WASHINGTON — The Trump administration declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency two weeks ago. Six days later, a White House-appointed panel proposed a national drug court system, a dramatic increase in addiction treatment beds, and what President Trump called “really tough, really big, really great advertising” to warn of the perils of drug use.
Neither the White House nor Congress has suggested how to pay for those measures.
I am an RN and understand the Opioid Crisis well. I also work with the handicapped and elderly and YOU ARE TRYING TO FIT ALL THESE PEOPLE INTO A SINGLE BOX. Many of the patients including my husband that was disabled when a porch fall, shattered his leg in 42 pieces depend on these medications for mobility. They have decreased my husbands medications to the point that he is bedridden without them and I must work so he has developed decubitus ulcers because of your new guidelines for medications. They have tried him on non opioids and is allergic and after being on them for 2 weeks lost his vision, it returned when they took him off . He regained it eventually when they took him off this medication. I have also seen similar circumstances working with patients in the geriatric group. There has to be another answer. People should not have to spend their remaining years in agony. By blanketing everyone in one group due to those that abuse meds. I mean , I have seen patients coming back from surgery on Motrin and Tylenol. That is insane !!!! There has to be a compromise somewhere. This breaks my heart . When did we ADOPT SOCIALIZED MEDICINE ? When government who has not seen the patient over rides the physician that is caring for them. You have reached the level OF CRUELTY. Your intentions may be good , but you are going about this the wrong way. There must be a better solution. And on a personal level you have turned my husband from disabled to immobile. THIS IS NO SOLUTION. His physician says he agrees he has declined because of this , but stated he is afraid of losing his license if he treats him properly ( against the government). When was the last time your Government has examined my husband because he sees HIS PHYSICIAN monthly. How can you treat him sight unseen. I can understand why there is a Heroin Crisis ( the route cause of this epidemic) has taken over. If people in pain can not get proper medication they are buying it off the street, This is where this country is going. I do not agree with illicit drugs , but torture is not an answer either. Please respond to this correspondence because I AM BEGINNING TO THINK VOTING FOR President TRUMP was a mistake. If this the way those who’s can not care for themselves are being treated. Stop the illegal drugs pouring into the Country . But treat the suffering and disabled. That is all I am asking. Thank You Sue Boyer Rn
This misguided warbon drugs is hurting millions of Americans who suffer from chronic, unrelenting pain!
If the government was concerned about preventing deaths they would ban cigarettes where SAMSHA wrote 480,000 (almost a half million) Americans die from tobacco consumption EVERY YEAR! That would be five million in ten years not to mention those affected by second hand smoke. Or do something about alcohol that kills 88,000 Americans a year according to the CDC. Doesn’t take into account the 20,000 plus killed every year by drunk drivers! Oops, that’s right, you can’t stop what can’t be tracked!