First Do No Harm: The DEA targets Physicians who treat their patients pain.
Public Comments (15,444)
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Sep 17th, 2016Someone from Maple Valley, WA writes:
I'm a chronic pain sufferer since 1996, which is when it became disabling. I have fibromyalgia, TBI, Anxiety, Sciatica pain which causes spasm to shoot down both sides of my buttocks, legs and all the way into the bottoms of my feet. My neck - which causes spasms, sharp shooting pains down both my shoulders, arms and into my hands/fingers. Both knees, left arm and head was all broken/opened due to car accident that should have left me dea (per Dr comments.) I was able to do minimal things, make my own meals, dress and bathe myself, walk minimal distances while on Pain Management meds. Then, in 2015 a Pain Mgt Dr filling in for mine who went out om maternity leave "decided for me" the pain meds are NOT helping me, its documented he said. Since then (October 2015) my pain level is 9/10, I am bed ridden. I am writing this as best I can. The Drs are insistant that I, instead, take all these other meds that don't do a thing for me AND that I go for tests and procedures that both wont help AND I KEEP TELLING THEM - I can NOT AFFORD!!! I had to go on disability in 2008 because I was no longer able to function for a part time let alone a full time job. What I am writing to you about is PLEASE ! Put an end to this hideous DEA ordeal. Yes! Keep then at war with drugs but with the illegal distribution of drugs NOT where it hurts people like me. I suffer with chronic depression, bipolar, PTSD and many others I can never remember. I shared the above with my Psychiatrist who, since December 2015, has prescribed other depression meds whose claims state are also for pain relief. Needless to say they did NOT help, at all !!! My Psychiatrist saw this too and then wrote me a letter for referral to my State supporting the fact that I need HELP! I am bed ridden, cannot do even the simplest of things like dress, bathe, prepare meals for myself, etc., The State came back with the fact that I make too much money!!! Since the lack of pain medz my pain has gone from a 5/6 to a 9/strong out of ten. I am and have been on the verge of suicide because I can find no other relief from my chronic pain, inability to function and lack of care/resources from my Dr's. SO many like me have already commited suicide due to this ridiculous 'law' it helps to support my contemplation of suicide as well. I feel that no one cares anymore. I can NOT afford to pay what I do for the little help I receive from my medical plan, on top of all that I am paying to receive NOTHING ! Please help me and people like me , put an end to this DEA nonsense and put them back where they belong ! With the illegal distribution of drugs NOT where it hurts people like me ! Thank you, Vanessa Mackie -
Sep 17th, 2016Someone from Lapwai, ID signed.
Sep 17th, 2016Someone from Lapwai, ID signed.
Sep 17th, 2016Someone from Buffalo, NY writes:
Why do DEA officials hurt patients & dr's? They wear guns & vests to go in dr offices, but the pussies are afraid of stopping literal tonage of drugs at the borders? Alcohol accounted for 880,000 deaths last year. Why is alcohol legal? What a hypocritical society. Portugal, Spain, Croatia, to name a few countries that legalized all drugs, have no drug problems. We truly are stupid people & should get bombed by North Korea or the Soviets have better fire power than we do. They're laughing at us. I'm seeing people my age (54) turning to heroin. I'm sorry I served my country I thought would help me. Now I'm hoping someone bombs us so I can finally be pain free. And yeah, **** peeing in cups, & your stupid pill counting. Patients are in pain *******s & don't need added costs of complying to your ridiculous rules. Bless all drug street dealers. They are the heroes who lead healthcare, not you imbeciles. Michael Skrlin USN ret.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 17th, 2016Someone from Ringgold, GA signed.
Sep 17th, 2016Someone from Winterville, NC signed.
Sep 17th, 2016Someone from Ogden, UT signed.
