First Do No Harm: The DEA targets Physicians who treat their patients pain.
Public Comments (15,444)
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Oct 15th, 2013Someone from Port Charlotte, FL writes:
Darla.. I agree with you and this is horrible for chronic pain suffers... I'm sorry you have to watch your beloved suffer. I suffer daily as well, due to a Surgeon's & anesthesiologist negligence, during surgery..Every day since then I have and do suffer. I have premament damage and Blessed to have be revivied after their mistake as wel.. Yet at a cost... Our four younger wonderful children with my incredibly caring Husband suffer along with me...They see how their Mom and Wife has changed.. I'm unable to multitask now, nor walk more than 1/8 mile without having to walk back home.. (I used to run 2-3 miles daily)..I suffer even doing a load of laundry while being in pain. We have lost so much since that time...This aftermath. The only thing so far that has helped incredibly for me to live better is to have my pain medication,(Oxycodone 15 mg), the only medication which I haven't had another stroke on, nor suffered side effects, or rebound ehad pians, which I have sever nerve damage in my back, neck, spinal column and also around my entire mandible. (W/Trigenimal & lingual nerve damage, too). I'm over this DEA non-sense, which allows our Government to choose this for us..Violating OUR rights..Making Pharmacist more powerful than our Physician's education. I'm 4 days without cold turkey from my medication currently, cause any where within 70 miles from Charlotte County, Fl. wasn't, or hadn't received their requested orders to be filled to the Pharmacy,which I've used the same Pharmacy for years..I'm only 35.. I.. No.. WE are not colletral damage in their war against drugs! I'm furious, upset for this situtaion...Think by now they finally caught whom ever destroyed Florida's name and just PRAY they allow us, chronic suffer's to have our medications without intertupptin..No issues.. OUR good Doctor's know best! Another thing.. HIPPA is Violated daily.. especially when your/My Insurance company has to know why my medical dx is.. and anyone asking questions believe they have the right to know our personal information..HORRIBLE. why is there HIPPA then, right?! Silly me for thinking my personal sacred info is safe?! I failed one drug test from my nuerologist because it came back with anotehr drug.. Come to find out.. Urine testing, even when done a Professional lab(s) ie: Quest/labcorp) can and perhaps will come back with other meds in your system.. I had taken Nyquil the evening before my Nuerologist appt for my quarterly Botox migraine and pain injections.. I used to work for our local Hospital Lab for many years and have been in medical for 18 years and I even disputed this..My Nuerologist was upset, cause he knows I'm a straight arrow, yet because the DEA places this burden and scare upon them..They discharged me.. I drove two hours north to my Nuero.. He & I were incredibly sad & furious, but his hands ties! I'm 35 and NEVER Have EVER even had traffic violation in my life since age 18 driving. I follow all these rules.. a -
Oct 13th, 2013Someone from Sligo, PA writes:
as someone watching a loved one suffer caught up in this I feel I must fight back. if a doctor prescribes a reasonable amount of pain management medication for a patient with two chronic diseases, chrons and lupus 120 5mg month, I don't see why they should be treated like a criminal or not be treated. Why should they have to sign pain contracts give urine,have results to given to dea, or have their medical records looked at by dea?should your doctor view you as a drug seeker to prevent having dea from taking away all they work for because they treated your pain / any patient could be that one patient that is the con just getting drugs. doctors are trained to know those patients and should make that call, not just categorize all pain suffers as drug seekers.my family member has chosen to live in pain rather than to be held hostage any longer to pain contact, pills bubble wrapped delivered, which he agreed. now he was told he had to summit urinalisis because dea requires it?????do they get actual urine ? shouldn't even results be private and require a warrant?????shouldn't patient have those questions answered?this all because you require pain treatment?stop taking war on drugs out on patients and their doctors who responsibly teat them.REPORT COMMENTS
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Oct 12th, 2013Someone from North Fork, CA writes:
It's time to help the people in chronic pain not chastise them.REPORT COMMENTS
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Oct 10th, 2013Someone from Memphis, TN signed.
