First Do No Harm: The DEA targets Physicians who treat their patients pain.
Public Comments (15,444)
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Jul 5th, 2013Someone from Seymour, TN signed.
Jul 5th, 2013Someone from Seymour, TN signed.
Jul 5th, 2013Someone from Arcadia, FL writes:
I am a long time pain sufferer. I have 3 bad disc in my neck that cause frequent migraines, I have 2 bad vertibre in the base of my spine and I also have fibromyalgia. I have been dealing with cronic pain for over 10 years and had to leave my career and go to SS disability. Things were fine until the DEA got involved with trying to stop "pill mills" but not only did they go after the bad guys, they made it hard for honest people to be able to obtain pain medications so they may have some comfort and quality of life. Too many honest people are being treated poorly and are having "labels" applied to them just because they seek relief from their cronic pain. Many will not be able to handle the pain without medication and I am afraid there will be many who will take their own lives just to escape their suffering. There will be blood on alot of peoples hands if something isn't done to help the honest people!Jul 5th, 2013Someone from Arcadia, FL writes:
I was a police officer for 22 years, 17 of those I was a SWAT team leader. During my career I suffered several injuries, all of them making arrests. The last and one of the worst injuries was while raiding a methamphetamine lab. Needles to say, the physical damage from these injuries became too much to bare and I was forced to take a disability retirement. I was first injured 21 years ago and have had constant medical treatment for that entire time. I've had no problems with ANY doctors I've seen during that time, nor had any problems with any pharmacies I've used. That is until about the summer of 2012. At that time we began to have some minor problems with pharmacies , first refusing to fill Rxs from a particular doctor/clinic, and later not having medications. They always cited that the DEA had "clamped down" on them. But recently it's gotten even worse. Up to the point that the pharmacy that I've used for about 2 years just refused to fillanymore Rxs of mine or my wife's (she's a pain patient also and recently disabled. And she is a retired correctional officer). The pharmacy will not tell us why they won't fill our Rxs , but they have said that the DEA is causing the problems. I am now attempting to find a new pharmacy that will take us on as new customers. Several have already turned us down at the point they realized that we were pain patients. I medical records dating back more than 20 years and I've seen several doctors and had dozens of medical tests done including x rays and MRIs. I've been at the same doc for 10 year s now But it doesn't seem to matter. PLEASE HELP US, SOMETHING HAS GOT TO GET BETTER ! PEOPLE ARE HURTING, GOOD PEOPLE ! LEGIT PAIN PATIENTS! US TAXPAYERS AND VOTERS ! YOU CAN HELP US, WE'VE DONE ALL WE CAN, FOLLOWED ALL THE LAWS OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY! BUT ARE BEING EFFECTED NEGATIVELY FOR IT? WE ARE CRYING OUT FOR HELP ! PLEASE FIX THIS PROBLEM ! THANK YOU.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 4th, 2013Someone from Jacksonville, FL signed.
Jul 4th, 2013Someone from Eaton, OH signed.
Jul 3rd, 2013Someone from Franklin, PA writes:
Most doctors are so afraid of being targeted by dea,they advised me to take otc that are potentially life threatening to end stage liver disease.What happened to humanity?...,,,.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 2nd, 2013Someone from Vandalia, OH signed.
Jul 1st, 2013Someone from Richmond, IN signed.
Jul 1st, 2013Someone from Hemet, CA writes:
I am begging you as the voice and representation of the people to do something about this problem we have with the hysteria and anger against people who need pain medication to survive. The DEA and other government agencies should not be deciding that chronic pain should not be treated by narcotic medication. Imagine being an average everyday citizen , you have to go to work everyday , you have to try to function and the only way to do that is to take pain medication that allows this. This scenario of course is for people that are still fortunate enough to work with a painful disease. I have worked for about half of my life now. I am not lazy , I have worked 2 jobs for most of that time. I pay taxes and I am an honest person. I dont commit violence against others , but the fact that this is being allowed to happen to people suffering from painful disease and conditions is like heavy violence and or torture being commited against us . This is indeed cruel and unusual. I think we can do better for our citizens. I hate going to the doctors and try to avoid it as much as I can . I hate being treated like a "drug seeker" when I have had no abusive behavior of alcohol nor any other drug my whole life. I would not wish this kind of situation on my worse enemy. We the people need our government to be on our side, not ruled by hysteria and the opinion and actions of a few bad apples who will always be around humankind anyway be they actual wreckless drug addicts , people who have no consciensce who get into the medical field, or DEA agents or agencies who find theirselves out of touch with the pain we go through. Please dont let us down. Please help us. Please dont let this prevail. We need your help before more of us commit suicide.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJul 1st, 2013Someone from Minneapolis, MN signed.
Jun 30th, 2013Someone from Minneapolis, MN signed.
Jun 29th, 2013Someone from Greenwich, CT signed.
Jun 29th, 2013Someone from Sunnyvale, CA signed.
