My pm doctor of 8 years just dropped me cold, without warning, and cut all meds just like that. Said he was afraid of "diversion". I'm pretty sure it had something to do with the visiting DEA agents. I had my pcp doctor refer me to another pain management clinic and they took me right away. Avoided a major set back just by the skin of my teeth.

So I was thinking... here is a list of things I'm sick of. Anyone else who can think of anything else, feel free to add to it!

I'm sick of feeling like a criminal every time I get my multiple pain med prescriptions filled, hoping that my pharmacist doesn't talk to loud about my so called "problem". At least that's what he likes to call it. Really?

I'm sick of having to pee in a cup every single time I go in for a pain management visit.

I'm sick of having to bring in all my prescription bottles to every pm doctor appointment just so they can count them. Really?

I'm sick of having to settle for a pain score of 5-6 when I know if my pm doctor was not afraid to prescribe properly, I could keep it at a 2-3 score.

I'm sick of DEA intimidation tricks that take away my ability to have my pain properly managed. My only consolation is the hope that every single DEA agent, cop or rent-a-cop will someday get a brutal case of RSD or at least a swift kick to the crotch that will give them everlasting pain.

I'm sick of not having access to my states so called, "Public Health Surveillance Program" that gives every medical provider full access to my pharmacy records. I want to know who has been snooping into my history. It's my health information and I want full access too!!

I'm sick of over hearing murmured words of "addict" and "seeker" coming from behind the check in desk at my pm doctors office. Is it because I have been there for so long? Really?

I am sick of being mis-represented as a chronic pain patient in every story that comes out in the media, headlined with, "91% of Chronic Pain Patients Abuse Prescriptions". SICK OF IT!

I'm sick of being accused of something I have never done or been guilty of doing. "Guilty until proven innocent" is the pm doctor's mantra.

I can only hope that in the near future they will require all pain management doctors to go through "pain management realism training". That would be where they attach a pair of vice grip pliers on the doctors arm nice and tight. Then every day, unexpectedly, someone walks up to them and cranks down the vice grip pliers another notch or so, until it becomes so excruciatingly, exquisitely painful they have to run to the emergency room only to be met with suspicion and accusations of "seeker" and "shopper". Oh ya, and did I mention the vice grip pliers are red hot and there is nothing you can do about it 24/7/365??

Allrightythen. I feel just a tad bit better.

Feel free to add a thing or two my friends.

I would have put the pliers somewhere else. You are being too nice. LOL

I do think we are going to see more of this due to this new Healthcare program and people overseeing that know even less about medical issues.

Too, they have talked about people overdosing accidentally lately, so I think that's going to make things get worse.

I think it's sad too that these Drs. aren't offering other medical care besides just one thing and then when people find out it doesn't work then they are back to square one. I still say these Drs. have a one track mind and aren't willing to learn more about RSD and more options for the patients.

I think a person needs a Dr. that is open minded and will listen to the patient as well as thinking he's God.

I thought about that public records issue a few days ago. I donot like every Dr. being able to see what Drs. I have been to and what has been done. I went to a Dr. in the Springs months ago that was able to pull up my records at the University of Denver. He thought I should go there and when I told him I'd been there, he was able to verify it.

My medical history is long and I have been to many Drs. not just for RSD. I have been to several in the same fields until I found the one that was willing to help me but I wonder if some Drs. would look at that as what I was doing or just Dr. shopping. What saves me is that I have had the same PCP for 20 years and he gets copies of everywhere I go and everything I get done so I feel safe in that but there's always those Drs. out there that don't care. I've also had the same Pharmacist for 20 years, I don't like them since they moved but I just don't want to change and have to go farther out of town.

I am glad you found another PM Dr. so fast. Hopefully he will keep helping you.



Ada

Not only is it the ANGER part......but to me it's the HUMILIATION...... !


I'm very curious about these open records of our medical profiles I hear about. Is there a way we can find out HOW they are being accessed?
I've heard that some states have them, but ...... how creepy.

