Big Pharma's Lockdown On Legitimate Chronic Pain Patients (Page 4)
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Is narcotic pain medicine becoming a thing of the past?

Why are doctors across America phasing out the practice of prescribing effective pain medication?

Will big pharmaceutical companies ever truly understand what it's like to face the other side of the coin?

Lately there's been a musty scent in the air surrounding the use of prescribed narcotic pain medication. Many doctors appear to be running scared as the DEA scours through fields of medical records, inspecting prescribing pads like a mouse scavenges for food in a dimly lit cellar.

Should the day come when doctors recommend Ibuprofen to a feeble man who's been involved in a terrible car accident (breaking several bones / requiring extensive surgery), is this doctor at risk of malpractice when there are more effective options available that they choose not to pick, out of fear? Fear of what? Doing the right thing? No, I don't think this is the reason... Somewhere along the line, in the not too distant past, doctors were loosely prescribing narcotic pain medication as if it would never go out of style. Nowadays, the harsh penalty of potentially losing their license for writing any unknown number of opiate prescriptions over so many calendar days or some other form of strict criteria, has been enough to prevent many physicians from taking even subtle "risks" with patients who are expressing obvious signs of pain and discomfort.

The unfortunately unique problem with pain is that it's not a physical object and in order for others to detect it, they'd have to rely solely on the backbone of our body language using their intuition - something that's gone missing in western practice. If more doctors took the time and really got to know their patients front to back, then they will be their own best judge of deciding what the right thing to do is, regardless of what the DEA thinks about their decision or what their drug representative wants out of the deal. Sadly, until patients are put before profits, the foundation of America's healthcare system remains in jeopardy like an iceberg affected by global warming.

While I believe that the vast majority of human beings in their right mind would choose to do the right thing, we must all work together to become the change we wish to see within every aspect of our lives; and knowing that by doing so, it will shine light on those crossing our path that need it most.

In the meantime, some patients may have to find another way to manage their pain without putting their life or health at risk. Others are turning to natural alternatives such as kratom, cannabis, turmeric and/or implementing various lifestyle changes into their daily regime... But the key is to never give up hope.

What will you do?

Warm regards to all who face life's challenges head on.

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Re: C (# 1456)

Bull S**T! This is NOT Trump's fault! Puleeeeeze! The DEA became involved with pain patients and doctors under Obozo's time and the pill mills and all that started under doofus Bush's time! All these Trump haters will "reach" at any dang little thing to put him down. The truth IS, Trump has done MORE for this country than any other president in the past 50 years!

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Re: John K. (# 1478)

I've heard also that since most states are now legalizing weed that this is the reason they've stuck their noses in opiates because this is job security for them! Also, I think anyone's a damn fool if they don't think some of these cops and DEA agents aren't dipping their hands into the drugs and money that they confiscate.

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Re: Cliff J (# 1480)

But this is how a lot of these people got started on heroin, they were once prescribed narcotic pain medication. When the government started clamping down on the doctors they weren't getting it anymore because they probably didn't really need it in the first place. It all started w/ big pharma telling doctors it wasn't addictive so doctors were prescribing very freely. It was a whole snowball effect. Instead of getting help with their addiction they went to heroin. Narcotic addiction is very hard to break, it's like you become a newborn baby after years and years of use you don't even know how to live w/o them. When you abuse the medication as many did, they were escaping reality and their feelings. It's a rude awakening for these people to come back to life so to speak.

