The Catch 22

I had to spread last months pain script out over 35 days before the next scheduled appointment. I managed to do it, which was hard since for the last month I have been in more pain than ever. I was suppose to see my doctor yesterday but a few hours before my appointment the office calls saying she had some kind of emergency and would not be back in the office that day. I was in the shower so I got this via the answering machine telling me to call them to schedule a new appointment. When I did I was told the first available was the end of this month.

I informed them that 1. this was a reschedule due to the doctor canceling and 2. I was out of my pain meds which has to be written as a fresh script each month and also that I am in a great deal of pain. (I had taken my last dose yesterday morning). Said they would talk to the doctor and get back with me.

So here it is almost 24 hours later, have not heard a thing, and my pain is through the roof. I am sick to my stomach, my BP is way up for me (norm 115/70, current 136/90) and my heart is racing. I thought about going to the ER but I am afraid to since I signed on of those darn pain contracts.

Just what on Earth is someone suppose to do. You either suffer or try to get relief and violate the stinking contract. On one hand it would be in my right to do so since in a way the contract has already been violated by the doctor for failing to provide me with my pain management in a timely manner, but on the other hand as touchy as so many doctors are about prescribing opioids that my going to the ER for pain relief could be easily used as an excuse to discontinue care at this level. A classic darn if you do and darn if you don't scenario.

    Hello Jim!

       Well the good thing is they called to let you know. The bad thing is that they at least could have continued with your old script dosage.

      I think I would bring this up at the next appointment, and see if they will add something in the contract language to the effect that if this happens, they will indeed carry on with your normal script.

        It seems to be poor business to handle patients this way, as it can be very serious and especially if you are the one suffering.

       Take care, and I hope they can help you soon.

  SE

Jim,
I hate when they pull that. Can you go to something like a med check(that's what ours is called) Basically it's a small urgent care. Let them see your symptoms and even explain the situation. I have had to do that this last October when I got robbed. I just happen to have my pain meds in my purse and not my daily pill box, I had ran out of time at the last minute. Anyways my Dr. wouldn't fill my prescription even though they told me they would if i brought a copy of the police report. The officers even said that they would contact the office so they knew i was not a drug seeker. It didn't matter so 6 days later with my bp up because the pain was sooooo bad i went to urgent care. I explained some of my story and managed to get my pain meds filled. It wasn't for a whole month but enough that I could get through.
Call the Dr.'s office back first though and explain again what is going on. Be extra nice to the nurse that answers and ask if you can get a message to the dr.
Good luck and i hope they take care of you. Heather

What a mess, I think I would call the nurse back and and let her know what is going on with you besides pain, like your BP being elevated. If they cannot work you in quicker then ask that you be provided with enough meds to last you till the next available appt. This is just not right. What is wrong with the drs and their staff these days, the lack of medical is sure regressing. I would call today before they close. I would nicely even though I would be nearly biting my tongue in half let the nurse know I wasn't trying to bug her but that I am not well and very concerned.

Good luck Jim.

Oh Jim I feel so sorry for you! I've gone without my pain meds before, so I can fully sympathize with what you're experienceing. I'm not familiar with how a contract works, but it certainly sounds like you're getting the fuzzy end of the lollipop and without reason. I'd be the "squeaky wheel" at this point and contact your PM doc's office every few hours to just check in, see if they've heard anything.

Maybe at the least your doctor can phone your perscription in to where ever you get your meds filled. That way you can keep your appointment, but in the mean time get the pain reliefe you so desperately need.

The other option is not one I endorce, but I have had to resort to it before when I was in the same situation, and that is ... do you have any friends that can help you out?

I'm going to hope you've heard back from the assistant, they've gotten you scheduled for the five minutes it'll take to get a lil piece of paper written up, and life will be much better for you ASAP!

I am sorry Rahevin, but I have to disagree with your last statement. Borrowing medications from someone else is highly discouraged on this forum, as well as very illegal.

I don't wish to be a thorn in your side, but I truly hope that no one does this.

Scarred

Scarred, you're right, so thank you for disagreeing with me... and I do mean that with all sincereity. I know what I did was wrong. At the time I did it because I was completely out of pain meds. I had a new perscription, but couldn't get it filled for 3 days thanks to the rules on narcotics. It's not something I ever want to have to do again, to be honest.

Rhaevin;

Godh you know I have been in this situation before as well. Not only did my doc not send the script in time, but my pharmacy didn't have the meds in stock. Seems to only happen with my Kadian, which is my long acting morphine. They used to do it all the time with my percocets, but I am glad I am off of that now!

Not fun to go through those "flu like" symptoms that accompany the withdrawls. Longest I have been out.......5 days! That was way too LONG! All I had was my bt meds and doc bumped them to keep me at least not too messed up.

Hugsss


Scarred

P.S. I am so glad that you didn't take that wrong. I had hoped that you would not be screaming mad at me.

Dear Jim,

    I could get very angry with your PM office. It just seems to me that they are constantly dropping the ball on you the last 6 months! The appointments are never in time to refill your meds and every other month you are having to go days without your medication!!! I really wish they would stop letting your medication laps like that.   Would it really be too much to ask to get a call back? Something, ANY kind of communication would be nice. I am happy you got a real ER doctor. It is so rare these days to hear of an ER trip ending up good. But! It is only 5 days worth of medication. What are you going to do after that? You cannot go that long without medication especially not with a little one to care for. When the children are that little they need 24hr care and there is no such thing as a "sick day" for parents. I really hope you can get a call back from them today.

*hugg*
   dani

Three days and no call returned, lousy way to run a drs office. You were very lucky in ER, and it may well be worth asking the ER dr if he knows of a good dr for you to switch over to for care. You really have had a problem in finding decent care. Good luck.

Jim, let me quote you for a moment.

"Believe me when I say that I would love to find a new doctor but sadly, as I have mentioned before, I have 2 strikes against me. One I am a chronic pain patient on narcotic medications and 2. I have been somewhat blackballed by my last doctor who dropped me for missing too many appointments and would not resume treating me even after I and my wife explained that I had been having memory issues likely caused by the pain meds I was taking at that time."

I can not fathom how being a CP patient on narcotics is a strike. After all, a majority of CP patients are on narcotics; I am on that list.

As for the memory issue due to the narcotis my family has listened to me for the last year or so complain about my swiss cheese memory; it truely lets me appreciate one of my mother's conditions based on her own disability -- faulty memory. It's difficult, at least for me, given I used to have such a keen mind and sharp intellect. One of the things I have taken to doing was at my mother's suggestion, as it's what she has to do. Write everything down. Now for me this is difficult just because holding a pen for any extended ammount of time is agony. I made it a mission to find some of the thickest pens on the market, specifically the ones with soft grips. As someone who used to head a safety and ergonomic department for my Lab it never ceases to amaze me that all they ever supply you with at doctor's offices (especially Pain Doctor's and Hand Specialists) are those lil twig pens. I know they're in bulk and cheap, but come on folks.

When ever I make an appointment to see my doctor I always make sure I'm standing infront of the calendar with pen at the ready. This way it also allows the rest of my family to be aware of my appointments as well. Put it in a prominant area, if you haven't done something similar already. It can't change the past, but it can help with the future.

Do not get deterred though. As my mother would always say, the answer is always going to be no unless you ask. StrayDog had a good point; maybe the ER doc can give you a good recommendation, and certainly his words should carry some weight with the doctor he recommends.. meaning hopefully he would give the other one a heads up about your situation. You don't deserve to be treated the way you currently are. At least they finally got around to refilling your meds for you.