First Do No Harm: The DEA targets Physicians who treat their patients pain.
Public Comments (15,444)
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Sep 23rd, 2016Someone from Emporia, VA writes:
Chronic pain patients have no where to turn for help. The DEA is taking away their quality of life and then labeling these patients as drug a addicts! You should be ashamed, the true harm is toward the chronic pain sufferers! I know if your family member has a long term disease, can not sleep and actually is suffering, you would make sure they got relief!! Where are the patients rights?? Why do you not spend the money and time to stop illegal drug trafficking?? Do you have any idea how these patients can not even take care of themselves or even travel or get ready (even a shower) to make it to any medical appoinment?? Now you are closing (the only help they are allowed ) Pain Management Clinics that have met your regulations!! These Chronic Pain Patients should have legal help to stop what is being done to their quality of life. What about the ones that will die ?? Could you stand 24/7 chronic pain without some relief?? I am pleading with our Government Reps to stop this!! -
Sep 23rd, 2016Someone from Medina, TN writes:
We are forced to accept substandard care, abuse, and humiliation from unqualified fly by night clinics. I'm sure the state owns them. Why else would you want to treat humans this way....money...thats always the real answer.REPORT COMMENTS
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Sep 23rd, 2016Someone from Randolph, MA writes:
This is very Sad that Dr.'s and patience have abused medication.For the People who have no other solution for their Pain to live day by day are now all laying in bed in severe Pain.I believe there should be a grandfather's clause for Patients in Need.Diane MacKay.Ma.REPORT COMMENTS
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Sep 23rd, 2016Someone from Glendale, AZ writes:
I'm going through this demeaning,humiliating process with my primary care doctor right now. I told him that I wanted to see if I could get by on less morphine and take the muscle relaxant that works for me. Many years ago, I was taking very high doses. Over time ,I have on my own reduced the morphine to 175 mg, per day. I have pain, but With these two meds at the NHS and dosages I can tolerate the pain and have some quality of life. Now, my doctor be sure of his philosophy regarding chronic pain management with a dose of these meds that would leave me in severe pain and destroy the little quality of live that I have will be destroyed. He told me to find another doctor. This is so dehumanizing and every other adjective that I can attach to this destructive situation, why should I want to live like this? I don't. So we'll see what happens. Thank-you.REPORT COMMENTS
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Sep 23rd, 2016Someone from Cambridge, MA signed.
Sep 23rd, 2016Someone from Kiester, MN writes:
my doctor is feeling the squeeze of prescribing pain med's, i am 55 and do things by the book. after 3 back surgery's and the loss of my right toes my life is really tough, you know who suffers my 13 and 14 year old daughters. Dad cant participate in activities. i bet congress can get all the pain medicine they want, but there the root cause of our pain look at our economy.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 23rd, 2016Someone from Oxford, OH signed.
Sep 23rd, 2016Someone from Hixson, TN writes:
My father is a 72 year old decorated Vietnam war vet, a welder and a minister. His back has deteriorated leaving him in excruciating pain. His Dr was giving him low doses of oxycodone and he was seeing his chiropractor regularly. He was yanked off his meds and went through horrible withdrawals. I've watched him suffer these past 2 years in ways I can't describe. He suffered a brain stem stroke. He is treated like an animal at the VA! 3 month long waits... Sent to pain management an hour away from his house. Again, he is 72! They put him on LYRICA! I'm livid. He will die in pain and there's nothing anyone will do about it. This man has fought your wars and is neglected and insulted! Stop this madness NOWREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 23rd, 2016Someone from Hixson, TN signed.
Sep 23rd, 2016Someone from Rancho Cucamonga, CA writes:
The government has no business treating patients. That is what doctors and nurse specialists were trained to do. Pushing off label drugs at people, instead of opioid based pain killers which are specific for pain, is not an answer to a national heroin addiction problem, it is not an answer to the black market of street drugs, it is not the answer to end meth labs. Harming medical patients to try and fix an entirely different issue is beyond wrong. The media sensationalizes everything about this issue and they need tobe corrected with proper information. The hysteria has got to stop so that people in pain can find relief in proper treatment. There is no excuse for pain relieving drugs being with held from those who are in need and who benefit greatly from them. Stop the excessive regulations. Stop the hysteria. Stop what is becoming patient abuse by some medical professionals who don't really care about anything but "looking good" to the government. That isn't what medicine is supposed to be about. That is a travesty.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 23rd, 2016Someone from Cambridge, MA signed.
