I'm so sorry if I offended anyone. I just read the article about this man and it really set me off how he was calling friends, family, and even 911 for help. I know calling 911 with chronic pain is not going to get you anywhere, but it was a desperate cry for help. This man had a crushed spine from an accident aboard a commercial fishing boat. He was managing for years until they shut his pain clinic down and he could not find anyone to take over his care. It really pissed me off. I want the authorities to also see this side of the coin. There are always two sides to every story. I am also in more than usual pain tonight from doing some activities I should not have done, but I'm not taking extra meds. So my pain is also making me upset. Please do not feel like I wanted to start petty drama in here by posting this article. I've actually been thinking about starting a non-profit in this mans name and educating people about the true cost of chronic pain. Hugs everyone.

Here is a link to the story. This mans picture just stayed with me after I read his story. These are the stories the DEA and CDC need to see.

https://www.acsh.org/news/2016/11/01/merciless-seattle-untreated-pain-misery-and-suicide-10389

Hi Blizzard-

I'm sorry to hear that your pain is worse, and I agree that this man's story is awful. My thoughts on the matter:
-Despite having some very bad medical experiences, I do have to say that most of the doctors I have met do not have cruel intentions; they want to help people. The problem is that if they prescribe someone a painkiller, and that person or a friend/relative overdoses on heroin, fentanyl, and that prescription, the doctor can be held liable and lose their license, go to jail, etc. Thereby leaving hundreds of patients without a physician. The pharmacy/pharmacist can also be included in the suit.
-I agree that the government regulations are going too far. These are what punish both the physician and the patient for trying to treat pain. In their eyes, the downside of moderate opioid prescribing is very public OD deaths, making them look bad in the "war on drugs". They can publicly crack down on opioid prescribing, labeling the doctors as the bad people, and totally ignoring the heroin and fentanyl flowing into the country. The price of people suffering in pain, and possibly dying, is one they've chosen to ignore.

It's a tough matter, as people with strong feelings stand on both sides (example those who've watched a family member suffer chronic pain vs. those that have lost a family member to an overdose). I personally think that criminalizing pain patients and the doctors trying to help them is beyond unhelpful, but I can see how we got to this unfortunate place. :(

I think it needs to be mentioned that this is an old article from 2016, and many of the things have changed. The laws they speak of are not "Voluntary" anymore, they are Laws.

Another point that I think needs mentioning after this sentence, "Unable to find a doctor who would prescribe anything close to what he needed" Many patients are being somewhat 'stubborn" and if the Dr. they go to won't give them what they've had before or what they think they should have, they just don't take it, because they're convinced it won't work.

I chose to be my own little science experiment when my Dr. of 20 years retired in March. I had 2 choices, 1. Whore myself around for a new Pain Dr. and go through a process I had no desire to do, or 2. Stop the Narcotics, implement some different pain management tools, let my brain reset and see what my real pain was. Not the Nerve pain or the Neurological Pain or the Arthritis pain, the pain that the Morphine actually helped with. So far, I'm still alive. Mornings suck, it takes a while to get the body to move, literally about an hour each morning moving each joint a little at a time to be able to get up from bed. Okay, so I worked that extra time in and added a screaming hot shower in the mornings M -Th when I have to go to the office. I'm using corticosteroid injections in the joints more. I'm using Plasma Rich Platelet Therapy, which is good for Ortho pain. I'm going to try Acupuncture. More Pool therapy. And still have muscle relaxers, NSAIDS, Topicals, TENS unit, other off-label meds.

The thing that really jumped out at me in the Article is this man only wanted drugs, he wasn't doing anything else to try and Manage his pain. The whole thing that hs tobe done is find multiple effective ways to Manage your Pain, regardless of how many drugs you have, as many healthy ways as possible. I've noticed that several of my other illnesses have gotten much better without the large amount of Morphine and Oxycodone in my system. 11 years of this stuff daily has done damage, it's helped me be mobile and managed the pain, but its cost me a Kidney, several Teeth, Liver Disease....its a tradeoff, there's always going to be a price to pay with these meds.

