s/o Anyone else fed up with doctors thinking everyone is a junkie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP, and I don't ever take pain medication, EVER. I'm also a healthcare worker. You could look at my medication history and see I take ZERO, I mean ZeRO medications. For whatever reason, i was in terrible pain, and i was positive for both the flu and pneumonia. Your assumptions are as disrespectful and bad as the ED assumptions.

Are you allergic to IV acetaminophen or Toradol? They are great pain meds and many people who aren't addicted to narcotics feel much better with them.

Not all hospitals carry IV Tylenol on formulary. No I'm not allergic. Why are you so intent on proving I'm drug seeking? I'm a freakin hospital pharmacist, and I know drugs. But i dont take ANY. That's why they thought I was seeking. I don't effin take drugs. What's wrong with you?

So if you are truly a pharmacist, you understand that many drug seekers are health care workers who know the game. Few have prescriptions, as they can access drugs other ways, includng stealing, until it catches up with them. Very few addicted health care providers have prescriptions, and are more likely to go to ER when withdrawal symptoms come up, as they appear "clean" otherwise. Anyone who tells me that they are. Health care worker, which asking for opiate pain control, is automatically suspect to me. Why? Because I know my job. And you should too.

Drug abuse in healthcare workers is about 10% which mirrors the rate in the general population (ISMP - Institute of Safe Medication Practices). Their patterns of abuse can be different. I am under video surveillance and have several different double checks to control inventory, in addition to random drug checks. I probably am the most regulated of hospital staff and have the least access to abuse the system compared to doctors, nurses, LNAs, technicians and other personnel.

I still shouldn't have been treated with that level of suspicion just because I work in healthcare. And it shouldn't subject me to having to receive terrible care because XYZ junkie games the system.

This thread was about being outraged at being treated like a junkie, not to say there aren't tons of junkies out there or people who abuse the system. I was noting that I had received terrible care as a result of this dynamic, beyond not having my pain controlled, but down the line from the first ED doc making a judgment, to being ignored, to the nursing staff deciding they didn't need to be responsive. Once I was labeled, it colored the whole coursel of care during my entire admission. I was outraged because I don't take drugs, and I was in a powerless position, extremely sick and out of town.

[Anonymous]

^^^ oh and brush up on your reading comprehension.

I never said I requested opiates, anywhere, in any post. The problem was I wasn't getting any pain relief, my pain horrible and was atypical compared to my primary diagnosis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My MIL is in her 80s and suffers from severe osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoperosis, spinal stenosis (she's had several surgeries for this), and circulatory problems. She takes one Vicodin per day, never more than that unless she's just had surgery, which allows her to at least get out of her wheelchair and onto her shower seat or the toilet without as much pain as she'd otherwise have. My FIL, who is also in his 80s, is her primary caregiver--all of their adult children have offered/ begged them to move into our homes and they have so far stubbornly refused. Thankfully, my FIL is still very healthy and spry despite his age. However, my MIL must now must go to the doctor every single month to get a refill on her meds, rather than have it called into the pharmacy or get a script with multiple refills. She's immunosuppressed due to her various medical issues and it's not easy for her to get in and out of the car. This is a huge pain in the ass for her and my FIL and I really wish there could be a reasonable middle ground.

Blame the intrusive DEA, not the doctor, he is playing by their rules. The DEA has the doctors scared to death.

My sympathy in this case is with your mother, the government has put her in this position by their rules to weed out the abusers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL is in her 80s and suffers from severe osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoperosis, spinal stenosis (she's had several surgeries for this), and circulatory problems. She takes one Vicodin per day, never more than that unless she's just had surgery, which allows her to at least get out of her wheelchair and onto her shower seat or the toilet without as much pain as she'd otherwise have. My FIL, who is also in his 80s, is her primary caregiver--all of their adult children have offered/ begged them to move into our homes and they have so far stubbornly refused. Thankfully, my FIL is still very healthy and spry despite his age. However, my MIL must now must go to the doctor every single month to get a refill on her meds, rather than have it called into the pharmacy or get a script with multiple refills. She's immunosuppressed due to her various medical issues and it's not easy for her to get in and out of the car. This is a huge pain in the ass for her and my FIL and I really wish there could be a reasonable middle ground.

