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Protected: Some stories are so strange you wonder if they are PURE FICTION
Posted on January 1, 2020 by Pharmaciststeve
Unity can have many facets
Posted on January 1, 2020 by Pharmaciststeve
over the last couple of weeks, I have been reviewing the stats on my blog, Face Book and Twitter. Many times it has been stated by many that the chronic pain community seems to be impossible to come together… to unify.. “Unity” can have many facets..
It is claimed that there is 100+ million chronic painers… but where are they ? I wonder how many chronic painers could be sorted out from the hundred or thousands of face book pages and just how many would the net number be on all those social networks ? A few thousand that are regularly active.. it could maybe be up to ten thousand. Even at ten thousand that is abt 0.01% of the total number of chronic pain pts
One of the facets of unity is speaking with one voice or talking about one specific agenda. How many people or groups claim they represents the chronic pain community and many/most/all have at least a slightly different agenda and message.
Have you ever been in a restaurant/bar and the place is so noisy that the people at your table can’t hear each other because of the ambient ” white noise ” ?
Is the chronic pain community making very little progress going forward because all of the people that needs to be influenced to enact change is just hearing ” white noise” because there is no unity of message ?
Of the numerous “players” in this “war”, the only one that seems to have a unified message is the DOJ/DEA and they have a well organized distribution of that message https://www.dea.gov/press-releases and it would appear that our media dutifully regurgitates these press releases on a routine basis.
Prescribers seem to fall into three different “camps”, those who are going to do their best to treat their chronic pain pts as they always have, those who believe that if they move all their chronic pain pts to < 90 MME/day they will be “safe” and a third that wants all of their pts off of opiates and controlled substances.
The Pharmas seem to just wait until something happens and hires law firms to settle the issue with some bureaucratic entity getting “paid off”
The various parts of our corporate healthcare system ( hospital systems, chain pharmacies, insurance/PBM, etc ) are doing various things, many of their actions/policies seem to be highly influenced by their legal depts or outside legal counsel.
IMO, part of the lack of unity within the chronic pain community is – at least from my media stats – how very little there is of sharing… According to my Twitter account I have nearly 3000 followers. I started noticing that when something I posted got some re-tweets… it was very seldom out of the SINGLE DIGITS of re-tweets. There will never be any sizeable unity within the chronic pain community .. if people don’t share with others in the chronic pain community what is going on around the community .. either good or bad… how is the community going to ever come together ?
When I started my blog, FB and Twitter accounts abt eight years ago… I really didn’t know what specifically I was going to do with them. Everything seems to evolve that my focus was to be a educator and motivator. You can’t “fight the enemy” unless you know what the enemy is doing but knowledge/education that does not result in some action taken… is a total waste.
I am starting the new year by taking a total hiatus from social media. I am NOT closing nor deleting all of my accounts, I believe that there is a lot of valuable information on those accounts that I have accumulated over the last 8 yrs.. that may be useful to some pts in the future.
My email (steve@steveariens.com) will still be active and I will reading it
Filed under: General Problems | 5 Comments »
2019 in review … what killed us
Posted on January 1, 2020 by Pharmaciststeve
…who will not be here tomorrow
2016 in review … what killed us
2017 in review … what killed us
2018 in review … what killed us
6775 Americans will die EVERY DAY – from various reasons
2700 people WILL ATTEMPT SUICIDE
140 will be SUCCESSFUL – including 20 veterans
270 will die from hospital acquired antibiotic resistant “bug” because staff won’t properly wash hands and/or proper infection control.
350 will die from their use/abuse of the drug ALCOHOL
1200 will die from their use/abuse of the drug NICOTINE
1400 will contract C-DIF from Hospital or Nursing home because staff doesn’t properly wash their hands are adhere to infection control
80 WILL DIE – mostly elderly.
850 will die from OBESITY
700 will die from medical errors
150 will die from Flu/Pneumonia
80 will die from Homicide
80 will die in car accidents
70 From ALL DRUG ABUSE
http://www.romans322.com/daily-death-rate-statistics.php
United States of America
CURRENT DEATH TOLL
from Jan 1, 2018 – Dec 31, 2018 (6:27:30 PM)
Just the Data … Raw and Undigested
CURRENT DEATH TOLL
from Jan 1, 2018 – Dec 31, 2018 (6:27:30 PM)
| Someone just died by: |  |
 |
 |
| Abortion *: | 1091318 |
| Heart Disease: | 613959 |
| Cancer: | 591325 |
| Tobacco: | 349779 |
| Obesity: | 306806 |
| Medical Errors: | 251295 |
| Stroke: | 133019 |
| Lower Respiratory Disease: | 142853 |
| Accident (unintentional): | 135967 |
| Hospital Associated Infection: | 98937 |
| Alcohol *: | 99937 |
| Diabetes: | 76440 |
| Alzheimer’s Disease: | 93482 |
| Influenza/Pneumonia: | 55192 |
| Kidney Failure: | 42735 |
| Blood Infection: | 33443 |
| Suicide: | 42746 |
| Drunk Driving: | 33787 |
| Unintentional Poisoning: | 31738 |
| All Drug Abuse: | 24989 |
| Homicide: | 16788 |
| Prescription Drug Overdose: | 14991 |
| Murder by gun: | 11486 |
| Texting while Driving: | 5985 |
| Pedestrian: | 4997 |
| Drowning: | 3913 |
| Fire Related: | 3498 |
| Malnutrition: | 2770 |
| Domestic Violence: | 1459 |
| Smoking in Bed: | 780 |
| Falling out of Bed: | 598 |
| Killed by Falling Tree: | 149 |
| Lawnmower: | 68 |
| Spontaneous Combustion: | 0 |
| Your chance of death is 100%. Are you ready? |
Totals of all categories are based upon past trends documented below.
I am being completely weaned off my meds, & suspect I will kill myself with the amount of pain I am in, & will be by the time this is over (the wean that is). Already can’t function.
My husband committed suicide after being abandoned by his pain dr.
Please pray for me as I am on the brink of suicide! I don’t want to die but can’t handle the pain anymore! The doctor that I am currently seeing will not give me enough pills to last all month every month… I have to wait until Oct to get in with a pain management doctor whom I already know by others that I know sees this doctor that he will help me, need prayer to hold on until oct… I keep thinking of my family who needs me hear.
“We just lost another intractable member of our support group two nights ago. She committed suicide because her medications were taken away for interstitial cystitis (a horribly painful bladder condition) and pudendal neuralgia, both of which she had battled for years
D D., journalist and prescribed fentanyl patient for a dozen years joined me on air last weekend with her husband and spoke of her suicide plan should the only relief from constant agony be heavily reduced or taken away.
I was told last Friday that my Dr. will be tapering my meds again . When I told him I didn’t think my body could take another lowering he stated ” it wasn’t my
License on the line”, I stated ” no , but it’s my life on the line”!!!!! I can not continue to live this way . I can not continue to suffer in agony when my medications and dose where working just fine before and I was a productive member of society . I can no longer take this. I have a plan in place to end my life myself When I am forced to reduce my Medications again . I just can’t do it anymore .
On Friday at around 9 p.m. U.S. Navy veteran Kevin Keller parked his red pickup truck in the parking lot at the Wytheville Rite-Aid, walked across the grass and stood in front of the U.S. Veterans Community Based Outpatient Clinic next door.
Sick and tired of being in pain, he pulled out a gun, shot a hole in the office door, aimed the gun barrel at his head and ended his hurt once and for all.
As a longterm pain patient with a current unsupportive pain dr, I just thought I’d share the reality of the position I’m in right now…
I’m in very bad pain all the time for very legit and well documented reasons. My pain dr however never gives me enough meds to help me. He just keeps reducing them, which is causing me to be in even more pain and suffer so much more. My quality of life also continues to go downhill at the same time. I was just given a letter by him recently too about some study indicating an increase in deaths if you take opioids and benzos. It stated he’s no longer going to give pain meds to anyone who is taking a benzo. I take one, because I have to, for a seizure disorder, not because I want to. He told me to pick one or the other though, plus went ahead and reduced my pain meds some more. He doesn’t seem to care the least bit. I’ve looked hard and so far I can’t find another one to get in to see near me at this time, but I’m desperately still trying. Unfortunately, they’re few and far between here, in addition to the wait for an appointment being long. I’ve even called hospice for help. So far, they haven’t been of much help either, because I don’t have a dr who will say I have six months or less to live. I told them either choice my pain dr is giving me is very inhumane, so I’d rather just quit eating and drinking, to the point where I pass away from that, while I get some kind of comfort care from them. I don’t really want to though, although I do have a long list of some very bad health problems, including a high probability that I have cancer and it’s spread. Am I suicidal? No. Will I be if my pain and seizure meds are taken away. Highly likely. I never ever saw this coming either. I don’t have a clue what to do and the clock is ticking, but I’m still fighting for an answer. So far, I can’t find not even one dr to help me though. Not one. I know my life depends on it, but at what point will these drs let my suffering become so inhumane that I just can’t take it anymore. I just don’t know right now. It’s a very scary place to be in for sure. That I do know.