Oct 7th, 2013Someone from Hawthorne, FL writes:
This needs to be dealt with so those of us with chronic pain can safely get the relief we need through our regular doctor.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelOct 6th, 2013Someone from Philadelphia, PA writes:
I'm in pain but afraid to see a pain management doctorREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelOct 5th, 2013Someone from Braintree, MA writes:
The century long "Drug Prohibition" as well as the "War on Drugs" are unconstitutional. This government's war on drugs campaign only perpetuates the problems of addiction, crime and poverty in our country while costing billions annually in taxes that could be used for education, health-care or any number of things to better our economy. Instead of recognizing these policies for what they truly are... "a massive failure," our government continues to destroy the lives of millions of it's citizens by allowing the torture and in many cases the "forced suicide" of countless pain patients. Enforcement of oppressive laws and over regulation of opioid analgesics have created a "chilling effect" so severe that there are now few pain management physicians in the entire country that will prescribe opioids at all, for fear of prosecution and imprisonment. If this county is a free and democratic society these unjust, unconstitutional, laws do not reflect that! Drug prohibition is the act of "criminalizing medicine" and the "war on drugs" is in fact a "War on doctors, pain patients and the poor!!" These "Crimes Against Humanity" will no longer be tolerated!!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelOct 5th, 2013Someone from Braintree, MA writes:
The century long "Drug Prohibition" as well as the "War on Drugs" are unconstitutional. This government's war on drugs campaign only perpetuates the problems of addiction, crime and poverty in our country while costing billions annually in taxes that could be used for education, health-care or any number of things to better our economy. Instead of recognizing these policies for what they truly are... "a massive failure," our government continues to destroy the lives of millions of it's citizens by allowing the torture and in many cases the "forced suicide" of countless pain patients. Enforcement of oppressive laws and over regulation of opioid analgesics have created a "chilling effect" so severe that there are now few pain management physicians in the entire country that will prescribe opioids at all, for fear of prosecution and imprisonment. If this county is a free and democratic society these unjust, unconstitutional, laws do not reflect that! Drug prohibition is the act of "criminalizing medicine" and the "war on drugs" is in fact a "War on doctors, pain patients and the poor!!" These "Crimes Against Humanity" will no longer be tolerated!!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelOct 4th, 2013Someone from Rusk, TX writes:
As a sufferer of Arachnoiditis, which is a Social Security recognized disability, I am finding that it is harder to get the medications I need for chronic pain control. Either the doctor is afraid to prescribe the medications that work, or the local pharmacies don't carry the medications because of people who abuse the medications or local regulations. Why is government getting involved in the practice of medicine, especially in the treatment of chronic pain? What medical school did these legislators go to that makes them such experts in the treatment of excruciatingly painful diseases? This is getting out of hand, and the people who suffer 24/7 are the ones who are suffering, literally, because they can't get proper treatment. STOP this madness now, and allow doctors to be doctors, and treat their patients without fear of reprisal from the government. Our lives and wellbeing depends on it!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelOct 3rd, 2013Someone from Jacksonville, FL writes:
I am recently out of the military and I have been diagnosed with multiple ortho issues and I am a disabled veteranREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelOct 3rd, 2013Someone from Jacksonville, FL writes:
I have chronic pain problems, I was born with scoliosis and I have hypertrophic degenerative joint disease with 6 protruding herniated discs in my back and I am treated like a drug addict when I try to fill my prescriptions and 9 times out of 10 I cant even get my pain meds filled. I was recently diagnosed with fibromyalgiaREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelOct 2nd, 2013Someone from Ashland City, TN writes:
It's hard enough to find a great pain doctor, but the DEA is tieing their hands in helping us and it's ridiculous!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelOct 2nd, 2013Someone from Panama City, FL writes:
Please stop this insanity. You have ruined any chance I might have ever have or had to get proper pain medication from a doctor or a pharmacist. I am disabled and you have ruined my life!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 28th, 2013Someone from Colorado Springs, CO writes:
My pain management physician just lost his license to practice because king soopers pharmacies turned him in stating he was over prescribing. He dealt with true patients with intractable pain. Now I am considering to go to dignitas to have help with physician assisted suicide. Colorado is under attack by the DEA leaving pts to suffer inhumanely and it is cruel. I have a rare disease that has damaged every pain channel. My brain registers severe screaming pain 24/7 if I am not receiving pain control. Plus, I have medicaid, which physicians do not accept. I use to be a registered nurse. Now I have been bedbound for over 2 years. It's terrible that my only option will be suicide leaving a family behind. I have no mental disorders only excruiating non-survival pain. Maybe a few DEA employees, pharmacists, and physicians that end up with my condition and on medicaid will experience what I live with today to reverse the laws that pts deserve pain management with narcotics.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 28th, 2013Someone from Baton Rouge, LA writes:
This is the type of garbage that sends people, like me, to search for alternative methods to end my suffering. the doctor I have is a great doctor, but his method of prescribing medication, has me concerned. I have beenn a CPP for 7 months now, and have been dealing with these issues now for 3 years, I work everyday, whether in pain or not, I force myself to get it done, I maybe crying before its over, but I will succeed. From the experiences I have had with the doctors, aside from my physician, who is an AMAZING care provider, the last of a dying breed, these other doctors are looking for ways to rack up charges on you, instead of helping fix the problem, they would rather mask the pain. And what I have noticed is, they treat you like a junkie. I dont put up with this behavior form ANYONE, SPEAK UP ... dont let these people do that to you. what I told my PM doctor and Neurosurgeon, I will NOT tolerate being treated like a junkie looking for a fix, you WILL treat me with respect and in a professional manner. I am here for a reason, I am PAYING you to help me with that reason. If i didnt need your assistance, I wouldn't be here and wouldn't have been sent here. If we can't come to a professional understanding, I will be forced to take action. BE STERN with your doctor, but fair. you have to see it from his point of view, because when im in the waiting room, i can literally see alot of his patients are junkies. Let your doctor know you understand why he has to be that way, educate yourself on what you are taking, and the actions you can take to make your life better... share it with him. when he/she sees you are working with him/her in trying to improve your quality of life, and especially after you stand up to them, you will see a new respect and relief wash across thier face and then, you will see THE real doctor, the compassionate one. These guys walk on glass every day, and to be honest, i would never become a PM doctor. crosshairs from the DEA always on your head...I feel for these people. But if you sit there like a scolded child and don't speak up... you look guilty. You have to keep in mind, you pay these people, and yes, they are just people, to help you. You know your body, you had it your whole life, they don't. I am sensitive to alot of pain medications, and non-narcotic treatments, from morphine to lyrica, so I am driving my doctor up the wall right now, but he understands that, in my profession, I have to be sharp, alert, and ready at all times, I have to have a clear mind, unfortunately, most of the medications offered are mind altering, and side effects cause all of those senses to be dulled or distorted. the only one that doesnt cause memory loss or fog, is oxycodone so far, so he is going crazy trying to find the long term medication i can take that will work with my anatomy, my mother is a doctor, my sister is a doctor, and I myself, have studied in the medical field, Pharmacology, I know my medications, but i have to take careREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 27th, 2013Someone from Citronelle, AL writes:
the DEA administrator Michele Leonhart falsely targets physicians and tries to ruin physicians careers by creating false cases and submitting false evidence to ALJ hearings. She lies to IRS tax fraud division, obtains pmps to frame physicians and etc. She is incompetent LIaR!!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 26th, 2013Someone from Paradise, CA signed.
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No, CancelSep 26th, 2013Someone from Lynn, MA writes:
Why are they doing this? This is terrible. These people are treating people in pain worse than animals. We need help not bring treated like an animal.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 26th, 2013Someone from Mineola, NY signed.
Sep 26th, 2013Someone from Mineola, NY signed.
Sep 25th, 2013Someone from Austin, TX signed.
Sep 24th, 2013Someone from Federal Way, WA writes:
Stop this bizarre battle in the lost war on drugs. Stop funding of the DEA. They have failed their mission. Street prices for both heroine and cocaine are a fraction of what they were 20 years ago and are available everywhere in my community.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 24th, 2013Someone from Elizabethtown, KY signed.
