CHICAGO - In response to your article "Painkillers deterring suicides"
(News, Feb. 21), doctors are being urged to use more drugs to ease
pain, but those of us who have spent long periods of time with people
in pain know patients rarely speak up for themselves and tend to
suffer in silence.

Pain management is a family affair. Get involved. First, ask your
loved one if he/she is in a lot of pain. If the answer is "yes," tell
the doctor. If your doctor won't prescribe larger doses of painkillers
for fear of disciplinary action, call your state medical board and
report the incident. For terminally ill patients, ask your physician
to prescribe hospice care as an alternative. It is a crime that anyone
today suffers from severe and persistent pain.

Joy Loverde,
Author, "The Complete Eldercare Planner."