The Prescription Drug Abuse Caucus – What Does It Mean to Chronic Pain Sufferers?

[UglyGreed]

From Washington comes word that a U.S. Senate Prescription Drug Abuse Caucus is being formed to raise awareness about the issue. West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin and South Carolina Republican Tim Scott made the announcement and are inviting other Senators to join.

PrescriptionsThat Senator Manchin is leading this isn’t a surprise. He spoke at the National Prescription Drug Abuse Summit in Atlanta in April and claimed that West Virginia has the highest mortality rate of overdose deaths – 29 people per 100,000 and said that “ninety percent of the overdoses are really coming from prescription drugs.”

This latest development is another example of what concerns some medical and thought leaders in the area of chronic pain – which affects 100 million Americans. Daniel Bennett, MD, DABPM, who is a practicing interventional spine/pain medicine physician from Denver, Colorado, is one of those leaders.

“What pain doctors and patients worry about is whether this emphasis on one problem- prescription drug abuse – is being undertaken at the expense of millions of people who need these medications in order to combat their chronic pain, living life as normal a as possible,” said Dr. Bennett, who also serves as chief executive officer of the newly re-launched National Pain Foundation.


http://nationalpainreport.com/the-prescription-drug-abuse-caucus-what-does-it-mean-to-chronic-pain-sufferers-8826244.html

[CountAllVotes]

1. Cold Turkey ...

Has got me on the run ...

I give up. They love to piss test sick people.

FUCK THEM ALL!!

[nashville_brook]

2. they're terrorizing pain patients to score political points.

it's the lowest form of scumbaggery.

[UglyGreed]

3. update after I stopped taking pain medication six months ago

This is after being advised that my low dose of oxycodone was at the root of my continued problems stemming from Hydrocephalus. Of course that was not the problem and after months of testing (including hearing tests which has proven that I indeed suffered hearing loss and require a hearing aid after shunt surgery) I am even worse now than I was before. I go for another shunt adjustment in a week with hopes it may help with my headaches, dizziness and other complications from water on the brain. On top of this my neuropathic pain from the failed back surgeries and the eleven herniated discs in my lower lumbar and cervical spine is running amok. Treated as if I'm a drug addict and hypochondriac is no way to treat someone who has documented proof of the health problems I have endured over half my life. Sorry for the rant but sometimes I got to let all out.

[CountAllVotes]

4. I can totally relate!

Chronic pain since 1984 and no, it is not any better and no, nothing can be done. Throw in DX of M.S. 20 years ago and now I am a criminal, that is right, a criminal!

FUCK ALL OF THEM.

I've thrown their sh*t into the cat litter where it belonged a long long time ago. What are they going to do to me next?

As for you, I totally understand where you are at and yes, IT MAKES ME SICK!!!!

[UglyGreed]

5. I joined the club in 1991

I had hopes back then that the medical community would find answers but sad to say it has gotten worse as time goes on. I laugh now when someone says what does not kill you just makes you stronger

[CountAllVotes]

6. As a Chippewa medicine man told me ...

Really get into the pain. Really experience the total pain and learn to embrace it and to love it.

Some of the truest words I ever heard spoken and said medicine man suffered horribly as a crippled survivor of polio.

[UglyGreed]

7. My problem is

what I call Whack a Mole syndrome, I learn to deal with one thing and then something new pops up

[cali]

8. I am so sorry. what a nightmare.

[UglyGreed]

10. Thank you

cali, I know you have to deal with your own chronic pain issues. Even though I don't take the medication at this time I do not want to see others be neglected or coerced into feeling that they are the problem.

[woodsprite]

9. You may want to keep an eye on this study

It's written up in an article called "Blood to Feeling: Scientists turn adult human blood cells into neurons"

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150521120919.htm

My son has to do a current weekly health or science article review, and he said he was drawn to this one due to my having problems getting even low dose pain killers for my broken, dislocated shoulder. Considering how short term my problem was and thinking about how many other people are troubled with chronic and neuropathic pain.

I can only imagine the uphill battle for someone who consistently needs pain control in order to function. My situation is only temporary, but it seems they won't write a script for me for more than a few days and never for the same thing twice. They've thrown various things at me - from Oxycontin for a few days out from the ER (made me feel horrible) to Oxycodone 5/325 (worked great), to Hydrocodone 5/325 (worked well - not as good as the Oxycodone, but almost). Had an anxiety attack with this last stuff (Tramadol), so for now, I say screw the meds and I'll just grit my teeth and work through it with Tylenol, Advil, TENS, heat and ice. I don't understand the change yet again when the Hydrocodone worked great and I only really needed it every other day or two after an intense PT session.

[UglyGreed]

12. Thank you for the link

I read that article the other day. it is an amazing breakthrough and I hope they have success in giving those who suffer from neuropathic pain some type of relief. I hope you overcome your shoulder problems but please be careful with Tylenol and Advil because as you probably know it can cause great harm to your stomach and liver. If your problem persists you could also try acupuncture and massage. When I first hurt my back it did help me a great deal.

[ohheckyeah]

11. I live

In pain and have for over 40 years. I refuse to be treated like a criminal. I totally understand the whackamole comment. Most recently I had a stroke (you don't hear a lot about the pain of a stroke) to add to the pain of a rod and screws in my back, fibromyalgia, and Interstitial cystitis.

[UglyGreed]

13. Thanks for the reply

sorry to hear about stroke on top of your other problems. We should not be ashamed to speak up about the problems we face. I don't look for sympathy but I don't see why it is a problem to expect some understanding and empathy from those who we trust with our well being.

[ohheckyeah]

14. Not. only

is it impossible to get anything for pain, I can't take any narcotic pain killers I have tried because they affect my bladder adversely. It's maddening. In addition, Virginia will be one of the last states to legalize medical marijuana.