But the problem appears to have grown worse as physicians comply with the “voluntary” prescribing guidelines released in March by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which have been adopted as law in several states. Many doctors now fear prosecution and loss of their medical licenses if they overprescribe opioids. Some have chosen not to prescribe them at all.

While federal and state authorities track the number of drug overdose deaths, no one seems to be following the number of patients who are dying by suicide or from cascading medical problems caused by untreated chronic pain. Some in the pain community call this “passive genocide.” Tammi Hale compares it to the Holocaust.

“The Nazis eliminated the sick and the weak first, right? Makes you wonder,” she says. “I realize my comments are harsh, but I believe the public needs to be aware of the dangers any one of us could be facing with this silent epidemic.”

Doctor Insisted on Weaning

Doug Hale began facing a life with intractable chronic pain in 1999, after a surgery left him with interstitial cystitis, a painful inflammation of the bladder. According to his wife, Doug tried physical therapy, antidepressants, epidurals, nerve blocks, TENS, cognitive behavioral therapy, and several different medications before finally turning to opioids for pain relief. High doses of methadone and oxycodone for breakthrough pain were found to be effective.