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Doctor cut off my pain meds

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Posted 2/5/2008 2:38 AM (GMT 0)

This afternoon I went to my doctor's office to pick up my monthy pain med prescription. Then, much to my surprise,  I was told by the nurse that this was to be the last prescription and that the doctor would no longer be prescribing me narcotic pain medication!  I am in shock!!!!  I did nothing that I know off wrong to bring this situation on!  I mean can they do that....just cut you off like that??  And I wasn't even given a decent explanation other than the Lyrica should be taking care of the pain now!  Well it's not, yes it helps a bit but it isn't a cure all!  I have been taking 60 mg of oxycodone for several months now and narcotic pain meds for several years! I have never abused or misued in any way or form....I am in shock!

Daisy

Posted 2/5/2008 5:11 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, I'm so sorry you have been put in such a situation with no explination. Its very strange that the doc didnt sit down with you and make a plan. And if not give you an explination , at the very least talk to you about tapering you down so you dont have withdrawls. You can think of absolutly no reason for this, even in the mind of the docs? You deserve an explination. Even if you have done something like break the contract rules or something, they need to make sure that you are safetly taken off the pain meds. Is it quick release oxycodone or extended release oxycontin?
Posted 2/5/2008 5:14 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hear about this happening to you!! That's a pretty expletive deleted thing to do! It's really a sign of poor care, and just plain rudeness! A concern I have is; are you dependent on the narcotics? If so, you need to start to prepare for what's going to come. You will need to start a strict tapper regiment, so you can come off the meds more comfortably. I really hope it doesn't come down to that, as it sounds like you legitimately need your pain medication. Any good doctor wold have al least warned you about this, and help set up a tapper schedule, along with some other scripts to help ease the situation!

I'm not sure what you should do, but I suggest you find yourself a good pain management doctor! The sticky part about this situation is that you were "cut off" so now you will be looking for a doctor who will prescribe your narcotics again (if you choose to do so). Some docs might just see you as a seeker, and that you are just doctor shopping. A PM doctor will be more likely to understand your situation, I think.

I'm not much help... Sorry. I'm sure someone else will have some better advice than I. It's really expletive deleted that these doctors can get us "hooked" on our pain meds then just say... Oh, you don't need em anymore....buh bye! Seems like there should be some sort of patient rights thing. Don't we have the right to atleast be warned and get counseled about this stuff when they are going to take us off it???

Good luck, and hopefully someone more informed will be along shortly!
Posted 2/5/2008 6:02 AM (GMT 0)

Hi and thanks for the replies....it is the quick release oxycodone and yes I am dependant on the narcotics as I have taken them for several years!  It is only in the last few months or so that I was switched to oxycodone as the hydrocodone, I had take previously, had began to loose it's effectiveness. The only thing I can think of is that the doctor assumed that when I started taking the lyrica I would no longer have a need to take the pain meds! I didn't see this coming as at out last visit, a month ago, everything seemed just fine!  When I was taking the hydrocodone I was always given refills but with the oxycodone you need a prescription every month. So today I called, on schedule, to request a refill....it wasn't early or anything like that!  I wish the doctor had spoken to me...all of this was such a surprise and he did it through the nurse!  When she told me I was stunned and humiliated....I didn't know what to say at the time! In fact I have been is shock all afternoon!   I don't want this on my medical records either as it doesn't look good....do doubt!!!  I have legitimate pain so what am I to do!  Now it would seem I am either forced to go doctor shopping or taper off the meds and suffer.  I just don't know what to do right now.... I will get very sick if I stop at 60 mg a day no doubt!

