Addiction, Pain and Public Health website and the War on Docs/Pain Crisis blog

New Homepage for both the Addiction, Pain and Public Health website, and the War on Doctors/Pain Crisis blog – Alex DeLuca; 2009-08-07; revised: 2013-01-01.

Permalink: http://doctordeluca.com/wordpress/

See also:
Legacy Homepage – old doctordeluca.com/index.html, circa 2007

The Legacy Library page – Resources/References/Links pages

NOTE: As of mid January, 2013, this site is closed to new Comments. There is a tremendous amount of real experience in many Comments; they remain readable as a testimonial to the ongoing, needless, government imposed, suffering that is the ‘pain crisis in America.’

WELCOME to the NEW, COMBINED, HOME PAGE for BOTH:

The Addiction, Pain and Public Health website aka doctordeluca.com,
and,
the War on Doctors/Pain Crisis blog. Both of those old “homepages” are now this Homepage.

Clicking the “Home” tab at the top of every page brings you here. Clicking the “Blog” tab takes you to the War on Doctors/Pain Crisis blog part of the site. Bookmark whichever you prefer to start from in your browser.

This new, common, “HOME” page will become the top level index, or Table of Contents, for the overall Addiction, Pain and Public Health domain. I will build from that a series of browse-able index pages that will give people direct access to a lot of good primary documents that you just wouldn’t otherwise know were here. This will take time – expect this page to change and develop.

Meanwhile, use the search box in the upper right corner of every page – this is the best way to find what you are looking for on the doctordeluca domain.

Or browse the links on The Legacy Library page. Thank you for your patience, in advance. Sincerely, ..alex…

349 Comments »

Comment by:
scott

Dr.Deluca, thank you SO much from all of us suffering so horribly as a result of the DEA’s misguided attempts at whatever it is they’re trying to achieve – and not. Thank you for being a voice in the wilderness and we really need MORE experts like you speaking out in the media ( Oprah, where ARE you?! ). I have terrible, chronic pain due to injuries of my spine and assigned, literally, to a PM doctor who seems to enjoy his power in making me suffer. He’s one of many doctors in this type of work who sell their Hippocratic Oath to the highest bidders ( insurers who wish to minimize the injuries and undermine the credibility of pain patients ). Just as you said, no sooner does the pain patient finally find the freedom just to do normal things without continual and escalating pain, than the PM doc rips it away!! “You don’t need this anymore because you’re acting better.” The illogic is ridiculous and it’s like entering some absurd freak show. The patient becomes the pinball in a pinball machine with the insurers and doctors controlling the flippers. I hope to all that’s decent in the universe, the pride in being a medical scientist will return to these individuals and they will organize and collectively begin speaking out against and resisting the immense pressures and tactics aimed at them as doctors by the DEA and any other agency that doesn’t give a flip about the real and devestating impacts on chronic pain patients due to their policies and procedures. I have far more respect for you as a medical scientist than I do the voodoo PM doctor I have to see right now. He’s beyond useless.
Comment by:
sarah

My GP was taken away in hand cuffs today by the DEA and Feds from his office. He is known for being pretty easy to get pain meds from but over the past year has been weeding out many patiants spontaneous with drug screens and pill counts. My appointment is thursday, what will happen if he is charged? The DEA's people told the patients that were there to goto the ER but I know damn well the ER doc is not going to write me a script for my 30 MG oxycodone. What generally happens in a situation like this? i mean there's gonna be hundreds of people in a lot of pain. From injuries and w/d. any suggestions or experience? i just came accross this website so this is my first post, so forgive me if this isn't the appropriate forum :)
Comment by:
sarah

My GP was taken away in hand cuffs today by the DEA and Feds from his office. He is known for being pretty easy to get pain meds from but over the past year has been weeding out many patiants spontaneous with drug screens and pill counts. My appointment is thursday, what will happen if he is charged? The DEA's people told the patients that were there to goto the ER but I know damn well the ER doc is not going to write me a script for my 30 MG oxycodone. What generally happens in a situation like this? i mean there's gonna be hundreds of people in a lot of pain. From injuries and w/d. any suggestions or experience? i just came accross this website so this is my first post, so forgive me if this isn't the appropriate forum :)
Comment by:
bethann

help! My pain clinic has gone suboxone crazy, despite the fact that I have 3 contraindications to even think about taking this incredibly expensive, highly regulated, opiate. What do these docs get-points? I got most of my records, and could not believe how inaccurate-to the point of outright lying the 'progress notes' were. They blamed the DEA. The only function of the DEA is to make sure regs are complied with regarding drug diversion. It seems that every doctor/clinic in town has forgotten their patients needs,& the Hippocratic oath due to being strong-armed by a federal agency overstepping their bounds. All our docs are scared of being shut down, losing their practice/licenses-they are afraid to prescribe. I guess it's every Doc for themselves, So much for me being able to attend my children's Holiday plays and speech/debate meets. Thank you so much DEA.
Comment by:
docalex

Unfortunately, sarah, that is what usually happens. Hundreds if not thousands of patients are left to scramble for fewer remaining docs willing to prescribe for pain, docs who are increasingly spooked every time another doc is hauled away to Court and jail.

The patients are left in a desperate lurch. Again, sadly common. See: War on Pain Sufferers Special Collections – which reviews a dozen or so War on Doctors cases.

Inevitably it is the patients who suffer the most.

I strongly suggest you contact the Pain Relief Network, and join their Chronic Pain Patients Forum for support and practical advice from an experienced membership:
Hi bethann – yes, you are experiencing "collateral damage" from our nation's obsession with "drug abuse," as manifested in DEA's (a federal law enforcement agency under DOJ) defacto regulation of pain medicine in Åmerica. Suboxone and Subutex are basically OLD drugs – buprenorphine has been around for decades as an analgesic – which have be re-marketed as "anti-addiction" medications, and indeed a whole federal bureaucracy, controlled by DEA, has evolved to provide outpatient buprenorphine therapy as a treatment for addiction to heroin or other illegally consumed opioids.

All of which has NOTHING to do with pain patients. The reason you are experiencing this panicky push to get pain patients on buprenorphine is because it also happens to be an excellent analgesic, and is in fact the #1 medication for chronic pain in Europe where it is available as a transdermal patch. [See: High Dose Transdermal Buprenorphine for Pain by Alex DeLuca, 2008-09-22.]

Sooo, your doc's, who live in fear of DEA as you have noted, put one and one together and end up with a very expensive "two."

Since buprenorphine is supposedly 'less abusable' than morphine or oxycodone, and since it is also a pretty good analgesic, therefore let's look like we are really concerned about drug abuse and make all pain patients take the 'less abusable' medication.

Except Suboxone and Subutex are hundreds of times more expensive than generic morphine or oxycodone, while not in general being more effective pain-killers.

Expect A LOT more of this sort of capitalistic capitalizing of America's propaganda-fueled anxieties about "addiction." Several pharma companies are developing complex (EXPENSIVE) opioid meds that will make it more difficult for abusers to enjoy/die from, but which will not help pain patients any more than generic opioids.

Pain patients, like yourself, will increasing be forced to buy these very expensive medications in the name of the drug war; and if you complain, that'll just mean you are probably a "drug seeker" "addict."

Some links: New Drugs Promise Treatment For Addicts, Profits for Firms by Peter Landers, Wall Street Journal (Personal Journal); February 20, 2003.

DEA Regulates Medicine archives – House of Representatives Hearings, 20017-07-12.

Thank you for your comment, bethann. And also to everyone else who shares their experience on these pages. And Scott, also, for your kind words.

..alex… Alex DeLuca, M.D., MPH
Comment by:
bethann

(sounds like a laxative-srry)-Dear Alex-well, had to 'cold turkey rite b4 Xmas-thanx docs &DEA (and the fact that I have-insurance!) Have been in bed /incapacitated since-w/d meds helped, but I AM IN PAIN-i SHOULD KNOW last15+ years! Thnx 4 your website, know we r not alone. Already complained to FDA, DEA, Docs.,etc…This MT cold doesn't help either. New pain Doc. same old 'antidepressant, cortisone shots-wouldn't mind if they weren't so $$$ and didn't work! If I had the energy, Id' go to WA /DC and protest! Does anyone have the strength to do so? Hope many more sites like this 'crop up'. Oh-pharmaceutical owners/lobbyists-need to send their kids to college too. Hmmmmmm…
Comment by:
Barbara

My PM Dr. decided NOT to take ANY insurance after Dec. 31, 2009……everyone HAS to pay $75 CASH….or you don't get in!!!! I pay $300 a mo for Medicare & AARP Supplement/RX….what's wrong w/this picture????
Comment by:
Michael

Doctors, all over the country, have proven that going "cash only" allows them to see more patients and do it at a cheaper cost. People who have insurance can go ahead and file it, but it becomes their responsibility. They also are the one that find out how much they are "allowed" for those visit. One might get back $45 o n a $75 charge. The doctor's office does not need as many personnel (avg 5-7 /doctor) to take the time to file all of the insurance, or deal with pre-approval or denial calls, and such. Most practices give you a "super-bill" that can be used to file the insurance.

If you find a way to come up with the $75, you can, still, be seen. That is still a better situation than most chronic pain patients get. They are thrown out on the street to fend for themselves with NO CARE! I am destitute, now, as well. My chronic pain is not too bad, so I can get away with not seeing a doctor for it.. But, I do understand you plight. I have been in the middle of it!

Sincerely, Michael G Langley, MD
Comment by:
Michael

I was taken out of medical practice while writing " LEGAL" prescriptions. The "regulations" don't mean a thing! It all depends on how aggressive the state is at getting rid of you. Sad to say, politics has a lot to do with what kind of care, a chronic pain patient, can get in this country. Most doctors will not give up their career to properly take care of chronic pain patients. They have families to care for, too. My wife took off with my two kids after that. Then got them adopted out! Long story! Now that they are grown, my kids contacted me again. HURRAY!!!
Comment by:
Michael

Dr DeLuca,

I am just getting a blank page on the drug law blog bookmark in the right column. I really enjoyed reading it, before. But now, all get is a blank page when I go there. Could I get another link for that?
Comment by:
docalex

Hi Michael!

Drug Law Blog seems to be down… I am not sure if that is a permanent or temporary condition. I've done just a very little bit of searching, and came up with nothing worthwhile.

Alex Coolman (webmaster of Drug Law Blog) – what's up? Has your site moved? Are archives available?

..alex…
Comment by:
Joseph

I wonder, how soon we all will get it! More then ten years ago the Government started this total war of pain treatment culture annihilation. An official announsment was to declare the past decade to be " The decade of pain control" Couple of month ago Steven Passic, MD made a very sober conclusion, that the last ten years became the "years of pain doctors control, rather then pain control". Read the recent Ronald Libby's monograph "Criminalization of medicine". DEA officials see absolutely no difference between the real drug dealers. To get the whole picture of what is going on, I adress everyone who is really interested to get to the bottom of this crisis and see the whole picture, to the recent most objective, most informative and, unfortunately, most depressing book of Harvey Silverglade "Three felonies a day" . Read it – you will have less questions left but, likely, much more of emotional pain gained!
Comment by:
pjwd

i was put on suboxene with two other pain killers and am only suppose to take a small piece of it every day. It suppose to stop addtiction and and with drawals if I should ever run out of other meds. So is that true or is it for the dea two
Comment by:
pjwd

i was put on suboxene with two other pain killers and am only suppose to take a small piece of it every day. It suppose to stop addtiction and and with drawals if I should ever run out of other meds. So is that true or is it for the dea two
Comment by:
Christine Pfaff

It seems to be a catch 22. If you are in severe chronic pain and go see aPain management doctor who has complelted a a full eduation fellowshipin pain. I believe they know what they are doing to relieve the pain for an individual patient with Ct and MRI scans.The DEA is basicaly sending us pain patients to the dogs or the streets. That is not helping us but hurting us even more. Accordingt to http://www.ninr.nih.gov/NR/rdonlyres; Simply stated Mophine like other opiate Meds like Hydrocodoe and oxycone provides a safe and effective pain treatment. Infact, opiates almost all pain can be relived. So, o one should sufer because they or the doctor
Comment by:
Tricia

Hi Doctor Alex, I was just wondering if you had an update on how things are going in KS? How is Siobhan doing? I sort-of pieced together what's happened, but have not heard any news lately.

Thanks! Tricia in NJ
Comment by:
spinedoc99

I'm a Moderation Management (MM) member and have been admirably following Doc Alex for a number of years. Are there any like-minded docs in the Chicago area? I completely agree with the Harm Reduction approach, and disagree with the 12 step approach, and am not physically dependant on alcohol. I'm looking to connect up with someone to help me with alcohol moderation. (I tend to binge on Fri or Sat night). I think it's time to add Naltrexone or substitution with MJ to the MM principles.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Comment by:
Michel Langley, MD

Hey Dr Alex!

That last comment had porno in it, when I clicked on thename.. I hope I don't get in trouble when my wife sees it came up on my computer!

Sincerely, Michael Langley, MD
Comment by:
Alexander DeLuca

thanks michael,

a few get past me -sigh-

..alex…
Comment by:
DEA_is_Fascist

we should file a class-action lawsuit against DEA (democracy elimination agency)for causing us undue pain and suffering, child molesters, murderers and rapists are treated much better than doctors/pain patients, this country is turning into a fascist state, it's time that the DEA had some kind of oversight with some people from the community with some power, this was supposed to be a government by the people for the people and of the people
Comment by:
R. T. Beaman,D.O.

I had wanted to get to the endof the blogs but there was no 'last page' button, only a 'next page.' I got tired of clicking and scrolling after about 6 pages.

My only comment is that we must also start addressing the state boards and their abuses. I had no trouble with the DEA. My troubles sprang from the mother of a 27 year old patient and a case reviewer who I think they hired to screw anyone whose cases they sent to her. I will not mention names but the prosecutor (in Florida that's what the Dep't. of Health calls them – talk about putting carts before horses) was intransigent.
Comment by:
Kara Rowe

I am so sorry about your doctor! I cannot believe this is happening in america!! my PM of three yrs just dropped me like a rock in the middle of a lake! for no reason at all!! i did nothing wrong. i just disagreed with him. he had me on 200mcg's of Fentanyl and 360 mg's oxycodone, xanax, valium, cymbalta and so on and he just left me w/no where to turn for help. i just want to live. i just want to live and i am so scared.
Comment by:
kathy

i would just like the world to know some doctors think they are gods! i had a pain pump implanted in december, my trial run was great and i now know what almost pain free feels like, but the impkanted pump is not working like the trial did. i ask my pm doc what but he did not answer me, all he has done is humilate me, belittle me and told me i was causing my pain. he did not give me any medication for break thru pain and all his nasty comments were directed to me in front of his residents which made me feel like a little child being scolled by a parent. Has todays doctors forgotten they are working for us. i am now in the process of finding a new pm dcotor because i fired this one. thanks for letting me vent. to all of us may we have a pain free day kathy
Comment by:
mlang52

Sorry kathy,

The doctors work for the government and insurance companies, just like the pharmacies. And they, all, cooperate with the DEA to harass good intentioned doctors and evict them from the practice of medicine. Been there done that!
Comment by:
Sue

Hi, Going thru Fentanyl withdrawl alone due to same above reasons. I went to your link and LO and BEHOLD–IT'S NOT AVAILABLE ANYMORE!! Paranoid? I think NOT!! Sue
Comment by:
docalex

Hi Sue,

What link isn't working? Let me know and I'll try and fix it.

Sue – Lomotil (an over the counter anti-diarrhea medication) might take the edge off your withdrawal. See: http://doctordeluca.com/Library/DetoxEngage/Loper…

Of course, a real detox doc using the proper medications would be safer and more effective… "good work if you can get it" (as my deceased doctor-dad would have said.) :-)
Comment by:
docalex

To Tricia,

Thank you for inquiring about Siobhan Reynolds and the Kansas City Dr. Schneider case. Siobhan is still fighting the outrageous subpoena the Pain Relief Network received… the $200 per day fines have truly crippled PRN. Poor Siobhan is facing serious jail time. ADA Treadway and the govt. have behaved brutally in this case. I wish I had better news to give you.

Peace,

..alex…
Comment by:
pezinkj

Help! PA State Attorney Generals Office strikes again against a New Castle , PA doctor. Dr Van Edward Scott, a Pain Management Doctor was charged with 21 felonies that stem from him supposedly prescribing to people he knew were addicted and over prescribing. I believe the Attorney General's Office is targeting Dr. Scott because he is always considered to be affiliated with Dr. Mangino, and everyone knows how he was convicted for no crime at all. Dr. Scott is a very compassionate man who deeply cares about his patients. I am hopeful that many Pain Management Doctors will stand behind Dr. Scott. He does not deserve what they are doing to him.So please Pain Management Doctors unite, and don't let another Pain Specialist be put in prison for only doing their job.
Comment by:
nycrr1961

Dr Deluca, I have been doing research on chronic pain and the role voltage-dependent calcium channel play in the central nervous and chronic pain. I have also been evaluating my experiences with Gabapentin after discontinuation of benzodiazepines and Tramadol and found the withdrawals are muted. I have also been looking into Loperamide and how it provides anagesic effects for some people. Some new tests suggest Loperamide may have the same effect as Gabapentin and Pregabalin by reducing alcium influx into the nerve terminals. With this I ask why would the DEA place Pregablin into Schedule V which only contains low dose opiates like codeine, low dose dihydrocodeine and Dyphenoxylate with Atropine.Besides this, why place Pregabalin in C-V? Maybe it's a prerequite of whats to come? The withdrawals from drugs have been linked to upregulating of Ca into voltage-dependent calcium channel in theCNS. While the Scheduling of Pregabalin passed unnoticed with an extreme low potential of dependence, my concern is whether the DEA has set a precedence? Do they desire to place this class of drugs into Schedule V along with the possibility of C-IV ? We should be wary of the DEA and never forget we are part of their war on drugs.
Comment by:
docalex

Dear nycrr1961,

The entire scheduling system is fundamentally flawed. Having a medically uneducated police agency in charge of manipulating and controlling medications is public health madness.

GET DEA Out of the Regulation of Medicine!

..alex…
Comment by:
Mike

Does anyone know of an experienced compassionate pain doctor near Harrisburg Pa? I have herniated discs in my back that need operated on but no health insurance and the only med that gives me any relief is oxycodone. Just moved here and don’t know anyone thx M
Comment by:
Carol

Sorry Mike there isnt an experienced compassionate pain dr.They treat you and give a high dose of pain med then out of the blue that cant help you anymore.No respect for chronic pain patients.Its torture pure torture waiting counting your meds and being turned down because your too sick….how ironic can that be,,,shameful!!
Comment by:
Josh

Dear world,

Is there an index of doctors anywhere that let you know will you know who cares enough to do what is in the patients best interest? What ever happened to ETHICS?
Comment by:
pezinkj

Update on Dr. Scott Case: Dr. Van Edward Scott was asked by the PA Attorney Generals Office to voluntarily surrender his license. According to his lawyer, they contacted the DEA on the issue. His lawyer has stated in the local papers that the DEA told him that they have no current investigation open on Dr. Scott, nor do they plan on investigating Dr. Scott & as far as the DEA is concerned Dr. Scott is not breaking any laws, so he refused to surrender his license. Since then, the PA State Medical Board has come and put his license on hold due to PA Att. Generals accusations against him. A hearing with the Med. Board is scheduled for May 13th & his preliminary hearing is scheduled between May 20, 21, or 22 (The local papers all say something different). I was wondering if anyone knows what usually happens at the hearing with the Med. Board and I was also wondering how the PA Att. General can persue these charges without the help of the DEA? Thanks
Comment by:
docalex

Hi pezinkj,

PA is very aggressive with doctor prosecutions, even silly ones. I don't know anything about Dr. Scott. From just what you say, it sounds like an awful lot of pressure is going to come down on him. The attorney general can bring charges against anyone they think they can make a case against – DEA doesn't have to initiate the prosecution, and I assure you they will cooperate to the fullest if the State pursues a criminal case. The Fed can jump on the bandwagon anytime they choose.

I call it "serial savaging" – the medical board, the State, and the Fed whack you in serial and in parallel. It happened to Dr. Rosa Martinez, for example. Do a search for "rosa martinez" from the search box top right. Also search for "tom corbett" if you want to see why I call AG Corbett a public health wrecking machine.

Hope Dr. Scott has a good and experienced legal team with him on this walk into the lions den. He was smart not to fall for the "just let us hold your DEA license for a while" trick.

..alex…
Alex DeLuca, M.D., MPH
Comment by:
docalex

Hi pezinkj,

PA is very aggressive with doctor prosecutions, even silly ones. I don't know anything about Dr. Scott. From just what you say, it sounds like an awful lot of pressure is going to come down on him. The attorney general can bring charges against anyone they think they can make a case against – DEA doesn't have to initiate the prosecution, and I assure you they will cooperate to the fullest if the State pursues a criminal case. The Fed can jump on the bandwagon anytime they choose.

I call it "serial savaging" – the medical board, the State, and the Fed whack you in serial and in parallel. It happened to Dr. Rosa Martinez, for example. Do a search for "rosa martinez" from the search box top right. Also search for "tom corbett" if you want to see why I call AG Corbett a public health wrecking machine.

Hope Dr. Scott has a good and experienced legal team with him on this walk into the lions den. He was smart not to fall for the "just let us hold your DEA license for a while" trick.

Addendum:
State criminal charges were filed against Dr. Scott in April '09: http://www.curearchives.com/Doctor-who-wrote-most…

..alex…
Alex DeLuca, M.D., MPH
Comment by:
pezinkj

Here are a few comments from other patients of Dr. Scott's if anyone is interested:http://www.vitals.com/doctors/Dr_Van_Edward_Scott.html
Comment by:
docalex

pezinkj – thank you for the update, but the link is broken somehow. If your could check it and re-post, I and others would appreciate it.
thanks,
..alex…
Comment by:
docalex

pezinkj – thank you for the update, but the link is broken somehow. If your could check it and re-post, I and others would appreciate it. thanks, ..alex…
Comment by:
pezinkj

Broken Link for Dr. Scott Comments: Sorry about that, for some reason a link won't work from vitals.com. If you go to vitals.com, then type Dr.Van Edward Scott in were it says Dr.'s name, and PA in for the state, it will bring up his name. It will say 1 exact match, click on view full profile under his name, this will bring you to a page with his rating which is a 3 out of 4 stars. Right next to the rating click on 5 comments (it's in blue). I hope this isn't too much trouble to view this, beacuse this will definately give you a good idea of what his patients think of him.
Comment by:
Raymond Faircloth

You took the words right out of my mouth,when is America going to wake up??? You can count on me,the Bible stated all this will come to pass but to try to make this world a better place anyway,It's time to stand America! God says not to force his will on anyone,who does MAN think he is? ABOVE GOD? It's time WE THE PEOPLE hold our Government liable,I'm calling for more protests and marches,I WILL show up,WE HAVE to,lets end this NOW.You will definitely be hearing more from me,can I count on you?
Comment by:
docalex

Thank you, pezinkj.

..alex…
Comment by:
Michael

It does not matter what Dr Scott's patients think of him. They are not doctors! Or even worse, they are not politicians who think they know more than doctors! The patients were very supportive of me. Yet , I am without a practice, and a license! It makes me kind of cynical. If he faces the same abuse I did, at the hands of a medical board, then he is in big trouble! So much for encouraging compassion among physicians! Seems like they just want a bunch of, unfeeling, computer geeks running the show, anyway! I was told in residency that I got in trouble because I cared too much about the patients!? (politics was, most, important!)
Comment by:
pezinkj

I know what you're saying, but there are alot of bad things being printed and spread around about Dr. Scott that is just not true and totally unfair to him. I just figured that his patients are probably the best reviewers of him, so take a look at what they have to say about him. If I was your patient and I thought you were being treated unfair by these people, I would have done the same for you. I agree with you 100% about medical decisions should be left for Dr.s and it's down right wrong that you don't have a practice because you cared too much about your patients. You should have been praised for that, not prosecuted. That comment about caring about your patients to much sums up Dr. Scott.
Comment by:
lizzy

i have endometriosis and a slipped disc in my back,after being on norco 10/325 my doctor all of a suuden rerfused to refill my prescription and put me on gabapentin instead because i told him i needed more than the two pills a day he prescribed.i asked him at least ween me off the meds but he refused!this is so wrong if he was in the kind of pain im in he would take narcotic pain medicine.now i have no medicine and need to find a new doctor,im so tired of pain patients being trated like garbage,the dea has no right to control our pain meds!
Comment by:
pezinkj

More Bad News for Dr. Scott & his Patients:

The Medical Board of PA did not give Dr. Scott his license back at his hearing on May 13th. Now, I guess, it will depend on how his trial goes, which his secretary said won't be til at least October. It seems as though the Att. General is trying to prosecute Dr. Scott on matter of opinion. Supposedly they sent 20 patient files to an expert (that probably works for the Att. General) and he is saying something about Dr. Scott's prescribing is unacceptable. Who is this guy to decide what is acceptable? How can this tell how much medication someone needs just from looking at records. I would think when it comes to a patient in pain that you would have to examine the patient, not just look at records. I want to help Dr. Scott any way I can because I know this man does not have a single cell of criminal intent in his body. Any suggestions as to how I can help him would be appreciated.
Comment by:
pezinkj

PA Medical Expert?

Came accross this and thought some might find it interesting. This is the supposed medical expert for the prosecution in Dr. Mangino's trial. Good to see PA uses such upstanding citizens to give "expert" testimony. kdka.com/local/David.Evanko.charges.2.1289155.html
Comment by:
Michael

Is this just not , seemingly, typical? They always find someone who is willing to state what the authorities want. And they get paid for doing so, too! Thing is, the rules that apply in a court of law, do not apply to the medical board hearings. It is amazing how the authorities know , without ever seeing , talking with, or evaluating the patients, that the doctor (who did so) , is not treating the patient correctly? It is nothing but a kangaroo court! I just rest assured that what goes around comes around! I see the medical profession in big doo-doo over the next few years!
Comment by:
mike

same thing happened to me Kathy. I found a new PD, then posted how terrible he was on his yellow pages add…… made me feel better and knocked his popularity down a notch.
Comment by:
pezinkj

Another Link that don't work?

Sorry about the the link, but if you copy and paste the last line (starting with kdka) it should bring you to the article. Basically this "expert" that testified in Dr. Mangino's trial was charged with inappropriately touching young boys.
Comment by:
Mary

I am a chronic pain patient and am tired of the nonsense! Anyone think we can get a bunch of people to drive there? Or anyone have a group already going?

I know it will be a difficult trip on many of us but my anger will over this will help me travel

anyone else interested?

Best, Mary
Comment by:
indygirl49

suboxone is like antabuse. I don't know what other pain meds you are on but if you take something like morphine or oxycodone you'll be puking your guts out real quick. That's why the DEA and govt. are pushing it. Believe me, it ain't methadone.
Comment by:
indygirl49

I have been on Methadone for pain for 15 years and it has saved my life. I had to pretend to be a drug addict because when I moved to this wonderful Nazi state I'm in I couldn't get pain meds for valid diagnosed intractable pain.
Comment by:
indygirl49

No one heard of PTSD because my husband suffered it from Viet Nam. He died less than 2 years ago after 8 months of bladder cancer. I will never get over him. And with my increasingly severe pain I don't care if I or anyone else dies. My husband's favorite saying was "WHAT THIS COUNTRY NEEDS IS TELEVISED EXECUTIONS OF POLITICIANS". I have a feeling now that he would amend that to say "SHOOT EM IN THE KNEES, ELBOWS, HANDS, SHOULDERS SO THEY CAN FEEL OUR PAIN."
Comment by:
docalex

You are partially correct. IF you are on high dose pure mu opioids, like morphine or methadone, then yes adding buprenorphine might cause withdrawal symptopms. However, if you are on buprenorphine, you can add morphine or methadone without adverse effects. Buprenorphine is a perfectly good pain medication if you know what you are doing. Indygirl, I've been away and out of internet contact for a week. Chill. You've sent a dozen posts, apparently assuming I am ignoring you. And buprenorphine is nothing like, and has nothing to do with antabuse. Wrong again. If you were one mu opioids and were given buprenorphine and had a bad reaction, that does not mean buprenorphine is a bad drug, it was just a bad drug for you. sheesh. Thanks for the info Re: Arizona and lomotil.

