Man charged with faking injury, trying to get narcotics from hospital

A very common practice these days.

Some will actually injure themselves to get the narcotics too. We had a guy smashing his finger to get narcotics. Another one stabbed himself in the stomach to get narcotics. He was put away for sixteen months in a rehab program.

They fake back pain and migraine headache frequently. Some try with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. Some fake kidney stones and tooth ache to get it too. All manner of schemes.

People just LOVE drugs and doctors are not cunning enough to spot all the scams and scammers.

I am from Washington D.C., and I am totally dumb founded by the drug abuse in the Tri-cities area. It really makes it hard on those who have real medical problems to obtain the help they need. It's a shame! Maybe before being seen in the ER they need to drug test people they suspect or know as drug abusers and let the real medical emergencies receive the treatment they need. By the way as a reoccurring kidney stone patient I have always been diagnosed with a CT Scan and blood work/urine. How could you possible fake a kidney stone? The lengths a drug addict goes to amazes me. I told my mother, what has happened to this place? I think it’s worse than Washington D.C.! Atleast there a stabbing is not one stabbing themself, or a construction worker being hurt on the job. I've even seen the AA meeting place and it seems like a "social club". Very sad!

Dumb Founded wrote:

I am from Washington D.C., and I am totally dumb founded by the drug abuse in the Tri-cities area. It really makes it hard on those who have real medical problems to obtain the help they need. It's a shame! Maybe before being seen in the ER they need to drug test people they suspect or know as drug abusers and let the real medical emergencies receive the treatment they need. By the way as a reoccurring kidney stone patient I have always been diagnosed with a CT Scan and blood work/urine. How could you possible fake a kidney stone? The lengths a drug addict goes to amazes me. I told my mother, what has happened to this place? I think it’s worse than Washington D.C.! Atleast there a stabbing is not one stabbing themself, or a construction worker being hurt on the job. I've even seen the AA meeting place and it seems like a "social club". Very sad!

Kidney stones usually, but do not always, show up in a CT scan, depending on the location and size of the stone. Since you have recurring problems, you know that a stone doesn't have to be large to cause severe pain. Doctors continually run the risk of being sued if they misdiagnose or even fail to provide a 'miracle' cure, so some choose to give medication and treatment when they aren't 100% convinced the treatment is needed rather than leave a patient in pain or risk a lawsuit.

Carter County Taxpayer wrote:

<quoted text>
Kidney stones usually, but do not always, show up in a CT scan, depending on the location and size of the stone. Since you have recurring problems, you know that a stone doesn't have to be large to cause severe pain. Doctors continually run the risk of being sued if they misdiagnose or even fail to provide a 'miracle' cure, so some choose to give medication and treatment when they aren't 100% convinced the treatment is needed rather than leave a patient in pain or risk a lawsuit.

Yes, but a urine test and blood test can show infection or blood in the urine (big sign of a kidney stone that is passing), however I am still amazed that people are able to "fake" this. I guess I am just amazed with the way Johnson City has become a "drug infested" town. I have compassion for those who are really hurting, and am angry with those who "fake" and make it hard for those who really have a medical emergency!

I've seen people who have bitten their fingers to add blood to the urine sample to fake a kidney stone

Dumb Founded wrote:

<quoted text>
Yes, but a urine test and blood test can show infection or blood in the urine (big sign of a kidney stone that is passing), however I am still amazed that people are able to "fake" this. I guess I am just amazed with the way Johnson City has become a "drug infested" town. I have compassion for those who are really hurting, and am angry with those who "fake" and make it hard for those who really have a medical emergency!

I guess doctors know when it is fake now. Maybe that's the reason they have started to hurt themselves. This has been going on forever. You just here about it more now!
It has caused me problems over and over again. I always have to prove what I say is going on and then the docs treat my pain. It's sad because I have being seeing them for over ten years. I have suffered with pain because of drug addicts.

It is a problem that has punished those of us who
have cronic pain and require ongoing opiad meds.
I have had one tesicle removed and part of the other one removed for cronic cystis.
The pain is something like if you where to grasp
the sucker with a "vice grip 24/7".
I am tolarent to most oral meds but recently they
have become less effective. Me next stwep is
Demoral!

It's not always easy to establish real pain from a good act, although it can be beneficial to check with many local pharmacies to establish if the patient is obtaining multiple prescriptions for narcotics or psychoactive drugs. drug seekers have systems, adopt new habits to avoid cueing suspicion, as well as the infamous "doctor-shopping". It is certainly no commentary on the doctor's cleverness, or lack thereof if they get scammed. The doctor can only hope that the patient is earnest, since they can not refuse care, as per the patient bill of rights, the doctor is required to avoid prolonging any pain, physical or emotional. Personally, I would rather be conned every once in a while than send someone from my office in real pain, because I was too afraid of being scammed. It would be irresponsible to suggest that healthcare professionals should adopt a practice of profiling patients and refusing care, people get away with this because of poor communication between care providers, as well as limitted face time with the patient.

Sorry for the rant, but touchy subject with me as a healthcare provider and chronic pain patient from military service, but i have found non-narcotics methods of pain management.

I felt the doctors sketcpism first go round the second he came into the ER room I was in, when when I was having abdominal pains that lasted all night, and went to the Bristol Tennessee Emergency Room. Well I don't do drugs, don't drink or smoke for that matter, was not looking for drugs, was looking for a doctor that could help me be out of pain, by fixing whatever was wrong. I have 1 family physician, I have 1 pharmacy, and this a** hole doctor was so nasty, and remember I was in such pain, that I was nasty back. tisk tisk. I had pain pills at home, I didn't want pain pills. He had the nurse bring me aspirin at which time I told the nurse tell the doctor where I said he could shove them. So I was there to be helped and because of folks going in and scamming, I was really wasting my time, my insurance companies money, to see this quack. I came home and took the pain paills I had. Talk about a waste of time going to get help when hurting. On a 1 to 10 scale 45!! Oh yea, 9 months before I had a bowel obstuction and infection, and almost died, and the pain I was experiencing was that exact pain, so I was scared.
I would like to meet that doctor eye to eye now, when I am feeling good, and tell him what a quack he is, and that the 'do no harm" was part of his oath he must have missed. But there is always 1 bad apple in the barrel. I only go to an ER in an emergency and in my real emergency was not helped at all.

