(This is a comment Jake Squid left on a prior thread on “Alas.” Jake’s wife has had chronic pain for 12 years. –Amp)
Almost anything you do, if you suffer chronic pain, is viewed as drug seeking behavior. Going to multiple doctors in an attempt to get help? Yeah, you’re a drug seeker. Asking for a higher dose? Drug seeker. Hoarding? Drug seeker. Questions or complaints about random drug test policy? Drug seeker. Past history of recreational drug use? You’re a drug seeker.
This gives the patient no power and tons of stress worrying about being labeled a drug seeker and cut off from the (usually minimal) relief that they are getting. It’s an abysmally designed system.
If you ever wind up with chronic pain, here are some suggestions that may help you:
* Never admit to any recreational drug use. It doesn’t matter if you had a single hit off a bong when you were 14. Deny having ever touched a recreational drug. You should probably also say that you never drink alcohol. If you’ve ever gotten high or drunk, you’re probably a drug seeker.
* If you have to go to more than one MD to get help, don’t report any doctor you’ve given up on. Carry your medical records with you & let the new office make copies. Hide doctor shopping as well as you’re able. Unfortunately, changing doctors because of changing health insurance coverage will be counted as doctor shopping. Doctor shopping is classic drug seeking behavior.
* Never question your pain doctor. Nothing good will come of it.
* When answering the doctor’s questions, pretend that you’re being questioned by the opposing lawyer at trial or an EBT. Your standard answers should be, “Yes,” “No,” “I don’t know,” or “I don’t remember.” Provide as little detail as you can while sticking to the point that you are in intolerable pain. The doctor doesn’t want to hear your story. Things that you think are important are a distraction and can and will be interpreted as a sign of drug seeking behavior.
* Do not miss an appointment. Although severe pain is clearly a valid reason that a person might miss an appointment, it will be viewed as – Surprise! – drug seeking behavior. If you have to kill your partner, kidnap small children or take a bus driver hostage in order to make it to your appointment, do it.
* Dress as well as you can. The richer you appear, the less likely you’ll be thought of as a drug seeker. Buy a suit, buy a cocktail dress. Look like you have money.
* If you do happen to find a good doctor, one who cares more about your pain than worries that you’re scamming them for drugs, advertise the doctor everywhere you go online. People desperately need reviews of docs in order to have any chance of finding one who will help.
I’m sure that there’s more that I’ve learned over the last twelve years, but they’re not coming to mind at the moment.
Same situation, same time frame even. I concur with everything listed here.
As a side note, I especially agree with this. It’s amazing how much egregious shit can simply disappear from one’s mind despite its earth-shattering importance, due to the human mind’s tendency to build shields.
I *especially* concur with the “answering the doctor’s questions” portion. Especially don’t talk about or expand upon the pain scale (“On a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being no pain and 10 being the worst pain imaginable, how bad is your pain right now?” Word for word.) They give you a pain scale for a reason: Because they want to know what number you are. They’re here to get a number from you and go back to their amateur psychology of figuring out if you’re seeking or not.
I’ve been lucky enough not to have yet had chronic pain worth worrying about, but from the point of view of someone who treats chronic pain, I disagree with some of your advice. (Caveat: This is just my opinion, not what “doctors” think and someone else might disagree entirely. Also, I mostly treat people with chronic cancer pain. Cancer pain is, ironically, the easiest of chronic pain to treat: it responds nicely to opiates and very few pharmacies give you crap if you prescribe large amounts of opiates for someone with, say, stage IV pancreatic cancer. A few insurers, yes, but pharmacies and the DEA, no.)
I would advise people to give a full account of their recreational drug use. Ok, if you once took a hit off a bong when you were 14 and you’re now 35, no big deal if you forget about it. But if you like to have a bong hit every weekend, it might show up on your drug test. If it does and you claim that you don’t use drugs, your credibility is shot. If you tell your doctor that you use marijuana once in a while, the test will confirm that you’re truthful about your use and actually reduce suspicion. At least, it does for me. Also, if you have a recreational drug use history, especially of narcotics, you may need a higher dose to get relief so not mentioning it risks undertreatment.
Concerning missing appointments, it’s all about pattern. If you come to appointments reliably 95% of the time, no one’s going to get upset if you miss the one because there was a blizzard that day or you’re feeling too sick to move (though you might consider calling 911 then instead) or whatever else might be going on. If you can, call and cancel the appointment. Just failing to show up suggests that you’re not taking the relationship very seriously. (Again, though, pattern is important: if you have been making your appointments regularly for 3 years and don’t show one day out of no where, your doctor is more likely to be worried about whether something happened to you than suspicious that you’re blowing them off.)
Another thought on drug tests: if you’re being prescribed opiates, don’t skip your meds on the day of your appointment. If you’re being prescribed 60 mg twice a day of oxycontin and your drug test shows no opiates in your system, your doctor’s bound to wonder what’s happening to all that oxycontin. It’s tempting to want to be “clean” for the drug test, but in this case, you’re supposed to be positive. What’s the point of even getting the drug if you’re not going to take it?
Personally, I think we undertreat pain immensely. But I can also see why doctors who specialize in pain control get cynical and suspicious. Because there are people out there trying to game the system. Some people are addicted to drugs. The concept of “drug seeking” didn’t appear out of a vacuum. Trying to differentiate is…hard. Add to that the social pressure to never, ever give more pain medication than is absolutely needed (on threat of losing your license) and you get…the situation Jake described. I don’t think it’s going to change on a society wide basis until we stop the drugs=evil propaganda. We need more treatment options for people who are truly addicted (to any drug, including alcohol and tobacco) and less blame.
This may very well be advisable for patients with cancer, but my experience shows that it is terrible advice for fibromyalgia patients. My spouse used to give her recreational drug history – which ended at least a decade before her chronic pain started – and it resulted in flat out refusal to prescribe narcotics by all but one of the doctors she’s seen. Her recreational drug use history involved zero opiates.
That’s an excellent point, Dianne. It’s also worth noting that almost no drugs that they’re testing for (via urine test) are detectable after 48 hours. Marijuana is an exception. The time period for detecting metabolites on that varies greatly depending on how often you use it, how much body fat you have and the rate of your metabolism. Pot is going to be the most risky recreational drug to use on any sort of regular basis when it comes to your random drug tests. The advantage that you, as a chronic pain outpatient, have is that you know the date of your next possible random drug test. As far as I know, the vast majority of pain management doctors will drop you immediately if you test positive for drugs other than those that you have been prescribed. That’s what they’ve told us, anyway.
With regards to missed appointments, I agree with a lot of what you’ve said. Calling to cancel is important, but sometimes you’ll sleep through it due to your irregular sleep schedule. This is almost never understood by your doctor.
I can see why uneducated/miseducated or inexperienced doctors who specialize in pain management get cynical and suspicious. Somebody who has been diagnosed multiple times with a chronic pain condition should not be falling under suspicion when they seek drugs to control the pain.
I’ve had a very helpful resource for dealing with things over the years. I have a cousin who is a neurologist and pain management doctor and he’s been able to give us very helpful advice. One thing that I’ve been told by him is that addiction is not a consideration in either end of life nor chronic pain treatment. Withdrawal is not a factor for one and minimal for the other. If your chronic pain ends, your withdrawal will be manageable because you haven’t been getting high, you’ve just been getting pain relief. If you no longer have the pain, you have no psychological need for pain relief. I honestly don’t know much about that aspect other than what I’ve been told, but the doctor that the AMA takes their narcotic pain management protocols from claims the same thing.
Somebody who has been diagnosed multiple times with a chronic pain condition should not be falling under suspicion when they seek drugs to control the pain.
Why not?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m in the legalize-everything camp, but there’s no logical reason that someone with multiple diagnoses can’t also be a drug-acquirer looking for resalable pills, or a junkie. Drug mules and junkies get fibromyalgia too.
If your chronic pain ends, your withdrawal will be manageable because you haven’t been getting high, you’ve just been getting pain relief. If you no longer have the pain, you have no psychological need for pain relief.
This is totally anecdotal, but that’s my impression with cancer patients who complete their treatment. I’ve only very rarely had anyone come back and ask for more pain meds after their cancer was gone (and then it’s almost always because of chronic pain due to some side effect like scarring.) I’ve always thought that at that point they associated the drug with being sick and didn’t want it, even if it did get them high (which is quite rare for narcotics used for pain management.)
As far as I know, the vast majority of pain management doctors will drop you immediately if you test positive for drugs other than those that you have been prescribed. That’s what they’ve told us, anyway.
I have no reason to doubt you or them, but if one of my patients tested positive for THC my first thought would be that the standard anti-emetics weren’t working for them. If heroin showed up, I’d wonder if they were lying when they said their pain was well controlled and were supplementing. (Both have happened…in at least one case it turned out that the patient was using heroin because he could afford that but not the prescription narcotic prescribed. Ok, I’m getting out of here before I start ranting about health care reform.)
Amp, good point about class and how to dress. I would add: if you are poor and simply can’t dress well, a good substitute is ‘looking smart’. (For some bizarre reason, intelligence is associated with having money and as Amp said, you are therefore less likely to be considered drug-seeking.)
I worked for doctors for years, so whenever describing pain, I use the medical terms: patella, trapezius, etc. Carry a book with you, too. No Stephen King, no pulp fiction; some readable history is fine. Be ready to comment on the book; I have found that *every single doctor* mentions the book I am reading and asks me about it. (As a woman of a certain demographic, I think they are amazed I can read at all.) This also gives you the chance to sound concise and smart. (NOTE: I like observing the difference in how I am initially treated, and then how I am treated after my little book report. Usually a 180-degree change. It’s quite obvious.)
I’ve found this little dog-and-pony snow to be a good substitute for class, or at least, the best *I* can come up with.
Talking about how long I’ve had my job, how long I’ve been standing on my feet for long periods, how much weight I lift daily and/or repetitive movements, blah blah blah, also serves as a good testimonial: druggies do not usually keep the same job for eons. (This also explains how I started falling apart in the first place.) Doctors then usually figure that your interest is primarily in keeping your job (true), and not in trying to get high.
Dog and pony show, not snow. Although a dog and pony show in the snow DOES sound like loads of fun…
or you’re feeling too sick to move (though you might consider calling 911 then instead)
Some of us with chronic pain are often too sick to move – or at least too sick to move enough to get to an appointment – and it’s not cause to be calling 911 every time.
I think that your experience, Dianne, exemplifies the difference in attitude given to cancer vs more nebulous, less tangible chronic pain. I’ve heard much the same about cancer treatment from people I know who work in that field. Sad as it is to say, I envy the attitudes that those patients get from their health care professionals.
Robert,
Because the evidence lies strongly on the side of, “seeking narcotics to treat pain,” rather than there being no reason to think one way or the other. If diagnoses and clean drug tests aren’t enough to dispel the stigma of drug seeker, what is?
I’ll second Rosemary and add that chronic pain patients often have irregular sleep schedules due to their pain and their medication.
Again, totally anecdotal, but I have to say that this certainly matches my experience. I’m prescribed oxycontin for a chronic pain condition and am constantly baffled by the fact that people take this drug recreationally. I just can’t figure out what the fun is supposed to be. It doesn’t do anything to me other than reduce pain, so I find it hard to imagine why I would want to keep taking it if I no longer had the TN to contend with. As things stand, I’ve been known to inadvertently skip doses when I’m having one of those (alas, increasingly rare) pain-free days, due to sheer disorganization and forgetfulness.
God, I hate that fucking pain scale. It seems designed to penalize people with hyperactive yet morbid imaginations. I suspect that it isn’t even humanly possible for a person to experience pain as dreadful as the worst pain I can imagine.
OHSU’s pain management center has a visual representation of the pain scale, with line drawings of increasingly unhappy-looking faces, and as embarrassingly infantilizing as that may be, on some level I actually rather appreciate it, since otherwise I could spend hours trying to figure out what number is supposed to represent “well, okay, I can’t stop crying, and staying still is difficult, but I’m not actually screaming, or, like, y’know, writhing on the floor, so, uh…” It’s a terrible system for people who tend to overthink things.
ETA: Whoah, do we have gravitars now? Cool.
Makes me think of the Hyperbole and a Half pain scale.
@ Jadey. That was awesome!
(I am fortunate to not (yet) have experience with chronic pain, but like Elkins, I way overthink things, and I hated having to deal with the pain scale when I was in labor. Okay, so, it hurts, it hurts a lot even, but I’ve only been at this a few hours, so I don’t want to say 8 because what will I say when it hurts 10 times as much as it hurts now … and so on. Also, I think the Hyperbole scale is more appropriately calibrated for the upper range of the pain experience.)
To those with chronic pain, I’m sorry our society is so fucked up about pain relief and that we makes things so much harder, when they’re already hard enough.
Ditto on many of these same points for anti-anxiety meds.
And if you are too poor for insurance, and go to a low-cost clinic like me, you could be given the run-around virtually forever based on the drug-seeking stigma. When I called up the first time and said I had an anxiety disorder and needed a doctor to renew a prescription now that I had lost my insurance, I was told by the front desk staff, “oh, well, our doctors aren’t comfortable prescribing /that kind/ of medication.” With an emphasis on “that kind,” like they were talking about something terrible and taboo.
And my doctor insists that he has to “watch” me because of the kind of med I take, and hence he won’t prescribe more than a month’s worth at a time, even though it takes me 2.5 hours out of my workday, for which I am not compensated, to get to the clinic, wait the age and a half it takes to be seen, and get back to work.
I have done absolutely zero recreational drugs in my lifetime and I take one anti-anxiety med, regularly, which I’d been taking for years at the same dose from the same doctor, until I lost my insurance.
It sucks to be poor.
Some of us with chronic pain are often too sick to move – or at least too sick to move enough to get to an appointment – and it’s not cause to be calling 911 every time.
You’re being severely undertreated if you are often too sick to move. Yeah, I know that’s Jake’s point, but really why should anyone with chronic pain be left feeling that bad? Wouldn’t 99% of chronic pain sufferers be happier and more productive if they were treated adequately to be not in pain most of the time, even at risk of the dreaded addiction? And if the pain is due to something incurable, why even worry about whether the patient gets addicted? If taking narcotics twice a day and apap/oxy intermittently allows the patient to hold a job, raise his/her kids, pay taxes, and be kind to kittens, isn’t that better than withholding narcotics and leaving them unable to do anything but lie in bed and feel pain all day?
Dianne @17 has eloquently stated what those with chronic pain (and their loved ones) have felt for ages. If we can only get some doctors to sign on so we all have some place to get the care needed…
That revised visual pain scale is awesome! Thanks for the link, Jadey! Funny, yes, but it also does a pretty good job of properly conveying the pain levels, IMO.
I have to say that the visual pain scale chart I’ve seen isn’t nearly as pathetic as the one in that blog post. The only way I can explain that rendition of a pain level of 2/10 is to imagine that an hour ago, the little cartoon guy was at about a five or a six, but now his morphine has finally kicked in and it’s doing a great job on his pain, so he’s happy. Otherwise…what the hell is he smiling about? And they show a crying face as a ten? The hell? Tears, it seems to me, start rather earlier than that. To my way of thinking, a pain level of 10 should be uncontrolled writhing and screaming, not just a few tears.