Sep 17th, 2016Someone from Castle Rock, CO writes:
The DEA needs to stop acting as if they spent 8 years in medical school and residency. Banning natura herbs like Kratom? Effectively causing 'pain refugees' who are lumped in with true psychological addicts and then incarcerating them, taking their children away when all they wanted was a quality of life? The DEA is not God. This is a free country (I thought)...at least, that was the country that I fought for. (Combat veteran, wounded, TBI that caused spasticity, treated like a criminal for trying to find relief)REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 17th, 2016Someone from Castle Rock, CO writes:
The DEA needs to stop acting as if they spent 8 years in medical school and residency. Banning natura herbs like Kratom? Effectively causing 'pain refugees' who are lumped in with true psychological addicts and then incarcerating them, taking their children away when all they wanted was a quality of life? The DEA is not God. This is a free country (I thought)...at least, that was the country that I fought for. (Combat veteran, wounded, TBI that caused spasticity, treated like a criminal for trying to find relief)REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 17th, 2016Someone from Vernal, UT signed.
Sep 17th, 2016Someone from Colbert, WA writes:
I am a former medical assistant. I got out of the medical field because I couldn't watch what is going on in the medical field anymore. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 4 years ago, but I have to live with pain everyday because doctors don't want to get in trouble and the are all too happy to throw their hands up and blame the government. I am currently working on creating centers where people with chronic pain can get relief through massage, acupuncture, spas, doctors, naturalists, etc...all in one place.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 16th, 2016Someone from Talmoon, MN writes:
I am a 61 year old retired/disabled law enforcement officer. 23 years ago I had a series of surgeries for a severe knee injury that finally resulted in the removal of my knee cap and 2 blood clots which destroyed then 2 main veins returning blood from my foot and leg. I also have degenerative disc disease affecting 5 lumbar vertebrae. This condition is inoperable. To top it all off, 4 years ago I contracted an infection in my lung that required surgery and 8 days in intensive care. The antibiotic that was prescribed caused the side effect of peripheral neuropathy. I now suffering from numbness, burning and tingling along with occasional feelings like electric shocks in both feet and hands. My pain was effectively managed for several years by a combination of opioid pain meds and others. I was able to function on a relatively normal level and enjoy working in my yard and garden, spending time with my grandkids, enjoy all the outdoor activities the great North woods of Minnesota has to offer. But three months ago that all changed! Due to the new FDA recommendations my doctor started reducing the dosage of my pain meds...25% each month for 3 months. This resulted in a commensurate increase in my pain level until I am now basically sedentary. Today I made a trip to see my doctor and basically begged to get my dosages back to the original level. I was informed that the clinic policy was to follow the FDA recommendations to the letter and that there was no going back. The discussion got a bit heated and after being informed that I was free to get a second opinion, she said she would not go against the policy for fear of "losing her license"!! So there you have it....the alphabet agencies of the federal government are bullying doctors into following an asinine one-size-fits-all recommendation while thousands of people like myself, who have NEVER shown any penchant for abusing our medication are forced to suffer unnecessarily because some bureaucrats are using scare tactics to prevent doctors from treating their patients. I understand there is a problem with deaths caused by overdosing on these meds, but I'm afraid those numbers will pale in comparison to the number of people who will take their own lives when their uncontrolled, chronic pain becomes too much to bear... Please try to see both sides of this issue and let us live our lives instead of merely existing in pain!!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 16th, 2016Someone from Redding, CA writes:
I wish to protest vehemently against the congressional or any other "official" interest in the interruption OR involvement in the relationship between my doctor and myself. The unmitigated gall from these groups finagling and manipulateing the people's lives, as always born from greed unabated greed. We are being driven and cornered like cattle, all for those "deepening pockets". Come one, come all, let us resist the life suckling machines that lay out the fate of our lives, and the quality we can eke out OF these lives. All things are possible with UNITY.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 16th, 2016Someone from Jonesborough, TN signed.