Sep 23rd, 2016Someone from Freehold, NJ writes:
PAIN WARRIORS, I URGE YOU ALL TO ATTEND THE RALLY AGAINST THIS INHUMANE, BARBARIC AND TORTUROUS TREATMENT BY OUR GOVERNMENT! PLEASE GO TO RALLYAGAINSTPAIN.COM FOR INFO, THE RALLY IS ON 10/22/16 @ 10.am. IN DC. IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND, SEND FAMILY/FRIENDS IN YOUR PLACE AND SEND YOUR STORY TO THE WEBSITE TO BE READ AT THE RALLY. THIS IS OUR ONE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE COUNTRY JUST HOW CORRUPT THE GOVERNMENT/DEA, CDC, FDA AND PROP ARE. THEY ARE FEEDING THE PUBLIC WITH PROPAGANDA ******** AND WE MUST FIGHT BACK AND LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THESE MEDICATIONS ARE A LIFELINE TO MANY OF US AND ARE BEING DENIED TO US, SENDING MANY TO THE STREETS FOR RELIEF OR WORSE SUICIDE!!! PRESIDENT OBAMA, SENATORS BOOKER, MENENDEZ AND SMITH, YOU MUST STOP THIS INHUMANE TORTUROUS TREATMENT ONTO AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO ARE CHRONICALLY ILL. IT'S NOT EVEN JUST THE CHRONICALLY ILL THIS ATTACK IS AFFECTING, BUT ANYONE IN NEED OF PAIN MEDICATION WHETHER FOR ACUTE OR CHRONIC PAIN ARE DENIED SAID MEDICATION. HAVING SURGERY? DON'T DO IT! YOU WILL BE DENIED PAIN MEDICATION FOR POST OP CARE. IN NEED OF GOING TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM? DON'T DO IT! YOU WILL BE TREATED LIKE A DRUG ADDICT, DENIED TREATMENT AND SENT AWAY. SHAME ON OUR GOVERNMENT FOR INTENTIONALLY INFLICTING PAIN AND SUFFERING ONTO AMERICAN CITIZENS , SHAME ON OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM FOR TURNING THIER BACKS ON THE CHRONICALLY ILL, FOR FAILING TO DO NO HARM. DENYING LEGITIMATE PAIN PTS LIFESAVING PAIN MEDICATION IS SENDING PEOPLE TO COMMIT SUICIDE!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 23rd, 2016Someone from Owasso, OK writes:
The govt needs to grandfather in chronic pain migraine uses. This is just ridiculous making us pay for another's abuse.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 23rd, 2016Someone from Soddy Daisy, TN writes:
I am a disabled single Mother and still have 3 children at home. I suffer with excruciating pain die to Transvaginal mesh erosion, permanent nerve damage and Fibromyalgia... I have gone from being able to care for my children, animals and home, to barely being able to do the minimum. I have no quality of life...I'd rather be dead than live this way. This is absurd.....I find it hard to believe that we all have to suffer this way...this is our LIVES!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Somerville, MA signed.
Sep 22nd, 2016Someone from Somerville, MA signed.
Sep 22nd, 2016Someone from Farmington, NM writes:
I used to truly enjoy life,despite all the obstacles WE ALL GO THROUGH.Because I cannot find a physician to write my ptescriptions,I have gone from a 53 year old male ready to go back to college,to a person that gets up everyday(and I did not say wakesup!) To struggling with my religion (Catholic) about whether I want to live another day. I firmly believe that would I be an animal the vet would recommend euthanasia, which at this point I would gladly welcome.I no longer have a quality of life.And quite honestly I no longer wish to live suffering the way I am. There is so much more I wish to say, but depression is sinking in.To all of you that go through the same thing know this, You are the people that motivate me to move everyday,and thank you, and God Bless You! Kevin Farmington N.M.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Montgomery, TX signed.
