I think I screwed up and got caught

[sausha85]

I have been seeing a pain management dr. for 4 months.  I've had 2 oral surgeries and had another dentist visit for a severe case of tmj disorder.  for the oral sergeries I called my pm dr. and asked his nurse if he would increase my dose of med because of my face pain, which was the tmj disorder, and she said no.  instead I got a perscript of hydrocodone, 5 miligrams x10 after each surgery.  surgeries were one month apart.  My perscription from my pm dr. is hydrocodone 10 mgs.  This last visit to the dentist he gave me norco, which I didn't realize was hydrocodone until a week later, which I never took.  I still have the full bottle in my cupboard.  I was supposed to take it at night if needed, and my normal perscription of hydrocodone worked fine after my lasp procedure for the tmj (had a tooth ground down).  Now, got a call today from my pm dr. office that they want me to come in 15 min. early to my next appointment.  I'm freaking out!!  My Pcp is also a part of my old dentist office where i got the first 2 persciptions of hydro for the oral surgeries and they knew i had a pm dr.  I don't know what to do now.  I am in total and utter fear!  It is 3:30 in the morning and I can't sleep because I'm so afraid I'm going to get in trouble, or arrested or something or that he's just going to cancel me and I'm going to have to do a walk of shame and then have no pain management.  I have 3 bulged disks in my neck that are pushing on my spinal cord, stenosis, a bulged disk in my lumbar, neuropathy, migraines, unbearable (at times) tmj disorder, intense hand and feet pain, arthritis in my spine, shoulder and hip, intense neck pain and limited range of movement without moderate to sever pain in my neck.  Life before pain meds was no life at all.  the tmj pain was so bad i was on the verge of not wanting to live.  I've had 3 large babies, 11+ pounds each and I'm a small person, natural child birth, and i'd rather do that again consecutively then go thru the last episode with tmj.  Please tell me, do you think my pm dr. knows and is going to quit me next week at my appointment?  I want to call tomorrow and reschedule or cancel ahead of time or ???  I'm really afraid of what he's going to say.  Please advise

[sausha85]

~UPDATE~ Went to my PM dr. appt. on friday.  I was prepared to answer all questions and take my lumps.  Turns out I was all worried for no reason.  I have no idea why they wanted me to come in early...I wasn't asked to do a u.a. or anything out of my normal bp, temp, pulse, pain questionaire/chart...pain scale sheet.  It went really well.  I was both shocked and relieved.  
After posting here on this forum and getting the feed back I received, my fears were put at ease a little more each day until the day the appointment came and I really wasn't that worried.  I figured I wouldn't be able to change the outcome so no use worrying.  I brought the unused bottle of Norco and was prepared.  Man am I glad that is all behind me.  I think I now have the PM contract memorized, or atleast the most important parts, and I am very thankful that I still have my PM doctor and that you all were so supportive and helpful.  

[sausha85]

Thank you both, all so much.  I will do as you all have suggested and keep you posted.  I really do appreciate your input.  as i read each post my nerves are calmed all the more.  I don't know if any of you have ever found yourselves in a similiar situation, i sure hope not, but it's a terrible spot to be in.  I've always been very careful about how I take my meds and never took it for granted.  I'm grateful that I found a dr. that would help me.  I just hope that I haven't blown it.  If I have, I only hope...that I can find another dr.  Life without pain medicine is really no life at all.  i have about 30% function at best and it is with severe pain.  It scares me to think of going back to that as there is no position i can get into, sitting, standing, laying etc. that eases my pain.  I am absolutely miserable 100% of the time and get no relief.   I am hoping for the best but also prepared for the worst.  Worst being looking for a new pm dr.  Thanks again everyone

[Weathergirl21]

Hi there..

I agree with others that being completely honest with your PM at the next appt. is the way to go.

The great news is that you say you have the full bottle of Norco that I would absolutely bring in to give to your PM so that they can see that you didn't take any of them.

As Ginger mentioned, they certainly have the right to terminate your care as you signed that contract, but hopefully with you trying to explain everything and showing them you didn't take more medication, they will let this particular situation pass and keep you as a patient. I also agree that getting your records from the Dentists to show the work that you had done will help as well.

Keep us posted..

[omhome]

also it will definitely help you to take them the Full bottle of meds you have in your cupboard.