Blame the intrusive DEA, not the doctor, he is playing by their rules. The DEA has the doctors scared to death.

My sympathy in this case is with your mother, the government has put her in this position by their rules to weed out the abusers.

Your MIL needs a new MD. My neurologist will write a small Vicodin script (low dose, 25 pills) for migraine pain for me three months out. So he writes one dated the day of my visit, a second that says do not fill until xxx date (one month out) and a third for a month after that. Now that he is on a stable dose, my son's psychiatrist does the same for his ADHD meds (Adderall). So I only need to see my neurologist, and he only needs to see his psychiatrist every 3 months, not every month. This is apparently okay under the new prescribing guidelines. A reasonable MD should do this for your MIL unless she needs to be monitored monthly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL is in her 80s and suffers from severe osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoperosis, spinal stenosis (she's had several surgeries for this), and circulatory problems. She takes one Vicodin per day, never more than that unless she's just had surgery, which allows her to at least get out of her wheelchair and onto her shower seat or the toilet without as much pain as she'd otherwise have. My FIL, who is also in his 80s, is her primary caregiver--all of their adult children have offered/ begged them to move into our homes and they have so far stubbornly refused. Thankfully, my FIL is still very healthy and spry despite his age. However, my MIL must now must go to the doctor every single month to get a refill on her meds, rather than have it called into the pharmacy or get a script with multiple refills. She's immunosuppressed due to her various medical issues and it's not easy for her to get in and out of the car. This is a huge pain in the ass for her and my FIL and I really wish there could be a reasonable middle ground.

Blame the intrusive DEA, not the doctor, he is playing by their rules. The DEA has the doctors scared to death.

My sympathy in this case is with your mother, the government has put her in this position by their rules to weed out the abusers.

Your MIL needs a new MD. My neurologist will write a small Vicodin script (low dose, 25 pills) for migraine pain for me three months out. So he writes one dated the day of my visit, a second that says do not fill until xxx date (one month out) and a third for a month after that. Now that he is on a stable dose, my son's psychiatrist does the same for his ADHD meds (Adderall). So I only need to see my neurologist, and he only needs to see his psychiatrist every 3 months, not every month. This is apparently okay under the new prescribing guidelines. A reasonable MD should do this for your MIL unless she needs to be monitored monthly.

My mother has the same issue as this MIL. NO doctor would prescribe it 3 months out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have chronic pancreatitis which has an unknown cause. I did nothing wrong or unhealthy to cause this condition. Sometimes I have to go to the ER for fluids, anti nausea meds and pain meds. Tonight I turned down morphine because it makes me very ill. I was then told I couldn't get a different opioid as a substitute. I politely asked a second time and heard no. Then I told them I was offended that they were implying I was a junkie because I requested a specific opiod that wouldn't make me sick. Only then did they give me the pain killer I needed.

I completely understand there is a serious heroin epidemic I this country and my heart goes out to those who struggle but doctors need to treat those of us with legitimate needs. I'm tired of being treated like an addict. Having a chronic condition is stressful as it is. I feel so betrayed when I ask for help and am treated like a liar.

You go to an ER where no one knows you and you expect them to treat you as if they are very familiar with your medical history and personally know that you are not a drug addict.
I'm sorry, but get over it. I am not a drug addict, and I get the same questions at the ER. I am not an abused woman, but I get those questions as well at the ER and my doctor's office.
They are looking out for you, it's not that big a deal. If you are not a junkie, then move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL is in her 80s and suffers from severe osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoperosis, spinal stenosis (she's had several surgeries for this), and circulatory problems. She takes one Vicodin per day, never more than that unless she's just had surgery, which allows her to at least get out of her wheelchair and onto her shower seat or the toilet without as much pain as she'd otherwise have. My FIL, who is also in his 80s, is her primary caregiver--all of their adult children have offered/ begged them to move into our homes and they have so far stubbornly refused. Thankfully, my FIL is still very healthy and spry despite his age. However, my MIL must now must go to the doctor every single month to get a refill on her meds, rather than have it called into the pharmacy or get a script with multiple refills. She's immunosuppressed due to her various medical issues and it's not easy for her to get in and out of the car. This is a huge pain in the ass for her and my FIL and I really wish there could be a reasonable middle ground.

