Do you hate the term “drug seeking” when it’s used on people who are seeking legitimate medication?

[Anonymous]

The problem is doctors don't know so they assume you are lying about pain and a drug seeker. I gave up going to the ER when my migraines get bad and I cannot break them for 3-4 days as they do nothing. I've even gone inpatient and because my doctor was not on call that weekend they blew me off and just gave me an horrible IV that made me sicker. It pisses me off as I've never used any heavy pain meds including the ones prescribed so you get punished for other abusing it. I've given up trying to even get help for the pain and just choose to suffer as I'm tired of going to doctors who don't touch you, who don't order any tests and just say its nothing and move on to the next patient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is doctors don't know so they assume you are lying about pain and a drug seeker. I gave up going to the ER when my migraines get bad and I cannot break them for 3-4 days as they do nothing. I've even gone inpatient and because my doctor was not on call that weekend they blew me off and just gave me an horrible IV that made me sicker. It pisses me off as I've never used any heavy pain meds including the ones prescribed so you get punished for other abusing it. I've given up trying to even get help for the pain and just choose to suffer as I'm tired of going to doctors who don't touch you, who don't order any tests and just say its nothing and move on to the next patient.

Can your neurologist give you medical orders to carry around with you in case you do go to the ER? Something to explain the condition and treatment plan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is doctors don't know so they assume you are lying about pain and a drug seeker. I gave up going to the ER when my migraines get bad and I cannot break them for 3-4 days as they do nothing. I've even gone inpatient and because my doctor was not on call that weekend they blew me off and just gave me an horrible IV that made me sicker. It pisses me off as I've never used any heavy pain meds including the ones prescribed so you get punished for other abusing it. I've given up trying to even get help for the pain and just choose to suffer as I'm tired of going to doctors who don't touch you, who don't order any tests and just say its nothing and move on to the next patient.

I have a revolutionary idea: quit using the ER to manage your chronic condition. Get it under
Control with regular scheduled visits to your internist, gynecologist and neurologist, who are communicating with each other and accessing the same medical record.

Wtf do you expect when you run into the er late at night and ask for controlled substances from strangers who aren't following your case? Select ally when they can easily look into their records and see you've done the same thing before?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you have an actual issue, then you're not "drug seeking."

I think PP's point is well-taken. If you go in asking for help with a condition or symptoms, that's one thing.

If you go in saying "I need [name brand drug]" you're asking for trouble.

My mom has back flare ups from herniated discs. She physically can't move when she's in pain. She knows which drugs work well and which don't work (Vicodin). Other pain meds make her itch. Percocet works the best. She's definitely labeled as drug seeking.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes, chronic conditions get dramatically worse in the evening or on weekends, holidays, etc. which makes it hard to see your doctor. The ER isn’t supposed to be just for accidents or gunshots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former ER nurse, I've seen this label thrown around a lot.

We get frequent fliers who are there to abuse meds for sure. And not just controlled substances but we've had quite a few who like the attention of the ED.

I'd say the number one reason people get this label thrown at them is when they come to the ED and tell the staff what they need before all tests have been performed. I'm guessing that's what happened with the IV PP. Now there are some people with chronic issues who know what works for them. Im not denying that. But if a staff member doesn't know you and you come in and tell them that last time this happened the only thing that works is Dilaudid, Ativan, and Phenergan....a red flag is going to be raised.

The worst thing about the current opiod crisis is that it penalizes those with legitimate flare ups or need for pain management. I have seen some crazy drug seeking behavior from people who wanted medication, not needed it. After awhile you can't help but become jaded to it all.

Why is Phenergan a red flag medication?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is doctors don't know so they assume you are lying about pain and a drug seeker. I gave up going to the ER when my migraines get bad and I cannot break them for 3-4 days as they do nothing. I've even gone inpatient and because my doctor was not on call that weekend they blew me off and just gave me an horrible IV that made me sicker. It pisses me off as I've never used any heavy pain meds including the ones prescribed so you get punished for other abusing it. I've given up trying to even get help for the pain and just choose to suffer as I'm tired of going to doctors who don't touch you, who don't order any tests and just say its nothing and move on to the next patient.

Can your neurologist give you medical orders to carry around with you in case you do go to the ER? Something to explain the condition and treatment plan?

