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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006 General Board Posts >> Oh how I hate doctors!
        
(Message started by: Mattrf on Sep 8^th, 2006, 10:45am)

Title: Oh how I hate doctors!
Post by Mattrf on Sep 8^th, 2006, 10:45am

So the doctor at the Mayo clinic’s nurse tells me to tell my neurologist here that he will not need to write me any prescriptions since I am under Dodick’s care, fine I call him and tell him only to get a call back from the nurse telling me that they want my neurologist to continue with prescribing me my pain meds. I told them fine, called the neurologist back but he said he was uncomfortable writing me scrip’s when I was under another doctor’s care, makes sense to me, can’t say I blame him but am thinking oh here we go.
I call the nurse back and she still says he does not wont to write the pain meds, so two days later no resolution, the nurse even told me at one point to go see my primary, WTF I have not seen the guy in 8 months and he is just going to take my word for it and start giving me pain killers? Then she says well you may need to just go to the emergency room if I need pain killers, WTF again! I am always in pain so what I am going to go every four hours? I hate it when they make you feel like a druggie. So I figure out Dodick’s email address and email him since he will not talk to me directly and my wife also emailed him because at this point I have four pills left and it is 3:00 and I am starting to panic about not being able to have any relief from this SUNCT I have. I get a call from her and she is pissed at me and tells me she called in a script and the doctor was sending me a letter explaining why he will not give me pain killers and it will also contain one last script but that is the last one he will write, then she tells me that it is highly inappropriate for me and my wife to be emailing there doctors, WTF he is my doctor, why the hell is it inappropriate for me to be emailing him and asking questions since he will not talk to me on the phone?
The more I thought about it the more pissed off I got, when I was there it was great, never been treated so good by doctors and a clinic but it seems that the treatment ends at the front door or when they realize you are not rich or famous.
Well got enough to get me through the weekend and the new meds seem to be helping so far and I ramp up tomorrow so maybe this one will work and I wont need the dam pain pills anymore.
He will get one last email but not until the SUNCT is gone and my neurologist has all the information to treat me when it comes back, then I will bitch him out, there behavior is what is inappropriate not my emails.

Matt

Title: Re: Oh how I hate doctors!
Post by FramCire on Sep 8^th, 2006, 11:52am

This situation sounds to me like this doctor might have labeled you a "drug seeker". I have heard the term used to describe me in an ER once. I went from Logan Airport (on my way to an all inclusive PREPAID vacation) to the ER with severe pain and the doctor thought I was a drug seeker. My wife actually overheard him tell a nurse that. (PS, it was gallstones and I had to have my gallbladder removed). Funny thing is that I didn't want pain meds. I just wanted a dfiagnosis. I am sure I could have got pain meds a lot easier and cheaper than taking an ambulance and missing my flight.

This is where people with legit conditions like you run into problems. My suggestion is to tell the old doctor that you remain in his care but that you would like to try the new scripts the new doctor gave you and see how they work.

If you ever want to chat for a while, send me a pM and we'll chat but I know what you are going through and it is veyr important you straighten this out.

P.S. Doctor's rarely talk to patients over the phone unless it is a small town clinic or for test results. They rarely give out their email either. Usually nurses handle stuff like this. Can be annoying but doctor's don't have the time to talk to every patient. My doctor gets 60 calls a day and doesn't have the 6 hours a day to call each one back.