The patient was being denied the medicine that had been alleviating his pain and committed suicide because, “he couldn’t live with the pain anymore. He could not see a future. He had no hope. He had no life.”
I am a chronic pain patient who has been on fairly high doses of opiates for about nine years now. My dose has been forcibly reduced since the cdc guidelines. I moved to Oregon from Alaska and can’t find a doctor to prescribe my medication. I pray I have the strength not to take my own life!
Zach Williams of Minnesota committed suicide at age 35. He was a veteran of Iraq and had experienced back pain and a brain injury from his time in service. He had treated his pain with narcotics until the VA began reducing prescriptions.
Ryan Trunzo committed suicide at the age of 26. He was an army veteran of Iraq. He had experienced fractures in his back for which he tried to get effective painkillers, but failed due to VA policy. His mother stated “I feel like the VA took my son’s life.”
Kevin Keller, a Navy veteran, committed suicide at age 52. He shot v after breaking into the house of his friend, Marty Austin, to take his gun. Austin found a letter left by Keller saying “Marty sorry I broke into your house and took your gun to end the pain!” Keller had experienced a stroke 11 years earlier, and he had worsening pain in the last two years of his life because VA doctors would not give him pain medicine. On the subject of pain medication, Austin said that Keller “was not addicted. He needed it.”
Bob Mason, aged 67, of Montana committed suicide after not having access to drugs to treat his chronic pain for just one week. One doctor who had treated Mason was Mark Ibsen, who shut down his office after the Montana Board of Medical Examiners investigated him for excessive prescription of opioids. According to Mason’s daughter, Mason “didn’t like the drugs, but there were no other options.”
Donald Alan Beyer, living in Idaho, had experienced back pain for years. He suffered from degenerative disc disease, as well as a job-related injury resulting in a broken back. After his doctor retired, Beyer struggled without pain medicine for months. He shot himself on his 47th birthday. His son, Garrett, said “I guess he felt suicide was his only chance for relief.”
Denny Peck of Washington state was 58 when he ended his life. In 1990, he experienced a severe injury to his vertebrae during a fishing accident. His mother, Lorraine Peck, said “[h]e has been in severe pain ever since,” and his daughter, Amanda Peck, “said she didn’t remember a time when her dad didn’t hurt.” During the last few years of his life, Peck had received opiates for his pain from a Seattle Pain Center, until these clinics closed. After suffering and being unable to find doctors who would help with his pain, Peck called 911. Two days later, Peck was found dead in his home with bullet wounds in his head. A note found near Peck read: “Can’t sleep, can’t eat, can’t do anything. And all the whitecoats don’t care at all.”
Doug Hale of Vermont killed himself at the age of 53. He had experienced pain from interstitial cystitis, and decided to end his life six weeks after his doctor suddenly cut off his opiate painkillers. He left a note reading “Can’t take the chronic pain anymore” before he shot himself in the head. His doctor said he “was no longer willing to risk my license by writing you another script for opioids” (see attachment A for details of the problem as relyed by his wife Tammi who is now 10 months without a husband as a direct result of the CDC guidelines to prevent deaths)Bruce Graham committed suicide after living with severe pain for two years. At age 62, Graham fell from a ladder, suffering several severe injuries. He had surgery and fell into a coma. After surgery, he suffered from painful adhesions which could not be removed. He relied on opioid painkillers to tolerate his pain, but doctors eventually stopped prescribing the medicine he needed. Two years after his fall, Graham shot himself in the heart to end the pain.
Travis Patterson, a young combat veteran, died two days after a suicide attempt at the age of 26. After the attempt to take his own life, Patterson was brought to the VA emergency room. Doctors offered therapy as a solution, but did not offer any relief for his pain. Patterson died two days after his attempted suicide.
54-year-old Bryan Spece of Montana killed himself about two weeks after he experienced a major reduction in his pain medication. The CDC recommends a slow reduction in pain medicine, such as a 10% decrease per week. Based on information from Spece’s relative, Spece’s dose could have been reduced by around 70% in the weeks before he died.
In Oregon, Sonja Mae Jonsson ended her life when her doctor stopped giving her pain medicine as a result of the CDC guidelines.
United States veterans have been committing suicide after being unable to receive medicine for pain. These veterans include Peter Kaisen,Daniel Somers, Kevin Keller, Ryan Trunzo, Zach Williams, and Travis Patterson
A 40-year-old woman with fibromyalgia, lupus, and back issues appeared to have committed suicide after not being prescribed enough pain medicine. She had talked about her suicidal thoughts with her friends several times before, saying “there is no quality of life in pain.” She had no husband or children to care for, so she ended her life.
Sherri Little was 53 when she committed suicide. She suffered pain from occipital neuralgia, IBS, and fibromyalgia. A friend described Little as having a “shining soul of activism” as she spent time advocating for other chronic pain sufferers. However, Little had other struggles in her life, such as her feeling that her pain kept her from forming meaningful relationships. In her final days, Little was unable to keep down solid food, and she tried to get medical help from a hospital. When she was unable to receive relief, Little ended her life.
Former NASCAR driver Dick Trickle of North Carolina shot himself at age 71. He suffered from long-term pain under his left breast. Although he went through several medical tests to determine the cause of his pain, the results could not provide relief. After Trickle’s suicide, his brother stated that Dick “must have just decided the pain was too high, because he would have never done it for any other reason.”
39-year-old Julia Kelly committed suicide after suffering ongoing pain resulting from two car accidents. Kelly’s pain caused her to quit her job and move in with her parents, unable to start a family of her own. Her family is certain that the physical and emotional effects of her pain are what drove her to end her life. Kelly had founded a charity to help other chronic pain sufferers, an organization now run by her father in order to help others avoid Julia’s fate.
Sarah Kershaw ended her life at age 49. She was a New York Times Reporter who suffered from occipital neuralgia.
Lynn Gates Jackson, speaking for her friend E.C. who committed suicide after her long term opiates were suddenly reduced by 50% against her will, for no reason. Lynn reports she felt like the doctors were not treating her like a human being (Ed: a common complaint) and she made the conscious decision to end her life.
E.C. committed suicide quietly one day in Visalia California. She was 40. Her friend reported her death. “She did not leave a note but I know what she did”. The doctor would only write a prescription for 10 vicodin and she was in so much pain she could not get to the clinic every few days. We had talked many times about quitting life. Then she left. She just left.
Jessica, a patient with RSD/CRPS committed suicide when the pain from her disease became too much for her to bear. A friend asserted that Jessica’s death was not the result of an overdose, and that “living with RSD isn’t living.”
https://m.facebook.com/FibroPrince/posts/948610075216801
https://www.pharmaciststeve.com/?p=14073
https://www.pharmaciststeve.com/?p=14574
https://www.pharmaciststeve.com/?p=15023
http://linkis.com/painnewsnetwork.org/7IoUl
http://linkis.com/whotv.com/2016/11/10/ibRof
https://articles.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/12/alabama_pain_centers_troubles.amp
http://linkis.com/painnewsnetwork.org/oKRZ5
http://linkis.com/www.seattletimes.com/tgyL7
http://www.bendbulletin.com/topics/5342867-151/opioid-crisis-pain-patients-pushed-to-the-brink
https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/5/26/patient-suicide-blamed-on-montana-pain-clinic
Aliff, Charles
Beyer, Donald Alan
Brunner, Robert “Bruin”
Graham, Bruce
Hale, Doug
Hartsgrove, Daniel P
Ingram III, Charles Richard
Kaisen, Peter
Keller, Kevin
Kershaw, Sarah
Kimberly, Allison
Little, Sherri
Mason, Bob
Miles, Richard
Murphy, Thomas
Paddock, Karon
Patterson, Travis “Patt”
Peck, Denny
Peterson, Michael Jay
Reid, Marsha
Somers, Daniel
Son, Randall Lee
Spece, Brian
Tombs, John
Trickle, Richard “Dick”
Trunzo, Ryan
Williams, Zack
Karon Shettler Paddock committed suicide on August 7, 2013 http://www.kpaddock.org/
Jessica Simpson took her life July 2017
Mercedes McGuire took her life on Friday, August 4th. She leaves behind her 4 yr old son. She could no longer endure the physical & emotional pain from Trigeminal Neuralgia.
www.disabledveterans.org/2017/08/16/veteran-commits-suicide-front-amarillo-va-emergency-department/
Another Veteran Suicide In Front Of VA Emergency Department
Depression and Pain makes me want to kill self. Too much physical and emotional pain to continue on. I seek the bliss fullness of Death. Peace. Live together die alone.
