got released by pain doc

My pain doctor won't see me anymore because I didn't have enough pills left during a random pill count. I've been going there almost a year for pain medication and injections. They said they are contacting my primary care physician and the surgeon who referred me and will inform them. Nothing like this has ever happened to me and this is a total nightmare... how do I find another doctor? Do most places require a referral? I'm afraid I will end up at some shady clinic.

I also feel like I want to contact my surgeon who referred me and try to explain. I'm wondering if he will also refuse to see me. I think I'm going to need another surgery eventually. Do you think he will see me again if I tell him I won't request pain medication?

Feel bad for you, really do. But how did you come up short with your pills?

Hope you can find a replacement PM as soon as possible.

David in SC

I did not know doctors actually counted your pills. This site teaches me something every day.

I also get pill counts at every visit. I was short once by 3 pills (one days worth). I was honest and explained that I had been in a lot of pain for a few days, probably weather related, luckily my nurse said, well you're going to have some bad days, some good days, and some normal pain days. Granted, I also didn't ask for any more, I just adjusted what I took on the good days. In my case, it only happened that one time, and I was honest about it. Good luck to you.

Doesn't it suck that we even have to do that? I store mine in a "stationary box" on a table riiiiight next to our dog's food dishes. (We have a 75lb mutt, lots of Chow in him....it makes a nice deterrent).

Sookie

David, it's possible that oncologists are not held to the same "standards" as pain management doctors. Perhaps the DEA, or whoever monitors prescription pain meds, feels that an oncologist often deals with end-of-life issues and perhaps isn't subject to the same standards as a PM doctor. With an oncologist, do you need to sign a contract as many do with a PM doctor? That may be the difference between the two specialties.

This "pill count" rule is as disgusting to me as urine tests. Time and again, we are debased, treated like junkies rather than pain patients.

I suppose we can blame it ultimately on the DEA!

The pill counts, urine tests and Contracts are recommended by the DEA when treating a chronic pain patient. My PM dr has never done a pill count and she only does one urine test a year to make the DEA happy. If it were not for them she would not do that one, she does not believe in doing them. My prior PM dr did all of this on the patients that he thought were abusing their meds. I never had a pill count with him and only one UA in 4 years. This is the only time in 20 years I have ever had to do any of the stuff. It is becoming more standard I think these days as the drs are trying to protect them self.....Susie

Before I moved here, my previous PCP, who was also my doctor for 15 years and knew my whole health history, was also treating me for CP. I had to sign a contract, more than one, I think it may have been every 3 or 6 months, as the contract would sometimes have revisions. The major point I took from that particular experience was that regardless of whether I was getting surgery or dental work, HE was the ONLY physician I would or could accept pain med Rx's from. Of course, he'd confer with all my practitioners, but he was the singular doctor to prescribe. I actually liked it that way, it made things so much simpler.

Where I live now, my PCP also manages my pain meds. She required urine tests from day one and throughout the beginning of my establishing myself as her patient, every 2 to 4 weeks, I wouldn't know.  Something puzzling happened:  On three occasions, my urine tests came back negative!  Once was the lab's error, testing for the wrong things.  But we're baffled about the other two negatives.  I realize: This alone could have been enough for many other practitioners to cut me loose, but she had faith in me, trusted me, and was always in contact with all of my surgeons.  We did turn to blood tests, and everything's been fine.  I still cannot figure out why or how those other two urine tests could possibly be negative given during that at that time I was taking 10mg oxycodone qid.

I'm thankful and grateful and know how fortunate I am to work with her, and, likewise, I am sad and even nervous at the prospect of how I will be needing to find a new PCP when we move out of state. (She also knows I've been to PMC's and did not have success,....she knows I exhaust options and don't object to other means).

I have no problem with her wanting to count my pills or asking for urine tests, (or taking blood), if that's what it takes to help me maintain being able to receive the medication that, for me, keeps me functional, especially if it helps weed out those "bad apples" that are responsible for discouraging doctors from treating we CP'ers with medications that really work for us.

Sookie

Post Edited (Sookie Snows) : 8/2/2013 11:11:04 AM (GMT-6)

It's just a whole big mess. My friend's sister stole my pills in June. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to get in trouble with them and I definitely didn't want to call the police and press charges, since she's already on probation and he begged me not to. So in July I had my annual urine test and apparently it showed I hadn't taken enough or was negative (which they told me on Tuesday when they kicked me). Then I got really sick last week with a urinary tract infection and was in the ER twice since I had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics, and the pain was terrible so I took more pills than I should have. I think they thought I was making that up though I showed them my hospital forms with UTI diagnosis and two RX for antibiotics.

So basically it was just really bad luck, or a sign that I shouldn't be taking these pills at all. I am more worried about explaining the situation to my surgeon. I don't particularly care for the people at the pain doctor's office, and I rarely meet with him anyway, but my surgeon is the best. I would be crushed if he wouldn't want to treat me anymore.

Again I thank the powers that be that I live in Maryland, I have never been asked about a pill count, believe me I do have random urine analysis test, but pill count no. I am knocking on wood (my head) as I write, cause you never know.

Kathy

Sorry you got in that situation Blueyes...

I've had a couple of pills taken from me before...which thankfully was small enough that I was able to learn from it and not have it blow up in my face.

Hopefully you reputation won't become too tarnished...it is sad how messed up the war on drugs affects so many.

I also consider myself lucky. I do not see a PM doc but my PCP, who prescribes all of my meds, my patches and my oxy IR, plus my valium, plus other meds. I initially had to take one or two urine tests a few months after I signed my pain contract but since then, they don't even seem to care. No red flags come up and even when I tell them that I needed more IR pain meds than before, they helped me out and I think, waited to see how it worked out.

I guess that is the benefit of going to a university learning hospital. They never rush to conclusions, they will take blood and perform many regular tests during my monthly visits. Each month I go in, and it takes 90 mins for my appt even though its always a follow up for refills. My doctor knows me and knows what I am going through and my history, but she always has students come in and perform routine things on me no matter what.

However, considering what I have heard from others here, I would rather sit through a physical once a month than to have pill counts and urine tests all the time.

I would recommend a university or learning hospital instead of PM. All of the docs there are licensed and trained to treat PM but they treat you like a human being. You can talk to them, they understand.

Best of luck