Jeremy, you rant was fine, and thanks for listening to my rant. Always the bad guys ruin it for the decent folks.

Since that instance 5 years ago, I have had wonderful treatment with my family physician and at the emergency room for allergic reaction to something, and a possible hip break at Bristol Regional Medical Center, Bristol, Tn.

Oh yea since I am ranting, emergency physicians are highly paid, work only when they want to, and are private contactors, and therefore are instilled with additional arrogance, too bad they don't have as much education in taking care of people instilled. With his 8-10 years of additonal college you would think they could do a better job of weeding out the clinkers and help those needing help.

End Rant, thanks Granny A

I know what you mean. Back in the late 90's I suffered bad low back pain and they always looked at me like I was faking. I do feel sorry for the ones in real pain, because after 3 back surgery's i still have cronic back pain and it's not fun to live with pain.

Dumb Founded wrote:

I am from Washington D.C., and I am totally dumb founded by the drug abuse in the Tri-cities area. It really makes it hard on those who have real medical problems to obtain the help they need. It's a shame! Maybe before being seen in the ER they need to drug test people they suspect or know as drug abusers and let the real medical emergencies receive the treatment they need. By the way as a reoccurring kidney stone patient I have always been diagnosed with a CT Scan and blood work/urine. How could you possible fake a kidney stone? The lengths a drug addict goes to amazes me. I told my mother, what has happened to this place? I think it’s worse than Washington D.C.! Atleast there a stabbing is not one stabbing themself, or a construction worker being hurt on the job. I've even seen the AA meeting place and it seems like a "social club". Very sad!

Just to let you know being a teenager and having gone through treatment aa meeting places may be social clubs but what is so fucking sad about that if you knew what aa meeting places are for."they are for people who are seeking help and staying sober and staying happy so next time you want to judge someone on being social think again about what their there for u fuckstick!"

I have severe pain due to birth defects in my neck and spine, and upon moving to WV as opposed to where I used to live, I find that getting help in dealing with pain is next to impossible. The lengths people go through to obtain narcotics down here to get a fix for their dope habit is phenominal. People have had their spouses run their leg over with the family car, go to the dentist and have teeth pulled - come on how many pills is a tooth really worth when you are sitting there and can't even eat an apple because you would rather stick a pill up your nose? It sickens me because when I go to a doctor thry treat me as one who is 'cruising for pills'. I have all the paperwork and medical documentaion showing my ailments, and they end up apologizing but explain to me the drug epedemic down here and its seriousness. It is awful. They might as well legalize all things as part of the 'fun' for people in doing drugs is because it 'isn't right'. If there was no fear/fun factor to it it would decrease.

After "proving" that animals don't suffer and feel pain like humans, scientist have proceeded to torture them in every way "for medical research."

This same group has spread the lie that a drug addict is weak and immoral. Drug addicts take drugs to cover "chronic pain" just like you all, you fucksticks!

Scientist will say, "take the drugs away, and the addicts problem will go away." Wrong. Take the drugs away, and the constant headaches return. You sissy pansies have no idea what you are talking about.

I suffer from chronic low back pain and because my MRI is normal the dr's say I'm "dr shopping". My pain is very real. I have seen a lot of dr's and with a normal MRI they see me as a 25 year old and automatically send me to a phyciatrist. I hate living in extreme pain and now buy pain meds I use to recieve on the steers. What a health system we have.

Streets

Amy wrote:

I suffer from chronic low back pain and because my MRI is normal the dr's say I'm "dr shopping". My pain is very real. I have seen a lot of dr's and with a normal MRI they see me as a 25 year old and automatically send me to a phyciatrist. I hate living in extreme pain and now buy pain meds I use to recieve on the steers. What a health system we have.

I feel sorry for you! I live in pain also, I do take pain medicine but on a scale from 1-10 it only knocks the pain down to a 5 or 6. do not let them cut on you!! i have had 3 back surgeries and it doesn't do any good. my youngest son has inherited my degenerative disc disease and also has low back pain. so I feel for you the pain is real. the only thing that works alittle is try to build up your core muscles. abs and back muscles. good luck

Yada..... I've not saw any posts from you on Eliz forum, where ya been? Or have I just missed your posts??

Alcoholism is classes as a disease. Are not drug addicts similarly ill? Are not hospitals to treat the ill?

Some people simple lack the will- or biochemistry to escape dependence/addiction

Alcoholism is classeD as a disease. Are not drug addicts similarly ill? Are not hospitals to treat the ill?

Some people simplY lack the will- or biochemistry to escape dependence/addiction

i feel sorry for people who really need meds,then you got the ones that fake sickness,me, for one ,5 years ago i found out i have bone disease,i take 3 diffent meds a day i have had a doctor for years (same one) go to her once a month sometime twice,but as of friday he let me go, said i needed to get a diffent doctor,i don,t understand why,a day doesn,t go by that i am not throwing up and nause,i wish she walk in my shoes for one day,i wish i was pain free,also i have had my hips drilled into to releive some of the pain,it only works for a litttle while,i don,t know what to do?i wish i had a doctor that could fix my bone problem,and it be done with,any thoughts?