Hello and Welcome Skeeter,
I've been on vacation and am tardy in my response, sorry!
Oh my dear, it's so much bigger than the FDA. It began with the so called, "War on Drugs" which has really become the "War on Chronic Pain Patients."
The entire government is our fight, including the Media. The DEA is leading the war and the CDC recently joined that war. The FDA has been involved almost from the get-go. The Media loves these stories of drug abuse, selling and overdoses and deaths. We are not a "good story." We don't sell well. We're too quiet and frighte4ned, like a deer in headlights.
Physicians are being watched like they are Criminal Drug Dealers as are the Pharmacies. If you read some of the threads here you'll learn more. Here's a link to one of my recent Journals.
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/1745919/CDC-Becoming-Involved-in-Opiate-RX-Guidelines-Bad-News-for-Chronic-Pain-Patients
It may take a litigation or two by astute attorneys to reclaim our rights - as we no longer have rights - and I mean none! We are treated like criminals and drug addicts and worse - like there's something wrong with us because we have Chronic Pain. It's a very sad situation.
In my humble opinion Suboxone is not the way for you to go. Find a competent PMP. There are still some good ones out there - still afraid of the DEA but to a lesser degree than our PCP. In most areas of our country the government now requires extensive training for an PCP to order opiates - they are not quite as strict in our very rural and remote areas where physicians are far and few between. Patient documentation is extensive and must say all the right things - and physicians must do all the right things to avoid being Red Flagged by the government.
What can be done? Write to your state and local representatives - and write them again. Seek out appropriate petitions and sign them. Get involved with the Groups that are fighting for fair treatment of chronic pain and adequate pain management. If you search this site you'll find some good information. I'll post more about this next week.
Hang in my friend in pain. Please be active in our community. Together we are stronger and support one another. I'll look forward to hearing from you again soon. I wish you the best.
Take Care,
~Tuck