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As a veteran, I have to say: James A. Haley VA in Tampa has been one of the worst when it comes to chronic pain care. I don’t say that lightly — I’ve been in their system since 2004. What I’ve witnessed is 20+ years of steady decline. They push Gabapentin, Cymbalta, SSRIs like candy. I tried Cymbalta, Paxil, others all left me with suicidal ideations. That’s what passes for “treatment” while real pain relief is withheld. My last ER visit there was the worst I’ve ever experienced. I came in with pleurisy — an agonizing condition where the lining of your lungs is inflamed and every breath feels like knives. My vitals were through the roof from pain, but it still took over 2.5 hours for the doctor to order just 5mg of Percocet. Two and a half hours of unnecessary suffering because of apathy and stigma. So when I hear VA officials like Secretary Collins claim vets “have a choice,” I know firsthand that it’s empty PR. We don’t get choice. We get dismissed, gaslit, and left in agony. Veterans who risked everything are now among the most neglected in the chronic pain population. It’s cruel. Outright cruel.

🇺🇸NEW🇺🇸 When our veterans seek to treat their pain, Congressman Hamadeh believes they should have access to safer alternatives to opioids. That's why he co-sponsored the bipartisan NOPAIN for Veterans Act. His team made a video to walk you through it! Read H.R.4509⤵️ https://t.co/SWoxxIj2xI