Posted 2/5/2008 6:02 AM (GMT 0)
There are patient rights. You need to call your doc. You need to tell them that regular use of pain meds causes dependance. It is not the the same thing as addiction but if you were perscribed them daily for more than 3 months the body expects to have them to function. You doc knows this. The thing is,if the script was written with your doc under the impression that you were not using them everyday then the doc will not expect that you are dependant on them. For instance as a PRN or when needed. It usually takes your body 3 months to build a dependance. So if it was under 3 months and you werent using it every 4 hours everyday, then the withdrawls may not be too bad. But every body is different and that info is just used as a guidline. If you were using them daily and your doc knows that, you need to at least call the office and ask them what you are supposed to doabout just stopping them cold. Ask them if they consider that safe. Remind them how long the doc perscribed them and arent they supposed to make sure you dont have any negative side effects from just stopping the meds.
If you think you defenity will have withdrawls then you should be honest with them as they can help make you more comfortable. They may be willing to refer you to a pain doc as most do require a referral, but you can always call on your own and see if anyone will see you. Do you have a fibromyalgia doc? youmay want to try and get an appointment with one. They may be willing to treat your pain or refer you to someone who can.
My advice is to be honest with your doc if your going to have withdrawls. If you dont it sounds like you may have no other option than to experience withdrawls if your bidy is dependant. In that case there are some things that you can do yourself to make you more comfortable, and you always have the option of the ER. But please make sure your safe, if you cant find someone to treat your pain and you begin to feel very, very ill, dont hesitate to get medical attention. Generally opiod withdrawls arent fatal, but nothing is 100% and staying safe is more important than people thinking your a drug seeker.
Posted 2/5/2008 6:13 AM (GMT 0)
do you need to chat...I think you can log into the chronic pain chat ...I just signed in
Posted 2/5/2008 6:14 AM (GMT 0)
I would not have left that office without talking to either the doctor or his head nurse and being given a better, highly detailed reason why.

Is this doctor a pain management doctor or a family practice, general practitioner? If the latter, it could be because they feel you should see a PM doctor. My family practice doctor had been prescribing mine for about 5 years and decided she was going to get out of pain management (because she became pregnant and wanted to cut down on her workload) and had given me the choice of being sent to one she knew or finding one near me. When my records didn't make it to the new Dr. in time for my next month I was able to go to her one more time until everything was set.

You do have rights, and one of those rights is to see your medical record... find out what it is they put in there.... While they are writing or dictating for the chart they are more apt to put things in there that they figure the patient will never see (not a whole lot of people in their practice actually request a copy of their records), so you would get a better feel for what his line of thinking is/was at the time.

I also would most certainly be looking for a new doctor NOW while you have medication and use the medication like HazelB said, use as little as possible so it will last longer and cut down on withdrawals if you can't find a new dr.

Your case is one of the ones Gramps was talking about, be your own advocate and file complaints, let your voice be heard.
Posted 2/5/2008 6:52 AM (GMT 0)

Thank you everyone for the support and feedback :-)     Hazel thanks for the offer it is truly appreciated but I believe I will go lay down right now as my brain is drained from all of this.  Sue tomorrow I will gather myself together and go request copies of my medical records and see what is in them for myself!  Perhaps talk to the nurse again and get a better explanation and understanding of the situation.  Oh and this doctor is not a pain management specialist!

Thanks and good night

Daisy

Posted 2/5/2008 9:59 PM (GMT 0)
I would set up an appointment as soon as possible to talk with the doctor if he won't do that or his explanation is not good enough then I would file a complaint with the medical board. It is possible that not being a pain management doctor he isn't familiar with lyrica or comfortable prescibing narcotics long term but if that is the case he should have no problem giving you a referal to a pain management doctor.
Posted 2/5/2008 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
did you get anywhere with this today?
Posted 2/8/2008 4:08 PM (GMT 0)

Hi and sorry I didn't post sooner but I have been, and still am, in such a funk!  I also posted this on the fibro board!

I spoke to the nurse and she told me that he doesn't normally prescribe pain meds as a rule but he had been in my particular situation. From what I gathered.....apparently he no longer feels comfortable prescribing them to me  confused     They had expected the Lyrica, along with the antidepressant, to be helping more and for me to be using less pain meds.  The nurse suggested I find a pain clinic if I am still in so much pain! 

As far as the lyrica is concerned .....I had liked it more for its antianxiety/mood elevating properties than for it's abillity to reduce pain and had thought of it only as a nice add-on medication....silly me!   I had gotten very comfortable with my medication combination and had had the best winter ever as far as pain and moods were concerned!  Now I feel like the rug has been pulled out from under me.....wow, never take anything for granted that's for sure! 

