First Do No Harm: The DEA targets Physicians who treat their patients pain.
Public Comments (15,444)
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Jun 22nd, 2016Someone from Myrtle Beach, SC writes:
I'm only 23 and have had many accidents, injuries, and illnesses in my life. I never was prescribed pain medication until a year ago following a severe kidney infection and sepsis that occurred at the same time as a mid-back injury. They were giving me Dilaudid in the hospital and it barely quelled the pain. I wasn't even "out of it", in fact, my mother told me I was behaving more normally once they gave it to me. Upon discharge they prescribed 600mg of ibuprofen. Ibuprofen is a NSAID which is known to cause kidney damage, which I did not want any more of. I asked for any other type of pain relief, and they prescribed three days worth of Percocet. Still in extreme pain, I graciously accepted this and was told if I still had pain when the prescription was finished they would prescribe more. Well, three days later on a Sunday evening I'm still in excruciating pain and we return to the hospital, where I explain my situation to the nurse and Doctor. My mother was with me again, and she also had heard my doctor tell me that I could receive additional pain medication. The way the doctor reacted was truly disheartening. You would have thought I was asking him for a prescription to go drown kittens. He told me "You're young. You can't be in that much pain still. Take some Motrin." So I explained again what the other doctor had told me, and also that when I had taken the Motrin/ibuprofen, it actually made the kidney pain much worse. He begrudgingly wrote another three day prescription. Knowing that it would be nearly impossible to get anything more, I had to ration out my supply of medication to one tablet at night so I could get w small amount of sleep. This only made it last for a couple extra days, and I spent the days and nights crying in pain, laid up in bed unable to work and hating every minute of life. The pain was gradually getting better but I still had flare ups of severe pain. Now, bear in mind that when I was initially hospitalized I was told that if I had waited a couple hours more I could have died. Yet, I walked myself into the emergency room that day and according to the report I was calm at that time. In severe pain. Yes, I have a high pain tolerance. But this doesn't mean that I am not hurting, or even close to dying! The ER Doctor I saw this time was more understanding. Hooked me up with IV fluids for the continued dehydration, nausea medication since I was in so much pain I couldn't eat and felt sick to my stomach, and morphine for the pain. I didn't even fall asleep from the pain medication. After checking my blood and urine, I was told that everything was functioning normally and maybe I was having back pain from the injury prior? He sent me home with a prescription for Tylenol with Codeine. I again had to ration this out to the times I was in so much pain I couldn't even get up. That was all in June/July last year. In August I went to visit a friend's farm and was thrown off a large horse and landed hard on my back. Didn't -
Jun 22nd, 2016Someone from San Francisco, CA writes:
Moreover, this sort of administratively enacted morality based medical care and the rescheduling of painkillers has quietly caused the United States to see a huge surge in haroin use. Then the government acts like they can't figure out why a haroin epidemic kicked off in this Country, right around the time they rescheduled painkillers. It's as if the government prefers to make Mexican Cartels rich, and the population in danger of street drugs; instead of the money going to well regulated, well taxed, and well know pharmaceutical companies from America. Ultimately, one really must question the true right of any government to tell you what you may or may not put in your body. Telling some one what they may or may not do to or for their own body reeks of Thirteenth Amendment Violations! Ownership is measured by control. That is the legal standard, and has been forever. Now, if the government claims to have a right to control our bodies by penalization of the ingestation of any substance, this does then create a ugly situation whereby the government claims ownership of your body. Ownership of anothers body is unlawful according to the 13th Amendment. At the same time, if a drug were made in a state, and stayed with-in that State the Federal government has can say about it. The idea that a clause designed to make sure that commerce flowed smoothly between the states unimpeded by tax and toll as a product placed into the stream of commerce makes its way from one state to another somehow grants a mythical right to regulate any commerce that has a cumulative-effect on the economy as a whole, is one that is very far fetched and betrays the true purpose of the commerce clause and the reason it exists.REPORT COMMENTS
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Jun 21st, 2016Someone from Angola, NY writes:
Something has to give, please let our doctors do what they have been trained to do.REPORT COMMENTS
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Jun 21st, 2016Someone from Madison, VA writes:
After my physian retired from practice I've been in limbo for a year and a half trying to find a Dr to help me.Ive almost given up its disgusting and costly dollar wise and mentally.REPORT COMMENTS
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Jun 21st, 2016Someone from Wappingers Falls, NY writes:
Suicide due to real chronic pain should not be the only relief. Doctors should not be threatened for prescribing whatever needs to be prescribed to help their patients live without pain. It's a disgrace to patients with chronic pain.REPORT COMMENTS
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Jun 21st, 2016Someone from La Crosse, VA signed.