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Re: Cliff J (# 1480)

The problem started when doctors were prescribing oxycontin to anyone who came in complaining of pain, even young people once they got a taste of them from stealing it or buying it from someone who stole it. Word got out among the druggies and before you know it people were on it everywhere. Doctors weren't concerned with MRI's, Cat scans, xrays, etc..because they were told by big pharma that this medication was not addicting. They weren't prescribing small amounts either, they were prescribing large amounts and to some people who really didn't even have pain. Some of these people were staying wasted out of their minds and of course they became addicted, physically and mentally. I say this because I've actually seen it from some people close to me. These people dropped out of life so to speak. No responsibilities to tend to since they were on SSD. It really was out of control with the amounts some people were getting and of course being irresponsible with them, some over dosed and died, like a LOT over dosed and died and this is when the government stepped in. There was clearly a major problem but this was nearly 10 year ago. A lot of these people turned to heroin when the government stepped in, they had no choice they were so addicted. You'd have to be a very strong person mentally to stop on your own or replace the addiction with another drug or alcohol. Doctors were also very freely prescribing methadone as a pain reliever, not anymore! What do these people do when methadone is actually a drug to help you wean off of drugs?! So, what to do about a methadone addiction? Suboxone? I don't know. One thing we all know now is, doctors are very strict with prescribing and with the quantities as well. Not just anyone with a twinge of pain can get narcotic pain medication anymore. You better have plenty of proof in the form of tests if you are getting medication and this is the way it should have been all along. I see people on social media complaining all the time wanting their opiates back, well if they had proof of a serious painful disease then it would not have ever been taken away. I do think it's a huge problem when doctors aren't prescribing after surgeries or dental extractions, this is so wrong! I hear about a lot of doctors lying to patients too, telling them that it's against the law for them to prescribe, it is not, that is a blatant lie. If you have serious pain issues you will get medication but you have to have proof and you won't be getting hundreds of them like some people were in the past. Let's be realistic here, no one needs to be on 20 to 40 pills a day and the people I know were actually taking that many. One would not survive if they were in that kind of pain 24/7, the high blood pressure alone would kill them from the pain.

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When the doctors stop telling us it's laws that the GOVERNMENT are making are preventing them from writing pain medication prescriptions, laws that the American citizen had no input into, then I will stop bringing my opinions about the politicians and the policies/guidelines they are imposing on us Warriorls I I believe it is one important aspect on why all of this is happening that we have been discussing. So why leave that part of the issue alone?
Just my 2¢ Worth... Meaner (# 1482) --

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Re: C (# 1477)

Dear ones... debating is a good thing; to hear & acknowledge other’s different points of view/facts to weigh the info good/bad to ultimately come to an informed conclusion along w/research one way or the other.

Whatever your views may be, you are both admired for taking the time to care about our AMERICA as there are so many who could care less &/or just “hive” to the popular trend/hype of the moment.

Thks for your input but...

PLEASE NO POLITICAL TALK ON THIS SITE! This is a place for as it is named MEDSCHAT. All of us CP PATIENTS need this site to keep us unified as CHRONIC PAIN WARRIORS.

Blessings to all.

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Re: Mejane (# 1471)

You are so right on the effectiveness of medication being decreased. A generic only needs to be 80% as effective as the original version which further reduces the dose patients are currently prescribed. Lowering doses may not be the worst idea but in my case and most others the tapering will lead to ending the use of the opioid completely with no treatment plan going forward. So we do what we are told, follow doctors orders (really government orders) and at the end find there is no plan for managing our pain. That is a huge problem. Many will turn to illegal drugs or buying from unreliable sources putting them at a greater risk. There was no plan for how to handle patients once the opioids were taken away. Our rights as citizens have been violated and no one involved in making these decisions cares about the outcome.

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Re: C (# 1477)

I do not know if you do not use spell check, a dictionary, just don’t care or what but the word that you are looking for is nepotism. However, that issue aside the opioid issue is a political hot button right now. People of all political stripes are coming down on pain pills when it is street heroin and street fentanyl that is the real issue. Normal street people cannot get a handle on the issue so they tasked it out on the chronic pain patient. The chronic pain patient is not the issue but it is so easy to go after them so that is what is pursued. It is like arresting a totally innocent person for a crime they did not commit. The pendulum seems to be swinging back in the other direction but we will see. Anytime a different party wins an election people do not like what the new administration is doing. I do not know what a different party would do but put other people in. Then there would be those that disagreed with their choices.