Sep 24th, 2013Someone from Lakeland, FL writes:
I have been in chronic pain for over 20 years. I moved from Calif. to Florida and cannot get my medications for my pain.My Dr.s in California had no problem prescribing what I needed. So what is the problem? Why is DEA telling what we should have or not have? Are they the Dr.s now?REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 23rd, 2013Someone from Saucier, MS writes:
I believe its asinine that pm doctors tell u if u need to be treated for anything that may cause conflict with your current pm to let them know so they can "help" Well I let my pm doc know that I have high anxiety and the so called help I got was to do yoga. What a joke! I have hardware in my back from a surgery and need assistance bc re ently he discharged me from the program. The government should not be the one to control our pain mgmt. That should be left up to the insurance company and the drREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 23rd, 2013Someone from Boonsboro, MD signed.
Sep 23rd, 2013Someone from Boonsboro, MD signed.
Sep 19th, 2013Someone from Deltona, FL signed.
Sep 19th, 2013Someone from Readfield, ME writes:
First, my Doctor is treating me as fair as she can. I will not complain to her, as I respect and like her, yet I am unable to do many A.D.L.'s now and have no joy, or looking forward I only see it getting worse. Some days I feel I would rather be dead, of course not by overdosing, for my Doctor's sake and for other chronic pain people. I have known a chronic pain person who couldn't walk well, and was in severe pain, we took his guns away. Friends came by daily to stoke his wood stove, and check on him. He was even brought to a hospital by a friend for help. The next day, my friend found him in his upstairs bathroom with his throat slit, DEAD from chronic pain. He had to crawl and pull himself a long to even get to the second floor, which was an amazing feat for him. I understand. I have always had neck and bad headaches, emergency room said they were "stress headaches". Which I believed. I had a PCP, yet went to a DO when I couldn't bear the pain for a number of years. Finally he said I needed an x-ray, he then said he COULD NOT WORK ON MY NECK ANY MORE AND NEEDED AN MRI. Thus began the truth, my neck cervical spine had multi problems. The Neurologist told me multiple things NOT to do, yet never WHY. I went thru years of PT, Pain clinic injections, and many MRI's which kept getting worse. I vowed I would not take opioids until I was old, as then I really would need them. - What eventually happened was I moved South, found another Doctor, who gave me another MRI. Within 2 weeks I was operated on, posterior op. 2 rods and 10 screws, they couldn't fix the kyphosis completely. The main reason for surgery, C4 and C5 were draping and abutting my spinal cord. Which no other Doctor told me, that is why they would consistently say"do not fall" I was set up to be a quadriplegic, or dead. The Neurosurgeon was the Chief, head of a very reputable teaching hospital. My time before june 2007, I was unable to be up for more then 3 hours due to pain, with some percocet,which I always followed the "RULES", and usually under medicated. In 2007 my PCP-speciality pain- first tried talking me into Methadone, being nieve and at that time thinking it was only for heroin addicts- I said NO. So he said 10 mg 3x a day of oxycontin would work, as it was like percoset without the tylenol, and it would be smooth with no ups and downs. I tried it, and started in an up hill progression, still with no one telling me what was wrong. The pain ruined my life and plans for the future, In 2010, I met an HONEST Doctor, and proceeded with the necessary operation. The surgeon was HONEST also, saying at best the pain level might be reduced in half. Initial recovery was so painful. Then I started to feel better. I still needed 20 mg 3x daily of Oxycontin, to be more of a human being, I tried lowering it, yet the pain came back. So this is my story in a nutshell.I know feel like I'm seeking drugs, if I change doctors. It depresses ones being to know we can have a somewhat quality of lREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 19th, 2013Someone from Readfield, ME writes:
First, my Doctor is treating me as fair as she can. I will not complain to her, as I respect and like her, yet I am unable to do many A.D.L.'s now and have no joy, or looking forward I only see it getting worse. Some days I feel I would rather be dead, of course not by overdosing, for my Doctor's sake and for other chronic pain people. I have known a chronic pain person who couldn't walk well, and was in severe pain, we took his guns away. Friends came by daily to stoke his wood stove, and check on him. He was even brought to a hospital by a friend for help. The next day, my friend found him in his upstairs bathroom with his throat slit, DEAD from chronic pain. He had to crawl and pull himself a long to even get to the second floor, which was an amazing feat for him. I understand. I have always had neck and bad headaches, emergency room said they were "stress headaches". Which I