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No, CancelJun 21st, 2016Someone from Watertown, WI writes:
I have been on pain me for chronic back pain and arthritis plus I have fibromyalgia and anxiety from all the harm the doctors are doing. I'm at my wits end my doctor retired and I can't fins ant pain clinic or doctor to treat me. They won't even talk to me like I'm a human being. My doctor retired because of all this the bureaucratic crap he was at retirement age anyway and decided to just get out of it before they try to come after his license and make him look like a bad guy for treating people like people. I don't know what to do I'm losing all of my pain medication because of Congress I have a two-and-a-half-year-old son that I can't take care of because I can hardly get out of bed without my medication I'm sick and tired of being looked at like I'm a criminal because I want to live and enjoy my life with my children. 5 months ago I was on a regimen that worked very well for me I was up I was mobile I was taking care of my house my kids making dinner on a daily basis taking my son out to play for walks doing everything a good mom should do but because of all these new laws they're taking me off of all of my medications and now I can hardly walk I can't get out of bed most days because when I get up I'm in tears. The last pain doctor I saw told me to go to a methadone clinic for my pain(advanced pain management in beaver dam wisconsin ) everyone knows that methadone clinics do not treat for pain they only treat you if you tell them you're an addict, yes because I've been on my medication for so long I may be addicted yes but I am not an addict I take my medication as prescribed and it has helped me to raise my son for 2 years and now because of all this bureaucracy I have to have nothing and feel miserable and not be able to have any quality of life. This is killing me. When people start committing suicide maybe then they'll realize what they're doing is completely wrong because they're hurting good people people that need this. I've run the gamut I'm a massage therapist I've done physical therapy I have done everything doctors have told me to do and the regimen that I found finally started to work for me I lost 35 pounds in 4 months I was feeling good and now that they're taking me off of my meds I'm just continuing to get worse and worse and there's nowhere for me to go there's no help I'm scared and I'm lostREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 21st, 2016Someone from Otis Orchards, WA writes:
My husband suffered a horrific motorcycle accident over 25 years ago and has nerve damage along with so much metal he sets the detectors off at the airport. His doc's look at his xrays and say "oh that must hurt. well there is nothing i can do for you." it is the most devastating and depressing thing to go through. he is never looked at like a human.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 21st, 2016Someone from Hatboro, PA writes:
My husband has passed out twice in one month due to chronic back pain after 3 spinal surgeries. The Doctors will not prescribe him the pain medication because of the DEA dictatorship. This is a disgrace and someone needs to do something. He has a right to treatment, he has tons of medial documents proving his condition. I am furious that I have to watch him suffer. The DEA should be ashamed of what they have done. His depression is getting worse as the days go by. I am in fear that he doesn't want to live anymore if the rest of his life will be in pain. Who can we turn to for help?? Does anyone even care? Sincerely, Christine BarrettREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 21st, 2016Someone from Neptune, NJ writes:
This is government overreach once again for a failed war on drugs. Blame the doctors, when that fails who or what will they blame next? I can't function with out medication and I don't want to think about a life of pain!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 21st, 2016Someone from Tiffin, OH signed.
Jun 21st, 2016Someone from Anaheim, CA signed.
Jun 21st, 2016Someone from Amherst, VA signed.