Dr. Mansureh Irvani suspected overdose victim http://www.foxnews.com/health/2017/08/18/suspended-oral-surgeon-dies-suspected-overdose.html
Katherine Goddard’s Suicide note: Due to the pain we are both in and can’t get help, this is the only way we can see getting out of it. Goodbye to everybody,” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-man-arrested-after-girlfriend-dies-during-alleged-suicide-pact/
Steven Lichtenberg: the 32-year-old Dublin man shot himself http://www.dispatch.com/news/20160904/chronic-pains-emotional-toll-can-lead-to-suicide
Fred Sinclair he was hurting very much and was, in effect, saying goodbye to the family. https://www.pharmaciststeve.com/?p=21743
Robert Markel, 56 – June 2016 – Denied Pain Meds/Heroin OD http://www.pennlive.com/opioid-crisis/2017/08/heroin_overdose_deaths.html
Lisa June 2016 https://youtu.be/rBlrSyi_-rQ
Jay Lawrence March 2017 https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/9/4/how-chronic-pain-killed-my-husband
Celisa Henning: killed herself and her twin daughters...http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Mom-in-Apparent-Joliet-Murder-Suicide-said-Body-Felt-Like-It-was-On-Fire-Grandma-Says-442353713.html?fb_action_ids=10213560297382698&fb_action_types=og.comments
Karen Boje-58 CPP-Deming, NM
Katherine Goddard, 52 – June 30, 2017 – Palm Coast, FL -Suicide/Denied Opioids http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/20170816/palm-coast-man-charged-with-assisting-self-murder
Suicides: Associated with non-consented Opioid Pain Medication Reductions
Lacy Stewart 59, http://healthylivings247.com/daughter-says-untreated-pain-led-to-mothers-suicide/#
Ryan Trunzo of Massachusetts committed suicide at the age of 26 http://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/18881/?fullname=trunzo,-ryan-j
Mercedes McGuire of Indiana ended her life August 4th, 2017 after struggling with agony originally suppressed with opioid pain medicine but reappearing after her pain medicine was cut back in a fashion after the CDC regulations. She was in such discomfort she went to the ER because she could not stand the intractable pain by “learning to live with it” as suggested by CDC consultants. The ER gave her a small prescription. She went to the pharmacy where they refused to fill it “because she had a pain contract”. She went home and killed herself. She was a young mother with a 4 year old son, Bentley. Bentley, will never get over the loss of his mom.
http://greatamericans.world/suicides-associated-with-non-consented-opioid-pain-medication-reductions/
“Goodbye” Scott Smith: Vet w/PTSD committed murder/suicide. Killed his wife then himself today 11/27/2017
Pamela Clute had been suffering from agonizing back problems and medical treatment had failed to relieve pain that shot down her legs While California’s assisted suicide law went into effect a couple months before Clute’s death, the law only applies to terminally ill patients who are prescribed life-ending drugs by a physician. Clute wasn’t terminally ill
Kellie Bernsen 12/10/2017 Colorado suicide
Scott Smith: Vet w/PTSD committed murder/suicide. Killed his wife then himself today 11/27/2017
Michelle Bloem committed suicide due to uncontrolled pain
John Lester shot himself on Jan. 8, 2014.
Anne Örtegrentook her life on Jan. 5
Debra Bales, 52 – Civilian – January 10, 2018 – Petaluma, CA – Denied Pain Meds/Suicide
Aliff, Charles – Could not locate info!
He may be able to help! Charles Aliff – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009343944744…
Brunner, Robert – Could not locate info!
Cagle, Melvin – http://www.objectivezero.org/…/The-Veteran-Spring-Why-a…
Chaney, Rocky – Denise Chaney – I WOULD LIKE YOU TO INCLUDE ROCKY WAYNE CHANEY HE WAS 70 YEARS OLD BORN MARCH 15 1946 DIE MARCH 24 2016 US ARMY VIETNAM. HE HAD PROSTATE CANCER WHICH SPREAD THROUGH OUT HIS BODY AND HE HAD LEWY BODY DEMENTIA HE DIE AT BEAUREGARD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DERIDDER LOUISIANA OF BRAIN INJURY/DEATH AND CARDIAC ARREST DO TO ABNORMAL EEG BECAUSE OF SEVERE GENERALIZED SLOWING SUGGESTING DIFFUSE CEREBRAL DYSFUNCTION. HE HAD CEREBRAL BRAIN INJURY IT WAS ALL AGENT ORANGE CONNECTED
Harold Hamilton – http://www.dispatch.com/…/chronic-pains-emotional-toll…
Hartgrove, Daniel – http://www.legacy.com/…/name/daniel-hartsgrove-obituary…
Ingram III, Charles – http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/…/article_b7a4a712…
Jarvis, Michael http://www.chicagotribune.com/…/ct-indiana-doctor…
http://www.nydailynews.com/…/indiana-man-kills-doctor…
Kevin Keller, 52 – US Navy – July 30, 2014 – Wytheville, VA
http://www.swvatoday.com/…/article_65866e4c-18f6-11e4…
Kershaw, Sarah – https://mobile.nytimes.com/…/sarah-kershaw-former-times…
Kimberly, Allison http://feldmanmortuary.com/…/Allison…/obituary.html…
Lane, Keith – Timothy Shields
August 8, 2017 · Colon, MI I would like you too include Kieth Lane . US Army , Vietnam in country , combat wounded . He died recovering from ulcers surgery of a stroke and heart attack in Battle Creek VA medical center in Michigan .
http://www.legacy.com/obi…/sturgisjournal/obituary.aspx…
Lichtenberg, Steven – http://www.dispatch.com/…/chronic-pains-emotional-toll…
Markel, Robert – http://www.pennlive.com/…/08/heroin_overdose_deaths.html
Miles, Richard – Could not locate info!
Murphy, Thomas – http://www.objectivezero.org/…/The-Veteran-Spring-Why-a…
Paddock, Karon http://www.kpaddock.com/
Denny Peck, 58 – Civilian – September 17,2016 – Seattle, Wa https://l.facebook.com/l.php…
http://www.seattletimes.com/…/the-whitecoats-dont…/…
Peterson, Michael – https://l.facebook.com/l.php…
Reid, Marsha – https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/…/daughter-blames…
Simpson, Jessica – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1616190951785852&set=a.395920107146282.94047.100001848876646&type=3&hc_location=ufi
Daniel Somers, 30 – US Army – June 10, 2013 – Denied Pain Meds/Suicide http://gawker.com/i-am-sorry-that-it-has-come-to-this-a…
Son, Randall – http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/…/woman-says-marion-va…/…
Bryan Spece, 54 – USMC – May 3, 2017 – Great Falls, Montana – Denied Meds/Suicide https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/…/patient-suicide…
Tombs, John – http://www.objectivezero.org/…/The-Veteran-Spring-Why-a…
Jennifer E. Adams age 41 of Helena December 20, 1976 – April 25, 2018
Jay Lawrence March 1, 2017 on the same bench in the Hendersonville, Tennessee, park where the Lawrences had recently renewed their wedding vows, the 58-year-old man gripped his wife’s hand and killed himself with a gun.
suicide due to pain video https://youtu.be/CSkxF1DMQws
Eden Prairie Aug 2018 handwritten note, which stated she “could not endure any more pain and needed to escape it.” http://www.fox9.com/news/charges-eden-prairie-man-helped-wife-commit-suicide
Raymond Arlugo August 29th 2018 https://hudsonvalleydoctorskilledmybrother.wordpress.com/2018/09/14/suicide-over-pain-telling-my-brothers-story-because-he-cant/amp/
Kris Hardenbrook Oct 2018 What is the difference between patient abandonment and a FIRING SQUAD ? – NOT MUCH ?
