I lost my PCP to leukemia about 6 months ago. I have been on the same treatment plan for years because of 4 car accidents. I've been prescribed these medications by specialists. The doctors who have taken over in his place refuse to write me prescriptions for my medications, they all seem to be terrified that everyone is a drug addict. I've been disabled for 27 years and these medications are the only way that I can have some normalcy in my life and take care of myself. I am 63 years old & have no family or help. I don't know what to do. I've tried 3 other doctors and the result is the same, no one reads my chart and no one will continue my plan. I have about 2 weeks of medications & then I will not be able to function. Do you have any suggestions for me?
Even if if you go to the ER when you run out they are not going to give you more than maybe 3-5 days worth of narcotics.
i would get started on getting to a pain mgmt provider. That may be the only way to go these days as we go through this ridiculous narcotic “epidemic” that is causing those with real pain to have to jump through several hoops not to mention making the person who is receiving the narcotics feel like a really bad person for being in pain and wanting to treat it.
Good luck. I hope things work out for you quickly.
I would speak to someone at the pain clinic that can help you wean off or continue because cold turkey is dangerous. Tell this to the scheduling person.
The really sick thing about this is that only 7% of people that receive opioids are the problem, the other 93% are compliant with doses and are using these medications to treat chronic pain, not get high. This is what it looks like when you are dealing with agencies that have no meaningful oversight.
I am so sorry that you are facing this.
My husband had a similar experience with a doctor retiring and the new doctor had to put her mark on his meds that had been stabilized for years. He actually weaned himself off because he was not willing to go through the trauma of having his meds played with by a practicing "doctor", it almost killed him.
that many doctors in this country are treating as laws & refusing to prescribe opioids on a long term basis. Again they are just guidelines & recommendations not laws, not regulations.
I had a minor problem keeping my father's medication for osteoporosis pain while he was in MC. The PCP stopped prescribing but his heart doctor wrote the script on request and classified it as palliative care. Dad took 2 minimum dosage pills a day, 12 hours apart. I still do not understand how a 86 year old man living on borrowed time (his doctor's words) in MC where he never handles the pills can be considered an overdose risk.
Doctors and other healthcare experts have worried that efforts to curb opioid prescriptions have been detrimental to pain patients, even driving some chronic pain patients to suicide when medications have been cut off or reduced too quickly.
In a statement, the FDA said it is requiring changes to the prescribing information for all opioid analgesic medicines used in outpatient settings and has issued a drug safety communication (PDF) for healthcare providers and patients.
CDC clarifies opioid prescribing guideline, says doctors should use their 'clinical judgment'
The FDA’s announcement comes at the same time the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clarified its controversial federal guideline for prescribing opioids, which it issued three years ago in the face of the opioid epidemic sweeping the country. The CDC made clear the guideline was not intended to deny chronic pain patients relief from opioids and encouraged physicians to use their “clinical judgment” in prescribing the medications.
You are not alone, and there will be a public outcry, both for and against this newer policy.
The CDC has guidelines for prescribing and lowering the med dosages presumably to save lives from taking too much meds that could kill a person.
The other reason, is to limit the drugs an addict can easily get a hold of.
It is a sad case and is punishing to those who have been able to function because their pain was managed.
I do not yet know the answers, but have been studying it for awhile now.
In the meantime, I suggest showing up at the nearest ER as soon as your pain is not managed, rather than be non-functional and in withdrawal, alone, without medical supervision for withdrawal, or to have the right medication for your pain. Withdrawal can be very dangerous. This is a nationwide occurrence but some areas are going to be more strict, and some doctors may be more fearful to prescribe what the patient needs.
I have read that there are more knowledgeable pharmacists your doctors can work with. Once you find the doctor. Have you tried a pain management specialist? I do not know if that will work.
Another idea, is to only use one pharmacy...all your medication records there,
just so you will not be labeled a pain med seeker. Yipes, damned if you do, and damned if you don't. I understand you need these meds.
What area are you in? Can you explore online the issue specific to your area?
You need more information. So sorry that your doctor is no longer available to see you through this difficult time. It is a very real epidemic type issue, so I believe information will become available. It is complicated even more because pain is a subjective experience and you could be condemned by this issue.
Sorry that I could not actually help you.
Get a copy of your records on a DVD (electronic format). You might be surprised to find out most of your records have been archived and are not readily available for review by other doctors in your former PCP's group/office. There should be forwarded reports from the original specialists in your PCP records. If not, request a copy of your records from the specialists too. Review the records for original diagnosis and prescription info, noting the dates and filenames of those documents.
Make copies of your records on a DVD to take to the next doctor appointment and give him a copy of the dates and diagnosis notes too. I would also make an appointment with a new group that includes nurse practitioners (NP), requesting a NP. My experience is medical groups with NPs spend more time with patients and review records better than more traditionally organized medical offices. A pain management group would also be more likely to review your records and develop a plan to enable you to live a little.
If none of these options work, you may need to see the specialists and get diagnosed again. You may be required to go through the revised treatment protocols before medications are prescribed; my friend had to travel this road before eventually getting the medication he needed.
You just might have to start the Specialist thing again. Things have changed in 27 years. Drs are leary of prescribing certain things now.
Hopefully another member has had this problem.