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Posted 3/18/2010 3:03 AM (GMT 0)
Hello All,

I have spent several days reading your posts and I am extremely grateful for the wealth of information provided. However, I have a few questions... I am 31, was diagnosed with severe endometriosis at 21 complicated by marked scoliosis. I have had 2 laparoscopies and 3 back surgeries. A hysterectomy has been suggested quite frequently but I can't quite get myself to agree to that just yet. I take 8 tramadol and several 10/325 percocets for breakthrough pain each day. My husband and I are relocating for his job, moving over 700 miles this weekend. I am fine with the move, everything is in order, but I am so anxious about finding a new doctor and explaining my story(especially with the horror stories I have heard about doctors not understanding the dependence vs addiction factor). I certainly know that I am physically dependent, suffering extreme pain and withdrawal if I skip a day, but I take them exactly as prescribed by my current doc. I just want to know if anyone else on here has moved and had a hard time finding a physician they could trust or how they went about doing that? Also, I have been on pain meds for so long, almost 10 years, that I'm not even sure if I need as much as I take for pain or if the withdrawal has added to my dosage. I'd like to taper off them and find out my true pain index. Is that a difficult process? Should I consider suboxone? Has anyone done this, either the move or the tapering? Any information/suggestions/opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Posted 3/18/2010 3:46 AM (GMT 0)
I have not personally had to switch docs because of a move, but I have worked in a few doctor offices and what I would suggest is to explain all of your feelings and concerns to your current doc. Write them down if you need to. (If you are moving and won't be seeing this doc again, I would call them asap and talk to them over the phone about this) More than likely, your current doc will write a letter of referral that would include a brief overview of your "case", ie symptoms, meds, procedures, etc. Your doc may even have input for you on how to go about finding a new doc. You will also want copies of all of your medical records (maybe not all, since you have ten or more years worth) but id say probably about the last 2 or 3 years of records. If they need more at the new doc they can request them. Unfortunately as we all know, it is a process of trial and error when looking for a new pain management doc. Your present doc might also be willing to transfer your prescriptions to the new pharmacy and give a few refills until you are set up with the new doc. Definitely talk to your doctor(s) about tapering off any meds. It should be well thought out and planned as you can't always predict the side effects, and you will also need support from a family member or close friend during that time. When you start looking for a new doc, you may want to talk to someone when you initially call and let them know the complexity of your situation and see what they recommend in terms of coming in or which doc would be best able to help you.

I don't know if any of this helps you but i hope so. Good luck with the move and i look forward to hear how the process goes. I recently lost my doc as well so im starting over as well, but i dont have to move so its quite a bit easier. take care
c
Posted 3/18/2010 9:01 AM (GMT 0)
I moved from West Texas to East Texas. That was a long, hard move and I didn't notify my drs that Iwas moving. (BiPolar Disorder...need I say more?) I ended up going through all kinds of things before I found doctors to help me with the isssues of my meds and such. It took a while and I felt rotten for a while. Then it all worked out. I decided to move back to the place of my childhood, Nashville, Tn. BEFORE I left, I had my pychiatrist, my pain doctor and all the others find a counterpoint here in Nashville. For the most part, the docs from Texas sent me to the best of docs here in TN. I will always be grateful for my doctors involvement and the fact that he gave me an extra two months worth of the meds in order for me not to run out. It was all just great, but I have heard horror stories. Please contact your doctors before you move and see if they will contact someone in the new state, just for you. Take care and good luck.
Cat(z4)
Posted 3/18/2010 10:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Puppybreader. I want to welcome you to Healing Well Chronic Pain forum. I hope that you will find a wealth of info. and find many new friends here. I have taken that big step and moved as well. 1000 miles to be in fact. I can completely understand your frustration and being so worried about weather a new doctor is gonna accept you. My advice to you is to do a search for a doctor and make sure you find one that you are going to be comfortable with. Explaining your situation might be a little rough for ya, but just be honest and open with your new doctor and I'm sure everything will work out just fine.

