Patients of 'dangerous' Fort Wayne doctor speak out

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Patients of a local doctor who could have his medical license suspended shared their emotional stories with NewsChannel 15.

The Indiana Attorney General's Office filed an emergency petition Monday to suspend Dr. William Hedrick's license.

NewsChannel 15's Megan Reust spoke with a former and a current patient of Dr. Hedrick. Both of these patients said they had very different experiences at his office. In one case, a man claims he was able to re-gain quality of life. A woman said the drugs he prescribed her led to a terrible addiction problem.

For seven years, a woman claims she was addicted to drugs Dr. William Hedrick prescribed her. She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The woman did not want her identity revealed.

"I am thrilled. If he gets booted you couldn't want anything better," the woman said.

The addiction to fentanyl patches, Percocet, and muscle relaxers quickly took over her life. She said things like her child's birthdays and holidays didn't matter anymore. Kicking the habit was one of the hardest things she has ever done.

"It was harder than when I was a teenager burying my mother. It was so difficult. It's a strong drug and it just calls you. Come and get more, come and get more."

During those seven years, she began to notice a trend. She claims Dr. Hedrick was prescribing his other patients a similar combination of drugs.

"Fentanyl patches, plus Vicodin or Percocet, plus muscle relaxers, plus Ambien or Sonata sleep pills which are both hypnotics. It was quite a cocktail."

James Mahoney has had a very different experience. In the early 90's he hurt his back. Currently, he suffers from severe back trauma and nerve pain. His extreme pains kept him bedridden.

"I thought of dying every single day," Mahoney said, "I thought about killing myself every single day."

Mahoney said he started seeing Dr. Hedrick in July 2008. The doctor put him on morphine and Mahoney said the narcotics he's taking now have improved his quality of life.

"It makes the pain manageable enough that I can sit in [my] wheelchair up for several hours a day."

The Medical Licensing Board of Indiana will review the petition to suspend Dr. Hedrick's license Thursday. 

Hedrick's license could be suspended for 90 days while the Indiana Attorney General's Office takes further action. 

Hedrick is a founding member of the Centers for Pain Relief in Fort Wayne. He founded the company in 2002, according to the company's website.