..alex…
Comment by:
pezinkj

Are you talking about Dr. Scott's trial? If you are, I am sure there will be alot of his patients present to support him. I also heard some patients have been asked to testify on his behalf. If this is what you are talking about, I will try to keep you informed about when the trial will be. As of now, it is scheduled for sometime in October. If this is not what you are referring to, can you please post where you want to get a group to travel to.
Comment by:
Michael

Thank you,

I feel Dr Scott's pain. Lets just hope he does not end up in prison for caring too much. They are wasting good physicians in this country! Then, you can have their choice of care, the ones that are left!! (I don't hate being out of the shark pit!)
Comment by:
terry

I am a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, and I manage predominantly chronic pain patients. Although I am well-trained and competent, I am phasing-out my chronic pain practice. I sympathize with chronic pain patients, but, although I am cautious, I fear regulatory scrutiny as a physician, and in the future, I plan to refer any chronic pain patients requiring controlled substances for pain to another physician. Unfortunately, there are a lot of concerns such as doctor-shopping, prescription fraud, medication diversion, etc. that goes along with chronic pain management, and I spend too much time acting as an impromptu detective rather than a patient-care provider.
Comment by:
Michelle Vick

Hello. My name is Michelle, I’m 27 yrs old and live in Alberta, Canada. I came accross this website tonite like many of the countless nights over the years (as I’m sure you are all too familiar with), in a desperate search to find help and advice in dealing with chronic pain. And especially dealing with my doctor. I have been chronically ill since I was 14 years old. I managed to barely graduate highschool, but it has been downhill since then. For a long time, I had no real diagnosis except symptoms of severe pain in my jaw, neck, shoulders, and migraines everyday (which I’m positive are the result of untreated pain in my jaw and neck). I feel that these symptoms are the consequence of a few accidents (incl motor collisions) and injuries from a sexual assualt when my head was smashed into concrete numerous times. I have tried seeking help from a few diff doctors over the past 12+ years, and was convinced by my doctors to take so many diff medications, ranging from anti-convulsants, neuropathic meds like gabapentin, nsaids and numerous anti-depressants/anxiety meds… many of which made me much more sick while not helping with the pain. I’ve spent thousands on physio, accupuncture, psycholgist, massage etc. I’ve jumped through hoops for these doctors, all the while keeping my faith that medicine will help me find some relief (even just partial) one day. But after all of that, when it seemed only some form of opiod would be of help.. I was instead told that nothing man could provide me will ever help me… that I just gotta suck it up and learn to live with it. For a couple years I tried with every ounce of my heart and soul…to be stronger and push forward.. each month I have gotten progressively worse… I failed out of school three times because I was in too much pain to sit and read for long and couldnt concentrate (nvm the insomnia because I can’t sleep in so much pain). I’ve had migraines 3-5 times/week since I was 18, but for the last 2 years everyday. I can barely leave the house now and can’t keep us with housework etc. I also have mysterious loss of vision over the past 2 yrs and can barely read anymore. I’ve had MRIs that were inconclusive in finding that I might has MS or something. Sometimes I think that my brain has been permanently damaged because of untreated chronic pain and migraines… :( I am 27 yrs old… been sick and broken for over half of my life… every attempt to lead a somewhat normal life and every dream I’ve ever had has been destroyed. I feel as though I’ve never had the chance to live my life and have accomplished nothing. I hit rock bottom a long time ago and been scrambling to save my life for so long… all I want is to have a family, be a good wife and friend, and be able to contribute and give back to society. But instead I am wasting away…. I deserve a chance to have proper pain treatment. But none of my doctors have been willing to give me even a single chance. Anyways… I’m really sorry for the wall of text. I just had to let it out, as I sometimes still hope that maybe one day ill find help. I’ve given up on doctors around here… as I can’t even get a new doctor since none are accepting new patients. I guess canada is having many of the same problems as the US, especially ever since we lost the liberal goverment to the conservatives.
Comment by:
Wyatt

i am on morphine and have been for years for about the last year and 1/2 my doctor told me if i need an increase of pain med he will have to install the pump even though i have at least 4 contract intication for the surgery. so now i have 1 week the meds work and 3 weeks iam in withdraw and pain depresion iam sure that when i have had enough me and mt ar 15 will giving out life long pain to people who now sean to have no idea what its like to lay down acheing all over and going nuts with the constant supply of pain signals.
Comment by:
Mark

I am sorry to hear about your suffering. I might be of some help for your pain. I know from both personal experience and the experience of others I have worked with the combination of highly concentrated proteolytic enzymes and curcumin (from tumeric root) is very effective. Taken in between meals the combo can sharpy reduce pain and inflammation. Google curcumin and pain and you'll be amazed how they work. Although they are "natural" remedies they have no side-effects, you just may have to repeat dosing more than synthetic meds. Hope you try it.
Comment by:
connie

Hi, it sounds like you might have fibromyalgia, and chronic myofascial pain syndrome. Some non-narcotic meds that may help (I say MAY), are baclofen, flexeril, soma, SLOW-MAG (available at wal-mart) also Electric stimulation. If you have not found a medicine to put you into a deep sleep at night, then that is what you need to address FIRST. GOT to get that DEEP sleep, or you'll never feel better (also elavil can help if you can stand the weight gain). Can you get to a physiatrist (dr. of physical medicine and rehabilitation)?
Comment by:
germab

Thank you so much for writing this. Why do they do this? Are they stupid or evil? I myself can't live without narcotics due to nerve damage that sends electric shocks through my body. It is terrifying.
Comment by:
germab

That is so sad. The law contradicts science.
Comment by:
Sharon

I am a chronic pain sufferer of 18 years, the DEA is a joke; So are some of new Doctors who come in and in 5 minutes ruin your life cutting out and down meds you have taken so long because they work with little to no side effects. Why don't they punish the GOD complex DRs who do this rather than trying to get them to give you new drugs that you react or die from. I am really suffering and no one seems to care
Comment by:
MichaelMD

I would also suggest that you may have a Chiari malformation in the base of your skull causing this problem. Without an MRI, looking for the abnormality, it is often missed. The symptoms are the same as fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome. But, there is a surgical procedure to decompress the area in the skull. Another thing might be spinal stenosis for the cervical spinal canal,compressing the cervical spinal cord. Without a good work-up, many of these problems go undetected. Then, the doctor places the blame on the patient instead of his lack of his/her ability to find the real problem.
Comment by:
pain stinks

In need of compassionate pain doctor in Myrtle Beach. I have 2 herniated discs in my neck, a torn meniscus in my knee, and post herpatic neuralgia. My doctor who has prescribed pain meds for 3 years suddenly quit the practice. The head doctor cut off my pain meds. Thanks
Comment by:
bobby bear

In support of Scott and validity of what he says. Search this reference and read her 2007 testimony before congress:

" congressional testimony by Siobhan Reynolds, founder of "Pain Relief Network"

In the twilight stage of this life [recall that, as documented on cbs 60 minutes ] we live in a delusional death denying culture scamming its citizens with the hope that authorities possess an optimistic promise that if we are just obedient to their zealotry, an optimistic healthism can prevent every malady, including pain and death. I struggle with this orwellian crappola myself.

electricbobbybear@gmail.com
Comment by:
bobby bear

news like this tears a heart up. complete paradygm shift is called for. my heart goes out to all you at PRN

bobby bear
Comment by:
Mickey

In Central Florida – My primary doctor is now drug testing patients (I'm 60 years old) before you can receive any pain medications, he sez its a new law in 2011. So I lost my pain meds (perocet) because i tested positive for "pot". I tried to tell him it works better than the xanax he prescribes me. Doesn't matter!! hes been my dr for 6 years(not any more) and I have always been a good patient…

Question: How come people aren't drug tested for alochol? (the #1 drug killer)

Answer: Okay its legal….and so is pot in several states.

Hey, does any know if anyone has ever died from pot? (doubt it)

When did smoking weed become such I big deal? I bet most people would be alot more fucked up taking pills and alcohol then pot.

"Dr. what should I do for the pain".????????? Dr. "go to the hospital"………………….(how pathetic) Now I'm back on a cane.

Does anyone know about this new law?
Comment by:
mindarchy

Hi there everyone, wow I just stumbled upon tis site and and i wonder if it was put here for me? What a ton of useful words from so many educated and outspoken people with the same outlook and perspectives as myself, I would like to offer up up my predicament if I may, and I hope and welcome, in fact invite anyone who can provide some helpful thoughts and perhaps different angles of approach to help solve my problem. You see, I do have chronic pain, I have Slight Scoliosis in my lower back but at age 28 I have flat out given up on seeking pain medication as every doctor has placed the theoretical red target on my forehead labeled DRUG SEEKER! So my ACTUAL problem right now is (I have learned to ignore the back pain, pretty sad I know) Ok, this is embarrassing but I am OCD and have EXTREME Anxiety attacks. I have been to Two Psychiatrist. I just got into it with my last one tonight. (Good help is hard to find) I have awesome Insurance too! The problem Is I am only getting 3 mg per day of Clonozopam and it suddenly stopped working. I am going through a Legal issue that his SPIKED my anxiety and I was COMPLETELY honest with the therapist…thinking I should be I tried to explain myself about what happened and he seemed very accusatory and judjy…I have had a spotless record and there's a story behind the reason why this crime happened (yes, isn't there always, no it is not drug alcahol, child abuse related, and there is no question I have an actual Disability,) but never the less so I am paying the consequences as gracefully and humbly as humanly possible and I know the only man who matters has already forgiven me (The man above) and he is the only one who has the right to judge…so there…but OH WAIT…GUSS NOT….apparently now my Psychiatrist gets to Judge now because IMMEDIATLEY after telling him he denied increasing my meds and abondened my treatment did not refill my scripts and I had to call 4 times. He finally called back today and said to find a new doctor because he will not refill my meds or increase them based on the fact that he thinks that now…I am ABUSING THEM…."but wait, I just was completely forthcoming with you and told you about this traumatic event that triggered my OCD that I'm now cleaning all night and can't sleep or can't out the broom down to change my kids diaper, the counters are never clean enough, all that goes through my head all nigh when I'm home is "dirty, it's dirty, everything is dirty" So MY QUESTION IS…How do I get a new Doc to correctly dose me. I AM NOT ABUSING MY CLONOZAPAM I DON"T EVEN LIKE IT IT DOSN'T FLIPPING GET ME HIGH IT MAKES ME TIRED….aaaaaah then and only then can I stop the vacuuming, read a book with my 7 year old, play Legos and roll around on the floor w my 18 month old, watch a Blockbuster with my Hubby and paint my toe nails with my 28 year old, "my dear old self" again…does anybody OH anybody understand, can any of you offer any good advise, doctors is the Sacramento, CA area. Any phrases to say or NOT say…It's like, How can a Doctor have and even be allowed to get away with LOOKING at a person and based on "ASSUMPTION" "APPEARANCE" "GUESSES" "NOT FACTS" say their Drug seeking? You know what they say about ASS UMING! Is this even Legal??? All Advice Welcome….please!!!!

BLESS YOU ALL!
Comment by:
freudian55

Hey Doc– not sure if you remember me, over at Suboxone Talk Zone… I still have a link there to you, but have a new 'portal' to my sites about opioid dependence at http://addictionremission.com . I also have a new blog about opioids at Psych Central…

If you have room in your bookmarks, please consider a link to my addictionremission.com site. I also have a case I'm struggling with… wondering what you would do for a person status-post brain stimulator insertion for phantom limb pain of the arm…. had total avulsion of the brachial plexus. Narcotic tolerance rising, young person, no end in site… the type of case much too complicated for the typical news story about 'pill-pushing doctors'- or one they would reduce to that type of headline.

Hopefully you still have my e-mail, otherwise you can find me through fdlpsychiatry.com .

Take care–
Comment by:
futurescientist

I would like to say that maybe it will be that a person who works on the DEA task force, involved in this whole b.s. of pain management by taking medication away from those who need it most, will experience some sort of injury or illness that involves a lot of pain or chronic pain. And he/she should not be able to recieve any pain medication just to walk in the shoes of those who have to suffer everyday. Then, just then maybe somebody in the DEA would have compassion for those who need pain relief and do something about all the harrassament of doctors treating their patients needs.
Comment by:
Debra Sutton

My husband is a (lung and brain) cancer survivor, but as a result of his treatments, he suffers from long term cronic pain. His doctors start him out on pain meds, then quickly take him off them because they are afraid of loosing their license, at which time he suffers a great deal. If the goverment felt the kind of pain he and other chronic pain pateints lived with, they'd rethink their policies and let the doctors prescribe the pain releaving drugs these patient need. After all we are all intitled to the persuit of happiness. It's time the govenrment let the educated doctors do their job and they get back to the real buisness at hand and that is surving the people.
Comment by:
kesia33

Help!!!!!!! My mother has a slipped disc in her lower back and now her bones are starting to rub together. She went to a pain managment doctor and they want to give her shots in her back. Well she can not get the shot because she has had open heart surgery in the past and she is on cumadin… Well her heart doctor said that she could not get the the shot because it would not coincide with her medication. So she has been taking loratabs for the pain, and she gets it from her primary care doctor. Well two weeks ago she had her tooth pulled and her dentist prescribed her loratabs as well. She explained to them that she was getting fives from her primary care doctor.. But her dentist wanted to prescribe her something stronger. So she goes today to pick up her prescription from her primary care doctor and he told her that he will not prescribe them to her anymore because she did not inform them that she recieved loratabs from her dentist. Well my mother was not informed that she was suppose to tell them. Can he do this… She is in pain and always in pain the only thing she can take is the loratabs …
Comment by:
vet

being a veteran I look back, and the equipment did always come first. We would work 72 plus hours straight to insure Tank battle readiness. I had my share of injuries, and seen other troops cut off fingers,limbs, and die to insure the equipment was ready for battle. Just like many others, I have severe problems with my neck, and lower back, disc tears, herniated disk, stenosis,etc. I do live with chronic pain daily, but I am writing officials, and showing concern about the lack of pain treatment/under treatment, and hospitals/doctors not even following their own pain management protocols. Its pure hell to be in pain, undertreatment can, and does cause pain to multiply, a lot of factor, and variable are involved. When you hurt so bad its hard, a task to even shower, get dressed, thus the pain causes inactivity, and amplifies, causing further swelling, catching. Write your officials, congress, senate, whoever you can think of.
Comment by:
@GothamDrupal

Does anyone know of a good PM in the NYC area? My doc of over 10 years recently passed away, and I am completely lost. I am stable, functional now – but I won't be for much longer. I have 3 weeks to find another doc. Can anyone help?

Thank you, -K
Comment by:
guest

Your Doctor is being paid by the federal government for being a suboxone clinic, they have to submit reports to the federal government about the progress of suboxone patients, so the more suboxone patients, more payment from the government.

You can go to the Suboxone website or search the internet for the informaton.
Comment by:
Butterfly

This was a very informative site…..As a person struggling w/ opiate addiction from naively following dr.'s over-prescribing antics when I shouldve researched anything and everything I was putting into my body at the time I can honestly say I am torn between both sides.

Pain MUST be managed & respected, HOWEVER….until there is more of a fool-proof way to determine if someone is in pain or not, abuses will happen & others (dr.'s) will certainly profit from these people….Greed doesnt discriminate, just like addiction doesnt.
Comment by:
My2Cents

Corbett is a public wrecking machine in general.

He initiated a grand jury investigation to try and force Twitter to disclose the identities of 2 individuals who criticized him on the social network at the tax payers expense. 2 individuals who just exercised their rights to free speech.

Here's one of many of the articles about that: http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100519/1031479…

I believe he finally let that go once the people pointed out it was an abuse of position. Though now he's running for governor…and being that PA is remarkably corrupt in many aspects, I wouldn't be surprised if he won regardless of votes.

If one is targeted in the State of PA, god help you. Just Google things like the shady former York County DA Stan Rebert and the head of the Schaad Detective Agency (who somehow won most all of the bids for the State's security details (at toll roads, in govt' facilities, etc) and the little prostitution ring that the York Daily news uncovered a few yrs back (there's a few good YouTube videos on that as well.) Did I mention, to date, (at least from what I've seen) none of them have been arrested despite a great deal of evidence against them.

Corbett is running for Governor. Regardless of Dr. Scott's guilt or innocence, if you wish to have a chance for quality medical care or rights to such things, I highly suggest all residents of the state get out there and vote.

It's only a short leg from Governor to US Senate, House of Reps, or the Presidency. We can only hope he'll be stopped somewhere before that.

In regards to Dr. Scott though, someone is always going to be the one who writes the most pain med scripts, so if he's knocked out of the ring, I wonder if the next highest prescriber will face the same demise. Did you know in hospitals they flag and review the nurses who give out the most pain meds? Doesn't matter that they might work in the post op unit or surgical floor where odds are good they'll have patients with a far greater need for such meds, and that they may work more hours than some of the other nurses on the same unit.

The state of adequate pain control in this country is reaching disatrous proportions. Shows like Dr. Oz continue to regularly terrify the general public into believeing everyone who needs even pain meds for a week of post op pain will become raging addicts on the fast track to homelessness and jail. It's hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel for this situation.

Assuming he was practicing with the best of intentions, my thoughts are with Dr. Scott and his family through this difficult time.
Comment by:
Anonymous

Wow,

I stumbled on this page looking for stages of grief with a chronic pain condition. I had no idea this ridiculous fight was still going on & criminalization of pain patients & doctors was still going on. I wonder if the prosecutors or the courts ever heard of the "Pain Patients' Bill of Rights"?

I searched more & discovered Dr. William Hurwitz was convicted. I could hardly believe what I was reading! I recall him from an online pain patient group years ago. The instructions to the jury, from what I read, told the jury that weather he was guilty or not had 'nothing to do with "Standards of Care."' Scary.

The mess with Purdue Pharma re: OxyContin was crazy too. I thought that was interesting to change the formula without notifying but VERY few people & effectively using pain patients as guinea pigs & I was informed that the FDA forced this on Purdue. This was dangerous for many who can't process this medication properly for pain control & going through surgery without working pain meds is dangerous, can lead to shock, etc. I know, I went through it. The notice the pharmacies got said that other than it being "crush-proof" it was the same drug – BS! Did they think for a second about "Informed Consent"? That some of us may not process it the same? might have health problems other than pain? I guess not. I was told they were warned but went ahead with it anyhow.

I now have to wonder why I felt so 'out of it' when coming out of surgery, not knowing at that time that there had been a change? Then when the anesthetics wore off, something was clearly wrong & had an arrhythmia. And who's being irresponsible?

I could have died from shock.

I never signed a release, nor was I ever compensated to be in a nation-wide clinical trial for this, nor did I agree to do something experimental as per that medication. (My mother did when I had radiation when I was young, yet she was told what was going on at least – even then exaggerated the urgency, but at least we knew it was radiation, the type & that the dose was experimental.)

I also recall Janis Murphey, a "client" of Dr. Kevorkian's, who would likely still be here had she been afforded adequate pain meds.

People abuse all sorts of things, & more people die from Tylenol than from these other drugs, likely combined!

GO TO PART 2
Comment by:
Anonymous

PART 2

Why don't we put ALL medication OTC & those who wish to abuse it can, those of us who wish to take it responsibly & as needed and determined by an MD can use insurance to pay for it. Tax what is sold OTC & not that which is used medically.

It is no surprise that people cross the state lines to get care. It is done all the time for medical procedures & is standard practice for those that are not available in the area where a patient lives! If it were not, my friends' nephew would have died shortly after childbirth as he needed a special neonatal unit not available where they were at the time!

Why not let those who want to abuse drugs do so, just like alcohol & like it is being done in a few other countries.

BTW, interesting that opium was not so "addictive" until it was injected, then later altered. When it was altered, then later a resemblance of it was created in a lab, THEN it became the addictive mess it is now. Why is a natural, far less addictive version of true opiates (with enzymes, etc. from the plant that are naturally occurring) & the plants themselves made legal here in the US?

The chemicals kids are messing with these days are FAR more lethal than any natural products. I notice no results of deaths from other medications were mentioned that I could see in ANY of the allegations by prosecutors. If they did the same with antibiotics, Tylenol, etc., they might just rethink what they are doing in law enforcement.

It seems to me that there are already laws on the books FOR ADEQUATE MEDICATION FOR PAIN PATIENTS! These were a result of under-medication & suffering of intractable pain patients, cancer & AIDS patients.

It seems the laws have been totally ignored and law enforcement, including the DEA, state & federal attorneys general, and even local law enforcement & judges NEED to be informed of the law & maybe need to spend some time with chronic pain patients.

Until there are more changes, some states need to keep the pharmacies & the doctors separate, so there are some checks & balances.

Also, instead of bumbling through & destroying a doctor's & patients' lives, couldn't the DEA have instead informed the doctors that they had/have addicts, who they are & work together instead of spending tons of tax $$$$$$$$$$ on prosecuting & destroying good doctors? Did they think for once to send a letter? make a visit? OK, maybe AFTER they made a visit, as I'm sure some doctors don't care.

Seems to me most of these, if not all, would co-operate with authorities IF they had been notified the meds they were prescribing were being sold, abused, etc.

I have to wonder how many pain patients we'll loose in this round of ridiculous BS & how many we lost before? I can think of 5 I knew personally, all suicides but one who died of other causes related to not getting pain meds she needed.

Let's make EVERYTHING OTC and stop criminalizing something that kills FAR less than alcohol! That way if someone needs antibiotics or an inhaler, they can get one when they need it without running up Medicare/Medicaid costs with repeated &padded doctor visits. This would stop or severely reduce the kickbacks AND save our Medicare system!

Then the FDA can concentrate on labeling of ALL medications properly, including binders! THAT would save a LOT of lives!
Comment by:
cheryl

I'm going through a similar experience (no pump yet, just pain medication) and a sadistic (honestl&truly) PCP (GP) "doctor". I was assigned a new dr when mine recently left the practice. Neck issues all life, bad car accident 20 yrs ago that left acute radiculopathies turning into cronic (never stopped work when should have thus became permanent) I have cronic pain 24/7 without medication. I've battled with my PCP vowing to try to keep all meds to the barest minimum for years. He left the practice and I took the new dr that came in. Didn't know she was a "pain specialist" (no extra trainning in) and likes natural treatments. I didn't think anything of it. Until I met her, and in less than 1 minute she told me she knows I take pain meds and she doesn't "believe" in it. My nerologist had upped my meds amonth before, finally giving me relief to function with my daily tasks and could brush teeth without the day ruinned in misery! Well, this "god" saw THAT and wanted it stopped.
Comment by:
cheryl

She shook her head "no" on every word, and every bit of history, while giving me the dirtiest looks I've EVER encountered. She proceeded to the "pelvic"exam, and it was so abusive and painful (she kept at it if pain;punching my insides with her figers??? Felt like nails. She did something terrible to my hemmoroids that had not bothered me in 20 years!!!! I can't repeat nasty abusive sarcastic comments and action by this sicko. I phoned and a nurse admitted I was FAR from alone in COMPLAINING , the word got out I was going to report her as could really HURT old,disabled or pain sufferers BADLY. Without a nurse in the room I fear the damage she can do. AND this is at a very nice mini-hospital clinic. I told a nurse I plan to report her and she told me I'm FAR from alone!!! End of story; she called my neurologist to STOP my PAIN MEDS! Lord God have mercy! A DOCTOR wants you to rock crying in a chair the rest of your now miserible life?!! I'm now alone with this, and must MOVE soon-get panick attacks w/pvcs @ thought of torture nightmare of pain from sorting,cleaning,moving ,etc. ONLY folks in cronic pain understand the terror.
Comment by:
cheryl

My heart is going bonkers since cut meds in 1/2. Try to do a few dishes and all I can when 2nd pill gives 3 hours of relief. I live for those 3 hours. They want me to go 10 days a month in AGONY to make sure that I'm not "addicted"??? I'm in tears now, knowing this sadistic lunatic PCP?PC met me in minutes decided my LIFE – she had a hatred I've NEVER seen in MY LIFE. Nightmare. She clearly enjoyed giving me as much pain as poss behind the closed door. SO MANY people being victimized by These "gods" who decide if you can ever get an hr or 3 of relief a. Torture doctors.I wish they HAD a way THEY could FEEL the PAIN they give out . They should have experienced horrific pain themselves before "specializing" in torture. Can't afford $ surgery- you can't MOVE while getting operated on anyway. May wind up with no use of arms OR legs, friends regret similar surgery so badly-crippled worse/pain-a living hell.Wish YOU a pain free day!:) Thank-You so much for your post!!!Thanking everyone else too-needed you ALL badly today. God Bless YOU ALL!!!!
Comment by:
Kyle Crawford

I really enjoy this website. As a chronic pain sufferer, I believe that undertreatment of pain is one of the biggest unspoken problems facing our country right, especially due to the Drug War hysteria. It seems to me that millions of people living in pain are forced to suffer because of a few individuals who use medications irresponsibly. Making the many suffer for the sake of a few makes no sense to me. If the government was serious about protecting lives, they would focus more on education and less on enforcement. For example, I believe we have the technology right now to prevent many needless overdose deaths. An implant could easily be developed (the technology already exists) to monitor heart rates and respiration rates in high risk patients who are using opiates. When the respiration rate falls to a certain level, a device implanted in their bodies could release an opiate antagonist to prevent overdose. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any articles about developing such technology — probably because the emphasis is on enforcement instead of saving lives.
Comment by:
Cindy G.

Wow you r so right…..I am currently writing a thesis about chronic pain and those on methadone maintainence…..added to this thesis I plan to comment on why Docs have become afraid to prescribe opiates to anyone regardless of their background. I too am a pain suffere for over 30 years…I have been disabled because of it….and am no longer getting any pain meds …that in itself is a long storey. Something does need to be done to control the DEA….what they are doing to innocent people is apalling.
Comment by:
anne

Pain has been an epidemic for americans suffering from lack of adequate management to live a some what normal life. I ask what is the solution? Drs have the Dea at their heads dare they give appropriate pain management, the doctor is in fear of his license and or prison sentence. Why cant the dea go after the drug cartels, the real meth labs, street drugs etc. It all boils down to the quailtyl as that control such pain. Now its a quiet war between the dea the doctor and the patient. OF course the patient suffers the most, possibly dies from the lack and will to live with chronic untreated pain written on their grave stone. It is a travisty to live in a country that pain patients are profiled, not a heart patient, and all the other patients taking the meds to keep them functioning, while pain patients are red flagged, now tagged a drug seeking behavior patient. How can we- Pain Patients make a change? to be free from physical pain that prevents us to live a better life. thankyou for this site i pray for all of you who have visited here. God help the dea to understand what pain is……a guest
Comment by:
B Wiggins

Dr Beaman, gave my son prescriptions for oxycontin without any follow up without any exam. for cash only. My son hung himself from my roof last monday. I am suffering terribly but not nearly what my son suffered. Lord have Mercy on Dr Beaman's soul. His greed know no bounds.
Comment by:
B Wiggins

The greed of the doctors and pharmaceutial companies is utterly unquenchable.

They will all have to pay in some way eventually.
Comment by:
Pascal DeJ

DEA is unconstitutional as it is, and was suddenly called into life by Tricky Dick in his efforts to swing the country massively to the right. Now, as a Liberal, I am beginning to learn something here. Both sides run the drug war, and it affects both left and rightwing pain patients. WEe need to set an example and GET TOGETHER, and fight what's unconstitutional, cruel, and unjust. Better than a class-action (which I would join, though), would be to get mass petitions going and letter writing campaigns to our govt. representatives, and demand no less than dissolution of the DEA and a revision of the CSA and drug laws. Kick the DEA out of medicine, a field it knows nothing about at all.
Comment by:
Pascal deJ

I have a crazy pain doc from Hell! Not only am I kept on the lowest dose of percocet (yes, I was disallowed the APAP-less variety), but I have to endure (and pay for) monthly shots in my back, as s sort of catch all for back pain. I'm in a minefield. If I say the pain is worse, my doc says 'then my treatment isn't working and I can't see you any more'. If I say I would like more pain med, he says 'done this way tolerance does not occur at all'. If I report differing pain scale numbers, it messes with his expectations and he can't treat me any longer. If an related, referred pain occurs (in legs and feet, a logical offshoot of L4-L5 /L5-S1), but it's not actual back pain, I am not even allowed to report it. Let alone receive more relief for it. There's WAY more crazy stuff you wouldn't believe, so I'll leave that out for now. If anyone knows of better treatment in the Southern NH area, pain docs are very sparse here. Does anyone know more about the state of pain medicine here in my area? Perhaps doc. DeLuca, would you know about this area? I am considering moving (not just to get better access, mind you), may as well find a place where I can get the meds I need so I can get a life again. Thanks much – P.
Comment by:
Justin

I happened to stumble across this board when researching pain med docs in my area. I have had my L4, L5-s1 fused, and just recently my c4-7 fused. Im sure it wont be long before my spine doc wont right medications. It seems many feel that the doctor isnt compassionate, sadly I feel its just that they have to cover there a#$. I can understand chronic pain, its horrible. Im glad I took myself off dilaudid, as stated above hearing what people suffer I might as well learn to deal with the pain and Im now taking myself off endocet. Id hate pain, but feel at this point its better than trying to worry about a doctor that will prescribe you the medications you need. My advice to all is try to find methods that channel pain, I take a ton of vitamins and minerals, and eat a well balanced diet. Best of luck to all, but we can blame those who had no buisness getting pain meds ie recreational users, those who sould of their meds, and the dea as well. If it gets to bad for me I guess I will have to move out to the left coast, so I can use marjuana for pain relief.
Comment by:
Pman

PM Docs Suck Dick. im in pain n they really dont give a shit
Comment by:
Lisa

You can count on me! I was (labeled) an addict from my dentist Newwrith with Newwrith and Brown associates 9 years ago. I have 2 back problems and another wich causes me lots of pain and I cant get any Pain meds from any one. I even go to a apain management center. My e-mail is leoherman@centurylink.net. Thank you Lisa.
Comment by:
princessfawn

Hello everyone,

I found this site purely by chance and after reading through some of the comments here I wish I could say it's comforting that I"m not the only one going through this horrid fiasco with pain medication.

I'm an advocate for compassionate care. And I will go head to head, or toe to toe with anyone on this subject because I, like many of you I'm sure, am a poster child for chronic pain. Because I'm a person who is suffering with severe chronic pain.

I have had this pain for 10 years. I have facet syndrome, and sever osteoarthritis in my spine, as well as three collapsed discs, and a herniated SI joint. suffice to say I"m in a LOT of pain, pretty much 24/7. My GP has had me on 5mg of percocets for over a year now even though I've told him they do literally nothing for my back pain. They do help me sleep though, otherwise i toss and turn all night long. I have seen so many different alternative medicine people about this, and tried EVERYTHING recommended, including some modalities that just created more pain for me. I used a TENS unit for a whole year, until I wore it out. I tried P.T., VAXD (horrible experience) seen 5 different chiropractors (including one very famous one who is on call to John Travolta) and 3 osteopaths, a bunch of massage therapists and so on. I've done the whole routine, plus I have had cortisone shots, which made my lumbar spine so stiff I could not even bend down to touch my knees.

