Espalda

Am I the ONLY ONE OUTRAGED by this prejudiced, stigmatizing, doubled standard *%#! calling VETERANS drug addicts!! That is exactly what is happening here! Oh, Holy Mother of God! How are you all not speaking out about this injustice? We have bore the Injuries on the Battlefields resulting in lifetime injuries of pain and suffering to our Knees, from jumping out of planes, boats, trucks, helicopters; to our Necks and Spines from carrying the loads not meant for the human body; suffered the TBIs -with constant migraines....these are but a few that are DENIED their CHRONIC PAIN MEDS by the very Doctors in Chronic Pain Clinics by Anesthesiologists that receive their training from the Prestigious State of Art Pioneering STANFORD UNIVERSITY in CALIFORNIA who just released "National Pain Study" in clinicalpainadvisor.com, dated 5/27/16 - Where Sean Mackey, MD, PhD, Stanford Pain Management Center at Stanford University evaluated 5,300 Chronic Low Back individuals, "Do opioids make a difference to patients with Chronic Pain? The Answer was, YES!" When I presented this STUDY TO MY GMC. - She threw Secretary McDonald's Letter at me, dated 8/1/16 (yet C-SPAN didn't air until 8/12/16) and said, we are VA- not Stanford. Although, Stanford Residents and Surgeons, fill VA Hospitals to gain their experience, practicing on Veterans before they leave to get "real jobs." I have been a Successful, Functional, less Painful with my Significant Back Injury w Sciatica for over 10 years and now being told there will be no Opiates for Vets. I say to Secretary McDonald, it seems YOU want all Disabled Veterans to go to the Streets to find alternative pain medication. That seems to be CONGRESSES ANSWER TO VETERANS SINCE AGENT ORANGE and the Viet Nam War-altho it still has never been declared a WAR!! We need to Stop this AND STAND UNITED! Disabled Veterans are NOT Drug Addicts, we have fought the fight once, we should not have to endure another battlefield for the respect we have already earned. God Bless America! God Bless our Veterans still Fighting the Good Fight

Hello Alrons: I am so saddened to read your story. I was very thankful for VAHC until 2014. When all of a sudden as you will read on the Pain Medication link, everyone and I mean everyone is being treated as Drug Seekers. I was kindly helped by others at this web site to try email to Under Secretary McDonald, which I did and that got attention from some Assistant at the VA; but it did not change anything as far as treating my pain, only red flagged me as a drug seeker- hell bent on Narcotic therapy. Which couldn't be further from the truth! So, I will suggest to you: email your Congressman, Under Secretary McDonald, call OIG at eBenefits website (its at the bottom of their page, it says Vets contact us), email Director of Hospital VA you go to But expect to get labeled a rebel. The newest news I saw was Vets can now speak to their VA Drs. about prescribing Medical Marijuana; altho VA will not dispense. They must allow those states that are legal, must comply. Here is a petition: maybe if enough of us sign and enough of the private civilians jump on our side we can move Congress to change....make it easier for next generation of Vets. https://www.change.org/p/veteran-s-administration-stop-denying-pain-medication-to-our-veterans?recruiter=false&utm_source=petitions_share&utm_medium=copylink

https://www.change.org/p/veteran-s-administration-stop-denying-pain-medication-to-our-veterans?recruiter=false&utm_source=petitions_share&utm_medium=copylink

I can no longer stand on the side lines and keep asking others as I hear at HadIt our cries for help. I have written up the Chain of Command, and now realize it is Commander in Chief that has issued the ultimate No More drugs for Vets=less visits because they will leave the VA and this is greater than 55% of their patient load. The amount of pain medication will also save millions of dollars (if not billions). https://www.change.org/p/veteran-s-administration-stop-denying-pain-medication-to-our-veterans?recruiter=false&utm_source=petitions_share&utm_medium=copylink