Sep 22nd, 2016Someone from Clinton Township, MI writes:
I have read several articles like this lately and I can say for fact that the DEA is flat out lying when they claim it's not their fault! It IS their fault! They make the regulations that doctors and pharmacists have to follow. Currently, that regulation says that patients cannot be on those particular schedule of drugs for more than 3 months! After that, alternative pain control must be sought. I've been told that by 2 different doctors and 3 different pharmacists. This is what happens when we allow our government to dictate something that is completely out of their realm of expertise.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Central Falls, RI writes:
WHY should responsible chronic pain patients be stigmatized and denied medication just because of a handful of addicts who abuse it?!? This is SO WRONG. By that logic, I guess all liquor should also be banned because SOME people are alcoholics! Ridiculous!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Attleboro, MA signed.
Sep 22nd, 2016Someone from Cleveland, VA signed.
Sep 22nd, 2016Someone from Westminster, CA writes:
Chronic pain that not a single doctor can say what's wrong...its there I am not a "pill popper" and people who ask for you get a buzz from them...uh no it does what it is supposed to do..help with the pain. My meds have been cut by more than half and doctor wants to prescribe what I was on is scared to death he will get in trouble for doing what is right, helping patients with pain. If they could fix me and was pain free I would be over the moon...but they can't and I have to deal with it from when I wake up till bed if I can even sleep due to the pain... Again as usual a few ruin it for the masses...REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Crestview, FL signed.
Sep 22nd, 2016Someone from Pipe Creek, TX writes:
I am a 46-year-old male who has been suffering from HIV/AIDS since 1987. I was also diagnosed with Major Depression in 1992. I also have Degenerative Disc Disease (2010ish). I also have been diagnosed with Peripheral Neuropathy(2010ish). My pain has been beyond description, certainly not through key strokes on a computer. My pain, which is my very own and different from everyone else. We are all suffering and claiming ownership of our pain. So much pain and suffering. I think about death constantly and long for my turn. Yes, the DEA has given us to choose from our basic human instinct. Fight or Flight. So YES Congress. I am fighting. Fighting you every day has become my reason to live. You will all know my name as this letter will be a daily reminder that we are hurting and dying and our Government DOES NOT CARE! These new rules are beyond inhumane. The DEA needs to allow doctors to do what they are there for and STAY OUT OF MY MEDICINE CABINET!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Casper, WY writes:
I have a ruptured Achilles tendon and chronic back pain I can't afford surgery I am forced to walk with a cane at 22 years old I don't qualify for disability because my injury can be fixed but yet I am unable to work. Being in constant pain I am even told by the ER to take Tylenol and ibuprofen. One of the purposes of an ER is pain management and yet I am denied narcotics because I've been given too many in my medical history. I have to live in constant pain!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Petersburg, VA writes:
I have been taking pain medication for several years, after very invasive colon cancer surgery. The medication dramatically improved my quality of life. Now, due to DEA restrictions, my physician is warning me that he may no longer be able to prescribe ANY pain medication. How am I supposed to live like that? What is the DEA's plan to provide a remedy for me? People who are financially "comfortable" can afford to seek alternate remedies, in the form of other, less closely observed physicians, more lenient countries, or whatever else is available. Those options not available to me. Again I ask, what am I supposed to do?REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Somerville, MA writes:
I am a 54 year-old male suffering from severe, chronic pain since the late 90's and live in Mass. I was living a nearly pain free life with the prescriptions I was on, Opiates until the law was passed telling legitimate Dr.s with legitimate patients. He had to cut the dose in half and now my quality of life went from about 80% down to 10-15%. He prescribed my Nuerontin which was suppose to fill in the pain gaps. I was on the pain meds for over 13 years, never had a problem, took them as prescribed and keep them in a safe. There should've been a "grandfather" clause allowing patients who have documented files that should've been allowed to stay on these meds. I understand the laws are written to try to stop the heroin epidemic and opiate problem with younger people but why make those of us whose prescriptions