Then, that’s just the problem with that pain scale, and part of the reason that I hate it so much. On a TN forum I frequent, I’ve seen people write things like “My pain level was at 10/10, it was so bad I needed a Motrin and could barely finish the chapter of Critique of Pure Reason I was reading!” (Well…okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating, but not by all that much.) It makes me grumpy as hell, actually, because it makes me start worrying that when I talk to the doctors about, say, a 6/10, they’re thinking “stubbed toe” rather than “life-interfering pain that requires treatment.” Self-reporting really shouldn’t turn into a zero-sum game, or be prone to “pain inflation,” you know? But sometimes it can feel like that to me.
Elkins, does it help to know that one of the primary purposes of the pain scale is to measure your personal level of pain over time? So it doesn’t matter if you start crying at 3 or at 7; the important thing is that if you’re at a 7 now and a 5 tomorrow and then at a 7 the next day, then it makes it easier to track and figure out what’s (not) working.
I am an ex-junky (heroin), so needless to say…been there seen that. After kicking the almighty “D”…well, kinda. I’ve been on Suboxene for 3 and half years. Its a wonder drug!! And its not like methadone, w/o all the bad side effects (poison=methadone). But i did my share a cple a years ago w the ill, doctor shopping…til Medicaid caught on and i was rescrictd for 2 yrs. it’s not worth it. Doctors arent stupid. Theyre taught to look for drug-seekers. Or you can always be lucky like me when i found a crooked doctor, kind crookd, she saw my track marks and it was all over. NO MORE RED-LABELD SCRIPTS!!!! So if your doing u mite as well stop while youre ahead. U will eventually get caught. Esp now with all the new laws changing cause of these dumb-ass kids who fucked it up for us old-timers …use your mind!! U think they know what “Spit back is”?? or a doctr thats a “Croaker”. Doubtful, but thell learn. Too late for us tho.
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I’ve been labeled with “drug seeking behavior” because I needed a good nights sleep. It is bordering on downright stupidity, and is killing patients left and right that have legitimate complaints. See what happened to me, and how my health has been damaged for life.
http://theprickofthepen.blogspot.com/2011/10/nightmare-at-doctors-office-im-furious.html
I was born in pain. Had colic for over6 months. My first memories are of screaming from the pain in my legs that woke me up. I was 3. My parental were told it was growing pains & I was exagerating. Called a hypichondriac by 6. By 12, I mastered the art of hiding my pain. I stopped growing at 13. Reached 4’11”.The growing pains never stopped. They only worsened. Now, at 41, I have diagnosed myself, then with resistance, THE Official Doctors Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, Multiple Chemical Allergies/Sensitivities & chronic pain syndrome. I’ve yet to get the official diagnosis of Restless Leg Syndrome, Chronic Cluster Migraines & more . Kinda hard when no Dr will treat me. I’ve been dismissed by my old fallback Internal Medicine Dr, whom I saw for 16 years over a fight with her P.A. over an antibiotic.
I have spent 12 years being undermedicated & treated as a junkie, EVEN WITH SEVERE TRAUMATIC INJURIES (IE: Slipped & fell, bashed my head, road rash down back, severe neck pain, BLEEDING) I was still treated as if i was a junkie. Told CAT scan was fine & to go home. (no one would examine my back or spine, even though I was forced to remove all clothing & given no blanket or pillow to ease my pain). When I asked for a muscle relaxer, due to spasms & severe tightened muscles, I was told no, since i had a concussion & it might kill me. So, wait, I thought I was told i was fine. Yeah, right.
This problem is more than ANYONE could imagine.
I am forced to live with pain that would make NORMAL people suicidal. Then I see REAL JUNKIES getting prescriptions for 160 pills a MONTH. At the dosages they get, i could live pain free for a year. Unfortunately, I cannot buy my flexeril, muscle relaxers, off the streets. Or the pain meds that work for me. Junkies don’t like the 10 mg dosages. But, they won’t hesitate to steal them from me if I were to let them close enough to my purse. What i take in 3 months. They take in one day.
So, how do I get classified & treated like them, when all i need is 60-90 10mg Flexeril & 60 percocets 10mgs for 3 months?? Ive given up on getting oxycontin or methadone for long term pain. I was told i didnt need to be on THAT stuff. As if being In writhing pain & begging my husband to kill me or knock me out, with his fist, because i cant stand to live in that much pain any longer.
I have already made a desicion to go to one of Florida’s famous pill mill pain management clinics. My husband & ex hubby have had enough.
We tried to get me help the RIGHT way & was treated like a junkie. Well then, i will just have to go where the REAL junkies get their junk.
I’m sorry for the typos. I’m sobbing as i write this because i am exhausted & tired of living like this.
I’m real. My pain is real. My pain will continue to exist, even when a dr refuses to treat me. My pain isnt hurting them. It’s hurting me. My family. My life. Not them & their racist view of me. It’s discrimination.
Michele –
Stop obeying the law.
http://www.buy-pharma.com/Generic_Flexeril_Cyclobenzaprine-p-2000.html
(Not to minimize your, or anyone’s situation; that comment came across as a little dismissive. But you can get cheap generics by mail, and I can vouch for that particular Internet pharmacy.)
As a patient, you have a right to see your medical records, and if a doctor falsely accuses you of being a drug seeker, especially in front of another person, you can sue them for slander. A lot of people have written to me about the problems they are having, including elderly people, and I’m letting everyone know you do not have to accept their false characterization of you. They have basically accused you of a crime, and in so doing, have committed a crime themselves.
Linda, true but…
Threats of lawsuit/legal action, however based in truth, carry weight only in proportion to the credibility threat presented by the complainant. I have had a few instances (non-medical) where I have had to make threats of legal action to have something occur, and been blown off…but have then presented in person (I am, or can choose to appear as, an extremely credible-looking person in this sociocultural milieu) to make the exact same statement and had it been taken much more seriously.
By which I mean, someone who is perceived as a junkie who makes a threat like you suggest MIGHT get taken seriously, but particularly if the health care provider is secure in their own presentation, has money in the bank, has a killer attorney on speed-dial, etc., might also simply lead to greater dismissal. A lot of the people for whom this thread is relevant are people of marginal power who depend on the kindness of strangers and their willingness to help, much more than they depend on their formal legal rights. And for many such people, such a threat (even one totally justified by the facts and quite litigatable) would be empty because they simply don’t have the functionality, or the resources, or just the spoons, to get a lawyer and/or the cops involved.
Ain’t saying it’s right, just saying it’s so.
Wow, Robert, thank you for writing that response to linda. I pondered the whole day on how to explain what a rock & a hard place is…Having medical records & being right doesn’t get you the help you need. A lawyer would laugh at me if I called & said I needed to sue my Doctor & her office staff for treating me like a junkie. I have zero money to pay a lawyer. If i DID, I would just BUY a good pain management Dr to treat my chronic illness. But. I dont. And many of us in this situation are mentally beaten down by years of being in a no win situation & chronic pain…its hard to fight back when you cant even get dressed without help.
Patient rights mean NOTHING once you are labeled by the OFFICE STAFF & Dr.
I bet Linda has never sat in a waiting room, being forced to listen to your Drs staff talk about how the hate pill seekers or patients who fake being sick to get pills….
Office staff have no medical knowledge, BUT they can shut down your visit by their actions & gossip.
I have cried in Drs waiting rooms from embarrasment when I realized they were talking about me. How many of us have had to go through that? Knowing this ends your relationship you’ve built with a dr & now you will have to find a new one, only to be shut down because office staff talks to the new drs office staff?
This is a nightmare i never asked for or wanted.
None of us WANT to rely of pain meds & muscle relaxers to live a functional life. I was born this way. Yet, I have to FIGHT to get meds.
I wish it was as simple as, Im gonna sue you for slander…
Now. I must struggle with getting dressed & putting on a mask of make up for work. Where I must pretend I’m ok & not in pain or i may get sent home, without pay, because my pain makes everyone uncomfortable to be around. My pain is inconvenient to those who arent feeling it…. Nice of me to think of THEIR comfort first, don’t you think?
Michelle, I was called a drug seeker and I’m very angry about it. Ihave never had to go through what you have, but I know people that have, and the only answer is to fight back. You do not have to have a lawyer file a complaint for you, as a citizen you have the right to take anyone to court that you so choose and can go down and make the charge yourself and it will be heard by a judge. In my case, my reputation is important to me, in that, getting labeled like that can keep you from gettting a job. My thyroid test results came back low and that was why I was having trouble sleeping, so I had a legitimate complaint, and she accused me in front of another person, and I’m not going to lay down and take it.
My son in law fell while skiing 2 yr ago and fractured his coccyx, ( tail bone), three vertebrae in his back. He is 27 yr old and went to at least 5 pain doctors in jacksonville, fl area. One gave him a whopping 30 lortabs for a month. The rest of the doctors gave him nothing, just wanted to get rich off of him by giving him faucet, steroid injections which was like putting a small bandaid on his pain. Shame on those doctors. Then last October he accidemtally shot himself in the lower leg with a hollow point 38 pistol. He shattered all of the bones in his lower leg. This time he got a huge quantity of 14 percocets to last him 2 weeks. I stayed with my daughter and son in law for a month and listened to him crying and moaning with pain. Those heartless doctors. I questioned the orthopedic specialist about his misery due to lack of pain control and was told that they had to be very careful prescribing pain mess in Fl due to new laws. Thank you Gov, Scott. I’ll bet if he or one of his family members had the same horrific injury they would e treated with compassion. Thank all of you peice of crap druggies out there for your contribution to my son in law’s suffering. Go snort yor oxycontins and karma will hopefully kick you in the butt one day.
I see all the time these people who talk about how they get all these great prescripts for their pain. LOL good luck! I just got back from the doctor getting my MRI results: disk bulge compressing my spinal column and a herniated disc AND spinal stenosis! THE MF’r tells me to go see a surgeon, get PT, or have epidurals that are only temporary, oh and here is some anti-inflammatories! What a joke. So here i sit in horrible pain. Can’t wait to get out of college and move out of this horrible ass country.
How does one go about filing a lawsuit against a doctor who does wrongfully label you a drug-seeker?
Pamela, I too am from Jacksonville fl and was in a car accident this January and got mris done downtown at the hospitol, by the way I’m a 25 year old male, and have some herniated disks in the same area as your son in law and was given 90 10mg percocets from the hospitol, then saw a pain management doctor and was given 15 mg oxycodone 4 times a day, while also getting PT And Epidural shots, so he must of pissed a bad UA or doctor really didn’t feel he needed narcotics, I just feel there’s more to people’s story when they aren’t prescribed stuff, and if you aren’t receiving the medical care u need, go to a different doctor, it’s your right to see as many doctors you want to find one you like. It’s only doctor shopping when you start receiving multiple prescriptions from multiple doctors.
You couldn’t be more wrong. For thingssake, doctors consider it doctor shopping if you’ve seen multiple doctors in an attempt to get relief for your pain. Especially if that relief includes narcotics. If you’ve had to find a new doctor because of a change in your health insurance, doctors will consider that doctor shopping. I’m really glad that you got the help you needed. That experience, however, does not negate the experience of countless others.
Jacob propes, I think you just found a good doctor. Consider yourself very fortunate.
My ortho doc doesn’t prescribe any narcotics longer than 6 weeks regardless of what type of pain someone is in. No exceptions. After my second and third surgeries on my shoulder I still had issues with chronic pain. I can deal with acute pain, it’s the damned constant chronic pain that kills me. but, my doc only gives narcotics for 6 weeks, so I’m pretty screwed if there’s still pain 6 weeks after surgery.
I ripped my labrum, rotator cuff and bicep tendon at work and have had to have 3 surgeries over the last 2 years for it. My ortho doc and I have an excellent relationship (other than the fact that he leaves me in pain). I’ve got arthrograms showing I still have probs in that shoulder and now my right shoulder is busted due to over use and I have arthrograms that show it’s more messed up than my left. I now need shoulder surgery on my right shoulder and workers’ comp is taking their sweet time approving it. It’s been 2.5 months since my doc said I need surgery and he only gives narcotics for 6 weeks.
But, how can I fault him? Workers’ comp is the one dragging their feet and he’s not a pain doc so he can’t keep me on the meds until workers’ comp comes around.
My prob is that I can’t really go to another doctor because this happened at work. Well, I can change docs one time, but right now I am just waiting for approval of the surgery and I’m not going to go through this entire process again. My doc has been very quick to treat me and recommend treatment, he just has a strict narcotics policy that he never deviates from. If insurance doesn’t approve a surgery needed within 6 weeks, he stops prescribing narcotics and it’s not his fault when insurance companies decide to drag their feet.
So not everyone has some hidden story behind their problems of not getting the pain meds they need. I have never been arrested and I don’t drink. The only drug I’ve ever done is that I smoked weed one time in my life when I was 16 (I’m 42 now), so a hot UA is impossible. I’ve had the same job for 15 years and have a very stable life. I would venture to say that I am what doctors hope to see when they’re considering prescribing narcotics. Well, other than the fact that I don’t have a family doctor. I always just tough everything out from strep throat to badly sprained ankles. I’ve been to a doctor for 3 things my entire life and one of those was because my mom made me go when I was a teen when I had kidney stones. I never thought that not going to a doctor would be held against me.
If the truth be known, I think it is all about the money. Why would they want to give you a $7.00 pain pill when they can do surgery or force you to take steroid shots in your back that can cost around $3,000 per shot? It is always about the money, if your addicted and kill your fool self they really don’t care, and judging by the post I have seen from some doctors and others about people that are addicted to pain meds, they would be happy to see an addict die. My how the doctoring business has changed over the years from compassionate care to greed
.
I have really gotten to the point where I have completely had enough. I was originally on codeine and I thought apart from the fact that there were days that I was in so much pain life didn’t really seem worth it although I never expressed that to my doctor. I have had thus far two operations on my spine lumbar and thoracic and need another on my cervical which are extensively degenerated from C2,C3C4,C5C6 and have gotten worse since my last MRI. I also have another thoracic disc problem. I have been offered yet more surgery but this time they are telling me that I will never be able to look at my feet again if I have surgery or I may well end up for life in a wheel chair. So I declined and opted for the pain relief route. My doctor called me in and said that she didn’t think codeine was right for me and as I am allergic to NSAIDS and aspirin she wanted to put me on morphine, that was 3 yrs ago. I was not happy about this and said so. To cut a long story short she just about insisted and despite my objections started me on morphine sulphate tabs slow release 60mg and 20mg of quick release morphine solution. I managed with that for 2yrs then found that the pain was getting worse and I would run out of meds by about a day before they were next due.
I was called in again and they increased the dose by another 10mg on the MST although I didn’t ask for this.
