Hello and question.

[stevenwm]

Hello.

I am a 42 year old white male that hurt my back in 1993.It took me from 1993 to 1996 to get approved for social security disability.Over the years my back problems have got worse.In march of 2006 me and my wife were in an almost fatal automobile accident.I wrecked my pickup truck and rolled it 5 times and me and my wife were thrown from the truck and it is a miracle me and her survived.This vwreck broke most of my ribs and re-injured my back.

Some mornings it is almost impossible for me to get out of bed due to the pain.My lower back,neck,between my shoulders and also my hips all hurt so bad,that is so depressing.I have been seeing a primary care doctor for my general health that is a new clinic in my community.Most doctors in my area,will not prescribe the people nothing for severe pain.I started going to this new clinic in my area about 6 months ago.I went in for my first time and explained my pain to my new doctor and she prescribed me hydrocodone/Lortab 10mg a 30 pill count for the month.

I was scared at first to tell her that one 10mg of hydrocodone daily was not helping me through the whole day with my pain.I would get about 3 or 4 hours of light relief and as the hydrocodone would wear off the pain would return.About a month and a half ago I noticed that my legs were going numb with the pain in my lower back radiating down the backs of my legs.

I complained to her and she wanted me to get a MRI done.I got the MRI done and was told to follow up with my doctor in a week.I made my appointment and made my doctors visit.She told me that I had some serious back problems and one was spinal stenosis.Last month she prescribed me 90 Soma`s as a muscle relaxer and she increased my hydrocodone/Lortab from 30 pills a month to 90 a month.This medication together really releived my pain throughout the day.


I thought that I could finally control my pain.My monthly doctors visit was the 16th of this month/October/08, and I went for my prescriptions.To my great surprise she told me she could not prescribe me 90 hydrocodones this month nor 90 Soma`s and she could prescribe me 60 of each and next month it would drop to a 30 pill count and then she would be cutting me off,because she was not a ain doctor.Well me and her had a few words about her not having problems writing me the prescriptions in the past.I told her she should have never wrote the prescriptions to begin with if she planned on cutting me off in the future.I also said to her that since she got me hooked and dependent on the drugs and if I needed a detox/rehab to gett off,she should be responcible for the bill.I would never do someone like this if I was a doctor.She seems to think withdrawal does not exist with coming off hydrocodone.I ran out once for a few days,and believe me it was not a wonderful experience.

I was horrified and very upset that she would be cutting me off my medications after she could now see I have real back problems by the evidence shown by my MRI results.I dont understand how a doctor can get away with playing these games with their patients {i.e.get them dependent}and then cut them off to suffer hellish and some times life threatening withdrawal syndrome off from hydrocodone.

What should I do?

There are many people playing the doctors for supplying their addictions when they dont really have pain and the ones that have real problems are paying for these players addictions by getting cut off or not getting help to begin with.

Thank you for listening and advice.

Steven.

[gmama61]

well you finally found out the game, I don't mean to be to sarcastic, but I've had the same problem since 93 also. had horse accident, another story though, anyways, I've been seeing a pain mgmt Dr who I loved dearly. well I went from having 3 herniated disk that ruptured and he suggested surgery, to being miracously cured, I now only have 1 bulge, but he wouldnt give me my medical  records for 3 wks. I went to primary care Dr who found out I had cancer and M/S funny after all the MRI's and CT scans and tests he did that he couldn't figure this out.; He told my lawyer, who by the way is my sister and went with me to last appt, that I was deconditioned. otherwise Fat and out of shape and most probably had Fibromyalgia. No test no exam no nothing. My sister had to hold me down. But I kept my cool and walked out of there. When I finally got my med records. the things that we in there didn't even happen; like test exams etc. Anyways, what I am trying to say, do your homework, check every Dr, with Better Business Bureau, Medical  Board, etc. There are good ones out there, and I can relate to the detox, I did it my self. It wasn't easy, it was HELL. My faith and my husband helped me through it. Good luck, God Bless, take care. Gretchen

[stevenwm]

Franny it is not so much of my being disappointed or physically hurt,it I am ticked by doctors who play games with people as if they are guine pigs.I have me an appointment to see a spine/pain doctor thursday oct 30th.

People who see the doctors without showing evidence of having real pain is what is causing the people in real pain to get cut off from their medications.If I were a doctor {i.e.which I am not}I would have patients coming to me have exhaustive test run to show they are really hurting or real pill heads looking to ruin treatment for real patients with real pain.

It seems doctors in my area are being investagated by the DEA Feds and are cutting patients off their meds.These doctors should never prescribe their patients narcotics without MRI`s along with other test proving they have pain causing problems.

If these doctors would do things by the book before they are put under investagation for prescribing above their limits,patients like me would not be raising cain about it.

When I made my appointment the lady ask if I was still at my address.I had never called them before yesterday 10/23/08.The system has everyones number and records of your medicines and how much ect.This is a violation of patient and doctor privacy and the crooked fed`s are loving every minute of probing into our private lives.

The day is coming when we will not get the help we need because of crooked feds,over prescibing doctors who could care-less other than avoiding investagations by the feds and fines and pill heads who get the pain patients meds.

Thank you.

Steven.

[Franny57]

Whoa Steven, sorry to read you're so disappointed and or physically hurt by the experience. I certainly hope you can find someone to work with quickly.
Good Luck Steven

[stevenwm]

Thank you Franny57.

I dont think my PCP should have prescribed me pain med`s in the first place.After several months of her prescribing 30 pills a month of hydrocodone and then increasing them to 90 pills a month and then cutting me off is nothing but cruelty.I dont think much of PCP`s that treat their patients with such kindness in the beginning and then turning on them like over night.

I will not be refering noone to her practice and will do my best to discourage it.


Thank you.

[Franny57]

Hello Steven, I encountered basically the same thing, my PCP told me she just couldn't continue with Percocet for me as she wasn't a pain specialist.
So, my journey to find a Pain Management Dr. was not fun nor easy. First, where i'm from (Delaware) after you find someone accepting new patients, and you get all your files faxed over...then comes a background check on you which takes anywhere from a week to a month to preform, after this, most PM doctors here are so full it's another month before you can get in. I never did get in with one (7 weeks of trying) until my PCP got so fed up she personally called a PM Dr. acquaintance of hers. Even this took over a week for me to get in. So you should start that ball rolling like yesterday (no kidding).
In the mean time; and use your discretion on this...the emergency room...my PCP told me to do this if needed, fortunately i didn't have to. "We" meaning us chronic pain patients, have our Doctors treading a fine line between pain management and flat out addiction, so don't be angry with your PCP it's a Federal law that they can't keep prescribing control substances for us, thats where a PM Doctor comes in.
Good Luck, i hope this helped some or at least cleared some things up.
P.S. your Dr. should've weaned you down and or off of opiates instead of just stopping them on you.