Judge rules Limbaugh medical records to remain sealed for now

Associated Press ^ | 12-24-03 | JILL BARTON

[wallcrawlr]

A judge resealed Rush Limbaugh's medical records Wednesday, giving the conservative radio commentator's attorneys time to appeal his earlier decision allowing prosecutors to examine the files for evidence Limbaugh illegally purchased painkillers.

Palm Beach Circuit Judge Jeffrey A. Winikoff ordered the records remain sealed for 15 days while Limbaugh's attorneys pursue their appeal. Winikoff had ruled Tuesday that prosecutors could examine the records, but could not make them public.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

This is a bigger issue than just what Rush is going through. It is effecting millions of chronic pain patients who are losing access to the medication they rely on to make their lives bareable.

Anyone who needs oxycontin and vicodin for severe back pain or cancer pain can go to a pain management specialist and receive it around the clock. Look in your yellow pages.

[evad]

I don't recall saying anything of the kind but if that's your interpretation of what I say, that's fine with me.

[Matchett-PI]

Did prosecutors have time to look at them before they were resealed?

Yes, they did. The AP article is misleading. Contrary to what the article says, it is EASILY determined that they have already looked at them. In fact, Rush reiterated that fact just a few minutes ago on the air. He first mentioned it yesterday.

Here is what Mark Levin had to say on the subject yesterday on the Sean Hannity Show.

[Becki]

Precisely..they leaked everything else. Why not this.

Exactly. The media resources themselves have said that the information came from "high placed sources close to the investigation". Each of the stories quotes these sources.

"Then, we heard stories that I was involved in a drug ring investigation. This was leaked by "anonymous sources," "high-placed government sources close to the investigation." Next, we heard that I was being investigated for drug trafficking - again leaked by anonymous sources, high-place government sources, close to the investigation."

Now we hear that they did not obey the court and keep them sealed pending the hearing today. They opened them immediately, and began pouring through them. I'll bet they have plenty of copies now, and we can expect to hear from these "high placed sources close to the investigation" soon.

Becki

[RightWingMama]

I work with 5 doctors in the same practice. Good thing Rush didn't come here!! /sarcasm

[cwb]

Umm...thanks for the advice...Doc. I already have a pain management specialist. But that doesn't matter when doctors start getting locked up....and pharmacies start refusing to dispense the medication for fear of prosecution. You don't seem to understand that the government and the media is scaring the legitimate practitoners into submission. Just visit www.painreliefnetwork.org and see the hysteria that has been created. You, as a doctor should be well aware of the problem.

[woodyinscc]

Rush should plea bargain this, take his medicine, and get it behind him. I have no doubts that the prosecutor has taken on this case as his raison d' etre, but like Nixon, Rush supplied the ammunition.!!

[Denver Ditdat]

Here's a guy who survived an unsuccessful back operation and needs drugs for pain.

I haven't had a chance to listen to Rush since he returned to his show. Has he said how his back is feeling since going through rehab, or if he is using a new pain management regime?

[xzins]

So, no standing in the gap and fighting for you, eh?

[Ichneumon]

[It is effecting millions of chronic pain patients who are losing access to the medication they rely on to make their lives bareable.]

Anyone who needs oxycontin and vicodin for severe back pain or cancer pain can go to a pain management specialist and receive it around the clock. Look in your yellow pages.

With all due respect, that's 100% horse manure.

Yes, there are "pain management specialists" in the yellow pages. No, they do not just turn on unending spigots of painkillers even if you're in chronic pain.

They will prescribe painkillers on a short-term basis for temporary pain like post-surgical pain, but long-term pain issues they withdraw the painkiller prescriptions after a few months and the "management" part comes into play, which is little more than encouraging the patient to "suck it up, nothing we can do for you."