Robert Charles Foster,65 Nov 3, 2018 Chronic pain pt …SUICIDE BY COP https://theworldlink.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/suspect-dead-after-officer-involved-shooting-in-bandon/article_182bfafd-5e6d-539f-b366-0f9a00b7dc85.html
Lee Cole 04/23/2018 https://www.pharmaciststeve.com/?p=27825
Peter A. Kaisen 76-year-old veteran committed suicide (Aug. 24, 2016) in the parking lot of the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Long Island, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/25/nyregion/veteran-kills-himself-in-parking-lot-of-va-hospital-on-long-island.html
Paul Fitzpatrick, 56 Oct 2018, kills himself blaming 20 years of debilitating pain caused by laser eye surgery https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6445427/Canadian-man-kills-suffering-20-years-pain-laser-eye-surgery.html
Jessica Starr Dec, 2018 failed Lasik SMILE eye surgery resulting in chronic pain
Paolo Antonio Argenzio: Passed away on Monday December 10th 2018, from a self inflicted gunshot wound
Rory G. Hosking, age 50, honorable Army Veteran, passed away Feb. 9, 2019 from his struggle with chronic pain
Sonya White has passed away on Thursday March 7, 2019 at 30 years old
Danielle Byron Henry 10th June, 2017
Kelly Catlin, the 23-year-old Olympic cyclist with debilitating migraines committed suicide 16th March, 2019
Dawn Anderson was 53 years old, and a former Registered Nurse died on March 11, 2019 in untreated agonizing pain
Adam Palmer Jan 20,2019 Family says Pleasant Grove man committed suicide after going off pain meds too quickly
Bobbi Fencl April 9, 2019 My wife Bobbi Fencl is one of the recent casualties of the insane Federal, State and Physician response to the Opioid Crisis. She committed suicide this last Tuesday. She is now out of pain and wrapped in His arms.
Post on FB 07/18/2019 – exact suicide date unknown:
Remember The Fallen Pain Warriors.
Travis Patterson, a Texan, a decorated Staff Sergeant in the Army, combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, was injured by a road side mine, and discharged from the army in 2016. He was in daily severe pain. He could not get pain treatment, and tried to commit suicide and was admitted to a Topeka Kansas VA hospital by his 26 year old wife. The VA refused to treat his war wounds with pain medicine and offered instead a stress ball. Two days later he made sure of his own method for treating his intractable pain by killing himself. He had a future with his wife and studying law but it did not matter. He showed no signs of mental illness, just the stress of failure to treat his underlying war injuries with long term daily pain. One other veteran remarked the US Government was finding other ways to “kill us”.
Additional information: Travis was denied pain medication for this combat wounds by the VA by law passed without knowledge of most 12–15, deep in a 2000 page budget bill. It is now federal law to forcibly taper wounded veterans with intractable pain to “prevent addiction and heroin overdoses” Traviswas a Texas native).
Akaiah Nicole Altstock, 14, of Sneads Ferry, North Carolina, died Wednesday, September 25, 2019.
David Pezzula: this time the pain was too difficult, and he died by suicide on Friday morning, December 6, 2019
02/14/2020 Last night we suffered a major loss. Our beautiful Jessica hung herself. She was only 24 and left behind 2 beautiful little boys, Kyson age 4 and Kaison age 2. People think pain doesn’t kill but I assure you, it absolutely does. Rest in Peace Jess
Jennifer Hill CRPS SUICIDE April 1, 2020 HER 53rd BIRTHDAY
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questioning the stability of compounded medications in implanted pumps
Posted on December 31, 2019 by Pharmaciststeve
I was very hesitant to post this at all it was more than I was ever expecting. It was however enough to get them to do independent specialized testing of the medications shelf-life! I agreed to hold all of my documents, charts, and specialized testing until their test confirms or contradicts our numbers. So the waiting game is on again. Mostly because I don’t want to get sued! 😉 it actually explains a lot to a lot of people! Hydromorphone was tested twice straight from the pump! FDA at their finest! Now we may know why these medications were not approved! I don’t know why fentanyl was not approved for at least for 2 months. Seeing the average patient goes in every 6 weeks!
At 3 months the results as followed:
Hydromorphone
1 month. 91%- 86%
2 months 71%-76%
3 months 62%-67%
loss of its original potency in medication
3 month:
Fentanyl:
1 month: 97%-99%
2 month: 89%- 93%
3 month: 50%- 53%
I have always questioned the stability of compounded meds put in implanted pumps… the only study that I had seen was from Medtronics and the commercial Morphine Infumorph and their studies suggested that it is at least 90% potency stable for six months in vivo.
While these figures seem to be from a very small sampling, but suggests that compounded meds put into a implanted pump … their potency stability will not approach those of the commercial products.
What is not known about these pts is if the pt was – or was not – warned about using a heating pad, hot tub or some other external heat source that could cause the medication to be raised above the normal body temp of 98.6 F. That could possibly be detrimental to the potency of the med.
Meds that are infused into the spinal fluid not only has to be STERILE, they must be a SOLUTION and PRESERVATIVE FREE.
each time a implanted pump is refilled… it is an invasive procedure with the sterile spinal fluid and more times a pump has to be refilled the more chances of someone accidentally breaking a sterile field and the pt ends up with some sort of meningitis or infection in the spinal fluid. So the more stable the med is in the pump and the fewer times that it has to be refilled… the better/safer it is for the pt.
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JD POWER two highest ranked brick/mortar pharmacy was independent franchisee pharmacies
Posted on December 27, 2019 by Pharmaciststeve
These pharmacies topped J.D. Power’s 2019 survey
https://drugstorenews.com/pharmacy/these-pharmacies-topped-j-d-powers-2019-survey
The pharmacy industry continues to provide superior levels of customer satisfaction in the brick-and-mortar and mail-order segments, according to the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Pharmacy Study, released last week. Communicating with the pharmacist and staff in person, as well as via digital options by early adopters of these technologies, are among the key factors driving customer satisfaction.
Good Neighbor Pharmacy ranked highest overall among brick-and-mortar chain drug stores, with a score of 914. Health Mart (893) ranked second and Rite Aid Pharmacy ranked third (865). Sam’s Club ranked highest overall among brick-and-mortar mass merchandiser pharmacies, with a score of 890. Costco (879) ranks second and CVS/pharmacy inside Target (869) ranks third. Among brick-and-mortar supermarket pharmacies, Wegmans ranked highest overall, with a score of 915. Publix (897) ranked second and Winn-Dixie (896) ranked third.
Humana Pharmacy ranked highest overall in mail order with a score of 900. Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy (886) ranks second and OptumRx (869) ranks third.
The 2019 study is based on responses from 12,059 pharmacy customers who filled a prescription during the three months prior to the survey period of May-June 2019.
The Role of Estrogen and Natural Ways to Boost Testosterone
Estrogen levels affect testosterone production in the body.Balancing estrogen and boosting testosterone naturally is essential. Certain lifestyle changes and natural remedies can help increase testosterone levels, leading to improved muscle development.
Estrogen’s Impact on Testosterone Production
Estrogen, a sex hormone commonly associated with females, also plays a crucial role in male physiology. In men, estrogen is produced through the conversion of testosterone by an enzyme called aromatase. While some estrogen is necessary for various bodily functions, excessive levels can hinder testosterone production navigate here https://www.outlookindia.com/.
High estrogen levels can lead to symptoms such as decreased sex drive, reduced sperm production, and even muscle loss. To counteract these effects and enhance muscle gain, it’s important to maintain a healthy balance between estrogen and testosterone.
Natural Testosterone Boosters
To boost testosterone levels naturally, several options are available that do not involve resorting to testosterone therapy or treatment with steroids. These natural ingredients can help optimize hormone levels:
Zinc: This mineral is vital for testosterone synthesis and helps regulate hormone production.
Vitamin D: A deficiency in vitamin D has been linked to low testosterone levels.
Magnesium: Adequate magnesium intake supports healthy testosterone production.
D-Aspartic Acid: This amino acid has shown promising results in increasing testosterone levels.
Tribulus Terrestris: A plant extract often used in traditional medicine as a natural aphrodisiac.
Incorporating these natural ingredients into your diet or taking supplements may contribute to enhanced muscle growth by promoting optimal hormone balance.
Lifestyle Changes for Increased Testosterone Levels
Apart from incorporating specific nutrients into your diet, making certain lifestyle changes can also have a positive impact on your testosterone levels:
Regular Exercise: Engaging in both cardiovascular exercises and resistance training has been shown to boost testosterone production.
Adequate Sleep: Getting enough quality sleep is crucial for hormone regulation, including testosterone.
Stress Reduction: Chronic stress can lead to hormonal imbalances, so finding effective stress management techniques is important.
