is out of vitriol! Think they're stopping the illegal users? No way!! They're just making people who are legitimate patients with a legitimate need suffer more!! DOCTORS SHOULD BE TREATING PATIENTS, NOT DEA AGENTSREPORT COMMENTS
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Sep 29th, 2014Someone from Liberal, KS signed.
Sep 29th, 2014Someone from Fargo, ND writes:
As a suffer of chronic pain and cancer I find this move ridiculous.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 29th, 2014Someone from Trenton, NJ writes:
I had a wonderful life of normalcy until one evening driving home, I was broadsided by a drunk driver at hi speed. From that moment of impact, my life has never been the same! I won't go into every single diagnosis & complication, I'll just say my injuries left me disabled. Initially, I tried conservative treatments like Physical Therapy & Vax-D, to Injections & multiple surgeries, along with being on several different types of medication (both narcotic & non-narcotic). I have lived every single, solitary day of my life since that accident, in pain! But finally, once I was put on the right combination of medication (& yes they are Opioids,) it provided me with enough pain relief so that I could function again, even though it was still at a limited level, it brings back some of the normalcy that you lost in your life!!! You feel like for once, you have some control over your life again instead of the pain controlling every aspect of your life! When your pain is well controlled, you can actually wake-up & plan to accomplish something that day!! You can actually schedule a few things again, instead of never being able to commit to anything because you don't know that you'll be able to get out of bed that day?? It gives you back some self-worth. My accident has cost me SO MUCH: my career, my ability to earn a significant paycheck, my credit (Bankruptcy), my relationship. That's what the Gov't. Agencies (DEA) & PROP Groups don't understand! When you have to live with disabling pain every single day, there are enough challenges without having to fight for something we should be entitled to in the first place!!!! We should be entitled to the proper treatment or medication which can make an enormous difference in the life of a chronic pain patient, (without debate!) All chronic pain patients should be entitled to: 1). Drs. Willing To accept & Treat chronic pain patients. Many of us cannot even find a Dr. willing to care for us! ! We are turned away time & again as soon as you say "chronic pain." 2.). A Dr compassionate about the struggles of living with chronic pain & cares about whether his patient has any "quality of life" remaining. 2). Your Dr. should have the ability to treat you in accordance with your diagnosis', medical history, pain etc...without any fear of repercussions!! 3). We as patients, deserve to be treated with respect & dignity espec. from medical/pharmacy staff. We don't deserve to be treated as a drug addict & embarrassed in front of other people! 4). As as patient, we should have reasonably easy access to filling prescribed medication. 5). A pharmacist should NOT be able to override a physician's prescription; verify yes, override no!! 5). A good "Support Sytem" is also very important! The life of a chronic pain patient.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 29th, 2014Someone from Columbus, NE writes:
I am a victim who can no longer get relief for my chronic pain. My only crime is to have been hurt in the line of duty as a U S Marine.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 28th, 2014Someone from Kew Gardens, NY writes:
i just went to my pain mgmt. dr.'s office and was told that the dea is "cracking down" and making them cut my pain medication dose to less than half. i have had brain surgery, from that i started to get sinus infections and developed chronic sinusitis and severe headaches. i had had two pneumo thorax's on the right side, copd with chronic bronchitis and emphysema with pain in the right lung. to add insult to injury, i had knee surgery in both knees, i also have multiple herniated discs in both my neck and back with degeneration, and spinal stenosis. there is no cure for emphysema,i used to get epidural injections for my neck and back. because i take steriods (prednisone) for my emphysema i can no longer get epidurals. and i don't go out unless i go to the doctor's. in spite of it all even though i have all these problems, i try to stay upbeat. but now i've been told that my medications have to be cut by less than half the dose, and i've been on this dose for about 12 yrs. i don't sleep as it is, i can't even imagine how i'm going to feel - i hardly have quality of life now. but now i don't imagine i'll have life at all - i've never asked for an increase of the dose i've been on all these yrs., i'm a senior citizen, and i'm being treated like a criminal because of all the people who do abuse these drugs, and people with severe pain ityare supposed to suffer. not only will what little quality of life i have be taken away, so will my desire for life at all be taken as well. another pain sufferer from new yorkREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 27th, 2014Someone from Middleburg, FL writes:
I am an American Citizen who suffers from chronic pain, why can't I have my pain medication? Now I have to go to the doctors every 30 days and pay more co-pays. Why do good law abiding citizens always get punished for the wrong doings of others? If you truly cared then why are the drug addicts aloud to smoke pot legally, alcohol is legal, illegals get free medical care, food stamps etc. You say people die from overdose, well people die from alcohol but I don't see you doing anything about that and now you have legalized pot, HYPOCRITESREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 26th, 2014Someone from Braintree, MA writes:
The pain I go through daily is only lessened by the opiates I have used for almost a decade. And then, it is only enough to reduce the pain about 1/3, which is far more tolerable, except on bad days. My doctor's excuse for not increasing and/or changing my dosages and medications for almost FIVE years now (even though I have increased pain AND tolerance to the drug), was "the DEA is really cracking down on us." There was no discussion, just an IMMEDIATE "NOPE!" This makes me feel like a statistic, instead of a patient who needs treatment for chronic pain! All I wanted was to change my typical prescription for a different medication for a month or two, so that tolerance to my regular medication was decreased. No discussion, just NO! The DEA really has no compassion! Not to mention, I had to go to THREE pharmacies in order to find one with my medication in stock! I've always been good, no dirty urines, etc. but they don't want to actually treat their patients' pain and treat each like an individual. Makes me so sad and distressed because I've been going to the same doctor for 19 years (half my life!) so it's not like I doctor shop!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 26th, 2014Someone from Watertown, NY writes:
Something is very wrong with health care and I think we all know it. I have chronic pain, ptsd and depression for the past 8 months I have tried to talk to my pain management about increasing pain radiating to my legs. I was advised to go to ER as they only took care of my back and neck. ER was frustrated and they kept sending me back to pain management. I didn't have a primary as no one in area was accepting new patients. I was told that my condition was untreatable because of my insurance-medicare and Medicaid. long story short, they dismissed me as patient. Since then I have been going from dr. to dr. trying to find help for pain management as well as depression and ptsd. I have no history of drug abuse, have passed every urine test and blood test don't even drink alcohol. Doctors complain about being afraid to write pain med prescriptions and also admit freely that they know I am in a lot of pain. They ignore my depression and ptsd. Finally this primary prescribed blood pressure meds when for months it has been stroke zone. I am desperate for help don't know where to turn or who to complain to..now I have decided to hand doctors a written report of my medical complaints when I visit them so they become part of the record. I will keep a record in case they disappear or don't appear on my medical records. because I live in a senior/disabled building I see how many people are treated exactly the same way. we don't feel we have any power or control and that the doctors do not care. currently on a very limited income I have to travel 1 1/2 hours to see a primary and he will only write prescription for 12-15 days. I can't get medical trans because he is a primary and in a different county and because of sciatica pain down my leg I have great difficulty driving. We are being treated inhumanely and in then process of forming a group to lobby our representatives who are not currently representing us. please contact me if readers want to join us in flash mobs, petition drives and protest marches as well as lobbying to congressmen and senators.etc. 315.767.2702 I have sciatia, degenerative disc disease, spondys spondylosis, stenosis, a fracture l5 s1 w nerve compression, multiple herniations I have had cervical anterior disc and fusion. c5/6. I have a bachelors degree in sociology and was substitute teaching. I have no quality of life now am hopeless .REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 26th, 2014Someone from Huntington, WV writes:
I was going to Dr. Webb on 1st and 7th Ave over top of BB&t Bank. A Phyciastrist, where he was prescribing me Oxycodone 30, Valium 10 and I started having seizures and he told me not to go to my family Dr. That he would take care of my seizures, yet he is not an M D and not qualified to do so but he did. Well the last month I was there I had a pill count in which 81 1/2 were there, his assistant Annette followed me to the bathroom for the urine test and we were not allowed to take our purse in, well she left the bathroom and the building for the day and I came out of the bathroom looking for my keys but noticed that my pills were gone. She stole them all. I had not left the office yet and I told them, emptied my purse and told them I would strip for them because I didn't have my pills she (Annette) stole them but know I didn't have them they took her word for that the next day . I waited on Dr. Webb to leave and his words was "that's ********" and they dismissed me from practice. Now you tell me if a Dr. That never speaks a word to you except " is your pills doing ok" as he is writing them and sliding them over to you. Do you think that is a Dr. Or a pill mill and he needs shut down. He gets people started on this then cuts them off and kills them. I think he needs shut down but he is not afraid of the DEA. He thinks he is untouchable.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 26th, 2014Someone from Powell, OH signed.
Sep 26th, 2014Someone from Jonesville, LA signed.
Sep 26th, 2014Someone from Deridder, LA writes:
WITHOUT MY MEDICATION IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO SIT OR STAND FOR PROLONGED PERIODS OF TIME.I HAVE SEVERE DEGENERATION OF RHE SPINE AND KNEES.WHEMN I SIT FOR PROLONGED PERIODS OF TIME I EXPERIENCE SEVERE PAIN IN MY KNEES AND DOWN THE BACK OF BOTH LEGS.I ALSO HAD NECK SURGERY FOR COMPRESSED DISC WHICH CAUSEDPERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE THAT CAUSES PAIN IN MY LEFT ARM. MY DOCTOR REJECT MY REFILL OF HYDROCODONE AND DID NOT PRESCRIBE ANYTHING TO REPLACE IT. SO WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 26th, 2014Someone from Watertown, NY writes:
it's time to march...if we can stand up long enough...against lawmakers who have made our lives a living hell .REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 26th, 2014Someone from Portland, OR writes:
Doctors need to be held accountable for basically being too lazy and lacking the compassion so desperately needed by chronic pain suffers. Many of whom are not addicts bit dependent on opiates much like an asthmatic is dependent but not addicted to their inhaler ...REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 26th, 2014Someone from Lebanon, CT signed.