Title: Re: Oh how I hate doctors!
Post by cootie on Sep 9^th, 2006, 12:46am

My last doc that we liked so well and took the time to sit and talk to you told me that docs have to be careful when scripting pain meds and go thru a routine not to get themselves into trouble. Sum docs I think would rather avoid the entire issue these days.......sad for people who are ligit and need pain meds and have to deal with the change esp when they loose there doc. Mine quit and took a hospital position.....I didn't know WHAT I was gonna do and about panic'd. Reason is cuz he had me comeing in every three months which was FINE BY ME.....and regular blood tests to follow rules and regulations. I think sum docs are too busy to go thru any of that rig-a-ma-row so they jus say NO. And I do know alot of docs will have you sign paperwork if they know you are seeing two docs that you will NOT get pain med scrips from other docs or are not to protect themselves. And sum docs probly don't wanna bother with any of that either. Too many dishonest people or drug seekers ruining it for ligit pateints. When my doc quit he sent me a letter and a list of rehap's to go to.........huh ??? That was CRUEL !! I don't take pain meds daily or large doses so it's not like I am sumone that is takeing them around the clock....even tho I am allowed to do that I don't.....I want shit to work so I save em up for BAD days and try to get thru the rough ones. I feel I have to do it to protect myself.....ya know.....that kinda SUCKS when ya sit down and think about it !!! I have ligit reasons with chronic spine and joint pain and swelling. But....I am afraid of a doc getting me used to them to get buy (even tho that is the idea and feel better and keep going) but I am afraid he will QUIT on me or suddenly decide to weed out sum patients jus cuz of the paperwork bullshit and all. That isn't what doctor/patient relationships should be all about ! You go to a doctor for help and you find a plan that works and go with it.....why should a patient be AFRAID to follow there plan with meds worrying they may get dumped out of the blue after being on sumthin a long long time. (am talkin bout ligit cases here and patients that see the doc every 3 months to discus things and be checked over). Goin to a clinic could end up big money pit.....tons more MRI's and exrays and bills bills bills to KEEP PROVEING your condition. My friend got put on meds that make her swell and gain weight and one med makes her sick.....none of it is pain meds.....they want to threat it with dangerous meds instead that cause bad side effects known to be bad for you ?? (large doses of naproxin and a caner med and all it's nausia and problems to where she can't work or function from either one) It all scares the shit out of me....I found a new internalist doc I really like and am so araid he will get fed up with all the paperwork bullshit and shit can pain patients too. He's a cool guy and has a big staff so am hopein he is plannin to retire in my town as my doctor. I don't want to think of startin over again !!! Doctors scare me......they have the power to get you where it hurts Pam

Title: Re: Oh how I hate doctors!
Post by Charlie on Sep 10^th, 2006, 1:44am

I hate my share of doctors but most of all I hate the system. It's not all their fault of course. In America we try to legislate purity by sending the DEA after good doctors with hearts and brains. This is done by Purtains with no hearts nor brains. Suffering is their thing so long as they have a way out.

Everyone is terrified today of making mistakes. I miss the days when we took a few chances on people. I hate the de-personalization we have come to. No one is allowed initiative or common sense when dealing with people. Medicine is particularly hard hit and it makes those with real problems suffer.

Of course I now have the cash cow of Medicaid. Nothing is more abused here and by hospitals and specialists, not patients and most doctors. I am conservative when it comes to such things. I tore into my local hospital and ER doctors after I got back from my unnecessary trip to Buffalo in May for redundant and useless tests. My doctors encouraged me to do something about it and I did. I'm probably in real trouble the next time I use the ER.

I know what you're going through. It takes me two or three tries to get my drugstore to get my prescriptions right. Their god is their flat screens. 65 different things may pop up to tell the pharmacists how to dispense and why they don't know what they are doing and that they will spend time in the Tower if they give me an extra day's worth of pills to tide me over while they rectify their fuckup....actually I have been able to get some help that way because I tell them who I will blame if I fall down my cellar stairs.

It's time to storm the walls.

Hope things even out for you kids.

Charllie

Title: Re: Oh how I hate doctors!
Post by Charlotte on Sep 11^th, 2006, 1:01am

Good luck, Mattrf. I am sorry you are getting more s.h.i.t. about your pain meds. I hope this works out for you & something is found that actually helps you. I regret this communication problem you are having. It is sort of like, ok, you're done, now fit the schedule & med plan & don't bug me.

My old doc labeled me a druggie for asking for pain meds when I needed them, and labeled me uncoperative for refusing to take meds when I did not need them. He also insisted I had migraine & that I wouldn't have a problem if I obeyed him. He refused to help me last November when I asked for help.