People in Europe who were commenting on the article were talking about Dr.'s offering "Palliative Care" in the lack of Narcotics Options. Palliative Care is end of life care meant to keep you comfortable when you are terminal and there is no other treatment. That's not something that should be mentioned as a treatment for Pain Management.

Jer, if your home more now, try to catch an episode or 2 of the Documentary called, "Drugs Inc." and look at the sheer amounts of prescription narcotics are being sold on the streets.

The laws are harsh and they are rigid but until somehow, something, somewhere gets these street drugs under control, I don't see them getting much better. Hopefully they'll figure out that they need to work the "Drug Problem" side of the problem and the "Legitimate Chronic Pain Need for Medications" side of the problem together, because that's what it's going to take. Someone in Power has to have that "Aha! Moment" and figure out that yeah they may be making small inroads of success into the illegal drug problem, but they've put the price for all of it on our shoulders and it's not our burden to bear.

For the Pharmacy issues, people need to talk to their Pharmacists, get to know them, let them see you as a real person with real illnesses. Because a lot of these stories about Pharmacies are just crap that people are making up and passing around.

None of the new Laws have given Pharmacists or Pharmacist Techs any more power or the Ability to "be the Dr.". They can't demand your blood before they fill your script. And if a Pharmacy refuses to fill your script or doesn't have enough of your med, then they have to give you your written script back so you can take it somewhere else. So far, the Pharmacies in the Hospitals are proving to be the least problematic per all the buzz that's going around.

Jer, when your Pharmacist said that to you I would have just nicely looked at her and asked, "oh, and by what law do you get to take that decision from my Dr. and make it yourself?"

I wish they would just give me a gang of lidocaine and injection needles. I would just numb my lower leg every day and not even need Narcs. I bet that would work well. I hear you on trying other methods. I'm finally going to try a TENS unit and see how that works. I pray It works well enough to discontinue meds. What I have issue with is that this man should have at least been given his regular dose while transitioning into another form of treatment. I would not be not eating without meds, but I definitely would have trouble sleeping. I didn't take an extra pill last night and woke up all night with a sore throbbing leg. Usually my leg is better in bed, but not last night. I doubled up on meds when I woke up today and that finally brought relief. Now I will have to skip a night time dose because I doubled up in the AM.

Some days, no amount of pills will help. That is what really bothers me. I did 1 hour of work yesterday and a trip to the store and it jacked me up bigtime. I know there is no one approach to all of this stuff. I also know that my meds, even when I have extra meds will never end up on the streets. I need them too much. But unfortunately some patients get extra meds and sell them because they need money. One of the patients at my current PM clinic gave me his number 2 years ago asking if I had Norco's to sell him. I never saw him much after that. Maybe they dropped him. I would never fight my doctor if they cut me off meds. I would thank them for helping me and just detox. It would be hell though and I dread not having at least enough pain management to sleep and to have some level of relief. But I would not go all dramatic and like some patients do.

They need to just have certain doctors approved to prescribe meds and then give patients cards that identify them as chronic pain patients with real medical issues and real pain. Then if the limit the doses, at least we will still get something. I know opioids work and I do not have rebound pain, because when I tried some poppy seed tea 2 years ago, it worked so well, I had no pain at all for two whole days. So, it did work. I don't know if I would have eventually developed a tolerance, but I threw the rest away as I could not function all doped up like that. So, meds work for a lot of people. Any how, I hope the tens unit works and then I can detox, or only use the pain meds when I work a few days a week as I don't see how it is possible to walk around with a TENS unit on. I have been avoiding TENS because of money issues and my INS not covering it, not because I am opposed to it. Any how, just remember this man and other when you say your prayers each night. May he never be forgotten.

That was the other thing that bothered me about the Article, it was completely one-sided....there was no quote from a Dr. or PA or Nurse from the Clinic that closed, the Reporter didn't even mentioning having a desire to get the "whole" story and see what they had to say. Historically when I've seen those types of stories....only one side is given for a reason, so we don't have a clue if he followed his contract or abused his meds or followed the Rules.