Sep 26th, 2014Someone from Lake Oswego, OR signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from Temple, PA signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from Cleveland, OH signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from Clinton, NY signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from Gainesville, FL signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from Tomball, TX signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from Peachtree City, GA signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from Elmhurst, NY signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from Caldwell, ID signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from Parlin, NJ signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from East Brunswick, NJ signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from Dallas, TX signed.
Sep 25th, 2014Someone from Gulfport, MS writes:
I am a 23 year old young mother and recently I was forced out of my pain management clinic on what I believe is unjust cause. The doctor I saw refused to treat me for the pain intensifying that was his responsibility to treat. Instead of doing that, he had his nurse tell me rudely that Tylenol should help, and to go to the ER. I followed their advice and went to the ER. And by them telling me that I assumed they had to have known that the ER would treat the pain that was HIS responsbility to take care of. I was released from his practice for going to the ER after his nurse told me to do that! And now? My Family medicine doctor has stopped prescribing me other medications that I was on for insomnia because of this doctor releasing me. When are the doctors going to start to treating patients better? Just because I'm young and have painful back conditions doesn't mean I am a drug seeker or junkie! It is cruel and unfair how I am now labeled this way because of that doctor not following the guidelines of his care for me as his patient. He knew that my pain got worse in March and April of 2014 and he ignored it. And then kicked me out of his practice when he saw I went to the ER under his nurses directions. Are we ever going to get correct care or is the medical system going to turn out to be just as bad as the Governement is lately? Doctors, nurses, and every medical career field person has taken that Hippocratic Oath of "First I shall do no harm." I have to say that I'm certain the man himself who first wrote those words is likely watching the men and women who are healthcare providers now and shaking his head because all health care providers do now is harm. They scruntinize us for every single little thing and the moment that we MENTION a drugs name? Oh no, she has to be a druggie just because she has paid attention to the medicines she has been given in the past that work? THAT is absurd.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 24th, 2014Someone from North Royalton, OH signed.
Sep 24th, 2014Someone from North Royalton, OH signed.
Sep 24th, 2014Someone from Warminster, PA writes:
The medical field has become so obsessed with stopping medication abuse that they've lost their primary focus - treating patients. Denying appropriate treatment to those in pain isn't going to stop those who are using drugs for recreational use. The only thing it's doing is preventing people in pain from living their lives. Many people who are disabled by pain could be contributing members of society if adequately treated. The number of suicides in the chronic pain population are significantly higher than the healthy population. Denying treatment, under treating pain and making it more difficult to get treatment will only increase this number. It's incredibly hard to live a life in constant pain - for many of us it's debilitating enough that we cannot work, hold down relationships, or even do simple everyday tasks. Add to that the stress & work needed to find a doctor willing to treat pain and a pharmacy willing to dispense our medication and it becomes nearly impossible. Pain patients have done nothing wrong, so why are we being victimized?REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 24th, 2014Someone from Tustin, CA signed.
Sep 24th, 2014Someone from Riverview, FL writes:
Pam Bondi's policies have humiliated thousands of people like me who have a legitimate need for long term pain management in Florida. I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and it's getting tougher for people in need to get the medication they need just to reach a minimum quality of life. Like my doctor says: I'll never be able to take away your pain completely, but I think we can get you to a reasonable level of pain you can live with. That's all we want - a reasonable quality of life. If we are entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, people like Pam Bondi are doing their best to take away all three from those of us bound in the miserable chains of chronic pain. That's no life. It's an existence that affects not only patient but the patient's loved ones. Please don't forget about us.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 24th, 2014Someone from Findlay, OH signed.
Sep 24th, 2014Someone from Aubrey, TX signed.
Sep 24th, 2014Someone from Orlando, FL writes:
Everyone should have access to relieve their pain. If the technology provides for pain relief, those who need it should not be scrutinized for itREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 24th, 2014Someone from Kent, OH writes:
Many, many chronic pain patients including myself have signed this petition. Why are we suffering needlessly? Do you know me? Do you know my history? Do you care? All you have done with this ******** law now is supporting the drug cartel even more, but then again that has been going on for a long, long, long time. Why don't you start working on the real issues in America like, WAR! Karma always comes back! Watch out now.REPORT COMMENTS
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