The new doc (that I got in February) has been good. He did refer me to a neuro & used the report to further his treatment plan for me. Since my headache is unconventional, the doc feels it is appropriate for my treatment plan to be unconventional - as long as it works for me. I'm using 400 - 800 mg liquid kudzu extract, 500 mg neurontin, & 150 mg indocin a day. The neuro was both good & bad, but at least he officially said my ha is not migraine.

Charlotte

Title: Re: Oh how I hate doctors!
Post by BB on Sep 11^th, 2006, 1:43am

Just a note that I was threatened by the Australian Medical Board to take away my prescription authority after I wrote 2 prescriptions for my DH for morphine for his CH, in the early days before the preventive meds had a chance to work.

So its not that the doctors dont personally like to prescribe pain medications, they can get into big trouble if they do that outside of the protocol.

The other problem is that CH is so rare that the protocol written for its pain management is totaly inadequate.

Annette

Title: Re: Oh how I hate doctors!
Post by Mattrf on Sep 11^th, 2006, 10:55am

Well I am keeping my fingers crossed right now, the new meds seem to be helping.
I have had a cold for the past four days so have not been able to enjoy the lack of a head ache but it looks like the new medicine is working at least I hope that is what is going on. Some strange side effects like itching all over and very tired and sweating but all of them combined are no where near the headaches so I can deal with it, gladly so.
Probably good timing since I received all my test results in the mail from the Mayo clinic on Saturday, so I think they are washing there hands of me. All this is so frustrating, I can understand why they are careful since I have heard stories of people going through unnecessary surgery to get meds but I am not one of them but how the hell do you prove that or convince them of it with suffering? I am just hoping that this new med is my answer and I can prove it by just stopping the meds and being pain free.

Matt

Title: Re: Oh how I hate doctors!
Post by Tiannia on Sep 11^th, 2006, 12:02pm

I am sorry hun. I know the feeling. I have been thru so many docs between my head and my back. I have 2 compressed disks. They told me that in Jan my MRI shows that 3 disks actually are now tore. And they can see at least 4 nerves that are pinched. Then with my head as well, I was labeled as a "drug seeker" for the longest time. Even though when I see a doctor I would bring all the MRI's and reports so that they could see what iwas actually going on in my back. Then when my Head started I saw to many doctors looking at me with that look of, "Oh she just wants more pain meds, so she is making it up." Last fall when I found a neuro that actually had daily HA himself, it made a HUGE difference.

It makes it so hard when the pharmacy dont understand what you are trying to do. I have finally gotten to the point that I am only seeing 2 doctors. My Primary doc is handling mine and my husbands Pain Management. And my neuro.

Wether the nurse gives you greif or not. You need to be comfortable talking to your doctor, and they need to realize that you are only trying to get to the point of being able to function on a daily basis.

Sorry for your struggles.
Tia

Title: Re: Oh how I hate doctors!
Post by cootie on Sep 11^th, 2006, 1:09pm

Is it just because you guys go see docs tellin them about head pain they can not see or see symtoms of in tests or MRI's or anything that they give you so much grief with meds or THINK you are a drug seeker ? I worry about the back stuff all the time cuz rite now my doc is GREAT with it all and knows I am NOT a drug seeker (and I am not)......I don't take large amounts or ask for refills often cuz I am just GLAD to have relief even if it is for a few hours in one day a few times a week....not gonna go the 4 times a day route and get used to that kind of relief cuz that won't look good on paper I am sure with sum docs.....esp a new one. Since I have had 2 docs we LOVED quit cuz of takeing hospital positions IT SCARES THE SHIT OUT OF ME. This new doc is one's X partner so was LUCKY to get into him and he trusts me cuz of the other doc. But he would ONLY take us as a new patient IF we had GOOD insurence !!!!!!! So it scares me sum day down the road we mite be out in the cold in the pain treatment dept in the golden years Pam

I like this new guy but he only gives you so much time and I miss the sit down and chat 'get to know you and your problems' doc.....a thing of the past I suspect anyhow !?????