I'm so disgusted. The last "specialist" I saw I found off of a pain management referral site (what a joke) and he was so rude to me it was unbelievable. I had hoped he would understand and help me get some better pain meds, but instead he pressured me to try prolotherapy which i refused. So here I am trying to get some help. Can anyone PLEASE refer me to, or give me the name of a compassionate care doc anywhere in the S.F. Bay Area? Despite my daily pain I am trying to do something with my life. I am trying to finish up my degree online but the pain is making it so hard that without some help I won't be able to do this much longer because i Literally cannot sit for more than about 10 minutes without the pain becoming unbearable and I can barely walk without feeling like I'm going to collapse. So before anyone replies let me add this; I haven't been able to work in 9 years so obviously I can't afford insurance. So on top of everything else I have had a horrid time finding any doctors (except chiropractors and osteopaths) who will see me without insurance even though I can pay out of my own pocket. PLEASE is anyone knows of a good physician who would be willing to help me, I'd really be grateful for the help. I have exhausted the doctors in my area, and since there are so few around who will see people without insurance I'm really feeling stuck.

Thank you to anyone who replies.
Comment by:
Gail

Hmmm it didn't come out …… I typed all of the above but I googled it …. brought me to different links about him …
Comment by:
Larry A. Singleton

My name is Larry A. Singleton. I suffer from chronic pain. I go to the VA in Loma Linda California where I have been victimized by a lying quack named Dr Ask. A shrink. Incredibly my primary, Dr. Castro put me completely into his incompetent hands. This same guy made my life a living hell about ten years ago. He with my primary at the time a Dr. Fontana cornered me in a room and told me my pain was a figment of my imagination. Like an idiot I gave Ask a second chance recently and he ended up literally lying to my face and then reducing the amount of my medication without even consulting with me. That's the short version. The long version…. ….If there are any other victims of this guy, or the VA in general out there, I would really like to hear from them. This guy shouldn't be anywhere near patients, let alone the "helping profession". I can be contacted at larryasingleton@yahoo.com
Comment by:
ann

I''m sorry for your pain but my sister was one of the fatalies from the defective fentanyl patches…..I'm on here because My doctor sent me to a pain specialist that wants to drug test me at every visit….I think it's outrageous…They are treating people like they are addicts….not pain riddled people…What are we on probation here?? The government is way off base here!!
Comment by:
Rach

This is so sad – I also have suffered for 13 years now – I have been fortunate to receive minimal pain meds but treated horribly. No one cares how very addicted I am to zoloft and cannot get off of it but a drug that actually works is a crime. Heroin addicts get better medical care and they chose to do heroin. I or none of you chose to live with chronic pain.
Comment by:
Rach

Come together in mass numbers is the only way to even begin fighting back. The biggest problem is any mass number all have the same issues "minimal life to give" because it takes all you have to get through each day in sum we suffer daily and such project seems too big and overwhelming but certainly possible. I will always be interested in being apart of preserving our rights as patients – seems to me we have constitutional rights concerning medical care – prisoners sure do 8th Amendment. Look at all the other medications that have addictive potentials and dr.s cram it down your throat given the perks alone.
Comment by:
Rach

This horrific treatment toward suffering pain patients is discrimination against a disability one cannot help – we have rights but must fight for them and fight in mass numbers. Anyone who would fake pain for pills needs help but i am certain most people would rather live somewhat normal as possible and without pain rather than have pain pills just to have them… we must fight!!!
Comment by:
Rach

http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/MQAC/painmgmt.htm

Here is a starting point – file complaints mass numbers of complaints – not treating pain and managing it for humans is inhumane…
Comment by:
tony o

wow! i thought i was the only one whowanted to do this! your so right. someone has to stand up to the one sided, no other options for the drs. and the powerful DEA. your right on. tony o.
Comment by:
dianasilvia

Does anybody have any idea how to contact either Dr. DeLuca or Ms. Reynolds about getting their opinion on a current trial? This is for a personal inquiry not related to the press, or anything like that.
Comment by:
Hurting

there is an escalation in this war where I live in the tri state area of Ky/Oh/WV. I find it incredible how they blame prescriptions for the drug problem and claim babies are born addicts; that is truly tragic but I'm not buying the explanation; ;I think they are trying to drive us all into the hospital clinic setting where you become their guinea pig/voodoo doll while the doctor rations the medicine without regard to symptoms and quality of life; anyway, thanks for your work Doctor D!
Comment by:
julia

It is time that we, as chronic and non-chronic pain patients, and our pain doctors must ban together and say "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH". There is no reason what soever for this war on Pain Doctors/Pain Patients. There is scientific evidence that shows pain hampers the healing process. Yet, more and more we are told to live with it because so many Doctors are intimidated by the government and refuse to adhere to the oath that they made to do no harm. Let us stop the insanity of Doctors losing their licenses. Anyone who interested in meeting up to protest this please e-mail me @ inAgOnee@yahoo.com
Comment by:
moo

amen
Comment by:
Paul Tamaaro

Doc-I am, and have been a Chronic Pain patirnt for many years due to numerous physical injuries and their resulting spinal/cervical issues they have caused. I am, and have been UNDERTREATED by a PM doc who must work for the DEA as every time we discuss meds, he tells me he cannot increase my meds due to their "oversight". Is it legal for me to be treated by another docgtor, simultaneously, if each doc knew about the pther(and the meds I am given) Your help on this is greatly appreciated as I have been suffering on the "Maximum dose" for quite some time now. God bless you, Doc. You are doing EXCELLENT work here. Curse the DEA and their Gestapo-like tactics that frighten honest, caring physicians into cowards who's hands are tied. Thank you……Paul
Comment by:
keith

Hey what ever happened to Dr. joe statkus from northern virginia?
Comment by:
Dink

What does one have to do to convince doctors that they are hurting? Do the ex-rays, mri's, blood work, knots on your back, etc. don't they imply anything? I know a lot are there for the meds. But where is their records (test)? I am literally scared of losing my much needed meds. I can;t function without them. This country, our government, leaders, people of authority, etc.are ruining this country. They WILL reap what they sow, however, we suffer in the mean time. We are our own worst enemy. Sad,very sad. And ignorant!!
Comment by:
Dink

I am sorry I don't have any medical advice Michelle but there is one thing I'm going to do for you and that is I'm going to pray for you. Don't ever underestimate prayer. I'm sorry you have had such a rough time. When you get better without doctors, meds,etc. Remember the man that typed this prayed for you as soon as he finished typing. And you thank God. I'm calling on the best Doctor you will ever find!! Have faith! and God bless you.
Comment by:
docalex

Hi Mickey,

Ask him to prescribe dronnabinol (Marinol) for you. It is not merely an effect appetite stimulant, it also helps some with PTSD, anxiety and depression. (Caution – dronnabinol causes anxiety as a side effect not uncommonly – everybody is different.)

But you already have experience that THC gives you a better anti-anxiety effect than Xanax, so the risk is low for trying this med for you. Also, by putting you on dronnabinol he is protecting you from the primary harms from cannabis use – legal ramifications, medical discrimination (which you are experiencing), job and insurance discrimination, etc.

And dronnabinol isn't Schedule II – he can prescribe it using his regular script pad with standard refills; so this is not a big deal for doc.

I doubt he'll do it, because it sounds to me like what is in YOUR best interest is not his primary consideration in his doc-patient relationship with you. You might be interested in "Medical Ethics and Red Flags" – http://www.youtube.com/doctordeluca#p/u/1/qZnBDcC…

Sincerely sorry this is happening to you, Mickey; your general experience of 'being given the run around' is, alas, the norm in the US where we allow police agents and power hungry DA's to utterly distort the practice of pain management.

..alex…
Comment by:
docalex

Apologize for not responding and updating the link(s). A lot has happened in both the pain movement and in my personal life, and needless to say I have been neglecting even simple maintenance of this site.

Thank you for your politeness and patience with old, chronically overwhelmed me. :-)

..alex…
Comment by:
docalex

The best pain practice in the world, probably, is the department run by Dr. Portenoty at Beth Israel on the East Side of NYC. They have a StopPain website: http://stoppain.org/

hope this helps

..alex…
Comment by:
docalex

my email address is in the Domain principles & policies link, upper right sidebar of every page. http://doctordeluca.com/Library/Personal/Statemen…
Comment by:
docalex

See the Domain Principles and Policies link, upper right sidebar of every blog page. ..alex…
Comment by:
docalex

asked and answered ..alex…
Comment by:
guest

i lost my doc and meds 2 yrs ago my first doc got sent to prison for nothing maybe to cover up the real problems of crack and meth in small town but im sick ddd ra scoliosis and hypertension the withdrawals from loratab 10 vailum 10 and soma nearly killed me the fear that dr had was too much noww the dr ive got says i had no thyroid function so now ive got mixed ms soft tissue dz all of the above and is sending me for steroid shots and taken my 2 7.5 tabs away im lost cant walk in diapers 53 yr old female pain since 32 can any body help me i wish it was all in my mind the test says its not FLORIDA
Comment by:
Jammer

I live in Kentucky and know you are right. Now they are forcing people into Ohio and all the residents do is get on Topix and complain about all of the criminals. We are not wanted anywhere. I suffer from pain from a botched operation, but NO TEST PROVES this. After 8 years of being prescribed morphine my PM doc is now losing his mind and forgets everything, makes many many mistakes. Now I am an uninsured person seeking a PM doctor in east central Kentucky that will take me!! LOL! My odds are a million to one. I just want to cry because of how so many people do not understand and say so many hurtful things online.

I need advise on how to find a PM doc in central/east Kentucky, and latter worry about telling the doc about my 8 years of morphine and nerve pill records. All PM docs her4e claim not to treat pain or nerves, but I know they do. But they fear evil addicts walking in and getting them in trouble.
Comment by:
Jammer

Not to double post, but here we have PM docs all joining forces with hospitals and tripling rates. One can not find a average PM with an outside office, they are moving inside of hospitals and charging 2 to 3 times the rate.

I need advise on just how to find a doctor that will take me as an uninsured patient that pays by check, but at the same time I need a doctor that may someday be open minded to my chronic pain and panic attacks no matter what their signs say, and all PM docs here claim they do not treat pain nor nerves here- Yet the pain clinics all either milk all of medical insurance money and prescribe nothing for pain, OR they DO prescribe pils for pain and the local news makes a fuss over it, angers local residents, and the DEA and FBI goes in. Its the same circle of events over and over. What can we do?

I can not stay with my primary care doctor because he no longer even acts like he believes I am in pain, nor does he even recal what my pain IS after 7 to 8 years of prescribing me morphine!! ARGH the agony, I know its hard to replace him but I fear he may get somebody killed because his mind seems to be slipping, and fast!

Please help, need advise on how to find good PM being uninsured. I porefer a PM doc that would consider my chronic issues at least in time. — One last thing….

I am trying to get disability because the last 7 jobs all fired me for being too slow! My doc, at first went along and signed a form of many strict limitations I have. Next he tells me (next visit) that I have a job trying to find a job. My SS Disability lawyer mailed him twice to ask for my 7 years of records and he sent a single visit from last July!!!!!!!!!!!

Someday soon I will be seeing a judge. If my doctor refuses my records to the lawyer twice, but I have almost 8 years of lists of pain meds he has prescribed me BUT the doc refuses to send my full records to the lawyer, will this in anyway hurt or help me??

Thanks for any and all advise. I feel very helpless and useless as of now.
Comment by:
Chiropractor St Paul

I really enjoyed your blog post, i always got good, relevant and useful information from your new and unique posts, i m sure your blog will keep us continues update. Thanks for providing us such useful information.
Comment by:
Michael

we are not cowards! We just enjoy freedom more than a prison cell! I lost my license and I resent being called a coward!

ex pain doc

PS

I broke my back four months ago and can barely sit up for more than 1/2 hr at a time, now. Part of that is because I can't get adequate pain management! Neurosurgeon says "Tylenol should be enough"!
Comment by:
angrypharmtech

Hey dipshits, news flash, these quack doctors were arrested and prosecuted for a reason. Its because they create, enable, and enforce drug trafficking, drug abuse, and crime. There are dozens of signs med professionals look for and the DEA doesnt waste time if they have a case, they take weeks to months of research and planning. You wanna play the poor woe-is-me doctor card, thats fine. But your supporting substance abuse. When people come in, skipping and jumping (their in so much pain right?) and ask for an rx of large amount of oxycontin or lorcet and pay cash, thats red flag number one. If theyve been on an opiod pain reliver for 5 years (its for acute not chronic pain), red flag number 2. If your patients are always coming in early claiming theyre rx was stolen, lost, or you need a higher dose, red flag number 3. These are the signs the dea looks for, these are the signs of substance abuse, these are the signs of quack doctors who are nothing more than glorified frug dealers.
Comment by:
joe

nice info everybody.thank you.
Comment by:
Jack3d

Thanks for continuing to fight the good fight!
Comment by:
Dana Foyle

Dr. DeLuca I am a Nurse Practitioner for 21 years in Oncology and soon to be graduate of medical school, so I want to start my own website with Questions and Answers to public for a fee, of course.

Where and who is the best to start with the webhosting and design?
Comment by:
Gossamer Life

Chronic pain for shingles and migraines is debilitating. Had some relief throughout the years, but nothing consistent. To top it of, I've just moved to New Orleans, so none of my referred docs in Houston can help. Does anyone know of a clinic in New Orleans? Thanks for the help. –Goss
Comment by:
Gossamer Life

ABSOLUTELY fine to have my comment "approved" Just looking for answers.
Comment by:
paindocattorney

obvious DEA plant
Comment by:
Telepresence

I found this site whilst looking for something else but I must say after reading some of the problems that people are having which are not being dealt with appropriately I am disgusted with the current system that we have in place. Princessfawn I really do feel for you but please hang in their, Im sure your problem will be sorted soon.
Comment by:
ed champagne

I blew out my knee at age 25,in1985, and walked with a limp and been in pain since. I don't drink, never have smoked,take'n any illegal drugs, and other than my left knee problem, I have either take'n,less than prescribed or nothing at all. When my father pasted away, at church I kept passing out, sitting or standing, if I took with pain killers I acted and felt normal. People assume your a drug addict. I offer to take lie detectors, willing to give access to all records, and beg to be put into the hospital so doctors can see what my pain affects me. Instead over the past ten plus years I have had my under control six weeks!, the Doctor that got my pain under control, loss his license. I must have help! Any body interested in filing a lawsuit?
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

I've seen it happen – it doesn't help. Suddenly the sadist "gets it," and just as suddenly he' considered a "traitor who's gone over to the other side" and treated even worse than most pain patients. A military neurosurgeon in that position was screwed over so badly he finally killed himself.
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

"What ever happened to ETHICS? "

The DEA hunted them all down and sent them to prison..
Comment by:
Cherish17

Anyone know of a good pain specialist in the Sacramento, CA area who takes cash? I recently had to drop my insurance and now I am considered to have a pre-existing condition so no-one will insure me. My husband had a pain specialist after his accident in Chico, CA who charged $65 and did not take insurance. I am looking for something similar. Please?? Thank you!
Comment by:
hurt

completely given up on the medical system. went from 120 oxy 4 times a day for over 7 years to 30mg 4 times a day for 6 months than had to go to er. had to have a finger amputaed due to newly discovered bone cancer. they gave me pain meds for surgery so primary cut me loose as i broke pain contract because of drugs they gave me at the hospital. have seen 6 docs, none will treat me. spine leaks, failed back surgery, neuropathy both arms, legs, yada yada. tried all those neurotin, cymbalta (all of those.. either didnt work or side effects put me in the hospital) i am done with doctors. i rather keep what is left of my pride and get drugs from the street. the medical system is broken and i am done waiting for it to be fixed. my first exposure of the hardship of being in pain was when i tripped in the snow and fell on a curb hitting my upper back and fracturing it in 3 places. went to the er & they did nothing. my wife overheard them talking about how long i would wait before giving up because they where not going to help me. i left there and laid in bed 3 months until i could see my primary at the time how sent me for an mri. i had fractured my ack in 3 places and ruptured 2 discs. you break your back and go to the hospital for help and get mocked and turned away. typical thing these days. i had to go to 3 different docs just to have someone treat a bladder infection. one of the others simply mocked me and said a"oh, you must be having kidney failure, we better have you on diallisys, ha ha ha". only 1 in 20 doctors these days is worth a crap. the others are a waste of skin. doesnt matter how good your insurance is. btw, it took 4 visits to different docs to even look at my finger that was 4 times its normal size before one of them would treat me. x-rayed it and all the bones where gone. amputated it and lab tests showed cancer. now, nobody will touch me. i have given up on the medical system because it just does not exsist. 15 years of dealing with this is enuff for anyone. people, if you can fix it yourself do not bother going to suffer even more at the hands of these useless human beings. thats is how most of them see us, we should return the favor.
Comment by:
Sam

Thanks mate for the share
Comment by:
chris s.

my mother and i have been going to the same doctor for 7 years for pain management, with no trouble. we have never gone in early, or done anything illegal, etc. this doctor is very careful with records, and has never been intmidated before, but yesterday, all that changed. she is cutting ALL patients that are on schedule II narcotics to schedule III's, and basically cutting our doses in half, and for the first time in years, she seems terrified. i don't know what is going on, but if she has been threatened, no one is talking, and what are we as patients supposed to do?
Comment by:
fedup

Suboxone is the new street drug, wise up doc's, u know it is…that's why you give three a day, no one needs that much in one day…..It just makes dealers even more money!! This all has to stop somewhere!!
Comment by:
Rusy

Hello, I am a pain patient in the eastern Pa area and my insurance has just said "No more treatment" WOW!!!! This has left me between a rock and a hard place.My Pain Management Clinic canceled my appointment and won't let me pay for visits out of my pocket.I have searched and searched for a Dr and/or clinic that could and would work with me.I found them and now they(insurance) are ripping them away. My question is,Where do i find a good,caring doctor that will help me maintain a somewhat normal life in the Eastern Pa area,i.e. Johnstown,Altoona areas??? Someone please HELP!?!? I am only wanting to live my life as a productive person by working and being active in my community and not a lump on the log down and out from my injuries.Please help,PLEASE…. Thank You Very Much.
Comment by:
Hugh Wegwerth

The real problem is there is WAY to much money in drugs and at this point I can't see that changing any time soon…..
Comment by:
carolyne

im having the same problem..i have health insurance and i have spent close too 4 hours in the past week just trying to find a licensed outpatient suboxone dr..out of the 14 names they have given me not a one of them is a suboxone dr..im trying to avoid going to a cash dr..but just for the asking how the hell would i find one since im having no luck with my ins company. my shrink currently writes my suboxone and he just cut my script nearly in half in fear of the DEA..ugh..
Comment by:
Cliff Merchant MD

Dr. Scott is a very compassionate man who cares deeply about his patients. I have the hope that many doctors Pain Management will stand behind Dr. Scott. He does not deserve what they are doing for Pain Management physicians him.So unite and not let another pain specialist put in jail simply for doing their job.
Comment by:
mel josephson

I think thats an excellent idea! I am in so much chronic pain and no healthcare professional seems to give a crap! This has brought up the thoughts of suicide, because it's just to draining to continue life like this! Nobody, Nobody should have to suffer like this! We have millions of alcholics, do they close the liquer store down because of this! Of course not! Thats tax dollars! This all comes down to money! They should be sued for pain and suffering!
Comment by:
Kathy

Absolutley. We need to file against the DEA. I am fortunate after years of sufferring at pain clinics to have found a doctor who can supply adequate relief. i have been afraid to go to a pain clinic anymore for it seems that where i suffer. I am all for suing the DEA. until these people suffer themselves their acting ignorant. Let me know if need a petition signed.
Comment by:
docalex

I believe the 'fed' part. Certainly you speak with all the arrogance prosecutors bring to a field they have no training or even interest in – the real science of pharmacology and medicine. No, stupid; many people need "more than three a day." You know nothing about what you are spewing. I agree with you that political and police ignorance has to stop somewhere… but your ilk knows no shame nor boundaries. All you know is your dopey, scientifically wrong and discredited, "beliefs" you just can't wait to impose on the rest of us. You gulp treatment-police industrial complex propaganda, 'cause some journalist with maybe two years of college told you what you wanted to hear. Study up, or don't; open your eyes or don't; get cancer and find no one to treat you – that's likely you know… but I no longer care. Stay as uninformed and closed minded as you want to; you are playing the Ostrich, like it won't happen to you or someone you love. Good luck with that!
Comment by:
Ian MacKeod

Look up "Phoenix Tears". Also Check out sodium bicarbonate as a cancer treatment. I can't vouch for either, but these I find with the most documentation and the most good reviews.

Yeah – the DEA's propaganda and their and the Dept. of inJustice's attacks on doctors not violating any laws and imprisoning them anyway have essentially destroyed the PM field in America. And the $ situation with Big Med and Big Pharma has destroyed the caring healer's ethic doctors once had. Now it's all about the money. Very few doctors take the Hippocratic Oath any longer.

Luck (to us all!) Ian
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

"we can blame those who had no buisness getting pain meds ie recreational users, those who sould of their meds"

Sorry, but NOT TRUE. They are scapegoats used by the gov't as the excuse for what they're doing. With 116 MILLION real chronic pain patients in the U.S. it'd be insane to destroy so many docs and sentence so many patients to death for a reason like that. They're not insane – not that way. Read this: http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/docs/nutricide.pd…

We really are at war and are under attack in our meds, food, water, air, economy – you name it.

Ian
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

The VA did the same thing to me here in Oregon a few years ago: lied their asses off and blackmailed me into see a fake "Board Certified PM Specialist" who was an Internist with one year experience in an interventional PM clinic. He instantly destroyed the regimen that had allowed me near-normal function for 8 years, labeled me an addict and drug abuser, etc. This happened when my wife was dying of COPD and had just become bedridden with only me to care for her. My weight went from 210 at 6'2" tall to 143 lbs. He almost killed me, and did cause my wife to die much sooner than she had to. AND she and I almost followed up on the decision to commit suicide together. Just good luck stopped that. Now i can't use the VA for PM; the VISN20 for all NW VA hospitals has decreed that 160mg per day TOTAL of morphine or equivalent is the max dose the VA will fill – for ANY reason. The VA has joined the Drug Warriors, and they're killing off vets, old AND new.
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

Hey, Alex. Remember how the Constitution was just totally ignored, and every bit of law we tried that was based on it? The US is, as far as I can tell, functioning under Admiralty law, and the Constitution is NOT a part of it. Codex is being pushed harder and harder by the Republicans, too. 99,9% of the populace has no idea that Congress was dissolved after the Civil War, the United States Inc. was incorporated, Congress is an elected Board of Directors with the President the CEO, subject to the Owners – the Central Banking System. The 'elites' just don't want anyone wise to it in enough numbers to affect anything until they've consolidated their hold by completing the Depopulation Agenda that was begun by the Nazis in WWII (initiated by Rockefellers, who helped fund them starting with the loan for the invasion of Poland. Sounds like absolutely nutso conspiracy theory doesn't it? Take a look at ANY leftover paperwork from the Census. Look to the upper right area of the "United States" printed on top – there's a registered trademark symbol! We humans are part of the corporate assets, and we can be sold off if they so choose – or "culled". Again, take a look at this: http://www.regent.edu/acad/schedu/uselesseaters/ and here: http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=322

It all adds up, Alex. This is the exact same eugenics program the Nazis were running. Hope all is well with you and yours! Be in touch now and then! Ian
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

Just some reasons and nevermind the Codex/takeover/etc stuff: the DEA was about to loose a LOT of funding about the same time that pain was declared "the fifth vital sign" and correct pain treatment was encouraged. Congress decided they were losing the Drug War and were about to cut funding when suddenly the DEA found ALL THOSE PILL MILLS! They can fake evidence, the DOJ backs them, and they're able to steal the doctor's property and accounts (making sure s/he can't afford a good lawyer) via civil forfeiture laws. The DEA gets "good" publicity – if the people reading these things are the brain-dead public – and promotions and they don't have to go after REAL criminals who shoot back. The DOJ gets flashy (they make sure of it) cases and justify their existence and high pay, Right-Wing judges get good publicity for a resume when they want to go into politics. The DEA also uses CPPs as stalking horses to lead them to more pain-treating docs, and the patients who get caught buying from the Street provide $44,000 or more a year in Federal funding for Private Prisons. and on and on it goes. They've busted around 1,000 docs and sent them to prison by now I'd guess.

WE HAVE NO RIGHTS

Ian
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

This is to angrypharmtech; it won't allow me to post to him directly -

If your pain patients are skipping and jumping I'll grant you they may be faking. Some do. For the rest though, try reading the actual Medical Standard of Care for Chronic Pain treatment! I've been screwed over by more know-it-all jackass pharm techs and real pharmacists like you..! I've 28 goddamn YEARS of pain, and I have all the secondary damage from it, and I've had 6 back operations. I STILL have problems with people who are sure I'm lying and nevermind the test and other records – decades of them that all agree I have tremendous (they say "massive") and damned well OUGHT to be in pain! I was a rock climber, a lifelong martial artist,was USN Hospital Corps, worked ambulance ten years and was a paramedic (neonate tech), played tennis, hiked, camped and a LOT of other stuff. I was no "druggie," I was an athlete, an electronic and mechanical design drafter in aerospace… I was ACTIVE. I'm still treated like an addict and liar, nevermind that the people who know me ALWAYS use the words "honor" and "honesty" when they talk about me. And the other things you were talking about were ALL save that one thing, signs of "pseudoaddiction" which is invariably a sign of UNDER TREATMENT of pain! The fakes are a tiny portion of the total; there are an estimated 116 MILLION CPPs out here with little or NO treatment.

I wonder how many suicides you have to your "credit"? Jerk.

Ian
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

Dink, the authorities DON'T CARE that you're hurting! They want to use you and the meds a doc prescribes for you to distort the truth and bust HIM! If you're not going to the street so they can find a dealer through you – or another pain treating doc to bust – then you can DIE for all they care. As for the docs, yeah, they care, some do at least – but they're not going to sacrifice themselves and the rest of their own lives to give you pain meds no matter HOW much you need them because they KNOW they'll get busted no matter HOW careful they are. That's it in a nutshell.

Ian
Comment by:
itworks

First let me say I am a long time recovering drug addict.I was an ace at playing doctors and I am not proud! I put them at risk! There are I'm sure drug dealing doctors but doctors are not to blame it is the people who con them.I said all that to say this it takes a con to catch a con. Why not start at the source the SEEKERS. I know there are people in pain and most doctors have x-rays and MRI's as proof. Has anyone thought about consulting with a recovering addict.Thats not to say doctors can not notice seekers but like me there are some out there that are really good at what they do.The ironic thing is now I have a lot o chronic pain and can handle life without getting high.
Comment by:
coty

look this is all bs.I am in serious pain and am not able to even sit and type on the computer.so sorry tis will be brief but does anyone no any pain management docs in ky,oh, or wv
Comment by:
Christine

PAIN RELIEF IS A HUMAN RIGHT…. My hubby is alot like you Scott, he takes massive amounts to try and cover up his chronic back pain, and now the Doctor is taking away his Ordine and his right to get some sleep; I'm too scared to show him this page, espically when he knows he could have been a race driver. I have no worries about giving him a Panadol if it helps. It is not right!!! I've already lost one husband, why make us both suffer with more heartache and pain; I can see it in his face, even the girls at the office, can't see that!!! And to think he started off, to defend his own country in the Forces and how they've treated him, rather be in America.
Comment by:
Monica

Dr. DeLuca, What is your advice for someone desperatly needing some pain medication as needed, but cannot get it? I have endometriosis and horrid pain; with bowel movements especially. I've had a colonoscopy (clear) and Lupron injection so all my doctor thinks that I need it an anti-inflammitory. It is NOT helping! I'm not even asking for an everyday thing here and I am grabbing for straws trying to find someone to help me! Nobody wants to presribe something at the fear of "what if you hurt your ankle later and you are immune to that medication". Help!