Right another 2yrs have passed by and things are just getting worse. I have resisted asking for an increase but it is now at a point where I am running out of meds by 1-2 days in two weeks.
I asked for a review and have seen many differen doctors, not by choice but by who has been available at my practice at any given time. Not great as they are all of different opinions.
So up until know I have had repeat prescriptions then on one visit when I ran out the doctor who admitted himself his math was not great took me off repeat and just waited for me to run out and ring for another script.
I am feeling like jeckal and Hyde with this, part of me had had enough of having to go to the doctors when I run out and also just want off these drugs then there is the other half that just cannot cope with the pain so although I really wish I wasn’t on these meds I weaken and give in because I cannot cope with the pain.
So I get to see yet another different dr in the practice as he is the only one available and make what is now the biggest mistake of my life. I TELL HIM HOW I FEEL. He point blank turns to me and says “your an addict” I am really gobsmacked by his remark and say how can that possibly be as I am lucid and can perform all tasks driving etc and come to that was able to calculate fast than he did which he refuted, besides the fact I did. He then says have you tried anything else? I point out the fact that if he cared to look closely and read my notes that he would see that the NSAIDS gave me anaphalatic shock and that other meds I have tried have either not worked or have brought me out in hives and made me very sick. I did however say that I was fed up of having to come to the surgery everytime I ran out and wished there was something else I could take and get off the opiates.
He said well its up to you go and think about it! And this is where I made a real hasty and now regrettable decision, I said ok let’s discuss some other meds that may help. He then said well I don’t have time now but make an appointment in two weeks time. Well the closest appointment was three weeks away and two days before and on that day I was so sick as in so much pain I could not even get out of bed. I phoned the surgery to cancel my appointment but the message was not passed on and he reacted this way
He wrote on my note if this patient runs out of her meds even by a day not to give her a prescription, he then went on to write as if it was he who was insisting that I come off the opiates onto something else, and seemed to forget it was actually my decision. I almost think he wrote this in what I would call was anger that I did not come in on that day. Well today I ran and the dr who was a locam intially refused to give me a repeat script after reading what he had written which in all fairness to her she read me his comments. I was furious and said if she read back further she would see it was I who suggested coming off opiates and pointed out the fact that I also didn’t want to go on them in the first place!!
She then said do you have any left at all which I replied no! So I am one day short! Well she did give me another script but insisted I see this dr who wrote basically a pack of lies this coming week which surprise surprise was not available but I was able to get an appointment with the person who put me on these meds to begin with. The sad thing is when they write these comments it really puts a very bad mark against your name for life and to all the other doctors that don’t even know you
I WISH I HAD NEVER BEEN PERSUADED TO GONE ON THESE MEDS TO BEGIN WITH AND I WISH THAT I HAD NEVER TOLD THEM WHEN I RAN OUT AS I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS PAINFUL BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY TO HAVE SUFFERED FOR ONE OR TWO DAYS BEFORE THE MEDS WERE DUE OR EVEN MORE SO TO HAVE EVER SUGGESTED COMING OFF THEM
I have never felt like ending it in my life but right now it is truly the way I feel and this is what these stupid doctors have driven me to. Yet although I feel like saying this to the doctor when I see her ie the one who started me on these meds I am afraid to do so in fear of how she may react
THE MORAL MY STORY IS SADLY “KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT”
I can so relate to so many of you. Been dealing with fibromyalgia and I’m sure I have some other undiagnosed issues which has been extremely frustrating. I’ve had the same pcp for years now, had me on pain pills, my tolerance grew and I made the decision to go on Suboxone. During those 2 years I didn’t see him as my pcp, saw a different dr. Well I wanted to get off the suboxone and assess where my true pain levels were and try to go without taking pain meds (was 26 at this time). That pcp told me she didn’t think I should get off it which ticked me off, so I went on and tapered myself off over several months and WENT BACK to my original dr. He was so proud of me and was happy to help me jump completely off with the help of some “comfort meds”. Was off everything for several months but couldn’t deal with pain anymore. He put me back on a different pain med, which wasn’t working so I asked to be put on suboxone because I wasn’t sure what else to do. Planned on taking a pain med break and then go back on something different. Well things started to go downhill from there. The dr chastised me for receiving my sleeping medication from my pcp I used while on Suboxone the first time around. Said it looks bad that I was seeing a different dr. Thing is, I never got any meds from him during that time! Then in my electronic medical records he listed me as a “drug-abuser” unspecified!!! I was trying to do EVERYTHING right and I couldn’t believe he did that to me! I didn’t realize this until just recently because there’s been a lot of conflict in his office…staff changes, auto prescription refills not faxed in on time (even giving 4 days notice- for basic meds for my breathing probs), and he NEVER once has referred me for any specialist even though I had classic symptoms of thyroid probs. anyways when I told him (btw it was MY decision to take a break from my pain meds and it was also agreed at that time I could go back to the meds once I was ready) I wanted to go back to a pain med that will work he refused and then tod me I needed to taper of the suboxone. I’m very frustrated because I’ve known him for years, he’s been there through me on and completely off meds, everytime it was my decision and now he’s forcing me to get off everything. I’ve tapered down a lot based on my own plan, and I’ve been in agonizing pain. I’m young, was let go from my job after taking FMLA medical leave and they used some bogus excuse to get rid of me shortly after I got back. The shape I’m in now is sad and frustrating. I can barely get out Of bed somedays, have trouble walking from neck/back/leg pain and I’ve given up hope of having any compassion from this dr. At the same time I’m scared to see a new dr because I have “drug abuser” labeled on every page. Interesting he’d label me that but still continue to prescribe me these medicines! Now I feel stuck, not sure what to do. Are my electronic records available to a new pcp if I find one? I’m NOT a drug seeker, I’ve been dealing with this pain since I was 22. I would love to be off all meds but I was before and I was miserable. I’m starting to feel like that again now that I’m so low in dose of suboxone, although it never really helped too much with the pain in the first place. I want to own my own business, be a good wife, be able to do the simple things like clean the house, go out to dinner, go on a vacation but I hurt so much I can’t function. I feel like I’m losing myself and now it comes to the issue of quality of life. I want to be off meds but I think I need to be because nothing else seems to help, and believe me ive tried everything from injections, physical therapy, acupuncture, meditation, massage therapy, etc etc etc. tried every medication to man kind. Unfortunately pain meds have worked for me but now I have this dilemma. I dont want these electronic records to follow me and have that listed. That will be the only thing a dr will see. I feel like this dr did this on purpose so I don’t have any other option. Sigh…I used to be so active, fit, healthy and now I’m a mess and it kills me to be Like this.
Sorry for the rambling just thought I’d jump in here. It’s nice to know I’m not alone but still I need to find a resolution. I need to find a dr to do bloodwork when appropriate, send me to a specialist if need be, to be my advocate and be compassionate. Not sure what I’m going to do.
Drug
In pharmacology, a drug is “a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being. Drugs may be prescribed for a limited duration, or on a regular basis for chronic disorders.
Seek
: to resort to : go to
2
a : to go in search of : look for b : to try to discover
3
: to ask for : request
4
: to try to acquire or gain : aim at
5
: to make an attempt : try —used with to and an infinitive
Behavior
.
manner of behaving or acting.
2.
Psychology, Animal Behavior .
a.
observable activity in a human or animal.
b.
the aggregate of responses to internal and external stimuli.
c.
a stereotyped, species-specific activity, as a courtship dance or startle reflex.
3.
Often, behaviors. a behavior pattern.
4.
the action or reaction of any material under given circumstances: the behavior of tin under heat.
These words are meaning….less, your very existence is all that matters.
Never give up, the darkness that follows pain can drag you to the lowest places imaginable an no words can explain it, if you have already taken that trip.
Do not worry what people believe, it will destroy your motivation if you do.
Do what you can, challenge yourself even if that feeling only comes once a year,
you will not fail, because you are living.
Do not be afraid to lose coverage. It is a weapon of leverage against you to comply. “Even though personally I have failed this, my age I will require surgery I cannot afford, down the road.” If you had money you would be surprised at the uphill battle anyone would have against you in court, if you are well-grounded an bring truth as your weapon.
As inadequate our relief may be, I for one am certainly glad no one attempts to drain blood out of my body to cure my “sickness”, though I would enjoy it if doctors still sipped piss.
I wish you all the answers you ask for, an those you do not know for hope.
I am just as lost. An saddened by alot of what I see, though I try an use my pain as a tool to see, what I would not, if contented.
An update
I now can see the best defence is offence as after this doctor who wrote on my notes do not give her a prescription if she runs out left me furious!
So my appointment arrives with the Dr who originally persuaded me to come off the codeine and onto morphine. Instead of trying to defend my position I went on the attack and started with “I am not happy with the doctor that has written on my notes that I am drug seeking. I basically told her which is true that I feel highly offended at what he has written about me which is untrue. I reminded her how much I was against on going onto morphine and how I took some persuading to do so. I then said to her that this other dr who does not know me has now really blackened my name with regards to pain meds and that it was unjust and unfair. I said to her that I didn’t consider myself as a drug seeker, but at times the pain was so unbearable that I just took an extra one or two tablets and what would she do if she had the tablets to relieve her of pain right in front of her and was in unbearable pain.
She was really nice and very sympathetic. I told her that I really would like to come off morphine altogether and was thinking of going cold turkey. Her answer to that was you must not do this and you should not come off these tablets just yet until we find another way to treat you. So I am well confused one dr is saying I am drug seeking and an addict and the other dr who initially put me on these meds is telling me to stay on them???
Anyway we have started a new plan which I really hope works and that is to add amatryptaline which is really good for nerve pain and she has arranged for me to have accupunture on the NHS. So I have started taking the amatryptaline which unfortunately is making me very sick and have just booked an appointment with the hospital pain clinic. I intend to persevere until a solution is found so that I can eventually get off the opiates as life in many ways sucks being on them.
I think I am lucky in some ways to have a dr on my side. I think the dr who wrote all the crap about me needs to get a new job and stop his defamation of character on people who truly need these powerful pain meds.
Sadly its the people that have become addicted to drugs using recreationally that have put us people with legitimate illnesses and severe pain with labels of drug seeking as it seems that many drs can’t see the wood for the trees and have labelled us all as just being drug seekers which is really so unfair. They all need to get their act together and treat those in real need appropriately, especially if they prescribed these meds to begin with.
One of these days people will start to hit back and sue these drs who end up getting their patience hooked then in the same breath turn around and dump them.
Couldnt of said it better. Jules, I know you are confused but be happy your female dr is compassionate and there for you. I totally feel you on wanting to be off everything and I wish you the best in your journey of healing. In my experience, I haven’t had much Luck with alternative therapies and I can say ive probably tried them all…but that’s just my sad experience, some ppl respond great. These drs are so negligent putting these things do easily in our records and I’m beyond stressed about my situation. I DONT want to be considered a dr shopper but I feel like my dr of several years has given up on me. He lied in my records and I feel like I need to talk to him about it and tried to get this label off my record or amended. I was a A+++ patient during the last 7 years and I don’t deserve this. If anything I should be looked up upon for noticing my tolerance was Increasing and asking my dr to put me on suboxone for a few months. I didn’t realize the stigma it has until now. He probably was Estatic that I asked for it so he could use that as an excuse to not deal with me. I’m happy Jules you were able to get support from your old dr. I need to figure out what to do in my own dilemma. Sad I feel like I’m playing a game of chess. This dr is playing with MY LIFE.
I was in a car accident when I was about 17 years old, maybe 18 years old. I had smoked marijuana socially at that time for fun, maybe a few times a month. I was rear-ended by a vehicle going between 30mph and 35mph while I was at a complete stop. I had my seat belt on thankfully. Needless to say, my car was totaled as the rear of the cars frame was bent in too much to be repaired. I still only occasionally smoked marijuana for fun socially.
A year or two later, pain is appearing out of no where… I just ignored it as I didn’t think it was serious….After another year or two, pain got worse. I still smoke marijuana occasionally, socially.
I went to my doctors and reported back pain and thought it was possible it was from my car accident. My doctor sent me to an MRI, some stretches, questions, story of the car accident and how I live my life to see how active my lifestyle is etc… I tell the doctor asking me questions of everything that might help the doctor in deciding my fate in pain management, completely truthful.
They do nothing, tell me I’m too young for narcotic pain relievers and went on telling me that if I was a little older, she might consider starting out on a low mg. They then told me I have Lower back muscle damage that MIGHT go away after years of Physical Therapy if I were to attend 4-5 times weekly in two hour sessions along with 6 stretches to work my lower back muscles and legs and needless to say.. The physical therapy worked, but it hurt a lot to do them and it was a huge hassle as I worked full time and doing stretches as many times as i was told was just a hassle completely along with the traveling I had to do.
I turned to buying opiates off of the street because they worked for my pain and I obviously felt very good on them. I then stopped taking opiates, tried around 4-5 of non-narcotic pain relievers and all failed to null any pain. I then went back to opiates and started shooting them up instead of sniffing them for faster relief and a better high feeling as I just gave up on doctors helping me for my pain.
After a little while longer of doing opiates from the street, I went to a place to get suboxone strips to get off opiates as i felt addicted to them but at the same time, it helped my pain so it made no sense to go for opiate addiction. I did the Suboxone Strip thing for 6 months and stopped taking them. All i got from those Suboxone Strips was an extremely wicked high I didn’t enjoy which resulted in nodding on and off for many, many hours which also resulted in me unable to even leave my house almost half the time because I felt so messed up. The Suboxone Strips didn’t even help for my pain levels as it was mentioned it would do. I was clean from shooting up opiates for around 8 months, and gave back in buying opiates from the street as my doctor refused to give me narcotic pain relievers as he said this to me… ” I down right refuse to prescribe you narcotic pain relievers as I disagree with that practice completely and I wouldn’t prescribe that to anyone for that matter.”
Needless to say… I’m in more pain then I have ever been in, some days it’s unbearable to ignore and I just want pain relief or to go to the hospital but I’m afraid to waste my time at the hospital due to the hours of waiting to be seen by a doctor just to be refused true pain relief as that has happened literally a few times; once was a script for 15, 5mg Vicodin’s which didn’t help the pain as much but simmered it enough when taken double then what was directed in a 24 hour time frame.
I to this day, still smoke marijuana occasionally. Instead of smoking marijuana with just some friends rarely, sometimes not with friends at all, I will buy 3 grams that normally lasts me around 7-8 days.
All in a nut shell… I am under cared for. My so called “Drug addiction” for Opiates is mistaken and it’s just down right under cared treatment for my back pain, in my opinion.
Also, I know shooting opiate medication and snorting opiate medication is an obvious sign of trying to get high, but it was faster relief and it made me feel amazing rather then depressed, in pain and hating life because of my pain. When I would shoot Oxycodone, I normally only did them once or twice a week of 30mg as I didn’t have the income to purchase from the street for everyday pain relief. And yes.. I worked full time on and off through the years of all this crap and used my own money from my paychecks to pay for my pain relief.