Blame the intrusive DEA, not the doctor, he is playing by their rules. The DEA has the doctors scared to death.

My sympathy in this case is with your mother, the government has put her in this position by their rules to weed out the abusers.

Your MIL needs a new MD. My neurologist will write a small Vicodin script (low dose, 25 pills) for migraine pain for me three months out. So he writes one dated the day of my visit, a second that says do not fill until xxx date (one month out) and a third for a month after that. Now that he is on a stable dose, my son's psychiatrist does the same for his ADHD meds (Adderall). So I only need to see my neurologist, and he only needs to see his psychiatrist every 3 months, not every month. This is apparently okay under the new prescribing guidelines. A reasonable MD should do this for your MIL unless she needs to be monitored monthly.

My mother has the same issue as this MIL. NO doctor would prescribe it 3 months out.

PP here. I definitely blame the DEA, not my MIL's doctor, for this. Her doctor has been very apologetic about the inconvenience it causes for her to come in so often. I suspect she is one of several elderly patients he treats who are in the same situation.

I've never heard of a doctor prescribing opiates 3 months out, either. I thought that was illegal, but maybe I'm wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL is in her 80s and suffers from severe osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoperosis, spinal stenosis (she's had several surgeries for this), and circulatory problems. She takes one Vicodin per day, never more than that unless she's just had surgery, which allows her to at least get out of her wheelchair and onto her shower seat or the toilet without as much pain as she'd otherwise have. My FIL, who is also in his 80s, is her primary caregiver--all of their adult children have offered/ begged them to move into our homes and they have so far stubbornly refused. Thankfully, my FIL is still very healthy and spry despite his age. However, my MIL must now must go to the doctor every single month to get a refill on her meds, rather than have it called into the pharmacy or get a script with multiple refills. She's immunosuppressed due to her various medical issues and it's not easy for her to get in and out of the car. This is a huge pain in the ass for her and my FIL and I really wish there could be a reasonable middle ground.

Blame the intrusive DEA, not the doctor, he is playing by their rules. The DEA has the doctors scared to death.

My sympathy in this case is with your mother, the government has put her in this position by their rules to weed out the abusers.

Your MIL needs a new MD. My neurologist will write a small Vicodin script (low dose, 25 pills) for migraine pain for me three months out. So he writes one dated the day of my visit, a second that says do not fill until xxx date (one month out) and a third for a month after that. Now that he is on a stable dose, my son's psychiatrist does the same for his ADHD meds (Adderall). So I only need to see my neurologist, and he only needs to see his psychiatrist every 3 months, not every month. This is apparently okay under the new prescribing guidelines. A reasonable MD should do this for your MIL unless she needs to be monitored monthly.

My mother has the same issue as this MIL. NO doctor would prescribe it 3 months out.

PP here. I definitely blame the DEA, not my MIL's doctor, for this. Her doctor has been very apologetic about the inconvenience it causes for her to come in so often. I suspect she is one of several elderly patients he treats who are in the same situation.

I've never heard of a doctor prescribing opiates 3 months out, either. I thought that was illegal, but maybe I'm wrong.

