From: "Alan Jay Mazer" 
Subject: Chronic vr Intractable Pain
Date: 2000/03/18
Message-ID: #1/1
Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net
NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 05:56:36 PST
Newsgroups: fido.chronic_pain

I find the basic premise for doctors and the public for putting chronic pain
survivors in a "drug seeker" typecast is that the difference between chronic
and intractable pain is not addressed in the consideration.  In the most
basic of terms a chronic pain sufferer has some prognosis of recovery or
operable cause that could be corrected but for some reason can not be
affected.  Intractable pain is that which is a consequence of an inoperable
or progressively degenerative condition.

Survivor.....not sufferer, not patient, not anything unless the subject
chooses to live on and considers life with pain better than pain without
life.

Typically I find that many chronic pain survivors are those who for some
reason have chosen not to address possible alternative treatment.  This
could be possible in many cases due to the reliability of those alternatives
to produce beneficial results.  I believe the post operative success to
failure rate of back surgery for example is 90% in the failure column...not
a positive motivation to take the risk in operative treatment for a chronic
back pain condition.  Many other causes and conditions which result in
chronic pain have similar failure ratios and thus many turn to medication
rather than risky (at best) operative solutions.

Those of us (including myself) who have failed back surgeries and post
operative problems who trusted the advice for alternative treatment to
medications are paying the price.  Ignorance of the life long trauma and
terrible suffering that pain survivors must endure perpetuates the arrogance
of the public and peer medical industry.  I for one have suffered enough at
the hands of those who choose to call me lazy, drug seeker, hypochondriac,
etc.  I have had enough of doctors who accept me into their roll only to
bleed my insurance and bank account dry and leave me in limbo.  When will
this country enact a Patients Bill of Rights that includes Intractable Pain
Laws?  When will the government change the Medicare plans to include
prescription coverage while drug seekers who fake conditions to get welfare
benefits get 100% coverage on Medicaid?  What hold does the dishonest have
over the honest that perpetuates an environment where those who are truly in
need have the least opportunity for compassion and assistance?

I was a productive, successful professional for 30 years before failed
reconstructive surgery ended my life as I knew it.  I have live in terrible
constant debilitating pain, horrible conditions and tolerate abhorrent
treatment by the medical and employment industries.  I am a capable and
knowledgeable human being, honest and forthright, compassionate and generous
person....why must I be treated like a blight on society?  Why must I beg
and endure condescending treatment by the medical (so called) professionals
who play God with my medications?

Such is my rant for the day....

--
Alan Jay Mazer
CNA/CNE/MCSE/MCP/BSME
Email: AlanMazer@email.com