were cut in 1/2. My Dr. was told that I should be dead, well I'm alive and now not so well. The people who are making these laws should have at least 2 patients whose lives these laws do/are going to affect on some kind board and listen to our side. The people who help write these laws are Dr.s ,Professors and law makers who unless they have the kind of pain I/we have then they have no idea what they're doing. I thank God that will only take what my Dr. prescribes for me but if this Mass. law goes into affect across the entire county, I can guarantee you that this country better brace for millions of people trying to get into rehab to withdraw or even worse, turn to the street and find the cheapest pain meds or try what I call that "shit" Heroin. Go after the dealers not the Dr.s who are helping their patients live a half decent/normal life. Thank you!!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Huger, SC writes:
Both my husband and I are disabled, chronic, intractable pain sufferers. We both have wonderful doctors who have prescribed us opiates giving us both our lives back and our marriage, our sex life. We have never misused our meds nor sold any and we keep them in a lockbox. I am afraid that our President, the DEA, & our state (SC) are going to cause us to lose them and we will again be trapped inside our pain with no quality of life again.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Stanleytown, VA writes:
my dr. sent me to a pain clinic. and because i am afraid of the treatment they want to do, she refuses to treat my pain at all. the pain clinic said i had to take what they reccommend, or they wont treat me. i do have serious pain, and physician documented for years of chronic pain, due to physical problems. not mental, not drug addict, etc; i aks for alternitive meds. no..what they want me to take, or nothing. whats wrong with that. i thought patients are supposed to have some say in their care.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Bandon, OR writes:
I am made to feel like a criminal for needing pain medication for long term severe spinal pain.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Cleveland, TN writes:
I've suffered from Multiple Sclerosis for 10 years. I have crippling pain on most days..and 2 young children to care for. I've had the same primary care Dr. since day 1. I took minimal meds to control symptoms, and was productive and thriving on small amounts of Hydrocodone (for 5 years) and small amounts of adderall for times the fatigue was so bad, I slept 20 hrs a day. If Fatigue and pain were somewhat managed, I had a good quality of life. Two years ago my Dr told me she was sending me to a pain management clinic and that month would be my last month of meds. She no longer prescribed to any patients. So began my downward journey. Sending chronic pain patients away from their primary care Dr, into these legalized pill mills is barbaric. After coming home in tears after ever single humiliating visit, I weened myself off, suffered horrible withdrawal, just so I wouldn't have to step foot in any clinic again. My MS relapsed and I was paralyzed from the waist down and my right side of my body. I thank the stress! I started to treat my chronic pain with alcohol., as that is legal. No one questions me, is rude, demeans me and makes me pee in a cup. Depression was horrible and the trauma of being in those places led me to not even see my Dr for a year or barely leave the house. Alcohol worked for a while until I went through alcohol withdrawal syndrome and my family intervened and I quit. I still suffer greatly with little relief, but I hope my Dr can some day treat me as a whole person again, someone with a chronic disease that does need specific pain care. Sadly, there are too many good people turning to illegal drugs and alcohol and not making it.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Pipe Creek, TX writes:
I am a 46-year-old male who has been suffering from HIV/AIDS since 1987. I was also diagnosed with Major Depression in 1992. I also have Degenerative Disc Disease (2010ish). I also have been diagnosed with Peripheral Neuropathy(2010ish). My pain has been beyond description, certainly not through key strokes on a computer. My pain, which is my very own and different from everyone else. We are all suffering and claiming ownership of our pain. So much pain and suffering. I think about death constantly and long for my turn. Yes, the DEA has given us to choose from our basic human instinct. Fight or Flight. So YES Congress. I am fighting. Fighting you every day has become my reason to live. You will all know my name as this letter will be a daily reminder that we are hurting and dying and our Government DOES NOT CARE! These new rules are beyond inhumane. The DEA needs to allow doctors to do what they are there for and STAY OUT OF MY MEDICINE CABINET!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Flippin, AR signed.
