Great article! I commend you for speaking out and to let you know that you have more supporters than you realize. As as medical professional, I see far too often patients taking powerful narcotics for an ache or pain that could be relieved by alternative methods. Patients are now requesting these drugs and refuse to take anything less, and also “doctor shop” until they get their drug of choice. Physicians need to be a little more vigilant in this growing epidemic and refuse to become “drug pushers” for the pharmaceutical companies. I am shocked that the attorneys of this country have not JUMPED on this opportunity. $$$$

We need more research to better understand pain mechanisms and to more effectively diagnose and treat chronic pain.

Rather than vilifying doctors who are trying to relieve suffering, please focus your energy on the need for research.

People have pain, there is nothing worse than pain.

On behalf of the countless over-weight middle aged people with back pain, grandmothers with bursitis and young people with a minor or major injury, also those suffering acute pain as a result of maybe Cancer Symptoms, Peripheral neuropathy, Fibromyalgia, Spinal stenosis, and the list can go on and on, I would like to ask this good doctor, for these millions of suffering souls, what amazing alternatives will he be announcing to the world? Or is the fine doctor on the verge of stating that all that these millions of hypochondriacs need is a little exercise, more sleep and a better diet to know the magnificent wonders and good fortune of being without pain?

My Regards to all

While I acknowledge that there is a problem in this country and most likely the world regarding the abuse and diversion of this class of drugs called Opioids. People have died and people have become addicted. BUT let’s look at some of the factors that led to this issue:

1. the media is partly to blame…as they sensationalized the Oxycontin abuse that occured in the appalachin mountains where some bored individuals decided to experiment with gramma’s medicines. Some got high and some died..and many got addicted. BUT the Media let everyother young person and addict out there know just how to do it…crush and snort… who knew….not my chronic pain patients and not my Hospice patients. they do not get high, nor do they get addicted and they do not die from the opioids…they get Pain relief and increased quality of life and in some cases these drugs were life saving as their only other option to excape their excruciating pain was to end their life. Happily they did not have to commit suicide to find relief and lived out the remainder of their life, more comfortable and able to enjoy life.

2. Healthcare Providers are not educated about the complex nature of pain and how to assess and treat it. they are in fear of their license being revoked due to the War on Drugs which has victimized both the person in pain and their healthcare provider.

3. organized crime has somehow been able to divert millions of doses of these drugs before they ever get to a legitimate pharmacy. BUT no news media will cover that angle of the story.

Persistent Pain is a horrible master….it is a thief that steals your life one function at a time…until it finally steals your soul and you wish for death to end the pain.

I believe that Pain is VERY complex and requires complex solutions…the opioid medications ar but one part of the equation…but for some these medications are life saving. It allows them to explore other options to reduce their pain…it allows them to concentrate and learn how to control thier pain using multimodal treatments (which by the way, most insurance companies do not cover).

I have chronic pain. I do not overuse my medication but I know it is there if the pain gets out of control on any given day. I use a lot of non-pharmacological types of strategies and treatments that I have learned over the years as a Pain management nurse. I teach my clients to use these same strategies. Some are on Opioids and some are not on any analgesics (pain relievers). I work full time plus volunteer my time with both state and national pain advocacy organizations to increase education and awareness of the 75 million people who live in pain on a daily basis.

The undertreatment of pain is a national Public Health crisis. Abuse, diversion and addiction to prescription drugs is on the rise. BUT I dare to venture a guess that most of the abuse, diversion and addiction is not among the persons with persistent pain but among the street addicted population and the teens who have discovered a new avenue to get their jollies…from Mom and Gramma’s medicine cabinet…and it is on the street. I also venture a guess that even if you stopped all the prescriptions written for opioids there would still be a problem on the street because they (the addicts) have always been able to find a new source for their habit. 10 – 18% of the general population is addicted. Let’s focus on this 10 -18% and find a solution to this problem BUT let’s leave the persons in pain alone…

We treat animals with more compassion than we do persons in pain.
All we who are in pain want is Compassion, respect and just access to appropriate pain care and treatment.

Just remember, We are all one illness, one accident away from living with persistent unrelieved pain. Pain is an equal opportunity affliction!

For more information about how you can get involved in advocating for more balanced pain and drug policies and treatment for those in pain…go to http://www.painfoundation.org

Dionetta Hudzinski
State Leader – Power Over Pain Action Network

I will log into our account and see about blocking sites that offer to sell dangerous prescription drugs online. Yes, we want our readers to have respect for us and our content. Thanks again for asking a great question and opening our eyes to this issue.

Regards,

Everett Sizemore
Editor – US Recall News

Great job as always, Larry.

Melissa
http://www.harmd.org
Helping America Reduce Methadone Deaths

Do you want anyone to have any respect for you?

As far as the drugs themselves, I’ve been on them all and just stopped most, including Vicodin. No withdrawal this time but a few years it was like hitting a brick wall. I also am a Prozac survivor (2 days now) after about 20 years of SSRI’s and other garbage. I told my doctor I was just going to fill up some pill shells with Nutrasweet and take that instead.

I think Prozac had a 47 percent efficacy rate and the placebo had a 43 percent affect. Wow, billions for a lousy 4 percent???? Of course the clinical trials are way too short.

When I saw my psychiatrist last week, there were more drug reps in his office than patients. As I walked into his office, I said “I guess the drug reps get priority over your patients.” Then I told him that they are probably making more money than he. Finally, I gave him that English study that said SSRI’s are completely worthless. He read one of 9 pages.

And the first 75 percent of the Zyprexa patients who got diabetes made $87,000 each and all I got was $5,000. How can a company afford to shell out close to a BILLION DOLLARS in law suit money and still make big profits? Oh and by the way, 30 Zyprexa pills ran about $800 here.

And another thing I like is how mental hospitals will eat up every penny of your insurance maximum and then throw you back on the street.

No more. I want to see what life is really like.

As Paul McCartney would say, “The movement you need is on your shoulder.”