Thank You Monica
Comment by:
broken :(

It is ridiculous how the medical community has come! I was is such Bad pain I was balled up like a baby! I didn’t want to go to Er scared nothing would be done! I was 100% up front about All known health issues and meds. After a ct and a pain shot which helped for @10 mins..I was sobbing and shaking due to pain! 3 hrs later I told my nurse that something was wrong and please get md. 45 mins later he came in and said I was fine ct “normal”. I said page Gi, he said he cldnt! I said I Work for a hospital and we do it! He refused! I begged for test to find out what was going on, Nope I must be addict!! I never felt so Helpless! After 6 weeks of Horrific pain and endless test, I went to a surgeon who took 2 mins to pull the ct from Er! Everyone else just looked that he said it was normal..no need to See it!! My appendix full of stones, diverticulitis And a gall bladder that folded in half! No crap I hurt!:/ I hv Ehlers Danlo Syndrome which causes joint dislocations and connective tissue problems, gi issues among other things! The sad thing is he had never heard of it so didn’t think it existed! So me taking a few pains pills during the day when my joints dislocate should merit not treating new complications! So now I’m worrying about pain control after surgery! :/
Comment by:
Chartlye

I think the class action suit of American's who suffer from Chronic pain against the DEA is a good idea. Wonder if there are any attorney's interested in pursuing such a case. I am certain you would have millions of American's want to get in on that who suffer from chronic pain and who have suffered at the persecution of the DEA and doctors who are scared to treat individuals with real chronic pain issues.
Comment by:
DEA SUCKS

I think everyone needs to get together and form an organization and began a class action lawsuit against the DEA – They are controll freaks and I would not put anything pass them. They are probably on the meds themselve and looking to score. I am tired of hearing about the DEA they are not the DR. They should not have any rights to close offices down. To put a Dr. in jail in inhuman for trying to help people that suffer daily. This is out of control and we all keep letting them do this to us as patients and dr.'s. The DEA are F@#$%^&** loosers. We all have legit reasons. the person that took too many or drank booze sham on them. Why blame the docs if people are doing the wrong thing. So when we buy a car and drink and drive should they take my car away? It is ok for the DEA to drink and drive every night when they go for dinner with family the whole family is in the car and parents are tanked oooooooo that is ok… They are not supposed to drink and drive, does that mean we should take the car away from them or will they show the badge???
Comment by:
DEA SUCKS

We are tax payers and more than that we are paying a HIGH price for health insurance so let us get our meds that help us ALL LIVE. If a DEA agent got hurt he or she would need to live on pain meds then it is ok then. They suck and I am ready to go out of state to get a real dr. that is not scared and has balls to fight the DEA… Let them walk in our shoes for 1 month see how it feels. As long as there is proof there is a problem please tell me what si the problem. Why have they made this stuff available to us if there is a problem. Who are they to say the doc is given too much some people need a lot to function. They are acting as we are breaking the law. Well not everyone sells the pills, I have a job and make a lot of cash, dont need to sell pills. I own 2 houses and 3 cars all bought with money I made from my job. Not from selling pills my bank book shows where the money comes from my direct deposit…
Comment by:
Mr. Cleveland

Where are the lawyers with the balls, we all should file a class action lawsuit against the DEA, local and state agencies who are responsible for pain and suffering of pain management patients who were forced out of treatment because their overzealous, ridiculous witch hunt on doctors and us patients.
Comment by:
Johannes Klupfel

It can also be defined as a degenerative disorder in which the vertebral bone or the intervertebral disc becomes soft and loses shape. As a result the spine loses its flexibility causing acute pain in the back. Women are very vulnerable to back pain during pregnancy.i really appreciate your information, and utilize it regularly as a reference when researching or answering others' questions. thank you very much for your invaluable information.
Comment by:
announymous

have you called fletcher allen health care in burlington vermont, 802-847-3737- this is the direct line to the pain management clinic,,,, they are very helpful………..
Comment by:
announymous

or try dartmouth in lebanon NH, a lot of vermonters go there and people from mass etc, they are also really good, if i didn't have such a good pain management dr in burlington at fletcher allen then i would have driven there for sure………good luck,,,,, stay on the phone like crazy until you find someone………….
Comment by:
Bentley

I don't know what to do! Two years ago I got hurt at work. I was already on pain meds. when it happened but before I took those measures I tried a chiropracter bought orthotics for my shoes really tried everything bt it just kept getting worse. My primary feels that I might have a tore disk it is herniated but they say not enough to cause me the problems that I am having. I had terrible spasams in my legs and I ALWAYS feel like I am sitting on rocks. My hips ever since they performed internal massage on me hurt so bad and makes it impossible to sleep. I have degerative disk disease and a slip in my tailbone from a fall years ago. The state Dr. has ageed that I am chronic but is aganist sugery. I have had 4 epiderals, a nerve ablasion ,internal massage,and of course PT. In Jan. I was doing water traction ad it had me feeling worse than ever. I was so desperate to get some relief that I asked my Dr. about this Restore place that he had sold to me as an intensive PT program and at the same time take me off the meds. and see where I am at. Now 4 months later I am in incredible pain although the spasms had calmed down (before restore) I am left in a ton of pain.
Comment by:
Bentlet

I didn't get the PT. that was told to me I would get. It almost seemed like a rehab. My Dr. never acted as though he thought I had a problem with my meds.so I had total faith that if this didn't work that we would put me back on meds until we can figure out what to do. Well it's not happening I was told that I ned to give the restore Dr. another chance or I will look like I am Dr. shopping. I through this whole thing have had the same Dr.s. I don't have faith in this Dr. and do not want to see him anymore. My primary has given me 20 vicodine for three weeks. So basically I am left to suffer. I am not the only one there is a guy who did this program with me who among many other injuries ha a broken back in three places and we share the ame primary who he has described to him that he hurts so bad that it feels like he is being chokedfrom the inside and they wont give him anything.The whole Dr. shopping thing scares me but i can't be left like this anymore. The State Dr. has said that I can never return to my same type of work and says that a life without pain is very unlikely. I just don't know what to do. PLZ help
Comment by:
michael

I was in a head on collision and broke my back in 3 spots, my leg in 3 spots, my shoulder, ribs and scapula. That was in 96 and i lost my health insurance for awhile so i was off everything and not very happy. Now ten years later im in extreme pain and my previous pain doctor retired. Now in pain clinics they offer anti depressants i think because they refuse to help you and anti seizure meds. NOTHING ELSE! I buy tylenol 3 off the internet in hopes that their real and take 2 in the afternoon and 2 when i go to bed. They seem to help me get to sleep and i get 6 hrs sleep with and 3 without. Its hopeless. Im in my own torture chamber! Its the only thing ive ever said to be hopeless.
Comment by:
Linda

I was labeled with drug seeking behavior cause I was in danger of losing my job because I could not sleep and since I have multi-drug sensitivities, can't take just anything. Read my blog to hear my horror story. Something needs to be done to combat this stupidity. http://theprickofthepen.blogspot.com/2011/10/nigh…
Comment by:
kirk

I suffer everyday with chronic back pain and migraine headaches A few years ago I could go to A doctor and get pain medication and manage the pain go to work and have A normal life now you go to A doctor and get charged over A $100 and no pain releif just bullshit excuses about new regulations every doctor hands are tied and we have to suffer its hell tou cant even get A painpill or and what do you have to do buy drugs illeagally sufffer everyday at this rate they should legalize suicide we have these drugs to improve our quality of life but the goverment has to step in and and label us drug addicts for trying to do the right thing and live our life with less chronic pain but yet I can buy enough alcohol and tobacco to kill off A whole nation Did,nt they invent pain medication to relieve pain now you cant even get legal pain medication what the hells going on I m,tired of sufferig mankind would not let animals suffer as much as I do now we would medicate it or put it out of its misery we need to speak up and stop all this suffering if you cant even get basic pain releif your quality of life goes staight to hell but you can always drink youself to death americas health care sucks .Why must we alll suffer because some morons take to much or sell their scripts I dont even feel lie we live in the u.s.a anymore somedays I dont even get out of bed anymore because i,m in so much pain then for added extra fun depresion kicks in keep the damn goverment out of private health care God help us chronic pain is torture at least when i,m dead Iwont be in pain anymore
Comment by:
SamanthaB

Hi I just came across your website while doing some research. I am really absolutely terrified at this time and need ALL the help I can get. Here’s what’s going on…. I was heavily addicted to oxycontin for about 1 year. I was abusing the medication (which my boyfriend at the time was getting from a doctor in town). I decided I wanted off of it and tried w/d on my own, needless to say it nearly killed me, so I started taking oxycontin again. I found a doctor who could write Subutex. I did not know anything about this medication at the time. I was told it would w/d me from the oxycontin and I. wouldn’t be sick, so I decided I’m gonna do this. Well I’ve been on Subutex for 4 years now and I want off the Subutex. Come to find out as I just stopped taking it that its worse of a w/d then the oxycontin. I’m very upset that I’m now addicted to this medicine that is NOW said to be 30X’s more addicting then morphine. Why would a Dr put a drug addict on a medication that is more addicting then what I was originally abusing. I do not abuse the Subutex, actually I take less then what he prescribes me. About 2 years into taking the Subutex I ran out and did feel w/d’s so I found some pain pills and took them until my appointment (which was only a few days away). When I told my Dr that I ran out and felt w/d’s he said it was ONLY in my head and that this medication is NOT addictive. I admitted to him that I took pain pills cause the w/d, but he made no big deal about it and said it was all in my head. Now I guess I was just another pawn in his $$ making deal, because most of what I’ve researched said people only stay on subutex/suboxen for a month or 2. He advised me to stay on it for 2 plus years so my mind wouldn’t want to go back to pain pills (which I have NO desire at all to do). I feel like I was used for $$. I was a very easy patient who would come to my appt, pay the $110. out of pocket (since he doesn’t take insurance) and get my rxs and be on my way out in 5 min. Needless to say he started doing phone appts and for $95. I. could simply call on the set date & time and tell him everything was going the same and he’d call in my rxs. 1 time in 4 years he checked my blood pressure, height, weight and I was pregnant last year and still taking them while pregnant & never received any additional check ups or monitoring. The point to my story is that I want off the subutex. I want to be free off ALL medications that’s why I decided to start subutex. Any advise for getting off the subutex without having horrible w/d would be appreciated.also, is it possible to sue my Dr over this whole situation, since I was told it was non-addictive the whole 4 years? Oh plus he has only seen me 4 times in his office in the last year. Which I recently heard that when doctors prescribe certain meds like these they are required to see the patient in their office every month, which Im not sure if its true or not but it would definitely make sense. PLEASE IM BEGGING ANYONE WHO COULD OFFER ME ANY HELP WOULF BE APPRECIATED GREATLY!!

Thanks- Samantha
Comment by:
steve

Obviously, alex

Do you know how difficult it is to educate LE on basic PM principles???

Or have your Constitutional rights egregiously violated–your car and person unreasonably searched and seized; etc.?

I had to use my efforts for the CA DMV, because they attacked "pain management" for CPP's but allowed opioid junkies the privilege to drive while regularly taking CSII meds in a replacement narcotics treatment program You may rest assured I will NEVER give up the a fight we're committed to. Thanks, alex, for the support,

Steve
Comment by:
iatrogenicsteve

what generally happens is you atre fucked
Comment by:
sickersteve

alex, what's this "87" and "86" shit? I have suffered more horribly than I ever thought my body could produce. If I can't eat, drink, breathe or maintain an appetite and feel my personality has all the accoutrements of a grey wall-is this the life I'm fighting for??? I just don't understand it. For TEN MONTHS, absolutely NO SLEEP (no kidding here)> just like a walking cadaver. Just getting dressed was an ordeal. And seeing other people? why? with the way I feel? I just got through explaining to my "monitor" that I have a 33-yr-old irreversible neuro-degenerative disease. he's like, "what? I didn't know that" Can I get these people out of my life who are turning me into zombie?? And why am I the new poster person for the pain crisis?? Alex, I can't do this alone. Shit aside, yeah, I'm chemically savvy to know the effects of heavby metals on the brain (CA's Proposition 65 and mandatory MSDS reading). And people fucking with my healthcare has to stop. I'm no criminal. and if I were, I should be informed… right???
Comment by:
Laura

Sarah….. My doctor also had his license suspended several times (I attended his last hearing with my ex….ended up being suspended for 3 years). Then he was put in the federal prison for a 50 year sentence (thank goodness he was able to get out after a few years on appeal).My doctor helped hundreds and hundreds of sufferers in pain, including myself. Now he is no longer in practice. I know of at least one who committed suicide as they were not able to find a doctor.

I ended up at a major hospital's chronic pain center for 3 years and then was told that the center was closing and my doctor was going back into research. All of this turned out to be a lie. 3000 patients were thrown out due to drug addicts' fooling my pain clinic doctor and his prescriptions were found in a downtown city. I asked if I could see another doctor at this clinic and was told it was closing. It never did close and is still open. I can only assume that all of these patients were told the same thing and due to these prescriptions being misused, we were all treated like criminals without a hearing or trial!
Comment by:
KPByers

Siobhan Reynolds and PRN has tried such civil suits twice, once in Kansas and once in Washington state. Squashed each time without ever getting close to trial.
Comment by:
KPByers

I am Dr. Scott's lawyer for the upcoming trial in January 2012. Please feel free to contact me if you are earnest in your desire to help him. Thanx.

614.228.6283 or Kevin@KPByersLaw.com
Comment by:
KPByers

I am Dr. Scott's lawyer for the upcoming trial in January 2012. Please feel free to contact me if you are earnest in your desire to help him. Thanx.
Comment by:
kim

yep. these pain clinics are under alot of stress to maintain pain free patients and follow the law, bottom line, if u take pain meds, ur gunna be addicted to them, period straight up, thats the bottom line!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 so pain management plays god with our bodies, and its only a matter of time before they kick u out. its coming, just wait and c/
Comment by:
Linda S. Cheek, MD

As a persecuted physician for doing pain management in southwest Virginia, I can sympathize with the patients that are seeking compassionate doctors. I am one, but for the second time, I can't practice medicine due to the collusion between the DEA, US Attorney's office and Virginia Board of Medicine. The government isn't going to make changes on their own. The people have to make that happen. First, people have to understand that the pills do not cause addiction. Addiction comes from conditions of living. Secondly, we must get the DEA removed from the government. They have done more to create drug addiction than any other organization in this country, including the drug lords.
Comment by:
harold willett

When are we going to stop all of this talk and do something about it?Im sure the pharma companies are willing to back the dr and the patients.For sixteen years i have had to deal with all of this and finally found a dr willing to listen and help me.After 16 years 3 years ago i went from 40% pain free to almost 100% and what hyappens the owner and dr are arrested for running what the fbi and dea call a pill mill.Privacy laws are also not followed by the athorities because to get my med records they need a sup to get them.They lawfully must have one for each person,but what do they do, they get all records of everyone illegally.I have been through enough to know just about all one needs to and i want the backing of all pain drs as well as the pharma companies to call me or email me and let us all go to congress with this and i want to be allowed to speak on those that suffer from real chronic pain history.Yes of course there will always be those that abuse the system getting pills when they do it for money or rec,but for those of us that suffer its wrong and it must stop NOW.Im asking the pharma companies and all pain doctors to back me and lets finally put and end to this.
Comment by:
harold willett

I had much more to say,but my comment was way to long,wish i had known that before typing for hours,anyway my email address is haroldwillett@gmail.com and im asking for all the pharm companies and doctors to back me and to email me about this so that i can getb this before congress and i can i have the pull needed,but i need them to do so.Lets get it done and stop talking about it and by the way im very serious about all i have said.I want to be the voice and with the help i have ask for i can and i will,from national news to the white house i have the know how.This is the gift i want to give the world,so please help me.Take the time to email me and we will get this done and the bulls will be put back into there cages.
Comment by:
harold willett

I made a few comments hoping they go up, but to any doctor having to go to court im willing to be a witness for any and all that have not broken the law but have done what they felt was the right thing to do in giving the patients meds.Im sure if your lawyers will contact me they will be very shocked to hear what i have to say after 15 years of this hell and will be a witness that just might change our laws to help those of us whom need the doctors help.It cant hurt to make a call right?It just might be the very best call youve ever made so contact me if intrested at haroldwillett@gamil.com.Take me serious please.That one phone call may have changed life for millions,you never know until you make it.
Comment by:
harold willett

To the ones approving these comments im so very serious about what im saying and i want to be the major force in this fight and i can be without a doubt,so please contact me and let me know all i can do to get my words out and when my comments are approved.Thanks and God bless 2012 to be and impact for so many.
Comment by:
harold willett

First i understand you and wish you the best and you and i know God can and will take care of us.If it was me id tell the dr as little as possible about my life history and just explain my pain even a few white lies work and God understand those to trust me he does.Also dress a christ or a muslim depending on the dr if you know what i mean,sad to say it does work.Last but not least it doesnt matter if the dr is and evil person because God will always use them all to get you the help you neede and then pay them back at a later date or maybe use you to get them staright.Praying for you and trust me this is the best way,bless you all.
Comment by:
docalex

Dear Mr. Willet,

Apologies, but I am not able to do more than barely maintain the website as an archival resource at this point. PRN was forced out of existence and closed in December. Then, over the holidays, Siobhan Reynolds and Kevin Byers (who had very recently left Comments) died in a small plane crash. I am devastated.

I allow comments to give people a place to vent and connect, but this is in no sense a "Forum" of any sort. For now, this site is an archival resource. This site contains a lot of the beautiful mind that was Siobhan. She was brilliant; she entirely understood the drug war and pain crisis, and she had a plan. She was in no way "done" or "retired" from her pain advocacy. We are all diminished by this loss.

I have been majorly distracted by life events over the holidays; I will try and review/approve comments on a weekly (or better) basis, going forward.

Sincerely,

..alex… Alex DeLuca, M.D., MPH
Comment by:
Paul G

Hey members anyone with pain issues especially in Florida give the local member Donna Ratliff an E mail..She runs Florida State Leader Of The American Pain Foundation and has a great group on Facebook her e mail is * goldenmain517@gmail.com Anyone with real pain issues pls feel free to e mail her..Thanx
Comment by:
steve

What is the DEA so concerned about? 50 million? How much money have they wantonly wasted on me, while FAILING to spend a few dollars on my stabilized medications?

a few dollars vs. MILLIONS of taxpayers dollars showing NO results

The DEA is a gross waster of taxpayer money

typical wasteful federal spending
Comment by:
Steve

What is this "addicted" label LE throws around so loosely? ANY chronic patients prescribed opioids over an extended period will become dependent. The addiction qualifier comes into play when a dependent person starts displaying aberrant behavior and continues despite harms.

*doesn't apply to my case, with the shit LE feeds me.
Comment by:
Steve

Dear Alex,

What I find so fundamentally flawed is browsing through papers finding many physicians promoting their Medical Marijuana (CS I) "evaluations" (really just a "say yes to the following…"), while proven CS II pain medications get this Drug Trafficking – BS label or LE paints them as "feel good" pills.

The opioid pain meds don't make me feel good, just normal and functional.

A lot more than the sick state they have me in without anything.

Steve
Comment by:
Steve

Dear Mike,

Never say "only"

It's a red flag.

Steve
Comment by:
Steve

No, it doesn't

And I think it's abominable coming from the "model PM patient" to having to take completely ineffective OTC crap to make me sicker.

Steve
Comment by:
kim

Amen! I finally told my dr I would tapper off my 5mg percocet, for deginerative disk diease and buldging disks, I can't walk, stand straight , & cry all the time, i've been bed ridden for 14 days before. hard to go to bathroom and wash, Im acually looking on the internet, asking: Do dr. believe us chronic pain people. Im proving to him IM NOT Addicted, been 5/6 yrs and haven't changed my dose. Im living on my treadmill, thats the only way I can walk for awhile. I was scared he would take them away because he didn't believe me. I guess I showed him! I'll be suffering soon.A judge put me on disability, and have a 3 inch folder on my back issues. I'm lost on this issue. He told me if you call the answer is NO! What have I done.?
Comment by:
docalex

Thank you, Dr. Cheek, for checking in and sharing. It is an honor to have you here.

Dr. Cheek, like Dr. Rosa Martinez, is a good example of a physician who practiced to the standard of care for pain management, only to be punishished because the community norm for physicians is below the medical (aka textbook, aka 'reasonable physician') standard of care.

See: "The Distortion of Medicine and Confusion of Standards" – http://doctordeluca.com/wordpress/archive/distort…

Thank you, Dr. Cheek.

..alex…
Comment by:
Michael

Much of what I have read here is true and aside from a few obvious morons it appears to me that what is lacking amongst us is action. Talk -action = 0. I am in chronic pain from a compound burst fracture to my L1 vertebrae on September 2010. Ever since that time I have had to fight with my doctors to get the medications that I need to even begin to attempt to get back on track working as productive member of society. Prior to my injury I was a self employed Marine Engineer and considering the condition of our economy was doing quite well. Now I am a paraplegic and can not do the same work. I am trying to attend classes to retrain for a new career working with computers because that is something that I feel I should be able to do despite my inability to walk. However I am constantly in pain and even though I am nor addicted to the meds, because they do not prescribe me enough to address the pain, I end up running out early even month because of my need to take more than they are willing to prescribe for my pain. That leads to about a week of me having to suffer an unbearable amount of pain that starts ramping up from the time I run out until about two days after wards. Then once I am able to get my prescriptions refilled it takes about another two days and an increased dosage to get my pain back under control so that I can even begin to function. I am so tired of living like this. I know they over regulate these pain meds because of the illegal trafficking and demand, but why can't they do something like issue a special permit for those of us that truly do need these medications to function so that we can get them when we need them. I can not help it that I need these medications for my pain and when my pain flairs up I should not be deprived of receiving the additional medication if I truly need it for my pain. If a horse is in pain like from a broken leg they put it out of it's misery. I too either want to be put down or given the pain medication that I need. I don't care which, but I am not going to be able to put up with this monthly pain for very much longer I am afraid. I live in constant fear of running out of oxy's and the subsequent pain that follows.
Comment by:
wannalive

When will they realize what it's like to live in unbearable pain… do we all have to hold hands and commit suicide to prove that this misery is worse than dying? Would they then listen?
Comment by:
docalex

Steve. We are friends, known each other for a while. I know you hurt, a lot, and I know some of the hoops you've been put through, how you've been jerked around by the medico-legal establishment wherever it is you live. I know you have suffered tremendous losses.

HOWEVER, because other sufferers will straggle along and read this some day, I cannot let your comment be the 'last word' on this subject. I am referring to: "… that completely ineffective OTC crap" which you categorically state doesn't work. You are incorrect.

I have NEVER prescribed or recommended "completely ineffective OTC crap" in lieu of readily available effective medicine because I was afraid of DEA. I treated patients by a very simple and ancient principle of medical ethics: the patient's interests (not the policemans') are to be held highest.

And when I became so afraid I could no longer practice to that standard – having watched the likes of Billy, Deborah, Frank, Walter, Jeri, William, several guys named John, and many many others whose first names I can't at the moment recall, being convicted as drug criminals and marched off to prison their lives and families destroyed because they tried to help hurting people — when I got too scared to work, I I quit practice, became an advocate, and defended pain docs at trial and advised many many others caught in the govt's gotcha! game. [see doctordeluca YouTube channel: 'Why I Don't Practice Medicine, anymore']

I did not play that shell game with "deserving" patients (a category you correctly place yourself in) NOR did I with the many many so-called "addicts" and people with personality disorders that make them difficult and often unpleasant to treat, but whom I sincerely cared about and for. But then I reject the entire "deserving vs undeserving patient" distinction as medically wrong — good vs bad patients is a social-legal distinction that has nothing to do with suffering and the relief of suffering; it is an a-medical, a-moral strategy/myth/meme, imo, used by drug warriors and a propaganda addled citizenry to divide and conquer us.

I responded with information, above, to a sufferer without immediate good options. I linked to a thorough discussion that included trusted people with a lot of experience using that "crap" to good effect. I am pretty sure you have never done that regimen for withdrawal; so you cannot really testify to the ineffectiveness of it, can you?

I know what you meant, Steve; but it didn't come out right. You meant to express your outrage that in 2012, in a society with enough docs, enough quality medication, tonnage of science, and enough wealth to adequately treat everybody properly — that we'd be reduced to suggesting what amount to 'home-remedies' to people makes you 'see red.'

Me too, brother, but there it is.

I had to inject this correction, lest we throw the baby out with the bath water. ..alex…
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

Something to consider: you've noticed, I'm sure, the government War on Human and Civil Rights in this country just lately? Now look up Kissinger, National Policy, 1974, and then look up Agenda 21. Now – where do you figure we chronic pain patients are in the "useless eaters" and "useful workers" categories? And Keep in mind too that the DEA gets lots of money from civil forfeiture and forfeiture of savings accounts and investments every time they bust a doc or a clinic. A number of CPPs I've heard from are looking into relocating to places like Belize, Panama, Costa Rica and other S. American countries. They say that since people can't afford to see a doc for every little thing, pharmacies are more like grocery store – you walk in and ask for what you want, pay for it and go home. It's sometimes harder for th e stronger meds CPPs need, but a doctor visit isn't that expensive, and once would convince the pharmacy it's a legitimate need.

Such countries usually require a certain amount of money coming in, like from disability or Social Security, a pension, etc, but for people who can meet that, living expenses run anywhere from 1/2 or less, and prices in general are much lower than here. For those whose health is going downhill from serial medication cutoffs, I know some of those are getting near a state where they'll likely die if they're thrown into catastrophic withdrawals again. It's something to consider, anyway!

Ian
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

No. Most would be pleased, I think, to get so many addicts out of the way. sigh

Ian
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

Mr. Willett,

I was with Siobhan's blog, the Pain Relief Network, for a few years. Mostly as a Moderator and writer. When she said it was going under, we all left and it was closed. A former Administrator, axe, ended up my roommate after my wife's death, and we decided to try to get it going again, at least as an educational resource. It's no longer a 501 (C)3 nonprofit, but it has tons of excellent info and many, many stories. It's a start at least! If you register, until we can ascertain that you're not a 'bot or an Ugg salesman ( we've had a lot of trouble wtih that, you'll be limited to 200 characters. Almost nothing, But we will keep an eye out, and real people are welcome!

Ian
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

Michael,

What you're going through is what EVERY newbie goes through I'm afraid. And most of the rest of us who've spent decades in pain. Knocking the pain back and THEN trying to maintain an even keel will cost you more pills than maintaining at the same level all the time. I know – you can't, because the pain itself varies, and the times you MUST be functional go on throughout the month. Been there, done that – over and over and over… I've been like this now for 29 YEARS! For what it's worth though, the panic starts receding and it's not so bad when you're facing withdrawals the full return of the pain on top of that. I rememeber thogh, that for about the first decade I'd get scared as Hell when it became clear that I WAS going to run out too soon, Of course we don't dare ask for meds early. For that's a reason to fire the patient instantly. It usually means to the doctor (and ALWAYS to the DEA) that you're taking them too fast, taking too high a dose, and of course the ONLY POSSIBLE reason is to get high instead of taking the REASONABLE (THEIR idea of "reasonable") amount you've been prescribed. Remember, the mistake is THEIRS; too low a dose for the amount of pain you have causes "pseudo-addiction"; you can Google that).

First, understand that with a doctor like this YOU CANNOT WIN. The more he deprives you, the more hurt you are and the less you rest, so the more desperate you get. The more desperate you get, the more he thinks, "Aha! An addict!" and deprives you of even more medication. And 'round you go. You become less coherent because you can't sleep regularly or for very long at a time. He will always assume it's the drugs (that you can't get). Anything you do will be interpreted that way. You need to be looking for another doctor, I'm afraid. Don't sneak around behind his back and hide it from him, either. It's hard to know quite how to do this, though. Don't tell him and you're sneaking around, trying to ruin his professional reputation or get more drugs behind his back in addition to what he's prescribing. DON'T accept another script from another doctor until you've officially left him! Anyway, If you tell him your dose isn't enough, and especially if you tell him you've been running out early and having to wait out withdrawals, he'll like fire you. You'll just have to wing it on your knowledge of this particular doc.

And btw – just what was done for that fracture, anyway? Are you still bopping around with pieces of bone floating around back there?? Bad move for your doc! Your own body motions will move them about. You haven't had pain until you've had pieces of bone wedge themselves into nerve roots and start trying to slice through the nerve! You scream, fall down and keep screaming! You – or I at least – can NOT stop screaming, especially every time the damned thing moves again. I have a pain tolerance that astounds people. After three decades like this, my definition of pain is a tad different from everyone else's. Even so, having a sharp piece of bone or cartilage trying to puncture or cut a nerve is a sensation that has it's very own category of pain! At the very LEAST you need to have the affected nerves decompressed, because something is pressing on them – directly or indirectly. If it's honestly that bad, then TELL THEM that that you want to get that pain down to something tolerable or you want to die, because what you have is NOT "tolerable"! (CONTINUED)
Comment by:
Ian MacLeod

CONTINUATION: I was serious about it when I said it to one doctor; he did an MRI and said, "Oh, hey! You've got two nerve roots being compressed by something crowding them in the foramina! I bet that really hurts!" He was smart enough to be where I couldn't reach him. They did an emergency operation the next morning, screwed it up, I'm told, but got the stuff out of the little holes (foramina – singular: "foramin") the nerves come out of between the vertebrae (the spinal bones). All they would offer me for the pain before the operation was 5mg hydrocodone. AFTER it they wanted to give me morphine. I chewed them out about that too, and said that all I needed then was the hydrocodone, I needed the damned MS (morphine sulfate) BEFORE the friggin' operation! They refused and said to take the MS or nothing. I was up walking around 15 minutes out of recovery. (a)I really had to pee, and b) I REALLY wanted a smoke and some coffee). We all have our priorities.

They will want to give you SSRI's and gabapentin/Neurontin. The SSRI's (Paxil, etc.) are based on fluoride compounds. They and the anticonvulsants are both VERY hard to get off of once you're on them, and besides, fluoride, in any dose, is a poison. They'll want you to take them because a)you mentioned suicide, and/or you may have mentioned depression. The fact that you've lost your livelihood, you income, maybe your home (or you will lose it), and most of us lose the spouse we're with in the beginning of this pain story doesn't occur to them as a reason to be depressed. If they took care of the pain, the depression would go away. In fact I pretty much lost everything but my underwear. Some bastard even stole my guitar!

It's a hard row to hoe, Michael. I wish I had better news to offer but I don't. Some of us are looking hard at relocating to some country in S. America where they're a tad more sane about medication, at least. At this point, you should know that the way it usually goes is that your insurance gets run out because the doctors are trading you back and forth, one specialist to another, round and round, until your insurance starts to get close to the end. THEN they might offer an operation. I've learned to dislike and mistrust allopathic medicine, but they're very good with trauma. If you can get the decompression operation, go for it! If you own a home, property, savings, the medical profession will eat that up as fast as they can go through it, usually BEFORE they do anything like an operation that will remove a lot of the pain, nor will they give you much in the way of medication BEFORE you have an operation. If they decide you're an addict, they may not give you anything at all after the operation,and if they DO give you post-op meds, they likely won't give you more than maybe five or six days worth. The problem is that the way they're (failing to) treat your pain now may well have made your pain permanent. Given time, the nerves themselves are altered. That is how chronic pain becomes chronic.

CONTINUED
Comment by:
Ian Macleod

CONTINUATION:

Axe, my new wife (Tahua Tarakona) and I got the Pain Relief Network blog up and running again, but right now it's just her, me and a handful of members. A couple of old ones found their way back, and there are a couple of new ones. There are a lot of great articles, some very informative conversations and a HUGE archive of informative articles, great rants and so on. Come on in and look around, register if you like (you'll be limited to 200 characters until we find out whether you're a real person or not – if you'll post something immediately, like, "Hey! I met Ian in Dr., DeLuca's site and he said to come here. Could you fix my posting ability now please?" , one of us will see you there shortly and take care of it.