Can anyone give me an honest, respectful, educated, real opinion and possibly help me out with what I could do or if I’m just never going to get treated for my pain? I’m truly sick and tired of having to buy narcotic pain relievers for my back pain illegally when I should get them legally as my pain is legitimate and medically recorded.
Spinal Cord stimulator, I have one, an it is totally reversible. It’s a love hate deal though at least for me. Best part about it after you tazer your nerves for a while you can get about 20 minutes of nerve pain relief, tends to cause some uncontrollable jerking when its on, but if you suffer from a siege of pain the new pain sensation is a relief. An if you smoke while using it, in my experience it allows you to stand it longer. Increasing it’s effectiveness.
This is how i got cut off. I was discharged after TEN YEARS because of this spinal injury and the fact it required opioid treatment. I want to punch Dr. Kadura in the face I have never seen.
As it turns out my PCP had a professional relationship with a Dr. Kadura who was arrested at the end of last year:
“Oneida, NY – Sept. 29, 2011) Dr. Muftah A. Kadura, 56, of Hawthorne Drive, Vernon was arrested Sept. 29 on the following charges; Criminal Sale Prescription Controlled Substance, a class C Felony; fifth-degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, a class D Felony; first-degree Falsifying Business Records, a class E Felony and Obtaining a Controlled Substance through fraud or deceit, a misdemeanor.” (http://www.madisoncountycourier.com/2011/10/01/doctor-arrested-on-prescription-drug-sale-charges/)
This resulted in my PCP taking on Dr. Kaduras patients. According to the nurse in his office, this caused him to be “red flagged” by the DEA for writing too many opioid prescriptions and was the real reason behind my being discharged from his practice.
I was given two weeks to find another doctor. Needless to say I could not. I was, for all intents and purposes, abandoned by my family doctor due to circumstances beyond my control because I have a chronic condition that causes pain around the clock, 24/7.
So now I sit here at my computer weaning myself off of my fentanyl and Norco dependency using my wife’s 5/500 hydrocodone. I’m down to 3 a day. That’s 15mg. On the surface this seems like good news and honestly it’s not that big of a deal. I know I can do it. I’ve done it before just for the hell of it. But in the back of my mind I know I can’t deal with the constant pain for much longer. I’m only 39 and I have seen my looser cousin and straight as an arrow aunt both become completely consumed by narcotics BECAUSE they underwent surgery. That isn’t an option for me, however.
Out of the 7 billion people on this planet I hope you find someone who will help you, I’d rather see you have more than you need, than to suffer, a prolonged aggressive siege of pain, that does nothing but create extreme melancholy an depending on the length of acute pain, a death wish. You lose total functioning ability depending on how severe it is. NO ONE, on this earth, should have to suffer in these manners, it’s cruel, an from our past history of opioid treatments, unusual.
I really think doctors should not be able to share your private health information with any about you with any doctor unless you give them permission, same thing with test. I was surprised by the fact that a different doctor pulled up my thyroid test results. I don’t have anything I would not want know, but if I had an illness I would not want discussed, it should only be discussed with the doctor I see for that particular problem. Also, I know around where I live, a small town, this one preacher had his reputation ruined because the ones that worked in the doctor’s office, gossiped about what he went for. What in the heck are Hipa rules for? Has this whole country gone to hell in a handbasket? It seems that way sometimes. Vote Libertarian, they are sick of the war on drugs, and the only reason doctors are treating their patients the way they do is because of big brother breathing down their necks.
“I think doctors have too much freedom in how they deal with personal information – vote libertarian!” seems like a rather odd position to take.
I am having a horrible problem and I don’t know what to do. Ever since I was 12 I’ve had terrible back pain due to my scoliosis and rotated L5 vertebrae, I was seeing a doctor for it since I was 15 until I was 22. I’ve tried most of the NSAIDs, a couple muscle relaxants and some gel that I had to rub on as well as PT. Nothing helped until he started giving my Tramadol when I was 19, it decreases my excruciating pain by about 50% but doesn’t completely relieve it by any means. When I was 22 I started having sciatic nerve pain down my left leg and occasionally on my right, the same doctor prescribed Hydrocodone for it which decreased my pain by about 90%, however I found it difficult to care for my two small children while taking it. Two weeks after I got on the Hydrocodone I ended up having to move for my husband’s new job. Since moving to this somewhat small town, NO doctor will touch me. I do NOT have anything about drug seeking behavior on my records and I have the original MRIs, Xrays, and medical records. Everytime I call any doctor on my insurance the front desk immediately tells me. “We don’t deal with chronic pain here” or “We don’t do backs.” I have tried all of the internists, PCPs, orthopedists, neurologists, and just about anyone else on my insurance plan. I did get into a doctor a few weeks ago who is currently trying to get me into the only pain clinic in town but this doctor is incompetent and they keep not sending the right things and I keep getting denied by the pain clinic. (This doctor that referred me told me to “google it for pain relieving postions and go swimming 3 times a week and “the pain will go away like, forever” in her exact words, at that point I immediately asked to be referred to the pain clinic.) My greatest fear is that if the pain clinic denies me nobody will see me and help me with the pain relief I need, the one doctor did give me Tramadol, which is all I’m asking for because I need to be able to take care of my children and it seems to do an okay enough job for me. I don’t even want freaking narcotics but nobody will touch me! I’m not a drug addict, I don’t even take these Tramadol on good days, most days I only need 1/2 pill to get me through the day and another 1/2 to sleep at night. On my worse days I take 1 in the morning and 1 at night and that still isn’t even that much!! Why wont any doctors touch me? I really need help and if the pain clinic denies me I fear I will be in a horrible place and not even capable of lifting my infant son or playing with my young daughter and forget about housework!!! Why wont anyone seem me when it is clear I have had this pain since I was a child and have tried everything I could before pain pills to take care of this. I’d even be willing to try something else but the doctors wont even give me an appointment!!
I’ve been on narcotic pain relievers just about my entire life and I’m in my late 50’s. I’ve never had an issue being prescribed my medications because partly luck in having very compassionate physicians but also I tend to believe I haven’t issues because of my attitude towards receiving or possibly not receiving the medications. First of all, doctors are petrified of losing their licenses, being sued by angry family members (for over prescribing), being labeled a doctor feel good and they are also afraid of creating more problems for the patients than they originally present with. I would rather go without my medication and suffer through my horrendous pain than to see even one doctor lose his license because of me, I will ensure that each day that I’m suffering that I will stretch out the time lapse between my doses. Doctors are not afraid that a patient will be physically addicted (dependent) upon a prescribed narcotic because this can and does happen and it certainly is not the worst thing in the world that can happen unless the patient is what the doctor fears the most, a true addict wreaking havoc on society, robbing pharmacies, killing people for their medications or killing themselves with that prescription bottle with the doctors name on it sitting next to their dead corpse. I have never in my life dressed up to go to a doctor, nope, I wear a nice clean pair of blue jeans and a clean summery or wintery top. I always engage in a conversation with my current physician because he is a very friendly doctor and we have some heart to heart talks even, sure, he may be testing my mental faculties and that is fine with me, as I think he should be doing that, that is part of his job, to ensure I’m acting responsibly with my medications. In my view, I cannot think of a bigger red flag than to walk into a doctor’s office with your charts and x-rays unless they have requested you to bring them with you. You certainly can’t sue and WIN a lawsuit against a doctor for them suggesting that you are exhibiting “drug-seeking behavior” because that is an opinion and that is also part of their job and however wrong they may be, it’s their opinion. The very best way for anyone that is truly suffering with pain to be treated with the appropriate medications is to be honest about your pain, not exaggerate the severity, when the meds are prescribed do not take more than prescribed, don’t call in for early refills and let your physician know that you are looking forward to having an “advocate” in your treatment plan and working with him/her to help you get or feel better to have a productive and enjoyable life.
so i got a question “i got medical records to back this up”but if i was in a bunch of pain went to the ER did not ask for pain killers i asked to find out whats wrong with me…any way the doc took x-rays and just glanced at them said bones look good he pinched my finger said circulation is good “your fine go home” so i go home still in a lot of pain i come back 2 weeks later in worse pain and i sit in the room 2 hours he walk in said”oh i remember you” walks up pinches my middle finger said “your fine go home” then walks out of the room….i looked at my med records and all that they said was “drug seeking” on medical notes in his hand writing so months went buy pain got worse so i traveled to a different town and got a second opinion that doctor said i need a MRI after that he said “I’m gonna refer you to a orthopedic surgery center” i got looked at and long story short i needed a ligament graphed to replace the torn one so i have 2 docs saying i wasn’t trying to score drugs that i literally had pain and a problem can i sew the first doc for malpractice and defamation?
any one with tips or any thing to help that would be great please email me at theclownking1987@gmail.com
To all of you, from one of you, challenge your doctors. Personally, I recorded my doctor and then took him to the board of healing arts for my State. Standup and fight what else do you have left? Seriously what do you have to lose? Sanity heck pain took that away a long time ago. I am one of you. My story is the same just with different words. I have been labeled but I’m starting to label them right back. Start documenting these doctors. Check with your State law and see if you can legally record a one party conversation if you can than do it. Then document everything. Ask for a UA when you go to get your script. Make them give you one or at least make them document that you asked them to. Heck, if that makes them suspicious ask them to join you in the dang bathroom. Can you tell that I’m sick of being sick and treated like a criminal. The reason I say all this is if you are truly in pain and taking your meds your doing everything right by calling in on the exact day for your meds and then one day they decide to drop you as a patient then you have documentation by your labs that you were doing what you said you were. You have information to take to the board that they are licensed with. You have recordings of them discriminating against you. It won’t then be just your words against theirs. You may not be able to change what they say, but you can at least make it harder for them to say it. Trust me when I say I have read through this entire thread and have recognized at least one thing from each one of your stories. What if we all started fighting back with reporting these butts to their medical boards at least we wouldn’t be here alone on a thread then. At least we would have made them listen we would have had a voice even if they dismiss it. If you know your right and your not a drug seeker (in their terms) then challange the dismissal. Until we make it hell on the Dr.’s they will only continue to discriminate and destroy our lives and not care about our pain. It doesn’t affect their life it affects ours so WHY WOULD they care unless you start making it affect their life by reporting them. Start making these judgemental pain in the butts doctors (and I’m being nice) be responsible for how they are affecting our lives. Since I can no longer work thanks to a doctor and the pain that I am now in I make it my “hobby” to make their lives just a little more difficult just as they have made mine. If we all started standing up we together could start helping one another and not have ever seen each others faces. We can change this but it takes more than one it takes us all. When your done with enough you’ll be where I am fighting back I hope to see all of you there soon. I feel for each one of you because through your stories I hear my own story. God bless.
Reference to the Ray’s last post my experience is this in trying to sue…what damages did they cause you? If it doesn’t amount up to much like major life changes or death they are off the hook. You can take all your documentation and file against the doctors at the State Board of Healing Arts for your State. Make sure to have all your records together and be very detailed about dates and exactly what happened. Try to take the emotion out of the situation and just state the facts. That will be the hardest part. This at least makes the doctor accountable for his actions and gives you more than getting nothing.
I have a ? Does you dr havee the right to cut you off to your pain meds cold turkey just becase he dont precribe it i have been on morphine sul for 2yearsi 100 mg he said he dont like to prescribe it
I have severe scoliosis with five fused discs and Herrington Rods. I have had three major back surgeries from ages 14 to 20 to 24 and I am now 39. I found a Dr. who prescribes me methadone 80 mg for the past two years which helps a good deal but still doesnt help the nerve pain that shoots down my legs. Today I was told he was cutting my meds to 60 mg per day and sending me to physical therapy. I had to have therapy in order to get my CT Scan and after one visit was deemed intolerable for therapy. I didn’t want to question the Dr. and tell him I couldn’t take therapy so I am wondering when they get the notes that I cant tolerate therapy what will they do? kick me out? raise me back to my usual dose? OR what? I know they are trying to keep in business by using all means necessary and not just pain meds but still I will probably notice almost sixty pills less this month in my pain level. PLEASE email someone or respond….. bonedango321@gmail.com I need to hear someone’s advice with this….please…….anytime but right now would be preferred………
My boyfriend has 7 broke vertebrae in his spine, has had back surgery to remove infection and left a 2 inch piece of spine missing and now been diagnosed with osteomylitis. Just got his disability approved march 2012, and started going to doctors after 3 years of no insurance. They automatically sent him to a pain clinic, they said that they couldn’t prescribe him any pain meds because his pain was nerve pain not bone or muscle pain. Which is only half true. 7 broken vertebrae is bone pain. Yes he has severe nerve damage due to the surgery.
He has resorted to smoking marijuana for pain because doctors only give him Nuerontin and Cymbalta, but even that is beginning to be a pinch on budget as he needs it several times a day.
I see the way he stumbles and has trouble getting around, he has no quality of life anymore and is severely depressed because he cannot get any assistance that helps.
He had to switch primary care physicians recently because the first one he was seeing couldn’t figure out that the blood pressure medication they prescribed him was causing severe issues with his throat and he lost his voice for 2 months. When he switched doctors, the first thing the doctor told him was I don’t write narcotic pain meds, when we know of at least 3 people that go to him for pain pills for one reason or another.
He doesn’t care to do what they tell him to do with MRI’s etc he just wants a good doctor to listen to him and help him, he doesnt want oxycontin, just a few lortabs and neurontin to help a bit.
I as well need anti-anxiety meds, had anxiety since a child, xanax is the only relief I get my primary care physician will no longer write me any scripts due to the new law that went into affect july 20. She has referred me to a therapist and when I told them what I had been getting, oh we don’t write that kinda scripts here. My response to her was, I don’t care I just want something that works! But therapy is not going to work I know this, I am now having 3 to 4 anxiety attacks a week, were as I use to only have 1 or 2 a month. I recently suffered a loss of a pregnancy due to ectopic and have been having severe bad dreams about losing babies. I am now having attacks at work and if it continues, i could lose my job.
Thanks to the real junkies who buy street drugs and the people who don’t need the pills selling their scripts for money, us real people with real issues cannot get the help we need!
Thanks, junkies.
So glad I stumbled onto this thread. I ‘ve got assorted chronic pain issues from hip and spine issues. I eventually will be able to have surgery but for right now I have to continue to try to manage pain. Have been on a variety of meds, had a ton of different injections, physical therapy, etc. right now I’m using a Butrans patch which sort of works but I also have percocet 7.5/325 for breakthrough pain. I don’t get many of those and sadly my breakthrough pain is truly awful and I end up using far too many or rather too fast.
So sick of this carousel of pain. I see my pain doctor next week. He’s relatively new. Same clinic I’ve been attending for years just my other doctor left and this one took his place. He’s already told me he’s very drug restrictive so ‘m regretting trying to ask for a better dose of percocet OR something to better take its place. Its generally not touching the breakthrough pain and I can’t handle it any longer.
I still have to live and work and try to lead some semblance of a life. Most times I don’t want to get off the couch or out of bed. Don’t know what to do. Sounds like I should just keep my mouth shut and be glad for what i get when I get it. Still though, thank you for all the stories and sharing. It’s nice to not be alone.