I know this is little comfort, but I was railroaded the very same way!! I have been actually told to go try a different VA facility, little chance that it will be any different. I am including a site that needs as many Vets to sign. Maybe as one voice we can get Congress to disband VAHC- we need go where we want....it will be the only way us Veterans can get into the community. Non Military providers at the VAHC now see us as draining their tax dollars on free services, free medications, and when they save money, they get bonuses. Just listen to iTunes podcasts (free) on their Continuing education PTSD/chronic pain, or Insomnia...sad how they quote statistics of how we drain the money on visits and medications. I would ask those same statistics be compared to a big HMO like Kaiser; I think the number 1 ranking visit....side/side chronic pain. (i used to work there) https://www.change.org/p/veteran-s-administration-stop-denying-pain-medication-to-our-veterans?recruiter=false&utm_source=petitions_share&utm_medium=copylink

I've responded on this thread in the past, and would like to update. After 7 years of successful pain management; I took some advice from the message board and reached out to various "up the chain" types...and thought the Director of Pain Management at VA Palo Alto, CA had actually re authorized me back into Veteran's Choice program where I was being treated for my pain for 3 subsequent visits, was on the road for treatment for a procedure that VAHC had not even mentioned, (all of this after VA had "red flagged me as DRUG SEEKER")understand I have never deviated from requesting increase, missed appointments. Nothing. Today, I get call from same Director of Pain Management, since I have not heard from Vet Choice about the reauthorization, that I was mistaken, he could offer me nothing but traveling the 40 miles to his clinic and of course that would be NO Opioids. I cannot travel the normal transportation route, and he assured me he had listed me, as Undue Travel Burden, but he would still not reauthorize. Have a nice Day! So, you tell me- how with all these qualifiers; and my Severe Pain that the Spine Specialist in my Community has agreed to treat Veterans, is only 3 miles from my home; has more compassion than those treating Veterans? Did I mention, that my Opioid meds has not changed in 7 years? Is anyone in Washington listening? Honorable Dr. DavidJ. Shulkin, your New Veteran's Choice guidelines don't mean anything to these people that have to care for us Veterans. I was a Medical Officer for 9 years caring for thousands of brave Men and Women who served this Wonderful Country and I am appalled at the service and the way I am spoken to by the staff at the VAHC and told if you want Narcotics "Go Buy a Health Care Plan." I say to them- without my Service to this Great Nation they would not have a job, and now they are talking to us like we are their BURDEN? If not for us, willing to Wear the Uniforms and guarantee their freedoms, they couldn't get a job except working at a County Teaching Hospital.

I've responded on this thread in the past, and would like to update. After 7 years of successful pain management; I took some advice from the message board and reached out to various "up the chain" types...and thought the Director of Pain Management at VA Palo Alto, CA had actually re authorized me back into Veteran's Choice program where I was being treated for my pain for 3 subsequent visits, was on the road for treatment for a procedure that VAHC had not even mentioned, (all of this after VA had "red flagged me as DRUG SEEKER")understand I have never deviated from requesting increase, missed appointments. Nothing. Today, I get call from same Director of Pain Management, since I have not heard from Vet Choice about the reauthorization, that I was mistaken, he could offer me nothing but traveling the 40 miles to his clinic and of course that would be NO Opioids. I cannot travel the normal transportation route, and he assured me he had listed me, as Undue Travel Burden, but he would still not reauthorize. Have a nice Day! So, you tell me- how with all these qualifiers; and my Severe Pain that the Spine Specialist in my Community has agreed to treat Veterans, is only 3 miles from my home; has more compassion than those treating Veterans? Did I mention, that my Opioid meds has not changed in 7 years? Is anyone in Washington listening? Honorable Dr. DavidJ. Shulkin, your New Veteran's Choice guidelines don't mean anything to these people that have to care for us Veterans. I was a Medical Officer for 9 years caring for thousands of brave Men and Women who served this Wonderful Country and I am appalled at the service and the way I am spoken to by the staff at the VAHC and told if you want Narcotics "Go Buy a Health Care Plan." I say to them- without my Service to this Great Nation they would not have a job, and now they are talking to us like we are their BURDEN? If not for us, willing to Wear the Uniforms and guarantee their freedoms, they couldn't get a job except working at a County Teaching Hospital.