Sep 16th, 2016Someone from Saint Petersburg, FL writes:
My 51 yr old brother shot himself a week ago after 9 mths of being switched to different med's after being on opiods for several years due to chronic severe pain which the opiods allowed him to do have somewhat of a normal existence for 15 plus yrs. Once the Dr started to put him on lesser med's nothing was alleviating his chronic pain. He'd go back to pain management Dr & he would then prescribe something different. He would then try to fill certain prescriptions & pharmacy would turn him away. He was caught between the system between the DEA stamping down on release of opiods & the Drs & pharmacies who weren't communicating with one another for if a Pain Mgmt Dr prescribes a med for a long term patient there should be some fiduciary responsiblity to fill that prescription fot the patient's lifes are on the line. This occurred in FL & I don't know all the legal stuff going down with prescribing med's but patient's are dying for they're not given quality care to lead the best life they can lead. My brother would've never shot himself if the Dr & pharmacies would've kept him on opiods. He went into drug withdrawal for a period of several months with hallucinations. He went days without sleeping over the past 9 mths & physically could barely move since the system was changing his meds from opiods without any support during the 9 mths. He admitted himself into emergency room in June for he was in so much pain. We had no idea that his symptoms were related to drug withdrawal. Nobody educated him or us (family) why all these mental-physical changes were happening until the emergency room advised he was going thru withdrawal. At emergency room, John found some relief but when Dr prescribed same medicine that he had in emergency room to help with withdrawal, the pharmacies wouldn't fill the prescription. John was in a no-win situation. His physical life & mental life was detiorating. He was not in his right mind when he shot himself & I do blame the system for his death. If they would've just continued to regulate the opiods as the Dr had been doing for years, John's quality of life would've been drastically different & he could've been with us for a few more years. He did not abuse the opiods but needed them as previously prescribed to have some quality of life. The withdrawl symptoms were so severe & continued for months. I don't think anybody could endure what he had been going thru for 9 mths. He already had the life changing injuries which were only going to get worse. Our system should have compassion for chronic long term patients. I don't want John's death to be in vain- he was only 51 yrs old with twin (16) yr old boys & didn't deserve to die this young. I will continue to be his advocate & other people's advocate that are enduring this very sad, very painful ordeal. We need to get the pendulum to swing back to the middle as we're killing people before their time....REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 16th, 2016Someone from Woodstock, GA signed.
Sep 16th, 2016Someone from Woodstock, GA signed.
Sep 16th, 2016Someone from Woodstock, GA writes:
This is do sad, I guo into a near fatal car accident and never knew pain my life like this, I've had children, had acute pain I never took anything for before this, I have high pain tolerance until every part of my body is damaged. my issues are far and wide and my drs say I'm a complicated pain patient, I was bed ridden for 1year in a half before my dr finally gave me strong enough opiates to get me out of bed. Finally still with lots of pain I can go to the store with my family a could times a week ans maybe out to eat every once in awhile. I finally was able to move closer to family and now that I have my new pain dr she wants to lower my doeses. I write this bed ridden now again, it's hard to not be depressed about this. She also told me that the dea is all over practices prescribing opiates. And she is independently owned and didn't want to give anymore then she could. I pay$400 self pay to literally be bed ridden???? How can this be??REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 16th, 2016Someone from Providence, RI signed.
Sep 16th, 2016Someone from Fullerton, CA signed.
Sep 16th, 2016Someone from Everett, WA writes:
DEA is the ones killing people. I will be one of those after the DEA has scared my dr so he no longer Rxs pain medication. I'm in 9 of 10 pain now because of them in will be ending my life soon. Thanks DEA. Stop your war on ligitamet Drs and patients. There are going to be thousand of people that will be dead just like me cause they can't bare the pain.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 16th, 2016Someone from Madison, WI writes:
This is a joke. The reality is that these Drs are turning patients into junkies. Prime example; I had a close friend who had a serious injury at work that should have killed him. Needless to say they were giving him pain meds in the beginning and then just abruptly stopped prescribing them due to dea regulations. His quality of life went down the drain. He can only sleep in a recliner (if he can get to sleep) and ends up in the hospital every once in awhile, because he can't move. He feels so horrible that he has considered purchasing heroin just to have some relief. Now that's ridiculous he should be able to get a legtimate prescription. When you feel like you want to die because the pain is so bad that's a problem.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 16th, 2016Someone from Minden, LA signed.
Sep 16th, 2016Someone from Minden, LA signed.
Sep 16th, 2016Someone from Minden, LA signed.
