Why no NEWS / Media coverage on lack of treatment?

Hi Hurtin'

The reason??? IMHO it's not a hot story...doesn't sell news papers and they're hurting. Currently the news stations and new papers are hurting financially. Most people get their first and most often only bits of new from the radio or online. So in order to either sell a news paper or win popularity of the way-too-many new stations they have to be the first and most outrageous. You have to get people attention with the most shocking stories. Telling people that patients don't get enough pain pills/prescriptions doesn't sell papers. In fact many won't believe it after they heard the sensational accusations thrown at someone famous in the spotlight.

It's a shame that the media has such power. Just an accusation deems someone guilty in our society any more. I'm just glad that my prescription usage is private and protected or I'd be out of a job.

Feel free to go out there and fight for the cause. I applaud your ideas and energy. Sorry if I sound jaded and pessimistic but if we could get someone of notoriety on board we might have a chance. Look at the AIDS attention. Here is a disease that is mostly preventable and guided by lifestyle, yet because of famous people going public for the fight they get the $$. Those who truly need pain meds through no fault of their own are denied. Yes, it is frustrating. (Please understand I'm not tearing down those with AIDS nor do I wish any less funds for research, just making a comparison. Just wish those with chronic pain could have as much help)

Chutz

I have a lot to say on this subject but because I am having a 10 pain day I am not up to it.  I am however, suprised that you did not draw interest from MOntel as he usually is an advocate for those in pain.  As he has MS, but I think he got off the meds and went el-natural for healing.  I have other issues that I am as passionate about, people who need disability and wait years to get it, Workers comp denial, and the list goes on.  If I ever get past the pain myself I can focus long enough to help in some way.  I am a very organized, passionate, and energized person but pain can do a number on you .  I cried today over the smallest thing.  Unlike me. 

I guess to answer your question, there are many things on this forum that are unjust and I am thinking of ways to make it public.  Lets see what others say. 

  IF the news or media would cover any thing like this you know it would be vary vage and not to simpathetic to the people with chronic pain. why ? because its not news. but if you got realy depressed and did something like the kid in virginia and started killing everyone that would be news. but i do hope it wont come to that. but you could be right since the news media is contoled by the FDA the FTC and the pharmacies it would be to there addvantage to make more  money for all including our govrnment officals and lobbyist involved. lets not foget the doctors that get to cut us up and perscibe more drugs for there kick backs.  if you really want to learn how it all works try reading Keaven Trudou , natural cures that thy dont wont you to know about. Chutz might remember me. i too have been in major back pain for 19 years, about 2 momths ago it went to my ciatic nerve in my right leg and was on my couch for a month it hert to get up, just to go to the bathroom. i finaly got relife from my massuse with deep tissue, it hert like *%@# but she knows what she is doing. as Chutz knows i like most of you was not getting any relief form all the doctors i have seen and vary liitle from the drugs and desided to do some reserch on my own,  i saw the infomerchial on keven truduo when i was on the coutch in pain and thuought what do i have to lose. i also desided to take my health and pain treatment into my own hands. i followed some of kevens suggestions, chyro treatments 2 times a weak, work out 3 times a weak (it was'nt easy) and a massage every other week. i hav not felt this good in years, there is still some pain but not bad enought for the morphine, oxyconden or perc's i was takeing, it's been 5 days now and no drugs and i do work hard as an electrician. as i said wat could it hurt to check out the book ? and you will learn jurt how corupt everyone is. good luck good health and god bless.          

Figurinitout is exactly right (except for voting republican Haha just joking). I read an article that said "The War on Drugs is the longest and greatest policy failure in the history of the US." I cannot believe that there are people that actually think that putting more restrictions on prescription drugs will make them harder for drug abusers to get, or cause there to be less drug abuse. The only thing that this hurts is the legitimate pain patients who have more difficulty getting their medications or are under treated because doctors are afraid to treat them in the way that they KNOW to be the proper medical way, due to pressure from the DEA. The DEA is causing people to suffer. Drug users will do their thing no matter what. But because pain patients go through the legitimate channels, which have become more and more constricted due to harsher legislation and DEA pressure, it becomes impossible for all of the pain patients to 'get through the now narrow channels.' Drug users, on the other hand, are willing to go outside these channels and that is why they will always obtain their drugs, legitimate patients, however, follow the rules, and because of that, they are the ones who suffer. The War on Drugs is one of the most foolish and futile excercises ever committed by the US government. It causes pain to the people who are arrested due to violating the puritanical drug laws that say that no one can ingest a substance because the government feels it is too dangerous. It causes pain to those peoples families. It causes pain to the victims of those tempted into joining gangs swollen with drug money that is available only because of an artificial black market created by the War on Drugs. It causes pain to the victims of gang violence related to those gangs when they war with each other. It causes pain to patients who are unable to find proper relief because their doctor has been intimidated by an overzealous government agency attempting in vain to rid the world of 'the scourge of drugs.' And there are so many more examples. People need to understand, and I dont see how it is not an absolute no-brainer, that it is better for a doctor to be fooled into giving drugs to 10 drug addicts pretending to be in pain, than to neglect to treat the pain of one patient who is truly suffering because he is afraid that he may be aiding someone in 'GETTING HIGH O NO! OMG! THE WORLD MIGHT END!" I cannot see how the people who make up the DEA can say in good conscience that it is better to not treat some people who are suffering than to give away some drugs to a drug addict (who will certainly find the drugs anyway, and may even be driven to commiting a crime to attain them). It is simply something I cannot compehend.

I hope that people who read this post understand what I am saying and agree with me, and if you didnt agree before you read it, I hope that maybe I changed your mind (or at least softened your opinion a little bit). I hope that you guys go and spread this to other people so that they understand how unjust the situation is to chronic pain patients, and for what? To try and stop people from changing their state of mind, why do these people feel that they must take this puritanical view that it is worth it to cause all of the suffering I mentioned above merely to stop people from changing their state of mind? Dont ask me, I really dont understand it.

Good luck to everybody, I hope that you understand what I was saying there, and most importantly, I hope that everyone has a pain-free day,
Circa

Post Edited (Circa1988) : 9/17/2007 11:59:29 PM (GMT-6)

Ok ,,,,

Lets get writing to Oprah. It cant hurt. It doesnt cost anything.

Lets see if we can make some change. If we dont help ourselves we wont get help.

I say we should all write anyone and everyone we think will read what we have to say.
What do you guys think?

I have seen tons of posts about getting media attention for under-treated pain patients and nothing ever gets done. This is the internet and it takes little energy to express opinions of outrage about how pain patients are not getting the help (meds) they need to have productive lives. The Doctors I know personally (GP -friends) have no real understanding of how to treat intractable pain. Their approach to pain treatment is pretty much give the least amount for the shortest period of time so the patient doesn't become addicted. If the patient becomes "insistant" then a red-flag goes up that this person is a drug seeker (another words the scum of society). Do I hate these Doctors for this attitude. No! They have a medical license that supports their life-style and pays the bills. God bless them for being Doctors! What I do is go to online consulting services with my credit card and pay them to put me in contact with Doctors that know how to treat intractable pain. It costs me $$$ that my insurance company does not compensate me for. What I get is having a relativly pain free life that adds tremedously to my quality of life. Something that my primary care phycisian could not do for me. Is this legal? Yes, with some Online Consulting Services (OCS), such as Madison Pain Clinic, who meets the requirements for establishing a patient/doctor relationship. Not all OCSs meet this requirement and are often shut-down through DEA audits. I can complain all I want about the state of the under-treatment of chronic pain patients and nothing will change. Or, I can get on the internet and get the treatment I need. Thank God for OCSs!!