Not sure if anyone has addressed this yet, but I wanted to mention that I was taught (as a current medical student) that we’re required to ask you about the pain scale by the federal government. Some doctors think it’s helpful; some don’t. But it isn’t just an attempt to reduce you to a number; doctors ask because they have to, if that makes you feel any better.
Also, we were taught that asking patients about a book they brought or something like that can be a good way to get a conversation started naturally and help the patient feel less interrogated. There may not be any malice intended.
I’ve been fortunate enough to find a doctor/pain clinic that is willing to treat my pain without being pushy, arrogant and treating me like an addict. They do monitor pill use and also do a UA on every visit, there is no two strike rule if you come up short on pill counts or get a bad UA, you’re out.
Unfortunately, before I found this clinic I had seen multiple doctors to get pain medication and used the ED for pain on more than one occasion. This was during a stretch (about 3 months) where I was doing heavy construction because I desperately needed the money. This resulted in intractable pain and several bad muscle strains in my lower back. As soon as I found a doctor that was willing to treat my pain and I stopped working contruction, this behavior stopped.
About 6 weeks ago, I received a letter from that state informing me that I was on the restricted recepient program for obtaining multiple scripts for controlled drugs and using the ED for what they ascertained as non-emergency purposes. Keep in mind that we are talking about something that occured a year ago and that none of my scripts overlapped. It didn’t matter that I have only been seeing one doctor for pain meds for the last year, they’re reaching back to last fall. The restricted program is awful, one doctor, one pharmacy, one hospital, no exceptions. You have to get a refferal directly from your doctor to go to any other doctor or hospital. Your doctor has to be aware and approve of all the medication you take from any other doctor you’re referred to.
Naturally, when I called to see if I could clear this up, the woman I spoke to was darn right nasty. She told me I didn’t need a referral to see my PM doc. Of course, when I went to see him last month (surprise) my script suddenly wasn’t covered, no option to pay cash. I had to wait a week for my assigned doctor to give a referral to the state.
I can see if someone is warned and continues to abuse the system, or, if doctor shopping is their full time job but this only occured a few times in my case and I was never warned. According to the state, they are supposed to warn you but that never happened. What’s worse is you are on the program for 36 months, one slip up, going to the wrong ED or to another doctor without a referral, and you’re on it for another 2 years. It’s ludicrous, almost like a prison sentence with your healthcare provider acting as your parole officer.
I took it in stride though, I realize I did make some mistakes and probably should have been more careful, but for those of you on medicade or in my case, Minnesota Care (where you pay a monthly premium) beware, because a lot of states are going to be doing this. In addition, many states have PMPs.
After all is said and done, I never took more than prescribed and I stopped the behavior as soon as my pain was properly managed. The worst part about this is if you have any questions (and there are a lot of rules) you don’t dare call the RRP people, they make it a point to be intractable, nasty and provide you with false information.
Wow, Mike, that’s really unfair. Personally, I think it’s ridiculous that “doctor shopping” be held against anyone ever. If someone you’re paying to take care of you isn’t doing it to your satisfaction, you should have every right to go to someone else.
I’ve had several abdominal surgeries in the last several years which has left scar tissue and adhesion’s in certain areas of my stomach. I’ve complained about the pain for years but my Doc wont prescribe anything for me because he feels its not a chronic pain. I notice that he’ll ask me the same questions with every appointment to see if my story will change. Where’s the pain, how long does it last for, have you seen anyone else for the pain etc etc so stick to your story because if it keeps changing they’ll think your seeking.
This is what really happend to me and it can happen to you if your not really smart! Where do i start…In 2002 i was in the Marines,Iwas injured and lost most of my left arm. In 02 they sew me back up and i recived two back operations.Then in 03 i recived two more back operations and i was givin 90-80mg oxycodone and 360 norco for break thru pain as i was suffering from fail back syndrum{whatever that is} b-4 i was discharged i was found to have stage 3 colon cancer and after a colon resection,chemo an rad. I lived and remained on the same amount of pain meds. Fast foward to 2011
I go to the doctor and sit {pretty like a good puppy} for the next months supply and who walks thru my docs door? a NP that i have never seen before
and she asked me a few questions about how long ive been taking this med. and how it was working. Then she looks at me in my eyes and says “your hooked” and im not renewing your perscription . Well i didnt in any way ever expect that but i knew i was addicted to them, Hell i have been takin them for 9 years now.
I didnt know wether to crap or go blind!..lol Well i go home….THIS IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY GOOD! Then two days later i start to go thru withdraws O.M.G. Ive smoked pot as a kid but i have never done even an asprin if i wasnt ordered. I thought i was going to die and i went Poo-Poo on myself several times,chills,sweats,puking ETC. ETC.
But hey, I didnt feel any pain in my back. I made my mind up. I had to get something or i was going to die. So guess what i do? I take a trip to the {bad side of town} and all i could find was crack coke and i smoke some and cant figure out why my back still hurts {BAD} the guy sellin the crap to me says i just need to smoke more….Well i smoke n smoke n smoke anlot of naked 25-30 year old women{naked 25 y/o come with the crack} and $150,000 later
I wake up in the Koo-Koo bin and they say {in all of thier wisdom} that i was trying to kill myself and that i needed rehab. So i cry a lil and say ok lets do rehab, I finish rehab and they give me 60-40mg oxycodone an 0 norco per month.
Well ive been in 3 nut wards and hate the pain i am made to live in, My life is in living hell!!!!! i just want to die but i dont have the balls to do it! Then my doc cuts me down to 60-20mg per month. I cant take it anymore and i buy a plan where thier going to creamate my body,Write a last and final will And quit claim my house to my mother,Then who walks thru the door but an old,old friend and throws a big old baggie of pot on the table an says wanna smoke one? Hell i allready sold my soul so my ass would soon follow, I said yes…..fast foward 2 months. i go to see my doctor and tell him that he has been under perscribing me to the point that im thru with him and i dont want his meds anymore and i can Poo-Poo like a normal human being…lol And i started smoking pot daily and i want a pain pump {i done some internet searching} No one ever told me this was an option. So i guess im a drug addict for life…..but hell im still alive Quality of life matters most to people in cronic pain. I still am in pain but i havnt wanted to kill myself or the guys barkin dog next door…lol…and im set for a pain pump in 1 month……DEA. you can have my pot when you pry it from my 90 y/o dead fingers! All i really still wonder is: WHAT DID I DO WRONG ?
I served my country for 22 years, Got hurt and turned into a in- pain drug addict….. Now i can laugh at this! My advice: Throw them perscribed pain pills in the trash and go green!
I am so angry I don’t know what to do. Its really sad when you are truly in pain and have to play a game. I went to same Doctor for over 3 years he put me on 15mg oxycodone three times a day, Morphine time release 60mg twice a day, soma 3 times a day and xanax 0.25 once a day. I have multiple health problems. I am on SSD now because of my back problems, COPD, Cerebral brain disease (I had a brain aneurysm clipped 2 years ago). I have always taken medication as directed, never missed and appointment. I broke my Patella I waited til Monday never went to ER and said I fell, They said to go to ER. I was honest with ER with what I was on, never tried to get multiple RX. The referred to to orthepedic Surgion, said I had to have knee surgery it separted quite a bit. Orthapetic Dr real nervous that I had an aneurysm in my head clipped, made me go through …get letters from neurosurgeon, all kinds of tests. I got all this done surgery scheduled. My mothers husband had heart attack dying in hospital, Mom frantic. Looked up Dr on internet he had a 2.4 out of 7 with patient reviews. I did not have a good feeling about him. Went in at appropriate time and told them I wanted to cancel surgery, I said wanted 2nd opinion rather then cut down DR. I went into Dr I thought we had a relationship asked him if I could take one more pill a day of oxy for knee, He said yes gave me early RX even changed instructions from tid to one ever 4 to 6 hours for pain. Call office he is going out of town for 2 weeks, I said need to see him before. I said he can post date rx I was not receiving any meds from any other Doctors. Because of amount I was on orthopedic dr not comfortable giving me anything. I said fine I will go through gp. He starts yelling at me did not let me get one word in then the next time I go in I am handed a letter that i need to find a new doctor because of one incident in three years. He never admitted to telling me I could take 1 more a day yet it is on file at pharmacy. This is the part where my blood boils. I say fine I have documented pain i will find another Doctor. Call insurance the give me names they call me back and first thing she says is we do not give out narcotics, I said I am on narcotics, yet I am fine with that I just need him to refer me to pain management. She says no what I am saying is he will not accept you as a patient because yours on narcotics. I was nice thanked her for being upfront.Yet I thought How dare he. He has cut me off cold turkey after 3 plus years I have never asked for an increase. The only incident was I broke my kneecap. Most of you know a tolerance is developed and I asked for one more a day. The letter he handed me basically said I was drug seeking. Mind you I never got pain meds from anyone but him, was honest, then He lied now he has sabatoged me finding another Doctor. If I were abusing or wrong I would not be so upset, i am not. I chose him for he was minutes away. I did notice after about a year or so that he might be a doctor that just gives out pain meds. Sign on the wall need police report if meds stolen. There was an incident with a couple bigh fight about Doctor not giving pain meds. I then started noticing a lot of skiny young people in his office paying cash for visit. I am not one to judge so I really did not care what others do I am not God. Yet he would not even let me speak. My stepfather is dying I have a lot going on yes i cancelled the surgery i went back in with a dr had good reviews on my plan, all info he never referred me till after his vacation. I am nervous about surgery for any day know my mom may need me if he dies . Trying to set up 1 million dollar surgery that may help him live a couple more years at Mayo clinic, yet he can never drive, never fly, never golf, the surgery has a 20% chance of living. I cant go down to hospital because I know a family secret about his family, Cannot even be there for my mom. except when she is away from him. I was trying to explain to Dr why I cancelled he would not listen just yelled at me. We had a good relationship I thought he found my aneurysm I feel very betrayed for if any of you have had a Dr for a long time and gone through hell and back again there was a trust I had in him. I cried for days, felt like I lost a brother or father. I told him alot. I still do not understand why he pulled this on me. I finally accepted he dropped me but to label me for one incident after over 3 years I am still in shock. How do I handle this. I cant find a new dr. No Dr want to deal with large amount of pain meds with him labeling me drug seeker. I am starting to go with withdrawels. I am 55 disabled, High BP, so many disease chronic no surgery can even be done, Part of me wants to go in and say you want a fight you got it, for he lied and I can prove it. I just wanted to go one with my life and he had to do that. Please some advise, I am not a junkie, yes after 3 years i am physically dependent, and this. I think more is going on like he is getting scared because he gives out pain meds and that is pretty much all he does. I did not know this until a few years of listening and being in office when incidents happened. I am willing to do anything, I know I will not make it through detox cold turkey after that many years. Xanax withdrawel can kill you. I used to be a medical assistant so I am aware of the danger Im in and very scared and alone.
Pamela, my suggestions are this. First, since you have already been dismissed out of the clinic while it is all still fresh in your mind document everything. Make the slightest detail seem important assign it’s correct date and time. Your doctor took an oath to first do no harm. In the pain management practice it’s a known rule that if you wish to take a patient off pain medications that you have been prescribing for whatever reasons you must be titrated down off the medication. Otherwise it is considered malpractice. I would file a complaint with the medical board of healing arts in your state. Make sure when you file your complaint that everything is accurate and reread it to take all the emotion out of your complaint and provide all evidence. If you are suffering with withdrawals bad enough go to the ER or check yourself into a rehab facility. I only say this because your health is more important than your pride at this point. At least if you are having withdrawal symptoms they will hopefully help you manage them then you doing it alone which can be dangerous. These doctors will not stop unless we take the steps to make them responsible for their malice malpractice actions. If no one knows how is anyone to stop them? God bless and hope you have a speedy recovery. From one who knows quite well what you are going through.
Thank you for feedback. My insurance said I could file a complaint that I was dropped uneccessarily. I did that. A gal that just came back from vacation couldnt believe he dropped me, not only that but labeled me. I am entitled to my records. My insurance company told me they pay for one copy, office says the dont. I want to look through my records for I do not want any lies to predudice another Doctor. I have documented multple illnesses, I broke my patella, does he think I am able to get through this. Maybe he has never felt pain. Same amount for over 3 years, I did not ask for all those, even a visit my friend told him I was not taking my morphine and they preached at me I needed to take it, then this. I really want to get to the bottom of this. I believe this was not just about me. Im not sure yet maybe he is giving out too many pain meds and cutting back. You would think he would cut back on the patients that have no documented pain or ones ones that are younger, mean no offense to those that are younger and in chronic pain, yet I personally would not want to see my 25 year old start on pain meds so young if there were any other options. I am 55 disabled and its a bit different. Anyway I am really nervous I am thinking why am I having to read how to act. I am in pain. Yet the way the Doctors have gotten your are guilty till proven inocent, which is not fair. Are their Doctors that give medication, do you have to go to pain management. It sounds those places are like you did something wrong, having to UA, etc. Should not we be trusted unless we do something to show otherwise. I had a pharmacy on purpose on a Friday not fill my Oxycodone, saying my insurance was not covering it. I did not panic yet they seemed to always have something happen so I was angry. I called my insurance company on Monday, said I have been on this 3 years why are you deny it all of a sudden. The pharmacy knew me, the knew what I was on, I would get smart remarks said. Ended up the called in oxycotin instead. Pharmacist tried to tell me it went through main office, I know better. I had a few confrontations with them, saying who is the Doctor you or my Doctor. He said I have been robbed at gunpoint for durgs. I said Im sorry yet I did not rob you, I am in pain why are you judging me. When they get an attitude like that maybe they need to find a new profession. I know it was on purpose, and am sure I could have proved it yet I let it go.The judgements I have gotten over the years hurt, especially when you know in your heart you hurt need these to live somewhat of a life and the more honest I have been seems has hurt me.
Thank you for posting this, Not really for the tips but because it made me feel that I’m not alone. I’ve suffered chronic lower abdominal pain for almost 2 years now. Tried everything to find the issue, from scans to a surgery last week and finding endemetreosis but apparently ‘not enough’ to have the sort of pain I’m going through or ‘claiming’ according to, ironically the ‘specialist in chronic pelvic pain’
I wish someone could come up with a pain medication that would work, that isn’t a narcotic. I wish drug addicts would give a different way to fulfill their needs instead of using doctors. Dear lord, I wish my pain would stop.
