Oregon Chronic Pain Task Force Revised Proposal Regarding Opioids
A Painful Proposal
Unfortunately, according to the Portland Business Journal, the scaled-back Oregon opioid proposal has moved closer to reality. The Task Force has taken a very harsh position for prescribing opioids to control pain in the Medicaid population.
Potentially, the proposal could hurt 1 million Oregonians who are in that position.
Response to Oregon Chronic Pain Task Force
On Wednesday, Dec 4, my colleagues and I submitted a letter to Oregon Governor Kate Brown in response to the Oregon Chronic Pain Task Force revised proposal regarding opioids.
The letter has already been posted on social media by Dr. Sean Mackey, but I am posted it here for those who have not seen it on social medial.
Letter to Oregon Governor Kate Brown
Thanks Dr. Webster.
Hopefully a fair and reasoned appreciation of the science will triumph over scapegoating and demagoguery in this case. The current opioid epidemic is not being caused by the cautious use of opioids for treating real chronic pain patients. This tapering policy will only save money for the payors while doing nothing for reducing the number of opioid overdoses. I fear for the many lives that may be lost by suicide if Oregon proceeds with this misguided policy. Thank you Drs Mackey, Webster,Twillman, Carr, Stieg, and Kollas for your courage and leadership.
I thank God that patients have you fighting for us Dr. Webster. I was left severely disabled due to a product the FDA allowed on the market. Then the CDC wrote guidelines that prevented me from being fully treated for the intractable pain I was left in. This is mind-boggling and shows the inept government that we now have! All these inept bubbleheads are making decisions affecting the very real pain of real people. It’s insane.
I was operated on and only given a few weak painkillers. I came close to killing myself to escape the pain. I thought that I was being targeted, not knowing that all these other patients were being denied. What was done to me and others is inhumane. It looks to me more and more like Nazi Germany and I’m shocked that Americans are allowing it to proceed. From our militarized police force who is routinely killing innocent people, to denying pain medication, and forcing vulnerable people to take their lives to escape the pain. It’s barbaric. Unless Americans stand up en masse we will continue down this dark road just like Germany did.
This letter is excellent. Kudos to my pain colleagues. The policymakers should be personally held accountable for any harm for forced reduction, and then I believe they would think more carefully about implementing such a ridiculous policy that lacks scientific evidence. See Darnall BD, Juurlink D, Kerns RD, Mackey S, Van Dorsten B, Humphreys K, Gonzalez-Sotomayor JA, Furlan A, Gordon AJ, Gordon DB, Hoffman DE. International Stakeholder Community of Pain Experts and Leaders Call for an Urgent Action on Forced Opioid Tapering. Pain Medicine. 2018 Nov 29. Available by open access at https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C33&q=International+Stakeholder+Community+of+Pain+Experts+and+Leaders+Call+for+an+Urgent+Action+on+Forced+Opioid+Tapering&btnG=
I was forced to live in bed for 2 years pt 13 ESI,s in 6 month after being told there was nothing wrong even though the y sent to a nuerologist for an EMI of left leg and Arm .Dr forgot to do my left leg know I have permant nerve damage in Lf leg also right . Had ACDF of c spine 5 and 6 with spacers in between c 4 and 7 was told it would save my arm . It did but waiting so log caused more pain and a longer healing time and the spine is like dominoes and my lumbar fell . My surgeon did apologized saying the insurance company would not let him do the surgery right away .. I need lumbar surgery bilateral knee replacement nerve pain everywhere except by breast and stomach horrible shooting nerve pain in neck head spine , fingers legs foot and toes .Plus as a bonus gift they froze my left shoulder or my brain did . I did Pt had massage changed my diet got a councilor .spent last summer not being able to sit in a chair just laying on my right side crying planning my weakly shower . There is nothing as depressing as the 2 :00 pm sun hitting you as you lay in bed crying . My dr finally prescribed 2 5 milligram oxycodone daily .I was able to showe and walk .I had my surgery booked and could showe and get out of the house for a little as the pill does not last eight hours it last 6 or 7 . I signed a pain contract so when I called to pick up my hard copy a young receptionis lost my surgeon paper work and accused me of being not having surgery and when she found it said have him prescribe you pain medicine instead of saying I’m sorry . I thought I was suppose to follow the contract .needless to say I’m terrified of Doctors and receptionist .
Somehow, this seems entirely consistent with Oregon’s approach to assisted suicide and end-of-life care. I will not be retiring in, traveling to, or even through–Oregon, if I can avoid it. The last thing I would ever want is to need medical care in Oregon!
Carrie: Along those same lines, I won’t even fly over any portion of now, Nazu Oregon. In the unlikely event the aircraft happens to experience some type of malfunction causing a premature landing.
I still wouldn’t want to spend even a second in such a medically repressed atmosphere, regardless of what the reason may be!
Hopefully, the State of Oregon will promptly disband this group of misdirected individuals (the Medical Board) before they’re able to cause anyone, otherwise easily avoided harm to innocent Oregonians.