Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is hosting a public conference call on its controversial Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain Thursday, January 7, 2016, at 9:00 am ET.

The public can participate via a conference call. The dial-in number is: 1-888-395-7561, and the Participant Code is: 3954121.

The conference call will focus on the background for development of the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain (Guideline) and the formation of the Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain Workgroup (Opioid Guideline Workgroup).

Public comments will be accepted, but only related to the formation of the Opioid Guideline Workgroup.

There will be 30 minutes allotted for public comments at the end of the session. All public comments will be limited to two-minutes per speaker.

In December, under mounting criticism from patients, physicians and industry, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced it opened a second period for public comment on its Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.

The public comment period opened December 14, 2015 and closes January 13, 2016. To comment, visit the Federal Register here. For tips on effective ways to communicate with the government, read this article.

To date, 1,794 comments have been received, reflecting the statements from people concerned that the guidelines will restrict access to opioids, as well as, statements from people concerned about over-prescribing and its relationship to addiction and overdose.

Myra Christopher, Director of the Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy (PAINS), which is a consortium of leaders working in professional societies, patient advocacy organizations, policy groups, consumers, payers and the private sector, said this about the open comment period.

“It is our hope that each of you and your organization will engage in this process, and I want to personally encourage you to do so. All of us are working to establish a new standard of chronic pain care – one that allows healthcare professionals and those living with chronic pain access to the full menu of treatment options, including opioids for those who benefit from them. We are all, however, also aware of the risks associated with these medications. It is important for CDC to get this right, and they need our help to do so.”

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Right now at this very moment, I’m sitting in the ICU waiting room on the 7th floor of Lafayette General Hospital, Lafayette, LA. This story starts 6 days ago.

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Jefferson Parish sued over park’s lack of access for disabled

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/01/jefferson_parish_sued_over_par.html#comments

A Jefferson Parish man is suing the parish, alleging it has failed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act at a Marrero park.

Though it has been more than 25 years since President George H.W. Bush signed the act into law, Jefferson Parish in some cases is still working to bring parish facilities into compliance. During the past election cycle, officials had to move nearly 30 polling places as the result of a settlement in a 2010 lawsuit that said the polling places weren’t accessible.

Lawrence Fultz filed the latest lawsuit in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Louisiana on Jan. 1. Fultz, whose left leg is amputated, lives about a mile and a half away from Johnny Jacobs Playground, which has sports fields and a pool, on 5th Avenue in Marrero.

Many aspects of the park aren’t up to the required ADA standards, the lawsuit claims. For example, there aren’t accessible-designated seats in the stands, sales and service counters are too high, and the stall in the men’s restroom is too narrow and doesn’t have handrails along the back wall. The paths to the baseball bleachers, pavilion and playground equipment aren’t handicap accessible, and there aren’t enough parking spots designated for those with disabilities, the lawsuit says.

Parish officials declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.

Fultz’s attorney, Andrew Bizer, said Fultz is suing because the way the Americans with Disabilities Act is set up, the only way to enforce the law is through litigation. Fultz is asking the parish to fix its facilities and pay him “nominal damages” that Bizer said will be limited.

“The spectrum is wide as to what judges can allow (for monetary damages), and it’s based on a variety of factors,” Bizer said. “But at the end of the day Mr. Fultz will not be getting rich off of Jefferson Parish.”

Fultz also filed three other lawsuits on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 against entities and businesses near his home, alleging ADA violations at a Rite Aid, a shopping center, and at Subway and The Original Italian Pie restaurants. West Jefferson Medical Center, a parish-owned hospital, owns the Rite Aid property in question.

See the lawsuit below.

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Medication errors: tips to keep you safe

http://www.kentucky.com/living/health-and-medicine/article52903390.html#storylink=cpy

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What I Wish My Loved Ones Understood About My Chronic Pain

http://themighty.com/2016/01/what-i-wish-my-loved-ones-understood-about-my-chronic-pain/

Just like before I got ill, I still look forward to seeing my friends and family (for the holidays or otherwise) — probably even more so. But I must admit there are a few things I wish they knew.