Healthy Diet: Consuming a balanced diet that includes essential nutrients and healthy fats can support testosterone production.
By implementing these lifestyle changes, you can naturally enhance your testosterone levels and optimize muscle gain.
How GlucoTrust Ingredients Work
Mechanism of action for each ingredient in GlucoTrust
GlucoTrust is a unique blend of ingredients carefully selected to support healthy blood sugar levels and overall well-being. Each ingredient plays a specific role in promoting optimal health and addressing the challenges associated with fluctuating blood sugar levels his comment is here ndtv.com.
Cinnamon Extract: Cinnamon extract has been used for centuries due to its potential benefits in managing blood sugar levels. It contains compounds that mimic insulin, enhancing glucose uptake by cells and reducing insulin resistance. This can lead to improved glycemic control and reduced risk of complications related to high blood sugar.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid: Alpha-lipoic acid is a potent antioxidant that helps protect against oxidative stress, which can contribute to insulin resistance. By neutralizing harmful free radicals, alpha-lipoic acid supports better insulin sensitivity and promotes healthy glucose metabolism.
Banaba Leaf Extract: Banaba leaf extract contains corosolic acid, which has been shown to help regulate blood sugar levels by increasing glucose uptake into cells. This natural compound also aids in inhibiting the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars, preventing sudden spikes in blood sugar.
Synergistic effects of combining multiple ingredients in GlucoTrust
The power of GlucoTrust lies not only in its individual ingredients but also in their synergistic effects when combined together. By working harmoniously, these ingredients create a comprehensive approach to maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
Enhanced Insulin Sensitivity: The combination of cinnamon extract and alpha-lipoic acid helps improve insulin sensitivity, allowing cells to effectively utilize glucose for energy production rather than letting it accumulate in the bloodstream.
Reduced Inflammation: Many of the ingredients found in GlucoTrust possess anti-inflammatory properties that can alleviate chronic low-grade inflammation often associated with impaired glucose metabolism. By reducing inflammation, these ingredients support better insulin signaling and glucose regulation.
Balanced Carbohydrate Metabolism: The synergistic effects of banaba leaf extract, cinnamon extract, and alpha-lipoic acid contribute to a more balanced metabolism of carbohydrates. This helps prevent sudden spikes in blood sugar levels after meals, promoting stable energy levels throughout the day.
“As technology companies promise to change the way Americans address their pharmacy needs, our data suggests that changing such entrenched behavior will be an uphill battle,” J.D. Power managing director of health intelligence Greg Truex, said, in a press statement. “Customers enjoy visiting their brick-and-mortar pharmacy and they get a great deal of satisfaction from speaking directly with pharmacists. However, the potential for technology disruption is there. Although, the frequency of use of digital solutions is low, early adopters are showing high levels of satisfaction.”
The study also found the following:
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- The average customer satisfaction score with the pharmacist is above 940 on a 1,000-point scale when pharmacists cover four or more topics with the customer during their interaction, compared with just one (884) or two (917) topics;
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- Most pharmacy customers that communicate with the pharmacist and staff do so in-person (89%), even though customers that use email or online live chat to interact with the pharmacist or staff are equally or more satisfied;
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- About two-fifths (42%) of customers who are aware of their pharmacy’s health and wellness services have used one of the services in the past year. While those who have taken advantage of health and wellness services spent 12.5% more on their most recent prescription order, significantly less health and wellness customers received a prescription as a result of their participation in 2019 as compared with 2018; and
- Mobile app users more satisfied, but usage is stagnant: Only 20% of customers use a pharmacy’s mobile app, but those who did have satisfaction scores as much as 23 points higher than those who do not.
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2020: proposed pharma production limits to be cut hydrocodone by 19% and oxycodone by 8.8%
Posted on December 26, 2019 by Pharmaciststeve
W.Va. AG leads push for DEA to better account for illicit use of opioids
https://www.journal-news.net/w-va-ag-leads-push-for-dea-to-better-account/article_363661f4-24a7-5b49-b3b0-8fb3a7e25277.html
HUNTINGTON — A group of attorneys general led by West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey are pushing federal regulators to better track illicit use of opioid painkillers, an effort to capitalize on sweeping reforms achieved by Morrisey’s prior lawsuit against the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
The coalition of six states, in comments on a proposed rule, identified 16 specific ways the DEA can better account for diversion when setting the number of pills that can be manufactured each year. The suggestions come in response to agency concerns that it is unable to accurately track pills diverted for non-medical use.
“The opioid crisis is a never-ending battle,” Morrisey said in a release. “Responsible, research-backed quotas are an essential tool in our continued fight. We will never have a full and accurate picture of the legitimate medical, scientific and industrial need without the DEA improving its methodology. We have to do all we can to stop senseless death.”
The coalition’s 16 suggestions include ways to better use six national databases that track the scope and magnitude of opioid abuse. That includes two systems already housed within the DEA, along with the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a database that tracks the treatment of drug abuse episodes and two others that track poisonings.
The coalition further suggests the DEA consult nine similar state databases and, separately, take into greater account information from its Drug Take Back Day as evidence of overprescribing.
The coalition acknowledges that no database is perfect or all-inclusive, but its members contend there is still plenty of material that when reviewed from different angles can help the agency better account for diversion and thereby gain a more accurate picture of the nation’s medical, scientific and industrial need.
In October, a U.S. Department of Justice inspector general report found the DEA was slow to respond to the opioid crisis. The report said between 2013 and 2017, the DEA significantly reduced using one of its key enforcement tools — the ability to suspend manufacturers, distributors and other registrants to keep drugs from being diverted.
Following Morrisey’s lawsuit in late 2017, the DEA enacted sweeping reforms to its drug quota system that embraced the attorney general’s call for greater input and consideration of diversion in determining how many opioid pills can be manufactured each year.
The DEA previously relied on the amount of pills pharmaceutical manufacturers expected to sell within a year. The broken approach did not account for the number of pills diverted for abuse, Morrisey said.
The DEA’s proposed limits for 2020 slash hydrocodone manufacturing by 19% and oxycodone by 8.8% in one year.
West Virginia filed the comments with support from attorneys general in Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri and Nebraska.
DEA proposes to reduce the amount of five opioids manufactured in 2020, marijuana quota for research increases by almost a third
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is proposing to reduce the amount of five Schedule II opioid controlled substances that can be manufactured in the United States next year compared with 2019, per the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking being published in the Federal Register tomorrow and available for public inspection here today.
DEA proposes to reduce the amount of fentanyl produced by 31 percent, hydrocodone by 19 percent, hydromorphone by 25 percent, oxycodone by nine percent and oxymorphone by 55 percent. Combined with morphine, the proposed quota would be a 53 percent decrease in the amount of allowable production of these opioids since 2016.
DEA proposes to increase the amount of marijuana that can be produced for research by almost a third over 2019’s level, from 2,450 kilograms to 3,200 kilograms, which is almost triple what it was in 2018. This will meet the need created by the increase in the amount of approved research involving marijuana. Over the last two years, the total number of individuals registered by DEA to conduct research with marijuana, marijuana extracts, derivatives and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has increased by more than 40 percent, from 384 in January 2017 to 542 in January 2019.
“The aggregate production quota set by DEA each calendar year ensures that patients have the medicines they need while also reducing excess production of controlled prescription drugs that can be diverted and misused,” said Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “DEA takes seriously its obligations to both protect the public from illicit drug trafficking and ensure adequate supplies to meet the legitimate needs of patients and researchers for these substances.”
The Proposed Aggregate Production Quotas and Assessment of Annual Needs being published in the Federal Register addresses more than 250 Schedule I and II controlled substances and three List I chemicals, which include ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine. This reflects the total amount of substances needed to meet the country’s legitimate medical, scientific, research, industrial and export needs for the year and for the maintenance of reserve stocks. DEA endeavors to set production limits at a level required to meet these needs, without resulting in an excessive amount of these potentially harmful substances.
In setting the APQ, DEA considers data from many sources, including estimates of the legitimate medical need from the Food and Drug Administration; estimates of retail consumption based on prescriptions dispensed; manufacturers’ disposition history and forecasts; data from DEA’s internal system for tracking controlled substance transactions; and past quota histories. As a result of new laws and regulations that took effect in 2018, the number of factors that DEA considers in setting the APQ has increased. Information on these factors and how they were assessed appears in the Notice.
