Reasons the DEA is evil:
Since the spinal injury (multiple fractured vertebrae) in 2001, I've
suffered from chronic back pain. I'd be miserable not being active and
pushing the limits on a regular basis, but at the same time need
prescription medication to get by, especially with harshly severe pain
breakthroughs. It sucks. I'm lucky to have an excellent doctor, but as
with most physicians, there is an EVIL entity known as the DEA who
threatens them and also ensures legit pain sufferers continue to
suffer. Because of a small percentage of people who abuse/misuse
prescription meds, the DEA(drug enforcement agency) threatens doctors,
prescribing lisences, etc. In my opinion, the penalties should be
harsher on for untreating pain than accidentally giving an abuse meds.
Much like the rest of our fouled up healthcare system in the US, the
DEA is nothing more than a huge flaw and joke; otherwise suicides from
pain suffers, and even my accidental near death would never have
occurred. When it comes to passing voting on passing laws and such, if
there is ever a senator or otherwise who is all for dismantling or
striking down the DEA, they will certainly get my vote.
Another example many can relate to where the DEA has
continued to screw up; There are idiot methamphetamine makes and users.
They forgot there are people who suffer from chronic nasal allergies,
eye irritation, etc., but once again, they sided with the druggies,
making over-the-counter meds (such as Sudafed, etc that contains some
key ingredient in making meth) making the OTC meds harder to get. Sure,
the restrictions might make a black market for the druggies, but that
also means the rest of us who are legit and occasionally took a tab of
our choice get to jump through stupid hoops to get what works. Tylenol
is more "dangerous" and can cause liver failure if taken too much at
once, yet that's freely available. Benadryl allergy is something I used
to take which was good for my sinuses. Just recently the formula
changed and it's no longer effective. The DEA is good at constantly
revealing their flaws. Bottom line is the DEA DESTROYS LIVES.
Physical pain can be deadly...The DEA and other related
things have failed in countless ways. Putting this in laymans terms so
all reading can understand; in my back I have discs that are herniated
up through the bone, making sitting for long periods of time painful.
Getting through a day at work often means I need to take meds to get
by. As I type this, I've needed nothing for a couple of days; I'm doing
good at the moment. Pain(at least for me) is a cycle with good and bad
days. If I don't need anything, I don't take it. My opinion there is
where I have no problem cold-turkeying prescription narcotic pain meds,
NO withdrawal symptoms, etc., there's not a psychologic addiction
problem by any means. No different than taking allergy medicines that
[sarcastic]my favorite agency[/sarcastic] has flawed at as mentioned
above.
Unfortunately, because prescriptions are limited on how much
can be taken and doctor can only comfortably prescribe so much without
the DEA destroying them(the physicians) like they do at destroying
patient's lives. So many times I've had to resort to taking Aleve,
Tylenol and other over the counter poisons in such high quantities, but
in some ways I am amazed I am not dead yet. It's no secret the U.S.
Health"care" system is in a state of imminent collapse. There was a
period of time where I was unemployed, essentially homeless(surviving
by staying with my ex-inlaws) and in tears daily while doing a physical
job just to make some money. Though I had health insurance at the time
of my accident, this kept me from working for some time, so I lost it,
and subsequently had no health insurance, no doctor, no medicine, so I
was taking 20+ tablets of Tylenol through the day and Ibuprofen and/or
Aleve just to function, keep moving, etc. That was also less than a
year after the spinal injury. At one point when I did go to a poor
persons clinic with what little cash I had, I was given Celebrex and
Ultram(tramadol). All I can say, is that's like a way of saying "gee
doc, thanks for not believing me." A major insult!! High priced
designer drugs that are only minimally and/or not as effective and
quadruple the price are another obvious example of drug manufacturing
companies wasting money and resources, making healthcare less
affordable.
Countless times I have had to take excess of Tylenol and
anti-inflammatories(ibuprofen, aleve, etc). Now I'm fortunate to have
insurance, a good job, etc., but am limited on the number of
prescription pain pills in a given day. I never exceed a prescription,
as I don't ever want to put a physician's butt on the line, so never
take more than what I'm allowed. They work hard to get the letters "
M.D." after their name, plus, too many repercussions if a person is
abusing the Rx meds, it's not worth the risk of losing a good physician
who also fears the DEA destroying them.