The doctors in the inpatient and ER have all my records as all the medical care is in one place. I once made an appointment with a specialist as a follow up and gave them all the pain killers untouched from months prior that they were prescribed (some had a seal on them for some reason) to show I wasn't drug seeking and didn't want pain meds but wanted the problem fixed. The problem with that stunt was that the neurologist was mad I wasn't trying the pain killers. I know my body cannot handle them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem is doctors don't know so they assume you are lying about pain and a drug seeker. I gave up going to the ER when my migraines get bad and I cannot break them for 3-4 days as they do nothing. I've even gone inpatient and because my doctor was not on call that weekend they blew me off and just gave me an horrible IV that made me sicker. It pisses me off as I've never used any heavy pain meds including the ones prescribed so you get punished for other abusing it. I've given up trying to even get help for the pain and just choose to suffer as I'm tired of going to doctors who don't touch you, who don't order any tests and just say its nothing and move on to the next patient.

I have a revolutionary idea: quit using the ER to manage your chronic condition. Get it under
Control with regular scheduled visits to your internist, gynecologist and neurologist, who are communicating with each other and accessing the same medical record.

Wtf do you expect when you run into the er late at night and ask for controlled substances from strangers who aren't following your case? Select ally when they can easily look into their records and see you've done the same thing before?

I'm not looking for a controlled substance. I've never ever taken one despite being prescribed them. (which annoys the neurologists as they want me to reduce my triptan use) I was looking for another triptan as mine wasn't working. The internist will not touch the migraines except to refill the triptan and other meds and I've been with neurologists for 15 years (same group/ones). Neurologist told me to go in. Neurologist made me go inpatient once as it was so bad and set it up. I've been through almost every preventative, botox, acupuncture and all that fun...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former ER nurse, I've seen this label thrown around a lot.

We get frequent fliers who are there to abuse meds for sure. And not just controlled substances but we've had quite a few who like the attention of the ED.

I'd say the number one reason people get this label thrown at them is when they come to the ED and tell the staff what they need before all tests have been performed. I'm guessing that's what happened with the IV PP. Now there are some people with chronic issues who know what works for them. Im not denying that. But if a staff member doesn't know you and you come in and tell them that last time this happened the only thing that works is Dilaudid, Ativan, and Phenergan....a red flag is going to be raised.

The worst thing about the current opiod crisis is that it penalizes those with legitimate flare ups or need for pain management. I have seen some crazy drug seeking behavior from people who wanted medication, not needed it. After awhile you can't help but become jaded to it all.

Interesting because the nursing home gives my MIL Ativan like its candy several times a day PRN - we have to fight with them that it should just be PRN as the staff overmedicate.

[Anonymous]

I have an NSAID/aspirin allergy so that will get you flagged as a drug seeker even though I've never been prescribed painkillers for any condition so not for migraines or for any major dental work, abscesses, never. I had a sinus lift dental surgery for an implant which will cause swelling. I was prescribed nothing at all because the minute you say allergy they flag you. My husband and neighbour had the same surgery and were prescribed a short course of painkillers so along with the NSAIDS they could live comfortable through the post operative period. I just had to tough it out. Apparently the drug addicts all say they have the allergy which then reflects on people who really do.

[Anonymous]

So if you have the audacity to know yourself better than a stranger doctor, you are flagged. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Addiction is still very poorly understood by ER health care professionals. Most don't seem to have any understanding of why an addict would be 'drug-seeking'. They just see this as a person lying, being attention seeking, manipulative, and overall a bad person.

Also the idea of anyone who knows their own health being seen as a threat to the expertise of the docs/nurses and therefore gets dismissed and treated poorly because how dare anyone say they know what works for them...

[Anonymous]

ER staff tend to be those who need to be seen as heros, life-savers and rescuers. They don't want to treat anything that won't make them look like they saved your life. They like the adrenaline rush and the accolades of doing heroic things to save a life. The mundane, boring stuff is below them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if you have the audacity to know yourself better than a stranger doctor, you are flagged. Got it.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an NSAID/aspirin allergy so that will get you flagged as a drug seeker even though I've never been prescribed painkillers for any condition so not for migraines or for any major dental work, abscesses, never. I had a sinus lift dental surgery for an implant which will cause swelling. I was prescribed nothing at all because the minute you say allergy they flag you. My husband and neighbour had the same surgery and were prescribed a short course of painkillers so along with the NSAIDS they could live comfortable through the post operative period. I just had to tough it out. Apparently the drug addicts all say they have the allergy which then reflects on people who really do.

Interesting. I have the same allergy and have never been flagged. And I’ve had several inpatient and out patient surgeries. Your doctors should be prescribing steroids for swelling/pain. And there are other drugs than NSAIDS for migraines.