Hi Stepaniesue, 

I, too, understand what you are going through.  I suffered silently for years before I finally found a doctor in my area who was compassionate and understanding.  However, he has lost his license to practice medicine because of the DEA.  I have FMS, Sacroilitis, 7 ruptured discs in the lower spine, and sarcoidosis of the lungs.  I now have to suffer (once again) because of so-called "pain patients" who abuse/misuse their medications.  It's the workings of these types and the actions of the DEA that have ruined the pain management system for those of us struggling to exist each day.  If the DEA would go after these cocaine & crack slinging scumbags on the streets instead of going after the doctors, those of us living with and suffering from chronic irreversible pain would be a lot better off.  As a mother of two teenage sons, I cannot even get out of bed to help them with their lives anymore.  My elderly parents now have to help me.  I'm afraid of becoming a permanent attachment to my bed because of this relentless pain.  I am so sorry you cannot get the help you so need and deserve =(.  Just know that you are not alone and stay strong.  Chronic pain over so many years, if left untreated, is mentally agonizing and leads to thoughts of suicide.  It's because chronic pain takes an enormous toll on the psyche.  Without the proper pain medications, physical therapy, and compassion from your doctor, living becomes somewhat of a nightmare.   I am now searching for a doctor who refuses to live in fear of the DEA and their terrorist tactics so that my sons can have their  mother again.  Reading your story and and the story of the man in Alabama moved me to tears.  Everyone who takes narcotics is not a "junkie."  This term is slung around rather loosely by morons who haven't a clue.  The medications are available to those of us who need them but doctors live in constant fear of prescribing them.  Doctors are afraid of losing what they've worked years to obtain (12 to 16 year of med school/internships/training).  I can understand their fears but my medical reports, mri's, cat scans, and a bevy of related tests are PROOF that my condition(s) are going to lead to life in a wheelchair or worse yet, dead.  If I can find a doctor who is sympathetic to the suffering I endure daily, I will post the information a.s.a.p.  I understand money issues being a divorced mother of 2 sons with no insurance.  I've filed for disability and am awaiting my hearing.  I wish all of you the best and pray that the states, the government, and the DEA (who by the way answer neither to the state or the government---they are an autonomous entity who doesn't answer to ANYONE for their actions) will stop this nonsense.  They need to stop making us, the innocent pain victims, needlessly suffer as a result of the stupidity of junkies across this country.  I really do pray for these bullies that they stop their guerilla tactics on innocent doctors whom they allege to be "pill-mill" doctors and their "junkie" patients.  I've been taking narcotics for my conditions for 8 + years and they improved my quality of life drastically.  I was able to participate in school functions with my sons, able to walk around the block, and could spend time with my wonderful family and friends.  Now that ability is gone because this unforgiving pain is keeping me a prisoner in my home.  I can barely get out of bed to use the bathroom, let alone, walk to the mailbox.  I apologize for this long rant as a response stephaniesue.  I am just outraged knowing that the Drug Enforcement Agency is locking up innocent doctors and in some cases, their patients.  When "supposed" patients of pain doctors overdose, I believe they wanted to die anyway because anyone in their right mind WOULD NOT do something this moronically stupid...Those types of individuals should exercise that little thing called PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!  It just galls me to think that someone would knowingly take all of their scripts in a matter of days and die.  Hell, we could all do that if we were stupid!  But for those of us who want to reclaim our lives again, take our meds responsibly as prescribed and have an overall 'team approach' to our illnesses from our physicians we will need to ALL come together and rally against the DEA before people begin to take the easy road out and ultimately commit suicide.  On a side note regarding the DEA and their tactics, were any of you guys aware that all of the raids of medications, etc. end up in the hands of the DEA and whatever they sieze becomes their personal property?  So, in effect, your medication and mine ultimately becomes theirs and they do whatever they damn well please with it (including using these medications and siezed property as if it were there own)  I know this for a fact because my elderly father hae a friend who worked as a DEA agent for many many years and he bragged about driving around in a siezed Cadillac Escalade while "popping" the medication of innocent victims as well as spending these peoples hard earned cash =(  This sickens me to no end...Needless to say, my father has no use for this friend anymore because he could not align himself with a person of that crooked caliber.  This man gave my father the names of SO many agents doing the same thing.

At any rate, please keep in mind how crooked this world/country is and how the DEA will bend over backwards to go after the innocent instead of the local corner crack slinger.  I've lost faith in our medical system and I've truly lost faith in the Drug Enforcement Agency for their misconduct.  My prayer is that this "agency" will indeed go after the actual junkies and dealers instead of punishing our doctors and their patients.  Once again, life long chonic pain only leads to more pain, depression, and unfortunely suicide if left untreated.

stephaniesue, please do your research via the internet or ask friends and family who know what you're facing.  The pulnonary nodules in my lungs are indicative of cancer and I see the Social Security docs this month plus I'll have another pet scan done to rule out cancer this month.