I hope things improve for you, Michael! Remember, I'm not a prophet; I've just had LOTS of experience at this. I hope for your sake that this time, I AM wrong. But for when I'm not, well, don't go checking out quite yet, okay? I'm NOT saying I can refer you to a PM doctor who'll take care of you; I can't. I don't know of ANY who are taking new patients, I'm afraid. Oh – and be aware that the last time we checked, PRN WAS being read by some agency – DEA, NSA, one of those. They can read our "private," in-system emails too, of course they can read the posts, and after they've drawn a bead on you they can hit you anywhere. If FaceBook thinks you look suspicious they'll turn your info over to them. Some other sites will as well. Some of us were having our regular emails – Google, Yahoo and some others – coming up already read by the time we got it. That hasn't happened in a long time, for whatever that's worth.

I'll hope to see you there. Here's the URL: http://www.painreliefnetwork.org/forum

Since Siobhan is gone, bless her, we have no idea how long it will stay up, but for now no one wants the bandwidth/storage/whatever else, so we'll just kinda squat and use it while it's there. We ARE talking with the owner/renter or whatever he is, and we'll see what happens.

Take Care, and Hang In There! Make the Bastards Work For It!

Ian
Comment by:
docalex

Well bless you and Tami and whomever else of the old core is still around. There is a major need for a chronic pain patient forum that isn’t affilated with one of the pain ‘found/socks’ (Foundations and Societies – hey, not bad ..alex… -smile) all of whom, I think, are big pharma or big corporate or, more likely, govt funded academic/research orgs – NIH (who also do lot of good research) which includes the, very unfortunately, despicable NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse) which gets lots of millions (billions? ouch!) of perfectly good dollars that could be used to actually study substance abuse and addiction. Over the decades, and yes I’ve been paying attention that long, it has become an embarrassment to real researchers, and to anyone who gives it even a moderate amount of study. Highly recommend: “Lies, Damned Lies, and Drug War Statistics” – by Scherling and Robinson which came out ahh, late 2007, I’m pretty sure. [I'm already way off topic, but bottom line BILLIONS (like 18 recently) dollars a year funnel through the Druz Czar's (ONDCP) Office, who doles it out based on priorities set in the yearly White House Drug Strategy. One might assume that with all that money, flowing big time through fat times and thin, for just about exactly FOURTY YEARS, that SURELY by now we'd have TONNAGE of long term prospective studies - the very best, and yeah really expensive - but christ, we've got all this money BEING SPENT, 'cause the drug crisis is so effin... ahh, oh yeah, terrible, horrible, -- why there are so many herion addicts that... Oh well, thats a slightly inconvenient truth; according to the best studies, and not to my knowledge challenged by any study of any quality, there exactly ZERO herion addicts in the American workforce. No silly, surely there are a few who get the sniffles when their one suburban dealer goes on vacation for a week, but the point is they are statistically UNDISCOVERABLE.

omg - what have I done with the past odd eight years of my life -sigh- I've written this and said it in interviews and gotten as many of the full source documents linked to straight from the inline citations or reference sections. Makes it easy to see if I'm just making it up or whether you agree my my interpretation of the data or not. Here: pretend this is like a classified ad:

"Want a low paying, highly depressing and angering life as a drug policy expert and pain relief advocate? You do?? Well, friends, this IS your lucky day!! From now until perpetuity (or until the planet become uninhabitable - whichever comes first) ONLY, on an everyone served till they choke basis ONLY, we are offering you a once and a lifetime opportunity. Why? Because we are so burnt out with the senseless, unnecessary suffering, killing and jailing of sick poor people, their doctors, and a far smaller number of "criminal drug addicts." Brothers and sisters, substance abuse is a huge problem. Why percentage of the population with this soul eating socially contagious EPIDEMIC is, brace yourselves, is literally HALF -gasp!- what it was circa 1972. [1 moment of being serious: rates dropped at a dramatic slope in the seventies. A normal response to the excesses of their elders - normal, reasonably well adjusted, happy people with families and jobs don't have the time to be serious drug addicts - not for long; and being a serious daily hard drug user is not "fun" not glamorous. ONLY people who are very damaged are compelled to pay the sort of price our society demands, for we are ruthless. While the usage rates were going dramatically down, the death rate from substance abuse related causes was going geometrically up. HUH? Thats right, you pay more and more to make it more and more dangerous for people who are so sick and crazy they'd rather bore themselves to death than live. The usage rates are stable'ish since like the late 1980's. Remember the zero heroin addicts in the workplace? Who is left committing their lives (i'm not talking about you had a few wild years, got a little scuffed up, and then settled down to a life not much affected by drug abuse) just killing time? SICK PEOPLE, sillies; obviously. And instead of spending 18 billion actually studying what leads to wasted lives and trying to intervene and stablize and save them, we pay instead to abuse them and hound them so they die at ever increasing rates. Way to go compassionate America! USA! Pathetic. /serious] OK, OK – so all you got to to become an effin NINGA at this stuff, for the limited time (see above: ‘perpetuity’ clause) offer of absolutely FREE – i know hard to believe – but it is true. All you have to do is… (read the next comment when I get around to writing it – but it is so EZ you’ll be like, gee can I have a one of those Make Me a Drug Policy Wonks tee shirts too? No. No tee shifts till you complete the course. Stay tuned!)

..alex… Part two of what I promise will not be entirely useless effort, I promise, coming soon.
Comment by:
Ian Macleod

Something to consider: you've noticed, I'm sure, the government War on Human and Civil Rights in this country just lately? Now look up Kissinger, National Policy, 1974, and then look up Agenda 21. Now – where do you figure we chronic pain patients are in the "useless eaters" and "useful workers" categories? And Keep in mind too that the DEA gets lots of money from civil forfeiture and forfeiture of savings accounts and investments every time they bust a doc or a clinic. A number of CPPs I've heard from are looking into relocating to places like Belize, Panama, Costa Rica and other S. American countries. They say that since people can't afford to see a doc for every little thing, pharmacies are more like grocery store – you walk in and ask for what you want, pay for it and go home. It's sometimes harder for the stronger meds CPPs need, but a doctor visit isn't that expensive, and once would convince the pharmacy it's a legitimate need.
Comment by:
Ian Macleod

Not to worry, Alex – I'll keep an eye out! And this little rant wasn't useless either. Some of poor folks here need to hear it. Read it, that is. (And wasn't that "Shering", not "Sherling"? Wish I could afford a book! I've only read articles on CP). But yeah, I've known chippers (weekend shooters only), and I've haul in (working ambulance) people who have no "full" mark on their tanks, no "off" switch for intoxicants that says, "Okay jerk, you've had enough – time to stop now!" I've had patients down to Cheyne-Stokes lying in a corner with the needle still in their arms. In east Oakland where I worked ambulance once, some junkie hater cut his crank with caustic soda. It certainly did cut down on the population of IV drug users. NASTY way to go.

There seem to be two kinds of drug cops: one believes all the bullshit, honestly thinks that one use will turn anyone at all into a zombie with no self control who will from then on do anything for another fix. I've seen, in twenty years, maybe two of those. Anyway, to that kind of cop, death is better for the hated "junkies" than prison, which is a waste of resources because they can't be cured. They think. The other kind doesn't care at all what the truth is. He repeats the party line because he makes a good, safe living from it, and gets to have fun kicking in doors, faces and beating up on loaded people.

Oh – last I read, the Drug War funding totals $60 billion a year. That's what it was when Congress decided to evaluate the Drug War the DEA was obviously losing and see how much finding they could cut. And THAT was when some bright bastard at the DEA came up with persecuting (yes, that's the word I wanted) PM docs and maybe a few patients. Remember back when pain was suddenly "The Fifth Vital Sign"? It was then. doctors took them at their word, started implementing "high-dose" opiate therapy and getting incredible results! And that's when the DEA's "Pill Mill doctor" campaign got started, and that "Fifth Vital Sign" went out the window. Bastards.

Alex, America has ALWAYS, it seems, concerned itself, from regular citizens who live with their noses to the windows watching the neighbors a la Mrs. Grundy, to cops who do the same thing for money, concerned itself with the "unfortunate morals" of everyone but themselves. This drug War is in part an extension of that, and with our Puritan Heritage affecting even the non-religious, people are willing to believe that people who use drug you can get loaded from, or at least SOME people can, is EVIL. In fact the entire point of Christianity for a great many people is, as far as I can tell, looking out for someone who just might be enjoying something a little too much and MAKING THEM STOP IT! The fact that they also deprive people who are desperately sick, injured, and in agony who could actually go back to work (many of them) and contribute again means nothing at all. They'd much rather see such people in prison. And it's always been such a good, safe political platform! If your opponent disagrees with your draconian stance you can fry him in the media for "coming out for drugs!" And it's always good to look "tough on crime."

None of them mind lying their asses off, either.

Sorry. Long night, short day today. I'll keep an eye out for your next installment! We do have a couple of old members back, but right now just Tami, Sue and I are working the blog. Mostly we're just getting rid of "Ugg" shoe salespeople, the occasional porn dealer (one jerk posted about ten pages of bestiality – yechhh!) and other spammers. There are one or two newbies who don't understand what's happening, so we try to explain and wish them luck, but there's little else we can do.

Take Care!

Ian
Comment by:
docalex

Siobhan and I discussed this many times. I believe "medical marijuana" was not the best strategic wedge issue to push, if what you wanted to accomplish was a dramatic decrease in drug-war-related (prohibition related) death, disease, and the distortion of the doctor patient relationship and the chilling effect on ethical medical care and the pain crisis that the predictable, unavoidable consequences of a national drug policy that we all vote and pay for it (we all vote – yes, if you've ever voted or paid taxes it is your fault too) – a policy that quite simply prioritizes catching "criminal addicts" (a govt-media-prison-addiction treatment industrial complex cartoon) over rational public health priorities.

We aren't stupid; we are venal. America works this way because a whole lot of people, almost everyone, is benefiting in some way – all those Found/Socks, the massive expansion of police armaments nation wide (whether your burg needs a Drug Swat Team complete with tanks or not!) Radley Balko has written a lot about this, among a number of others. Anyway, the only cannabis consumers I am concerned with are those lives are made materially and socially (and maybe spiritually) better by using it. That it, it relieves some pain or psychological symptom such that the people is a happier, more productive, more fulfilled, better parents, etc. Those people should be identified and offered cannabis if that is the safest (best positive benefit / negative consequences or side effects ratio) med for the particular case. Everyone else? Who cares? Oh, you "care about The Children?" Hey, me too! All substance we like and sometimes like too much ultimately alter the poorly named "pleasure centers" of the brain (limbic system, nucleus accumbens – and the evil twin, the amygdala.) It makes A BIG DIFFERENCE whether these chemicals are applied to growing brains or to finished developing brains; the former SHOULD be left alone – you really do want to minimize psychoactive drug/etoh use by still developing brains. Here is the simple truth about that: Regulation = Social Responsibility; Prohibition of mutual beneficial economic commerce between consenting adults is impossible; Prohibition and criminalization makes it certain that you (a hypothetical rational caring society) will have close to zero leverage, close to zero control, of the market = you are making sure you WILL NOT BE ABLE TO protect The Children. The Children have been reduced to a cynical propaganda slogan; the truth is we hate our children. If we loved them, we'd actually study them and understand them and best help those who needed help. Oh what a lovely war.
Comment by:
Ian Macleod

You know Alex, I forgot to answer your question! (Told you I was tired). Yes, I agree – that sounds like a classic cause-and-effect. It applies to other things: I write less music when I'm happy in a relationship, working a full-time job that I like, raising a kid, etc. Instead of making art from life, I'm making LIFE, which is a busy, happy thing to do. As for pain patients, it makes sense there too. The harder the medications are to get the more we hurt, etc. And of course when they see a threat to their funding, the dickless wonders who have to get a glock to feel adequate are going to go after ANYONE who has those particular meds in hand, even legitimately. So between abuse by cops, lack of meds, lack of home, food, etc., yeah, I'd buy that more of us are going be dying under those conditions.

That was I wanted to add.

Ian
Comment by:
docalex

Yeah, all that. It all stems from, and works if, you see people who use drugs everyday (which would include chronic pain patients mostly as they far outnumber "recreational" daily opioid users,) really so small a group that is would be insane to focus this entire Industrial Complex on them. Of course THEM is a myth – the boogie-man we scare propaganda addled adults with… for like a century now. This crossing of trend lines is anything but subtle. It isa obscene. Perhaps you've just forgotten? The graphics don't show well in many browsers in the HTML version; review the "Drugs are Bad. Compared to What? section of the PDF version of "War on Drugs, War on Doctors, and the Pain Crisis" – http://www.doctordeluca.com/Library/WOD/WOD-PCA06… — graphs speak for themselves (so why do I go on and on?) Table of Contents / Index – http://www.doctordeluca.com/Library/WOD/WOD-PCA-T…

I think it time to sort of mothball/archive this site. I'm not adding to much anymore. But it covers my 2 1/2 'careers' as a physician. Lots of still relevant info here about abstinence vs harm reduction, pharmacotherapy for substance misuse disorders with especially strong collections of full text articles about disulfiram (Antabuse), naltrexone (Trexan, Revia, Vivatrol), and combination of meds with various psychotherapies, really good in depth stuff about inpatient and outpatient detox (really my core medical skill – developed a really very cool outpatient heroin dependence —> naltrexone blockade in less than a week with minimum discomfort – seriously; I had patients eating lunch on days 2 and 3, and most people could only needed one or two days in the hospital if they needed any. ) See, all that was online before I was too terribly aware of or concerned with the war on docs. Chiefs, medical directors, and division heads of substance abuse services of major academic medical centers in NYC are not targets of DEA investigations. Not in modern times. (Though you can read about the bad as usual old days in the 'Big Lies and Bullies Trump Research in the War on Drugs' section that same paper – the part about the LaGuardia Commission. The last paragraph of that part of the paper was my dad favorite. -smile-)

Anyway, lots and lots and lots of really good full text articles which are oddly still relevant; which is sort of shocking until you understand that stunted rates of academic growth are the rule, as in normal as in the way they want it, in medical fields distorted by DEA's/DOJ defacto regulation of medicine. I was fired for violating, get this, a "philosophy" of treatment. HUH? "-)

"I wish I could afford a book…" – well, in part that was why I made the effort to find the full text of my source references… almost no private individual could afford to buy the coherent collection of articles and reports I have, even though they PAID for the research (mostly directly govt funded.) I mean seriously – are we dumb asses or what? :-)

I always thought this was one of the best essay's I'd ever written… -mutter- the Times shoulda published it. ha! – 'Abstinence vs Harm Reduction – a False Dichotomy' – http://doctordeluca.com/wordpress/abstinence-vs-h… Has that youthful righteous-anger tone. This site has all the papers I didn't want to misplace – posted the abstract linked to full text, and usually with only the very briefest comment from me. So it needs an outline/index – some way people can tell at a glance (has to fit on a screen) what's available. It's all already loosely organized into 'Libraries' – won't be too hard to resurrect them for browsing by some sort of TOC on the main page. You and Tami and axe (Hey axe!) get a Forum together, and I'll finally close this site to new comments and let people discuss it all on the Forum – Forums really are nicer discussion sites than blog comments. Be doing me a big favor. I want to practice 3 hours a day – I lucked into the best most perfect for me upright bass teacher and first lesson tomorrow noon. Don't have time for this – even just the Comments part. The end of the medical part of my life. Very fully lived, not many regrets, and put a fork in it, it is over. It is a good feeling. I have grokked the drugs/docs/pain debacle in progress to my own satisfaction, and it is US. I'm not going to repeat myself for another five years (god, that would be sad.) Nothing more to say.

For my next obsession ~ bring on the double bass. :-)
Comment by:
Ian Macleod

Mickey – No, no one has ever died from a pot OD. A few idiots have died from smoke inhalation though. One rigged a pipe onto a sealing O2 mask and smoked alone. He passed out, kept sucking in smoke and no air and died. And I remember 'way back around '74 or so someone estimated (how I have no notion) that the overdose level in about two pounds per day. That's for a THCΔ9 OD, supposedly. All the studies I know of that were, if you'll pardon, "straight," say that MJ does NO HARM, and in fact protects the lungs. doctors used to say that it was much worse than tobacco because the smoker takes a big lungful, then holds it in so s/he gets more tar and it's driven into the alveoli. After those studies were done I didn't find that so much anymore. Turns out that pot smokers have 'way less cancer than tobacco smokers, and people who smoke both have fewer problems with cancer AND with asthma and COPD. It appears to protect the lungs. It also protects and even helps to heal the myalin sheaths around the nerves in MS., and it helps heal them. Native American tribes also used it in cases of lung problems, asthma and allergies included.

The stuff is as harmless as harmless gets, Mickey – except for one little detail: it's better for a LOT of conditions than anything Big Pharma can create, and therefore can patent.It looks as thoguh if you extract the oil from it, it also cures most cancers, though there are no formal studies on this as far as I know. There are just LOTS of happy people who are still alive and who used it. There's one person who left the country to make it where he won't be persecuted (though now with some of the new laws the DEA/SA might go after him again), and he makes a hemp oil (I believe) called "Phoenix Tears." Lots of folks swear by it. He also has a YouTube video on how to make it for yourself. The cancer industry sells chemo drugs that are unbelievably toxic. A dear old friend just lost a sister because her oncologist insisted on one more round of chemo against what she wanted, and he killed her with it. The autopsy showed that she'd had no cancer, at least not at that point. He's really pissed. There are chemo agents, though, that sell for thousands of dollars per dose, and Phoenix Tears got out onto the market they'd lose all that income. They'd lose a lot more than just cancer drug income though, because there are a lot of other conditions it appears to treat. Allopathic medicine is no longer (if it ever was) a healthcare system;it's a sickness care system. You've seen how people get shuffled from one doctor to another to another until their insurance runs out paying for useless treatments, right? A real cancer cure, especially one with a variety of conditions it helps, would cut their income so drastically they might go out of business – as least a giant multinational Powers in business. Notice though that almsot NOTHING big Pharma sells cures ANYTHING. That's because they make much more money of people stay sick. The longer they're sick but they don't die, the more money allopathic medicine makes. That is, as they say, the genuine bottom line.

Ian
Comment by:
docalex

hi spindoc99

gee, only 103 weeks to get a response; I am so toast.

for anyone with a similar question, suggest check out http://www.moderation.org – pretty sure they'll have a fairly current list of what cities have face to face meetings. And if you post a question like this on their (very active) online forums/meetings, you will get a lot of responses.

..alex…
Comment by:
Ian Macleod

Debra, either they're high up enough that they can get the best of anything they want, legal or not, or they're looked at as traitors by their colleagues and get booted out. There are a LOT of docs though who really DON'T care, I'm sorry to say. The rest are scared, or they believe the propaganda, which doctors are as subject to as anyone else. It doesn't take much intelligence to become a doctor – though sometimes you get lucky and get someone like Dr. Alex here. Not only that, he's a "real Mensch"! ;?)> Anyway, as long as the DEA is rampaging around the country accountable to no one, helped and enabled by the DoJ and with a right-wing SCOTUS majority and right-wing appointee judges and prosecutors there will be no change – or at least, none for the better. For anyone who has a steady income of $1,000 a month or so from something like SSDI, a pension or whatever, you might want to look at some of the S. American countries. They're – most that is – not so tight about pharmaceuticals, and with some doctor's records you might be able to at least get some regular meds in the right dose. The cost of living in, say, Panama is much lower than here, but with comparable services. I understand you can drink the tap water in Panama City and in most of the country. As long as you're not out making a business out of selling drugs, you shouldn't have a problem from all reports. You might look into it and give it some real thought. I think this country is only going to get worse.

Ian
Comment by:
Ian Macleod

He can do anything he wants to do, I'm afraid. It sounds like he just wanted an excuse to get rid of her. This happens more than most people would believe. It's evil, destructive, sometimes even deadly – and it's also very common. Thank the DEA for that.

Ian
Comment by:
Ian Macleod

Come to the Pain Relief Network and look around. There are a lot of excellent articles on CP, standards, and what's really happening. Siobhan Reynolds did what you're doing and did it very, very well. the government simply chose to ignore the law, charged her with "obstruction of justice" – or tried to – and destroyed her finances and her blog. At least they destroyed it as an advocacy agency. The blog is at http://www.painreliefnetwork.org/forum

Ian
Comment by:
docalex

I don't think my replies are getting through, and i'm not going to figure out why tonight.

but yup, what you said is pretty much what i understand, too.

..alex…
Comment by:
docalex

Addendum:

a snippet that belongs here somewhere. OR. This is a dupe. Goodnight! :-)

You and Tami and axe (Hey axe!) and Tara get a Forum together, and I'll finally close this site to new comments and let people discuss it all on the Forum – Forums really are nicer discussion sites than blog comments.

You'd be doing me a big favor; but regardless my focus has shifted. I want to practice music 3 hours a day for a year and see if I can be a regularly working musician. I lucked into the best most perfect for me upright bass teacher and first lesson tomorrow noon. yea! I don't have time for this – even just the Comments part.

The end of my public, working medical life. Very fully lived, not many regrets, and put a fork in it, it is over. It is a good feeling. I have grokked the drugs/docs/pain debacle in progress fully to my own satisfaction, and it is US. I'm not going to repeat myself for another five years (god, that would be sad.) Nothing more to say. So ahh, -cue Lenny Cohen, 'I've seen the future. It is murder.' :-)

For my next obsession ~ bring on the double bass. This is gonna be a stretch in several ways. ha! I'm gonna just have a lie down on this tracks and let this next train hit me. Don't worry – that's how I've always done it. Gee, this turned into a goodbye letter. I'll try and tidy up a little before I lock up; the keys'll be under the porch in the usual place. :-)

love, ..alex…

And no, we were both wrong: it is M.B. Robinson and R.G. Scherlen – Lies, Damned Lies and Drug War Statistics; 2007. It's always on the shelf directly over the computer. :-) Think they still have a fab website full of great charts and graphs that I used to haunt before they summarized it all in the book. [email me a mailing address, Ian - I'll send you a copy.]
Comment by:
Ian Macleod

Stop by the Pain Relief Network. There's a lot of good, useful information, thoguh our membership is rather down at the moment. It's a long story. Doc Alex can steer you around that one better than I can; I was pretty busy myself right about the time the DoJ went after us. Anyhow, stop by; we'll chat, and you'll get a much better idea of whats going on, what the politics are, what's been done and so on. It's at : http://www.painreliefnetwork.org/forum

And by the way, you'll only get 100 words to post the first time – and until Tahua or I see you, see you're a real person and change the setting. We've had REALLY bad problem with spammers lately.

Ian
Comment by:
Ian Macleod

Loma Linda screwed me over twenty years ago! They made me wait 9 hours, I saw an ER doc for three minutes, she sent a script up (oh – they said I was only qualified for ER and pharmacy services – a lie), then I had to wait another 5 hours, and went home with a Motrin script.

Ian
Comment by:
David

I recently hurt my back. Im one of those ppl that never go to the doctor. I want to work through the pain. Im an hvac technician. My job is like a contourtionist. I went to my doctor. Twice. Cuz. Nothing he was prescribing me was doing anything. And i mean anything. Tramadol? I cant even stand erect! We pay lifetime sums of money for insurance. When in pain we should receive something that stops it. Early americans were prescribed morphine for stubbed toes, and now we could have multiple broke bones and receive tylonol. Im “fucking” tired of being treated like an addict just cuz im aware theres items that take pain away. Thank you for letting me bitch
Comment by:
Michael Clements

The state of NJ has done to me, what 4 tours in Afghanistan, 3 tours in Iraq and countless other combat operations around the world could not do, Kill my Spirit. I moved to South New Jersey after being medically retired from the Army having served 24years due to combat injuries. In North Carolina, due to my bad C-spine and Lumbar spine injuries I was treated by a Military Pain Management clinic then a civilian clinic which manged my care very well. I moved back to NJ near family expecting life to be good but finding that pain clinics and doctors unwilling to treat my painful injuries due to the type of meds I was prescribed. I have been treated with awful disrespect and as if I am a common junkie! I learned all doctors here treat everyone as such . Life is hard enough for people with chronic pain! When doctors refuse to treat or treat us with total disrespect, our depression is increased along with destroying self image and ALL HOPE that the pain will stop and QUALITY OF LIFE will come back. Remember Doctors you took an Oath to help and to cuase no harm!! Are doctors living up to this? OR Just scared to practice? If treating people in pain makes you uncomfortable, Think how uncomfortable we feel living in pain!!
Comment by:
SPEC OPS SOLDIER

This is also true in the state of NJ. What has happened? Not everone abuses pain medicine so why do doctors treat us all like we are junkies!! I served this country for 24 years in the Army and my combat injuries are documented with MRI results and more objective findings showing the damage but still nothing but disrespect.
Comment by:
Crazy world

I am a 27 yr old male from PA ANC have been prescribed suboxone for the past year and all was fine and dandy until today February 21, 2012 … I call my doc to confirm my appointment only to be told that she can no longer prescribe suboxone. And that I need to find a new doctor until she can again prescribe my thoughts immediately went to the DEA and I know she has been taken out on some bogus charge…. I called 6 doctors after this and only 1 could tell me that in march I will be seen 3 days after my current prescription runs out….. Pardon my language but WTF is going on out there …. Addiction was officially recognized as a disease months ago by the medical boards and it's gets harder to stay feeling well and be able to function!!! Read the above comments and it's crazy My prayers go out to those of you who are currently in my position or worse …
Comment by:
JCP

I think the change of the Purdue Oxys to which you are referring is the original Oxy OCs to the Oxy OPs the latter of which turn to gel if abused. A large number of patients (patients not abusers) have suffered side effects from the OPs that were only supposed to be a problem for those who cut them. That's a crock o' sh-t. Patients are experiencing nausea among other problems. So the gov't might think a little nausea is no big deal. What happens when these patients throw up their meds? Not just their pain meds, but treatment meds. Did anyone consider that?
Comment by:
JCP

Who cares right DEA? The abusers are the priority, not the patients who suffer from your bullying of the Pharmacutical comapanies and doctors and therefore patients. As long as you can say you're doing something to stop drug abuse so the people that fund you can be reelected. That's what it's about. We all know the abusers will still find ways to abuse.Your efforts, DEA, are for show. And we, the pain patients are your victoms.Enjoy that power, the way organized crime families enjoy their power, off the suffering of others. I hope there is a hell. There's one on earth, because we're all in it. Death doesn't scare us. If there is a hell it should scare you.An eternity of the pain you've afflicted on thousands of innocent people. That's the most comforting thought I've had in a long time.
Comment by:
Trauma nurse

The DEA struck today taking copies of 100 patient records from the office of the only pain management neurologist, Dr Pawan Jain, covering the entirety of southern New Mexico. The NAm Medical Board is conducting an “investigation” comparing the number of his prescription s with the Residents and Attendings at UNM and small northern NM cities. Dr Jain uses epidurals, Botox alternate medications and conducts random urinalysis routinely on his patients who are “fired” if they are non-compliant. His practice includes the 2nd largest city in NM but the mostly unknown factor is that the DEA gets to count these physician witch hunts in their failed war on drugs. They and local police get to keep all seized assets without due process, leaving physicians without decent defense attorneys. This is BEFORE trial and conviction. The CDC has published statistics that include illicit drugs in the death rates they say are second to heart disease. This trauma nurse calls this fraud. Figures lie and and liars figure. The DEA had.no success or interest in the illicit drugs pouring in from Mexico 26 miles away and the resultant crime, robberies, home invasions and murders here. Everyone with any brains in Las Cruces is armed to the teeth, including in their cars and offices. It is living Hell and the DEA is at the root of it all. Pray for Dr. Jain and the sufferers he will leave without modern medical care if the DEA wins.
Comment by:
r robin

i am a 61 yr old male severe nerve damage in feet and legs due todiabetes diagnosed 5yrs ago with chronic leukemia with 5yrs t survive also severe arthritis pain my gp dr was giving me 60 7.5 hydronecone pills per 90 days went in yesterday he and nurse were rude wouldnt give me another rx he didnt want to even discuss any of my medical problems and walked out didnt give me another app i am not addicted and do not abuse drugs
Comment by:
ann

live in va,willin to travel to maryland,need family doc,that will prescribe percocet
Comment by:
Kyra

I was admitted into the hospital 2 weeks ago for severe abdominal pain, nausea, headache, fever. I have a long history of medical problems including chronic back pain for which I had a bi-level fusion performed 3 years ago. I am currently on strong pain medications to treat this (oxy ir 30 2x daily as well as opana 20 er 2x daily). While in the hospital they determined that not only did I have gallstones but that I was also in the acute stage of a hep c infection and these were the causes of my current issues. I received follow-up info and was sent home after 7 days. I just picked up copies of my medical records and was shocked to see several comments from the doctors there talking about my "opiate dependency", "narcotic use", and "past drug seeking behavior". I never asked them for pain meds-they had verified my prescriptions with my PCP and gave me my regular meds while i was there. I never spoke of any addiction problems with any doctors.Infact I had made it very clear that I have never taken drugs in my life. I told them that I have been on this medication for 5 years and I take it as directed and as far as the hep c I had no idea how I could have contracted it. So my question is why would they write such things without any proof? Can they legally make ASSUMPTIONS about someone and state it on their medical records? What is going to happen when the doctor prescribing me the meds sees these papers? Can I take legal action against them? Im 32 years old and the moment I tell a doctor what pain meds I take they automatically label me as a drug addict I dont understand!
Comment by:
Barry