believed. I had a PCP, yet went to a DO when I couldn't bear the pain for a number of years. Finally he said I needed an x-ray, he then said he COULD NOT WORK ON MY NECK ANY MORE AND NEEDED AN MRI. Thus began the truth, my neck cervical spine had multi problems. The Neurologist told me multiple things NOT to do, yet never WHY. I went thru years of PT, Pain clinic injections, and many MRI's which kept getting worse. I vowed I would not take opioids until I was old, as then I really would need them. - What eventually happened was I moved South, found another Doctor, who gave me another MRI. Within 2 weeks I was operated on, posterior op. 2 rods and 10 screws, they couldn't fix the kyphosis completely. The main reason for surgery, C4 and C5 were draping and abutting my spinal cord. Which no other Doctor told me, that is why they would consistently say"do not fall" I was set up to be a quadriplegic, or dead. The Neurosurgeon was the Chief, head of a very reputable teaching hospital. My time before june 2007, I was unable to be up for more then 3 hours due to pain, with some percocet,which I always followed the "RULES", and usually under medicated. In 2007 my PCP-speciality pain- first tried talking me into Methadone, being nieve and at that time thinking it was only for heroin addicts- I said NO. So he said 10 mg 3x a day of oxycontin would work, as it was like percoset without the tylenol, and it would be smooth with no ups and downs. I tried it, and started in an up hill progression, still with no one telling me what was wrong. The pain ruined my life and plans for the future, In 2010, I met an HONEST Doctor, and proceeded with the necessary operation. The surgeon was HONEST also, saying at best the pain level might be reduced in half. Initial recovery was so painful. Then I started to feel better. I still needed 20 mg 3x daily of Oxycontin, to be more of a human being, I tried lowering it, yet the pain came back. So this is my story in a nutshell.I know feel like I'm seeking drugs, if I change doctors. It depresses ones being to know we can have a somewhat quality of lREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 19th, 2013Someone from Clinton, TN writes:
I went through this this week. I was given a dose of narcan, and went through HELL because of the medicines that I have to take . Long story, watch out for ER's!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 19th, 2013Someone from Tacoma, WA signed.
Sep 17th, 2013Someone from Siler City, NC signed.
Sep 17th, 2013Someone from Martinsburg, WV signed.
Sep 17th, 2013Someone from Thurmont, MD writes:
I live with chronic pain, coming from a highly educated past....I did not want this , but it is my life now and need help to deal with my pain just to make it through daily life activities.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 16th, 2013Someone from Middletown, MD signed.
Sep 16th, 2013Someone from Middletown, MD writes:
I believe this can all be contributed to the ones who DO abuse pain meds, or lie about having pain just to get the prescription and then go sell it to the abusers! I have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that there is no cure for, causes chronic daily pain, along with other symptoms that also need to be treated with medication. We that have a diagnosis that causes chronic pain should NOT have to feel ashamed about needing pain medication just to be able to lead a somewhat "normal" lifestyle! Most of us have children to take care of, as well as our significant others. No, pain cannot be medically "proven", and most of us have to force ourselves to "put on a happy face" on a daily basis, while we are suffering so badly everyday with excruciating pain, even while taking medication for it. We all know that these pain medications will never take our pain away completely, but, thankfully the meds relieve our pain enough to at least be somewhat "mobile" and "functional". I have had the experience of having to take my prescription to several different pharmacies, driving around from one to another, getting in and out of the car numerous times, standing in line, just to finally be told by the pharmacy that they "don't have" my medicine, or "can't fill" my prescription due to the fact that the DEA only allows them to order so much a month and if they fill my prescription, they won't have enough to fill others!!! This so VERY humiliating! None of us asked to have to suffer from disease and NONE of us should be made to feel like we are " drug seeking" or "doctor or pharmacy shopping"!! This needs to STOP! The DEA need to let our doctors decide what is best for us for treating our conditions without having to feel like their careers are going to be jeopardized!! I hope these comments are read by the ones who are trying to limit or take away the rights of our doctors and most of all, US, those that SUFFER EVERYDAY with CHRONIC PAIN!!!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 15th, 2013Someone from Taylors, SC writes:
Doctors are now working to save their licenses and not saving patients from pain.REPORT COMMENTS
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