Please don't give up...And to the man in Alabama, please don't give up...Whatever hope/help I can give, please let me know...And remember you are not alone.  My Love, Prayers, Peace, and Comfort are with all of you while you are facing this same experience just like myself.

I am truly mortified that I cannot continue Grad School and obtain my Master's Degree/Ph.D as a result of my severe health conditions...I will be sending vibes of comfort to all of you enduring this agonizing pain.  Just remember, we have only the DEA to thank for this as well as those individuals who seek out doctors to get their fix.  People need to adopt some self-control over the meds they are prescribed...It's simply called SELF CONTROL and the DEA needs to revise their policies or just stop it already if they cannot implement an educated plan that keeps drug dealers off of the streets.

Thank you for listening to me rant.  I just know what all of you are going through and try to send some comfort your way.  I wish all of us the very best in finding doctors who have a wonderful bedside manner and who are sympathetic to the needs of chronic pain sufferers all over this country...There are upwards of 76 million people in suffering with chronic pain in the U.S. alone.  That's a staggering number =(

Please keep me informed if any of you discover a caring physician who is willing to deal with chronic pain.  So far, opiates along with antidepressants, musle relaxers, etc. have been the only medications along with mild exercise and proper diet that made me a 'functioning' woman in society.

I will keep you guys posted as well.  Thank you so much for your time and know that my thoughts in prayers are with you and the others experiencing this pain management crisis~

Sincerely, L. 

It may not be that the states are "paranoid" but could be the GERD that your doc is more worried about.  Tylenol (which is in a LOT of pain meds. including vicodin, tylenol-3, or tyl-4, so many other meds).. can cause more gastrointestinal problems. and, so, the docs don't want to make it worse OR mask the symptoms.  You may ask about straight codeing pills or injections.. or something else.. I don't have a lot of experience with pain meda that I wasn't allergic to.. so don't have a lot of answers or suggestions.  Still talk to your doc-  explain how you feel about this and ask why you are not being given the meds you feel would help you.  I imagine you will be told that it's the GI stuff preventing it.  But, if you cannot have an open dialogue with your doc, you are lsee inclined to get much help there!  Good luck with it.

Dearest Stephaniesue,

I'm writing this to elaborate on AnneBeckett's response...My Mother has GERD/bleeding ulcers too and she has never had a problem with her doctors prescribing her pain medications.  Her pain meds contain little to no acetimenophen (tylenol) in them.  Her GERD is kept under control by Prilosec and various other stomach meds.  Her pain meds are in the family of oxycodone (opana, OxyContin, and sometimes percocet for breakthrough pain).  She is living proof that the pain meds do not interfere with her GERD...I double checked with her this morning to verify this info.  My Mom is almost 70 years old, outgoing, and active because of the help her meds give her.  After all of the botched back surgeries she's endured through the years, she deserves  some happiness and if these medications make that a reality, then I say "GO FOR It!."

Since the moronic DEA got involved and wreaked havoc on the lives of chronic pain sufferers here along the coast, my Mom now has to see a doctor in her home state of Louisiana (we live on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi).  This doctor is truly compassionate and understanding of chronic pain.  This new doctor expressed anger toward the 'terrorist tactics' that the DEA is implementing and he did tell Mom this IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE =(  Since Hurricane Katrina, dope heads from around the country have come here seeking to get their "fix" and ruined pain management fo the real sufferers.  Luckily, Mom has insurance & medicare to see this doc.  He has also been her doctor for over 30 years while living in LA.  I have absolutely no insurance, will be filing bankruptcy soon because I haven't been able to work, and I need to see her doc or one who will look at my records, charts, films, etc., and steer me in the right direction.  I hold a bachelors in Fine Art and I can't even attempt to go to grad school for my Master's in this much pain =(...It just sickens me...It hurts just to type I'm in so much pain =(

I know my story probably brings little to no comfort to you.  I just wish there was something I could do to help =(  It breaks my heart to see people suffer so needlessly when the help IS OUT THERE but the doctors are too reluctant to prescribe patients that help (even the Pain Management docs as well as PM&R docs refuse to prescribe any narcotic medication in this area).  This behavior is mind-boggling???  Pain Management docs cannot dispense pain meds anymore?  I'm just not buying that whatsoever.  I could understand if the patient is a Narcotics Violator or something of that nature.  But for those like me who have never broken a law, have NO criminal record, and for damn sure are not 'junkies', I really resent not being able to obtain my medication so I can reclaim my life.

Stephaniesue, please let me know how you're doing either here or at my email address.  I can give you the doctors name in Louisiana if that is of any help.  He was my Mom's doctor for 30+ years.  Until then, I wish you much Peace, Comfort, and Love.

Sincerely, L.