I agree with all of your comments. It seems the pain patient population does not even rate, except lip service. I live in fear of what the future holds, and I live in constant pain. I've been trying unsuccessfully for over a year to locate a doctor as we have moved, and I cannot find a doctor to treat me for my pain. It is so discouraging. I have spent countless days on the telephone in search. My current doc has been the same for 18 years, and he seems to be isolated as far as being able to help find a new one.
It appears the FDA has their priorities wrong and they appear to listen to the wrong people. Can those of us in chronic pain ever get a voice? I've written and written and telephoned on each of the decisions, but they continue.
I can only guess that after 53 years of having these medications safely used why the gov has banned them. What next methadone, talwin, fiorinol, its any ones guess what they will go after? It's a sad day for those who suffer in pain in america at the current rate if advocates do not succeed in stopping the war on pain doctors, we soon will have no medications left only injections at clinics that cost 100's if not thousands of dollars. michael in mississippi
Its the same old story when it comes to drug prohibition - as a methadone clinic client - whose life was saved by methadone -I get so irritated when i read these types of reports - but then i believe in drug legalization - then pain patients and eveyone else will not be at the mercy of doctors or the ignorant government of this country
I thought I would let you know that it's already happening in Washington State, where I live. A panel of doctors here has been studying methadone deaths within the state and last fall they issued an advisory to all doctors in the state to discontinue prescribing methadone for pain relief. I have FM and have been taking methadone for five years - a low dose of 15-20 mg per day - and have had great results. Unfortunately my doctor was on that panel so she is making me go off the methadone. I went off it once before, about two years ago, in order to try Savella when it came out. I went off too fast that time and has some pretty bad withdrawal symptoms. I am doing it much slower this time and hope to avoid that problem. I live in a very small town, so the chances of finding another doctor who would be willing to prescribe methadone for me are pretty small. I just learned about Suboxone as a possible alternative and will do some research on that before I ask my doctor about it. I know there isn't much out there that compares to methadone for pain relief. Once again, much over-reaction and lack of common sense on the part of a few makes life difficult for the rest of us with chronic pain. Thank you Karen for your always well-written, well-researched articles.
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every time I see nonsense like this or talk to people who have been assailed by well-meaning loved ones about the potential for addiction, I refer to your article about a review of studies showing that when prescribed and taken correctly, opioids result in addiction one quarter of one percent of the time. I've also read another review of studies, Canadian this time, I think, that showed an addiction rate of 3%, but this was explained by the fact that people were previously had substance abuse problems were included. It says something about the risk of addiction to opioids when prescribed for pain that even when you include people with a history of addiction - the greatest risk factor for developing an addiction to painkillers - the rate is miniscule. 3%. One quarter of one percent. This means that 97% and 99.75 percent do not develop an addiction and yet, the bogeyman of painkiller addiction is what drives policy, prescription, medical care. Leaving pain patients out in the cold, required to just suck it up with a stiff lip. as far as I'm concerned, this is discrimination, unreasonable and tantamount to torture.and don't get me started on the annual cost of chronic pain. Why is no one putting the two together and realizing that they could have a whole whack of happy, productive and most of all tax-paying - and voting! - citizens? Why is it such a stretch? Education about the risks of a drug would seem to be a much more reasonable approach - when you think about it, so many other drugs probably have the exact same rights of serious side effects, yet they're not being yanked off the market.
I could go on, but will try not even essay in your comment section.