I have little desire to go to a pain clinic as, at least in this area, all they seem to do are steroid shots.....I hate steroid shots as they make me feel very strange and moody!  I have been paralysed with indecision these past few days and feeling down and depressed! 

thanks all

Daisy

Posted 2/8/2008 5:03 PM (GMT 0)
In my book, this situation qualifies as patient abandonment and should be reported to the AMA. For the nurse to put the responsibility of finding a pain clinic on your shoulders is inexcusible. The doctor should give you a referral. I don't trust nurses any longer either. Too many times they've pulled this sort of thing with me and the doctor was completely unaware. If that's the case, the nurse should be reported to the state nursing board for practicing medicine without a license.

This is a problem when family practice docs start treating chronic pain with narcotics. Sure, it's convenient for the patient, but the doctor eventually gets cold feet because he realizes it's out of his scope of practice to deal with dependence and withdrawal issues. You might make an appointment with your gp for a face-to-face talk about this issue and press him for a referral to a PM doctor. Ask him for a plan to help you taper off the narcotics if he can't or won't refer you. Chances are he doesn't have a clue how to deal with this issue, but you need to get all of this in your medical record.
Posted 2/8/2008 6:12 PM (GMT 0)
In my view this is a completely common situation. I think the intentions of the PCP prescribing narcotics are always good. Mostly because of how they are come down upon for doing so on a regular basis. They can't prescribe them long term and that is why pain clinics exsist. They specialize in pain meds and pain in general. You should defenently make an appointment to see a pain doc to find out what they can do. A lot of pain docs will continue with what was working, but not all. They understand why PCP's don't treat pain long term and don't hold it against you when they decide to stop. I think the nurse was offering some type of reffral by mentioning it at all. True its there job to refer you, but in some cases you have to ask for one. I don't think you should report the doctor. He is well within his rights and ethical practices. There is nothing wrong with deciding to stop prescribing prescription pain pills and infact few PCP's will prescribe them longer than a few months.I'm sure if you speak with your Dr. And explain how your still feeling on the lyrica he would refer you to a pain clinic. He was after all prescribing them For what sounds like an extended amount of time. But unfortunitly it doesn't sound like medical abandonment. If he refuses to see you when you make an appointment, that could be seen as abandonment. But unfortunily he has rights to pull you off narcotics at anytime.
Sorry to sound so negative about reporting him, but although he did something seen as unfair to us CP patients, he was probably going beyond his comfort point to do so and realized he just couldn't do it anmore. I know I sound sucky but I guess its just how I see it. The nurse, differnt story all together.
Posted 2/8/2008 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
It also doesn't help with there are regular news stories about celebrities dying from accidental overdoses of prescription meds. I think this scares PCP's and I kind of don't blame them, but your doctor should have at least explained the plan to you. Yet, I find I get caught in similar situations, where I think the plan is to move in one direction, but find the MD hasn't followed through. Most of whom we refer to as nurses, however, may not be actual nurses. Most are probably medical assistants who've taken a few month of training and are following the MD's instructions. I think this sucks, but it's probably true.
Posted 2/9/2008 5:32 AM (GMT 0)
Can they really do that? take a few months training and act as nurses?? I guess there are physisians assistants who act as docs and can rx drugs out. Still seems strange though. I guess I can agree in some way. Most docs wont prescribe those meds long term, but some do. There probably used to never be any alternative. But these days you cant find one to manage your pain for more than a month or so. I think those that do are few and far between. Probably if you've seen your PCP fpr a long time there mpre apt to take on that role. But if your a new patient its more unlikely they will feeel comfortable with long term pain med perscribing. But I think these days people with CP should go to a pain management doc. They specialize in how to treat pain long term. To me personally its like seing an obgyn when you should be seeing a urologist. Sure they have alot of knowlege about your urinary tract, but if you have more than a UTI they kind of fall short on the help they can offer. Pain docs have tons more options than PCP when it comes to pain. But I guess that too is something that depends on who your PCP is and what they can offer you. I know mine and all the rest I've seen were very weary of perscribing pain meds long term. I got a few months out of my PCP before she pulled out and felt uncomfortable perscribing. Oh well. It is what it is. Thats why there are Pain clinics now.
I think you should def make an appointment to see a pm doc. See what they can offer. If it doesnt sound like much of a benefit you can always have other options on hand. You never know, you may be missing out on more consistent help or just more option in general. They probably know more about lyrica too and may also consider it a nice add on.
In my case I put off going to a pain clinic for months. I didnt think they could do anything for me. I though pain clinics only did accupuncture and such. I had no idea what they were really like. And while not everyone gets a good doc on the first try, I look back now and think i wasted months suffering when they could have been helping me cope. Your also in a good position being a memeber of the forum. You can go with lots of knowlege in hand. I wish I had known forums like this even existed before I went!!
K...I think I'm done with my blabbering.
Posted 2/9/2008 6:58 PM (GMT 0)

Hi, everyone.  Haven't been here in quite awhile, but thought I'd chime in on this one. 