Jun 21st, 2016Someone from Paradise, CA writes:
The constant biased media reporting is dangerous for legitimate pain sufferers,the greatest concern should be the well-being of pain patients.but the media reports, even lawmakers get on the band wagon & demonize patients and opioids it is adversely affecting patients. Unrelieved pain in Patients is causing suicides to continue to rise. The new CDC Guidelines,with these reports will only increase anxiety among many patients who are able to function with their medications but now, with good reason, they are left in fear that their access to pain medications will & for many are being tapered or discontinued ?for their own good,? because the medication might ?cause addiction,? or ? and this is the latest twist the media has recently picked up on ? because the opioids could ?increase pain.? is making it worse again for patients but thankfully the majority of doctors won't accept this as a real. The public eats it up and politicians want their votes so yet again patients loose. The problems caused by the minority are a negative impact on the majority of people who are helped by opioids under an ethical doctor?s supervision. In the 1980s, pain management took an enlightened turn and pain patients were getting pain treatment living better quality lives. Now I there is a reversal of this and people are needlessly suffering at the hands of the medical profession, which is scared of scrutiny. Doctors and nurses take a Hippocratic oath to do no harm and this is being challenged and threatened. We do not want to go back to pain management of the past when patients suffered without . Opioids still are the best and safest medications there is for pain. We must not let fear and those that aren't doctors decide what is best for all nothing in medicine works in a one size fits all dose / medical care, Lawmakers and the media have latched on and are driving their agenda. Lawmakers are considering more laws on opioids. These decisions should be done by doctors and the American Medical Association, not the U.S. government or its agencies or drug rehab doctors that have the potential to profit from these laws. We have to address the elephant in the room The successful patients taking opioids should not have to stop just because of the few who are not. We can not stop all abuse by preventing access to all because that won't stop the street drugs no matter what restrictions and laws are put in place it only effects the patients. Prohibition made everything worse with alcohol and repeating historyREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 21st, 2016Someone from Paradise, CA writes:
The constant biased media reporting is dangerous for legitimate pain sufferers,the greatest concern should be the well-being of pain patients.but the media reports, even lawmakers get on the band wagon & demonize patients and opioids it is adversely affecting patients. Unrelieved pain in Patients is causing suicides to continue to rise. The new CDC Guidelines,with these reports will only increase anxiety among many patients who are able to function with their medications but now, with good reason, they are left in fear that their access to pain medications will & for many are being tapered or discontinued ?for their own good,? because the medication might ?cause addiction,? or ? and this is the latest twist the media has recently picked up on ? because the opioids could ?increase pain.? is making it worse again for patients but thankfully the majority of doctors won't accept this as a real. The public eats it up and politicians want their votes so yet again patients loose. The problems caused by the minority are a negative impact on the majority of people who are helped by opioids under an ethical doctor?s supervision. In the 1980s, pain management took an enlightened turn and pain patients were getting pain treatment living better quality lives. Now I there is a reversal of this and people are needlessly suffering at the hands of the medical profession, which is scared of scrutiny. Doctors and nurses take a Hippocratic oath to do no harm and this is being challenged and threatened. We do not want to go back to pain management of the past when patients suffered without . Opioids still are the best and safest medications there is for pain. We must not let fear and those that aren't doctors decide what is best for all nothing in medicine works in a one size fits all dose / medical care, Lawmakers and the media have latched on and are driving their agenda. Lawmakers are considering more laws on opioids. These decisions should be done by doctors and the American Medical Association, not the U.S. government or its agencies or drug rehab doctors that have the potential to profit from these laws. We have to address the elephant in the room The successful patients taking opioids should not have to stop just because of the few who are not. We can not stop all abuse by preventing access to all because that won't stop the street drugs no matter what restrictions and laws are put in place it only effects the patients. Prohibition made everything worse with alcohol and repeating historyREPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 21st, 2016Someone from Lewisburg, PA writes:
When I can no longer get adequate pain meds for my chronic pain which is severe and has caused me to become disabled I want you to know one thing: YOU WILL BE COMMITTING MY SUICIDE! That is exactly what I will let everyone know before I go. Just think about this, it isn't that hard to see if you think about a chronic pain patients needs and what an addict needs. Separate the two groups. PLEASE! I am not an addict. I have never smoked a cigarette, never drink alcohol, and never used illegal drugs. I experience relief from my pain meds and somewhat normal life. Finally, just use your head and any common sense and think. You have the power to save lives and even more importantly to make those lives more comfortable and more functional.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 21st, 2016Someone from Woodinville, WA writes:
100 million Americans suffer with chronic pain. They are patients, not addicts. Using opioid medicines to help control their pain do that they may lead some semblance of a quality of life does not make them morally weak or inferior. They do not take these medicines to get high, but to work and survive. There is no dignity in living with pain. It is humiliating, isolating, and leads to suicides because of measures such as the recent measures taken by the CDC and our legislators to virtually make pain medication impossible to receive unless one is dying. These measures amount to tortute on a massive scale and those suffering it can't speak up for fear of losing their jobs and being labeled. Know, though, that you have a choice, to be known as a first world country that treats pain as a right, or the one thar routinely tortures ins denies other civil rights to 1/3 of its citizens based on a medical conditon. You will be known as part of the government machine that allowed something that our country will look back on in shame in years to come and that will cause mass suicides as people cannot stand untreated pain any longer and take their own lives. That, is a national health crisis and the blood, the unemployment, the generation of workers who will go homeless because they cannot work and children who will be left virtually parent less, will all be on the DEA's, CDC's, and legislature's hands. Make a change and separate pain patients from addicts in your laws and dictates. .REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 21st, 2016Someone from Grand Forks, ND writes:
Why is everyone trying to help people who use illegally their own, someone else's medications or something they illegally got on the street? Because a fraction of those people overdose, or become addicted. So what do we do with a much bigger number of chronic pain patients, who cannot receive relief? Those that HAVE tried everything else and have found a way to have a somewhat decent quality of life, but because of politicians wanting to get reelected, and the media trying to sell their product, and make a buck, the govt has put so many regulations and fear of repercussions (including, but not limited to prosection, loss of license, and financial status)those patients cannot find a doctor to treat them with compassion and intellegence. It is truly a living hell when your body revolts against you, the medical community turns it's back on you, and the people whom we have hired to protect our rights openly fight against treatment for us. Too many people cannot suffer this for very long. We have 19,000 annual deaths from prescribed opioids. This number changes with every thing you read. We have 12, 000,000 people who have chronic pain. How many of these will lose their jobs, their relationships, their families because they can no longer function? How many of these people will give up and kill themselves?REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 21st, 2016Someone from Palmdale, CA writes:
I have severe IC and am in constant debilitating pain with no help from my doctor. I sit up at night and cry from the pain and pressure!! I should not have to live this way!!! My doctor tells me to take advil for christ sake!!! I need help and a doctor who understands not a doctor who will not give me any pain medications!!! Sick of it all !!!!!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 20th, 2016Someone from Mesquite, NV writes:
When you hear this is like torture, it's not. It IS torture. This is like being hit by a car and burning up in the wreck yet being cruelty kept alive. Anybody who is not ill and in severe pain should be marching on the White House lawn! We can't, we could barely get through the day with the meds, now we are rolling in bed crying or in shock that this is happening and it's a 4 part crime. One is forced torture, two it's discrimination against Americans with a disability, three it's violating the agreement with the WHO on humane treatment for pain patients, and 4 it silences us so we can't defend ourselves. So we sign online petitions and have FB support groups to encourage each person to not comitte suicide. The damage to our social circle, parenting, marriage, taking care of our elderly parents responsibilities is unimaginable. Who is thinking about this? This is not exaggerating, it's reality for us! Is this the price you want to pay to ineffectably control abuse when the other side of it is to give opioids to the drug addicts? How is this even a rational answer?REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 20th, 2016Someone from Palm Bay, FL signed.
Jun 20th, 2016Someone from Greenville, TX signed.
Jun 20th, 2016Someone from Ponte Vedra Beach, FL writes:
I can tell you first hand that people who by no choice of their own living in chronic pain, need pain medication options to live as close as they humanely can for daily life. I've a loved one that was inflicted with a pain syndrome and used opiate medication as directed and compliant only to be seen by others as an addict. This manipulation and prejudice of how she was living her life provoked her to stop all medication that gave her relief. She then after a month of suffering, tried to take her life because of the intractable pain. Fortunately after 4 days in a coma she awoke. My point is addiction and dependence are entirely different. People who depend on pain medications to live, use it just as one who had any type of other disease, like diabetes or Chrons etc. The assumption and labeling of "addict" is nothing short slander and ignorance. The government already puts enough restrictions on some of our personal freedom in thinking they know what's better for us rather than leaving it up to the individual. You start restricting how chronic pain sufferers receive relief, I assure you, there will be consequences. Desperation leads to desperate measures. There will be an influx of suicides. There will be an influx of illegal possession of pain medication, even heroine.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 20th, 2016Someone from Mesa, AZ writes:
Everyone of us are in severe pain and anguish but, not near the pain your gonna be in when we vote you out of office. We are united, you yourselves will be unemployed. I wonder what that will be like. We are tired of being taken for granted. We sit at home all day in Pain with nothing else to do but suffer and were not gonna do it anymore. We are not criminals, we are Voters and responsible Americans. "BEWARE'REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 20th, 2016Someone from Dorena, OR signed.