Scarred
Posted 3/19/2010 7:49 AM (GMT 0)
First of all welcome Puppybreader. What kind of puppies do you breed? Have you taked to your current PM doctor about your upcoming move. He or she may be able to recommend a PM doctoror two or evern three in the area that you can call ahead of time and set up appointments. This way you will have standing appointments ready for you once you arrive at your new home. You can then interview each of the PM specialists and see which ones would be a best fit for you. If you go prepared with a little extra medication from your surrent doctor and some preset appointments, the transition should not be too difficult. I know it is always scarry to leave behind and routine that works for you. Be we are all forced to make changes, so make this one with as little trouble for you. Don't worry. It will all work out fine. Sometimes the stress of worry can make us sick and we don't want you to do a crash and burn over this move. The move itself is hard with the stress of finding new doctors. Good luck Puppybreader. Please post again and tell us what is happening with you.
Posted 3/19/2010 8:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hi PuppyBreeder...

Glad you found your way to our forum... there are some wonderful, supportive people here with a wealth of knowledge and information. That being said, I'm sorry that you have chronic pain.

YES, I've been through exactly your situation. about three years into my battle with chronic pain, we moved from the Bay Area in California to the Denver, Colorado area. Same reason, too...husband's job. When I moved, I was on quite a hefty load on narcotics...so I knew it was going to be difficult finding, not only a good PM doctor, but one who wouldn't just look at my meds and run away. These are the things I did:

--I made an arrangement with my PM doctor to give me 3 months to find a new PM doctor... In CA (and maybe other states, I don't know), it's illegal to "post-date" Class 2 prescriptions... So, before I left, I gave my doctor's office 3 self-addressed stamped envelopes. At the end of each month, he would mail me my current prescriptions. Now, I know not all docs would do this; I had seen this doctor for a long, long time. But I think it's worth asking for.

--Next, I started searching out PM docs as soon as we got there, thank goodness! I thought I had found the "perfect" doctor - she was close to the house; convenient hours; etc. NOPE! I got there - and she was as nasty as could be. I can't even remember the conversation but she really just talked down to me; wanted to immediately start slashing my doses of medications (which were working well for me, etc); etc. The final straw for NOT seeing her was...as I left... she introduced me to her assistant and just in a rude, sarcastic tone said "By the way, she's an excellent pill counter, because we count your pills every month!". I have nothing to hide... take my meds accordingly.... do the occasional UA for my PM doc, etc. But I would never go to a PM doc where my individual pills needed to be counted. PERIOD. (Again, just my opinion...due to the experiences I've gone through!).

--Finally, I found a wonderful PM doctor who was just awesome. I saw him for the two years that we lived there. He helped me tremendously while I was there - not only through medications; but facet blocks; epidurals; etc.

The thing I also put together was a packet of my most important medical records (important tests; dictations of important office visits; etc.)... that way, you can bring that along to show to a doctor that you might consider, but don't want to have to submit your entire medical history to quite yet (in case you don't end up staying with the doc).

Point of all of this... is YES it can be done. It takes a little work. You might see a doctor or two that you don't like. KEEP searching, because there are good docs out there. Bring as much documentation that you can. Maybe even type up a short version of your medical history and your current medications (I have this, and it's worked wonders).

Moves can be difficult and stressful... try to take really good care of yourself during this time. Hope some of this helped...
--Tina
Posted 3/19/2010 8:14 AM (GMT 0)
PuppyBreeder...

One more thing... I do understand what you are saying re: trying to see what your true pain baseline is. I'm in the process of doing just that after being on a high amount of narcotics for a long time. As I've treated many of my other health issues over the months, I'm trying to see if I can cut back on my pain medications... I talked with my doctor about what I would like to do re: tapering - and he was completely supportive of it. I started by reducing 30mg in the AM; 30mg in the PM. Eventually, I brought this down by 60mg, in both the am and pm. I dropped one of my breakthrough meds completely, and reduced the other from 3x a day to 1x a day. So, basically, I'm now on about half of what I was on. I still want to come down more...but it's been a good start for me.

This is just my opinion, but I'd really try to get through your move before tapering. I'm afraid with the extra stress of moving...and even the extra pain it can bring on... you might not be successful, where as you otherwise would. But you, of course, need to do what's best for you.

I've not used suboxone... but I have a feeling I might need to if I want to completely get off my meds (I've got some other health stuff going on that I may need to drastically reduce my pain meds).

Anyway, these are just my late-night ramblings. Hope some of it made sense!! Feel free to e-mail me (my e-mail is in the profile section) if you have any other questions. Otherwise, I wish you luck with everything!!

--Tina
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