Remember this comment from the CDC Guidelines docket? I don’t think there’s been a single day I haven’t thought about this poor husband.
Docket CDC-2015-0112
“I write this from the intensive care unit waiting room, a suicide letter on my lap. My beloved wife is currently an ICU patient due to under treated chronic pain.
10 years ago we had it all. 3 beautiful children, a lovely home in the suburbs. We were “the American Dream.” I had a job that allowed me to take on the household expenses solo so my wife could be a stay at home mom. In a moment it all shattered.
My wife was rear ended by a kid who was on his cell phone while driving. Her injuries, besides the regular bumps and bruises included a stress fracture in her back, a sprained neck and wrist and a concussion.
Doesn’t sound bad, does it? Except that for months, the pain increased almost daily. Physical therapy did not help. The trips to the chiropractor left her in tears afterwards from the pain. Almost a year after the accident, I came home from work and she was in bed still, in so much agony she couldn’t move.
A MRI shortly after this day showed multiple damage to the discs in her neck and back, the stress fracture not healed properly and severe spinal arthritis. It was then she was referred to pain management. Her PMP was amazing. She was treated with dignity and respect. She was put on anti inflammatory medicine, along with ER OxyContin and 10 mg oxycodone for breakthrough pain. With this my wife could almost go back to her “old life” as she called it. Yes, she had some bad days. But on good days she could do light housekeeping, a little bit of yoga, even work part time. She did every single thing the PMP asked of her. Not once did my wife break her pain contract. Several times her provider called her “an ideal patient.”
9 months ago he took early retirement. The new PMP has been the polar opposite. Immediately he cut her pain meds to less than half her previous doses (which never increased since she went on them), increased her anti inflammatory meds and put her on Neurontin (by now she’s started having severe sciatica). He said that “All his patients will be off opiates in a year unless they’re dying of cancer.” Several weeks later, her pain was increased dramatically, her behavior was erratic and she developed a GI bleed. She took up smoking cigarettes and stopped doing self breast exams because “If I get cancer he will at least treat my pain.” I truly believe that by now the Neurontin was affecting her behavior, as was her increased pain. Her PMP’s solution? He added Lyrica to her prescriptions, instructed her physical therapist to “challenge her” and told her to “Stop trying to make me your dealer.”
This lack of compassion, professionalism and accusations has destroyed what self esteem my beautiful wife had left. Up until recently she fought her pain with every step. She started eating healthier, she exercised as much as she could, she tried every legal option she could think of. Opioids are a last resort for her. The severe pain she faces every minute of the day (which has been made worse by the naproxen thanks to kidney disease and stomach ulcers), to be treated in such a derogatory manner, coupled with the Neurontin and Lyrica became too much.
The love of my life attempted suicide in a last ditch effort to stop her suffering. She will survive….today. However her blood pressure is incredibly high, as is her heart rate. Her kidney function is so poor she may need dialysis. She is requesting to be DNR. And even now, the doctors are refusing to give her pain medication.
Chronic pain does kill. It has destroyed the beautiful woman who I love so much. It has killed us financially. It has ruined my children’s lives. It has destroyed our faith in the medical profession.
Please, don’t let this happen to another family. Please allow doctors to treat all pain patients with what works for them, including the option of opioids.
I thank you for your time.”
Filed under: General Problems
I wonder when the family of a wealthy pain patient will decide to file criminal manslaughter charges against these criminal physicians and pharmacist for suicides caused by reduction/elimination of pain treatment. If we read the legal definition of manslaughter it is fairly obvious that the actions of some of these professionals clearly results in the death of patients that commit suicide from this situation. Manslaughter, by definition does not require any intent, it also does not require deliberate action resulting in death. If the local authorities refuse to bring manslaughter charges they can be forced to do their job by a writ of mandamus. I think a few of these medical professionals going to jail for 10 years plus would stop this mess. Please, any attorneys listen to your potential clients in these cases and try to help straighten out this mess.
The God Complex is still alive and thriving amongst the medical “profession”. The PMP of that spouse should be censured and severely reprimanded by his peers. But of course it would be so painful to administer justice to their own, they would need PMP’s of their own.
Steve I hope people without a focused point to speak, yield thier time to you at the opioid symposium
this is a heart breaking story. I am very sorry for what has happened.