All
too often I question the sanity of bothering with saving for
retirement, etc., so I honestly don't even think I'll live that long.
Have already nearly died once from liver failure secondary to Tylenol
poisoning (had no doc or prescription meds, but had to work to live and
eat), and now again from similar causes of being undertreated. I
certainly do NOT blame my doctor for my recent near-death expeience.
The DEA is to blame, and if I should ever die under similar
circumstances, my will would be for a pitbull attorney to sue the DEA
and give the money judgement as compensation to my loved ones.
A disclaimerish paragraph:As to the details of my recent
near-death experience; I will not post exactly what I took, as the
herbs(legal kind, obtained at healthfood store) are easily obtainable,
I would never want to assist in a suicide. All things internet, certain
things are not meant to be public. I have disclosed exactly what I
took/mixed with my doctor; and since waking up in ICU on ventilator
with family by my side worrying I'd be braindead *if* I ever woke up
because they didn't know how long I had been down without oxygen, I'm
now afraid of taking just about any and everything unless it is under
my doctors direction.
Details/My personal near death experience story:It was
Tuesday, October 24th, 2006. Pretty much a normal week. Life has been
going good and I've been a happy person, so no pressing depressive
issues going on. Throughout the day, I was having an exceptionally bad
day. From the time I woke up that morning, I had taken a total of three
"vicodin"(hydrocodone) from morning until evening when arriving home
from work. Never exceeded 3 tablets, but that accounts for the opiates
showing up in low quantity on toxicology testing. Had Aleve throughout
the day in the usual excess quantity (have had none since leaving the
hospital - I got scared good). Had done stretches, took multiple
breaks, laying on the floor trying to stretch out back, etc., using
"Ben Gay" muscle rub cream, ice, any and everything to get relief. Even
though the ER(emergency room) is right across the street, there would
never be a point going there; they're notorious for undertreating and
not treating pain, and simply label any person with a pain problem as a
drug seeker, do nothing, but then expect the person to pay an
overpriced bill, often for services not even rendered - of course, that
much is an entire other issue on it's own. I better be bleeding to
death or unconscious to consider going to the ER, and even then I might
fight a person about going if I can.
So back to that fateful day; I had gone home and still in
excruciating pain. I probably resembled the hunchback of notredame
trying to move around. Took an Ambien tablet as per my normal bedtime
routine (and yes, only *1* tablet). About one hour later, it was not
working and I was in too much pain to sleep. It was at this point I
created an accidental death-cocktail consisting of herbs and otc meds.
At the immediate time, though I didn't care if I lived or died due to
the amount of physical pain I was in, my actual intention was that by
playing pharmacist with just legal stuff, I'd knock myself out and
sleep good until noonish or so the next morning. The longer I stay
horizontal (laying down) the better the back feels. Needless to say,
when I woke up the next day with a breathing tube down my throat in the
ICU(intensive care unit), the first question I scribbled down on a
piece of paper was "What happened?". I was a bit confused not waking up
in my own bed. After an auto accident(before the spinal injury
sustained while snowboarding), had woke up in an ICU on a machine
breathing for me, so this was a situation I remembered. This time
though, because the day/night before were not anticipated to turn out
this way, I was wondering if I had been in another auto accident or
something and not entirely sure what was going on.
The Frightening Saga of 10/25/06
Luckily
I don't remember that morning/day, but as it has been relayed to me: At
about. 7 a.m. I was found completely unconscious on
the bathroom floor. Toilet lid was up with my business unflushed - very
uncharacteristic for me. Pants apparently were pulled up. It appears I
had finished my business, pulled the sweatpants up, and it appears I
passed out before turning around to flush, close the lid, etc. I'm told
my bed was
barely touched and obviously not slept in. They say me and the floor
were covered in puke. No vomit in the toilet, so I'm guessing my body
may have vomited/rejected things after my lights were out. I'm told I
was called by my name and that I looked up then closed my eyes again,
but that obviously "no one was home". 911 was called. Onlookers tell
me I intubated me right on hall floor by the bathroom and started
bagging(term used on manual breathing for a patient). They were told I
had a faint weak pulse but not breathing. I
suspect one or two things; I had been breathing throughout the night,
shallowly and respriation just wasn't barely detectable and/or God is
obviously not done with me in this world and sent me one heck of a wake
up call with this one!