I'm just joining this site, but reading your list is Awesome! Thank you. As for reading the rest of the comments about procedures from 2014 and VA docs claiming not knowing about procedures is just a ruse to not paying for procedures. Considering the amount of tax dollars allocated to VAHC, it is up Director how it is spent; training is a big one and the docs go on alot of updating seminars thats why you can't get appointments, every week 1 day is dedicated to updating meetings for entire staff; now they got 1/2 hour block telephone patient appointment visits. I can tell you from first hand experience that this is just more corruption, engineered to conceal how pad the daily schedule, see less patients, go home early. Deny benefits, claim they don't know about medications, procedures, lie about medications that are not on formulary (because if you have tried the generic versions and had poor results, you quality for exception codes), they lie about the Veteran's Choice program or not even inform the Veteran that they could qualify for it-after 10 Billion dollars has been allocated for it.

I am one of many Veterans with Multiple "Chronic Pain Issues," I am 100% SC disabled, was treated and functioning well with Opioids on daily basis for over 7 years issued by my Primary Dr. I served my Country for 9 years in 4 Branches of the Military and worked as a Civilian at the Military Entrance Processing Station in San Jose, CA. When the New Pain Medication Policy started to unravel in 2014 I was mandated to detox or go to Chronic Pain Clinic-It took over 9 months to be seen at a Women’s Multidisciplinary Pain Clinic (significant funding); a 2 1/2 hr. road trip (5 hr roundtrip); no follow up; and a denial of medication for my pain. I was told later, by primary care Dr. that had I wanted Opioids I needed to go to a different Pain Clinic, which required another referral, which entailed another 2 months to be seen and yet another month of waiting as a consensus was gathered from the aforementioned specialists - which ultimately resulted in the same treatment plan-no Opioids for my pain. Yes, I have written a letter to the Director of the Hospital and now feel stigmatized and actually have been told, I should purchase a Health Care Plan outside of the VA System, by Mental Health Director, Primary Care Doctor, and a Patient Advocate. I firmly believe my treatment is a direct result of retaliation to my letter written to the Director of the VA Palo Alto, as my 2nd Chronic Pain Appointment was willing to treat on 12/30/15 and suddenly a letter of my Non-compliance appeared in my chart on 01/07/2016; which thus resulted in an about face and hands off approach and "unload mentality." This is such a sad situation, the system does not care about our pain. The suicide rates will increase as those Vets denied their civil rights will turn to other ways to control their pain and ultimately Less tax dollars in health benefits, medications, and Services will be spent. Well, this Veteran will not stop fighting, We need to find a stronger voice, We need to unite our voices across the Media until our Civil Rights to be treated as patients in pain is heard across this Nation - not as “drug seekers, as we are being labeled” our battlefield is at the VA Health Care. They have taken billions of dollars for "Chronic Pain Management" to just say NO. Here is a link to sign a petition that will get passed up the chain in California. It’s one step. And if anyone has any tips for me, I’m all ears. I’m ready to hire a legal eagle for failure to treat Legitimate pain. https://www.change.org/p/veteran-s-administration-stop-denying-pain-medication-to-our-veterans?recruiter=477234458&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

I approached my Psychiatrist,who happens to be the Medical Director for the entire Tri Valley in 2/2015 with an article from a Medical Journal and she claimed she wasn't familiar with the drug. Later, in September of 2015 a Colleague of mine was discussing its success over Ambien and told me of a Free Trial Coupon and agreed to write me a prescription for it. I emailed my Psych MD to inform her of the plan, and wanted to set up an appointment to discuss the possibility of getting an exception code for Belsomra since I was having better success than with the Ambien. I also had another friend Psychologist who was working with a Sleep Study and recommended trying a program that I wanted to discuss with my Psych MD. During this time as I waited for my appointment (4 weeks) the Belsomra pops up on CURES- and my Primary MD sends me a e mail that I have violated my OPEC contract and received outside Benzodiazpines and thus will continue to decrease and detox my pain medication. I called her and explained that this was a sleep aid and something I was working with my Psych MD, she didn't care, no if;s, and's or but's. Even after my appointment with my Psych MD, she would not discuss clearing up the misunderstanding. She stated the VA DOES NOT HAVE BELSOMRA (i have that in an email). At this point I am struggling with Detoxing and living in pain. My Psychiatrist ended our session with recommendation to purchase a private Health Care Plan outside of VA. What is your recommendation for my next step?

Thank you Vync for the link to Donald Trump's platform for VA reform -it was very refreshing. I am new to this Website.