CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – A Cedar Rapids man charged with bank robbery last year told a judge Wednesday he is being deprived of medical care for back, neck and wrist pain, and an anxiety disorder.

Randy Copenhaver, 43, charged with two counts of second-degree robbery and one count of second-degree theft, said a sleeping mat was taken away from him after he filed a complaint with the state for treatment of his extreme back pain and other problems.

“I’ve wrote over 100 (requests to jail officials) to be taken to the hospital,” Copenhaver said. “I’m 120 pounds overweight. I weigh about 312 pounds now. The mat helped my back on the hard concrete.”

Copenhaver said he was given Ibuprofen for pain but it made him sick to his stomach and they stopped giving him anxiety disorder medication because they thought he was giving it to other inmates.

He also complained of a deviated septum, carpal tunnel and an elbow injury but hadn’t received treatment for those.

Dr. Robert Braksiek, the Linn County Jail medical director, told the judge none of Copenhaver’s problems are serious conditions or life threatening. He was prescribed an anti-inflammatory – Ibuprofen – for back and neck pain, which Copenhaver preferred to take over another kind and he also was given an antacid for stomach issues.

Braksiek said an MRI taken a few weeks ago of Copenhaver’s back and neck showed he had mild disc bulges. Braksiek just saw the results Wednesday but he will refer them to a neuro-surgeon at University Hospitals and Clinics, which is procedure for inmates, for a recommendation of treatment.

Ray Scheetz, Copenhaver’s attorney, said Copenhaver has been asking for treatment and the MRI wasn’t conducted until after he filed a motion for this hearing. Copenhaver or Scheetz hadn’t seen the results of the MRI until the hearing.

Scheetz said they aren’t asking for anything costly in treatment – just a mat, nasal breathing strips and some decongestant for septum problem.

Braksiek said there is no evidence of carpal tunnel and no real treatment for a deviated septum.

Copenhaver was given the anxiety medication in different forms besides pills to prevent abuse but when they crushed the pills or gave him liquid form he would hold it in his mouth and then later spit it into a cup for another inmate to take, Braksiek said.

Assistant County Attorney Bob Hruska made two motions to dismiss his claims during the hearing based on a lack of evidence. He said Copenhaver’s problems were not life threatening, reasonable efforts were made for treatment and his rights were not being violated.

Sixth Judicial District Judge Sean McPartland overruled the motions and said he would take it under advisement and submit a written ruling.