Show on PAIN Tonight, Wednesday May 11

Jim · 05-11-2005, 12:34 PM

The Fight Against Pain
May 11, 2005

It is a modern miracle of medicine, pain management. The advances that have been made in the last 50 years have been truly astounding. But when does prescribing pain medication cross the line and become drug pushing? And who gets to decide those limits anyway, the doctor or the DEA?

We've all seen the movies that depict the "old days." A gruesome scene from the Civil War, when amputations were performed with nothing to calm the patient except a swig of whisky, or hoop-skirted women in childbirth, an endeavor that seems to require an awful lot of hot water and towels but nothing to soothe the mother in the throes of agony. As a mother of two I can personally attest to the miracle that is pain management. For centuries pain was considered something that we were supposed to endure, that it made us virtuous. It was only during the Second World War that the understanding of pain and the advancement of treatment really took off.

Today, some 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain and there are a plethora of treatments available to them. But many of the drugs are serious opiates and there is a real danger of addiction, hence the growth in the area of "pain management." Doctors work with patients to control their pain, allowing people to live active and productive lives. But there has been a huge increase in the use of pain medication for recreational drug use, and the Drug Enforcement Agency is cracking down. Much of this medication is stolen from pharmacies, but some is coming from forged prescriptions or directly from doctors overprescribing. Tonight Chris Bury talks to one chronic pain sufferer behind bars for possessing too much painkilling medication. He'll also talk to a doctor who was found guilty of overprescribing and to the head of the DEA, Karen Tandy, who says all they are doing is protecting the public.

Ted Koppel anchors our broadcast tonight, part of ABC's weeklong series, "The Fight Against Pain." It is a particularly provocative aspect of an affliction that millions of Americans know all about. We hope you'll join us.

Madhulika Sikka & the "Nightline" staff
Senior Producer
ABC News Washington Bureau

NIGHTLINE airs at 11:35est on ABC.

dejerine · 05-11-2005, 10:40 PM

Jim,

Thanks for highlighting the ABC special. I suggest we all go to abc.com and write letters advocating more money for research for nerve injury pain. I watched the show and they did a good job. We just need them to address nerve injury pain and the need for non opiate medicines so the enforcement problem will go away.

rocko · 05-12-2005, 10:07 AM

I saw it and the one who went to jail was right. No one in that kind of pain would give away or sell they're pain pills.

solarscar69 · 05-15-2005, 05:15 PM

is it really possible to have a powerful pain reliever not have addiction possibilities?

Ultram isn't an opiate and its addicting. I know this cause i had withdrawals after i stopped.

http://www.adamsmith.name

metronycguy · 05-15-2005, 08:10 PM

i wouldnt call ultram a physical addiction.
i just stopped ultram about 6 weeks ago after being medicating with usually 4x a day for well over 3 years

solarscar69 · 05-15-2005, 08:38 PM

I found ultram much harder to come off then vicodin. I was also taking 4 ultrams a day for about 2 years. When i stopped, i couldn't sleep for a couple weeks, no energy, depressed, legs would be jumpy and my spasms and nueropain was exagerated. These where physical withdrawals along with mental i'm sure, but i had more physical withdraws then just wanting to take more, becuase thats the last think i wanted to do is take more. I swithced to vicodin and was on that for a month after my most recent sergery and i am off all pain killers. Only take then on bad days and not a "drug maitanence" scedule like the docs where saying.....

Good luck...

http://www.adamsmith.name

05-11-2005, 12:34 PM	#1
Jim Administrator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NJ Shore Posts: 7,185	Show on PAIN Tonight, Wednesday May 11 The Fight Against Pain May 11, 2005 It is a modern miracle of medicine, pain management. The advances that have been made in the last 50 years have been truly astounding. But when does prescribing pain medication cross the line and become drug pushing? And who gets to decide those limits anyway, the doctor or the DEA? We've all seen the movies that depict the "old days." A gruesome scene from the Civil War, when amputations were performed with nothing to calm the patient except a swig of whisky, or hoop-skirted women in childbirth, an endeavor that seems to require an awful lot of hot water and towels but nothing to soothe the mother in the throes of agony. As a mother of two I can personally attest to the miracle that is pain management. For centuries pain was considered something that we were supposed to endure, that it made us virtuous. It was only during the Second World War that the understanding of pain and the advancement of treatment really took off. Today, some 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain and there are a plethora of treatments available to them. But many of the drugs are serious opiates and there is a real danger of addiction, hence the growth in the area of "pain management." Doctors work with patients to control their pain, allowing people to live active and productive lives. But there has been a huge increase in the use of pain medication for recreational drug use, and the Drug Enforcement Agency is cracking down. Much of this medication is stolen from pharmacies, but some is coming from forged prescriptions or directly from doctors overprescribing. Tonight Chris Bury talks to one chronic pain sufferer behind bars for possessing too much painkilling medication. He'll also talk to a doctor who was found guilty of overprescribing and to the head of the DEA, Karen Tandy, who says all they are doing is protecting the public. Ted Koppel anchors our broadcast tonight, part of ABC's weeklong series, "The Fight Against Pain." It is a particularly provocative aspect of an affliction that millions of Americans know all about. We hope you'll join us. Madhulika Sikka & the "Nightline" staff Senior Producer ABC News Washington Bureau NIGHTLINE airs at 11:35est on ABC.

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05-11-2005, 10:40 PM	#2
dejerine Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Utah Posts: 1,199	Jim, Thanks for highlighting the ABC special. I suggest we all go to abc.com and write letters advocating more money for research for nerve injury pain. I watched the show and they did a good job. We just need them to address nerve injury pain and the need for non opiate medicines so the enforcement problem will go away.

05-12-2005, 10:07 AM	#3
rocko Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: killeen,tx bell co Posts: 23	I saw it and the one who went to jail was right. No one in that kind of pain would give away or sell they're pain pills.

05-15-2005, 05:15 PM	#4
solarscar69 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Missouri Posts: 383	is it really possible to have a powerful pain reliever not have addiction possibilities? Ultram isn't an opiate and its addicting. I know this cause i had withdrawals after i stopped. http://www.adamsmith.name

05-15-2005, 08:10 PM	#5
metronycguy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: ny Posts: 5,674	i wouldnt call ultram a physical addiction. i just stopped ultram about 6 weeks ago after being medicating with usually 4x a day for well over 3 years

05-15-2005, 08:38 PM	#6
solarscar69 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Missouri Posts: 383	I found ultram much harder to come off then vicodin. I was also taking 4 ultrams a day for about 2 years. When i stopped, i couldn't sleep for a couple weeks, no energy, depressed, legs would be jumpy and my spasms and nueropain was exagerated. These where physical withdrawals along with mental i'm sure, but i had more physical withdraws then just wanting to take more, becuase thats the last think i wanted to do is take more. I swithced to vicodin and was on that for a month after my most recent sergery and i am off all pain killers. Only take then on bad days and not a "drug maitanence" scedule like the docs where saying..... Good luck... http://www.adamsmith.name