Unfortunately, that is the reality of peoples mentality. You can write a letter and ask to have it place in your chart.
Comment by:
Harry

Wake up Kathy. Doctors don't work for us . They work for their egos. They work to be in the 1% and stay there and to belittle any and all in the 99%. Sorry about your problems. Good luch. It's a sorry situation. Class warfare, except the 99% aren't organized. The 1% are!
Comment by:
Harry

Try ginger slices from a health food store. Great for nausea.
Comment by:
Harry

You must live in the so-called "tri-cities" area in E. TN. Have been blacklisted and can't find the source. These doctors are scared *hitless. My medical records are erroneous, non-sensical, ridiculous.
Comment by:
Silver

As a LEGITIMATE CP sufferer AND an MS patient of Dr. Jain's, I've been posting everywhere I can about Dr. Jain asking fellow patients to rank him on the various "Rank Your Doctor" sites & requesting those agreeing to testify/help on his behalf to contact me by email: silverbonn50@gmail.com. Imagine his office: Posters EVERYWHERE re: no urinalysis sample, no app't — ck w. front desk before using bathroom. (I see him quarterly & am urine tested every time) & another posters Re: "No Marijuana Rxs Given here. If seeking MJ Rx seek another doctor…" Does THAT sound like a "Doctor Feelgood" to you, people? STOP THE WITCH HUNT ON CP DOCTORS! (The entire specialty was begun to filter out drug addicts; doctor shoppers & addicts from legit patients so LESSEN docs' fears of Rxing opiods ~.~ And NOW the DEA is going after THEM? Been praying for the Doc, staff family and all his PATIENTS, as well since the news hit. Those of us who can stand need "ORGANIZE not AGONIZE." Am OUTRAGED over the recent happenings.
Comment by:
bjwhite

Hi, I do not know what to do about my sons medications. He was prescribe klonapin and Elavil for a pain problem. I also take a similar regiment for pain. The problem is this, after the DEA, thanks to our ever so annoying President has caused my sons Doctor to decide she will no longer write his script for Klonopin anymore without notice. I might also add my son does not have health insurance and has paid this Doctor an unreasonable amount of money just to get his medications that SHE STARTED HIM ON. How can any Doctor just decide they will no longer write his prescriptions that she decided to put him on? I do not understand the reasoning behind this. He is not on a large dose so what is the problem. He does not abuse his medications, and this just is not right. Is there something he can do about this? He is in severe withdrawal and watching.g him suffer had made me wonder if I need to go to the streets to get what he needs. I know I am not the only one that feels this way. I am just brave enough to say it. I have never ever tried to find anything on the streets, so I do not have any idea what I would be doing. I just know my don needs his medication. I feel this Doc. has gotten him hooked on something, that actually helps and then pulled the rug right out from under him. Help!!!!
Comment by:
frustrated_500

I have no insurance, I am 49 years old have been on on a pain management program for 21 years, I started off with simple oxycodone, have been down ALL the suggestive roads, from (YUK, Methadone) to hydromorphone,to fentynal. My original DR. is retired, he warned me of the problems that would someday come to fruition. DR. Lee Micheal Espeland promised me after a back injury I would never ever have to suffer as long as he was working. Be dammed with with the DEA attacksor whoever stood in his path of belief. I could not hold a job for more than a month or two. I have now been with the same company for 21 years. He literaly saved my life. That was in MN. I now live in WI. I can not afford more than $2000.00 a month for health insurance and with the good new Governors policy I no longer have the option of paying for a limited badger care health plan.
Comment by:
frustrated_500

I had to delete and delete… my comment. I have no idea where I left off. And I know you can relate with no sleep and sitting in this chair soon they will have to come and snap my bones to remove me from this chair. I'll try this shorter there is no Med. help in WI, our fine new Gov. made sure to cut out even the plan where we pay for a reasonable plan. No longer an option. My point is this my DR. say's his hands are tied,(forgive please, the type errors, I have to move soon.) Wouldn't it be nice if we all banned together and left the (Country that we Love but have few chioces left.) We moved to someplace where we could get proper care,) on a side note you are hopefully aware even our close neighbors in CAN. rejected purdues new D.E.A. driven epoxy based OXY formula. Yes Purdue continues to supply them with the original non-poisonous formula.
Comment by:
frustrated_500

So If my original coomment does not come up here's the deal. Needless to say I switched DRs. My gen. Practitioner about two years ago maybe late 20s early 30s actually said this verbatim," there are no medicenally proven studies than any of the Opiod family Including my meds. Oxymorphone, (Opana,) or the full synthed Fentanyl has any true proven pain killing properties." What are they teaching kids in MED scholl now? For god's sake man, Are the D.E.A. bringing in some of the old German propaganda films from the mid forties ( you know which ones,) and adapting the same techniques?
Comment by:
frustrated_500

So. There are plenty of MDs. who believe we should not have to suffer, who actually are bothered by knowing we have to suffer. It is WRONG to punish and ostracize them for doing the right thing. If a million of us can't afford to move to a nice tropical climate where we can have the ability to live with low to moderate pain, some of you maybe even pain free.
Comment by:
frustrated_500

Then perhaps it's time for Us to march on D.C. I have spoke in front of thousands over my carreer. Want a leader. You Got one! My name is Randy I live in central WI, and after 21 years in pain managegment programs I am pissed off!!! Since my original DR. retired four years ago I have gone through hell. Life as I know it is simply not worth living any more and no one gives a damm.
Comment by:
frustrated_500

Read my post, I think EXACTLY like you everday. WE CAN'T GIVE UP. I am 49 and have been dealing with this for 21 years. If we can occupy Wall Street and march on DC for Gay and Lesbian rights, why do we sit back and let the propogandists called the D.E.A. get away with this? There must be over a million of us willing to march on DC, so… what are we waiting for. Mass suicide or getting really pissed off and standing up for our rights?
Comment by:
docalex

Dear frustrated (and other recent commentators) – I once again apologize for not approving new comments in a timely manner. ..alex…
Comment by:
docalex

sheesh! What your young buck doc is alluding to is a rash of what I call “the new academic opiophobia” literature. -sigh- Briefly, what he said is 100% wrong. In every study ever, opioids are demonstrated to be safe and effective for pain. No other class of meds covers all types of pain, including neuropathic, as well as the opioids do. The “new opiophobic” argument is that there are no long term, controlled, preferably prospective studies proving long term effectiveness and safety. That is NOT the same as evidence that opioids are not safe and effective. It simply means there are very very few long term studies in pain patients. Of course these new opiophobes ignore the TONNAGE of safety studies regarding methadone treatment for addiction which show opioids to be remarkably non-toxic, even at high daily doses for decades. They also ignore a century of anecdotal case reports, and medical experience that patients can take these meds for decades to good effect. We might also ask, how come a govt that spends tens of billions a year on the “war on drugs” including NIH research hasn’t bothered to do several long term, controlled, prospective studies of long term opioids for pain? If interested, a bit of history about this issue: “Big Lies and Bullies Trump Research in the War on Drugs” – http://www.doctordeluca.com/Library/WOD/WOD-PCA06… ..alex… Alex DeLuca, M.D., FASAM, MPH
Comment by:
frustrated_500

<DIV dir=ltr>Dear docalex, I am sorry I have been on the shit scale of 1-10 you know the one , happy face to tears. I have told my DR that this scale does not apply to me. Mine runs from happy 3 to beyond tears suicidal 13. I am a Christen and afraid of Hell so that option is out, I am also 49 and have been dealing with this sinceJan. 89. I was a successful business owner until my Anesthesiologist retired (like) sevenyears ago, DR Lee Micheal Espeland MD. Minneapolis MN. He was a real DR. not afraid of those prickD.E.A. MFs. I am on Opana, and Novartis in Lincoln NB. got shut down , so there is a nationwide shortage. My dumbass DR converted 90 mg. Oxymorphone a day to 30 mg. oxycodone a day, so I told him he was a dumbass because that is no conversion sense, and now he hates me. No sweat off my balls. So I found the opana and my script gets filled 3/23/12, I asked him, remember that Altenburg film? (TheyShoot Horses Don't They?)If a dog or a horse would have to live like this they would euthanize it. Us? illegal Just let us run around (if we could run,) confused, scared and in so much pain. It is 3/19/12 and Friday seems like an eternity. This is my third week of this, it is Hell, God please induce a natural coma till Friday. What is it gonna take mass suicide, I wish I had the balls! I however would(to protect others) crucify myself, pound my own stakes everything, What? compared to “this,” pounding stakes into my feet and wrists would be a cakewalk, let you hold me up and MARCH ON D.C. I don't care about sex orientation, color, creed, religion. If theycan do it and make a point. We can too, one out of every what? 10,000 DRs is afraid of these SOBs F em! if you know of ANY DR in WI who isn't some pansy ass, (stay away from me) kinda guy let me know. God Bless Bros & Sis's good luck, Godspeed, take care andplease don'ttake yourselves out or THEY WIN. It's gonna get ugly before it get's any better. R.D. Wausau WI. <DIV> <DIV id=SkyDrivePlaceholder></DIV> From: notifications@intensedebatemail.comTo: rdavids40@msn.comSubject: docalex replied to your comment on Addiction, Pain and the War on Doctors – HOME
Comment by:
docalex

yeah, frustrated, it is that bad. 90 of oxymorphone –> 30 oxycodone, daily=?!? -ouch!- Why bother giving you any at all? 30mg of oxycodone once a day isn't treatment for anything.

I am sincerely sorry we are in this mess – that we've made this mess, allowed it to grow and fester when it was about the other guy. The difference between US and THEM is that we deal with reality and science; they deal with myths and beliefs. The pain crisis is real. The pain crisis will get worse. Nobody is immune; sheesh, it WILL happen to you or someone close to you. I've studied this hard for a decade; I have no answers but I do know this:

Malcomn was right – the chickens will come home to roost.

Sorry I don't know anyone in WI to call… suggest you call the medical board whatever they call it in WI. Tell them you can't find a doc and what are they doing if pain patients can't find docs? Wisconsin prides itself on having model pain regulations… call them on it.
Comment by:
frustrated_500

<DIV dir=ltr>Dear Docalex, I am a little confused as Ireceived an email by DR Deluca, who is AKA Docalex. He told me he is 57 years old, way outta the debate, and generally burnt out from the fight. He now has a 7 year old and is concentrating on just being a good Dad & learning how to play Bass, “I play Guitar,”so I'm not sure who you are or what your intentions are. If you are just some good guy, or D.E.A. or what (no offence,) but for model patients like myself whose lives have been saved and are able to function as productive citizens in both the workforce of our country as in society in general this is a serious issue. My problem is, I have owned what is still a productive but USED to be a stellar business, and I am frustrated because both my business and my personal relationship with my wife Is going to the crapper fast. It is a long story but my DR was forced by a Neurologist to write my prescriptions. He is a family practitioner and hates being caught in the middle. So…, I have to move to another clinic where the care is provided by an Anesthesiologist or Neurologist. I just spent$1600.00 to move and now have to do it again. On last check health insurance for myself and my wife would run us right around $2500.00 a month. That my friend IS a hard pill to swallow so to speak. I am honest with you so If youreturn that respect that i have offered andwish to continue this discussion I will be happy to oblige. All I ask for is honesty on who you are and why this is affecting you. I wish you the best. And I agree that we as a society have helped to make this such a very bad problem here in the U.S. There are too many DRs out there writing prescriptions for people who do not need them. There are too many drug addicts who are robbing pharmacies, and who are in it for the (high,) if you are a real chronic pain patient then you know we do not get “high,” from taking our meds. We do not go through physical addiction as is widely documented. I am as previously discussed a real sufferer, sounds to me like you are also. If this is true then you know that this is so much bigger than the D.E.A. It is easy to blame them alone for this epidemicsuffering “as too often I am guilty of,” but as I said DRs without injury documentationthrowing around prescriptions to criminals, and unnecessary bogus painrelief requests arewhere this thing got started. Now the(good,”do no harm,”) Drs. are being scrutinized to a ridicules level.</DIV> <DIV dir=ltr></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr>Once again because you have assumedsomeone else's identity it would seem my trust in your motivation is questionable. The reason I gave and posted my real identity is becausethe REAL DRsimplementingthe REAL programs have turned around (and given back lives,) like mine. I have no criminal record. I have nothing to hide, might say my story is a wide open book. Good Luck, Randy.</DIV> <DIV dir=ltr> <DIV id=SkyDrivePlaceholder></DIV> From: notifications@intensedebatemail.comTo: rdavids40@msn.comSubject: docalex replied to your comment on Addiction, Pain and the War on Doctors – HOME
Comment by:
destroyed_by_CP

Does anyone know a compassionate dr in the Houston TX area…have been a CP patient for over 20 years and after recent relocation here, have been running into the much discussed non compassionate, rude, and unconcerned drs. Please help if u can…have become somewhat desperate due pain..God bless you all and thank you for listening
Comment by:
docalex

yes we had an email conversation, yes I am the same person;

i'm not sure what dissonance you are feeling; perhaps you simply haven't investigated, like even a lousy google search for "doctordeluca" not including double quotes (but it wouldn't hurt anyway.)

OR; you just could have clicked one of the "About me" box in the upper right of every blog page, for starters.

You wrote: "so I'm not sure who you are or what your intentions are. If you are just some good guy, or D.E.A. or what (no offence,) …" Oh sure, suggest I might be a DEA double agent is, again with zero investigation after an email exchange apparently left you confused.

-sigh- do your own homework. And lose the indignant tone; yes I am retiring from almost a decade as a pain relief advocate and medical expert witness defending pain docs. I've already said all I have to say, and it is a body of work I am satisfied with. So I'm mostly done, in general. And entirely done with you, Randy, and Good Luck.

Read as much as you want, and notice the cites and references linking to full text source documents. All to make it easier for you to do your own research. A lot of entirely unpaid work gathering all that together. I hardly made any money on the legal work either, after contributions to PRN and the innumerable hours managing this site and spending a lot of time on the Pain Relief Chronic Pain Forums – much of that is also available with a very little digging.

Oh, and before 2000 I'd come up with a lot of research and explanation about pharmacology of substance use disorders, very good archives here on disulfiram and naltrexone, probably more about Moderation Management than on any other website but their own, and Q&A, patient handouts, research done in my prior life as medical director and chief, for the last two years, of Smithers Addiction Treatment and Research Centers, 1990-2000. Lots of good stuff from way back then. [Hell, check the Way-Back machine. -smile-]

See, Randy, I've been around like forever in internet terms. Hell, I ran a BBS called Friends!Z aka Frenzy out of the Bronx, NY circa 1986-1990, on a self-assembled 386 when they just came out (quit medicine for a few years to build/troubleshoot 8088's and 80286's with really expensive Segate 250MB drives, I think – I forget the model number) running DOS 3.1 with 1meg ram using a very clever and tiny program called DoubleDos which used the memory above 640k to give you true multitasking Beautiful – the BBS on a 4800 baud modem on the right, some text editing on the left. Great stuff!

oh, and skim the website Policies (also front and center – top of sidebar)

if still confused, sorry – I'm done explaining stuff I already have… often several times. This is one big reason, amongst a good number mostly personal, I've become far less active in the pain relief movement, and have been turning down med-expert work.

I don't have to justify myself to you; I already have. goodbye.

..alex…
Comment by:
Butterflydaisy

It is April 2012 & things have gotten worse & worse for me since Dec2011-when my regular”specialist” decided to drop a bomb on me & tell me he would no longer be prescribing the narcotic pain MEDS he had been prescribing me the last few months with no problems(except being treated like a drug addict 90%of the time in pharmacy),my CHRONIC PAIN stems from a car accident after Christmas 2010-a complete loss accident in whichy tiny cat was destroyed by a HUGE SUV,my airbags&seatbelt saved my life but being a healthy mid 30′s female who went thru NATURAL childbirth/no epidural/nothing and PERSONALLY believing a healthy diet,lifestyle and natural approaches when the feeling of a cold is coming on(sore throat,sniffles)I make a super healthy turkey vegetable soup or similar,drink herbal teas honey n lemon n I burn natural eucalyptus leaves or pure oil in a put of water which I breathe the vapors(similar to a Vicks vapor machine) and I will carry the put around the house especially bedding areas to let the steam do it’s work on any bugs in the air,my approaches worked and thankfully my family including a teenage son never fit SICK for more than a day-a fever and cold sweats which is good to sweat out all the bad stuff and we always were back on our feet the next day,also orange juice.apples n fruit m like I said home cooked meals i used 2cook 5-6 nights a week and lunch and simple breakfast like a vitamin fortified cereal with MILK and protein fortified drinks and granola bars,the point is-I’ve been in car accidents ABD I’ve been sore n bruised,black n blues n in pain n I expected after going to ER b being told 2follow up with Drs,that I wouldn’t need to-I assumed I’d get better but I was WRONG. My condition got worse as did pains,I became weak n couldn’t do things I used to do n it hurt me just to walk a block-all on all I had MRIs-cervical,lumbar,brain n right shoulder MRi as my right shoulder is a huge source of pain n my brain is “not right”,I forget things, I’ve become hyperverbal n repetitive,my vision gets blurry as it is now just typing,I get severe headaches,severe anxiety,I’ve had NERVOUS breakdowns where I started crying like a baby in an inappropriate situation such as a meeting or being treated poorly in a store-where usually I would put a person in their place if they disrespected me but instead I’d start crying,hyperventilating,feeling I can’t catch my breath n haven’t had a decent nights sleep now in 15 months even though intake anti anxiety MEDS such as Xanax or Valium or Klonopin,which I only take at night2help me sleep as they (taken by themselves as u switch each month because my body gets USED 2 the MEDS after about a week or two and my 4-5hrs of sleep turns to 3hrs or none at all, like last night even taking the highest dosage then after 4 hrs taking another half I just couldnt sleep. I have BOUGHT TENS unit for home use,2 back braces for lower back,lbsr and cervical support cushions for sitting or sleeping,the side sleeper pro for when I tend to sleep ON my painful right shoulder(surprisingly makes a difference and helps as does prescription Voltaren Gel but it’s been on backorder for months ABD I’ve literally checked over 100 pharmacies in 3coumties,I have an acupuncture-accupressure amide machine I got by Digital Herald off Anazon for )19.98,which is $100 cheaper than surgical supply stores znd it us powerful has 8 modes,15 intensity levels ABD us helpful so is my $12.99 Bedrime Buddy wrap I got at CVS and I put in microwave for moist heat therapy I wrap around shoulder n it works great when i use it, I bought a neck massager,special slippers that warm up in microwave toasty feet,accupressure nodes which go in slippers or shoes to walk on twenty minutes a day n ANYTHING I can find out there for relief,I’ve had laser therapy,injections,accu puncture ABD Bo joke was put on over 50 medicines,8 at a time which caused me incontinence,strange thoughts,changed my whole personality,it’s not as if I didn’t try everything-even anti depressant MEDS when I’m not depressed,I’m pissed annoyed and get anxiety but no depression except recently I feel they are trying to put me into a depression, I even spent over $1000 CASH only to yet suboxone and what a waste of time,side effects making me eat foods o never ate before 50lb weight gain, other MEDS dud this as well ABD others made me lose so much weight I looked like a crackhead ABD coukdnt keep a size extras all pants up without a belt. In all this I FOUND that the devices I bought for hone ate helpful but they require Ndola ing electrodes on different parts if the body and do 10-60 minute sessions 1-3 times a day for anywhere from a week for one ACcupoint to several weeks and I have tons of accupoints I need to address,I used it 2 days in a row anD it basically took up my entire day so it’s not something I have the time for just as I haven’t been able to get all my REQUIRED medical care as ivrequire door to door transportation,money I have to lay out no fault claimed to reimburse up to $25 a day for transpirtation n necessities, I’ve had to hire a dog walker and various help but ut costs me $55 each way to see my one Dr every month and for therapy it also costs $50 each way, I’ve tried others costing $38-$65 each way to office all money I list as I’m still waiting on measly $25 a day reimbursements as well as tons of RX reumbursements titling over $6000 they OWE me, I have no income and I’ve spent well over $10,000 I’ll never get back I can’t work ABD u can’t get better unless I get therapy and I can’t do a darn thing without a simple pain pill to get out of bed in the morning and mask the pain so I can get ANYTHING done. Imagine this, after trying different doctors and not being happy with how they treated me or their policy of not prescribing MEDS to anyone instead of making it a case by case basis as my MRIs show not only thR compressed bulging discs but separation from spine,nerve damage that radiates down my leg to my foot, a torn rotator cuff,bursitis,spondylitis,deformed thecal sac, the list is endless, I require chronic pain medication and I actually lowered my dosage my choice and found the 30mg oxycodone helps,supposed to get 4 a day although I feel I need 6-8 but before I got to tell my Dr who had now billed for EVERY expensive in office test he performs,I later found many were unnecessary but basically once he got the max he could from my no fault and could only charge for office visits my last 2appts were rushed I didn’t get the attention I got before then he dropped the bomb thSt hd can no longer prescribe my pain MEDS,120 a month and I was 2days overdue already spent $50 on a can to see him it was right b4 the holidays and he tells me to go to pain management and they will prescribe the ness I need, this led to a month of calls trying to find a Dr. A miserable holiday,wasting time going to doctors who before even looking at my Nefical history made it clear they refuse to prescribe MEDS worried about @losing their licenses” how do u Lise your license for treating a chronic pain patient who has all the necessary medical records and has tried everything and my quality of life is so greatly diminished as it is would toy like me to stay bedridden and die of pain and stress? I’ve gotten wrinkles and aged in the last year over this stress when j always looked so young and attractive, I have menstrual issues-no period since accident,my hair cones out way too much,my bowels are weak there are a million problems unaddressed because Ibstead of moving forward and addressing all the issues and being able to tell the Dr. I was having such severe pain I may nerd two pain MEDS,one for breakthrough as I had in the past but by my choice I chose to stop not wanting to be on so much MEDS, I went from tons of MEDS down to just 2 daily and 2 as needed (including the Voktaren Gel). The newest problem has been not just the fact this PM Dr seemed to have a deal with Nucyenta And demanded I waste my time and money cabfare to ten pharmacies finding it then paying SOOOO much for a useless med which made me tired for days with a stomach ache in between,thabks Doc, she finally gives me my mega but cuts them in half when if anything I’m in more pain then ever abs recently now I’ve seen her twice in a week costing me over $200 only to be told I have to take standin urinalysis-FINE,anytime I’m ready I have Nothibg to hide but she has to send me to her OTHER office the only office who does it,so I went from Mon to Fri no MEDS and I was overdue and I gobto my confirmed Fri spot only to be told the girl who dies urinalysis is not in and I’ll have to wait sbother week to cone back for a prescription, I had to beg her for a week supply as this was not fair but also not fair us dll my transportation costs to her offices to the pharmacies ABD a one week supply costs almost as much as a month supply? That’s not the worst, I told her the last 2-3 months I’ve spent entire days trying to get prescription filled AnD NOBODY is carreyibv 30mg oxycodone and last time after finding finding a small place that had it, this pharmacist treated me so poorly asked me for so much ID demanded diagnosis and all sorts of info and made me wait costing me more transpirtation money only to FINALLY fill it and charge me five times what ibusually pay, I have to send receipts for reimbursement but it takes months,it takes mire if my time, they are killing me, that was last month,now this month I’ve had this measly one week supply prescription and I’ve tried 10 pharmacies and nobody had a few pills?I’m sick of being treated like a drug addict, bring looked up and down when I hand in my prescription. I’d go to mg usual store but they have been on backorder for months so every store I go in is new to me and sometimes I feel they are lying and saying not in stock based on my looking young and them assuming i don’t need this medicine, my purse is overly stuffed since I startedcarrying around my MRI”s medical records documentation stating I can’t walk a city block and I have a disability but why should I be made to feel like I’m doing something wrong just trying to get my medicine? This actually causes me more stress mire anxietymore headaches more pain and of course physical withdrawal symptoms from not having my medicine,runny nose,reset eyes,diarrhea, this is not fair, the government should not be THD ruler of my medical care, that’s why doctors go to school much longer and get specialized degrees,how dare some pharmacy clerk or government agency give me the eye,make me feel uncomfortable when they know Nothibg of what I deal with, they should all have to undergo the pain we experience in a daily basis for just a few weeks and then be denied the only little bit of relief,then give them the relief ABD see if they still feel the same about us. I feel just as criminals rob banks, does that mean banks should stop carrying money because that’s THetheory the pharmacies are using and stopping carrying these MEDS-now today my father just left his doctor who told HIM he could nonlonger prescribe HIS usual medicine, a different narcotic pain reliever but he called me distraught that his doctor just dropped this news on him,no warning,noblest prescription to try to wean off, he told my dad it was a new law?my Dad takes a weaker med than me as his situation is different, is this true,because if so then I just got screwed by my Dr. Who gave me a 1week supply and us making me go back end of week for my full prescription she said,it’s hard enough trying to just fill the prescription these days with no car on top if everything but to have my DR now make me go back to get office which will cost meover $300 for a prescription overdue now by I think over ten days, what is going on, a DR can’t Lise their license when they have a legitimate pain patient like me, even my no fault insurance IME (ibdeoendabt medical examiner) agreed I needed this help and that was just a month or so ago,as they are always trying to stop paying, I also feel the lack of care and medicines will make my insurance question how ambi getting by without them? I’m NOT, I’m dying my house is a mess I can’t cook clean or even shower and now I understand why street dealers are so successful as legitimate chronic pain patients may start finding it easier and cheaper to buy from Joe Schmo on the corner (I don’t know this for sure I’m just saying) they are making it Siooooooo hard for me to get my legitimate needs, what do I do when I’ve gone above n beyond I’ve tried Everything and I may need surgery which is suggested but I’d prefer NOT so I’m trying alternative methods which I cannot do if I can’t even get up off the couch, I have s million And one other issues going on in my life and holiday time again but all I can focus on is getting me MEDS because without them I really am useless, I was FINALLY going to get a used car which would greatly help me with transportation issues but I can’t proceed with what I need to do when in this much pain, I can’t take care of myself and I have a family to take care of and all this stress has ruined a19year relationship for me as well,what more are they wanting to take from me, my dig needs surgery, oh, I finally exoerienced the flu-19 days I was sick for the first time in my life and I frequently get colds now, I buy thermacare heat wraps,I buy anything offering to provide relief if I can afford it and I forgot to mention I had to sell all my new Christmas presents last year,all my valuables,collectibles,precious mementos,antiques to AFFORD the most basic medical care as it is-just for basic transportation and RX costs I’m waiting to be reimbursed for,yet I need to copy receipts and get postage and srbd it all out just from the last month to get back that money at some point as I’m still owed thousands besides the newest expenses and I don’t even get 1/3 of the care I require, how ridiculous is that, recently I’ve been referred and told to see a psychiatrist now? They are driving me nuts but imagine this,I called over 20 within a 20 mile radius and NONE were accepting new patients, what us going on in the healthcare industry, I don’t feel it is even healthcare anymore, I may as well contact my assemblyman and ask him if he has the answers to my medical issues since government is taking over, let’s cut out the middle man-the doctor-the useless educated doctor-they ate useless as of late, it seems the government and the 16yrold pharmacy clerk or whatever other judgmental store personnel is working that day holds my quality of life in their hands and I for one am sick of it, I’d picket someone if only I could stand ircwalk long enough to do so.
Comment by:
frustrated_500

Dear Alex, please understand between not knowing all of your mentioneditems for reassurance of (who you are,) I sincerely meant no offence. I know you understand the correlation between physical and emotional pain.I have been forefrontof the battle to keep my son's “Nathaniel's' murderer behind bars since 07/08/2007, if you look at WI court/ supreme court opinions, today April 3 2012 the opinionpertaining to Devon W. Felix was made pubic today. His last appeal was finally squashed by state supreme court level. His only alternative is U.S. supreme court and if you lookout your window and see pigs on the wing then that will be the day when he is heard by our countries highest court. On the day that Felix was sentenced, all family went to celebrate. I went home. I wenthome to try and journalize my emotions as opposed to internalizing them. I have not been (right,) neither mind nor my spirit since that time. I am confident that you fully understandwhen I say “I need no one's sympathy,” only they're empathy inside a parent's worse nightmare. Myonly childwas brutally stabbed to death first in the back repeatedly until he drown in his own blood in the streets of Schofield WI. My good judgment of people and reality as I knew it flew out the proverbial window. Please forgive me for this as I am sure to my toes that your fight is all of ours. Today is the end of a long overdue chapter in our lives that may (I hope,) will restore some amount of rationality that was my own for most of my life. I mean to be your friend, my intentions are of none else. So on this day I choose to double up my dose ofOpana and throw in a dose of benz. for good measure, all in a hopeto stave off perhaps the most useless and least productive of all human emotion (pain.) No matter where and when you read this, it brings goodness to my heart that there are others who want todiscuss and are willingto give the time to externalize the feelings thatwe all have in respect to living with chronic pain and the daily questions about whether our existence here is of any importance andwhether there is anyone out there who has thought that it is simply too much to feel like this, (this bad,) about ourselves, fully knowing that if constant pain were not our first and last thought of each day, that we may once again contribute to society and to others well being. We are good people you and I, hopefully someone will make that acknowledgment beforetime runs out for some. God bless, keep up the good fight, Your friend Randy. <DIV> <DIV id=SkyDrivePlaceholder></DIV> From: notifications@intensedebatemail.comTo: rdavids40@msn.comSubject: docalex replied to your comment on Addiction, Pain and the War on Doctors – HOME
Comment by:
alex

I am truly sorry for all of your losses, Randy; yes I can empathize with your pain.

I apologize for lashing out at you… in the final analysis, we are all (mostly) hurt people trying to figure out what the hell happened to our good lives.