I think doctors should just be doctors, and not try to be the DEA, maybe then they would have more compassion. They need it, the world needs it. I understand that people screw them over and tell them lies, I have too. Why? Because of desperation. Because they don’t understand that people in long term pain eventually start seeing their attitudes, their pattern of thought start to change. They go into what I call ‘survival mode’. Do anything and everything that would make the pain go away. One thing I would do if I ever had any sort of power is to make sure sct
@Dianne, number 17
{Some of us with chronic pain are often too sick to move – or at least too sick to move enough to get to an appointment – and it’s not cause to be calling 911 every time.}
I agree with you so much, I am in pain 24/7 and my doctor sucks, no joke he send me for the same test every 3 months , he forgets what he did anI say from the previous visit, he put what i say is hurting into the computer and then it tells him what to do. I have pee’d the bed cause I couldn’t walk 5 ft to my bathroom.
yes I was a drug user for 25+yrs but got clean 1st over 4- yrs and love it , got a career start got off of S.S.I. and felt human for the 1st time in my life. then the idiot put me on a treatment for hep-c ,we the side effect kick my azz. which I didn’t need at the time. ever since then I been in pain and sometimes I pray for death an tried to kill my-self from the pain. I don’t want pain meds to get high if I wanna get high I would just go out front an get something right there , why travel to the dr’s for a script after waiting 2 month for an appointment. too much work, I been asking for a new dr for ova a year now still nothing ,
there is so much, much more to this too much to type.. but i agree with you so much about esp. like me terminally ill, gonna die no cure, give the pain meds so the rest of wut time i got left could be working , raising my nephew .. let me live instead of just existing…..
I think you all should get together and file a civil rights lawsuit.Your rights to happiness and quality of life is being taken away from you when you are being forced to live in horrible pain.
I have what I’d rate as a level 7 back pain (on a scale to 10) with pain peaks of up to 8 or 9… I told my doctor and she said she thinks I am developing authritis, prescribed me lortab 5. But it doesn’t block my pain, barely diminishes, I am not scamming, shopping, or tricking, Somedays it literally feel like the bones in my back are breaking up, I can feel and hear them popping and cracking, and it’s excruciating, but I don’t know how to tell her I am still miserable. I don’t want her to think I’m trying to scam her. :(( I wish she knew or had a way of being able to tell that I am really in pain. Bad pain. Take your breathe away pain. :( -Ben
I like where you are going with this. I moved to Maine for undergrand and managed to injure my shoulder my last year and subsequently lost that entire year becaues I was treated as an addict just looking for pills. The first thing I asked for? An MRI and she told me she would do no such thing until I went to see a psychiatrist! Imagine just how many street drugs I could have bought with that 6g’s worth of MRIs.
I think the time has come for patients to start fighting back. Doctors and other professionals seem remiss to the reality of the relationship. I PAY you therefore you WORK for me. If enough people started “firing” them then perhaps the reality of the dynamic could finally sink in. I think I’ll make a Drs appointment and tell them this is their first interview. heh
so there are a lot of others in pain but long story short I have a medtronic implant had the rep look at the device He says here is your problem your lead is out I thought great I finally have someone to back me up because the device has not been working properly..but that is not what happened I had an exray and I had another rep look at the device and he said the line had fluid built up on it and that was the problem it needed to be cleaned and got part of the bottom half working but the device is not working properly.. But the problem what my pa said was the exray when the rep said my lead was out she said your lead is not out your lead is still in your back and I said yes I know the lead did not vanish disappear, the lead is out, meaning is not working, where do these people go to school does anyone understand what I am saying. am I just thinking too much about this. but this may not be the right place to talk about medtronic but twice i wrote the company to ask them about the issue and no return calls or they can not talk about matters about dr issues.
I’ve had 2 appointments since I first posted here. At the first (at the end of August) my doctor put my on Opana 5mg which worked great for 3 or 4 days. I’ve never had such perfect pain relief. Then, nothing. It was so strange. At my last appointment at the end of September, he said the pain relief I must have been feeling was in my head. No the pain, but the pain relief. Huh?
It now turns out that one of me knees is just shot and needs to be replaced. So I’m looking at total bilateral hip replacement and knee replacement. I’m not even 40.
My doctor said he wasn’t willing to go much further on Opana, 10 was his limit and there was no much else he could do since I had too many chronic issues to address. He said ‘maybe I should take you off everything since nothing helps all the way’
I started crying. He suggested I try going to church to help deal with the pain. Church. Church? He has no idea what my religious convictions are and frankly I was offended that as someone whose job it is to try and make my life more comfortable while I look for a surgeon and continue to accumulate sick leave so I can take off enough time for surgery that his suggestion was church.
I also can’t believe that with all the pain medications in the world he seems to believe my choices are percocet (which doesn’t do much); morphine (works well in higher doses but makes me seriously ill) and Opana (which is doesn’t want to re-prescribe since apparently I ‘imagined’ pain relief from it).
I told him I felt like part of the issue with pain meds is that I had gastric bypass about 10 years ago. It’s widely known that foods, nutrients, vitamins, medications do not absorb the same and therefore I’m probably not getting the right dose.
And I think my favorite part of the appointment was when he said he didn’t want to put me on a bunch of medications for pain when, in 4 months or so when I can have my hips replaced I’ll just have to de-tox off them. what? Do for 4 more months I get to suffer so I don’t have to detox? Is that a joke?
Sorry for the ramble; am just frustrated beyond compare,
It seems none of us are alone in our frusteration over the poor service we receive from most doctors. The DEA is fully responsible for said service and this has to stop. Statistics show that America is one of the most medicated countries in the world. Perhaps the reason for this is our advanced level of medical care along with being the most mechanised country.
We see vast numbers of people injured in accidents every year. We also have vast numbes of people with chronic degenerative diseases. These people should be treated, and every aspect of the injury or degeneration addressed. It’s truly sad that we would have to fight just to be treated like a human with real, not imagined, medical issues.
Medical evaluation of disease states or injuries should not be geared toward assuming “drug seeking behavior” when a patient asks for help in dealing with pain. Personally, I would be focused on treating the injury/disease first and controlling the pain while addressing the cause of the symptoms even at the risk of over-prescribing.
Someone who is truly in pain doesn’t become “high” or euphoric from opiate pain medications when the dose is correct. Having has sixteen surgeries myself for everything from nerve impingements to cholecystectomy. I suffer from IBS and chronic gastritis as a result of the gall bladder surgery, so I can’t take NSAID medications at all without having bloody stools and extreme pain. The problem is that every time I tell a Dr this they assume I am drug seeking.
I was at the ortho Dr yesterday for the arthritis in my hip and I noticed that he had a printout of every drug and prescribing physician in my file. There was a state seal on the documents and even though he had the dates, Dr’s and pharmacy I use for every medication he still asked about every single scrip. This is understandable as he is not my regular ortho, but I couldn’t get in to see my regular ortho for two weeks and the pain was intolerable.
My full agreement goes out to all complaining about Dr shopping. We should be free to get second, third…even fifth opinions about our own healthcare and it shouldn’t be held agaist the patient seeking only help. I have also been in the same situation as many posters here with regards to Dr’s simply dismissing the pain only because the imaging doesn’t show a disease state.
When I had my elbows worked on (two surgeries on right side one on left) there was no imaging that would have shown the nerve damage so I had to see a neurologist for nerve conduction studies. Having dealt with the symptoms for months in the process of determining each surgery was necessary I lost a lot of muscle in my hands and forearms that will never come back. On top of all this, I still have neuropathy issues and pain on a daily basis.
A year ago I was offered cannabis by a friend as a solution to weining off the opiates. After several months of research I came to the conclusion that I would give it a try. To my surprise….it works! Right now I am able to control the pain and nerve pain in my whole body with only Lyrica and cannabis! I consume the cannabis in the form of cannabutter or vaporizer when I need it for breakthrough pain.
The nice thing about the cannabis is that it’s so versitile. I can adjust my dosage to meet the level of pain I’m experiencing and it’s completely non-toxic. It’s not going to kill my liver like the apap opiate medications they have me on and it’s the fastest acting, non iv, pain medication I have ever encountered. Illegal, illegal, illegal! How in the world can our government justify withholding a safe, non-toxic PLANT from patients who are desperate for help from doctors who oftentimes simply don’t care about the level of pain you are experiencing??
I am at my wits end with all of this and will continue to consume this illegal PLANT as a means of self-medicating for the constant pain. Having experienced pretty much all the opiate meds available I find that I am much more clear-headed and capable while using the cannabis verses opiates. My functioning at work is never compromised and the nice thing is that you develop a tolerance to the cannabis euphoria; so it goes away, but the pain management stays the same.
Sorry for rambling on, but something has to be done at the DEA so Dr’s don’t have to fear losing their license to practice just to give a chronic pain patient the relief they desperately need.
Been going to Pain mgmt since 1998. Tolerance grew slowly from 30 mg to 150 mg Methadone tablets. Found fully favorable 2003 for SSDI. Always complaint all these years. Then my honesty screwed me. Was doing alot of work in the house for a couple months, started drinking beers. Wife didnt like it. I agreed to go to a 5 day detox to appease her. Had to let my pain doc know so I can get my meds n detox. Big mistake. Fisrt, my doctors practice grew so big, I havent seen her in a couple yrs. Been seeing her PA’s. (she got 4 of them). PA says, ‘heard there was a little excitement. I played it down, said it was behind me now, and all is back to normal. NOT. They had me go to a neuropsychologist ( 2 visits) for a 355 question MMPI test, they took urine each visit, started countin my pills, began lowereing my dosage 30 mg / month from 150 to 120 to 90, then I sent them an exit letter. It was clear they were pusing me out. (Yeah, but 4 yrs earlier, when i was getting the $3000 steroid injections, the doc asked me how many oxymorphone pills I wanted…Now that they werent makin a profit anymore, they were triming there patient list and had an excuse now. Also, they put false records in my file which I found out after I left them and they sent me a CD, which was now worthless to me. I couldn’t show that to any new doctors.) I’ve been livin in PA for a while now. Used to be on Staten Island, NY.I’m so furious with them. I can’t get the dosage I need anymore either. Wish I had rthe money to sue them. I didnt deserve that.
I have sometimes have terrific panic attacs,almost to the point of debilitation. I have had two back surgeries with metal bars and screws in me.
My doctor gives hydro10/325 1q4h, he was giving me dilaudid 4mg q6h but suddenly said they were no longer warented. I hurt all day long every day. Im afraied to ask for an increase in hydro because Im afraid he will take them all togather.I have had a neck fusion that hurts me all the time and dont know what to do about it. Im to the point that Im going to ask for at least 1 10/325 q4h because I cant stand it any more. wish me luck.
As for my panic attacks he gives me xanax 2 mg twice a day. thats better than nothing but I could use 3. Im not gonna push it though, Ill deal with the pain first i think. I can sympathise with all of you because you sound much worse than me. Guess I just needed to vent. Thanks for listening.
I been treated for 6 years for chronic neck and back pain at the only pain clinic in Juneau Alaska. My normal doctor takes a vacation every two weeks to go to New York. I lost control of my blader and my pain was 10 0f 10 in my lower back. I went to the ER who refered my back to my pain managment doctor that was out of town. He leaves a Nurse practicion in charge that tells you to go to the ER. I told her I shouldn’t have to pay two hundred dollars for no treatment or evaluation and I said fuck once or twice. I called back and applogigized and the next time my real doctor was in town and treated me I bought the office pizza as an applogee for my behavior. I got a lettting today saying that I can come in for one more appointment and no longer be treated. I callled and begged as this is the only place that treats chronic pain in Juneau Alaska. The told me no. Because my career that I worked at for 12 years and I have 5 step children and on biologicaly child. I’m just going to add myself to your sucicide list as I can’t life in this kind of pain long-term.
I’m stunned. Overwhelmed. In shell shock. From everyone who has written here since my last post. I think I was in the 20’s in order.
I’m still in pain. It doesn’t go away. To read so many others who are suffering & desperate to stop it. Anyway. Right away. I know. You scream, just stop, over & over in yiur head. Sometimes its out loud. Mostly, we just rude it oyt, hoping for a,miracle or death.
I’ve been very lucky. My friends, who are family, have kept my bag filled wuth help. I have at least a year of flexeril. I’m looking to become proactive in legalizing medical marijuana in my state. Or move to one that is.
I’m still searching for the why’s. It’s looking like a undiagnosed autoimunne. Possibly SLE. My mother, her sister, her mother, grandfather & more have dued from SLE. My 6 yr old gas a positive ANA & scl 70. Yet I cant get a Dr to look twice at me since im ANA negative. No furthers tests. Nothing wrong here. Bullshiznit. I’m sick. I dont ask for pain meds. They STILL WONT TREAT MY SYMPTOMS.
So, its the system that’s yard fudged.
I’m right there & the Drs won’t look at me after that test.
I’m living on huge doses of ibuprophen. 800mgs every 6-12 hrs. It’s killing my appetite, so I have to suffer at night so i can eat. Liquid caps are easier, but not ling lasting.
I have hope that the new insurance reform will change things…but doubtful as for my case.
Im undiagnosible due to myopic Drs diagnostic skills.
I need a House. And yeah, sometimes is IS Lupus…
Or worse. Lupus of the CNS. Hard to diagnose. My mother sure from it.
Funny, they only allowed my mother 5mg of percocet a day, they were afraid she would become addicted. This was 1979. She died that year.
I’m sorry for going on like this…
I hope no one has to suffer so much they kill themselves or die from the stress of it.
This isn’t anyway to live in 2012 as much as In 1979.
i have been diagnosed with SLE lupis and im in some really bad pain i had a doctor for 15 years he retired he understood what i was going through its been about 2 years and i can not find a doctor that will help me i am not looking to get high i just want to have my med back so i can live the rest of my life half feeling better every day is a struggle and on top of SLE i have nerve damage i would like to see these political people walk a day in my shoes see how far they make it till they cant take no more ive thought of ending my life but thats not a option i have 2 wonderful children 25 and 18 girls im going to be a grandmother i want to be there for my children and be and feel a little better thats all im asking my knees swell bad my spine the lupis just flares up everything and anything it can do to put me on my butt my right kidney is outa wack i am lost i dont know where to turn just want some of my life back i need a angel of mercy and the doctors act like your in a salem witch trial if you come close to asking for help ive never seen nothing like this in my 42 years of living the pepole that need the help with lagit problems have to suffer because others mistakes miss use of the medacations ive never over dosed never im not a angel but this country have gone to pots when it comes to helping there sick
My experiences are yours and we speak as a powerful whole, not as wounded patients. Your posts have moved me to take time to address this issue directly as our basic rights “endowed by our Creator” (yeah those rights) are an inconvenience when their posh lifestyle may suffer a setback or, perhaps worse, more dirty pain sufferers will make the pilgrimmage to a friendly Do tor’s office. That would be terrible – ? – ( “First do no harm…”)
I want to organize and flex(eril) our muscle as a watchdog group. We stop the injustice and stop posting our sorrows for only each other to read. Lets tell the people. Let them choose. We have that right at least. Don’t we?