The five opioid substances were subject to special scrutiny following the enactment last year of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act, known as the SUPPORT Act, which requires DEA to “estimate the amount of diversion of the covered substance that occurs in the United States” and “make appropriate quota reductions. DEA’s estimates of the amount of diversion that took place for each of these five opioid substances and how those estimates were calculated appear in the Notice.
Interested parties may submit public comments on the proposed APQ until 11:59 p.m. on October 10, following the instructions in the Notice. After taking the comments into account, DEA will publish another notice later in the year informing the public of the established APQ. After that, DEA allocates individual manufacturing and procurement quotas to those manufacturers that apply for them. DEA may revise a company’s quota at any time during the year if change is warranted due to increased sales or exports, new manufacturers entering the market, new product development, or product recalls.
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Single payor: best QOL/healthcare possible .. AT THE LOWEST PRICE
Posted on December 26, 2019 by Pharmaciststeve
Nearly 150K in Pa. will be forced to change medications beginning Jan. 1. Here’s why
Nearly 150,000 Medicaid recipients in Pennsylvania will be forced to change their prescription medications in the new year, the result of new regulations the state says will cut down on healthcare costs, but that many physicians are concerned could harm patient care.
Beginning Jan. 1, the Department of Human Services will require the eight companies that manage pharmacy benefits under Medicaid in the state to use the same preferred prescription drug list — essentially, drugs that will be automatically covered — instead of their own individual lists.
As a result, some drugs currently provided will no longer be available without a special exception. That will force an estimated 150,000 of the state’s 2.8 million Medicaid recipients to switch to new medications, state officials said. Among that group, approximately 40,000 will have to switch multiple medications.
The change is widely seen as beneficial in the long term, simplifying care and decreasing healthcare costs. The preferred list prioritizes cheaper options and makes them automatically available, while requiring doctors to seek special approval for coverage of more expensive drugs.
The Department of Human Services estimates the new approach will save the state $85 million a year. While there is some disagreement over that figure, physicians say the real concern is that the quick rollout of the new list could delay access to critical medications.
Some of those affected may find a drug similar to their current medication on the new list, but not everyone will find an appropriate replacement, said Mary Stock Keister, president of the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians and a practicing doctor at a family health center in Allentown.
“I worry there will be gaps in care,” Keister said. “We always have to balance cost savings with the danger to patients of changing medications. I hope this doesn’t change what I do in seeing patients and deciding on the best option for them.”
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For instance, Keister said, the new list is missing certain concentrations of long-acting insulin that she recommends to many of her diabetic patients, and it only has one class of oral osteoporosis medication.
Ed Balaban, a licensed physician and a consultant for the Penn State Cancer Institute, said the new list doesn’t include intravenous immunotherapy drugs that are commonly used for cancer patients. While there are oral cancer drugs on the list, those work differently, he said, and in some cases, the two are more effective when combined.
More choices also allow patients to find a medication with the fewest side effects, he said. And in a field like oncology, where new drugs roll out every few months, the fact that the drug list will only be updated once a year means the latest treatments will be missing.
“The unfortunate reality in medical care is a lot of decisions are economically based rather than therapeutically based,” Balaban said.
The new drug list — compiled by a committee of doctors, pharmacists and consumer representatives — doesn’t prevent patients from accessing other drugs, but it makes it harder. To get an off-list, or “non-preferred,” drug, a doctor has to submit a request to the company that handles pharmacy benefits, justifying the need for that medication, and the company needs to approve it.
Many physicians worry their requests will be denied since the state, under the new regulations, is requiring the companies to adhere to the preferred drug list 95% of the time. If they fall below that rate, the companies could face fines starting at $1,000 a day.
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“In order to get the highest number of people on the preferred drug list, I worry there will be a tightening of what will be approved for off-list use,” Stock Keister said.
Sally Kozak, deputy secretary for Pennsylvania’s Office of Medical Assistance Programs, said the state’s goal is not to penalize companies. They won’t start monitoring for compliance until July 2020, she said, and if off-list medications are approved for true medical necessity, it won’t count against the companies.
Even if the state finds improper approval of off-list medications, she said, the first step will be to have a conversation rather than simply issue a fine. Still, at a Senate committee hearing in October on the new preferred drug list, physicians said the 95% threshold was a significant concern.
In written testimony, Johanna Kelly from Reading Pediatrics Inc. said that medicines used for children with autism or mental illness almost always require special approval.
“We will exceed our 5% allowed very quickly,” she wrote, “and if this population of children do not remain on their medicine or can’t get medicine they need, we will have a disaster on our hands.”
Even if requests for off-list medications are approved, Balaban said, waiting for the approval creates a delay. In surveys by national and local physician groups, doctors say the approval process delays necessary care about 90% of the time.
“Cancer patients may not have that kind of time frame to wait and see,” Balaban said.
The Department of Human Services said it has tried to account for these concerns by grandfathering in some medications, meaning people who were already using certain drugs that are no longer on the list will be allowed to continue without special approval.
That significantly reduced the worries for many pediatricians, said Deborah Moss, president of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Still, other physicians say they’d prefer the compliance rate be lowered to 80%.
Patients affected by the change were notified by mail this fall and given a list of any medications that will need to be changed. And if patients run into issues come Jan. 1, there are laws in place to protect them, said Laval Miller-Wilson of the Pennsylvania Health Law Project, which provides free legal counsel to Medicaid recipients.
Patients can request a 15-day emergency supply of their old medication while figuring out how to move forward with their doctor, he said.
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19 suicides that occurred on VA campuses from October 2017 to November 2018, seven of them in parking lots
Posted on December 26, 2019 by Pharmaciststeve
The parking lot suicides
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/national/wp/2019/02/07/feature/the-parking-lot-suicides/
Alissa Harrington took an audible breath as she slid open a closet door deep in her home office. This is where she displays what’s too painful, too raw to keep out in the open.
Framed photos of her younger brother, Justin Miller, a 33-year-old Marine Corps trumpet player and Iraq veteran. Blood-spattered safety glasses recovered from the snow-covered Nissan Frontier truck where his body was found. A phone filled with the last text messages from his father: “We love you. We miss you. Come home.”
Miller was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal thoughts when he checked into the Minneapolis Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in February 2018. After spending four days in the mental-health unit, Miller walked to his truck in VA’s parking lot and shot himself in the very place he went to find help.
“The fact that my brother, Justin, never left the VA parking lot — it’s infuriating,” said Harrington, 37. “He did the right thing; he went in for help. I just can’t get my head around it.”
A framed photo shows Justin Miller, a 33-year-old Marine who took his life in the parking lot of a Veterans Affairs hospital in Minneapolis last year. (Jenn Ackerman for The Washington Post)A federal investigation into Miller’s death found that the Minneapolis VA made multiple errors: not scheduling a follow-up appointment, failing to communicate with his family about the treatment plan and inadequately assessing his access to firearms. Several days after his death, Miller’s parents received a package from the Department of Veterans Affairs — bottles of antidepressants and sleep aids prescribed to Miller.
His death is among 19 suicides that occurred on VA campuses from October 2017 to November 2018, seven of them in parking lots, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. While studies show that every suicide is highly complex — influenced by genetics, financial uncertainty, relationship loss and other factors — mental-health experts worry that veterans taking their lives on VA property has become a desperate form of protest against a system that some veterans feel hasn’t helped them.
The most recent parking lot suicide occurred weeks before Christmas in St. Petersburg, Fla. Marine Col. Jim Turner, 55, dressed in his uniform blues and medals, sat on top of his military and VA records and killed himself with a rifle outside the Bay Pines Department of Veterans Affairs.
“I bet if you look at the 22 suicides a day you will see VA screwed up in 90%,” Turner wrote in a note investigators found near his body.
VA declined to comment on individual cases, citing privacy concerns. But relatives say Turner had told them that he was infuriated that he wasn’t able to get a mental-health appointment that he wanted.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Veterans are 1.5 times as likely as civilians to die by suicide, after adjusting for age and gender. In 2016, the veteran suicide rate was 26.1 per 100,000, compared with 17.4 per 100,000 for non-veteran adults, according to a recent federal report. Before 2017, VA did not separately track on-campus suicides, said spokesman Curt Cashour.
The Trump administration has said that preventing suicide is its top clinical priority for veterans. In January 2018, President Trump signed an executive order to allow all veterans — including those otherwise ineligible for VA care — to receive mental-health services during the first year after military service, a period marked by a high risk for suicide, VA officials say. And VA points out that it stopped 233 suicide attempts between October 2017 and November 2018, when staff intervened to help veterans harming themselves on hospital grounds.