It was very irresponsible of your Dr to just abruptly withdraw your meds like that......they are supposed to be safely tapered.....!
This sounds very heavy!

I would really like to know what 'my' records show! What an invasion of privacy!!!!!

jetjock1, reword what you posted and send it to your congressman and representative. This business of the DEA has always disturbed me to no end. It is the equivalent to a modern day witch hunt. I've been looked at as a drug seeker I'm sure, can't prove it but many times I've gotten those vibes. The thing is it's my wife who has RSD, I'm fine. I go to all her appointments because of the first 4 years of her condition she was treated very poorly and I had enough of that BS. I get so angry with this that I've contemplated moving out of the US and rid the both of us with this greedy cut throat business, lockem all up mentality. I never felt that way before my wife became ill, I was in-fact very conservative. We are in a nation that allows strong meds to be advertised on tv, give kids speed to slow them down, take a pill for this and that, allow outragious rates for treatment and medicines and at the same time when someone has a confirmed terrible, painful condition like RSD, eyes start rolling, DEA agents are looking at your records, RSDers and other chronically ill people are forced to doctor hop convincing these idiots that "yes in fact these are drug seekers only.

As I stated in earlier posts my wife and I lost our insurance coverage. Her doctor has recently started doing drug tests on her. She follows the rules, no issue there, however, these **** tests cost me $600 a pop, out of pocket. The last silly test couldn't confirm anything yet it costs $600.

In our state, the only records that are "public" are controlled RX histories. Only medical offices or pharmacies have access to these. When requested it will show which doctors have been prescribing which drugs in the Controlled class only, to that patient, quantities and dates. They can be very helpful in detecting diversion and potential problems with drug seekers.
All pharmacies in our state, send in electronic records on every controlled drug purchase with ID of patient (driver's license or state ID card).

HIPPA should be in place for other records and data. Unless you signed it off when you went to that doctor, etc.

The last time I was at U of Colorado was about 4 or 5 years ago and what I find is the form usually ask which Dr should recieve a copy of the visit. The only one I list on there is my PCP. I didn't expect for it to go global and wasn't ask if it could.

I went to see my Gynocologist last week and he had a copy of where I went to see another Gyno a month ago for another opinion on my pelvic pain. I was shocked when he ask me about it but thank goodness he was ok with me seeking a second opinion. I just couldn't figure out how he got a copy of it without me putting his name on the form. Again, I only put my PCP's.

Our records should not be out there where anyone can see them and I believe this will be used by WC and other insurance companies to find out things about patients we'd rather they not know as well as Drs. again thinking we are Dr. shopping and drug seekers.

Ada

I have to say I am a bit amazed at the amount of comments this post has generated. I'm glad I'm not alone on this subject. Thank you for the support!
This board is my life saving connection!

Just to answer a couple of questions that have come up.

Yes, it is very dangerous to cut someone off of their meds cold turkey. Tapering should be followed every time. You could actually throw your body into serious shock by not doing so. I was scared to death when it happened, thus my motivation to find another doctor fast. My primary care doctor covered my prescriptions until my new pm doctor took over. He was pretty ripped at my old pm doctor and wrote a nasty-gram to him. I was thankful for that!

Requiring a person to pee in a cup is done to find out if you have been taking your meds, or not, and to find out if you have been "self medicating" with anything else. This has never been an issue for me, I'm just sick of having to do it to prove my innocence every month.

Yes indeed, it's because of Medicare that our medical files are now available to any health care professional. Thank your lucky stars if you haven't had to use Medicare yet. Who knows how many HIPPA violators have had a looky-loo at your records.?

There is definitely a witch hunt going on at your friendly local DEA. I can almost guarantee they have full access to your states pharmacy records. I had an attorney get a copy of my "Patient Health Surveillance Record" and every single medication I take is on there, including non-schedule II meds. I have it in my hands as I post this and it goes from Jan 1, 2002 to Dec 31, 2009. It includes my name, my birthdate, my address, the RX #, the drug dispensed, the date filled, how many days it's good for, the doctor, and the pharmacy and all relevant phone numbers. Way too much information for just a doctor or nurse to need. The state would not release who had been snooping only to say it had, "been accessed several times by non-medical personnel". What "non-medical personnel" would have a need (or suspicion) to look into your personal health records? Lovely.