Sep 22nd, 2016Someone from Corvallis, OR writes:
I'm in my late forties and have been in pain for most of my life. For over 25 years, doctors tested every drug they could think of in varying doses to give me any relief at all, before finally giving in and prescribing a narcotic. While even that has not completely taken away my pain, at least I no longer spend my hours curled in a ball under a blanket crying from the pain and how the slightest sound or light intensified it and can actually take care of myself. Then two years ago, my GP told me without warning that he no longer felt comfortable prescribing this drug at all, period. No tapering off the dose, nothing, just stop. I searched out the nearest pain clinic over an hour away in order to continue receiving it. While it's true the doctor there barely spent 5 minutes with me each visit and never once touched me, at least I was able to continue receiving the medication that kept me at least partially active. Until this week when I was told that thanks to this new regulation, my pain no longer determined how much medication I could take. No, now it's based on some formula that has absolutely nothing to do with me. Going after physicians and patients who follow all instructions, gladly undergo random drug testing, who never ask for their prescriptions early and even hold off on increasing the dosage when the pain is worse is the opposite direction needed to do something about illegal drug usage. We are not the ones who are doing anything wrong here and taking away the medication that allows us to function will do absolutely nothing to combat illegal usage. When you see that imposing these restrictions doesn't help in the slightest, I truly fear what my life will be like 10 years from now because you'll no doubt have thought erroneously that you just didn't lower our medication enough and halve it again and again until you've driven us to make the abuse worse by finding some dealer to get something that might help us. Most of us would never have dreamed of doing something illegal like that, but you are making us desperate and desperate people do things they wouldn't normally. I guarantee that every person who legitimately receives controlled substances does not want to have to take them. I know I would cut off my arm if it meant I would be pain free and taking no medication to control it again. We are not the ones causing any drugs to go out on the streets. Stop trying to make us the villains.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 22nd, 2016Someone from Hamburg, MN writes:
This has gotten out of control!...... I suffer from severe back issues and my pain was controlled to the point of being tolerable I have never been pain free and I have been on pain meds for 9 years now they want to start lowering my doses so much so fast that not only am I in extreme pain and can't leave my house I've been thrown into withdrawals which worsens everything!...... And they don't seem to care one bit!......REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 21st, 2016Someone from Cottondale, AL writes:
The latest attempt to combat the War on Drugs is a major failure. Instead of finding a way to catch those who are abusing the system and causing all the problems with overdose and Drug crimes Etc. You have attacked and destroyed quality of life for many many people. A person who is extremely sick or in agonizing pain now must go to yet another doctor and be treated like a drug addict once every 4 weeks. I myself being in this situation, I have multiple sclerosis and Sarcoidosis, find it extremely difficult to do this every month because of the severe fatigue and pain and exposure to germs because my immune system is suppressed for the MS treatment. I can no longer take the pain medications that used to work and I could get them mail to me monthly. Before the doctors couldn't no longer issue opiate prescriptions I had made remarkable improvements with the combination of a new Ms drug and the pain med I was on and now that is all gone because of this outlandish attack on the medical community and the sick citizens of our country. It is a crying shame that we are being treated this way. I hate being treated like a criminal or drug addict. I hate the extra energy that I have to expend each month 2 go sit for hours to wait on a prescription in a pain management clinic which is nothing more than a Stockyard pushing us through like cattle to get our pain medication prescription for the month and get out the door. It seems to be that there is a stigma developing about a person being in pain and taking pain medication. The government is reinforcing this by its treatment of the doctors prescribing these medications and the treatment of the patients receiving these medications. I know that there is a better way that this can be handled without in the intrusion upon the sick. We should not suffer any further because of a dope head wanting to get high. I hope that the powers-that-be will see this and understand the repercussions of what they have done and find a way to correct it and get this situation back to a patient being treated like a patient in a doctor being treated like a doctor. I also think it has gone too far when I take a prescription to the drugstore and the pharmacist call my doctor to find out about the prescription as in what is it for the quantity the refills which I don't believe it's the pharmacist business. 8 medical Dr wrote that prescription and he knows why he wrote it and what my situation is and I don't believe that a pharmacist has the right to question the doctor unless there's something that they cannot read on the prescription. So please let's get this crisis fixed. This is the greatest time in medical history and there should not be anyone existing in this country in pain. Not this time and not this time. Again I say this is the United States of America, it is the year 2016 and medical technology is at an all-time high and no one should deal with disabling and crippling pain that destroyed any quality of lifREPORT COMMENTS
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