My doc also does the 3-month thing.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/dea-restricts-narcotic-pain-drug-prescriptions-1408647617

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My MIL is in her 80s and suffers from severe osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoperosis, spinal stenosis (she's had several surgeries for this), and circulatory problems. She takes one Vicodin per day, never more than that unless she's just had surgery, which allows her to at least get out of her wheelchair and onto her shower seat or the toilet without as much pain as she'd otherwise have. My FIL, who is also in his 80s, is her primary caregiver--all of their adult children have offered/ begged them to move into our homes and they have so far stubbornly refused. Thankfully, my FIL is still very healthy and spry despite his age. However, my MIL must now must go to the doctor every single month to get a refill on her meds, rather than have it called into the pharmacy or get a script with multiple refills. She's immunosuppressed due to her various medical issues and it's not easy for her to get in and out of the car. This is a huge pain in the ass for her and my FIL and I really wish there could be a reasonable middle ground.

Blame the intrusive DEA, not the doctor, he is playing by their rules. The DEA has the doctors scared to death.

My sympathy in this case is with your mother, the government has put her in this position by their rules to weed out the abusers.

Your MIL needs a new MD. My neurologist will write a small Vicodin script (low dose, 25 pills) for migraine pain for me three months out. So he writes one dated the day of my visit, a second that says do not fill until xxx date (one month out) and a third for a month after that. Now that he is on a stable dose, my son's psychiatrist does the same for his ADHD meds (Adderall). So I only need to see my neurologist, and he only needs to see his psychiatrist every 3 months, not every month. This is apparently okay under the new prescribing guidelines. A reasonable MD should do this for your MIL unless she needs to be monitored monthly.

My mother has the same issue as this MIL. NO doctor would prescribe it 3 months out.

PP here. I definitely blame the DEA, not my MIL's doctor, for this. Her doctor has been very apologetic about the inconvenience it causes for her to come in so often. I suspect she is one of several elderly patients he treats who are in the same situation.

I've never heard of a doctor prescribing opiates 3 months out, either. I thought that was illegal, but maybe I'm wrong.

My doc also does the 3-month thing.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/dea-restricts-narcotic-pain-drug-prescriptions-1408647617

http://www.policymed.com/2014/09/deaheavyrestrictionsonvicodin.html

PPs link doesn't work without a subscription, but the one above does. And yes, under the new Rx guidelines, an MD can issue "multiple perscriptions for up to a 90 day supply." Now, your MIL/mother's MD may not be comfortable doing this for whatever reason, either something to do with her, or their own prescribing practices, or the need to keep patients coming in to pay the bills. But if the MD says they can't or it's illegal, that's just not true, however apologetic they are. If she really does not need to be seen every month, is elderly and immunodompromised, is not on a high dose, etc., it may be time to find a doctor who is more willing to work with you. I have never had an issue getting a 3 30 day Rxs, 2 of them post-dated. But I have been on a stable dose for a long time, have a long term relationship with the MD, and just don't need to be seen every month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have chronic pancreatitis which has an unknown cause. I did nothing wrong or unhealthy to cause this condition. Sometimes I have to go to the ER for fluids, anti nausea meds and pain meds. Tonight I turned down morphine because it makes me very ill. I was then told I couldn't get a different opioid as a substitute. I politely asked a second time and heard no. Then I told them I was offended that they were implying I was a junkie because I requested a specific opiod that wouldn't make me sick. Only then did they give me the pain killer I needed.

I completely understand there is a serious heroin epidemic I this country and my heart goes out to those who struggle but doctors need to treat those of us with legitimate needs. I'm tired of being treated like an addict. Having a chronic condition is stressful as it is. I feel so betrayed when I ask for help and am treated like a liar.

I have gastroparesis so I have a similar experience at the ER. Opioids are the only thing that helps with the pain at the point, but I don't need them at home. I'm typically stable in a few hours or a day and can just follow up with my GI. The ER staff often don't know anything about Gastroparesis and if I'm in pain, I can't communicate well what is going on so I bring a companion or show them a letter from my doc. I still get treated like crap because they assume I am drug seeking. Never mind that I'm also asking for IV fluids, a scan with contrast to see how bad the blockage is, and anti-nausea meds. However, the letter does help. We also tend to call my doc/his service and warn them I am headed to the ER. That way, they will check in on me sooner.

