Share Your Story With

The National Campaign To Protect People In Pain

[Last Updated: January 21, 2026]

Mission /About

Educate

This page at NCP3.org is for the moderated narratives of patients, caregivers, and clinicians concerning the damage done by misdirected (indeed fraudulent) Federal and State public health policies that restrict the treatment of severe pain and addiction.

Over time, we anticipate building a moderated blog for patients and doctors. The following are edited to protect the identities of doctors and patients.

I am being force tapered.

My previous doctor tried to send me to an abuse center despite notes by another doctor confirming that I am not an abuser.

I am physically dependent. Some doctors have flagged me as "non compliant." Many times that term came up despite my previous doctor stating that I am okay to use the prescriptions he wrote for nausea, glaucoma, depression and slight pain relief.

I've since found a great Dr who has been treating me properly until recently. Her supervisor was going thru my file and is making her force-taper me. She's upset about it. Her supervisor even told her I can no longer use the medical marijuana until I am completely off opiates.

Meantime I'm losing weight from not being able to eat much. My eyesight is starting to waive. I'm seeing what resembles a "C" shaped zigzag stitching.

The supervisor agreed that I have the medical evidence to require these meds but she states she has “no choice.”

I'm 56 years old and disabled. I'm tired of getting the run- around. I wish these people would butt out of patient care. Some should be sent to prison. They have killed many people just like me.

A Horror Story:

My 39-year-old daughter has Crohn's disease and Hereditary Pancreatitis -- all verified by testing. She has been to our local hospital several times. This last experience was the worst ever.

Even though blood tests showed that she was in a severe pancreatic flare, the first two hospitalists in charge of her case refused to give her any pain medication after the initial 100 mcg of fentanyl wore off. So for 16 1/2 hours she was in a room without pain meds, while in severe 10+ pain and constant vomiting.

They also refused to give her a rescue dose of prednisone, even though she has a bracelet that says she has Adrenal Insufficiency. My husband tried and tried to advocate for her but the answer was always "No - we are waiting until all the results from tests and scans are in…"

The second hospitalist actually had her tested for alcohol and street drugs even though we had an explanation written up that we gave him and verbal explanations about her hereditary pancreatitis (she has never had a drop of alcohol in her life) We also explained that even though she has a pain pump it barely works and certainly doesn't cover flare pain. Genetic testing shows that several genetic variants interfere with almost all pain medications -- which make her situation especially difficult.

It was the most traumatic hospital visit she has ever had. A day later when she was able to communicate with me, one of the first things she said was "If this ever happens again you have to find a way to help me kill myself." She wasn't being dramatic and she's not clinically depressed. This was the only solution she could think of after suffering so much.

….We are all traumatized by the experience.

I’m an intractable pain patient.

My pain is caused by Interstitial Cystitis. -- my first diagnosis. I am afraid to campaign publicly because I have been retaliated against. I was abruptly removed from my protocol by Pain Management and pushed toward Suboxone.

I have since been able to find a doctor who is taking care of me. But I am very afraid of being taken off my meds. I have two children and I am a single mother.

For Questions or Comments Contact: Red Lawhern or Jonelle Elgaway