Jun 20th, 2016Someone from Oldsmar, FL signed.
Jun 20th, 2016Someone from Hugo, OK writes:
Only in America you see people suffer from chronic pain. The government would rather people have no quality of life than be an addict.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 20th, 2016Someone from Mechanic Falls, ME writes:
Where do we put all of the pain that will still exist after this mandate? Will there be effing magic happening here? I love magic. Woo Hoo! Wish I had this decades ago when my pain first started.... Bureaucrats. New nickname: The Heartless. I guess no one has thought of the logistics and extra costs just to get these scripts home.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 20th, 2016Someone from Lowell, MA writes:
My mom has chronic pain from a car accident and subsequent surgical mistakes 20 years ago. She reliably takes her meds as prescribed (or less) and had that entire time. Taking these away will impact her quality of life terribly. She is allergic to aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen, so no otc options are available to get. And no one should have too turn to these otc options since they carry significant health risks to liver and stomach, and increase strike and heart attack risk. You would have people dying on otc meds, people who would never have become addicts, rather than treat the real issues leading to addiction (mental health issues, poverty, alienation etc)? Please do right by my mother and millions of pain patients!REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 20th, 2016Someone from Incline Village, NV writes:
My wife is chronically ill and depends on her pain medications on a daily basis to function. The burden of going in to the doctor's office for a checkup in order to get a prescription refill is overwhelming and an increasing financial burden to our family. There needs to be change for those that use these medications responsibly.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 20th, 2016Someone from Wallingford, CT writes:
My PCP of 20+ years became totally frustrated by the time he was having to spend complying with the excessive DEA & State regulations on Controlled Substances. He said he would no longer prescribe ANY of them. As an ex athlete with Chronic Pain issues I've been taking the same dose of pain killers, muscle relaxer and sleep aid responsibly for over 10 years. It is the only thing that let me lead a semblance of a "normal" but limited life. ALL of my meds are controlled so my doctor's decision meant I would have to go cold turkey off of 3 classes of drugs at the same time. I'm in week 7 of WD and my pain is off the charts. The Congress needs to stop this excessive pressure on physicians and recognize that there are millions of people who take these meds responsibly After find that the various more benign alternatives (physical therapy, NSAID's, acupuncture etc) were inadequate in treating their pain.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 20th, 2016Someone from Sarasota, FL writes:
Living with chronic pain is horrible. Pain causes hypertension, conditions from being sedentary. It actually ages you. There is a difference between being addicted and abusing drugs to being dependent on them to manage pain. Politicians are not making a distiguishment between the two and these laws are causing a great deal of new, horrific problems that replace opioid use. The heroin epidemic is one. Suicides are another. PLEASE, healthcare should be between doctors and patients.I have seen so much suffering this past year because our politicians are making policy and laws that are hurting and killing law abiding Americans. At the very least, they are making them feel as though they are criminals.That is shameful.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 20th, 2016Someone from West Linn, OR writes:
The fact is people who have chronic pain are not drug addicts they may be dependant and there is A difference. People who abuse drugs will get drugs anyway they can. Meanwhile people who have pain are being punished severely. The argument that you will be addicted vs., living a life of pain and agony seems like the stupidity to people who are enduring unimaginable pain. CDC will force pain patients to seek out illegal means of relief.REPORT COMMENTS
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No, CancelJun 20th, 2016Someone from Merrick, NY signed.
Jun 20th, 2016Someone from Anderson, IN signed.
Jun 20th, 2016Someone from Stratford, OK signed.
Jun 20th, 2016Someone from Poca, WV writes:
I am a chronic pain suffered. I have continuous pain. Due to the DEA I now have to suffer daily. I am permanently disabled. I have often thought of ending my own life due to my pain. I no longer can go about my daily activities due to the constant pain. I can no longer find any enjoyment in life. I have been labeled a drug seeker and under constant scrutiny by my pharmacist. I have no joy in living anymore. The physician is terrified to prescribe me adequate pain relief. Why am I being punished for the illegal acts of others. My pain is real. I am not addicted I am just trying to lead as normal a life as I possibly can. My pain is real.REPORT COMMENTS
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