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Re: John K. (# 1478)

I did some searching on Google and it would seem that the department of Justice is someone who can oversee the DEA. Other than that they're right up there with the FBI, department of Homeland security and all the rest. Scary stuff.

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Some of the recent verbiage on this site has been really stimulating! As for me personally, it gets my mental processes moving along! As I dig deep into my memory banks, I recall some of the mandatory government classes I took as an undergrad. The term "bipartisan" comes immediately to mind. The classical definition says something about two entities, (political affiliates), working together, with one party keeping in check, the activities of the other.

In theory, as one side gets a taste of the ultimate aphrodisiac, (power), the other is there to restore the balance. Given our current state of affairs, and the apparent unlimited lust to control the aged, infirmed, and those victims of the War On Pharmacology, whose watching the hounds in the DEA?

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w john (# 1475) --

I remember now. She couldn't take the cabinet post because it would be a true Neputisim , and Congress passed laws after the Kennedy did it.
So now she's just an advisor with an office I the west wing... Kelky Ann Conway ended up taking on the task... But she's not qualified either..we need someone with a medical background ....you see what's happening.... People have killed themselves because they were cut off... even Vets. I have a neighbor who is In rough shape....cut him totally on his meds.. and the VA Refuses to Perscribe anything... He smokes A LOT of cannabis..and i mean a lot.... It's so sad. Just saying it should have been a professional...not someone listening from some one say. Just fix it. Turn off the Tap and that will kinda do it huh. Thing is..it's not us.... It's kids on cheap street drugs....get THAT through their heads.

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C (# 1471) --Even if President Trump said that his daughter was going to lead a task force what in the hell is bad about that? I can’t find any evidence of him saying that but if I take your word for it (without any PROOF) there is sure not anything wrong with it. It is supposedly a task force not policy written in blood. Btw, Ivanka is way more liberal than her father so, from a liberals viewpoint she would be the one that anyone that leans left would want.

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C (# 1471) --
i would suggest you go to cdc web site & find earlistnotation of opiod restrictive perscribing you will find that it is dated during the osamabama presidency ... thus it was inherited (just like cages for kids (also osamabama idea) so look stuff up & get the info correct b4 posting it ..... or do you work for cnn

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Re: C (# 1472)
You have some nerve to start a conversation and post your lies and then call out someone else when they respond to your baloney. From now on do not start a conversation that is off topic and then get mad when you get called out. You didn’t seem to have any trouble posting an answer when you had one. Now YOU get lost loser.

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Re: w john (# 1468)

Was driving to work..not parked on here.like you i guess.. take your anger elsewhere

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Re: w john (# 1469)

The president said on TV when he was questioned about the Opiod war and what he was going to do about it.
His response was my daughter Ivanka is going to lead a task force to help.
I heard him say it and don't have any reason to lie.
Stop chopping down like he's the best because he's not ..
She is on his cabinet in the white house so why not ?
This ia the same thing when bill Clinton was president and his wife headed up healthcare....SAME THING ....she didn't know anything about it as with Ivanka...
Go loosen your skirt pal..
You made this post more political then anyone...callinf people demorats and misspelling Obamas name like. 5 the grade school girl

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Re: Hop (# 1464)

Thku for sharing this with us. Almost word for word I’m in same situation. To put the icing on the cake what we have been tapered down while trying to adapt...the medicine we are prescribed has been reformulated to where it’s as if we are taking placebo sugar pills! It’s despicable. No relief & horrible side effects.

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Re: C (# 1467)
While you continue to toss insults I have asked you repeatedly to show me any proof or evidence of Ivanka Trumps involvement and you have shown nothing. Typical of people that only have words and can’t back them up. I researched it for you and I cannot find anything on even the most liberal search engines. Even after going back 7 pages. If you are going to post something at least TRY and post FACTS and not just your emotional rants. And I am (according to YOU) am not grown up and a 5th grader. I never posted anything political until you started posting your lies about our President.

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Re: C (# 1467)

...and you cannot even SPELL Libertarian!!!

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Re: C (# 1467)
And of course there was dead silence from you when I asked for facts.

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