Wow, PRN is closing! That is a shame! I don't know all of the details, but I know how you feel..... I couldn't get into the link that you provided, but let me see if I can find it. I am in absolute schock!!

glad to hear from you and your reply. How are you? I been ill, meds stopped digesting , had to change back to an older one, but some DT's and a lot of pain before I had it figured out. Tired , but I will try to get on more often this week. my man will be out of town on a Union training trip for the next week so I should be weller and have time on my hands. How's Tami?? Ever hear from Doc Alex or Siobahn from PRN?? any who ... Lots of love and well wishes
Stubborn T
ralop

I couldn't get on the link either and I am not familar with PRN. Your post itself says alot though. I too have found it hard to get treated for my CP because drs fear the DEA and they sure haven't been afraid to tell me so. It's a real shame that things are this way. Pain meds were created for people that have pain and that is that important thing, not the scroundrels that go around abusing them!

Thanks for the post

http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/drugs/senate-bill-would-require-doctor-training-to-fight-prescription-drug-abuse

Maybe this link will work??

politics are never a easy situation as some people read into it different. I see it as a good thing for doctors to learn who needs meds and who does not maybe alot of under medicated people will get the proper help and doctors are not just guessing what they need or worse not prescribing anything because they have no idea on what to do so they do nothing.

I think criminals who steal controlled substances and sell them on the streets which make our life so difficult should go to jail longer, I just wish there was a way that the tax payers did not have to foot the bill and make us go in debt more as a country.

The problem with funding groups to learn how to get rid of certain diseases or finding cures in CP is that the country as a whole has so limited funds and it seems that they fund more of the big ones HIV, Cancer, Etc and CP seems so little compared to people dying from the other ones so I can understand that is why funding goes to them, not fair but I understand.

Chronic pain is a huge national disease problem with many on disability as they can no longer work for a living. we are paying for millions of people in the US to be in pain, Yes docs need education as does the public and patients but when you use a bill together with 4 different issues bound into one bill it is difficult to get the real deal and real truth behind the issues really taken care of. The more educated I get the more of a threat I become to those who are only using our medical demise to make a buck for more prisons. If the medical community was not being threatened with excuses and criminal offenses they could focus on weeding out "pill Mill Clinics and addicts who do not need the treatments or meds for pain. It is not expensive nor difficult to tell the diff between most legitimate chronic pain patients and addicts with a problem or people selling their not needed medications for money on the streets to pay their bills. The issues are not difficult to deal with when separated from each other. when they are all enmeshed together it only creates more problems not any solutions/ Politics and policing agencies need to stick to their work and not attempt to regulate criminals through the medical community. I see such simple solutions that are not more than common sense and clear headed thinking. Keep it simple and solutions are easy to find. The DEA and government is using serious human rites issues and constitutional rites issues with a fear factor and criminal prosecution to get what the want and using our legitimate life issues and realities to bully us into getting their way and their paychecks. If they weren't attemping to put innocent docs and pain patients in prison with criminal acts themselves I could get behind some of the logic. At this point there is too much proof that the real criminals are getting away with calling themselves senators, DEA educators and the criminals who have always gotten away with selling and doing dope are still getting away with it and the only people suffering right now are the innocent ones. Its really a sad state our world is still in with greed and selfishness and lies still winning in the end. It all makes my stomach feel sick and my heart heavy with sadness when there is enough wealth in this world where no one need suffer much at all anymore from most of what we call the issues on the evening news. SAD. IN Love Light Truth Not my Truth Or their Truth but the Truth & Service,
Stubborn TerrieAnn

You want to know who the real criminals are? You want to know how 70% of americans can not afford insurance? Because the big pharma and the insurance lobby give millions of dollars to the political campaigns of the senator/congressman/president that will side with them, and then pass laws that will "wink-wink" benefit them, so those to me are the real darn criminals!!!!!

Here's a story for your reading pleasure.........

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2004/october/break_the_insurance_.php

This is really scary. When I was young, many CP;ers took their lives because of the horror of constant pain.

First our ins gets to control what meds we are allowed to take, now the DEA gets to control who is allowed to use pain meds.

I am really tired of fighting this disease already. I am tired of the constant fear,. This is no way to live.

Great article Tipper:)

Quote for the article........"To support grassroots groups, Dority said that Americas Agenda: Healthcare for All will utilize TV, radio, print media and the Internet to mount creative and coordinated truth campaigns. Business leaders, physicians, elected officials, labor leaders and universal health care campaign activists will be effective messengers of truth about the costs and benefits of specific health reform proposals. We will counter the insurance lobbyists by taking the truth to the American people, said Dority."

Now that is fantastic:):)........Only see one MAJOR problem:(:(

The article was written Oct 10, 2004.....................2004..............Wonder what happened:(:(:(:(

This issue has become such a dangerous one for those of us who truly suffer from CP & take our prescribed medications responsibly & without addiction, abuse, or selling what would be our quality of life away.
Doctors already have a national network but I've found many don't use it. It's an online system that only healthcare professionals can use to monitor patients that do doctor shop or are also getting scripts from more than one doctor going to different pharmacies to fill them. These people harm us greatly however if only the good doctors out there would use this site more to take the time to ensure they are treating true CP patients, they wouldn't have to worry so much so I feel that check & balance system is already in place through the DEA at a cheap cost. If a doctor doesn't feel it's worth the time to use it, they are putting both their patients and license at risk as they could have a staff member do this work.
I do know one pain doctor I had a very long time ago had in my chart what day I got my script, when it was due, and even had the records of when I picked them up all in my chart. I'm sure he felt comfortable seeing that I wasn't running out to the pharmacy the same day my meds were due and sometimes would be 2 to 3 days beyond that date. For some, they have to follow this date schedule as some states have changed laws for any prescription that if you don't fill it on the date due, you can't get it filled at all along with getting only the needed amount or less than if the pain is worse and they might run one day short bc of it before they have a chance to speak to their doctor about it if at all.
These pill mills should be closed by now. I know FL is touted to be the worst state & laws have been changed however watching a couple of very recent documentaries, I found these places are still in business & even have signs on their doors stating; "Walk ins Welcome" which is something I've never seen before.
I am blessed to have gone back to my 1st pm doctor ever who is involved locally in training doctors and police to spot drug seekers yet hasn't gone as far to think or feel he has any problems with the DEA because he is one of the good ones.
I was trapped in a horrible pm place that wasn't like that at all when I started going there & it took me 2yrs to get out of it bc I couldn't find a doctor to accept Medicare until I found my 1st pm doctor again.
I started seeing what I knew were drug seekers at this horrible place feeling like I was going to look bad for even having to go there. I explained it all to my good doctor who informed me after over 11yrs then, I no longer belonged in pm & found a wonderful Internal Medicine Doctor who does have the training to treat CP patients even tho that is not her largest group of patients.
When I read this bill stating how doctors must be educated, I feel like it truly a statement from the DEA of "We must put more fear into you as a doctor" vs just going after the bad ones.
I know there are hopefully more and more better treatment options coming or that exist to help with CP but there is a safe and acceptable need for the use of opiates to treat CP in a humane way without being looked at as guilty until proven innocent.
Tipper is also right as it is Big Pharma and the lobbyist who are putting money in the pockets of politicians for what their agendas are. They want the ability to keep making these pain meds that generate a lot of money for their companies yet with both the FDA and the DEA getting more & more control of running their businesses, it will be good doctors and the people in CP that don't need further discrimination that will pay for it all in the worst possible ways.