I've got years of personal experience with this, because for years my wife had atypical acute chronic migraines (which literally did not let up for *months* at a time). Despite being reduced to a bedridden invalid from the crushing pain, the "pain management" doctors just shrugged their shoulders, saying that continuous painkiller prescriptions were simply not an option (for *any* patient except those who are going to die soon anyway).

And through chronic illness support groups, we meet dozens of other people who had had the exact same experience with "pain management" specialists.

So don't try to tell us how "anyone" who needs pain medication can "recieve it around the clock". Not for more than a week or two, anyway. After that, you're on your own.

[Ichneumon]

Rush should plea bargain this, take his medicine, and get it behind him.

*cough*

Isn't that how he got into this trouble in the first place? ;-)

[Peach]

Actually, you are correct. Nearly every article I've read about this matter in USA Today and AP articles in our local paper make mention of off the record sources, and it's obvious what is coming out is from the prosecutors office. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out.

[RS]

"I believe no one knew of the copies when the petition was filed."

What the lawyer did or did not know, we will never know.

I'd be surprised if ALL the Doctors complained that they could not treat him, then ALL of them suddenly realized they had copies.

[RS]

"Nearly every article I've read about this matter in USA Today and AP articles in our local paper make mention of off the record sources, and it's obvious what is coming out is from the prosecutors office. "

... and Rush's attorneys would not be leaking anything ...Nah, Lawyers are not devious ...

[NonValueAdded]

Just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser, doesn't it? I'd say that if it was four GP's or Internal Medicine types, then perhaps there would be probable cause based on the prescription records. (Assuming those were legally obtained).

However, if three of the four docs are tied to the same practice (two partners and a covering doc) and the fourth is a different specialty, then claiming doctor shopping is a real stretch. Doctor shopping in the same practice? That is absurd.

Besides, I keep getting these in my email:

Subject: Fwd: Any Meds U Want! Order Online with No Prior Prescription. Best Source

does that mean I'm doctor shopping too?

Rush may well have to face the music for his actions, which incidentally doesn't change his message one whit, but his defense against big brother tactics is of benefit to us all.

[cwb]

You're absolutely right. Just visit alt.support.chronic.pain and read the heartbreaking stories of people who can't get the treatment they need. While I eventually found a "specialist" to take care of my pain, I spent thousands of dollars, jumping through hoops (PT, Tens, Biofeedback, NSAIDS, pain psychology, etc), before I was finally prescribed any narcotic. And now we have this war on Oxycontin and doctors, that will only worsen what was an already bad situation.

[Sacajaweau]

I believe the goal of getting off his addictive stuff is merely the transferring to another, less addictive drug. Yet, what's the point. If you still need drugs all the time to control the devastation of pain, the word addictive means nothing.

[RS]

"Anyone who needs oxycontin and vicodin for severe back pain or cancer pain can go to a pain management specialist and receive it around the clock. "

"So don't try to tell us how "anyone" who needs pain medication can "recieve it around the clock"."


Don't you both realize that Rush has PROVED that he could have gotten off them any time he CHOSE to ?

[Peach]

"high placed government sources" are not the terms reporters use to identify defense attorneys. But good try.

[Concerned]

MISTERIOUS ASKED: "And does "getting a second opinion" somehow become "doctor shopping" under these strange rules?"

STRIPERSNIPER ANSWERED: "No, but getting a second helping of scipts is, by definition."

-------------------------------------------

I have had to get a different Rx MANY times when the FIRST (and sometimes SECOND) Rx DIDN'T DO ANYTHING for that medical problem or I had an allergic reaction to the first (or second) Rx.

In other words, I have had TWO (sometimes THREE) different CONCURRENT Rx's---for the SAME problem! And sometimes I have gone to different Doctors for a SECOND or THIRD opinion.

That's not "Doctor shopping"---that's being SMART to find: (1) a PROGRESSIVELY-thinking Doctor who REALLY UNDERSTANDS your medical need and/or (2) an Rx that WORKS for you and doesn't cause an allergic reaction.