Experiencing the New Hydrocodone Law

I think the comment probably came from the Nurse and not the Doctor.I wouldn't pay it any mind if it didn't come out of the Doctor's mouth.

I'm in Pain Management but the last time I saw my PCP I asked the Nurse what they were doing about patients taking Hydrocodone.She said at 1st they were coming every month but now the Doctor was sending them home with 3 written prescriptions.

I bet the Nurse is dealing with all the patients on the phone that are taking Hydrocodone and is throwing her 2 cents in.

I wouldn't sweat it.Take care,

Rick

Oh goodness, that's just wrong. I can appreciate the humiliation you felt. That was a hurtful thing for the nurse to say.
I have to agree with tidal mouse....if you had a good relationship with this doc then I would immediately set another apt and asked him face to face why the agreed treatment plan was torpedoed by the nurse. He may not be aware of her behavior, but he should be told.
Good luck!

Definitely talk to the Dr. If a Dr decided to do a 180, you should have received a phone call. It's unprofessional for him to leave a patient clueless until time to pick up the next script.

If this ends up being a misunderstanding, talk to him about writing scripts a few months ahead. This will give you some peace of mind, we have enough to worry about. My pharmacy keeps my scripts on file and it's never an issue.

Don't stay in pain any longer than necessary-call that office to find out the true story.

Thanks for the replies. I did not call early. And no, it wasn't the nurse, I know that for sure. I know who the nurse was.

"If you have been able to manage without the pain meds this long, your dr may think you don't need it or need as much. You need to see a pain managment dr if you need a Schedule II for chronic pain." -Mercy&Grace

M&G, it sounds like you agree with my doctor, though I don't know that it's your intention. I wasn't saying that my pain is tolerable. The dosage I had been at for years has never been enough to control the pain, and I've suffered through it anyway. I had a legitimate fear that if I asked for any more that I would be treated pretty much the way I'm now getting treated.

Going to a PM doctor is impossible where I live. The closest would be a 200 mile round trip. I've had to go that far for other specialists in the past, and I'm not able any longer.

I only take a little pain medicine. Like maybe 10 pills a month. But still I feel for those of you who need more, and even have a similar shaming story!

When I needed my first refill after the law changed I called the rheumy who prescribes it to ask what the new procedure was. First whoever answered the phone said wait a minute, then gave me to a person I'd never talked to before who said she'd have the Dr write it and call me when it was ready to pick up. (After asking several accusatory & probing questions to which the answers would have clearly been in my chart, leading me to believe she was from some outside service.)

Never heard from them and when I called back the person who answered said the Dr said I'd need to see him -- but couldn't get an appointment for 3 weeks and she was doing me a favor to work me in then.

When the Dr walked in the room he said, "What are you doing here?" obviously surprised. I told him the circumstances and he said all I ever had to do was call & pickup. He claimed to have no knowledge of anything the front desk had told me. Gave me a script for 60 pills.

All that to say, please don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Go talk DIRECTLY to the Dr, share your experience, and ask what his recommendation is for handling your pain. Don't accuse anyone, don't complain, just state the facts and ask what he recommends.

Maybe the Dr was involved, maybe he wasn't, but best to find out for sure before trying to manage withdrawal by yourself.

Best wishes.

Drs often sign blank rxs and leave them in the patients chart. Then when the patient calls and needs a refill, the nurse writes it out. So the drs rarely know when we call for rountine refills like this.

JaSanne, GP's are cutting back when it comes to prescribing to chronic pain patients, that is what I meant. Especially when they seem to be able to manage with less meds. What would you do if your GP said they would no longer prescribe the pain meds ? Or that you would have to cut back ? As others have said, Pain Management Drs are the ones that usually handle chronic pain meds when they require Schedule II meds. I know you said the cloest pain dr is 200 miles away. But, in all honesty you will be faced with this decisin sooner or later.

Definitely talk to the Dr and see what he says,like already said he may have not been talking about you or had you confused with someone else or he may not even heard any of the conversation at all.

Like Lynwood said I have called for some reason and told to get in there and he is like what's going on? If it wasn't the Nurse talking to you then no one else's qualified to remark even though you will find that many office ppl some how obtain medical degrees answering phones and setting appointments!

Example here: stopped at a accident scene on interstate one day and child being extremely critical and two of us working on him that were nurses and third lady approaches and offers to help,ask if she's a nurse and she says no but I am a receptionist in a Drs office? Now had she said I'm CPR trained or first responder certified been different but all she said is receptionist like it was a degree!! Lol

Anyway we have seen issues under the new classification and yes it's changed the way many have to do things but we're so used to that in CP we just go with the flow after awhile.

i can relate. in this case i would go see your doc and resume the hydrocodone med if it works for you because you cannot leave yourself in pain cause you will begin to rust and i may become worse. you sound like a good patient in a good relationship with your physician, i am certain that is a comment from the nurse. always disreguard what nurses, nurses aids, receptionist, ect. say when along those subject lines. i would mention it to your doc but not bash the nurse, you need to go back pretty soon cause you will end up having to explain why you did not need pain treatment for this period of time, or where have you been. so the sooner the better, even if you are looking into pain management in the future, it would be good to have a timeline that makes sense and a physician in your corner. please don't suffer for that comment. sometimes doctors need to be made aware that their patients are being told things like that. good luck NICK

