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possible pain management contract violation, what will happen?

I've been with my pain clinic for almost a year now, and I do everything required to the T. Here's the problem...I was insanely sick a few days ago and had such a high fever I could hardly function. I went to the E.R. and they kept me in the observation unit 2 nights while giving me I.V. fluids, I.V. pain medication and I.V. antibiotics. When I got discharged I was still so out of it I had no idea that the E.R. doctor prescribed me some Percocets, which my dad got filled because he picked me up from the hospital and took the scripts. So I KNOW that will show up on the MN PMP database that my pain doctor checks every appointment before refilling my meds. I freaked out and called my pain clinic, but haven't received a callback yet and in my freakout I flushed the meds so I wouldn't even be tempted to touch them. Now I'm thinking I should have kept them and just brought them into my pain doctor. What on earth do I do?
6 Responses
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15313831 tn?1440131805
What are you freaked out about?  What happened to you is a normal course of events.  The pain clinic would understand what happened and about the pain med.  Unless there is more going on than you are saying.  With what you have shared be honest with the clinic and move forward.  Please keep me updated.  Praying fir you.
All us grace
just cheryl
Helpful - 0
547368 tn?1440541785
Hi Ben,

Welcome to our Pain Management Community. I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I take our poster's stories as sincere. I do understand why you are "freaking out" but it may be premature.

What does the Pain Contract you signed say regarding emergency care situations such as the one you experienced? Mine says that my PMP must be consulted asap before or immediately following ingestion of any opiates given or prescribed in an emergency situation. It doesn't mean if you are hit by a bus, taken to ER and they immediately start giving you an opiate that you are in violation. It means that when the situation is no longer life threatening or an emergency my PMP has to be consulted by the hospital and/or MD that is prescribing the other, more or new opiates.  

PM (Pain Management) Contracts aren't there to stop you from emergency or hospital care. In part it's designed to keep you from going to other physicians to obtain opiates - doctor shopping. It also spells out your role in complying with the "contract" or promise you make when the physician is prescribing you a controlled substance(s).

I see no issue with the hospitalization. However you should have contacted your PMP when you were admitted or had your treating physician do so. My biggest concern for you is the one you expressed. I'm afraid you may have made an error by flushing your opiates. You should have kept them and taken them into the PMP to see - or count, whatever he/she would have wanted to do. We learn.

I'm hopeful that you have a long standing good relationship with your PMP. If there's been some trust built this may be worry over nothing. We all make errors - and hopefully your PMP will see your flushing as just that.

We all learn from one another - your post is an excellent reminder to all of us on PM to know our contract and always notify our PMP is instances such as this.

Did you take any of the opiate ordered by the hospital MD or will you only have the opiates that were given you in the hospital in your system?

Please dear, let us know how this turns out for you. You did the right thing by calling him now. Honesty is not just the right policy, it's the only policy when we are in PM. Don't freak out too badly till you've talked with him

I wish you the best and look forward to your additional comments and updates. We're here to support you.

Peace,
~Tuck





Helpful - 2
4 Comments
I just pain management voilation i went on vacation 2day later theycalled forpill count .they letme go with out pain med .im looking for new doctor can they help me .im scared and in lots pain help
Does any one know what to doe worried
Hi there, Arm111566. Best to start your own thread and we'll talk to you about this!
Arm111566 ,
Patients are supposed to let their PM docs know if they will be away just in case you get called for a random pill count or urine screen.
Did the violation occur because you failed to show up for the pill count or for some other reason?
As far as getting a new physician to agree to take you on- it’s going to depend on the reasons behind the violation/dismissal . However, most PM offices require records from your previous doctors, so honesty is critical when it comes to these drs. They usually do not prescribe meds on the first visit and may decide to change meds completely if they do agree to provide care.
Avatar universal
Thanks for your response! I just got off the phone with my pain clinic doctor's nurse and gave her the total scoop and she said that usually that isn't a big deal and they understand when acute situations happen. She said she would talk to the doctor about it and if there's anything else they need or whatever that she would call me back but that she thinks it'll all be fine. I don't actually have my PC appointment until August 25th though and I always see the nurse practitioner who isn't quite as warm or understanding of a person, so I'm not completely out of the woods, but as of now it's looking up.
Helpful - 0
547368 tn?1440541785
Sounds like good news! Thanks for the update. Let us know how that appointment goes.

Strange. I had a great, warm NP and a cold, nasty PMP. When she quit abruptly (and understandably) I quit. I've never met a physician (and I use that word loosely here) as rude and nasty as that man!

He's now lost all his staff, including another PMP that worked in his clinic. So I happy you have a kind and warm PMP.
Helpful - 0
7721494 tn?1431627964
I don't know what your contract says, but the one's I've signed want you to contact your doctor when you are treated elsewhere.

Sounds like you did exactly that.

Do yourself a favor and get a copy of your treatment agreement so you'll be familiar with the rules.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Check this alternative for pain management:  Somatic Equine Therapy and Coaching
Helpful - 0
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