All a doctor has to do to access your pharmacy record in those states that have it, is to go to his/her computer, type in his/her DEA # and your id, and bada-boom bada-bang, up pops your medication history. Nurses, RN or not, are included in that bonanza as well. Hospitals, the same way. Don't lie about your meds or you're busted folks. Honesty is the best policy.

What is pissing me off is that I cannot have full access to those medical records. I have been denied every single time I have tried and given the lame excuse that I am "not privy to that information". It took an attorney to get them for me. Really? I have to threaten a law suite to gain access to part of my medical record? This reeks of law enforcement all over it. Someone is going to expose this for what it is and all hell is going to break loose. The states running these kinds of programs will go broke settling law suites.

I can see it now; in the wee hours of some bitter cold morning the black, unmarked vehicles drive up on the lawn. Feds bursting out of the cars and breaking down my door. They run into our bedroom, cold clock me, cuff me to my bed post, punch me in the gut, wrench my RSD infected appendage and then taze me for good measure, all the time screaming, "where the #%@## are your pain meds??" Then I moan out, "you mean my legally obtained medications sitting locked up in my gun safe?" Now the ATF is called in due to the mixing of drugs and guns. I'm looking at 25 to life aren't I????

One last thought; with obama (non-capitalization intended) care coming, I can only see it getting more intrusive. I'm just saying.

Thanks again for the comments. It's all great information, negative or positive.

While I don't have RSD I do have spinal disorders and neuropathic pain. But, wow, I have never run into this with my pain docs. The first group was at a teaching university. And the only reason I left is because they couldn't seem to find the pain generator; otherwise they were okay. The one I see now is affiliated with a local hospital. But with both of them no, no contract, no peeing in cups...none of this! He performs injections when warranted, prescribes meds, conservative therapies; all of it and I have never been questioned on anything for 10 years. I don't know maybe it is the state of Indiana or something. I do know Indiana was one of the first if not the first to have a statewide database. So, maybe that is part of it. I have no idea really and am not doubting your story. Just saying it constantly amazes me what people have to go through. And, oh, yes, I have Medicare, BC/BS and Tricare and have never had a problem at all! And I had access to my records; just had to pay for a couple of them once. And when I ask for copies, they usually just give them to me and/or clear it with the doc. In any case, I love my PM and would follow him to the ends of the earth! And I honestly don't have a problem with the sharing of my medical records. The only problem I can foresee though is that under Obamacare you might be placed in certain "risk pool".

I problem with many with RSD is the solid confirmation that they in-fact have RSD, for many it may take years, then the other can of worms is how much a doctor really knows about and how to treat RSD. In my wifes case, here in an area just chock full of doctors Washington DC, I've witnessed doctors say they know nothing please go away. And even when we would visit clinics who state they treat RSD, soon will'll find out they don't have a GD clue. The latter makes me the most angry, akin to bate and switch. The switch usually means a lecture and a lap around the pool.

You are spot on Jimking! It took me two years to get a correct diagnosis. Those two years were hell. No one took me seriously. "it's all in your head" they would say. It's the same old song and dance. "Don't do this and don't do that (interpretation: sequester yourself, take your activity to zero and take a lap around the pool) and go swim.

Kathi49; you are so lucky!! I would give my left you know what to get that kind of treatment. I don't know the intricacies of the Indiana pharmacy data base, but I bet that it's impossible to request those specific records. I don't have a problem getting my normal medical records, to the contrary. However, when it comes to accessing my states "Patient Health Surveillance Records" which are the pharmacy records, it is an insurmountable wall of red tape and questions. Frustration to the core, not to mention a bit scary when you find out that "non-medical personnel" have been accessing your record.

obama risk pools? Yikes!!