LEFT: Alissa Harrington holds the safety glasses recovered from the truck where her brother’s body was found. RIGHT: Justin Miller’s psychiatric pills were delivered to his parents’ home days after he was found dead. (Jenn Ackerman for The Washington Post)
Sixty-two percent of veterans, or 9 million people, depend on VA’s vast hospital system, but accessing it can require navigating a frustrating bureaucracy. Veterans sometimes must prove that their injuries are connected to their service, which can require a lot of paperwork and appeals.
Veterans who take their own lives on VA grounds often intend to send a message, said Eric Caine, director of the Injury Control Research Center for Suicide Prevention at the University of Rochester.
“These suicides are sentinel events,” Caine said. “It’s very important for the VA to recognize that the place of a suicide can have great meaning. There is a real moral imperative and invitation here to take a close inspection of the quality of services at the facility level.”
Keita Franklin, who became VA’s executive director for suicide prevention in April, said the agency now trains parking lot attendants and patrols on suicide intervention. The agency also has launched a pilot program that expands its suicide prevention efforts, including peer mentoring, to civilian workplaces and state governments.
Alissa Harrington visits her brother’s grave on Dec. 13. (Jenn Ackerman for The Washington Post)“We’re shifting from a model that says, ‘Let’s sit in our hospitals and wait for people to come to us,’ and take it to them,” she said during a congressional staff briefing in January.
For some veterans, the problem is not only interventions but also the care and conditions inside some VA mental-health programs.
John Toombs, a 32-year-old former Army sergeant and Afghanistan veteran, hanged himself on the grounds of the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro, Tenn., the morning before Thanksgiving 2016.
He had enrolled in an inpatient treatment program for PTSD, substance abuse, depression and anxiety, said his father, David Toombs.
“John went in pledging that this is where I change my life; this is where I get better,” he said. But he was kicked out of the program for not following instructions, including being late to collect his medications, according to medical records.
A few hours before he took his life, Toombs wrote in a Facebook post from the Murfreesboro VA that he was “feeling empty,” with a distressed emoji.
“I dared to dream again. Then you showed me the door faster than last night’s garbage,” he wrote. “To the streets, homeless, right before the holidays.”
The parking lot where Justin Miller killed himself outside the Minneapolis Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. (Jenn Ackerman for The Washington Post)‘They didn’t serve him well’
Miller was recruited as a high school trumpet player into the prestigious 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Band based in Cherry Point, N.C. In Iraq, he was posted at the final checkpoint before U.S. troops entered the safe zone at al-Asad Air Base.
Hour after hour, day after day, his gun was aimed at each driver’s head. He carefully watched the bomb-sniffing dogs for signs that they had found something nefarious.
After he came home, Miller’s family noticed right away that he was different: incredibly tense, easily agitated and overreacting to criticism. He eventually told his sister that he suffered from severe PTSD after being ordered to shoot dead a man who was approaching the base and was believed to have a bomb.
Miller called the Veterans Crisis Line last February to report suicidal thoughts, according to the VA inspector general’s investigation.
The responder told him to arrange for someone to keep his guns and to go to the VA emergency department. Miller stayed at the hospital for four days.
In the discharge note, a nurse wrote that Miller asked to be released and that the “patient does not currently meet dangerousness criteria for a 72-hour hold.” He was designated as “intermediate/moderate risk” for suicide.
Although Miller had told the crisis hotline responder that he had access to firearms, several clinicians recorded that he did not have guns or that it was unknown whether he had guns. There was no documentation of clinicians discussing with Miller or his family how to secure weapons, according to the inspector general’s report, a fact that baffles his father.
“My son served his country well,” said Greg Miller, his voice breaking. “But they didn’t serve him well. He had a gun in his truck the whole time.”
Franklin, head of VA’s suicide prevention program, called the suicide rate “beyond frustrating and heartbreaking,” adding that it’s essential that “local facilities develop a good relationship with the veteran, ask to bring their families into the fold — during the process and discharge — and make sure we know if they have access to firearms.”
Miller was a Marine Corps trumpet player and Iraq veteran. (Jenn Ackerman for The Washington Post)She said VA is looking at ways to create a buddy system during the discharge process, pairing veterans who can support each other’s recoveries.
During the week of Miller’s birthday in December, his family joined his high school band leader to donate Miller’s trumpet to a local low-income high school.
“He was a blue-chip, solid kid,” said Richard Hahn, his high school band leader. “He does this honorable thing and goes into the Marines. Then we have this tragic ending.”
He sat with Miller’s mother, Drinda, as she closed her eyes in grief, rocking gently. Hahn and Harrington recalled their memories of Justin, playing the trumpet at Harrington’s wedding and taps at his grandfather’s funeral.
After the investigation into Miller’s suicide, VA’s mistakes were the subject of a September hearing in front of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, but it was overshadowed by Brett M. Kavanaugh’s testimony during his Supreme Court confirmation hearing.
Listening to the conversation about her son, Drinda broke down and left the room. She sat in the lobby, shaky and crying. Her daughter knelt down to hold her mother’s hand.
Justin Miller’s family visits his grave in Lino Lakes, Minn., on Dec. 13.‘He was making real progress’
A Rand Corp. study published in April showed that, while VA mental-health care is generally as good or better than care delivered by private health plans, there is high variation across facilities.
“There are some VAs that are out of date. They are depressing,” said Craig J. Bryan, a former Air Force psychologist and a University of Utah professor who studies veteran suicides, referring to problems with short staffing and resources. “Others are stunning and new, and if you walk into one that’s awe-inspiring, it gives you hope.”
The Murfreesboro VA hospital, where Toombs took his life, was ranked among the worst in the nation for mental health, according to the agency’s 2016 internal ratings. It has since improved to two out of a possible five stars.
The program, “while nurturing in some ways, also has strict rules for picking up medications on time and attending group therapy,” said Rosalinde Burch, a nurse who worked closely with Toombs in the VA program. She believes she was transferred and later fired from the program for being outspoken that “his death was totally preventable.”
He had been late several times to pick up his medications, and occasionally left group sessions early because he was suffering from anxiety, Burch said.
“But those shouldn’t have been reasons for kicking him out,” she said. “He was making real progress.”
Toombs’s substance abuse screenings were clear, and he was starting to counsel other veterans, she said. Burch wrote an email to the hospital’s program director, saying, “We all have the blood of this veteran on our hands.”
Since Toombs’s death, the program has a new leadership team, including a new program chief and nurse manager, the hospital spokeswoman said. Burch has filed a complaint with the Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal agency that investigates whistleblower claims, to get her job back.
For Miller’s family, their son’s death has motivated them to speak out about how VA can improve.
“The VA didn’t cause his suicide,” Harrington said. “But they could have done more to prevent that, and that’s just so maddening.”
On the snowy burial grounds behind St. Joseph of the Lakes Catholic Church in a quiet suburb of the Twin Cities, she huddled with her parents around his grave. Nearby stood the special in-ground trumpet stand that his father designed.
The family sipped from a tiny bottle of Grand Marnier, a drink that Miller liked. His mother shook her head in despair as she recalled the sounds of her son’s music.
“Justin used to play his trumpet for all of the funerals,” his father said. “But he wasn’t here to play for his own.”
The VA hospital parking lot where Justin Miller took his life. (Jenn Ackerman for The Washington Post)Filed under: General Problems | Leave a Comment »
wonder how much money wasted on this study ?…VA study uncovers critical link between pain intensity and suicide attempts
Posted on December 24, 2019 by Pharmaciststeve
VA study uncovers critical link between pain intensity and suicide attempts
https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/67708/va-study-uncovers-link-pain-intensity-suicide-attempts/
Many factors are associated with suicide risk. These factors range from PTSD, depression and anxiety disorder to financial and interpersonal concerns to access to opioids and other lethal means, like firearms. Even when we take these risk factors into consideration, moderate to severe pain intensity is associated with suicide risk.
Veterans are a particularly vulnerable group. The suicide rate among Veterans is 1.5 times that of the general population. Also, Veterans develop chronic pain conditions at higher rates and report greater pain severity than members of the general population.
VA’s Behavioral Health Autopsy Program: Executive Summary reports pain is the most common factor Veterans experience before they die by suicide. The VISN 2 Center of Excellence (CoE) for Suicide Prevention studied the link between reported pain intensity and suicide attempts. The results may uncover how effective pain treatment can be a critical suicide prevention tactic.