I'm OP. My situation is very similar. The great majority of the time I am fine but when trouble hits I need the same three things--fluids, pain med and imaging. I'll try carrying some paperwork. This came on very unexpectedly. Good luck to you. It is no fun to have these conditions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have chronic pancreatitis which has an unknown cause. I did nothing wrong or unhealthy to cause this condition. Sometimes I have to go to the ER for fluids, anti nausea meds and pain meds. Tonight I turned down morphine because it makes me very ill. I was then told I couldn't get a different opioid as a substitute. I politely asked a second time and heard no. Then I told them I was offended that they were implying I was a junkie because I requested a specific opiod that wouldn't make me sick. Only then did they give me the pain killer I needed.

I completely understand there is a serious heroin epidemic I this country and my heart goes out to those who struggle but doctors need to treat those of us with legitimate needs. I'm tired of being treated like an addict. Having a chronic condition is stressful as it is. I feel so betrayed when I ask for help and am treated like a liar.

You go to an ER where no one knows you and you expect them to treat you as if they are very familiar with your medical history and personally know that you are not a drug addict.
I'm sorry, but get over it. I am not a drug addict, and I get the same questions at the ER. I am not an abused woman, but I get those questions as well at the ER and my doctor's office.
They are looking out for you, it's not that big a deal. If you are not a junkie, then move on.

It's a lazy answer -"to get over it."

There is no excuse, in this electronic age, for every ER and every physicians' office not to have access to electronic records. It's profit. They don't want to spend money to upgrade their system to information technology that is compatible. Or to learn new ways to electronically chart and prescribe, which has clear data resulting in decreased errors. Medication errors in closed electronic systems are decreased by more than 30%.

Many states have shared prescription data bases from out-patient pharmacies. MDs can register to access this. I wonder how many physicians reading this have taken the time to look at patient RX histories this way.

That old excuse: "we don't know you" should be an excuse of the past, protecting doctors from doctor-shopping-junkies and facilitating legitimate patients to get appropriate care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Blame the intrusive DEA, not the doctor, he is playing by their rules. The DEA has the doctors scared to death.

My sympathy in this case is with your mother, the government has put her in this position by their rules to weed out the abusers.

Actually, I blame the junkies and abusers. They've put everyone in a no win position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am surprised they offered morphine--presumably through IV--and refused a Percoset.

Many docs treat pancreatitis by giving it some rest - so avoiding oral stuff. Also, many will avoid oral meds until CT scan results are back in case something requires surgery. Hence, the IV morphine instead of oral Percocet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have gastroparesis so I have a similar experience at the ER. Opioids are the only thing that helps with the pain at the point, but I don't need them at home. I'm typically stable in a few hours or a day and can just follow up with my GI. The ER staff often don't know anything about Gastroparesis and if I'm in pain, I can't communicate well what is going on so I bring a companion or show them a letter from my doc. I still get treated like crap because they assume I am drug seeking. Never mind that I'm also asking for IV fluids, a scan with contrast to see how bad the blockage is, and anti-nausea meds. However, the letter does help. We also tend to call my doc/his service and warn them I am headed to the ER. That way, they will check in on me sooner.

Narcotics make gastroparesis worse in the long run as it slows down your bowel. The treatment for gastroparesis is non-narcotic medication/nausea meds/ and fluids. If you get a CT scan every time you have your typical gastroparesis flare, you are nuts. That is a crazy amount of radiation and the CT scans don't show anything for gastroparesis. Now if you have a history of bowel obstructions, then that is different. Amazingly, hospitals in this area are trying to majorly decrease narcotic use. I LOVE that most of the ERs in this area are now dilaudid free.

[Anonymous]

^^^ so are you of the opinion that if a drug addict comes in for trauma, his/her pain shouldn't be controlled? People don't leave the ED with days and days supply of narcotics. An ED visit is self limiting.