A much needed vent..

Actually the PM doctor from this clinic is the one who came up with my pain med schedule. I was to take 10mg oxycontin every 8 hours and at the time it was also scheduled for me to have 15mg oxycodone every 6 hours. Originally the theroy was I was already taking 10mg oxycodone every 6 hours for pain & it wasn't effective anymore so they bumped me too 15mg. And at the time I was withdrawing from dilaudid iv by my own choice(I wanted to go home as I had been in the hospital for months, I'm stubborn, lol) so they added the 10mg oxycontin dose so I would have 24 hour coverage if my 15mg oxycodone didn't last the full 6 hours. Confusing, I know.. Well then I was released on this schedule and sent to my GP for pain med mantainence. He wanted to keep me on this but slowly up my oxycontin to the lowest dosage possible that is effective with my everyday pain with no BT med. Before this could happen, I had a flare in pain and that's where the fentanyl patch came in..

Does this clear anything up?

Lexi, thank you so much for your reply. You kind of explained things in a way for me that others weren't understand, especially the "18" thing. & you are very right about going to the PM doctor & being quiet about meds and doses. Honestly, I didn't fight with my doctor after he refused to listen simply because I thought a med holiday would be good for my tolerance and would give the PM doctor a clean slate. Unfortunately, I didn't realize the extent of my pain till I was off the meds. I have been on them since September when all this pain started, I was perfectly healthy before September. crazy how things happen..

Hi Kayla, I'm sorry that you're going through this at your age. No, it's not fair, when I was 17, I was learning how cruel highschool relationships can be, not how cruel the medical community can be. I hope that this, even though it's hard to endure, works out in your favor. All of us have gone through something in our lives where, at the time, it seemed just aweful, some things of our own making, some not, but, everything we go through, good or bad, makes us who we are. This is a lesson that someone as smart as you will be able to apply to many aspects of your life, learning just how big of an impact what we say can have on things, even with the best of intentions; I had to learn this lesson the hard way too, unfortunately, it's impact has hit my son a lot more than it hit me; though, had things not transpired the way they did, I wouldn't have a son... So that's just one example of how the big mistakes we make in life can still work out for good; though, in your case, I wouldn't consider this half as dramatic as going through a bad marraige lol.

After having read all the posts on this thread, I am so worried about you Kayla, this really is an unfair and aweful thing for anyone to go through, but, unfortunately, you are going through it; I do not doubt what different articles might state about life expectancy of someone with your DX's, but it's still just words on a paper, and, keep in mind, anyone here could get hit by a bus tomorrow. Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us, and the best thing you can do is learn how to live with the mind set that you don't have an expiration date stamped on the bottom of your foot, (if you do, that'll be a first lol, you'll have to email me a pic haha) even inmates on deathrow get a stay on execution many times.

We all care about you Kayla, and I for one wish only the best for you. Don't be reluctant to live. There are a lot of awesome things in life that you might miss out on if you surrender yourself to a diagnosis, people who do that don't get to experience life, love, or friendship, because they push it all away; please don't do that.

Keep your head up, I know it seems like an eternity until you get into the pain clinic, but you'll get there, and, as rough as this is, I think it will help in the end, as it will give the PM a clean slate to work with (hopefully). I know how rough withdrawl is, I went through it with cigarettes, just try to keep busy as much as you can. Keep your mind occupied, and you'll make it. Dont hesitate to come here for help, or just to talk to keep your mind off things.

Keep us updated, you'll be in my prayers. Take care kayla, and I hope you get through this as smoothly as possible.

Matt, you brought my to tears.. lol. You're right about everything, especially the life expectancy situation. I'm going to school to become an anesthesiologist and as this particularly job needs 12 years of schooling, I'll be 30 when I'm done. Therefore, I can't die before 30, too much work for not getting to actually help others with pain!

But I think that you can understand why we are saying that it makes more sense that if you actually "need" that extra 60mg of Oxycodone a day...then why not make your Oxycontin equal that 90mg a day and then only have a few BT meds around. This way you get much better pain control all day long without having to chase it every 6 hours as you have already said...the medication never lasts that long anyway...Just explaining how my PM thinks as he wants the best pain control for the longest amount of time each day and to stay steady.

And the part about the state and DEA is that now it's in the new year, many PMs and clinics are being watched extremely carefully and with having a patient so young (again, NOT saying you don't have pain...just stating facts that they monitor young people even more), they will be looking at your prescriptions very closely.