Daisy, you definitely need another doc, and yes, most of the "pain management" docs are just moonlighting anesthesiologists who will give shots for pain relief.  Docs who specialize in management of pain through meds are rarer, and hard to get into. 

Don't know how true this is, but my family doc told me that it has gotten to them recently that the DEA is back on the hunt (were they ever not?) for docs prescribing too much pain medication.  He now will only prescribe pain meds up to 2 digits (less than 100).  Funny thing, I noticed after this conversation that a script I got for percocet for a rib injury was for 96 pills, and my surgeon switched me to Opana from percocet, and gave me 90 with no refills.  Bizarre. 

Anyway, your doctor treated you very poorly here, and should have made sure you had enough meds to last you until you could get into a pain management clinic/doc, and they should have made the referral.  I hate to say this, but I hope this guy/lady has to experience chronic pain at some point, just so he'll know how we feel.  It's not fun.  You're in pain, no cure in sight, and get treated like a criminal.  Shame on them.  The only advice I can give is to see if they will refer you to pain management, and provide you with enough meds to last until that appointment.  No agency should ever give them any grief over that.  Good luck.

The artist formerly known as Anon

Posted 2/11/2008 6:17 PM (GMT 0)

Hey and thanks everyone for the thoughts, opinions and feedback that I have recieved  :-) Sorry I have been rather quiet here about this situation but I am in a funk and have had little to say!  I don't have the will to report or complain about the treatment, or lack of it, that I have recieved and I don't feel that it would benefit my situation in the long run!  Mind you this doctor will certainly get a piece of my mind when we meet again as what took place was very unprofessional......no matter what he reasoning may have been!!!  

I have spent some time this week searching for doctors that treat chronic pain within a 100 mile radius of where I live with no luck!  Sure I could get into the local pain clinic, but I would have to endure a series of steroid shots after which I may or may not be offered medication!  This route has no appeal to me for reasons I have previously stated!   I could probably go to an ortho doctor or emergancy room and be given 30 vicodin but thats not going to help me in the long run; rather it would make me into a doctor shopper with drug seaking behavior!  I have come to the conclusion that getting off pain medication, period, is what I need to do for the time being!   I did some reading on suboxone treatment as a means to get off narcotic pain medication.....I don't know how easy it will be to get in to see someone that can prescribe it though!  The other option is, of course, cold turkey so I could use some feed back on that..... considering I take 60mg of oxycodone a day.  

Thanks Daisy  

Posted 2/11/2008 7:49 PM (GMT 0)

Hey thanks Gramps :-)

You know Gramps....I am so stunned by all this and there is no fight left in me to even assert myself.  I have battle fatigue from fighting chronic pain daily let alone take on a doctor.... or go hunting for a new one!  I can barely lift myself out of bed some mornings as it is.  I am more afraid of the pain, especially lower back pain, I will experience than the withdrawals!  I feel so abandoned by the medical community in general.....it is so hard to find anyone who gives a darn!  If I did get in to see a new doctor I would have to go through having a bunch of antinflamatory and anti depressants and muscle relaxers and yadda yadda yadda pushed on me!  And let me tell ya been there done that, tried that ...got all the nasty side effects.... their cures are often worse than the disease!   I have a list a mile long of medications I have tried over the years.  I was put on vicodin five or 6 years ago because I got severe stomach and intesitinal problems from taking Motrin 800mg 2 or 3 times a day. Now I had seen that doctor for years so he knew my history!  Trouble is we moved and I had to get a different doctor and look what just happened!  I don't cherish the idea of going to an ER gramps....I don't want them labeling me as a drug seaker.....I have had enough humiliation!  I looked up suboxone doctors and it appears most of them are in treatment facilities in metro areas, we are rural, but there is one and hour and a half from here.  But is treatment where I need to be is the question I am asking myself!

