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Originally Posted by unreeldaughter
I think more than support i am looking for someone to confirm I have reason to be concerned and cause for reaching out to her PM doctor.
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Dana, Welcome to NT.
IMO (and others are free to differ) you have reason to be concerned. What you call "Physcian Roulette" is commonly known as
doctor shopping, which can hurt your mother, her doctor(s), and the other patients of those doctors. Many states now maintain
Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (
PMP) to clamp down on this practice, and some states have made doctor shopping a criminal (felony) offense, but the rules/laws regarding these monitoring systems can vary by state.
See also:
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/faq/rx_monitor.htm
This is a difficult situation. Medication addiction is a
medical issue and your mother needs help. However, while it
should be handled as a medical issue, don't look for the system to protect your mother. The system is often set up to point fingers/blame, and punish rather than help.
A doctor or pharmacist can tell you more about the PMP in your state/province.
It's very likely that your mother had to sign a contract with the PM doctor concerning doctor shopping, self-medicating, blood tests to verify compliance, etc., which she may be in violation of. This could result in her being dropped as a patient.
I'm not a lawyer, but from what I just read, some of this
may hinge on the dispensation of the
Baker Action you mentioned, depending on what the outcome was. Is she under the care of a psychiatrist or counselor?
Quote:
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If I talk to her PM is he required to tell her that i spoke to him? Or would he just manage her case accordingly?
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I'm not aware of any requirement that he inform her. While, IMO, this
is a
medical issue, and
should be handled accordingly, I'm not a medical doctor, and I don't know if anyone you discussed this with would be required to report it or not.
Another possibility might be for you to have a "hypothetical" discussion with her pharmacist or another health professional, even if just for information.
There are some
other forums here on NT that you might benefit from posting questions in for other perspectives. Not everyone reads every group.
I have a relative with alcohol & psych issues; I'm not unfamiliar with the effects on families. This person lost their family support, spousal relationship, home, and child.
Doc