My mother and aunt knowing all this drove to the hospital. What
understandably frightened
my mother is she says shortly after her arrival, the chaplain went to
talk to her in a private
room, telling her that they didn't know if I would be brain damaged or
ever come back to consciousness, be normal, etc. In reviewing my chart
upon my waking up, I see
they had used narcan amongst other meds, but since this was NOT an
opioid reaction and no one knew what I took at the time, it did not
bring me to consciousness. The reversal drugs/meds are known as
"antagonists" but I know exactly why what they gave didn't work, and
since all this took place and confiding in my doctor what was in my
system, pieces of the puzzle are coming together for those who care
much about me.
To make this all too true story even more over the top; it was boss who
became my primary doctor looking after me, also not knowing anything.
For those reading this and aren't aware, I work as the second hand for
a group of doctors on a regular basis and we have a fairly close
personal friendship and know one another very well. My primary
physician is out of the area, as it would not been kosher and more or
less in poor taste for my bosses to be prescribing narcotic medicines
for me. We're all close, but also keep things appropriate,
professional, etc., even when snowboarding, wakeboarding and playing
outside of the office. Puzzling to them was the fact they also knew I
had not been depressed or exhibiting signs of desponce, etc. I care
very much for them, and I know the reverse can be said. On with my
personal story....
Wednesday
afternoon (10/25) about 3 p.m. I had regained consciousness.
Apparently during the night I had aspirated emesis. (layman phrase:
inhaled puke into my lungs) Aspirate your own emesis and earn a
breathing tube, and you'll get an E ticket to the most creepy sensation
in the world; getting junk suctioned out of your lungs through a
breathing tube has got to be among
the worst of freaky sensations I can think of. Extubation wasn't all
too pleasant feeling, but a relief at the same time. Couldn't really
vocalize well immediately after. Two weeks or so after the incident,
STILL have a sore throat and somewhat hoarse. At first was coughing up
blood clots and such, so apparently it was a rather traumatic
intubation(endotracheal intubation: term means breathing tube shoved
down throat). Also, when I came to in ICU, I was somewhat sad when I
found out my favorite sweatshirt had been cut to shreds by paramedics,
but all considered, I have nothing to complain about there.
Reflection:
Most bothersome to me; I NEVER intended to hurt or scare anyone, myself
included. It's ashame though my physical pain yo-yo'ed so out of
control that any of this took place. Thanks to the DEA my medical
insurance company is shelling out some big bucks after this one. I'm
done "playing pharmacist". At this point, I confided in my doctors
(bosses and regular physician) on exact details (again, no need for
details and suicide seekers on the net getting hold of this info) and
on the road to more definitive treatment. Have a referral and pending
appointment with a pain specialist in the area to see if perhaps
localized pain injections or other reasonable medicinal methods might
be more appropriate. Also for myself, am seeking out counseling, as I
don't ever want to get to a point pain-wise that I'm in such a crisis,
thinking death is the only answer. So many flaws in the healthcare
system though, as how could anyone afford the aftermath of my recent
issues and go for healing. Shutting down and/or decreasing the power of
the DEA would sure be a good start.
_________________________________________
11/29/06 - Update/"Permission Granted"
My above experience and perrils have been edited (grammar fixed, etc. since I'm too lazy and busy to do it myself) and posted on the painreliefnetwork.org website. At my request, I did have them use a different first name than my own to provide me some anonymity over the net, so hope that ends any confusion for those who know me and my real name or questioning if someone is a "copycat" writer out in cyberspace. Just so all know, my permission to use the above story is granted provided my birthname is not used.
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