I agree: ' We are good people…' We are on the same side, Randy; I'm pretty sure. And yeah, I'm mostly out of the game, but I keep this place open so we have a place to discuss, and scream bloody murder if we have to, about the pain crisis.

Chronic pain is intolerable at every level. Individually it cripples, families it destroys, and it makes society corrupt and murderous.

Hey, look at me attacking you – we are natural friends; that we would attack each other is insane. THAT is an example what pain does to people.

Again, I apologize. You are very welcome here, frustrated_500. Please say what you have to say; about me or whatever.

godspeed, ..alex…
Comment by:
docalex

Hi Joseph,

Siobhan Reynolds often recommended H. Silverglade's book. Thanks, ..alex…
Comment by:
danielle

worried moving to akron ohio area have no clue as I currently live in nj any advise
Comment by:
linda

I think most pain patients would rather take hydrocodone because it lets them lead a more normal life. A friend of mine ws removed from it and put on other meds that made her fall several times and keep her knocked out. It is a crying shame that people, including war vets, are having to suffer. Surely there has to be a better way, and the pain shots are expensive, and almost killed my friend too.
Comment by:
docalex

Hi destroyed_…,

Well, until about a year ago, I could have recommended one of the best for you: Dr. Joel Hochman, RIP. Dr. Hochman battled the Texas Medical Board something like a dozen times over prescribing opioids for chronic pain. He won every time. A Remarkable Man – medical board hearings are no joke; your livelihood is at stake every time, and there is nothing stopping the local AUSA to step in with Federal criminal charges anytime he/she feels like they might have a case. VERY few docs are brave/confident/smart/crazy/strong enough to dance the opioid dance with a crap-shoot medical board. Yeah; Hochman was special. A google search will bring up pages and pages of articles, videos, court transcripts… destroyed-by_CP, I will try to find out what is happening in Houston since Hochman’s death… it may take up to a week, and I end up with no suggestions; but check back around 4/20… ..alex…
Comment by:
lance sykes

4/22/12 I need help writing a petition for the white house site 'we the people'https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions' entitled "Please stop DEA from harassing doctors for prescribing needed pain medications" This site enables citizens to put up a petition and collect signatures online. If there are enough signstures the president will see it. I am not a great writer but im a great organizer. So plese send me what you would like in the petition from apatient and doctors perspective. Response should be 'to the point' and medically honest. There is an 800 character limit. Ill put the best of all I get together and post a link to it here. My name is Lance and my email is luckyseven at fastmail.us (take ot the 'at and add an @, this is to thwart web-bots)(.us email suffix is not govt affiliated lol) PS I never use my facebook, please just email BTW THIS SITE IS DOWN> I AM USING THE CACHED VERSION.
Comment by:
docalex

I am sorry – i've come up with nothing, except there is a lot of confusion in Houston. I suggest writing the state Medical Board of Texas who have written very nice-sounding rules, and who are supposed to be ensuring the 'Standard of Care' for pain medicine is being followed in Texas… ask them if it is all so great, where can you find a doc to treat your legitimate suffering? ..alex…
Comment by:
docalex

Well put, JCP; twice in a row. :-) Thank you, ..alex…
Comment by:
Desiree

Dr. Joel Joselevitz, he saved my life after a fusion surgery on my spine. He works out of hospital in south Houston. I live in Orange TX but my surgery was in Houston. I was in ICU for six weeks, they could not control the pain. Finally they called in Dr. Joselevitz and in one day I was in a regular room, he is the greatest. I looked for his # and address but couldn't find it. I think the name of the hospital is Southern Regional but it's been so long I really am not sure but you should be able to find him or the hospital in the phone book. I pray you get the relief you need. He had me on oxycontin and dilaudid and I was actually able to have an almost normal life.
Comment by:
docalex

Hi danielle,

Routine apologies for not replying sooner, but your question keeps coming up, basically: "I am moving to a new town – how to find new pain doc?"

As a Family Practice doc by training, this question should almost never show up on a public forum, because you are supposed to tell your current doc you are moving as soon as you know you are, and then you and current doc work to make a direct referral to a new doc in your new town, and prepare a summary medical record that is sent directly to new doc and given to you. Current doc should also give you a few names of other docs she/he has discovered in new town who might also be good possibilities. What I am saying that every effort should be made by you and current doc working together to make a seamless transition as possible without disruption in your treatment. ***(see note below sig)

The paragraph above is, very briefly, what should happen. But life doesn't work out that way sometimes. So, if somehow you and current doc have managed to have not made preparations for a direct referral to a new doc, then it is current docs responsibility to arrange for you to get 3-6 months of continuing treatment, until you find a new doc.

What I often resorted to, if I could not get a lead on as new doc in whatever town through friends and colleagues, I would call around the 'Mom and Pop' (meaning independent) pharmacists in new town until I found a reasonable, experienced, usually older pharmacist who knew the town and local medical scene well. I briefly run down the medical history, and what current medical regimen is; then I ask what good medical docs in town would be the best fit for my medical patient. I emphasize that we are looking for a good doctor primarily, one who is also willing to prescribe opioids or whatever in effective quantities. That I knew my patient for years and this was entirely legitimate chronic pain under good control. Every time I did this I very quickly got two or three names of docs to call.

So if your current doc is saying "I don't know anyone in Wherever, Ohio; sorry," 1) that is sort of bull, he;s being lazy; and two, suggest he ask some pharmacists for help in finding a doc in new town. It really is easy and fast, way to get some doc phone #'s to call and set up a direct referral in my experience. And even if those discussions fail result in a direct referral, at the very least current doc now has relationship with new pharmacist, and new pharmacist knows who you are, and current doc can arrange with new pharmacist to continue to prescribe for you while you and new pharmacist (and old doc who can still help you by phone) work on finding a new doc. (If you like and know your pharmacist for a while, you could also ask him to help you and current doc find a good pharmacist to speak to in new town. Stuff like this. We are trying to establish a chain of trust, here; yes?)

See, having a pharmacist who knows you and understands your case can help; or having three docs in town who have at least discussed your case with current doc and have your record… each of these "little relationships" makes it MUCH easier for new doc to say "Yes" compared to you calling in a panic, new in town and anxious and running out of meds.

I'm hope this is clear and helpful; hopefully to danielle but also to others in a similar situation. ..alex…

*** [[ Parts of the chart you and new doc need: 1) history and physical; 2) progress notes aka facesheets; 3) blood and urine lab results; 4) x-ray or other imagining reports; 5) complete prescription record, usually recorded on "Medication Sheets" in your chart; and 6) reports from any consultants you may have been sent to. ]]
Comment by:
GL Keane

Anonomus callers call Dr. office& alledge a certain patient is abusing or selling their pain meds. W/O any evedence at all the Dr. shuts the patients pain meds off, endangering that persons life&healthThis is cruel& unusual punishment, & vio. civil rights. Drs. that do that belong in federal prison.If they are that much in fear of the D.E.A. they need to find a different line of work.. Want a solution? Go to an indian reservation & see an indian m.d. The D E A has no jurisdiction on indian land. The people need to organize& fight back. The A C L U would jump on this in aheart beat..Im not looking for the $$$$. . All it would take is one Dr. to get convicted, with a 20 year rap& all the ALL the pain Dr. fuckovers would stop instantly. Drs.arenot the ones doing the suffering so they dont give a Flying Fuck about anyone but themselves !!! If the people organized the people would put an END to the suffering !!!
Comment by:
R.E. Ryan

Right on Anonymous !! Its about time someone had the balls to tell it like it is !!!!! To all you people suffering out there at the mercy of cowardly Drs.Its time to stand up & fight, & be heard !!!!
Comment by:
Clyde

My god is there no a doctor in Ms. that will take a pain paitent?I am in serious pain and cant find a doctor that will see me, does anyone know anybody?
Comment by:
tim

She's dead
Comment by:
brenda kelly

I think the DEA wants pain patients to have to get their medication off the streets as they keep their jobs this way they want to continue this crazy drug was because no drug war no job for them , no billion dollar a year taxes for them either
Comment by:
brenda kelly

I totally agreeIt is the same thing if they were denying insulin or blood pressure medication to people who need it. I have a doctor now that treats my pain, but in the past Ihave been denied pain relief, once for a broken leg. I also saw a doctor deny my father pain medication in the hospital as he lay there dying from cancer. How do we organize this? Maybe through the American Pain Foundation and a class action lawsuit? Since when does a Governmental agency have any right to interfere with our medical care from a private physician?
Comment by:
brenda kelly

We need a civil rights lawyer and yes maybe a petition wth enough namesonit to get a civil right attorney interested. We could use Google talk as a meeting place to get organized and have meetings
Comment by:
docalex

Hi Tricia; You wrote asking about the Schneider case and Siobhan sometime early in 2010, I think. The Schneider case was a debacle for PRN and a victory for unethical, overreaching federal prosecutors. Schneider was convicted. We were bankrupted, both PRN and Siobhan, and the Board closed PRN 12/31/2010. Almost exactly a year later, Christmas 2011, Siobhan died in a small plane crash along with her partner and defense lawyer for docs and patients, Kevin Byers and his mother. I will be collecting all of her essays that I have; so much has been lost with the loss of the painreliefnetwork.net domain. Will try to pull that together soon. ..alex…
Comment by:
docalex

I entirely understand your disbelief and outrage that such behavior by physicians is not merely tolerated but has become normative, as browsing through Comments here shows that it has.

I suggest writing a letter to the state Medical Board. If your state is anything like NY, they are obligated to investigate and respond to you. The content can be pretty much what you’ve written here – except no all caps, no exclamation points.

You want to know:

Is this ethical medical behavior? Doesn’t the physician have an obligation to make a good faith effort to find a physician to continue treatment – if only a proper, gentle taper followed by re-assessment – in context of a medical relationship involving medications that should never by abruptly discontinued?

You might ask them if what happened to your son is not, in fact, (and do put this in quotes because it is a powerful phrase to invoke in a letter to a Medical Board) “abandonment of the patient.” And if it is not, could the board please explain what constitutes “abandonment of the patient” in your state?

And so on. You could also speak with a malpractice attorney. BUT – none of this is going to help your son.

Perhaps you could ask your doc for some advice here… perhaps he would agree, under the circumstances, to take your son on as a patient? Alternatively, maybe he has a colleague who owes him a favor, or a friend-colleague that will honor a referral from him? Certainly worth a try.

Write to the Board out of a civic sense of responsibility; your tone should just assume they would want to know about this doc and the effect she’s having on your lives by her precipitous actions. But talk to your doc first; the kid needs a physician.

Hope this helps a little. I hear these stories so often, for so many years. My response is an emphatic NO – This is not the way medicine ought be practiced, not even close. This IS close to if not outright ‘abandonment of the patient’ – and this is one of the very worst medical acts one could commit.

She could well end up in serious trouble herself. Doubly if this is not an isolated incident, and it probably isn’t. That the govt is leaning on everyone Re: the prescription drug abuse moral panic which encourages medical opiophobia… that is not a defense against an abandonment charge, I don’t think. (But I’m way outside of my area of expertise; perhaps a lawyer with some experience will see this and enlighten us?)

So sorry this happened to you and yours. Find some medical care for your kid, and then have at her if you want. These fights are so unpleasant – but Medical Boards (in general; some states are far better than others) bear a lot of responsibility for the current state of affairs. They need to hear from those of us on the recieving end of their short sighted and cowardly ‘policies.’ ..alex…
Comment by:
Tom Cuddy

Does anyone currently ( 2012) have a copy of Siobhan's law suit to get the DEA out of medicine?
Comment by:
docalex

It is a long and difficult process getting to the Supreme Court.

PRN did sue the State of Washington in 2008 arguing that the WA State Opioid Dosing Guidelines promulgated (illegally) in 2007 were in violation of both State and Federal law. The briefs and related documents can be found here: PRN Sues WA State

I highly recommend starting with the State Tort Claim filed by PRN as the most readable brief which will give you a good idea of reframing the war on docs/pain crisis as a matter of civil and human rights that Reynolds/Cooper evolved in as they took on WA state. It is well worth the time to read this one – students of the war on docs/pain crisis will find it enlightening.

What happened? The Court refused to hear our case on a matter of standing. At the same time, they agreed to hear a case by the Sierra Club representing the interests of insects. This pretty much says it all.

Finally, I know that Siobhan and Kevin were working on another approach, a new organization. But I don't know what the concept was, and they are no longer around to ask. Hopefully recent essays and writings of Siobhan Reynolds will come to light over time.
Comment by:
BhandaryDefense

Hello:

I would like to point out Dr. Amar N. Bhandary’s website http://www.bhandarydefense.com/ [corrected by ..alex...]

Dr Amar N. Bhandary’s persecution has taken on new dimensions of persecution in terms of harassment, blatant violations of civil rights, wholesale seizures of patient files (tens of original files, never seen or heard of since), no names of patient files seized, no search warrants every produced, absolute and total lack of any due process by the DEA/Federal Agencies …

.Dr Bhandary has filed a Civil suit in Federal Court , Western District Oklahoma listing DEA / FBI Agents and the agencies themselves as defendants. This law suit may also be found on his web site http://www.bhandarydefense.com/ [corrected by ..alex...]

Federal agencies responded with an indictment full of baseless allegations of crimes.

And now US Citizen Bhandary has been detained for a month(!) in Germany on an unneeded detention awaiting “extradition” to the US while on his way voluntarily( to the US) to Chicago/ Oklahoma City to prove his innocence in a US Court of Law !

The harassment by Federal Agencies continues to this day to a Fellow of the US Psychiatric Association.

Any comments, information and help would much be appreciated.

Thanks so much to everyone. Regards to all

Friends and Family of Dr Bhandary
Comment by:
Dead Inside

I have lived in chronic pain for 20+ yrs and have been ln hell ever since. I keep hoping something will change for us chronic patients, but as much reading as I have done, it's always the same, no help and no end in sight. And no one gives a shit. Suicide is never far from my mind and let me tell you after all the crap I've had to put up with, there will be no guilt in my mind when I've had enough.God could not possibly be any crueler

Comment by:
BhandaryDefense

Apologies on a typo .. the correct web site is

 <a href="http://www.bhandarydefense.com" target="_blank">www.bhandarydefense.com</a>

Thanks again

Comment by:
docalex

Thank you BhandaryDefense. There are many documents here that you might want to examine. Much work has been done by way of literature reviews (often cleverly concealed in scary looking legal briefs -smile-) and these are a gold mine of references you'll need to make a scientific, medical standards and ethics based, defense.

I urge you to use the Categories pull down widget on the right, or the search box top right or the tag cloud bottom right to find what you need from our fairly substantial archives.

One such gem: Pain Relief Network files State Tort Claim vs. WA State; Laura Cooper, Esq.; Pain Relief Network; 2008/07/08. [Full text PDF] – I consider this document the epitome of 'Pain Relief Network' thought, if you will.

The team of Counselor Laura Cooper, a lawyer once a Hurwitz patient, who specialized in Americans with Disabilities law, and Siobhan Reynolds, deceased President of the crushed PRN, was fierce. This document is relentlessly thorough – the madness laid bare. All very well referenced (you definitely want to read the footnotes with this one.) Highly Recommended.

While I have retired from medical expert witness work, I would be happy to discuss the case with you, by email or phone, and give you my view from experience working on many 'pain docs in trouble' cases. It won't be encouraging, probably; but your case may be so outrageous that you end up with a choice of strategies.

Anyway, information is free, around here. :-) So call or write, if you think I might be able to help you.

..alex…
Comment by:
mary

I am so sorry about your situation, my sister is living with chronic pain also, due to fibro disk desease and many other problems. She is an RN but had to stop working and go on disabilty 7 yrs ago. She has recently moved to WI and is having problems with Advanced Pain Management DR's. They don't believe her pain or that the Fentanal patch is not working at the MG and dosing they percrible. Her lise consists on laying on the couch day after day for the past year in pain.When she goes to the store she returns in svsere pain. I don't know what the DR's are thinking and what right they have for letting someone in pain like this….i will soon report them to somewhere soon if they don't help her. I don't know if anyone on here is from WI? but if so reply u may have some suggestions for me as she is getting to the point of giving up thank you so much
Comment by:
jeff milligan

I am ready, willing to endorse, help. He is my Parkinson's doc; I know all you state as true…same here…urinalysis, monitoring, etc…..this is ludicrous.
Comment by:
docalex

Hello again, Tom;

It occurs to me that you might be referring to Congressional hearings that were fortuitously titled, "DEA Regulates Medicine hearing." Perhaps Siobhan did write that, but we were happily surprised with the official wording. (DEA chants that it doesn't regulate medicine and isn't responsible… well for anything really, beyond 'fighting drugs.' )

Anyway, the page with every document related to that event, and other stuff, is: DEA Regulates Medicine archive

Lot of Siobhan on that page – its a pretty nice collection… one stop shopping. :-)

That was quite a day. Testimony in overflowing hearing room in the morning. In the afternoon I got my first (and only) Lobbying experience, trailing along after Siobhan and Frank Fisher and Charles Frohman (the kind and patient pro helping us.) We so rarely got together in person; that part was really nice. ..alex…
Comment by:
MigraineMommy

Hi there. Not sure what your CP issues are but my Neurologist is also a PM doctor in Houston. I find him very sweet but have read reviews that he lacks beside manner. IMO, he's been a Godsend. I've been seeing him for almost 10 years. He has 2 locations (both more SW Houston) and I've never had an issue getting a quick appointment. Since I've been with him so long I'm not sure what records you will need. I've had various insurances and he's always taken them. Dr. Mike N. Yuan. Hope this helps. Everything that is going on really sucks for us with real pain issues.
Comment by:
Ivory Mizner

I will right away grab your rss as I can’t to find your e-mail subscription hyperlink or newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please let me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
Comment by:
docalex

Here you go, Ivory:

Posts RSS: http://doctordeluca.com/wordpress/feed/

Comments RSS: http://doctordeluca.com/wordpress/comments/feed/
Comment by:
Jeanne Hyatt

http://signon.org/sign/pain-patients-are-sufferin…
Comment by:
Jeanne Hyatt

Because of the increasing and extreme difficulties of chronic pain patients being able to find pharmacies to fill their legal pain prescriptions a small, grassroots group of like-minded, legitimate patients began forming in Florida. We are all legitimate chronic pain patients [or their caretakers] who have had problems finding our medications, forcing many to do the “Pharmacy Crawl” every month to find a pharmacy who will fill our scripts. Increasing numbers have had to scramble to find new pain management specialists when our doctors either were arrested or just gave in to the harassment by the DEA. This inhumane situation in Florida has caused pain, suffering and suicide by those who have been directly affected by the DEA. The group has 2 petitions circulating and welcomes legitimate chronic pain patients who have had difficulty with obtaining adequate pain relief on their Facebook page. Fight for Florida Pain Relief Action Network [Edit ..alex...] http://signon.org/sign/pain-patients-are-sufferin…
Comment by:
Elinor

Hi Jeanne … I ended here today … doing my usual search – research .. In this endless hell of Collateral Damage .. caused by the DEA .. in the "War On Drugs" … EVERYTHING YOU'D SAID IS RIGHT ON … EVERYONE who has ended up here, I am assuming … must have an issue with Pain Care and/or obtaining their Pain Medications … looking for support and help. Well, if we don't FIGHT BACK NOW … We're not going to get it. PLEASE SIGN THE PETITIONS Jeanne listed above and any others having to do with this issue. WE ARE FIGHTING BACK FOR OUR RIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN VIOLATED … PLEASE KNOW ……….. You are welcome to join our advocacy group on Facebok "FFFPCN" .. Our Leader is: Donna Ratliff .. Please message her, mentioning this site, what your issues are & that you'd like to join our task force in this war that has ended with LEGITIMATE PAIN PATIENTS SUFFERING BEYOND IMAGINATION … Thank You .. elinor
Comment by:
Pete

This is a wonderful thing EXCEPT the association with Move On.org. The privacy policy clearly state the name/address will be shared with political figures. I don't my name associated with moveon.org. Is this the only like minded patient petition you are aware of?
Comment by:
docalex

Hi,

I'm not sure who you are asking. Perhaps you could research that for us and get back to us?

You are referring to a user Comment. It was not spam or a phishing attack so I 'approved' it (meaning, it got posted.) It is, on its face, a reasonable comment. I (this web domain) have no particular relationship with MoveOn.org or any other organizations or public figures, politicians, corporations… you get the idea? Hope so.

The doctordeluca domain policies are spelled out (upper right corner.) I have made it as easy as possible for people to access my Library, so to speak. Even user registration is optional. And I have never bothered to examine the list of those of have registered even though I don't request that. I, Dr. DeLuca owner of doctordeluca.com, have made promises Re: not selling or otherwise doing anything with user data that is logged by (WordPress) default or is volunteered. For example, I have never sent out an email to 'registered users' nor will I ever.

Obviously I am not MoveOn.org and cannot speak for their policies except to say they have nothing to do with me and I have no responsibility of anyone's interaction with that organization (which again, is not me.)

Pete, I can certainly understand the need for caution in our times of rapidly decreasing civil liberties and privacy protections. I can only speak for myself and my domain – I have no interest in your names or digital data; this is not a profit making or even break-even operation. I share zero user data with anyone. I have zero incentive to do so.

I do permit users to speak as freely as possible, including sharing legitimate links (not spam, not phishing sites, not malware sites, not retail sites…) other than that, I stay out of the way (except to occasionally explain the site or answer a medical question or correct expressed medical misunderstanding.)

This domain was tightly associated with painreliefnetwork.org of the Pain Relief Network. That domain and organization do not exist anymore. PRN went bankrupt Dec 2011; our president Siobhan Reynolds died x-mas 2012 and painreliefnetwork.org disappeared a few months later. Since Jan 2012, there is nobody here except me. The domain policies (to be updated Aug 2012) spell it out (upper right corner.)

There are no adds here, nothing to buy. Mostly advocacy, essays, and academic/legal documents which are free to you to read or not. I have let comments continue here, as a sort of testimonial record, even though I am not actively added to the archives. The topics I set out to cover are covered in full. I am satisfied with my bodies of work in addiction/harm reduction and Re: the pain crisis. I honestly have already written everything I have to say about all of that.

I may be closing Comments soon, as the HONcode people seem to want me to build an entire bureaucracy around managing them. That would be beyond me. I'll know what agreement I can come to with them over the next week.

..alex… Alex DeLuca, M.D., FASAM, MPH [owner and only employee of doctordeluca.com which makes zero dollars (no ads, no grants, no corporate funding, nada;) all expenses paid by me out of pocket] ..alex…
Comment by:
Michael Langley, MD

Since I wrote the original note about this, I fell and had a spinal injury called cauda equina syndrome! Now I am really po'd that us chronic pain patients are still treated like subhuman species!

Michael G Langley, MD
Comment by:
Michael Langley, MD

Yes, It was a very sad day. I felt like I lost a close relative.

Michael G Langley, MD
Comment by:
Michael langley, MD

I am a chronic pain patient. I also am a physician. I lost my license because i "HAD BALLS"!. Then last year, I had an accident and broke my back getting a spinal nerve injury called cauda equina syndrome. I, like all of the other pain patients, am unable to get enough pain medication. I had balls. now, luckily, I get $2000 a month disability, since it had a good, but short, medical career. In about six months, I will qualify for medicare and the $180/month I pay for medical care, will be covered by insurance. I was out of work since 2005. That makes it six years with no job, because I cared!
Comment by:
dan

in texas ,just today got the bad new's and first have go to a specalist ,be evaluated and the a program will be started…maybe. my dr. say's if obama get's his way all the pain people suffering are out of luck .your name goes into a data base and then the dr. is put on the dea and tx. dps radar .he say's he's getting out in 3 yr's when it takes a whole new animal !! join me to start a tort or lawsuit to fight this!! it's gonna be so bad by 2014 you won't be able to get pain med's to cover a month's worth! it's the hydrocodone 10 -325 …but you can get that oxy, morphine and paches no problem …insane…dsenski@yahoo
Comment by:
Stop Bad Doctors

Bad doctors deserve what they get.

I wonder how many failed urine tests went unchecked. I wonder how many of these patients received extender drugs like soma or xanax to prolong their high. Doctors shouldn't take on patients who have been cut loose from other practitioners for diversion/abuse. Prescribing narcotics is a billion dollar industry and plenty of docs get kickbacks from big pharma. If a prescriber is made aware that his patients are overdosing constantly, they have a duty to act upon that information and cut that patient loose.

Doctors also want billable services and revolving patients to expand their practice. That's why they ignore dirty tests, family phone calls alleging diversion and reports of overdose. Simply put, they want your money and don't care how many seekers have to die to get it.
Comment by:
Susan

My Dr. is charging his patients that are on pain medication an extra $75.00 per month for a drug test! I have to see my Doctor every month due to my health. I am on Norco which he has prescribed to me due to spinal injury. So I pay $135.00 per month for my visit and the extra $75.00 for the test. Its humilitating and it should be illegal. If he suspects something that fine, once in a while. I am a 57 year old female with a 14 year old daughter, have never abused the medication, ever and he of course knows that because I have never run out. I have been on it for about 18 months. Its a disgrace! I understand they are under the gun with narcotics but even when they were not, he would never give his patients refills and I was told it was the law. I then called CVS and they told me most patients on norco get 5 refills! So….if you needed a controlled substance they made you come in EVERY month just to get a refill and you had to pay for a complete visit just to get your prescription. Has anyone else come across this problem? I have been seeing him every month for over 2 years!
Comment by:
dawn

what is this world come to it is pretty bad when the docs treat animals better than humans i was prescribed pain med for 15 years for lupas and cancer then all of a sudden when i ran out 2 days early my doc cut me off with no warning saying the dea said you have to have exaxt amount in your urine .no referrals for detox and no mercy just left to suffer and i have my disabled child and bed fast mother to care for daily its sadd what america has come to
Comment by:
PadamJain

Because , doctors are illiterate, about addiction,tolerance, physical dependent, if you narcotics, over longtime say 3 month, they will write in the history as a drug addict ,I have seen this many times in the hospital, you can sue the doctor for it, if you are classed in hospital charts drug addict, it has long tern consequences, for you. Legal, law, other doctors such as in ER ,
Comment by:
PadamJain jain

It not the doctors , it the law, that DEA will not allow pot with legal narcotics and by DEA , pot is illegal , therefore your doctor can get lot of trouble, because medical board and monitoring the doctors through pharmacy and sometime your medical records, it does not matter ,if it is legal by state, go and see the policy of pot and DEA.
Comment by:
Victoria

Hello Dr. Deluca, not sure if you remember me, you and I were witnesses for the Madison Pain Clinic trial in Texas a few years back. I just found this site so thought I'd reach out and say hello to you and to thank you for your tireless efforts to help people. God bless….
Comment by:
In Pain Daily

I moved from one state to another and had the best doctor in Chicago. Now I have been to two differnt doctors seeking a new doctor. The first doctor after I wrote what meds I was on refused to see me. I cried for two days. The second a so called Fibro/chronic pain specialist and I might add charged me $200 for first visit made me sign a drug contract, piss tested me, and when I told him I take 4 Hydrocodone pills a day he told me that was to much, really, you know my pain, I could not even get up from the chair and he still treated me this way. I feel for you. I wil never get treatment from a hospital. I am being treated like a drug addict and resent it. I am in miserable pain daily.
Comment by:
In Pain Daily

Does anyone know a good doctor in Charlotte NC that is understanding? I am going through so much hell. So much pain and two doctors later I'm out money, time and still do not have the meds I have been on for two years! Help. I just moved here from another state and had a great doctor there but she cannot continue to write for me. Please Help…
Comment by:
In Pain Daily

Good luck in WI, they are a mess now with docs giving meds…it is tightly controlled. All those doctors in that state are to scared to write anything. Wish you luck!
Comment by:
In Pain Daily

Dr. I am so sad to hear of the plane crash. I just stumbled on your site and thank you so much. I am being treated like a drug addict and suffer daily without meds. Thank you for this site. and all you do. Help us please. Help us to help ourselves. Pain is bad, bad….doctors scared. Tell us what to do to change things so good doctors can treat us. Sincerely, Dawn
Comment by:
In Pain Daily

Dr. Cheek ….I would come to see you from NC, I hope you get to practice again….thank you for your comments.
Comment by:
Sara

I Recently saw a pain management doctor, my neurologist and family doctor didn’t want me to go off my methadone, even though I did. I have a lot of neuropathies which cause tramendous pain! I live in Wisconsin, 10 years ago when this began I went to Freoderdt pain management clinic for treatment, after they punctured my lung I never received a return call again all hours they were open I would go straight to a machine? I would have sued but the doctor that did it apologized so I felt no need. Last month they called me to schedule an appointment, asking the doctor for re-assurance it wouldn’t happen again he screamed at me putting me in tears for several hours then stated to his assistant to write me a script for 30days of my medicine and said I should look for another doctor, kinda a spit in the face when I had asked for a safe stop prescription to that drug in the event he wouldn’t treat me. His doctor assistant slammed the door in my face when I got up to leave, now my calls go again directly to voice mail, tell me what doctor deserves jail? If you need a new doctor, here 211 is a referral program but doesn’t the doctor have anyone covering patients?
Comment by:
Jona

Im with you, my doc used to prescrib minor pain meds on occassion as needed. He never abused that right. One patient complains about him writiing scripts, and then its all over. Hes afraid to prescrib anything now. I have severe chronic pancreatitis and Ra, I need to have pain relief. Its a six month wait for pain specialist, and many of them only want to do shots because thier intimidated. All this is gonna do is force people out on the streets to find relief, its contridictory in every way because people cant just live with severe pain and be expected to suffer it. Its gone overboard, you know its easy to go after the doctors and ignore the drug dealers, they are much easier to arrest, with less fear of retaliation. But its the wrong direction. Most doctors want to help, thats why they got into the profession, but to have that right taken from them, is unjust. Pretty soon theyll be directiing us to the local underground market themselves, telling us to write our goverment if we dont like it. Its a shame.
Comment by:
Karen