Obviously we are all just sharing our thoughts and suggestions and your Dr. will be the one to ultimately choose. Now that you have shared that he is the one to have already helped you, you should have no issues with them once you start going there.

And sorry for being confused on this part...why would they not even allow you to make an appt. after your birthday? I mean, you aren't filling anything out until then....this is something that I would ask the Dr. directly when you speak with him...

Good luck!

Post Edited (Snowbunny21) : 2/4/2013 2:42:04 PM (GMT-7)

A minor cannot recieve controlled substances on his/her own merit. A parent/guardian has to sign/be present. As long as a parent/guardian is present, there aren't any laws prohibting minors from recieving controlled substances.

But, there are places that don't feel comfortable doing it, so they simply won't accept minors. My point was that it's really not all that odd.

It's like tattoo parlors who won't tattoo a minor, even though with a parents permission, they could get a tattoo by law, or like a bar not admitting folks under 21, even though technically as long as they don't serve alcohol to the person under 21, there won't be any issues.
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From Kayla's post, it sounded like they were getting ready to switch things around and up the Oxycontin and decrease the Oxycodone, because like SB said, the other way around doesn't make much sense in terms of managing the pain. It sounds like everything got turned up-side down when the Fentanyl came into play.

The one good thing to come out of this is that you are starting with a clean slate, since right now you're not on anything. And hopefully this time around things are done the right way and you should be all set.

Lexi...yes..I know:) My whole point was making sure that Kayla (and others reading) know that there isn't any law prohibiting getting PM care as a minor as she was already on very strong pain medications and this didn't make sense to us that they would not help her (with her parents coming along) until she turned 18.

Kaylas first post was saying that she "can't" go there at all until she turns 18....That is this specific clinics choice so we suggested that she go elsewhere to find another PM elsewhere but she has since said that she only wants to go there.

We were all just trying to help her find someone who is able to prescribe the meds she needs as this whole thread was about not having any pain meds right now and her old Pediatrician not helping in the mean time...

So, we were all trying to brainstorm and help her get pain meds now.

Kayla...I truly hope that some day you will be able to fufill your dream of becoming a Dr. with the speciality of Anesthesiology as that would mean you will be pain free and off any pain medication!!! That is definitely something to strive for:)

And I just read on another page that you are engaged! Wow...when did this happen??? That's great news! And I don't think you have told us how your dad is doing....

He proposed on Christmas, it was so cute. <3

Oh, and I've never met my dad. He denies me as his child but his mom and sisters know I'm his so they update me on his condition but apparently he's been MIA for a few weeks as he lives in a different state then everyone, not exactly sure what happened there..

LOL....I know all of this.........I, and others, were saying we didn't understand (past tense) why they wouldn't take her as a minor with her parents going with her as there isn't any law out there...that's all. It's not this way everywhere...My PM takes minors

And yes, I already get it, I just think it's ridiculous that she can't even make an appt. with them as they know she is turning 18 in just a few weeks and make the appt. for AFTER her birthday..As well as she says that the PM there has actually already dictated her pain med care and knows her story through another Dr...so it is confusing why they would refuse to just make the appt. for after her B-day...

And again...we were making suggestions to try and find ANOTHER clinic (not shouting...just for emphasis..lol) that accepts minors so she could have gone already and gotten help with her medications from another PM Dr....

I appreciate your writing but we are all caught up:)...just because I don't agree or understand why this clinic chooses to do what they do...doesn't mean I don't "understand" what Kalyla is writing...LOL

I tried to call and left a message with a nurse. She said they would get back to me ASAP, but haven't heard anything. :/

Thanks for trying to help..truly...I was just saying in that last part as in I don't get the pain clinics silly decision to not even allow an appt. to be set up for AFTER her birthday..It's just nonsense to me. So, not that I misunderstood "literally" what Kayla was telling us.:)..This is where the written word on a computer can be confusing...LOL

I hope they will get back to you tomorrow Kayla!!! And congrats on the engagement...can't believe you held it in that long and haven't told us!!!;)

Very true Susie! I had attacks all the time and since I've changed my diet and excersise regimen it's been pretty nice, only a few attacks. But what was the cause of her pancreatitis? Mine is always something to do with my ducts, I'm working on having this fixed, but no matter my diet I will always have problems as it is a structural thing.