Hi there,
I’m a reporter with the Washington Post, and I’m reaching out in the hopes you might be able to help me with a story. It’s about the increasingly complex geography of opioid proscriptions. As a growing number of states pass stricter legislation targeting over-prescription, and doctors become skittish, obtaining an opioid proscription in many states has become no easy matter. Unevenly-distributed policies has resulted in some longtime pain patients having to travel long distances to obtain proscriptions. I’ve heard this is much the case in Montana, and I was hoping to learn more and talk to a few people who have been forced into this situation. I’m interested in doing a story on what could be considered the collateral damage of America’s war on opioids.
Thanks a lot, and I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Terry
_______
Terrence McCoy
Washington Post
Reporter
202-334-5215
UPDATE:
04/04/2018 this reporter just called me and he is interested in talking to people who are having to travel long distances to see a prescriber to get the pain management
Filed under: General Problems
My daughter’s death along with 6 of her friends came from the opioid epidemic here in Ohio .We would love to talk to you Terrence about this .Thank you
Yvonne Boggs
IF you are dealing with EDS please look up the support group https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/ and READ Dr. ROGER CHRISS’s articles, He has EDS so he knows what he is talking about. It affects your digestion too. It is life long pain.
I am also greatly saddened by the erosion of the patient/provider relationship that has occurred due to the CDC guidelines. I agree-we are so far past this, yet perhaps having to drive 300 miles to get a legimamate rx is the only thing that may resonate with the general public. Eight weeks out from major neurosurgery with EDS and I’m already being told some of the pain is in my head and the only reason I am alive is because I wouldn’t stop pushing for answers. Many providers don’t even believe pain is real anymore. I am 37 years old, have struggled with chronic pain for a decade (a term I absolutely hate) and will never fully trust the medical system again. I only wish to be cared for.
The reporter should spellcheck for correct word usage for his posts/emails. It really is unprofessional and does not lend confidence that he is an actual reporter. The word is “prescription” not “proscription” when referring to what is given by a medical profession to receive medication.
I use to drive well ,have a family member drive me 1hr away to get my medication ,now I don’t even have that option because he is no longer practicing. I am looking for another and they are very far away, I can’t even drive.
For the past 14+ years, I’ve had chronic, intractable pain in my lower back, radiating down both legs, due to permanent lumbar nerve damage. The pain NEVER stops, and driving for any distance makes it worse, but every month, I have to drive 1 hour each way on rural, central NY highways to my pain management appointment, simply so I can get a refill on my opioid prescriptions.
My “pain specialist” is a PA with a a degree so new the ink is still drying. This PA inexplicably inherited the entire patient load of the experienced pain management doctor I had been seeing, who left the practice. Technically, this PA is supervised by a doctor, but that doctor is based in another city, and I’ve only met him once. My PA doesn’t yet have the experience or knowledge to be able to actually help me, especially if my (fairly unusual) condition changes or worsens – but that doesn’t seem to matter to anyone but me. Every month, this PA perfunctorily asks me how I’m doing, we chat a moment or two, then my e-script refills are keyed in, and I’m sent on my way. No exam. Lather, rinse, repeat. Quality healthcare at its finest.
If I had any viable options, I’d find another doctor, but because I live in central New York, the options are few and all involve driving even further than I already do, possibly to another state. And that’s IF the doctor I pick will even accept new patients – these days, I’m aware how fortunate I am to be an established patient. So I’m hesitant to rock the doc boat; the thought of having to start from scratch and prove my pain’s legitimacy all over again just makes me tired. And given the current attitude towards opioids and pain management patients, I’m terrified of the potential for a new doctor to decide to refuse me access to pain control entirely. Better the devil I know, in this case.
So I’m going to hang in with the inexperienced PA for a while. I’ll just have to suck it up and keep driving an hour each way, and will plan on a couple days of bed rest after each monthly appointment to let my pain levels drop back down. Eventually I’ll need to address the situation, but as long as my condition is stable, it’s workable. It has to be.
I had to move from my home state of 55 years. I’m now getting decent pain management but God only knows for how long
Why dont you write about siobhan reynolds she predicted this in 2011 before she died she was my friend and I worked for her as well…..fierce paim advocate
Always great to have a legit reporter interested in our plight, but just my very humble opinion… We are way past that topic. Too many have given up. Too many are living in excucating pain daily due to drastic and in most cases being tapered too quickly to dosages that are so low the quality of life is unexceptable. Too many have been abandoned by their doctors. Too many, if they do have a prescribing doctor suffer humiliation, by filling out pain contracts, some 20 pages long, urine samples every visit, pill counts every visit. Yes, the doctors want to protect themselves, but it has gotten beyond the point of being treated as someone dealing with serious pain issues. Plus, let’s not forget the Pharmacies, not filling legitimate scripts. Plus, dealing with insurance companies, that put their own guidelines on what medications they allow. Yikes..could keep going.. as I mentioned these issues and the blame game of the “opioid crisis” that has fallen on the shoulders of some of the most vulnerable, are what needs to be reported on now. Just all my opinion.
You hit the nail right on the head!!
Preach it! It’s bad enough that I suffer 24/7 from my pain, but it’s adding insult to injury when I’m treated like I’m a criminal or a drug-seeker looking to get high. And I’m wondering when the “pain contracts” will become straight-up liability waivers that we must sign to get any medication… sheesh. Legitimate chronic pain patients are NOT the target population that lawmakers, docs, pharmacists, etc. should be worrying about!
Agree!!
In the update it says 04/04/2017…is this a typo or really from last year?