On the TENS unit, yes you can wear it and walk around with it. When I was dead in the thick of knee surgeries and having a surgery on each knee every 6 - 8 months for a couple of years, I always had a TENS unit on to make sure there was know Nerve atrophy or deadening of Nerves. Mine were getting chopped up in surgery so much they had to stay stimulated and it helped keep them in decent shape.

I'd put my receptor sticky pads on then put my knee brace on over them, the wires would come up out the top and the actual unit clipped on my belt of my jeans. It was never a problem.

LOL..I was standing in line at the Market one day, I usually only had 1 crush for stability and I was just waiting to check out. I had shorts on so I had a black neoprene-like brace with metal hinges on each side and the wires coming out the top and going up under my T-shirt, where they disappeared.

This lil guy was with his mom and he way 5ish and had been staring, but finally worked up the courage to speak, and looked up at me and said, "Do you have a bionic leg like the six million dollar man??' I just laughed and said I wish. And yes I realize most people this Board won't have a clue who the Six Million Dollar Man was...*Sigh* I'm old I admit it!

I got my current TENS unit at Rite Aid for $45 and it works as well as any I ever got from a Dr.'s office. They have several options to choose from and aren't very expensive, you might want to check them out.

Kat

You should start using FECO (cannabis concentrate) it will do your body good over the long run. I hope you find some relief.

Also have you looking into biofeedback therapy? You may find that very helpful.

I might try the cannabis. I would love a lotion that worked on the leg directly. I don't believe much in mind over body, but I have read about biofeedback in physiology class. Apparently, some people can slow their heart rate with their mind. I'm too dumb to do this lol.

It is serious, Blizzard. Unfortunately, people have to take their own lives to get this country to wake up. I just wish that the media would stop placing patients in pain with those suffering from addictions. They are 2 completely different diseases!

I can only pray that there are some positive changes soon for those of us suffering in seriously difficult pain.
Found a story you might find interesting:

http://nationalpainreport.com/with-more-people-killing-themselves-what-to-do-8836496.html

Sending positive energy and healing out to you all.

I have been on palliative care.
( as originally recommended by Pain Management, and referred by GP.

They explained it as for people with ( usually pretty serious, but not necessarily fatal) conditions, from which there is no hope of recovery/ likely worsening.
( it is required, here, that you be homebound.
Also. It does not have to lead to hospice care.

In fairness, I will die from one of my conditions. ( if I don't kill myself in s freak home accident first

I agree. I just heard from my pharmacist that medicare is no covering my pain medicine because I get an anti-anxiety med from another doctor. I have been taking both for years. No warning. Now I have to wait for pain management to call back pharmacy. Meanwhile out of pain med because I can't fill it early. Yes paranoia about opioids is going too far!

Vieledlady, Meficare's new policy is not suppose to go into effect until Jan 1, 2019. It includes benzodiazepines, Gabapentin and other drugs that potentiate opiates. Medicare did not say they would not cover the combinations. They said they would evaluate those combinations. It can depend on the dosage of opiates and other drugs.

Beginning January 1, 2019 Medicare will contact the doctor before filling an opiate prescriptions that exceeds a certain daily dosage limit. Originally, Medicare had wanted to refuse to fill these prescriptions. But, after comments from the public in the federal register. Medicare changed it to contacting the doctor

I personally try hard as hell not to deal with Government ran programs. I don't know how this will end with Medicare. With as many patients out there who have co-morbid illnesses that exist between the Medical and Mental world, there are many who have Psych meds RX'd from a Pdoc and pain meds RX'd from an M.D. of some type. These won't just go away because the government says so.

This is one of the more ridiculous decisions that have come out of this whole mess.

Just as a thought....if your pharmacist unlawfully tries to make you "choose" which med they'll fill. Anxiety meds tend to be less expensive than most pain meds, and there is a Progam called "Good RX" that gets you a really good discount price.

I just put in Klonopin, and it can be gotten at several pharmacies for as low as $9.50.

Its not a card, you go to the site, "goodrx.com" put in the medication you need and they'll give you the lowest price from several pharmacies, then you print out your coupon and take it to the pharmacy.

Sorry, I know its not the perfect solution, but it may help you in the short term until some of this crazyiness is settled.

Take care,
kat