Having said that, I am curious as to what actions have been taken to address this. Was a complaint written to the Dr’s Governing body? This is very important as this sounds like malpractice to me. Was a civil rights complaint filed? This too is very important as clearly the pain Dr was discriminating against your wife as she didn’t have pain related to cancer so he decided not to adequately treat her pain. Complaints need to be written to the hospital as well.
The only way this will change is if we all lodge official complaints.
1000 of letters have been written to our government,,,,4,600 before these inhumane cdc guideline were even implemented saying NO,,, do not do these guideline,,,u will literally kill people,,they passed anyways,,,,its called corruption,,Christine,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,maryw
What a heart breaking comment. I hope that poor woman found help somewhere.
To think this happened or was posted a year ago and just how much worse the situation for us is. In fact since the release of the inhumane junk guidelines by the cdc the pain community has lost many of our brothers and sisters in pain and it must stop. My heart breaks for this woman and her family. Abusing pts who are in pain is happening in every hospital across this nation. People go in for surgeries and are being denied post op pain relief! That is torture!! Hang in there, there are many chronic pain pts who are fighting for our right to pain relief. Write and call your state reps daily , tell them ur story..contact media send them ur story !! #SILENTNOMORE #shareourpain #WeR1 #suicidedue2pain #fictiousopiodepidemic #DropTheTennantCase #TENNANTTRIBE #painpatients #chronicpain
How many deaths will it take. The insurance companies have grouped up to pay for this propaganda machine. All to Dave hundreds of billions of dollars.
If American insurance cos could pay 50$ for a bottle of 90 oxycontin pills like they do in India and mostly every other countey instead of $650 which is what medicare pays. A person without insurance pays $300 foe the same bottle. Price gouging by pharma and insurance companies forced to pay these prices encouraged the insuranse companies to pay millions to lie to the public and create.a.fake opioid epidemic.
THE HEROIN PROBLEM is real. I’ve talked to 20 street people that are drug addictss all 20 said heroin is cheaper, it gets them high and they have no desire for pills. Theu only time they would take a pain pill is to help with widthdrawls if they can’t get a fix. But THEU would never try to go to a dr. THEU cant afford it and it’s too hard to get pills. You really jave to have a serious chronic problem.
5 YEARS AGO IT WAS HARD BUT TODAY ITS IMPOSSIBLE, UNLESS YOU A RICH ROCK STAR AND HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH REAL PROBLEMS GO TO DRS AND OVER PAY FOR THIER DRUGS OF ON TJE DARK WEB. BUT EBEN THE RICH WHITE PERSONCIS JUST JETTING HEROIN FROM AGES OF 15 TO 80. EVEM REAL SICK PEOPLE CANT GET THE PILLS THEY NEED ONE JINKIE TOLD.ME. HE SAID ITS SAD, AN 50$70 YR OLD MAN OR WOMAN ARE ASKING TJEM FOR HEROIN. ITS A WIN WIN HE SAID. THE GUY GETS HIS PAIN RELIEVED THRU HEROIN AND I GET PAID A LITTLE AND GET TO EAT THAT DAY.
WELCOME TO THE NEW AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIAN. THIS DRS NAME WAS JOEY AND HE LIVES IN A PARK AND ALL OF HIS BELONGINGS ARE IN A WALMART CART. I HOPE THESE INS. COMPANIES AND THIER SPOKES PEOPLE LIKE KOLODNEY SULLIVAN AND BALENTYNE ALL SEE LONG TERM NON FEDERAL PRISON TIME…… LET THEM NE TREATED LIKE TBBOSE IN PAIN ARE..
I agree w/u,,I hope to see every single former government employee who lied,used tax payers monies to do the insurance companies bidding,,,will be sitten in a jail cell w/a very large male named Horny Mike,,,,,COULD U SEE KOLODYN IN A CELL W/A GUY LIKE THAT,,, ???maryw
After reading these suicide letters I can only say this about it: this is quietly, one of the darkest times in American history. I can’t stop myself from making comparisons to what the Native Americans had to endure (I minored in history during my college studies) by a country who was ignorant of, or just outright ignored their plight and situation. In an effective way, these “government” people have come up with the perfect way to dehumanize people. By giving the weakest and most vulnerable people among us, that they deem to be undesirable, the name “addict”. So society will view them the same way they view those felony street drug users and cartel gang members, as criminals. We fought against Nazism, Fascism, Communism, radical religious persecution in foreign lands and slavery, racism and minority rights domestically, but many of us are enduring this at home in our own country and very few are fighting against this injustice. Very few even seem to be aware of it and most that are, are too unmotivated and too afraid to stand up to it. Tragic.