My name is Karen and i am 47 years old. I had a full hysterectomy in 2003. In 2006 i started getting severe neck and back pain. I complained for years and nothing was done. Finally in 2009 a doctor sent me to a neurologist who found that i needed spinal surgery. 6 months after my recovery i had more pain in my shoulder and lower back. The doctor that sent me to the neurologist left the practice and did not accept my insurance anymore. The new doctor would not give me any pain medicine and said it was all in my head and that I needed to see a psychiatrist. I was in the Er at least three times a week for almost a year. Eventually my children and my boyfriend believed that i was crazy and so did the doctors in the Er. I begged the neurologist to please give me another MRI. After a 2 hour MRI he called me a few says later to tell me he found something in my liver and i needed a ultrasound. After the ultrasound i waited for the doc to call me with the results. After a week and no call i went to the docs office and she said it was a little cyst and i should have no pain and they did nothing. Distraught i ended up in the ER again. The Er doctor pulled up my ultrasound and told me that my gallbladder was ready to explode and 5 days later I had it removed. Now I am having more pain. The doctor I have now gives me requip for my restless legs, ambien because I never sleep and hydrocodone for my neck and back pain that never stops ruining my life. I called this doctor to get my medicines and he is just gone. No-one knows where he is and his answering service told me to find a new doctor. I just went to a new doctor who will not give me any of my prescriptions until she gets all my medical records from all the doctors I have seen, printouts from the pharmacy and all the Er records. I literally do not know where to turn. I lost my job last week because of the economy and now my car broke down. How much more can one person take? And what kind of doctor just leaves his patients? And how can a new doctor just let me go without my medicines? Does anyone have any advice for me?
Comment by:
Jenny

I agree! Hitler is present in the USA! I have arthritis I am old & the DEA just cut my dr off writing them & I have only a few pills left!
Comment by:
jenny

yes with no std chek first
Comment by:
dave

i have cronic pain and high blood pressure.hello dea pain rases blood pressure but i guess you dont care.its win win for you i dont get the meds i need and when i die the gov no longer has to pay my disability. i guess hitler never died hes here in washington d.c
Comment by:
dave

if someone wants to organize a committee or file charges against the doctors or the dea let me know ill join. contact me at david.rogers1957@yahoo.com
Comment by:
Norris

You know?, I'm a 40 year chronic pain suffer myself, and the Laws, or so-called LAWS for narcotic pain meds are extremly Out-dated for the reasons they were created in the first place! first of all in the old days most reasons were for narc-meds were for post-surgery reasons or you had TERMINAl-CANCER and the Doctores knew you were gonna eventually DIE! anyway! so there WAS no real fear of MEDICAL drug abuse, i.e. street sales of (prescription) Narcotic pain-meds. But these are different Times ALL TOGETHER!. just like we have Computers (extreem) Computer Technology, WE have NEW DISEASES, AND MEDICAL Conditions TODAY!, This is the year 2012-to-What-ever year!. now you have Chronic Pain (EXTREEM) Chronic pain by diseases that DO NOT kill YOU, just cause you to go and be and live in hell! for no Known for reasons for killing at all, i.e. Fibromyalgia! this shit (excuse me for publicly saying it this way) will make you kill YOURSELF! Which by the way is illeagel itself according to American LAW! hello! as I remember is MY life. It has been MEDICALLY PROVEN Fibromyalgia IS REAL PEOPLE! DEA PEOPLE ARE NOT DOCTORS! At least not by LAW! there police that's two different things intirelly!. There was a time you could not even prove that fibromyalgia itself was real, NOW YOU CAN! EVEN MEDICALLY! So how in the #$%! is a cop going going to tell me OR my Doctor WHAT'S MEDICALLY wrong with me! AND NOW you even have medical documentation to prove such things. If that's the way its going to be MAKE COPS/DEA go to MEDICAL SCHOOL! Also!, themselves, the same as Doctors have to REAL ONES. Hell we can't or( WON'T) cure cancer itself and that's shit IS an OLD MEDICAL PROBLEM! Fibromyalgia is new compared to that AND there is SOME kind of help for that and YOUR GOVERNMENT has they say by LAW taken that away from you and keep keep innocent people in physical pain. And have taken YOUR Rights away for proper medical treatment by your doctor. its hard enough to even find a doctor that even knows about fibromyalgia, let alone a doctor that's even willing to help you with it because Fibromyalgia causes Intratracal CHRONIC PAIN which means- HARD TO MANAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!. and know the police are going to say my DOCTOR is selling DRUGS for a MEDICAL Disorder/DISEASE WE have a NEW ONE and as it is THERES' NO KNOWN CURE for this shit either!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what the#$%@!, but because your a cop your going to willing take the ONLY KNOWN MEDICAL help that exist away from me. I Don't think so. and leave me in not just pain, BUT SEVER CHRONIC PAIN, again I don't think so the BiBLE itself clearly states there's help FOR THE JUST ALONE what about your FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO?. Excuse me for some improper way of saying things ( in public ) but THIS SHIT HURTS!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALL TOGETHER. AND OLD PEOPLE and old America DON'T CARE.!
Comment by:
Leslie Cavenah

Dear Lance, I have been seeing a doctor for pain for a cervical fusion I had 10 years ago. To continue treatment I had to schedule appointments every 3-4 month, undergo periodic drug tests and sign numerous contracts. I followed all procedures to the letter to just get the meds to relive my chronic pain. Just this week, I was given a notice from this same doctor that now I have to schedule monthly visits regardless of the fact that nothing has changed with regard to my symptoms or treatment plan for the last 10 years. This added requirement will not only triple my costs but also deprive me from attending to my store. I have no employees to manage when I'm not there so consequently, I must close my business now to attend to these added appointments. The end results is plain. Not only will my customers be upset, but I'll also lose business. I've tried to change doctors but have been told by several that this is what all the pain management specialists are doing in New Jersey. I either do this or my medications will be taken away from me. Someone or something has to put some reigns to this. It's simply out of control!!!
Comment by:
kate

I am in horrible pain, my pain management doc will not help me ..just wants to give me steroid injectsions …never trusted them NOW i find out the menegitis conection with the.. somewhat relife not much f=w was from som a conpoind that antoher doc perscribe he put a STOP to it! im inso much pain i m ready to go to the er and expose this doc….i have two slipped dics stenoisis arthistis numbe arms and leg migrianes this is fuckin un real!
Comment by:
alen salerian

Dear Sir or Madam, I am a doctor, my patients and I are in distress and would like to consult with you regarding the complex legal and ethical situation that my patients and I are facing in Washington DC. For background please see http://www.salerianbrain.com. Your guidance would be greatly appreciated. Respectfully, Alen J. Salerian, MD 202-320-6176
Comment by:
rita

cant get oxy either as my dr lost his license to scribe anti depressants & pain killers & left me with no pills just like that so I'm dr shopping now. Puyallup Wa.state oct 2012
Comment by:
michael boles

dan: survived medicare part d oversight by pure luck. my dr. tried to prescribe oxycontin for severe spinal arthritis. he was told i had to try other therapies first. he chose from the list, fentanyl patches. seemed like overkill, but there i went. puked for about 3 weeks, till i went in the hospital with a 3 lobe aspiration pneumonia. then tried ms contin. woke up having been not breathing for who knows how long, lungs and mouth full of puke more than once. survived a year of that. finally got the insurance carrier to approve what my dr. wished to prescribe in the first place. of course i have to fill out a ream of paperwork every 12 months, but it beats dying. guess thats the goal with these alternative therapy lists. now my dr. retires the first of the year. and i'm having little luck in the face of opophobia finding a replacement. don't even get me started on marinol. i wish i could legally grow weed, i'd cancel medicare d and tell all the medical establishment to get stuffed.
Comment by:
Barbara Lawson

Hi Larry… Yes, the same type of thing has happened to me at the VA in Murfreesboro TN. I suffer from severe chronic pain, all over. I have Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Interstitial Cystitis, Carpal Tunnel and Panic disorder, also diagnosed with depression, I have had a total of 5 doctors (3 inept ones) in the last 2 years. 6 years ago I was placed on MS Contin 30mg 3x a day and Oxycodone 5mg 3x a day for breakthrough pain. My doctor retired in May so when I had my new appointment in July with a new Dr, she told me she wasn't comfortable filling my narcotics. She told me she was going to give me 3 months worth of medicine and I HAD TO WEAN MYSELF OFF. I thought this was crazy and I asked her to slowly lower the dose and see how I do and I begged her not to cut me off, I said that I can't bear to think of living in all that unbearable, horrendous pain again. She said that narcotics don't help fibro, that she had read a reasearch paper. I told her that the meds have helped me for 6 years and that I wasn't a research paper. I am a human being. Well, after that appointment I went to the Director of doctors at the VA and told him what was happening and I requested a doctor change. He told me that he would change my doctor and to continue taking my meds. He knew that she told me she would fill the meds for 3 months. So my new doctor appointment with a new doctor was set for October 2nd. I called my meds in early in September (thank goodness) The Dr that was supposed to fill my meds for 3 months refused to fill September and after arguing with her, the director, and the pain clinic this woman trashed me so horribly in my medical records that my new dr that I saw on October 2nd refused to continue the narcotics. It amazes me how this Dr. Agarwal can decide that I DON'T NEED MY MEDICINE, then unethically cut me off, then slander me in my medical records. So as I type this I never plan on going to the VA again. I have my records printed out and need to have some things changed in the records and some things (my side to the story, since this witch outright lied in my records) added to the records. I have an appointment with a new dr outside of the VA this week. I still have meds left. I have been living in pain, mostly unbearable but I look forward to a few hours of relief each day. The withdrawal has been hell and NOONE AT THE VA WILL HELP ME. Serve your country and just get punched in the gut!! After reading all these posts I don't have much hope on this doc helping me. I can prove that I am not an addict since I still have meds, I am dependent for sure after 6 years and I am in horrible horrible pain. I refuse to live in pain again and I don't know how to approach this doctor when my records from the VA are full of lies and slander. I know the DEA is out of control and I don't know what I will do if I can't get help from this doctor. I am in Tennessee. I am on LTD from my job as well as on SSDI.
Comment by:
woody

samething in ok, i cannot find a dr anywhere in my area who wll install a moephinepump, i am dying daily of back pain, due to my third op, even my nerosurgeon oks me for a m. pump. where are these d, who give a sh– about someone who is in chronic pain
Comment by:
DJII

dj been dealing with a botched surgery for 7 years. i don't even take the strong stuff. vicodin es and soma works for me. keeeps me normal and allows me to take care of my chores. thanks to the DEA I HAVE TO SUFFER MISERABLE WITHDRAWLS. and the hospital just keeps saying go to pain management and there is no where left to go!
Comment by:
angie

Lance I will sign that petition. My mom, age 77 with 17 known chronic health problems and myself just lost our family Dr, (he fired us) after 30+ years as his patients. He won't even help us with referrals because I got rx filled at a pharmacy that I had used the past7 months this year but my mom forgot to tell the secretary. He has left us. I thought my Dr cared about us. I am lost in Alabama….
Comment by:
victim

i live in eastern ky i have a wife and two children i have never been arested or even had more than 5 tickets in my life every day i see people on welfare and disability living better than me cause i am in so mutch pain that i cant get enough hours in to pay the bills this wasnt allways the case 8 months ago i had money i could play with my kids and had the respect of my coworkers the doctors say they believe im in pain and wish they could help but their hands are tied the government is destroying our way of life
Comment by:
sherry miles

It is one thing to have pain but to have chronic pain is indescribable. I hope these d.e.a. people never have to go through it. Telliing us to take tylenol is a joke. It depends on the person. Everybodies system is different. I had surgery and was prescribed liquid tylenol. I woke up crying in pain. The nurse made a comment I told him it only works for 5 minutes. It’s a joke the way we are treated. People die from coming of medication. They are trying to kill us. Shame on you!
Comment by:
Tommy

We are starting to get the same problems in the UK now with doctors being pressured into giving neuropathic pain meds instead of traditional opiates even when there is no evidence of neuropathic pain.
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xfire.Com

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clenbuterol before after clenbuterol reviews

When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get three emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Thank you!
Comment by:
Karen

What about Washington state? I've been getting the hydrocodone 10-325 for a couple years for extreme athritis pain, and just my most recent refill last week was reduced from 45 quantity to 30, do you know anything on this? I also want to know if I should just call my Dr. and ask about it, which I've been contemplating.
Comment by:
Josi

There will be a lot of dead people from having their pain medications pulled out from under them. Whatever happened to "First Do No Harm?" All doctors know that stopping strong pain Meds abruptly can cause death to many and unnecessary suffering to others. So the bottom line is that druggies are more important than people in chronic pain? This is outrageous. If drug seekers want to get high, they will. They can sniff glue; drink themselves to death; ingest cough medicines. But those of us in chronic pain only have one recourse: pain doctors. I don't drink drink, I don't smoke, I've never taken recreational drugs. But I have constant pain that I battle on a daily basis. It's bad enough that what wakes me in the morning are my legs on fire. But what's worse is the constant pain that I live with day in and day out (if you call this living). I have psoriatic arthritis and have tried every medication there is. My body eventually becomes resistant and I suffer because I don't want to keep upping the dosages. Why don't those of us in pain have the right to some relief without being labeled as drug seekers? Doctors need to understand pain. How to manage it. And how to treat us with the compassion and the dignity we deserve. Otherwise, they have no right to call themselves doctors.
Comment by:
anonymous

This message is for Michael and all other MDs who have “cared too much”. I, too, am (or was) a physician and am currently undergoing prosecution for the same reason. Unfortunately, I have lost everything due to this, including my home. I have nothing left, but have two children to support and care for. I would LOVE to get any advice you may have about how you have been able to move forward. My license has been suspended and I am unable to find a job of any kind. I can’t even file my taxes or file for bankruptcy, as I do not have money to do so. I’m in my 30s and honestly see no future. I am severely depressed and have even recently admitted myself for inpatient treatment due to SI, which I still suffer from daily. I can’t imagine living without being able to do what I love to do or without being able to support my own children. I became a physician to help others and to provide a decent life for my kids. Now I have neither and am utterly hopeless, anxiety ridden, and honestly, scared to death. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions that you may have…
Comment by:
DEABudget

My GP was a great guy, who actually gave yoga workshops, physical therapy referrals and multiple other modalities to treat pain and the DEA, in it's crusade to defend it's budget was able to shut down his practice! What can I do! Are we living in a state wherein the DEA is America's secret police? I left a link to the story: http://www.onlinepublishingcompany.info/content/s…
Comment by:
steve

I live in florida my name is steve I want to get people organised and start a class action lawsuit suing the dea and the united state government for violating our civil rights and causing so much pain and suffering to many i know personally myself included that i thought about commiting suiside.The only thing that stopped me is im a christian and dont want to go to hell.Their are causing crime,illegal drugs and countless travisties that its time for people to get their point across and unfortunately the only way is to sue them for breaking clearly written constitutional rights.If you want to join the lawsuit please e mail me at shroomstarrunner@yahoo.com.I have god on my side and we will win bigtime.Dont complain does no good it is time for action.SUE THE GOVERNMENT THERE IS POWER IN NUMBERS AND ITS TIME TO GET THIS DONE NOW>ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!!!! 352-328-3747 call me if you need anything to help join the lawsuit.Its not about money its about unnessary suffering that has been done to many chronic pain sufferers and cancer patients all in america.This is a dam shame for this country!
Comment by:
Co Lois

I can only post a comment that you / us as pain sufferers must step up to stand behind these educated people that are at times abused by our big mouths who let the scammers know that all one needs to play the dr who has compation wether by profit or otherwise is there to help those who suffer. We the ligitamate patients must organise and put our moneys in one account to hire a team of fighters to get a system in place that would develope a system to filter the ligitamate from the players or make Heroin redaly available and I'll take your coments at
Comment by:
jadethunter

I came to this site thinking I would be in harmony with the posters being a 20 yr CP myself and I find myself in disagreement. First of all many of you are rambling on without a clear diagnosis. pain is a symptom. You need to get a diagnosis..and then the treatment.

You must comply with random UA's. Forget smoking pot…if you are not compliant..lit is YOUR FAULT. And YES you tell your DR what meds you take and you do not FILL other pain medications and keep that data from your Primary Pain DR.

You go to ONE pharmacy..and btw hospice pharmacies have all pain medications.

Part of your problems is you (most) are all talking about OxyContin. Well if you follow the news you will know that it is highly misused. Ask your DR to put you on something else. I did!

I have medical procedures, I let the dr count my pills…I will take any drug test…I have had issues…and here is the thing… Under treated pain looks like drug seeking behavior. As a chronic pain patients must be an open book… It is what it is….

It is not about being pain free.. It is about managing pain…

Life isn't fair. We have to live properly ..to be in the system… Until the rules change…and it is getting better in some places… Go to one pharmacy….see your pain management dr every month….exercise…go to therapy or church….have a hobby ….there is no magic pill or "fix".

It is process ..not perfection…yet keeping it simple…will help you.

I have had my battles too…and I am speaking from experience of what has been working..

Good luck !
Comment by:
..alex...

Comments are going to be turned off entirely in the very near future (like by 12-12-2012.)
That should solve your problem. :-) Apologies for the irritating, redundant emails. ..alex…
Comment by:
..alex...

Hi Victoria! Yes, of course I remember you. You went way beyond the call and stepped up to help even though you had to increase your dose to travel and therefore faced days of under-medication to make it all even out for the month. I enjoyed your company, there on the bench outside the Courtroom, with assorted DEA agents hovering about. -sigh- That case was classic. The public defender felt certain that the govt had not made its case, and therefore he didn’t want me to testify (because if you think you’ve won, why risk DeLuca spouting off?) But that is not the way these trials go. The defense has to bludgeon the jury and the Court, hammer every argument home, to have even a chance of winning against the all-powerful Fed. That was my last case, Victoria. I am burnt out from constant anger and frustration. We did our best; we lost. -sigh- I hope you are doing OK – please stay in touch by email or phone. I am closing Comments on this site in about one week (approx 12/12/12.) Thank you for writing… Sincerely, ..alex…
Comment by:
docalex

hey electricbobbybear;

'tis an honor to have you comment here. I've gotten a lot of personal support from your blogging efforts over the years.

I'm just about to close this shop down (to Comments) – the site will remain the resource library that it is.

Just wanted to say thanks for the few chuckles along the way. You rock; Sir.

god bless… ..alex…
Comment by:
Becky

Consider the $75 a bargain.
Comment by:
Becky

The same thing happened to me today. I went in today because I am having awful menopause-like side effects after coming off Cymbalta at their orders (some so personal I am embarrassed to talk to my husband about them). Regretfully, I told the nurse practioner who told 2 male doctors who came in consecutively and told me to get out and go to a psychiatrist and not come back. Just like that, after 10 years as a trouble-free patient. Here's my fear: if I try another pain doctor, he/she will want my records from this doctor, right? But then what ever I said wrong today (with their spin on it, of course) will be in those records. I fear no other doctor will take my case now. Here's my question, please respond if you know or have advice: Under the privacy laws, can I get today's record (and only today’s) stricken from my file before it is transferred to another doctor?
Comment by:
Tiffany

I have rods, pins, and screws in my right knee. My left knee has degenerated cartilage….aside from that, I have chronic lower back pain. I was wondering if there's a good physician in the Murfreesboro, TN, who is understanding. Mine left the area. :(
Comment by:
wizardofgauze

I just came across this blog, until now I didn’t know it existed. On the first page I brushed over a comment from a person, I believe in Florida with their telephone number posted. After returning to the blog from signing on, I can’t find the comment. Can someone please help me with the comment and or the phone number. Thank you, John
Comment by:
wizardofgauze

January 01,2013 Dead Inside – 31 weeks ago I just read your article, that sounds the way I have been. I suffer from a spinal cord injury with related completions from my waist to my toes. I am not sure if I’m permitted to explain my treatment and the medications that I receive, however if you like you may contact me via e-mail. My serious pain started in 1982. In 2008 a doctor inadvertently cut my spinal cord plus gave me a infection in the wound during surgery. From February 2008 to the first part of this year I couldn’t walk, and up until a month ago I wanted to be dead. And I couldn’t get any help. Our injuries/illness differ, but my medications in part work on my spinal nerves. My e-mail address is, jjcjbe463@embarqmail.com If you e-mail be sure to subject and start with DEAD INSIDE, so it catches my attention. I cross my fingers for ya John
Comment by:
..alex...

contact me: click the “Policies… (etc)” link, near top, sidebar

i’ll try to find it for you.

..alex…
Comment by:
Yeast Infection

As i mentioned in a previous post, it really sux that those that need it can't get it. And those that get it, abuse it. There needs to be a better way. It could lead to depression, and eventually suicide. It's definitely that serious.

Hope things will eventually work out :(
Comment by:
greedyusa

I bet anyone with chronic pain the works for the dea has no problem getting their pain issues taken care of, or people with a boat load of money! It's not the land of the free any more! It's the land of the GREEDY!!
Comment by:
..alex...

Well, ‘things’ don’t just work themselves out, in my experience. Especially when the majority has a vested interest in another century of needless suffering.

You know, I disagree with the belief system that I think underlies your Comments. It doesn’t “sux” that a lot of people have pain that isn’t adequately treated except with chronic opioid therapy; that is just true. And over 80% (depending on one’s ‘definitions’) of chronic pain patients do not experience debilitating or untreatable side effects. Nor are opioids themselves disabling with a competent medical doc and a decent doc-patient relationship.

And yes, pharmaceuticals can be a very lucrative business. So what? Why do you single out opioids?

Almost every other prescription medication has a worse side effect profile, as do most OTC meds, like the NSAID’s (asprin, motrin, naprosyn, etc.) Those non-opioids, often prescribed in a tragic medical effort to avoid prescribing opioids do, regularly and predictably, cause death on a scale orders of magnitude more than opioids which are not cytotoxic – they don’t kill cells. And in the presence of intractable pain, they are the only class of medications that can protect the spino-thalamic pain tracks, especially pain transmitting neurons in the dorsal horns of the spinal column. Only opioids can “close the pain gate” thereby sparing the dorsal horn and protecting the central nervous system from ongoing and progressive damage. PAIN causes measurable brain cell death; opioids do not.

But you think opioids sux. “It could lead to depression, and eventually suicide.”

Yeah; opioids could do that; chronic pain does do it. Suicide rates for chronic pain patients are double the national average.

I honestly don’t understand the general ‘ho-hum; hope it gets better’ attitude coming, usually, from substance abuse treatment/”recovery” vested-interest type folks. Do you seriously expect to sail through some life where you or yours won’t experience trauma, painful illness or treatment, cancer, mva’s, etc etc?

-damn!- It must be nice to feel so golden.

Unfortunately, the ostrich is not an effective life strategy, over any significant period of time.

Good luck!
Comment by:
T. Milo

How long are we just going to take this? I am a cronic pain paitent living in NYC. I can fully document my injuries- (with both Xrays and MRI pictures and 25 years worth of medical records) 2 broken patelas (knee caps) 1 broken lower lumbar vertabra with compressed disc A sevear case of siatica. Sevear arhritis in my hips, back, neck, both shoulders, both elbows, both wrists, both hands and fingers. I live in serious pain every day, my opiate medications allow me to work, with out them the pain is just to great. If i cant work, I WILL become homeless. Its become plain to me that my “Doctor” no longer works for me, but has become a flunky of the DEA. He claims he can no longer treat me because of the DEA SPY working under cover in his clinic, and he is afraid he will loose his licence. I have been on these medications for over 20 years, why is it now a problem? These are leaglely manufactured drugs, perscribed leagley to a documented pain paitent. I am not a criminal. I do not sell my medications, in fact I hord them just in case this happened, which also means im not taking my full doseage JUST BECAUSE this might happen! That means i live with a certain level of pain just because the DEA finds it easier to go after Doctors and paitents rather than go out and find REAL DRUG DEALERS! We must fight back! We must contact our federal representitives and protest this agenda! INSIST on the laws being changed to protect US! DOCTORS SHOULD WORK FOR THERE PAITENTS, NOT THE DEA! CHRONIC PAIN SUFFERES UNITE! FIGHT THE DEA’S IMMORAL STRANGLE HOLD OVER YOUR PAIN. JOIN PROTEST FIGHT. We have had enough!
Comment by:
..alex...

I say Trauma Nurse knows of what she speaks.

thank you, everyone for the generally excellent, experiential, questioning and responsive Comments. It has been an honor being your host and moderator. ..alex…
Comment by:
..alex...

-sigh- the same medical mystification Re: opioids that I got as a student/resident circa late 70′s/early 80′s.

Myths, beliefs, and outright lies have overcome the practice of pain management; again. Monica, I call it the Distortion of Medicine by drug-war, law-enforcement imperatives. Several essays and papers here attempt to clarify the history of this problem; alas understanding will not relieve your pain.

I am so sorry it is this way. I have no new advice on how to work this insane, abusive system. EXCEPT to say, please do not give up, keep getting referrals from friends, relatives, priests pastors psychologists and prostitutes. Ask everyone and keep seeing docs; if they reject you ask them for a name or two you could try. Oh, and no panic in docs offices; it can be very difficult, but keep your self-respect up, know what you are talking about, try to be calm.

Keep Trying – there are docs out there who haven’t taken the kool-aid; they are admittedly hard to find, but not always impossible. If possible, try pain services in major (as in huge) medical centers as they are far less likely to be targeted by DEA (who prefer older, loner docs in community practice for a long time – who are more likely to have assets worth seizing before trial, and lousy legal representation, compared to docs surrounded by medical corporations with serious legal power.) US ADA’s always take the easy, lazy way – sans any ethical prosecutorial discretion – in drug war Fed cases against docs and patients.

I am so sorry. I know how hard it is to do much of anything when you hurt really bad; I swear I do. Just try to try, OK? ..alex…
Comment by:
Cyndy Pugh

This is a terrible way to live. I was lucky to have a dr who understood what kind of pain I am in every day. THEN she was replaced by one who “didn’t believe” in pain medication. It took so long to finally get a dr again who understood. He agreeed with what I said. If you are prescribing pain meds the correct way you have no reason to fear anything. And I am a disabled veteran and these were va doctors.Now my son is going through the same thing. He broke his back his senior year of high school. Missed his graduation and everything. Had a dr who provided pain meds. Then he decides he doesn’t want to deal with it anymore and told us to find a new dr! My son was his first infant he delivered when he moved here. He treated him for 18 years then say adious! My son works and then comes home crying in pain. As a Mom and a sufferer I cry along with him. We tried other drs too, they all are afraid to provide pain meds. They gave him tramodol which made him crazy and did nothing for the pain. Now he is ready to quit his job because he hurts so bad. He is a boy who went quadding, fished, hunted and more. Now all he does in lay in bed in pain and go to work. That is the extent of his life. I don’t know what I can do for him. Then I see others who have no pain but get 120 pain pills a month and SELL them for 8 dollars a peice! At work my son cn get crack, cocaine, herion and just about anything else but he can’t get a dr to give him pain meds????
Comment by:
..alex...

anonymous – I sent you an email tonight, Jan 8, 2013. ..alex…
Comment by:
Matt

Hello my name is Matt and I’d like to share what I just recently went through with my doctor of about 10 years. I am a 38 year old who suffers from limb girdle muscular dystrophy. About 6-8 years ago I was placed on morphine sulphate and mscontin. One was slow release other was instant. I was taking over 200mg a day easily. Every month I called in my script and just about every time they would give me the wrong scripts or wrong doses.

I keep my pills in those lil dosage cases so I knew exactly what I had to take daily. One day after grocery shopping with wife she was carrying my pill case and a cup of coffee and a arm full of groceries. She leaned to far and the coffee spilled into my pill case and destroyed my meds. So of coarse we called it in to replace. And this is where my hell begins.

After calling doc office for replacements I was treated like a drug addict and wife was asked if I was just trying to get more drugs. Wife offered to take damaged pills to doctor to show that was t the case. Anyways after 3 times of explaining what happened and what we was trying to do my wife called the clinics phone operator a idiot. That was all it took. About 3-4 days later I recieved a letter that they was dropping not just me but my entire family because the phone operator got butt hurt because she was called a idiot.

I was left with nothing .no help no referrals no anything. Only thing they left me with was a very bad morphine addiction. I did contact another doc office but takes time to get records transferred and all that. I ran outta morphine before I could even be seen.

It has now been a week of no morphine and I went through hell. I am poor and couldn’t afford a detox center and after being constantly sued for medical bills I couldn’t go to Er and justify another huge bill that I will leave behind for my wife after I’m gone. So I went cold turkey and had nothing but my wife and water to help me through. The hard withdraws are over but the chills and sweats still hitting me hard. My throat closed quite a bit and my already sick body feels like it was thrown to some staved dogs. I feel the worst has passed but I find myself getting really angry and stresses when I think about what my doctor did to me. For a few nights I felt like my head was on fire.

After a week I’m feeling better and can see me perking up. This was the hardest thing I ever faced in my life. My question is – Is there anything legally I can do to stop this doctor from doing this to anyone else? I don’t care about money all I want is for him to suffer like I did for what he’s done. Do those vows new docs take mean anything at all anymore? What doctor gets a term ill patient hooked on drugs and then after years on it just drops them? How is this legal?

Any advice would be helpful. Thank you Matt
Comment by:
Doreen

I can’t believe I found a site that understands what I am going through! I was in pain management for a number of years until last summer, when my Dr. retired (or was made to retire). Since then, I have been struggling to find someone to take over my care. I have even had Drs. flat out tell me that they refuse to take his patients. What? I live in Indianapolis, IN and I have been suffering a great deal. I’m a mess and at the end of my rope. I can’t sleep and my pain is unbearable. I need help.

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