Sep 16th, 2016Someone from Homestead, FL signed.
Sep 16th, 2016Someone from Murrieta, CA signed.
Sep 16th, 2016Someone from Adams, WI writes:
''Mr.Guy,'',,Quick answer to your question,,,the dea has now been thrown out of South America for human Rites Violations around the year 2002,,,ie,,,now going after good innocent doctors is the filler for their void in employment down in the ,''columbian cartel,'',,,they were thrown out of Bolivia,Peru and other countries just before they started going after u fine doctors.,,,They need employment,,sooo u good doctors,INNOCENT doctors are their employment, and your hard earned assets are their monies,,,monies that they have lost going after cocaine dealers,,,simple as that..The same agents thrown out of South America,,are the ones going after u,,There is line in a our founding fathers high moral character document called the Declaration of Independence,'' and jmo,,I am fallowing in their footsteps,,for they were actual men,,,of very high moral character,,,where as our new government is obviously sleeze ball liers,,,,,Those lines begins,,''When any form of government becomes destruction w/their just powers derived from the governed,,,it is our rite,,it is our duty,,to alter or abolish it.For mankind is can suffer,for evil is sufferable,but when a long line of abuses,design to evince the same objective,to reduce us under absolute DESPOTISM,, it is our right ,it is our duty,to abolished those forms of government that impede our safety and find new guards for our security.''',,, We all need to stand up to this corruption,,this abuse of ,''just power,'' for it truly should be derived from the governed,,,This petition is a legal document of our governments abuse onto the medically ill w/physically painful conditions, we try every day to find attorneys to represent us,,and some day sooooon,,,we will have one,,,and the United States Government will loose this abuse of ,'just power,'' for their true corruption warrants it,,and we the people,,will witness every one of these inhumane creatins,psychopath dea agents,,be prosecuted under the law,,,and rot in jail ,,for they are truly the only guilty ones here,,along w/klondyne,,,It is truly impossible for anyone to physically feel the physical pain of another,,thus no-one has some divine rite to make us suffer in physical pain from medical illnesss,,Only a true psychopath enjoys making people suffer,,they have no emphathy,compassion or humanity towards their fellow man,,,that is exactly what Klondyn.dea are,,psychopaths,,,to force humanbeings to suffer in physical pain from medical illness..which is exactly what they have done,,torture and genocide is still illegal in all countries,,and thee United States Government is guilty of both,,onto the medically ill..MARYWREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 15th, 2016Someone from Knoxville, TN writes:
As a physician who was trained in family medicine in the 80s & 90s I hear horror stories from Primary Care Physicians trained in the 21st century that are bullied by badge flashing DEA agents who enter doctors offices unannounced and threaten prescribing professionals much like they treated Columbian cartel members in the twentieth century! What the hell has the AMA & other useless organizations allowed this once honorable profession to turn its back to the pain and suffering of a human being?REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 15th, 2016Someone from Knoxville, TN signed.
Sep 15th, 2016Someone from Paris, TN signed.
Sep 15th, 2016Someone from Freehold, NJ writes:
Pain warriors - Join the pain community for a rally in DC on Oct 22. @ 10 am. To register and for more info please go to Rallyagainstpain.com We need to ban together folks, we need to fight the corruption in our government, the DEA, CDC AND FDA. WE HAVE A RIGHT TO MEDICINE THAT EAZES OUR PAIN AND DENYING US LIFESAVING PAIN MEDICATION IS INHUMANE , TORTURE AND IT IS CRIMINAL!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! HOW MANY MORE SUICIDES FROM LEGITIMATE PAIN PTS WHO WERE DENIED PAIN MEDICATION IS IT GOING TO TAKE BEFORE SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING!?!? YES, THE GOVERNMENTS FULL INTENTION IS TO SEND LEGITIMATE PAIN PTS TO THE STREETS OR SUICIDE!! THE DEA IS TARGETING ANY DR WHO CONTINUES TO TREAT PTS WITH PAIN MEDICATION, TAKING THE ONLY OPTION AWAY FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS, MILLIONS EVEN, OF CHRONIC PAIN PTS. FORCING US TO ENDURE SEVERE PAIN AND SUFFERING! WE MUST FIGHT BACK FOLKS!!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 15th, 2016Someone from Gresham, OR writes:
I worked for a pain clinic and have experienced the loss of several patients to suicide as a result to improper pain control. I am also a pain sufferer myself, and have just recently encountered a new doctor too afraid to prescribe. Now, I must suffer the pain of MS raw. It's inhumane.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 15th, 2016Someone from Spartanburg, SC signed.