Your wifes dr.works for you and has a huge ego problem. I suggest you find a new pain management dr. The government should get out of healthcare. If people die from heroin it should not be jumbled together with pain management patients. No dr’s prescibe street heroin with spoons and needles. My pain dr.is awesome but he has to deal with government b.s. I asked my pain dr why is it that the pain patients on medication have to drive all over to pick up the prescription and then drive to drop it off then drive to go back home and then drive back and pick up the prescription when its time to get. Of course no logical answer was given. Because there isn’t one to give.
It absolutely boggles my mind why the government has decided that the drug addicts lives are more important than the chronic pain patients lives. I’m also a chronic pain patient that up until recently felt that I was being treated well by my PMP. But that seems to have changed when I brought up the fact that lately my pain is worse and is making my anxiety and depression worse. I only brought up the additional pain on the advice of my behavioral analyst. When I brought it up to my PMP, she gave me a hard time about needing a refill of federal and sent me for a pee test. I have never failed a pee test, I’ve tried everything they’ve recommended. As chronic pain patients our lives suck to begin with and the government just makes it worse.
They’re so f**king worried about addiction. WHO are they saving if these people are just committing suicide? NO ONE!
I’m chronic 17 years, wire snapped the good of my c2,3 bones left floating along with a wire digging in to whatever, treated like a have a scabbed knee….the only one who is suffering are those of us who obey the law…you gave addicts better treatment than us chronic pain patients, I’m do sorry your family is suffering like mine…….
im a disabled chronic pain patient 15 years broke spine-failed spine surgery-stiff man syndrone-hemochromatosis-in 24/7/365 unimageable horriffic nonstop pain meds just cut in half doc says hes cutting me to nothing after being his words perfect patient 15 years go to mcg family practice in augusta g.a. the NATZIS DEA-CDC ARE MURDERING ALL DISABLED CHRONIC PAIN PATIENTS NO WHERE TO TURN NO POSSIBLE WAY TO ENDURE THIS TYPE OF PAIN DEA-CDC HAVE DECLARED WAR ON THE MOST HELPLESS IN AMERCIA SOCIATY GENOCIDE ON MASSIVE SCALE HITLER DID SAME TO JEWISH PEOPLE ILL FIGHT FOR US UNTIL THE END WHICH WONT BE VERY LONG FOR ME IN CHRIST ANDY LEE SMITH
The fact as a society we are fine with the torment of chronic pain patients is frankly vile to me.
This is why the federal charge of torture caries a life sentence and any government official that has aided or abed-ed in this murder should face life in prison,,MARYW
I agree each case is different and pain pills are needed in certain ones
That’s mighty f’ing generous of you. Maybe someday you will be in our shoes and you can see firsthand what a party it is.
My heart breaks for you and your family. I am so sorry . I hope maybe she can find a better dr. The way things are , we are treated like criminals and addicts and have NOTHING to warrant this. It needs to stop. I hope your wife can find some inner strenghth to get up and fight once more. Sending positive thoughts to you . Just try to stay strong , I know it is not easy but she is going to need you. My prayers go out to you.
I am rarely compelled to write a letter to a person on the internet, but your story moved me more than I can possibly say. I suffer from such a similar situation and have often thought, or often think, about escaping this earthly body which has wrought such havoc in my life. Not only is the pain so hard to deal with day after day, but seeing the pain on my husband and children’s faces on my behalf is more than I can stand. Please know I am praying for you and for her. It’s appalling to think there are so many physicians with so little compassion for suffering. I sometimes think I’d be better off with a veterinarian.
The more of this I see, read, feel, the more I need to address the forbidden word “ADDICT”.
I am way passed the point where I say, “WHO GIVES A F..K IF A HUMAN IS AN ADDICT OR NOT ??
The Key Word-That Stops Everyone In Their Tracks Is ADDICT.