I have a contract with my pcp. He went on vacation (without notifying me! imagine that!) and I found myself in need of a refill of my Tramadol. He has a partner, so I called the office and asked if he could write it for me. My doc writes 90 pills, one every 6 hours as needed. This is technically a 30 day supply, but with other pain relief methods in use it usually takes me about 3 months to go through it. The female on the phone said I wasn't due for a refill, even though the last was 3 months prior! I asked her if she knew how to do math. Frustrated and in pain, I went to the e.r. that I always use (they have all of my records), explained the situation to the doc there, and left with a script. When my doc returned, I told him all about it. His response, well, you have them now, so what's the problem? I'm looking for another doc.

Hi, I'm new to the forum but the first month I went to my GP after the new law they had me take a drug test. I thought ok, no problem. Until his nurse called me and told me there was none of my meds in my system and he wouldn't be writing me anymore prescriptions!! I was shocked so I told her I wanted to see him because there was no reason for my meds not to show. When I went in to see him he said nothing about the drug test and wrote all of my prescriptions!! Please call and see him. I think they're all just stressed about the new changes.


Bug bug
Fibromyalgia

Hi , I have been running into all kinds of different drama due to this new law. Maybe my expirance will help.
Ok so number 1, pc's are running scared from anyone who has a chronic condition that requires pain meds this had been going on before the law took effect. I know this because I lost the best dr ever suddenly , " we are sorry dr. X is no longer with this group. You will now be seeing dr.S. " where did dr x go? He wrote a script for a wheel chair ( you know the one that is on tv at no cost to you? Apparently this tees off insurance companies ) so dr. S and I almost have a confrontational first visit, I'm defensive he's offensive until I don't ask for pain pills and follow his new recommendations. Few years go by dr. S is no longer with this group. < wait I know this tune! So I google dr X to see if I can find out where he is now. I find him at another medical group and make an appointment. By the third visit he is humiliated , yes , too see a doctor humiliated for his patient. My file was bright red in big black letters 'doctor shopper' seriously. I don't get pain pills from my PC I leave that to the same rhummy I've had for almost 10 years. In my file they have a list of all the doctors I have seen in the past year , low and behold there was my rhummy ( whom I was referred to by dr x ) himself and a dentist. Wow dr shopping ? He told the office girls this was wrong but they still pee tested me. To which I shrugged it off as when you sign that consent to treatment any where you are signing a blank check for them to do just about anything they want< I checked it out. It's legal. So by now cvs pharmacy who had never given me any problems now start refusing to fill the rhummy script saying it's too early . BUT I'm one of the few who insurance only pays for 21 days of medication. So the pharmacist synely says we don't fill scripts 8 days early. To which I would calmly say my insurance pays for 21 days at a time. To which after clicking for minutes on her key board she says oh yeah your right we will have your norco in am hour. To which I would have to take a deep breath and say I don't take norco it's Vicodin. She says oh yeah . This goes on for six months until they put me on a managers hold because for months I have been refilling my script 8-9 days early consistently. Where of course after 6 mo of harrasment I blew my top and told them off. I called costco and explained that I wanted a narcotic prescription transferred to them and why. They warned me ( fairly mind you) that is cvs was in the right and they have ways of checking then I would not be able to fill my script there either. I had my meds with a few hours because cvs was in the wrong not me. Costco has treated me with compassion and dignity ever since.
2. The new laws . Well now you need a new script every month . BUT I have ins that only pays for 21. Here is the kicker so now I do take norco (may cvs should tell fortunes too) so doc has to write a new script every month. He says he can't write me a script that works with my ins. I have to find a way to get 30 days from pharmacy. Not his problem. Mine. So I ask to up the dose from 3x to 4x to get enough to cover the 3x on my insurance. Great he trusts me (?) but he writes the script for 10 days in the future. I felt like he was already doing me a favor with the up dose so what am supposed to do for ten days didn't come out of my mouth. So now I have been with out any pain meds for 8 days now and went thru all kinds of unpleasant withdrawals. What am I going to do run to the er < so they can think I just want a fix. To which my attitude which can be like a cactus I would say something like. Fix my hip. Fix my hands. Fix my ankels. Fix my back. Etc. I just white knuckled it through. Am I looking forward to Friday when I can have my pain pill. Yes. Is this a learning expirance . Yes. No one else has to feel your pain but if you try to tell some one who matters they will judge you. But this forum is evidence we are not alone. Talk to your doctor tell them what the nurse did. Because bext time they may try to give a red file.

Pain$herlock, Norco, Vicodin and Lortab are the same thing. They both contain hydrocodone and acetaminphen. If you will compare the 2 different prescription bottles, you will see the generic names are the same.