SENIOR MOMENT 🙁
Other side of the story, besides those who have their own interest invested like Klodeny and Kreb. They are using out of date data. Pain Patients and the advocates of our 6 million community couldn’t afford the $25,000 fee to attend the CDC hearing, we were SHUT OUT. 22 Veterans a day are committing Suicide over the forced withdrawl of their pain medications, for contitions that have no other treatment that Pain Control. Uncontrolled Pain also causes Hypertension if not treated can KILL.
Getting the facts right about the opioid crisis is essential. And the claim that the United States consumes 80% of the world’s supply of opioid medication — while having only 5% of the world’s population — is incorrect.
The truth is that Americans consumed only about 30% of the world’s opioid medication in 2015. And the U.S. has about 4.4% of the world’s population. That’s still a lot, but nowhere near “80/5.”
As Politifact notes while debunking McKaskill’s “80/5” claim, “while the United States is clearly the largest consumer of opioids, it, at most, accounts for roughly 30 percent of global consumption.” (DR. Roger Chriss, EDS Patient, Mathematician).
We want our own Specialist treating us, not some PA, APN or GP who runs a Pain Clinic that does not know how to treat Rare diseases or multiple health conditions that cause pain.. On 1 day 308 Pain Clinics in Tennessee were Shut down, leaving just 66 for the entire State, that does not include those of other states.
Pain is a misunderstood issue as there are several types, Intractable pain, also known as Intractable Pain Disease or IP, is a severe, constant pain that is not curable by any known means and which causes a bed or house-bound state and early death if not adequately treated, usually with opioids and/or interventional procedures. Chronic pain is often defined as any pain lasting more than 12 weeks. Whereas acute pain is a normal sensation that alerts us to possible injury, wound, broken bone, labor.
I fall in the first category, There is NO surgical, or medication that can alleviate the pain. I don’t take Opioids as I have 6 Gastric conditions, caused by Osteoarthritis drugs which are Black Boxed by the FDA for both GI/Heart Disease. Why does the FDA allow drugs they label as very Dangerous allow them to stay on the market doing incalculable life long harm to people like me. I have both. Along with Neuropathy, Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis, Enlarged Heart with tiny Mitral Valve leak, the Gastropresis and Barrett’s Esophagus Hypothyroid are NOT curable, Nor is the spinal Degeneration. I’ve been stable for a decade on Valium for Fibromyalgia and Neuropathy, until an Under Educated APN would not refill my prescription because she feared losing her license, even though that was not actual fact. CDC guidelines are NOT law. And Tennessee Law states I can be treated with Valium 1 month script with 5 refills. Since being forced to Cold Turkey off what was controlling adequately very painful conditions, I’ve had 1 drug reaction to Klonopin 1 mg which is MORE addictive than Valium and 2 ER trips for Gastropresis spasms. Followup with my Neurologist revealed my spine has deteriorated more, there is now Calcification in my Lumbar beside the other damage there. Just Cold Turkey, taking away one medication caused a Drug reaction and 2 ER trips with 2 Wrongly diagnosed CT’s, small bowel swelling is NOT Diverticulitis, 1 Gastro visit, Barium X-Ray, Bacterial Breath test that took 3 hours, 2 trips to the Neurologist, 2 MRI’s. The last ER Trip I was in Stage 2 Hypertension that overrode my Cardizem. They didn’t monitor my heart until I hit 167/110. Hypertension untreated KILLS.
I am the Nightmare of 4 Specialist, what made a Internal Medical practice think an Under Educated RN could manage me? 13 reactions to Neuropathy drugs 3 ending up with ER Trips, 2 with hospital stays.
When is the FDA going to REMOVE FROM THE MARKET THOSE BLACK BOXED OSTEOARTHRITIS DRUGS THAT CAUSE GI/HEART DISEASE?
All because of a scared APN taking for Gospel Inaccurate CDC BIASED guidelines as law, and Ignorance of Tennessee State Law.
I’m still in pain, GASTRO working with Neurologist, put me back on the same dose of Valium I’ve been on a decade, GI spasms have decreased but not stopped, a bout of SIBO, but the Calcification of the Lumbar has not stopped hurting. With Gastro issues Opioids are not a viable option. All the drying agents in the Heart, GI, Valium, are now causing dental and eye issues. I already had Dry Eye Syndrome from Cataract surgery, and had to have all 4 tear duct cauterized closed. Now these new drugs are causing more DRY EYE issues which cause driving issues. The Dental can’t be fixed my gums are receding from my teeth. As a Senior on Medicare with Tricare Life as Secondary we have NO DENTAL, Vision, or Hearing care as spouses of the Service Member. Hubby is a 20 yr Career Navy Ret. SCPO. His hearing loss is caused by flight deck. That SS COLA RAISE of 2% saw $12.00 per year for the wallet, $1,569 per year for Increased Medicare Premiums. Tricare Life Co-pays went up again this year, and both cover less medical care. There is NO RIGHT OF APPEAL as the government runs both programs. Doesn’t matter if you are allergic to the drugs left on the Formula, if the 1 you can take is not on it, Tricare WON’T cover the cost. You can’t rely on Express Scripts takes 2-3 weeks to get a script filled 2 weeks for a refill. And you NEVER know what generic you will get just the cheapest one they can get. Drug reactions can kill.
Petition for Pain Patients https://www.thepetitionsite.com/432/877/807/chronic-pain-patients-speak-up/
Do you personally know if he is legitimate? I don’t want to put my personal information out there with someone who is looking to troll the internet for the other side.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/terrence-mccoy/?utm_term=.07b2299aba68
The update says 2017…is this from last year or a typo and really should say 2018?
Oh Steve if this guy is legit this is fantastic, you would be great, also Dr Kertesz ….looking forward to hearing more!!