I Have More Respect, Compassion, and Understanding for, AN ADDICT, than I do The SOCIOPATHS, SADISTS, AND TORMENTORS, than I do an “ADDICT”
One would Think-That An ADDICT is more dangerous than the CDC, DEA, CIA, PRESIDENT, and every-other psycho making these “Health-Care” Rules, Laws, Insurance Fees and Criteria.
We Need to put this in perspective, by taking power away from the word ADDICT.
IS THE ADDICT THE ONE WHO IS TORTURING PAIN-SUFFERERS
IS THE ADDICT THE ONE WHO IS CONTROLLING THE CDC, FDA, DEA, CIA ??
NO !, IT”S THE GOV, AND THEIR EMPLOYEES.
IT’S THE SADISTS THAT ARE LAUGHING AT US-THINKING THAT WE ARE SO IGNORANT AS TO BELIEVE-THAT THE ADDICT HAS ALL THIS POWER.
Take ADDICT out from the MATH and MEDS and what’s left ????
Dear Speaktruthweb and all interested others,
As a chronic pain patient, I am grateful for your passion. However, I’d just like to point out one big difference. We are patients not addicts. A patient uses opioids to be able to reduce their pain enough to try to function in life. An addict, on the other hand, uses opioids to escape life. There is a critical difference between developing a tolerance as a patient and actively seeking more, more, more as an addict. Thanks for allowing me to emphasise the necessity of using the correct term. Keep on speaking the truth for us patients! We need all the help we can get.
Thankyou for sharing your heartbreaking story. Unfortunately, your family is not alone. The stigma surrounding chronic pain patients has NEVER been worse. Many of us have been treated like an addict or a criminal of sorts because we require certain medications to help make our pain bearable. Your family (as well as the many other innocent victims) who have suffered unimaginably are in my thoughts & prayers. Any person who has never had to endure continual, severe, debilitating pain without relief is incapable of understanding how exhausting & truly maddening it can be!
This is fucking crazy! Why are people being forced by the bullshit government to suffer needlessly! Legally prescribed narcotics are NOT the cause of this so-called drug epidemic & those government assholes know it! This idiotic & illegal interference in the doctor/patient relationship has got to stop
My heart is breaking. There is no excuse for this to happen, yet it does over and over again. I can only hope that the SOB has something happen to him that causes untold physical and emotional pain and gets the same “treatment”!
I would just like to say that my heart and thoughts are with you and your children. My compassion, sorrow and understanding is with your wife. My Anger and Outrage are directed at the PMP who is not only in my opinion guilty of Patient Abuse and Neglect, but Attempted Murder or Manslaughter as well. This uncompassionate PMP’s actions are not involuntary, so I would be filing charges against him or her.
Just because pain sufferers don’t live in a nursing home doesn’t mean that they cannot be Abused by incompetent so called medical professionals. Please contact an attorney to file charges against both the PMP and the hospital you are at. Until family members of chronic pain sufferers start filing charges and suing, the doctor’s and hospitals will continue to ABUSE and REFUSE to treat chronic pain sufferers.
Again, my personal prayers and compassion is with you and your family, and what I’ve suggested here should never have to be suggested. But, please attempt to take my advice and protect your family.
U know,,i mostly agree w/u,,,,however,,,I just witness and was a victim of this abuse u talk of by my doc of 23 years,,He told,me,,,tough if i puke up my meds from diagnosed pancreatitis,,tough if my start time for my meds is 3am on day 31,,,tough if my thoracic spinal cord surgery to remove a large tumor NEVER healed due to undiagnosed pancreatitis and a belly full of gallstone,calcifying my gallbladder,,swelling all organs w/50 pounds of water,,tough if right now I have 5 more cysts inside my spinal column pressing on the cord,,,tough,,,if its not enough medicine to lessen your physical pain,,,tough,,by a doctor who has never ever been such a dick in his whole life to me,,,I asked in this jan 11th appointment if he cared if I went to the aclu,,he replied i don’t care what u do outside of here,,ie hospital,,not realizing he is part of my formal complaint…my point is..The government abuse of power has turned doctor against us out of fear of them loosing it all by trump up charges by the dea..jmo,,When any form of government evinces by design to reduce its citizens to absolute DESPOTISM,, it is our duty,,our rite,,to alter or abolish it,”Thomas Jefferson,Declaration of Independence,,,maryw