I have a friend who has a variety of acute medical problems including severe diabetes, hepatitis C and liver cancer. He is now in the final stage of life.
The doctors prescribed over 15 different drugs to him during the last several years. He was prescribed oxycontin, and in high doses for 7 years. No longer able to afford his private medical insurance, he went to the VA (he is a Vietnam vet) where his oxycontin presription (240 mg. per day) was replaced with a prescription for 20 mg. per day of methadone. He was "accused" of enjoying the oxy. He had to sign a "narcotics contract" to get the methadone. Of course the small allotment of methadone was not nearly enough. A month later his urine sample contained no methadone metabolites and he was accused of selling the methadone, which he had used up long before the month was through. Another urine sample tested positive for oxycodone and cannabis, which he had admitted to procuring on the street as he was both addicted after 7 years of prescribed oxy, and in need of analgesic medication for pain. He is quickly deteriorating, in pain and bedridden. When he takes enough oxy he is out of bed, active, and has some degree of quality to what is left of his life. Because he "violated" the terms of his narcotics contract he is denied prescriptions for oxy or any other narcotic drug, despite the fact that these drugs are precisely what he needs to experience any enjoyment and functionality during his life's final chapter.
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This subject is...
...maddening. I don't know how the Prohibition dogs get away with this. These stories get out here and there around the country but get no real attention. There was some interest in the Siobhan Reynolds case - where the slavering US Atty tried to silence her - but that story seems to have just died. I don't even know if Ms Reynolds won or not.
I deal with the same thing here in the Twin Cities. In one year of residence, I have been unable to find even one doctor who will even discuss treating my pain despite the fact that I was treated for 8 years straight before coming here.
This has to stop. Isn't this at least as egregious as medical-cannabis patients who can't get their palliative?
SO SICK OF BEING PROFILED
Im BEYOND Tired of being profiled at walgreens or the mom and pop pharms that qaudrouple the price on meds or say they are out unless you can pay cash i am young yes and not bad looking BUT THEY DO NOT LIVE IN MY BODY. I HAVE BEEN DISABLED SINCE 17 NOW 27 GOING THROUGH HELL . There are days when i would rather die than to open my eyes to have to feel the pain i do. is there anyone i can call with my story? im even on social security and i still get messed with and i know im not the only one. Is there anyone out there for "us" REAL PAIN PATIENTS? Thanks a lot to the addicts ect for messing Life up for us SMH its not cool to be on pills. And with the DEA or whom ever starting the pill shortage thing all theyre doing is making it look Worse because now the race is on for everyone to get to the pharmacies that have them ect. UGHHHHHH I JUST WOULD RATHER BE DEAD THAN TO KEEP GOING THROUGH THIS LIFE =(...
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