WP: New DEA Statement Has Pain Doctors Fearful: Reneges on Narcotics

[DeepModem Mom]

New DEA Statement Has Pain Doctors More Fearful
Agency Reneges on Guidelines Worked Out for Narcotics

By Marc Kaufman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 30, 2004; Page A17


An extensive effort to ease tensions between physicians who specialize in treating pain and the Drug Enforcement Administration over the use of morphine-based painkillers has backfired -- leaving many pain doctors and patients more fearful than before that they could be arrested for practicing what they consider good medicine.

The DEA triggered the new impasse this month when it published a statement clarifying its position on a number of issues central to pain medicine. The document discusses when a doctor is at risk of being investigated for alleged prescription drug diversion, whether patients with known drug problems can ever be prescribed narcotic painkillers and whether doctors can give patients prescriptions to be filled on a future date.

On all these issues, the new DEA position is at odds with a set of guidelines negotiated over several years by DEA officials and a group of leading pain-management experts. Those guidelines were posted on the agency's Web site in August as part of an effort to reassure doctors who properly prescribe narcotics, but several weeks later the document was abruptly removed and described by the agency as inaccurate and unofficial.

Pain-management experts have responded to the new notice with dismay, saying its provisions may well result in the denial of pain relief to millions of sufferers....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A20537-2004Nov29.html

[Scairp]

1. Bastards

Why do they think they have to interfere in pain management? As a chronic back pain sufferer who often has gone without pain medication, this really pisses me off.

[KayLaw]

2. They have to interfere with everything

We have a big, bloated, intrusive government on our backs now, that will do its best to watch and control every move we make. The big government will " test " us and tell what drugs we should take. Of course, high-profile cases of prescription drug abuse, like those of Rush Limbaugh and Noelle Bush, don't help.

[girl gone mad]

6. Pain patients can all just take..

safer, non-narcotic alternatives, like Vioxx. (/sarcasm)

[Dogmudgeon]

3. Arrgh!

I'm one of those pain patients. In fact, pain has just about crippled me at this point. Imagine having a ten-penny nail stuck in your ear -- forever. That's me. And I know other patients who have the equivalent of such nails stuck into dozens of places in their bodies.

This just plain sucks. I'm on a too-low dose regime as it is. What the hell do I have to do to get decent pain relief, grow poppies in my backyard? (What a shame I don't like morphine/opium.)

Oh, I know ... I must pray to Jeebus Cripes that His Annointed Savio(u)r, George Bush, will smite the true cause of my distress: the unholy Trinity of Socialism, The Wicked Member of Clinton, and The Fat Osama.

My meds' prices have been skyrocketing, 75% of the price increase in the four years since my last long-term full-time job moved overseas, and I'm still about 8 months away from getting any kind of Social Security assistance.

Why the hell can't the USA be a civilized, modern country?

--p!

[Why Syzygy]

9. Brutal

but have you considered a relocation to Afghanist*n?
Get it right out of the field?

This must be a ploy to up the illegal trade? :wtf:

Or is it those damn dangerous Canadian drugs?

This is a frickin nightmare.
The whole world, iow.

[Dogmudgeon]

11. What I'm Considering

I am seriously thinking of moving to Toronto. I'm studying French more formally now, and following with Spanish (which I am halfway decent at), I may be able to get work in translating (if I can pass a series of tests to document my ability.)

No, it's not because I want to "escape the fascist USA," but because they have a modern medical system up there. Liking snow and improv comedy also help :).

I haven't had badly-needed tests for years. I may have a recurrence of the ear tumor(s), I should have a PSA/prostate screening, and I need to be checked out for Crohn's Disease -- at a minimum. I also possibly have MS (in remission), and haven't had an MRI for years. If it is MS and it kicks up, I will be truly and royally ... uhh ... GOPped!

I'm taking half the pain meds I should, and going without the antidepressant. Never, ever, ever had a problem with addiction, dose escalation, or even drug tolerance. And yet, my doctor has been investigated up his wazoo, starting when St. Ronnie occupied the Chimperial Throne.

So I may become a "medical refugee".

WTF? I don't need decades of 100% state support, I need to be able to work and to get health insurance. You'd think I was asking for Jenna and Barb Bush to be my private sex slaves.

--p!
OK, girls, bend over ... Daddy's got a high PSA and lots of bad cholesterol and needs some exercise...

[truthisfreedom]

4. they don't have enough criminals. they need to generate more.

it's that simple.

[0rganism]

5. Just more of the new & improved Man Date

I'm sure what we're seeing now will seem like some pretty small shit compared to what's coming down the pipe in the next 4 years.

"May you live in interesting times."

[The Flaming Red Head]

7. US government specializes in torture not pain management nt

[area51]

8. pain relief

Anyone who would deny chronic pain sufferers pain meds deserves to suffer chronic pain themselves. What a sick bunch of mofos.

[Mend]

10. Why is OxyRush still walking the streets....

they are faulting the doctors for the behavior of some people who have become addicted. The vast majority of people are under-treated for pain because of the pressure put on doctors by the government. They need to get out of our lives. The current crop of torn bodies from the this latest war are going to need pain medication for a long, long time.

[Liberaltarian]

12. I take methadone for chronic pain...

due to an irreversible & progressive spinal condition.
I've been taking it for 6 years- before that i was on oxycontin, but my health insurer dropped me, and since Oxy is ridiculously expensive, my doc put me on methadone, which i wouldn't be able to function without.
The problem with narcotic prescriptions is that you have to get a new hand-written prescription from the doctor every month, because NO REFILLS are allowed.
and even if you have a legitimate prescription, a lot of pharmacists look at/treat you as a junkie.

[elehhhhna]

13. I have migraines, and the stuff my Doc prescribes works, versus

some of the new drugs available (most of which are contraindicated with another minor condition, and one of which just knocks me out, gee thanks.) But there's a little bit of codeine in there and I swear the doc and pharmacist make you feel like Courtney Love.

Am I "dependent"? Yeah, I suppose, after 15 years of managing migraines reasonably successfully with this med., which I take on average 3 days per month, and can adjust the dosage based on the level of pain. SO WHAT?