Thanks Daisy

Posted 2/11/2008 8:45 PM (GMT 0)

hey Gramps that is a good idea that the pharmacy has records of everything you have tried   :-)  I was sitting here trying to go through it all in my head!  Perhaps I could dig my head out of this dark place it has been for a week and gather my records and MRIs together and go give it another shot somewhere!  I suppose I could call my insurance company and see what they can come up with!

Thanks Daisy

Posted 2/11/2008 11:20 PM (GMT 0)
I have to agree....after going to the same doctor for 5 years (Family doc) she said she was sending all of her chronic pain patients to PM. I did the same thing Gramps suggested with the med list. It was all in my records from my doc, but this way they didn't have to look through 5 years of notes to see what was tried. The PM clinic was able to see what I had been on and didn't start me over at square 1, which was my concern too. The new doc upped my patch and lowered the number of BT meds and gave me a different muscle relaxer. I feel better in that I don't feel like I am depending on the BT meds just to get me through the day. I have been getting a headache from the muscle relaxer, but it is a side effect that may go away.
Posted 4/30/2013 3:34 PM (GMT 0)
Get ready - if you are on substantial painkillers - Fentanyl, oxy's - your doctor is looking for a reason to drop you like a bad habit - you have the habit that the doc very nicely give you, by writing Rx's for years. Now, he or she has DEA breathing down their necks. Untrained deputized local police and other DEA cronies are watching the parking lots of clinics to see how long patients see their doctors, if they have out-of-state plates - they are posing as patients, trying to see if a doc will write a narcotic script - they are watching your pharmacies. The war on drugs has now moved to the suburbs, to your neighborhood HMO.

Personally I think it is a move my our gov't to divert attention from the complete failure of the "drug war" in the inner cities - if we make average white folks and high-income docs out as criminals - it just proves that the problem has no racial or socio-economic basis.

My son was on painkillers - hydromorphone, fentanyl and anti-depressants for over 7 years for spinal injury pain. His doc give him virtually every pain killer on the market. He was asked recently to come in for a "routine blood test". When he asked what the test was for they said it was for "kidney/liver function". It was, in fact a drug test. Unfortunately, he had smoked a joint 2 weeks before. The next day his nurse called and said: Your doctor has cancelled all your prescriptions (ALL) and will not write any in the future. He met with the doc the next day. He was crying in the office, asking for help to wean from the drugs. He told the doctor that he could only think about ending his life. His doctor said "you won't - you will be all right" he walked out of the office, leaving my son crying alone in the room. The pharmacy called the next day and said "we have destroyed all your prescriptions" My son is now in his 3rd week of intense and debilitating withdrawal. He is suffering, suicidal, and at 64 I am at the end of my rope to help - I had major cancer surgery in March.

For you purists - yes, he made a mistake for smoking a joint. He could have drank a quart of vodka, or did a line of cocaine and it wouldn't have mattered - that's another issue.

His "abuse" was an excuse for this doc to clear his books and his mind - and escape the possibility of prosecution. I have read of others who were dropped for NO reason. Methadone clinics are happy to take you in, so you can sit with street junkies for the next 5 years waiting for your methadone - at $100 week. You will be labeled and registered with DEA as an addict.

BTW - his doc referred him to a Pain Doctor - there is ONE in our metro area (there are at least 100 orthopedic surgeons, 60 dermatologists - but ONE pain management specialist. The earliest appointment was in August (this happened in mid April). I fear the worst for his recovery. I fear that he will go to the street - and worse yet-have NO faith whatsoever in any medical professional. Thanks DEA. Thank you US Govt. (edit)

Post Edited By Moderator (Blessedx8) : 4/30/2013 9:40:01 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/30/2013 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Spraycap,

Welcome to the CP forum of HealingWell..... I've had to edit some of your post, per forum rules..... Also - this is a thread from 2008.... I'm locking it for this reason.

We'd encourage you to post a new thread and introduce yourself.... I'm sorry for the things that your son is going through.... Like I said - if you post a new topic, I'm sure others will have more input. Thanks, Tina
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