Sep 15th, 2016Someone from Granger, IN signed.
Sep 15th, 2016Someone from Edmonds, WA signed.
Sep 15th, 2016Someone from Philadelphia, PA signed.
Sep 15th, 2016Someone from San Francisco, CA writes:
First do no harm!!! I'm a chronic pain patient with many severe painful diagnosis . It forced me to leave my profession as a teacher . I went to Stanford PCP. My doctor, gave me the proscription the first time my opioids that I have been taking for years. Then , I was told that I must see a pyhcatrist or no pain medication for me. I went to the pain clinic, they asked me all sort of questions , read my profile, then said we are not going to give pain meds , you must see a shrink, per your PCP request. When I went home, I read the dr. Zhu's notes, it stated that I'm an opioids addict, and have anxiety , and put a line from another hospital that I complained about to the department of health and human services and was in my favor. I asked the PCP doc, are you licsenced to write this? No answer. It was takinen from a doctors note in 2013 and pasted to her note . Any ways I tried to call the residents supervisors , no call back , urgent messages to Amy Welch twice, no answer. Then at around 6:00pm some one from the emergency called , now it's my third day without pain meds. Are you nauseous ? Sweaty ? I have a condition that similar to the withdrawal . But was honest and sad no. Then I was told go to the ER. No answer on the weekend, but on Monday , I told them I stopped smoking for 20 years, but you forced me to smoke weed to kill the pain. Amy finally called me at around 12:00 on Monday. My 6th day without pain medication . I explained to her that my doc, never explained to why I need to see a shrink. Or if she thought I was an addict , why give me my pain med the month before. I never use extra .. Ever. With that I have tremor medication , I was denied that too because they are considered controlled substance . I was out of pain meds 6 days and tremor medication for 5and some. Finally the chief of CPC DR. Singh, called me around 3:30 or 4:00pm , I explained to him what had happened, not even once the chief admitted that one of his residents did anything wrong. But he after I explained all to him, he gave me an couple of choices, give you your meds but you must agree to see a shrink, or give you your meds And you out of Stanford . I said I need my meds. Then he said the way you are talking , you need to To see a pyhcatrist , then I said calmly and the way you are talking to me you need one too. Then he said " are you insulting me?" It's ok that doctors to treat us like trash, instead of sitting With us and telling us , let's have a plan to reduce. Your intake, my body is on fire. But let's show you the way to hell, smoke,etc.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelSep 15th, 2016Someone from Wasilla, AK signed.
Sep 15th, 2016Someone from Nappanee, IN writes:
have been on the exact 2 same medications at the same dosage for 5 years. Now I have been told no Dr will see me. Yesterday I saw a new pain Dr. My family Dr had spoken with him and wrote letters saying I am none of those things and wanted the pain Dr to continue my course of treatment as is. I was treated as if I was some junkie. Halfway through visit he stopped talking to me and only addressed my new girlfriend. I have been a single father for 13 since the day my daughter was born. He tried to say I was a bad parent and even tried to have me committed. I have never been so humiliated and degraded in my entire life. What the government is doing is causing more problems. They are creating herion addicts. They are ruining people's lives and harming families with their "good intentions"! I will never become an addict but their are many more that will. Someone needs to stop their illegal actions and their campaign of terror on Dr's who only want to treat their patients. If we don't stand up now this is only the beginning and I am willing to stand alone if I have to. I am willing to speak to anyone and do whatever to protect my rights, my Dr's rights and the rights of all the people out there who is too afraid to speak up for themselves.REPORT COMMENTS
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