Saw on ABC News last night a segment on the government wanting to stop the amount of pain meds being prescribe by PM Drs., Dentists, ect. The US uses 80% of total pain meds prescribe worldwide.

People with really bad tooth acks, broken arms, back pain and more are going to be told to suck it up and take aspirin.

I hope this does not inter-fer with everyones treatments.

Anyone else seen this.

According to the facts giving to the Drug Zar. the United States uses 80% of world wide narcotic pain meds.

Maybe this is due to many injured vets. coming home disabled from the war with wounds and receiving the help needed to cope with their pain.

Also if you live in Fl. they have more pain clients then 7-Elevens because there are more elderly people living there than in other countries.

The disable and elderly in the USA have paid the price by giving to this country and are owed the very best health care that we can give them for the rest of their life.

We need to stop the abuse the Feds put in place that allows the addicts to take full advantage of by abusing system at tax payers expense.

The Fed needs to stop putting fear into our pain managed doctors so we can get the proper pain treatment need nothing more noting less. Let the PM Drs. take care of their patience without big brother breathing down their backs. I need and want my PM Dr. to be able to address my pain problems and care for them as best as possible.

The Feds need to go after the drug companies advertising old drugs as new pain meds. Every night from 5:00p.m. on 7 out of 10 adds are for drugs. The drug companies keep coming up with new drugs as fast as the come up with new supportively new health issues. There are more new sin-drones each month to keep up with the new drugs. ENOUGH ALREADY.

Lets stop this madness and the rest should take care of its self.

Iam a vet, I am a C/P patient, My doc wants to totally change a 13 year regiman, send me to a pain clinic,(an hour away - yes they have a shuttle) the paperwork says it is voluntary - I no longer go to the VA - I got Medicaid and get treated far better. I have NO use for a doctor that thinks he is god and Yell's - yes you heard right and will not answer questions, like I am an idiot. I know more about my conditions then he does. I got SSI very quickly, I should report him but I have learned not to rock the boat - BE AWARE - A lot of docs check this and other boards so be careful what you say.
Luck
alex44

I don't know about the statement about old drugs being played off as pain meds. I take 2 "epilepsy" meds for nerve pain and the relief is SO much better than what I get from my Morphine OR the Fentanyl patch that I wear. I have herniated & badly degenerated discs at 3 levels. The ones in my neck cause me to have horrific headaches, and cause pain AND numbness to radiate out my shoulder and down to my fingertips. Were it not for Topomax and Zonisamide (both of which cause weight loss-- yay!) I would be in bad shape. I only have numbness in the very tips of my fingers and my arm feels pretty good. No headaches either! I'm pretty glad to be taking those meds that are meant for other things but had surprising side effects.

Yes, I know about what the Gov. is doing with pain meds. I do live in fla. and it is very true that you can go doctor shopping which is horrible to do. This state has a bad rep. because there are doctors who do this and know they are doing wrong by their patients. I could have gone to one of these places, a few are less than a mile away. I chose a real pain specialist. I will gladly give my thumb print, and prove I do not abuse if I have to. I hate giving up more of my personal information, but these meds do need to be regulated more. I see the results down here, and how the good doctors now have to be so carefull. I hope my doctor does watch me and what I say on this site. I really don't keep secrets from him at all. maybe they should hearhat we have to say. I think there are real reasons for taking these opiod meds. People truely need them to have some quality of life. That is the issue as stake. Good doctors are being more carefull because the regulators are breathing down their necks. It only takes a few bad apples to spoil the whole bunch. ginnie

This is also a problem in Australia where prescriptions are not recorded and analysed, so doctor and chemist shopping is easy.
Pseudo-ephedrine -used to make drugs at home-is monitored and so it is able to be controlled to a large extent.
There is talk of a national data-bank of prescriptions for pain killers as well, as oxycontin is a big problem.
I think it's a good idea. The doctor can check up on your record, as can the chemist.

Hey alex44, First let me thank you for your service to this country! What priority group were you in at the VA Medical Center.

With a large amount of men and women coming back from Iraq & Afghanistan with medical needs they drop lower groups to make room, it's not by choice they just don't have the funds.

However no one Vet or not should get subsrandard treatment or treated with disrespect; the VA Medical center has a patient care office not only to report your lack of respectiful treatment but also has a patient advocate.

I go to a truly wonderful VA Medical Center and have a great medical team, who not only treat me with the utmost respect but also help me physically & mentally toward a better quality of life. And also is the best medical facility I've ever been to!!

Glad you have found a place where you feel you get good treatment with respect!

Good luck!

[Thank you to both of you, and to the rest of our service members who gave of themselves for our country. I have two in my family that served. My adopted son Joe, is over in Africa digging wells someplace. Nobody should ever yell at you for any reason, especially at a medical facility. Maybe for the sake of those that follow you into that same Dr. you should report it. If my boys were ever treated with such disrespect, I think I would be in DC myself to complain.
I have pain issues also and don't want to reduce further after my surgery C3-7. I am also limping now. Why is there this big push to remove a person from all meds.? I think dr.s are afraid of what this new Gov. Bill will do to them. I am afraid for fantastic dr.s there are who are willing to help with pain. How do we protect, our doctors, the patients, while getting rid of the bad guys who take to the streets? This issue is going to effect most of us with our doctors. The good doctors that are legitimate are being effected very negatively and I am not sure what can be done. In my own case, I will continue to be honest and curtious to my dr. as he really has been with me.
Maybe if the dr.s read the boards more, they could find out alot more about our real mental state regarding all these issues. Healing isn't just about the body. Thats why that Dr. who yelled at you was so wrong. I can't imagin coming home a wounded vet, to be treated bad. That should be changed. thanks again to all of you, ginnie

I hit the roof when the local VA hospital gave my father, a WW II vet, a hard time over needing to write an oral chemo script. It was outrageously expensive and his Medicare and supplement would not cover it. VA would. It was hard enough that he had to endure a major cancer scare and surgery. He didn't need the VA run around. The oncologist that he saw said he was tired of writing chemo scripts for patients who had their surgery in a civilian hospital. I told him if he couldn't network with doctors outside the VA system, our congressman (friend of the family) would help him find Dad one that could. We left with a script and an arrangement for him to see a VA oncologist q 12 months. I still wrote and called everyone and their dog about the treatment. If I had not been with him, he would have gone home empty handed.

Hey spine95, First please tell your father thanks for his service to the this great country and the whole world in his case!

Second as I told Alex44 each VA Hosp. has a patient advocate and I urge you to use that avenue to help not only your dad but also all other vets.

Also I urge you not to judge the whole system or even that facility on one bad egg. Furthermore if you have another center close to where you live you can go to any one you choose.

Keep strong for your father and God bless you for being there for him!