[omhome]

hello sausha and ginger:   the docs have expectations that opiate users will lie to them due to their experience with stories on top of excuses. Most of us don't lie to them but it just takes one or two to ruin it as you guys well know.
       You can save yourself a lot of worries and sleepless nites if you just decide that you will tell the truth and keep telling it and then go ahead and decide to trust that things will work out for you when you do that. And they will! What you said makes perfect sense to me. Maybe you could print out what you wrote and take it to the doc. It Is Very Hard To remember everything when you are in the office believe me!
      So!  The truth---just like ya told it!
      And! The trust--that the truth will eventually win out in the end!
      Anything else will finally crumble in the end--or unravel--or something like that.  Hey?  Any better ideas out there?

[Ginger077]

Sounds good. I look forward to hearing from you. I hope that things work out. It's hard to say what will happen at the appointment but whatever does happen you are a little better prepared for. I wish some others would of posted their thoughts so you would of had different opinions.
Good luck
Ginger

[sausha85]

Thank you so much Ginger.  I do feel so much relief from your post.  Thank you. Now I just wish I could hurry up and get this appointment over with and not have to wait a week.  oh well.  I will post to let you know how it goes and get my records if it doesn't go well.

[Ginger077]

I can sympathize with you. I've had bad dental work which has left me with permanent nerve pain in my face.  Your PM doc may just be drug testing routinely and it may not have anything to do with what your saying here, you never know. They can test at any time. I have had quite a few surgeries myself this year and my doctors are aware of my PM issues but they still offer to give me post op pain meds. I refuse to even take possession of the prescription because I'm terrified that something will happen and it will accidentally get called into my pharmacy or something.  These regular doctors don't understand or think about the consequences we will face if we accepted a prescription from them while under contract with a PM doc.
Your aware now so save yourself the headaches of going thru all this by just running EVERYTHING by your PM doc. I wouldn't worry about them thinking you were dentist shopping. The records from your 2nd dentist should give a clear explanation as to why you were there and that you had to have a tooth pulled because of incompetence. If you are dismissed from your PM doc I would get records from him and both dentist to support what you have explained here. I would review the PM notes to see what is noted in your chart as to why you were dismissed. I hope everything works out and your able to work things out and continue your care. If I can help you with anything else feel free to message me.
Good luck to you!
Ginger

[sausha85]

I need to add that I seen the second dentist for the tmj, after the two oral surgeries because the first dentist screwed up my mouth and jaw so I had to change dentists.  It might of looked like I was dentist shopping but I wasn't.  I ended up having to have a tooth pulled because the first dentist screwed up drilling for a filling and killed the pulp in my tooth, which killed my tooth and caused excruciating pain.  that is why I changed dentists.  The combinations of both surgeries flared up the worst case of tmj I've ever had.

[sausha85]

Thanks for replying Ginger077.  I did sign a contract.  There is no excuse for what I did.  At the time of the two perscriptions I was desperate.  After that time period there was a pm dr. that got busted for doing some pretty shady perscription and record keeping with 11 patients recently in my town including knowing this one in particular was getting multiple perscriptions from other dr.s.  I didn't tell my pm about the first 2 perscriptions because I didn't want him to get into trouble like this guy did, tho the situation is different, I didn't want to take a chance.
I've been trying to reconcile myself to what my fate is and that perhaps he's calling me in early to drug test me because he knows.  I will look into finding a new pm dr.  do I need my records from my current pm dr.? or just my records for my conditions?  Guilt is not something I live with well.  The first perscription I didn't realize I did anything wrong.  The second one I wasn't really sure.  I knew my dr and dentist knew I had pm dr.  Then I read the article in the paper and re-read my pm contract I knew I violated the contract.  When I found out what norco was I started panicing and feeling terrible fear of what's to come.  I'm sure he's heard it all.  I'll be honest with him, as you suggest and as I planned.  I just hope I don't go to jail and get labled as something horrible and my name in the local newspaper.  I live in a very small town.  

[Ginger077]

Your PM doc can certainly refuse to treat you because you most likely signed a form in his office stating you would follow the guidelines they set forth. Your PM doctor has access to what prescriptions were filled and when so the best thing to do in my opinion would be to tell the truth. Personally I would want to get this behind me. Whatever the outcome may be isn't going to change if you postpone your appointment. You may want to start looking for someone to transfer care to. It may be difficult to find someone willing to take over your care.  Make sure you have a copy of your records so that you know what has been documented.
Best of luck to you!
Ginger