My position on the opioid controversy is quite simple and I ask all concerned to consider it:
1. We have a long-standing standard known as the World Health Organization 3 Step Analgesic Ladder (1982). Only when non-opioid treatments fail are opioids used because about everyone knows they have complications;
2. there cannot be a cap on dosages as patients vary. The government should certify or recognize the MDs who will prescribe high dose opioids so patients who need high dosages can get the help they need;
3. Patients who are currently on opioids and doing well should be left on them.
Please help spread my view.
Best wishes always,
Forest Tennant
Contact Information:
Forest Tennant M.D., Dr. P.H.
Veract Intractable Pain Clinic
338 S. Glendora Ave.
West Covina, CA 91790-3043
Clinic Ph: 626-919-0064
Clinic Fax: 626-919-0065
Office Ph: 626-919-7476
Office Fax: 626-919-7497
Forest Tennant
Contact Information:
Forest Tennant M.D., Dr. P.H.
Veract Intractable Pain Clinic
338 S. Glendora Ave.
West Covina, CA 91790-3043
Clinic Ph: 626-919-0064
Clinic Fax: 626-919-0065
Office Ph: 626-919-7476
Office Fax: 626-919-7497
Filed under: General Problems
When my husband’s long time PCP retired this September, the associated hospital could not find a replacement physician who would take on his 67 chronic pain patients, so they “transitioned” them to their Pain Management Clinic. Just today, near the end of my husband’s hydromorphone prescription, they told him they would “never” prescribe this, offering him Percocet instead. They explained that Pain Management Clinics are under intense scrutiny and cannot risk prescribing such drugs. We are scrambling to find another doctor who will prescribe. My husband is fully functional, drives heavy equipment and makes major financial decisions for our farm and was for the past 16 years an elected official of a wealthy county; nobody would ever suspect that he has operated on 4mg of hydromorphone a day for 12 years. We expected the clinic to reevaluate, had new MRIs done at their request, but never saw a doctor and never expected this. This is pure arrogance! He talked with the doctor this afternoon, who did not even know they had requested new MRIs and did not know about his Adhesive Arachnoiditis diagnosis, nor about his occupation or past meds he had tried before finding something that worked. How much of a review could he have done before just prescribing Percocet? We are so very upset about the fact that people with chronic pain have little recourse because of those who misuse opiods. Thanks for this website and for the chance to vent. Love all your hearts.
I was maintained for years on a high dose Opiate regimine after failing all non opioid treatments. I have Adhesive Arachnoiditis, among other things. After weaning myself off of two antidepressants, my personality came back. I was still on high doses of Opiates. My family & friends were thrilled to have me back (as much of “me” back as any Chronic Pain Patient can get). I hadn’t decreased my high dose of Opiates. Eventually, I began slowly weaning my Opiates to the lowest tolerable dose while increasing my alternative therapies and exercises (Does this self weaning sound like the actions of a drug addict?).
I still had pain but had the tools and meds to manage it. At no time was I impaired by my Opioid medications. I functioned well, was able to travel, became a productive, contributing member of my family and community again and even engaged in many of my previous hobbies.
My Pain Management Physician of twenty years suddenly started weaning my meds with no explanation. I later learned that he’d succumbed to pressure from my Workers’ Compensation Ins Co. He provided me no explanation for this sudden weaning. I was hiking three miles a day, going to meetings three times a week, maintained my household and was able to travel across Country to assist my aging parents when needed.
My pain on the ever decreasing Opioid dose was unbearable. I couldn’t take care of my own hygiene on a regular basis. I couldn’t exercise and rapidly deteriorated.
I changed Pain Management Doctors. Before our third meeting, I was T-boned by an unlicensed, uninsured, drunk driver. After four months in recovery for a Fx’d pelvis X 2, Fx’d sacrum, Fx’d rib, collapsed lung and cardiopulmonary contusions, my pain is unbearable. I no longer walk, hike, travel, or contribute to society.
I always suspected that age and arthritis might worsen my condition after four spine surgeries in my late twenties and early thirties (last one a fusion with screws, rods, gates). My hope was that I could remain mobile enough to see my parents through their final years and help my closest friend live her final years with the highest quality of life possible (she has end stage COPD).
Despite the car accident, history of very high Opioid requirements with no adverse events or sedation, I can’t get my PMP to increase my meds at all, let alone to the adequate dose I was on for 13+ years. My Medicare provider won’t increase my pain meds and neither my Work Comp PMP, nor my Medicare provider will test me for Cyp450 enzyme abnormalities. My mother was recently diagnosed with stage four cancer. My pain is too poorly controlled to travel across Country to help her. My best friend was just discharged after a week in ICU for pneumonia. How can I enrich their lives or make life easier for them now?
Maintaining the dose of patients who are currently on Opiods and doing well will not help me or my loved ones at this point. However, the government recognizing MD’s who can prescribe high dose Opiates when needed could save my life and improve the last years of my loved ones’ lives. What do I have to do, I’ll do it!
Same with me Donna about 10 yrs. I’m on a low dose because i have a very high pain threshold-and I need to be able to feel if something else is wrong-like my blood supply being cut off to one of my organs. I do practice tapering down/up. so I know the opiates will really help me when pain is sky high or i do something stupid like hit me knee or toe, slam my hand in the door. u get me point.
Opiods helped when I was on them. I moved and between PCP and 7 specialists, none will prescribe the opiods that helped. I’ve gone back on a med that didn’t help previously. I’ve gotten injections that didn’t help previously. I’ve been offered nerve blocks that aren’t covered by insurance and placed on a 12 week wait list for a program that requires a train trip into the city weekly for 12 weeks.
This opiod issue has caused me to not be able to work or take care of myself or my home.
Please continue fighting for others like me.
Opioid treatment is the only thing that helps me, I have been a chronic pain patient for over 10 years , at the beginning started treatment wit. I. Opioid , but as it progressed so did pain. Opioid is the only thing that helps with my pain. I have never misused or have ran out of my prescription. I feel the government needs to leave this up to the Drs on what is prescribed and how much.