Jun 29th, 2013Someone from Kissimmee, FL writes:
I do not see this changing except for the worse. I will sign the petition in a futile effort with no illusion that our elected representatives will do anything.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 29th, 2013Someone from Mckinney, TX signed.
Jun 29th, 2013Someone from Tulsa, OK signed.
Jun 29th, 2013Someone from West Branch, MI writes:
Animals are not allowed to suffer when they are sick and in pain! My poor Husband died of bone cancer and on his death bed he told me that even a Dog is not allowed to suffer the way he did before he died. I watched for 6 months as Doctors screwed up his meds and did not keep up on his pain.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 29th, 2013Someone from Frederic, WI writes:
My late husband did commit suicide by stopping taking his AIDS medication .He suffered from degenerative disc disease ,Doctors who saw his MRI's wondered how he even was able to walk. When his Doctor was arrested in Florida ,he quit taking his medications ,which were keeping the AIDS at an undetectable level because the only way to get the pain medication he needed was to be on Hospice care. He died 13 months later ,from a flu that someone unthinkingly,brought to our home. But it was the crazy DEA who had killed him ,by making his doctors scared.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 29th, 2013Someone from Tulsa, OK signed.
Jun 29th, 2013Someone from Salt Lake City, UT signed.
Jun 29th, 2013Someone from Wylie, TX signed.
Jun 29th, 2013Someone from Wylie, TX signed.
Jun 29th, 2013Someone from Olympia, WA signed.
Jun 29th, 2013Someone from Plano, TX writes:
The end of my submission was cut off -- here it is: Please have some compassion and look at actual science when passing laws that affect clinicians and pain patients -- saying that you're "getting tough on addicts" while placing additional barriers in the way of legitimate pain patients helps no one. Addicts will turn to criminal means to get drugs if they can't get them legally. Legitimate pain patients have no such recourse, nor would we want to -- all we want is for our doctors to be able to reduce/manage our pain so that we can achieve a decent quality of life. Thank you.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 29th, 2013Someone from Plano, TX writes:
I have a genetic disorder, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which has caused considerable damage to my body (defective collagen causes weak joints, bulging discs in the spine, frequent injuries, joint hypermobility, GI issues, cardiac problems, and migraines.) I developed Type 2 trigeminal neuralgia four years ago, and have been in constant excruciating pain from my damaged facial nerve ever since. It has enormously affected my quality of life. I have tried and failed every medication intended to control this condition, have been turned down by two neurosurgeons, and now am facing a lifetime of having to live with and manage this pain. My neurologist, who knows me well and has been treating me for years, was forced to send me to a Pain Management clinic because she is not allowed by law to prescribe the medications that she thought would be appropriate. At my first appointment, I was dehumanized and treated terribly, told that unless I was willing to have (dangerous, unproven to help my condition) surgery to install an implanted spinal stimulator, there was nothing they could do for me because they had a list of drugs they used for trigeminal neuralgia, and I had already tried, or was still taking, them. At my second appointment, I got a more compassionate clinician, who started me on a low dose of an opiate medication. This is actually having positive effects, sometimes bringing my pain down to a 1-2 for the first time in years. However, everyone at this clinic is required to have an "exit plan" -- so, even if we find an effective medication and dosage to treat this exceedingly painful condition, I will very likely wind up kicked to the curb eventually, because they don't want the scrutiny of treating a patient with a lifelong condition. (Trust me -- I was willing to have a quarter-sized chunk of skull cut out to treat this, because it was preferable to living in pain for the next 30-40 years. I cried when the second surgeon told me that they couldn't help me because my genetic disorder made the surgery too risky.) When will pain patients be treated with some dignity, and doctors allowed to treat their patients with appropriate and medically-indicated medications, rather than being forced to send them to deal with often-dismissive strangers? When will regulators understand that there is a very low rate of *addiction* (craving more, abusing medication, reduced quality of life) in actual pain patients -- we may develop a physical *dependence* on medication, but our situation is the exact opposite of an addict -- we take only as much as is required, we don't take it recreationally, and appropriate medication increases our quality of life and allows us to participate in society, to be productive, to be members of our family again rather than living in a hell of pain. Please have some compassion and look at actual science when passing laws that affect clinicians and pain patients -- saying that you're "getting tough on addicts" whileREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 28th, 2013Someone from Eaton, OH writes:
They are treating the drs like criminals...maybe when the dea people get in chronic pain they should not be allowed to go to a dr if there are any left to go to by then....I would not want to be in my drs shoes and I hate being in chronic pain..... even with medication I do not feel good but at least I can get out of bed and my mind is active...you cant even keep a person who has high blood pressure regulated if they are in pain....and I have low blood pressure ...bottom number usually in the 60's....with pain and no meds bottom number 90 and upREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 28th, 2013Someone from Radcliff, KY writes:
I'm 67 yrs. old, totally disabled and in chronic pain, 24/7. Suicide is beginning to feel more and more like an option because of the gov. and FDA treating me like an addict and not one of my dr.s treating me as a "whole patient". Each only addresses one thing in spite of my disease complicating other medical illnesses. PLEASE, treat us like human beings rather than sub-human entities.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 28th, 2013Someone from Fort Lauderdale, FL signed.