I suffer from a multitude of chronic illnesses and have round-the-clock chronic pain. There are certain things that make my pain spike. I may seem whiny or “dramatic,” but please try to understand. I don’t want your pity, just your cooperation and understanding. Just to get here was a tremendous accomplishment for me. I’m already exhausted. Showering and getting dressed takes the majority of my energy and strength for the entire day. I am still just as excited to see you. In fact, probably more so than in the past, because now I am more aware of the preciousness in these moments. Also, I rarely get out, so this is a major social function for me! But, please try to keep cross-talk and multiple noises to a minimum. My illnesses already make it difficult to concentrate (if I’m having a hard time finding my words, this is all part of it). If you’re all talking over one another, not only is it extremely chaotic to me (I am normally alone all day), it literally affects my pain levels.

I know that my pain and illness make you uncomfortable, and the fact that I have to take medication is taboo. It’s a stigma I carry everywhere I go — literally. For your information, I would love to be able to be open about these things (which are a huge part of my life), at least with my nearest and dearest, without being subject to judgment or gossip. I actually want to be asked about my conditions. I know you don’t understand, so instead of avoiding the “elephant in the room,” just ask me! I promise, I won’t take this as an open invitation to complain all night. In fact, I’ll make a conscious effort to keep my explanations brief. Trust me, I don’t want to talk about it all night, either. But it is a huge part of my life, so just like I ask about your job and your relationship, ask about what consumes most of my time, energy and thought.

I take a lot of medications that make weight loss difficult, my ability to exercise is non-existent and three of my conditions affect my digestive system, as do many of my meds. I know I need to lose weight; you don’t need to point it out, even behind my back. Right now, I’m just trying to get by. Just because I’m eating the celebratory edible treats (just like you are) doesn’t mean I always eat this way. I know you’re well-intentioned, but if you’ve read about some new diet, treatment or fad, I promise, I’ve read it, too… and probably tried it. I know you’re trying to be helpful, but please, just keep it to yourself.

Don’t assume I don’t “do” anything. When I lived in Kenya, I learned that the standard American conversation opener, “What do you do?” is not always a polite question. We consider a person’s means of fiscal compensation to be a defining characteristic. In Kenya, income-based employment is so rare that asking the typical American intro question “What do you do?” is an insult. Nearly everyone gets up every day and “does” something to contribute. They might earn little to no money for it, but it doesn’t make it any less valuable and important. It doesn’t mean it’s not work. As a person who once prided herself on her independence, work and accomplishments, I am still a contributing member of society. So instead of thinking to yourself it’s unfortunate I cannot “work,” or that I seem like I should be able to hold some kind of employment, remember that it took almost all of my effort for the day just to get dressed and show up. The smile on my face is genuine, but the pain in my wavering voice is real, too.

Even though I am unable to commit to showing up to “work” every day, I do work. I work on researching, writing and speaking on behalf of myelf and others, and my writing is published at least once a month. Have you read it? It would mean everything to me if you did, and if you asked me about one of my articles or told me what you thought of it. If it wasn’t about pain, you likely would have.

Since pain is my constant companion, maybe you should try to get to know her. She sucks, but I’m stuck with her… kind of like your ex, who I made an effort to get to know, because I love you. Not to be snarky, I’m just saying…

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The CDC is trying to limit chronic painers’ rights to have adequate therapy… there is a open comment period on their published GUIDELINES… there is only 8 days left to make a comment on this link

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=CDC-2015-0112-0001

This is one of the comments from that website…

One of the CDC Comments:  Pain Kills:
Docket CDC-2015-0112 Comment

“I write this from the intensive care unit waiting room, a suicide letter on my lap. My beloved wife is currently an ICU patient due to under treated chronic pain.

10 years ago we had it all. 3 beautiful children, a lovely home in the suburbs. We were “the American Dream.” I had a job that allowed me to take on the household expenses solo so my wife could be a stay at home mom. In a moment it all shattered.

My wife was rear ended by a kid who was on his cell phone while driving. Her injuries, besides the regular bumps and bruises included a stress fracture in her back, a sprained neck and wrist and a concussion.

Doesn’t sound bad, does it? Except that for months, the pain increased almost daily. Physical therapy did not help. The trips to the chiropractor left her in tears afterwards from the pain. Almost a year after the accident, I came home from work and she was in bed still, in so much agony she couldn’t move.

A MRI shortly after this day showed multiple damage to the discs in her neck and back, the stress fracture not healed properly and severe spinal arthritis. It was then she was referred to pain management. Her PMP was amazing. She was treated with dignity and respect. She was put on anti inflammatory medicine, along with ER OxyContin and 10 mg oxycodone for breakthrough pain. With this my wife could almost go back to her “old life” as she called it. Yes, she had some bad days. But on good days she could do light housekeeping, a little bit of yoga, even work part time. She did every single thing the PMP asked of her. Not once did my wife break her pain contract. Several times her provider called her “an ideal patient.”