Managing pain in daily life
Veterans have several treatment options through VA to cope with pain and reduce pain intensity. Nonmedication interventions are considered first-line treatments. They include physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain and chiropractic care. Medication-based treatments include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications and injections. Examples are cortisone for low back pain and botulinum toxin for migraines. Opioids may be used under close monitoring when they are taken appropriately and the benefits outweigh the risks.
Strategies
Strategies that improve psychological well-being can also help Veterans cope with pain in everyday life. Veterans can discuss the following tactics with care providers to see which may work best:
- Be honest about the pain you’re experiencing. An important step in managing chronic pain is accepting that it is part of your life. Accepting the presence of pain can help you move on and engage in enjoyable and everyday activities despite that pain.
- Pace your activities. Although you may not be able to do everything you did before the pain began, try to find ways to reintroduce some activities in a moderated way and create more balance in the activities you’re doing. For example, if you plan to go for a long walk in the morning, consider taking a break mid-day to give your body time to recover and to prevent a pain flare-up. Even if you start to feel better over time, avoid overdoing it to avoid a relapse or further injury.
- Explore mindfulness. Increasing awareness of the present moment can help relieve emotional and mental tension that can intensify physical pain. Meditation and other mindfulness practices help you become more comfortable in feeling the way you feel without judgement, helping to prevent pain from taking over your thoughts and acting on autopilot.
To learn more about pain management treatment provided by VA, explore VA’s pain management webpage for Veterans.
People with higher pain intensity had lower survival rates than those who had mild pain or no pain at all.
Study findings
A CoE study looked at Veterans’ average pain intensity scores in the year after they began receiving pain specialty services to determine whether pain intensity was associated with suicide attempts. Based on data from 2012–2014, moderate and severe pain over the course of a year increased the risk of a suicide attempt, even after considering other factors like a Veteran’s history of suicide attempts.
As the graph to the right shows, those with higher pain intensity had lower survival rates than those who had mild pain or no pain at all. This close correlation between pain intensity and suicide risk and death rates suggests that reducing pain, or the perception of that pain, can help prevent Veteran suicide.
Advice for Veterans’ family members and friends
Family members and friends are often the first to realize that a Veteran may be at risk for suicide. Warning signs include changes in mood or behaviors, outward comments about suicidal thoughts or increased interest in lethal means, such as firearms and opioids. If you see these signs in a Veteran in your life:
- Start the conversation. Topics of pain and suicide can be challenging to talk about. Still, don’t be afraid to begin the conversation with the Veteran you’re concerned about. Starting the conversation can help the Veteran realize the need to address pain. It also reassures the Veteran that you’re willing to help.
- #BeThere for the Veteran and engage in healthy activities. Invite your friend or loved one to a movie or dinner or for a walk around the neighborhood. Getting a Veteran out of the house can remind them of activities they can enjoy, despite their pain. Research suggests changing a Veteran’s mindset and engaging them in activities can improve overall wellness.
Filed under: General Problems | 2 Comments »
Group backing private Medicare is funded by insurance giants
Posted on December 24, 2019 by Pharmaciststeve
Group backing private Medicare is funded by insurance giants
https://apnews.com/8f6960ea00424a868fa3ef2dfcee7a92
WASHINGTON (AP) — A group gaining influence in Washington as a champion for Medicare beneficiaries is bankrolled by major health insurance companies that are trying to cash in on private coverage offered through the federal health insurance program.
The Better Medicare Alliance claims a far-flung network of seniors, with a Facebook community of more than 380,000 and 110,000 signed up to receive email alerts. Its website displays profiles of “BMA Seniors” who describe private Medicare plans in glowing terms. The Associated Press found that one of the featured seniors, David Kievit, died in March at age 91.
The multimillion-dollar budget for the alliance isn’t supplied by seniors, but by UnitedHealthcare, Aetna and Humana, according to the group’s president and its federal tax returns. There are many prestigious law firms with lawyers helping clients with ERISA claims which would be able to help them to start a new life peacefully in their desired location inside the country. The three insurance giants together account for close to 50 percent of all enrollees in private “Medicare Advantage” plans and stand to benefit as that part of Medicare keeps growing.
The organization’s website and Facebook page don’t say where its money comes from, making it easy to miss the industry tie.
Since its establishment in December 2014, the alliance has built its profile. It lobbies Congress and the administration and sponsors research. It has reported spending $370,000 so far this year on lobbying Congress primarily, according to disclosure records. Among other issues, the alliance is seeking the repeal of a tax on health insurers imposed by the Obama-era health care law.
President and CEO Allyson Schwartz enjoys credibility among Democrats, having helped pass the Affordable Care Act as a Democratic congresswoman from Pennsylvania. And Republicans have long been fans of private Medicare plans, giving the alliance a foothold in both political parties.
David Lipschutz, a senior policy attorney for the Center for Medicare Advocacy, a nonprofit legal organization that represents Medicare beneficiaries, called the Better Medicare Alliance an “Astroturf group.” The term refers to an organization that casts itself as a grassroots movement to mask their corporate interests.
“They represent themselves as representing Medicare beneficiaries, but they really represent the interests of the insurance industry,” Lipschutz said.
Schwartz rejects any suggestion that the organization is a front for the insurance industry. She said during an interview with the AP that the alliance’s funding sources “are well known,” even though the names and addresses of donors were blacked out of copies of the alliance’s tax returns that it provided to AP.
Federal rules permit nonprofits like the Better Medicare Alliance to shield the identities of donors. Critics say that’s problematic because the public has no way of knowing whether the anonymous donors have a specific interest in a matter before the administration, Congress or the courts.
“I don’t know that this entity is representative of the people who receive this type of insurance, or is it representing the interests of the businesses that offer this type of insurance,” said Daniel Borochoff, the president of CharityWatch, a national watchdog group. He reviewed alliance tax documents for AP and said it appears to be “akin to a trade organization.”
The alliance has received $19.9 million in donations over the last three years, accounting for 99.9 percent of its total revenue during that period, according to the organization’s tax returns for 2015 through 2017. Schwartz said when asked that the money came from UnitedHealthcare, Aetna and Humana.
“You can ask any nonprofit organization about their funders and say, ‘Do they tell you what to do? Does that dictate what you do?’” Schwartz said. “You pay attention to your funders, but you ought to be making your own decisions. We do.”
She said BMA has 125 “allies” that include the insurance companies, local agencies that serve seniors, patient advocacy groups, and nurse and doctor associations that all back Medicare Advantage. They include the American Medical Group Association and Meals on Wheels America.
“Our job is to find the common ground,” Schwartz said.
Medicare Advantage is a growing business for insurers. About 22 million Medicare beneficiaries, or close to 2 in 5, are expected to be covered by a Medicare Advantage plan next year. The private plans promise coordinated care and generally offer lower out-of-pocket costs. They limit choice of doctors and hospitals and employ other restrictions such as prior authorization for services.
UnitedHealthcare has 25 percent of the Medicare Advantage enrollees, Humana has 17 percent and Aetna has 8 percent, according to an analysis of government data by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.
Schwartz earned just over $600,000 last year in base salary, bonus pay and other compensation, an increase of $52,000 from 2016. The alliance’s board of directors determined her salary following a compensation survey of comparable nonprofits, according to the tax returns, but she makes more than the top executives who run other Medicare-related organizations.
Max Richtman, president of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, earned $391,185 in 2017, according to the organization’s latest tax return. The group advocates against cuts to retirement security programs.
James Firman, president of the National Council on the Aging, was paid $343,558, according to the organization’s tax return that covers the year between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017, the latest available. The council is a decades-old advocacy group.
Among the senior profiles on the Better Medicare Alliance’s website is one of Kievet, a World War II veteran who died in March. There’s a photo of him wearing his veteran’s cap, along with a brief first-person article.
His family was startled to see his photo there, said his son, John Kievit, who lives near Houston.
“I’d like to see the article updated, at least,” he said.
Here is a recent post concerning Medicare Advantage insurance is really only good IF YOU ARE NOT SICK
Medicare Advantage :you get what you pay for – OR – end up paying for what you get ?
All Medicare Part D, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid HMO programs are PRIVATE INSURANCE and what the Democratic candidates are describing is MEDICAID FOR ALL because they are claiming that no one will have any premiums, deductibles, co-pays.
Congress will go down this path for two reasons:
1. The feds will get to pay a FIXED monthly premium for each person
2. The insurance industry has one of the best funded “pot of money” to fund lobbyists.
It is claimed that lobbyists spend 9+ million/day to get Congress to pass bills in a certain way. They claim that you can’t buy a member of Congress, but many seem to be on very Long TERM LEASES.
Filed under: General Problems | 4 Comments »