Jun 28th, 2013Someone from Greencastle, PA signed.
Jun 28th, 2013Someone from Newburgh, NY signed.
Jun 28th, 2013Someone from Newburgh, NY writes:
It is shameful. Many chronic pain patients are not treated adequately or not treated at all. There are more dangerous pharmaceuticals than opiates. Vioxx and Cymbalta almost killed me. Humira gave me permanent jaw pain. Patients have a right to some quality of life. We shouldn't be treated like criminals just because we have chronic pain.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 28th, 2013Someone from Cookeville, TN writes:
I have RSD/CRPS and the pain is so horrific that I begged my doctors to amputate my feet. Unfortunately I can't have them amputated because it will cause the RSD/CRPS to spread! Please, please, go after junkies and not legitimate pain patients. We already suffer too much.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 28th, 2013Someone from Cookeville, TN writes:
I have RSD/CRPS and the pain is so horrific that I begged my doctors to amputate my feet. Unfortunately I can't have them amputated because it will cause the RSD/CRPS to spread! Please, please, go after junkies and not legitimate pain patients. We already suffer too much.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 27th, 2013Someone from Caledonia, MS writes:
God help us all who suffer needlessly.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 27th, 2013Someone from Kankakee, IL signed.
Jun 27th, 2013Someone from Springfield, MA writes:
I've had the problem of NOT being treated OR diagnosed all my life and suffered unnecessarily most of my life. I've had severe endometriosis so badly that it took my surgeon 4hrs to remove all of it. It took aprox 6 yrs and many doctors and hospital stays without a diagnosis until this one surgeon promised he would do exploritory surgery to find the problem that's if he couldn't find it in a year by other means. I never received any pain medication for my pain and even had to be carried to the toilet and back on many occasions. I was even told the pain was in my head by one physician. Another time I almost died because I had a perforation through my appendix. I was scorned by all ER staff and they refused to get me a gurny to lay on, yelled at me, even threatened to hold me down and force the barium down my throat if I didn't stop vomiting by the 3rd jug barium they gave me. I never in the history of any of my major pain issues asked for pain medication NEVER EVEN IMPLIED IT ALL I WANTED WAS A DIAGNOSIS AND ISSUE FIXED. However, I had to call my gyno surgeon and wake him up-for me to get my appendix removed that night and I found out I had septic. Next was a tumor that they let grow to 2x the size of a grapefruit and was admitted 2x at 5 days each and sent home without a diagnosis which took 2 yrs. During one of my hospital stays a fresh out of school Dr. made a mistake of telling me my illium? a part of my intestine was twisted and up under my rib area and he was shushed by another Dr. who walked up while he was telling me that. That issue has never been fixed and of course my gyno found the uterine tumor and removed it. The reason I never went to him to begin with was a patient confidentiality problem I had with him during my divorce. I got pregnant a yr and a half after I left my husband and he kindly wrote him a letter informing him as much which I found at the house I was selling. I had permission by the court to use husbands insurance my ex supplied through his work but at that moment I canceled and refused to use it even though it was awarded during divorce. I've never asked for pain medication except recently. I have severe arthritis of some type which made itself known after the hysterectomy. A pain management physician verbalized he believed I had rheumatoid arthritis but said he wasn't going to do anything for my pain as of yet. It's been a year of pain he wouldn't so much as look at the ct scan which shows i have arthritis. That among a load of other serious issues wrong with me but all the doctors refuse and even lie in order not to look at the cd i have with the ct scan on it except one who tried to keep it saying "I'm gonna keep that disc on file" the nurse grabbed it and put it in my pile of clothes. I have swollen lymph nodes and abnormal bleeding in my abdomen, collapsed portion of a lung, hardened abdominal arteries...I could go on but the arthritis is everywhere it's debilitating. Pain management verbalizedREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 27th, 2013Someone from Buffalo, NY writes:
I have had chronic pain for 12 years. I have suffered terribly during those years. It's horrible that chronic pain patients are labeled as drug abusers. The DEA needs to give the doctors that treat these patients back the rights to treat us as they see that we need to be treated.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 27th, 2013Someone from Seven Valleys, PA signed.
Jun 27th, 2013Someone from Riverview, FL writes:
I have been a chronic pain patient for 10 years. My life is challenging enough without all the hoops we now have to go through in order to get proper pain management. Pharmacies no longer carry the meds needed, the doctors time is being taken by all the hoops THEY have to jump through. Bottom line is we have a right to pain care, we have a right to be treated with compassion and respect and we have a right to these meds as long as they are taken as directed by the physician.REPORT COMMENTS
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