THE NFMCPA STORE IS OPEN . . .
LOOK AT WHAT
WE'VE GOT!
T-SHIRTS
CHRONIC PAIN T-SHIRTS
TOTES
HATS
MUGS
PINS
REFRIGERATOR MAGNETS
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BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING!
During the coming weeks watch for more NFMCPA major announcements on our website, in the Advocate newsletters, the
Awakenings emails and in theFibromyalgia & Chronic Pain LIFE Magazine.
Coming soon is news about:
- results of Fibromyalgia Awareness Day activities
- a new pro-fibromyalgia federal disability ruling
- mindfulness research from the Oregon Health and Sciences University
- other important information to help people with fibromyalgia and chronic pain live a better quality of life!
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THE NFMCPA IS GROWING AND
MAKING CHANGES TO HELP YOU!
Visit Our Updated Website and
Online Store to Find . . .
Newly designed, inspirational, fibromyalgia and chronic pain T-shirts
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T-shirts
- Baseball hats
- Mug
- Tote bag
- Pins
- Refrigerator magnets
Ideas of what you'd like to see in the NFMCPA Online Store? Send them to info@fmcpaware.org
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NFMCPA WEBSITE CHANGES + ADDITIONS =
- New look
- Better organization
- New and updated resources
- More user-friendly
The website is easier to navigate and in addition to the online store, new and revised resources have been added with more coming in the near future. We started the long process of populating articles, information, and resources for people with overlapping chronic pain conditions as well as people who suffer with chronic pain disorders separate from fibromyalgia.
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We're working to expand the chronic pain area(s
) throughoutthesummer in preparation for September Pain Awareness Month. While visiting, check out the “Be Prepared to Be Inspired” information in the upper left corner. This link takes you to a page where you can share an inspirational story about your journey with fibromyalgia and/or a chronic pain illness.
- While on the home page also check out the “We are listening
.
Your voice matters” link in the upper right hand corner. You willl land on a page where you can relay information about an experience you have had with your insurance carrier, your doctor, employer, and more. Eventually, we hope to have answers and be able to share dialogue regarding how to positively address these issues in order for your “Your Voice to be Heard.”
- Check out the Faces of Courage Wall for a different kind recognition for those facing day-to-day, seemingly simple, larger-than-life hurdles for those living with fibromyalgia and chronic pain conditions.
As you can see from just these three new and updated NFMCPA website pages, more and more attention is being given to each of you as individuals, addressing your own unique set of circumstances. Sharing large and small successes can mean life changing adjustments for others with similar stories who feel defeated. Knowing that others have successfully met some of the same challenges means hope for a better tomorrow for millions of people and the inspiration to keep moving forward. |
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ACCESS TO PAIN MEDICATION SURVEY
CONTINUES TO DRAW PARTICIPANTS
Since late last Friday evening, more than 3,500 people have opened and taken the Access to Pain Medication survey. Below are a few of the more than 650 comments left by participants who have had difficulty getting their pain medication prescriptions filled following the recent enforcement actions by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) towards reducing illegal use, abuse, and addiction of prescription medicines. All of the survey questions are confidential, and the participants are unknown.
If you are on an opioid pain medication, it is still not too late to participate in this important survey. It is our intention to use this information to help shape a position paper from the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA) regarding access to care following the many changes in the states about insurance benefits and Medicaid. The NFMCPA believes the decisions for pain management medications belong between a patient and her/his physician. We are very concerned about people who suffer from the effects of abuse/addiction as well as people with chronic pain conditions who need access to pain relief. Please send this information to others you may know who have had pain medications denied for fibromyalgia or another chronic pain condition. To go to the survey, click here.
Comment section of the survey:
Q. If you have had a pain prescription rejected by a pharmacy, please write a brief explanation of your experience in not being able to fill your prescription for pain medication.
- A. It happens almost every month. I am told "We are out of this medicine," over and over. The next month, the same pharmacy will be able to fill the prescriptions. then, a month later, "We're out" again. My family and I know our local pharmacists very well, and they know us. I've even seen tears in the eyes of one, as he told me he couldn't fill the prescription because he was "out of it." I know our pharmacists are being honest with us. They know that MD and RA are serious, debilitating conditions, and they are trying hard to fill their customer's pain relief prescriptions, but all tell us that the DEA has cut their orders and forced them to run out. My primary care MD has just stopped prescribing any pain medicines due to "pressure from the DEA." They are "on my back, and I'm afraid I'll lose everything I've worked for," he told me. The doctors and pharmacists all say the same thing. The DEA is purposely causing the shortage, and intimidating doctors, pharmacists and patients. I am furious about this out of control, government agency and its inhumane policies.
To read more comments, click here
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