Hi, unfortunately I was dropped as I do not want to go into the reasons why except that I had to take only one more daily due to excruciating pain but was labeled as "self medicating", even when I had honestly told them about it earlier and them not wanting to raise my scrip which ultimately led to me seeing help desperately from outside urgent care due to running out as I had received incorrect information that I was allowed to receive opiate medication (even when I had received clear indication that I was allowed to require outside opiate prescription in an urgent care/emergency situation at the time which was determined incorrect and at the fault of the first receptionist even if they won't admit it) but later found out that was not allowed after I had yelled at them for them giving me the false info and now was labeled as a "drug seeker" unfairly as I would never "doctor shop" and was totally willing to comply with them in order to immediately let them know that I was seeking Urgent Care and that I received opiate medication (once again, I had received an incorrect approval that I didn't know at the time). It's not the complete story as it's missing some details but I don't want to further get into it. I know that the PM doctor has the right to drop me even though I clearly did not abuse my medication but I had to take one more as the pain was too much and plus due to tolerance, even though they're really moving on with their decision based on that I seeked outside help as I was under the impression that I was allowed to as the initial representative over the phone had given me incorrect info. The pain was too much for me to bear for a few days until the PM doc could refill my scrip but later voided once they had told me what I had done was not allowed, which was highly negligent on their part to give me false info as I had confirmed it multiple times if I was allowed to before.
This is in the state of California and on the state medical board website for patient abandonment, the doctor must notify my termination in writing and that he has to give at least 15 days of "emergency treatment". As I am in excruciating pain from both my condition and from withdrawal, is the doctor required to give me one final prescription for opiates to last me for that time as he has the right to terminate the patient-doctor relationship?
I of course am trying now to make an appointment with my PCP as I told his staff of my unfortunate situation. Unfortunately, he's not willing to give me a scrip until he sees me even as I've made an appointment to see him. The issue is that the appointment with him is a month away and he cannot see me earlier as he's booked solid, thus me having to rely on the PM doctor to give me one last scrip enough to last me until my appointment with the PCP. Also, the PCP and the other doctors are booked up for the month. Even though there might be another doctor within the group that's willing to see me and possibly willing to give me a scrip, I am of course worried that once I see my PCP, then he might not be willing to further prescribe me which will certainly be the case if I seek outside help even though the PCP staff says that it would most likely be ok but I am afraid that I would be given false information again.
Of course, I was in a state where I felt I shouldn't have dealt with of unfairly going through withdrawal and not being offered additional medication to last me as that part I felt is immoral and unethical as my pain shot up drastically. These pain contacts are too restrictive as I felt that I was under medicated as my condition is causing me great pain and that the IR opiate medication wore off too fast. Believe me, I tried and had cooperated with them on every other aspect of the pain contract but I had to break that portion as the pain was just too much to bear. I was prescribed 4 tablets of Roxicodone 15mg but had to take one more as I was honest to my PM doc about it as I was in such god awful pain but would not raise my scrip. Also, I was only left with what little the urgent care had given me which was no where near a 15 day supply, let alone a month's worth to last me until my appointment with my PCP. I really tried to be honest and had finally made great effort to reach down to the daily dosage as directed. I wished these doctors would understand that the pain is too great and that I had difficulty lowering because of the pain, tolerance, and withdrawal that it's not so easy to drop down even though I finally did but ironically got dropped after I reached it.
So, back to the main point. the PM did not officially give me yet the notice by letter but that I've received it over the phone from his staff. As I was not given any more to last me to which I find inhumane that I have to suffer as if I was being punished as not only the PM would not give me anymore, but my PCP had threatened to not prescribe me more for the future if I were to seek outside help as I'm trying to see him, clearly this is really messed up against us pain patients; we are clearly suffering as these pain contracts are there to protect the doctors from the DEA. And as I have said earlier, I am not an abuser but had to take one more as I was certainly undermedicated as the pain was just too awful. Does the doctor have to give me one last prescription to last me and if he doesn't, do I have a valid claim of patient abandonment to complain to the CA medical board?
Although claimed by people who don't understand our pain as "opiate withdrawal is not life threatening", we are clearly suffering and I and a lot of other pain patients find this unethical that we have to suffer. I know that regardless of your responses that I can still file a complaint, let alone with the medical groups grievance/complaint department, but not only do I want info from your experiences but also I want to give the PM doctor one last chance to make it right as I respect his wishes to terminate me. The pm doc has not made the official notice as he still has time to prescribe me one final prescription to last me, but if he doesn't, then I am forced to report him as this is just utterly unethical that I have to suffer. It is messed up that people cannot have certain protections to get pain relief if both the PM doc is not willing to prescribe one last prescription to last and that the PCP cannot see me early nor grant a scrip until he can see me, thus people like me in this grueling wait limbo.