If you think you could join such an effort, email me or post. I wish you all the greatest strength to lift your own burden every minute of every day…
EPH
my hydrocone is given me terrible heartburn . pain management only perscribed me perscription acid reliever . it dosnt work i want no heartburn at all.what else can i do to change my hydrocone to an alternative drug. would it be best to find a new doctor
MICHELE i no what your talking about my SLE is getting worse it attacks whatever it wants in the body very painful my joints ache and seems with time it gets worse im sooo scared to wake up not knowing what im going to feel like today i just want to live i have painful headaches on one side of my head and it goes numb it hurts so bad i try i do i pray but doctors look at you like oh well life goes on oh yeah for them i only wish they could feel what i go through i played sports all through my teens i miss it im only 43 its like a cancer that takes it,s time killing you slow through stages i forget what im talking about and repeat myself my bf and daughters tell me i feel for people with cancer and ms and other types of disabilitys but SLE is no JOKE doctors need to learn how to take there pins out and wright the meds for people why are there even painmeds they want to give people meds like humara that can cause cancer well let me see do i want swollen joints or cancer really hard descion it tslls you on the comercial can cause cancer but you dont hear anything of opiods and i think it should be our choice im 43 i should know what helps me and dont ive been going through this since i was 25 tha health prof needs to get a grip and help us all ive a kemo very painful i feel they dont want to mess with us what happend to their oath to help the sick it,s just sickening all i see outa most doctors is money power to screw people over GOD HELP US ALL
Tins a very good site help a lot of people i woulod love to no in marinsburg wv area if there any doctors that can help with my proplem i havr MS AND LUPIS SLE if any one can help me please .Iwillhelp you if i can monica.
I, too am a chronic pain patient in my early 40’s. I have a severe lower back birth defect, arthritis of the spine, spinal stenosis? and permanent damage in my neck from whiplash and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia just last year. I feel for every single person who has posted. I don’t have insurance so we have been paying out of pocket for my doctor for the past five years. I had no idea that my being a cash pay would potentially put me under a microscope. I am trying to get my disability but you all know how long that can take.
I’ve worked hard to keep my medicine to a schedule III. I take flexeril 3xD and 2 10mg Norcos 4XD and it doesn’t stop the pain but makes it bearable. I know the struggle we go through just paying for my visits and tests and medications and I know the fear of “What if one day I lose my doctor?” It is horrible to have to live this way but I don’t have any other alternatives. My doctor did find out that I had NO vitamin D level so I am taking D3 2000mg 2XD and Magnesium supplement 1XD and it has helped the bone, muscle and joint pain a LOT. It may seem simple but if they haven’t done a Vit D test on you, make them as it causes pain like arthritis or lupus or fibro, google it there is a ton of info on the web about it. If I can get the all over pain to go away then I may be able to deal with the back and neck pain much better and 3 months into treatment it has subsided a full 50%. I, too have to have an UA at every visit but I am ok with that (the $100 charge pisses me off though).
I have a question. Have any of you noticed how when you do get pain meds (finally) people start stealing them from you? I had to go buy a safe, I caught a 75 year old little lady stealing some from my purse! Best friend was stealing Methadone and selling them for $10 a pop (I tried it briefly and went back to hydrocodone). My nephew stole my “day” bottle from my room on Christmas Day three years ago. Thank God the big bottle was in the safe. Also, there IS a stigma that comes from needing pain relief. The pharmacist where I used to go was nice as could be but her assistant? Treated me like crap. Also, if anyone knows you’re on medication and they get mad at you? The FIRST thing they will say is something about how you’re an addict. I had this happen and the person was mad that I wouldn’t give them any of my meds. Seriously? WTF?
Mentally I feel a slight sigh of relief each month when I get my pills refilled and then on the last refill, the month before my appt. I live in a slowly increasing terror that SOMETHING might happen and I won’t get them. I can’t walk without mine and am terrified of one day having to face this pain head on without the buffer of my medicine. I may be dependent on them but I am not addicted. If I could go through withdrawals and come out the other side pain free I would do it in a heartbeat. I do a 3-day detox twice a year to keep me from having to go up on my amounts due to tolerance and the pain level I hit is so high by the end that I don’t notice any “withdrawal” symptoms, I just want to kill myself from the pain. It’s hard when others (Doctor, DEA, whomever) holds the strings to your life and can destroy your life on a whim. God bless you all. We can somehow make it through this. There has to be something that can be done for those of you who are living in hell. Please don’t give up. I will pray we all keep our sanity. Group Hug.
I’m very pleased to have found this site and a little overwhelmed at the number of responses here.My wife has been going to a pain clinic for the last few years as she has chronic lower back pain.The Dr. has put her on oxycodone and morphine sulfate.She also take xanax for anxiety.She recently had a scheduled visit and everything went as usual.2 days after her visit she received a letter stating she was being discharged from his practice because they detected methadone in her urine test.She has never taken methadone so her sample was mixed up with another persons or he just wants to get rid of her.Now she has the problem of either finding another Dr or coming off the meds and suffering with the pain.
Wow…I’ve read so many of the posts and I am amazed that I belong to a group of people that do not have the same rights as patients with ANY other disorder. If we were diabetic, had COPD, high blood pressure…..basically any other condition other than chronic pain we would NEVER lose our basic rights. I am a nurse or at least I was until my condition became so severe I was no longer able to work.
I read the story about being dismissed due to UA results showing a drug not taken by the patient. A little known FACT(depending upon the lab used to process the UA, some drugs show up as metabolites of other drugs) In the world of medicine I found so much ignorance it really scares me. Basically if a doctor is given a lab report 99% of the time they take it as fact NEVER considering false results or lab error. How many patients have suffered because a doctor can’t take the time to THINK and REVIEW results? Another issue that continues to make me want to scream….all the PCP’s and Internal Medicine Doctors in the south have started sending long term chronic pain patients to pain clinics….ahhh what a joke. First of all they didn’t read the new DEA law and regulations, they simply want to be rid of any possible issues so they ship em on out. If one takes the TIME to READ the new DEA laws. they would find that as long as they are not writing narcotoic medications without proof of need, there is NO problem with them treating their chronic pain patients. They can have them sign a pain contract(which my PCP did over 2 years ago) and they will have met the criteria. DEA is not out to put PCP docs in jail for treating patients, just ones that are supplying junkies. If proper documentation is completed, they will be in compliance.
Pain management clinics are a joke….not a funny one either. Before I had the delight of being referred to one I was under the impression there job was to MANAGE my pain….no, not true…the FIRST thing they do is work out a plan to titrate you down from whatever dose you are taking or to switch you to another med. I have been on the same med, same dose (varying between two strengths) for over 5 years. Not worried about a tolerance issue guys….However, I learned the hard way not to let the pain mgt doctors know you are educated in medicine or work in medicine, and Lord whatever you do, do not try to converse with them about how well a specific medication works. I first went to the first pain clinic before I was out of my meds from my PCP, when asked what my pain was, I told the truth…I said it was at a 3. WHAT a MISTAKE…..they want you to be in a little pain all the time. So if you state any number below a 5…..count on getting your dose reduced. Mine was reduced and when I went back 3 and 1/2 weeks after having my dose reduced in tears and unable to communicate due to pain, I was dismissed because….well I wasn’t given a reason.(my dismissal letter stated unable to treat) What is that supposed to mean exactly? I called and requested a copy of all UA tests and office notes. They refused to remit office notes but did send copy of UA results. UA test was not pos for any drug not prescribed. To make matters worse, this was the only clinic in a 100 mile range that my insurance would cover. My PCP callled and requested I be seen by one of the other docs in the pain mgt practice and was told no, that was against their policy.
So on to the second pain clinic which I had to pay out of pocket for. OH this was GREAT….my med dose was reduced and I was forced to be in group thearapy which cost me $50 a week, and only given a week supply of meds until I completed two months of group therapy. I tried to explain to them that my drug coverage paid the same for a week supply or month supply. They did not care. So, there I was paying $50 a week for group therapy and $40 a week for my rx. God forbid I got sick and threw up a dose of med. Too bad for me….Just meant I had to miss a dose. Needless to say I did not stay with this pain mgt group very long. I actually went to the doc that first diagnosed my condition. Unfortunately he was not accustomed to prescribing narcotics and was leery of doing so. He did however write my rx until I found another pain clinic. The one I found is about 4 hours away from my home and has great policies like calling patients to the clinic to do “pill counts” and treating patients like junkies……
I have wanted to visit my old nursing instructors and request giving a lecture to new nursing students about how everything they learn about patient compassion and respect do not apply to chronic pain patients and good luck with ever respecting a doctor. I can honestly say, I do not respect any doctor I have worked with or seen as a patient. Greed has taken over the Creed.
David,
I encourage your wife to ask to speak to the MRO (Medical Review Officer) of the lab that did the test. Frankly, I’m surprised that she wasn’t contacted by the MRO before getting a discharge letter.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there was no lab involved in the test and the pain clinic is taking the instant results from the test strip attached to the specimen jar (which have warnings not to take the instant results as indicative). You’ll know for sure when your wife requests to speak to the MRO.
Good luck and you have my sympathy and outrage over the situation,
Jake
Jake, i thank you for your response and advice.With all things considered concerning this doctor my wife and i are somewhat relieved that we don’t have to deal with him anymore.On a previous occasion he mentioned to us that he had been audited by bc/bs because they were concerned about how he was prescribing meds. He went on to ask MY advice on what he should do.I would not be surprised if he is shut down in the future.We will be seeing our family doc to get his advice,he is a caring doctor but doesn’t do pain meds.We are praying for the best in all this .believing God will work this to our goodThanks again.
i havebeen trying to find a doctor in martinsburg west virginia for sle its we or my insueance isnt good enough this is no joke sle riunes your whole life you cant make plans do to do anything and it is very abliatating we need help bad help in wv please god
@Cassie, #84
Cassie, you couldn’t have said it any better. I am a nurse, too, but what makes things even WORSE for me is the fact that I am a CRNA — Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist — the one who administers the drugs patient’s receive during surgery and work hand-in-hand with anesthesiologists, the same anesthesiologists who are leaving their hospital jobs in such a position, turning to an office setting and practicing “pain management”. For me, it has been a double-edged sword. I don’t DARE reveal my occupation. Why? Because I know too much. Just as much, sometimes even more, than these “pain doctors” do. I used to record my occupation on the new patient paperwork but no longer do. When the “pain doctor” learns you know about meds, it becomes fact that you know about “drugs” and NOT “meds”, and you’re quickly labeled. So I now keep my mouth shut, for all the reasons you stated, and more.
I’ve suffered with chronic pain nearly all my life and had to quit work about 9 years ago due to it, because it has been THAT debilitating. Things were fine for a very long time. After numerous trials of alternative treatment — from hypnosis to trigger point injections, biofeed back, neuro stimulators, steroids, NSAID’s, psych’s — you name it, the decision was finally made to use opioids. Strictly opioids. Why? Because they are safe. SAFE when used appropriately. I have been on opioid therapy for just over 15 years now. Yes, I’ve had to have several increases over this time but since 2005 I have been on the same dose.
Recently I moved across country to be closer to my children and that has turned out to be the biggest MISTAKE of my life. I am in a state where literally the ONLY place you can obtain narcotics for chronic pain, and many times even for short term use, is through a “pain doctor”. In my case, the pain is of a neuropathy type and 99% of the “pain doctors” in this state do NOT manage this type of pain. I think I have literally seen every pain doctor or pain clinic in this state — no joke — and am repeatedly told they cannot help me. They want you to have some type of “procedure” asssociated with medical treatment. My pain does not fit into this category, so basically I am SOL. Since arriving in this state, I cannot tell you how many times I have had to endure the unpleasantness of going through opioid withdrawals. You want to die but sometimes you’re in just too much pain to even end your own life and don’t have the energy to ask someone to help you. Oh my! Did I just say that? Better not let my “pain doctor” read this because I’ll be discharged from the practice for having suicidal thoughts. While they may not be thoughts of actually doing the act, the withdrawals and the UNCONTROLLED PAIN sure make you wish you could.
The physicians who have treated my pain in the past were older, now retired, and it is the younger generation (at least in my recent experience) that are so freakin’ worried about losing their DEA licensure for “overprescribing” — whether it be by quantity or quality of medication. These young physicians ARE taught that the most important thing they can ever do in their practice is to document, document, document. In having a position within the DEA, the “rules” state that if there is a patient who should happen to require more than the “usual” amount of “pain medication”, as long as there is documentation to this effect, there should be no worries; especially for a patient such as myself who has had long-term treatment with opioids and who does take a little bit more than “usual” and fr many different reasons. But that is what MY body requires. It does NOT mean that your body, or that of the next patient, will require the same, and studies have proven that this IS fact! A good physician will know if s/he is overprescribing and it is themselves they should fear — not us!
The medical profession has become a self-serving profession. It’s not one of dignity any longer. I have worked in healthcare long enough to see several generations of physicians exit and enter the field and the changes that have come with. It is NOT a pleasant one. As far as the “oath” . . . “. . . first do no harm. . .” What? WHAT?! What is THAT? It means to most of these new physicians to first do no harm to me (the physician), not to do no harm to the patient. Their pocketbook is first and foremost. The soaring costs of malpractice insurance worries them, some even to the point of risking being without it and hoping nobody will sue their butts.
Unless all of us unite, this type of patient treatment is going to continue. People, do NOT be afraid to FIRE your physician(s) if they are not performing satisfactorily, to your standards. As another poster stated, WE pay them. They work FOR US and the only way they will get that message is if we stand up to them. We need not be fearful of them. They don’t think twice about terminating us from their practice when they get even a small whiff of a “threat” from us, do they? No. You get no warning. You just get that “Dear John” letter in the mail one day which leaves most of us scratching our heads in wonderment, of what did I do to deserve this?
Stand up to your physicians. If you are constantly being seen/treated by a NP (nurse practitioner) or a PA (physician assistant), or someone other than your physician, you have a RIGHT to see your doctor. And if you are refused that right, the next phone call you should make is either to your state medical board or to an attorney. Perhaps even both. Ultimately, your physician is responsible for any NA or PA they employ and usually most will heed your request; however, if not, you need to take that next step. Standing up to them and to NOT be intimidated by them is the only way these physicians are going to get the message.
We must do this on a nationwide level. Yes, it may take some time but trust me when I tell you this: Physicians watch their “numbers”, too. They have accountants who also advise them on their patient bases, if it has increased or decreased or remained the same and trust me, like any other “business”, they do not like to see stagnant or declining numbers. If this is the only, direct way we can get them to listen to us then this is what we have to do. No, it is not the complete answer but it IS a start.
And don’t be afraid to “shop” for a physician, no matter what specialty or sub-specialty they may be in, including pain management. If you use your head and are honest, you will not be labeled as a “drug seeker” or “doctor shopping” and if you should be, you need to call that physician on that label. It is your right to know WHY they labeled you as such.
Additionally, you have every right (legally, too), to have a copy of your medical records, whether from a private physician, public clinic, hospital,etc. Those records belong to YOU, not to them. They may charge you copy fees, however, and they can do this providing the fees are “reasonable”. Should you be refused copies or access to them, then again, your next phone call should be to your state’s medical licensing board and/or an attorney. Additionally, if there is malpractice involved, attorney expenses should NOT be an issue as these cases are taken on a contingency basis, meaning, once a settlement has been reached, the lawyer will take a percentage of that settlement (usually 1/3 or 33%) with no cost to you (although some firms do pass on filing fees to you but even those can be gotten around. Ask your lawyer how).