9 months ago he took early retirement. The new PMP has been the polar opposite. Immediately he cut her pain meds to less than half her previous doses (which never increased since she went on them), increased her anti inflammatory meds and put her on Neurontin (by now she’s started having severe sciatica). He said that “All his patients will be off opiates in a year unless they’re dying of cancer.” Several weeks later, her pain was increased dramatically, her behavior was erratic and she developed a GI bleed. She took up smoking cigarettes and stopped doing self breast exams because “If I get cancer he will at least treat my pain.” I truly believe that by now the Neurontin was affecting her behavior, as was her increased pain. Her PMP’s solution? He added Lyrica to her prescriptions, instructed her physical therapist to “challenge her” and told her to “Stop trying to make me your dealer.”

This lack of compassion, professionalism and accusations has destroyed what self esteem my beautiful wife had left. Up until recently she fought her pain with every step. She started eating healthier, she exercised as much as she could, she tried every legal option she could think of. Opioids are a last resort for her. The severe pain she faces every minute of the day (which has been made worse by the naproxen thanks to kidney disease and stomach ulcers), to be treated in such a derogatory manner, coupled with the Neurontin and Lyrica became too much.

The love of my life attempted suicide in a last ditch effort to stop her suffering. She will survive….today. However her blood pressure is incredibly high, as is her heart rate. Her kidney function is so poor she may need dialysis. She is requesting to be DNR. And even now, the doctors are refusing to give her pain medication.

Chronic pain does kill. It has destroyed the beautiful woman who I love so much. It has killed us financially. It has ruined my children’s lives. It has destroyed our faith in the medical profession.

Please, don’t let this happen to another family. Please allow doctors to treat all pain patients with what works for them, including the option of opioids.

I thank you for your time.”

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Tennessee Painkiller Prescriptions Drop By 15 Percent Since Doctor Shopping Crackdown

http://nashvillepublicradio.org/post/tennessee-painkiller-prescriptions-drop-15-percent-doctor-shopping-crackdown#stream/0

Tennessee doctors are prescribing far fewer high-powered narcotics than they were just a few years ago. State health officials believe that’s partly because physicians are now required to notify the state when they put patients on a regimen of painkillers.

Since 2012, the amount of opiates like oxycodone and hydrocodone prescribed in Tennessee has dropped by about 15 percent or roughly a billion milligrams.

“I think there’s been a lot of factors that have been responsible,” says David Reagan, who is Tennessee’s chief medical officer. “It’s really the attention of everyone being willing to say, ‘hey, we’ve got a problem here.'”

The database that’s tracking the drugs has been around for more than a decade, but not until 2012 were doctors required to use it. By logging in, they know if a patient is already getting drugs from another prescriber and how many pharmacies they’ve visited recently.

A third of physicians using the database told the state through a survey that they were now more likely to refer a patient to addiction treatment.

And the state knows which physicians are the heaviest prescribers, though the names are kept confidential. Tennessee’s chief medical officer — David Reagan — says there’s reason to shield doctors from public scrutiny.

“Some of them simply have busy practices and they’re doing a good job and what they do is pain medicine, so by making a list like that public, it would create misconceptions in the public’s mind about individual practices that would be inappropriate.”

While the state won’t disclose the doctors doing the most prescribing, it is showing the counties where the most pain pills are sold through pharmacies. There’s been a big year-over-year decrease in parts of Northeast Tennessee, which has had the biggest problem with pain pills in recent years. But rural parts of the Cumberland Plateau and along the Tennessee River have seen a spike in the last year.

“We’re seeing parts of the state that have not historically had to worry about this epidemic worsening in a number of measures more rapidly than we’re seeing anywhere else in the state,” Reagan says. “And we’re seeing the most hard-hit parts of the state improving substantially.”

While prescriptions are down statewide, overdose deaths have not yet peaked.

The officials figures for 2015 won’t come out for months, but 2014 set another record with 1263 deaths — hundreds more than the number of Tennesseans killed in car accidents.

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Pharmacists touted as last line of defense against opioid addiction

https://www.pharmacist.com/pharmacists-touted-last-line-defense-against-opioid-addiction#main-content

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