It has taken the USA decades to do ANYTHING for and/or about healthcare and as patients, we can no longer sit back and wait for the powers-to-be to act on our behalf. It is time WE, the patient, stand up to these greedy physicians and let them know who really holds the purse-strings. And that it is NOT them.
I’m still trying to find a “pain management” physician in my new state and it hasn’t been an easy task, but that is not to say that in the interim I have sat back and allowed them to turn me down or say I don’t need what I’m taking, or whatever other self-serving excuse they have to offer. I must have written a dozen “termination letters” since arriving in this state eight months ago, and will continue to do so until I do find somebody who WILL listen to me. Until then, I continue to “doctor shop” and continue to type those “termination letters”.
We need to stick together on this, folks, or we will end up destroying ourselves more than they have already allowed us to do. It is time for us to take back our power. As many of you have stated, this is not a life. A life of pain is a debilitating life. It is a nonproductive life. I do not like having morning arrive and having to face the coming day in pain and being nonproductive. That is not living. And you’ll notice I said have “morning arrive” — I don’t dare say to “wake up in the morning and having to face the day in pain” because there are far too many nights that I do NOT sleep due to pain. Just like so many of you.
It really is sad to see the number of people be in the same situation. This doesn’t have to be. Hopefully some of this info will help some of you and for the rest of us, let us keep fighting the good fight. It is the ONLY way we will see change come about in this specialized field of medicine.
Good luck to all of you!
Aaaaaaaaaand now the insurance company has decided to make things difficult. Mrs. Squid went to her monthly pain clinic appointment and got her regular monthly Rx for Kadian. Dropped the Rx off at the pharmacy we always use. The pharmacy called and said the copay this time – it’s normally $50 – is $500. They didn’t know why so we called the health insurance company. Health insurance company told us that there’s now an FDA approved generic for Kadian so we’ve got to pay a $500 copay for name brand. We called the pharmacy and they said they’d never heard of such a thing as generic Kadian. We called every pharmacy in town, as well as hospitals, and none of them had it. So we called health insurance company back and told them that nobody has the generic. We were informed that we could get it in either Tacoma or Springfield. Tacoma is 145 miles away. Springfield is a mere 115 miles from our home. Thankfully, we were able to find a pharmacy that had it only 30 miles from home. The capsules are exactly the same. They say “Kadian” on them exactly the same as name brand does. The pharmacy says that they are the same pills.
Thanks, health insurance industry! There’s nothing that helps pain more than stress.
I have experienced the same problems getting pain meds. I am 30 years old and have been on kidney dialysis for 4 years waiting for my second kidney transplant. I also have chronic migraines and chrohns disease. I find that if I can tell them all about what drugs and doses for blood pressure, nausea, etc, I am a good patiet. But if I know how much pain meds i need, must be a drug seeker. I had to stop going to one hospital because I got labeled a seeker. The doctor actually accused me of trying to get attention. They even called my kidney doc (basically my primary doc) and she told them I had valid pain and was not a seeker, they still denied me. Tried to send me home with a script for 2 pills. The next day I had a fever of 103.5! I had an ulcer that bled and I had to get 5 pints of blood. I never went back to that hospital. They even had all my records because I was supposed to get my transplant there. So I have swiched hospitals now. My best advice to add is just play dumb. I mispronounced dilaudid make it seem like I haven’t done this before, then I usually get what i need.
I’ve read every post here, and am horrified and discouraged beyond belief… I have endemetrosis (it destroyed my ovary and was choking my bowel) – three surgeries for that so far, double-curved scoliosis with two Harrington rods, arthritis all up and down my spine, and now my hip has dysplasia, bone spurs and arthritis…. The hip doctor said that I needed a new hip, but I had “a smile” on my face, and I wasn’t using a walker, so I got nothing… no medicine, no Physical therapy, no advise at all… and I continue to have NO quality of life. Xanex helps when I get so panicked I can’t breathe.
I recently got kicked off my regular insurance, and am preparing myself for my new doctor. I’ve already screwed up by stating the reason for my visit was “to get a new doctor and get my pain medicine”….. lordy… after reading all this, I’ve probably already been labelled a Drug Seeker before I even go in! But that’s what pain and depression from pain and a useless, wasted life and the *SEVERE ANXIETY* of even having to deal with doctors and prescriptions causes… I turn into an idiot. So I’m sitting here hoarding the last of my Somas and Xanex, thinking “sure, the pain (or crippling anxiety) is bad, but what if I take this last pill and then next week it’s even worse?!?!” I may never get them again. It’s scary and depressing. I’m getting anxiety attacks at the thought of being denied anxiety medicine, too afraid to take what i have left.
I’m bracing myself for my appt. Good luck to you all.
My wife has gotten off the morphine and is now trying to get off the oxycodone she has been taking.Our primary care doc is willing to work with her to a degree ,he doesn’t do pain management so i don’t know just how much he can do for her pain.I read all these posts and it really makes me want to become a more active voice for people who suffer from chronic pain,there has to be another path than the one that’s available. This vicious cycle of pain and meds to treat it can’t be the only way.God bless all of you
Michele – I just started bawling reading your story. It sounds like your pain is a lot worse than mine and you’ve been dealing with this a lot longer than me, but I’m starting to be in the exact same situation and I’m so scared I’ll never get help either. I’ve been having this problem on and off for five years but my pain only became chronic about a year and a half ago and it’s been getting progressively worse all the time.
I’m only 23 and I’ve been on at least 10 different useless meds and have been diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and my “back” pain is more like bottom half of my body pain. And in the past 1 it’s gone from hurts pretty damn bad about 3 days a week, to now it hurts the second I open my eyes, it wakes me up at night, I can’t bend, tie my shoes, reach, twist, put pants on, clean my room, etc etc like any normal person my age can… I can’t even sit in class or drive my car without it hurting me.
I just went to my first pain clinic the other day and they FLIPPED out on me because I (stupidly, I guess) admitted that I was taking oxycodone/percocet for the pain without a prescription BECAUSE I literally can’t function in the pain I’m in and I was 100% honest about how much, why, how I got it, etc. And they – I guess obviously – treated me like I must be a junkie…
said I was a “pseudo addict” because he was “giving me the benefit of the doubt” that I wasn’t a drug addict (I guess my fucking MRI was a HINT that I have a real problem and I’m not faking) but I’m a “pseudo” one because I’ll “do anything to relieve the pain including blah blah including getting them from [who I got them from]” and I’m like… uhm… yeah? Is that not understandable? Who WANTS to deal with CONSTANT pain? Who wouldn’t simply ask someone with extra for the fucking miracle medicine that makes the pain that makes your life hell go away?? I’d like to see this guy deal with pain all day every day constantly to the point where he cries at least once a day and can’t function at all or sleep or do what he needs to do…
So what he ended up doing was putting me on Lyrica… which I used to be on Neurontin and it was literally the WORST thing that ever happened to my damn life, actually second only to the pain itself. It made me be able to function even LESS than just with the pain because I couldn’t see, drive, urinate, wake up (I would sleep 16 hours and my alarm still wouldn’t wake me), go to class, get anywhere on time, it would take me 8 hours to do a 2 hour (max) homework assignment, etc. etc. And I told him this and he puts me on it anyway? I’m a senior psych student at a (very challenging) university and this is going to be my most difficult semester… how am I supposed to graduate? He also put me on a Tricyclic which is just going to make all of those side effects worse, and on top of that I asked multiple times what it was and he wouldn’t tell me, so I found in my drug test packet drug list that it was under that qualification and I’m PISSED.
And of course he gave me Tramodol/Ultram just like that last guy did… I had a friend that had an external cyst and that’s what the gave her for it… I’ve had a few cysts in my day and that shit does NOT compare to what I’m going through every single day… so why am I on THAT? What???
None of this makes sense to me and I don’t know what to do, because obviously now I can’t take the real pain meds anymore that I’ve been getting because I WANT this to get fixed and anyone that MIGHT fix it, or at least work on it and TRY things on me — is going to drug test me…
So I need a doctor that will give me pain meds AND at least *TRY* to fix/improve my problem or SOMETHING. I can’t live like this.
If anyone has any advice or anything or just wants to talk or something comment back or something and maybe we can exchange emails. I don’t know what to do. I’m too young for this to happen and I don’t even know what caused it and no one will help me. I’m considering going to one of the places the junkies get it from too… but they won’t try to fix it will they?
I don’t know what to do.
(Sorry this is so long)
:(
doctors need to be more sympathetic to the people that need help
i had a doctor for 15 years he retired and my goodness its like pulling teeth to get some pain relief i have sle lupis nerve damage been on kemo 3 times its not pretty
i wish some of these so called doctors would have to walk a mile in my shoes yeah there are people that miss use meds but what about the people that need the help get real docs remember your oath to help the sick instead of judgeing
all i feel for everyone on this page ive been there and im here i can bitch all day when it comes down to it the health care system is really sucking think about it if the doctor gets a problem with pain or there family how wil they treat them
i talked to a doctor ounce his wife has sle he admitted she gets the best of care of coarse but he understood nothing is going to change till doctors health care prof CHANGE QUIT JUDGEING
they went through med school so dont they no what to look for come on its going to take people i dont no how to get something going stand up and make these people understand
ive had so many days i felt like dieing i cant stress how health care sucks at this day and time
I read your article on the situation with doctors not prescribing pain medication when warrented to their patients with a great deal of interest. As someone who suffers from chronic pain and is also a licensed drug counselor, I cannot believe the issues that have occurred in trying to find a doctor since I moved to southwest Virginia. Coming from Colorado, our PCP’s manage all of our care, and they send you to a pain clinic if needed for procedures, but they handle all of your presciption needs. Apparently, DEA decides patient care in Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. I am joining the Patient Advocacy Foundation, and I also do not understand why some tort atty who would sell his mother for a buck and sleep like a baby at night has not filed a class action suit against these inhumane policies. I have literally seen little grandmothers etc…sobbing in pain in waiting rooms only to be told that the doctors do not prescribe for anxiety or pain-these are pain clinics! Keep up the good work, and please keep writing about this serious issue. My 99 year old grandfather died in horrible agony in Virginia because the hospice nurse could not get a doctor to write an appropriate pain prescription. All of us should have the right to adequate pain relief, and our last words should not be “I need morphine.”
Very true my sle is very painful along with nerve damage we had a guy here in my town rob a pharmacy for xanax he was on them for years and they took him off them he was disoriented that he did the wrong thing he had been takeing them for 12 years and we had two guys shot their self in the same day over being in pain they could,nt go on politics need to stay out of the way of doctors doing their job they did,nt go to school to be doctors they dont no how people suffer from dif problem rather it be crones cancer lupis nerve damge all sorts of illnes its not right but i guess they dont care let the health care profesion do the job they took a oath to do i live in west virginia the quality of your life when your in pain is not good i cant plan nothing every day i wake up i wonder whats today gonna be like there has to be something we can do im behind everyone if they come up with a solution
I have such bad back pain i just want to lay down and die. I have tried everything to make it better but the pain just wont go away. My Mother has had back pain since her early Twenties, I am now 36 and my Dr wont do anything to take the pain away, I just deal with it day in and day out. I work 12 hr days and i really dont know what to do anymore.
Hope someone has some suggestion here, my PCP has me on a narcotic for pain, I have been living with multiple sclerosis for a long time, and I have herniated discs in the cervical and lumbar spine. More recently I developed severe TMJD and the nerves, I’ve been told, are mangled. I asked the doc to please increase the 30mg ms-contin I’m on, after all I’ve been on it for about four years and it’s no longer effective. I was told flat out that if I’d meet him after hours, then we could talk about it! I swear to God above, though he may be an alright looking doc, he’s married, as well as I am and is always, every appointment, making passes at me. I know better than to tell, think about it, who would believe me when I’m sure he has written in my chart, a “drug seeker”? I know that most all docs in the area, will not give pain meds, period! So I feel trapped and am terrified that it is coming to the point that he’ll make a demand on me and use my medication as leverage, I will not be pawed, ogled and told to get naked, every month, I considered recording him, but I know there are laws, by the same token, again, who’d believe me? He knows this as well, he told me not to even think about making waves or I’d find myself in a whole new world of trouble, in a whole bunch of ways. I’m scared, I’m tired of being in pain, I’m tired of my PCP not giving a damn about my pain, I’m tired of stressing every month about this nightmare. I don’t know what to do, or if there is anything that can be done. Would welcome any advice on the matter. Thank You, in advance.
Eden your doctor sounds like a pig i dont no if u can take a tape recorder in to the appointment with you and check make sure its legal and then let him no u have it on tape or take a family member you can trust cause you cant even trust family when it comes to doctors but that would be a way to deal with it or find a better doc i no its hard times right now if thats possible ive had doctors hit on me also they take there power to their head they need knocked down some .
This page fills me with such despair. I can’t read without wanting to scream at the universe. All of us suffering for what??? My daughter was dismissed by the pediatric Rhuemy and I was attacked by this dr over my medical & family history. He said it was great that I was ANA neg and to hold on to that, then said lupus skips generations, then in the next breath said my daughters positive ANA meant nothing but she will be in pain 8 days a month and I can’t bring her in everytime she hurts! Wtf???? This fuckinh dr contradicted himself throughout the entire visit. But mostly attacked me. I tried to turn it around and say this visit isn’t about me. It’s about my daughter. But he was on a roll about how we were more worried about her than he was. Who the fuck says that to a mom who has lost several family members to lupus????
I moved to a new place, my old apt had a decaying and moldy roof. My year long flare finally ended. Now I’m trying to get my female issues recognized. Ultrasound next week.
My daughter still has pain, we keep it under control with ibuprofen. My pain isn’t as great as before, being out of a crippling flare, you start to think you were in a nightmare that wasn’t real.
I have no answers to make any of this better for any of you.
The DEA controls our drs and medical staff.
We have no way to prove we exist in pain to them.
They can’t feel it, so it must not be true in their minds.
A woman I work with lost a friend to suivide. She was 43 and had severe lupus and a vaginal mesh. She hung herself. My coworker asked me why she would do that. I said no one knows how much you suffer when you are alone. I said I bet the dr cut her off her pain meds. She said she knew that the mesh was causing her pain. I told her that no one knew how that woman suffered except her and her dr probably treated her as an addict.
How many of you have gone through hell one night and woke up amazed your still alive?
I’m managing to keep a job & a steady paycheck now. But if my supply of meds runs out or those who keep my bag filled get cut off, I don’t know what I will do.
Advice to all.
STAY FAR AWAY FROM LYRICA!!!
DO NOT MOVE TO FLORIDA!!!
DO NOT TAKE ANTIDEPRESSANTS FOR PAIN!!
NEVER ADMIT TO YOUR DOCTOR THAT THE PAIN MAKES YOU GET PAIN MEDS FROM FRIENDS!!
DO NOT GO TO THE ER FOR ANY REASON!!
I don’t know what else to say.
God help us if he/she exists.
No one else can or will.