Frustrated with my docs.

[susiestar]

I am having a reaction to the pain medication patches I am on. Insurance policy changed so I had to switch to mail order pharmacy. they have a different brand of generics. These are VERY different than the other brand of generic patches I was using (and doing very well on). I have no coverage for brand name if generic is available.

It took 3 rounds of talking with the nurse to get her to comprehend this. Then the doctor decided I need to go to the pain mgmt docs because I had so many "complaints" about this.

I have been VERY unimpressed with the pain mgmt docs I have seen. They don't seem to really comprehend that the pain is REAL and does not respond to many medicines. Or that I am truly allergic to many medications. Such as aspirin and all but ONE NSAID. They always want me to "just try" one.

This is incredibly depressing to me. I see the endocrin doctor about the Vit D situation tomorrow. Hopefully he will be more helpful.

Sigh.

 

[maril]

I hope your endocrine doctor's visit goes well. Also, I am sorry you have had so much trouble with medications.

I suppose you would have mentioned if this is possible but I wonder if your doctor could specify that only a brand name patch be used? (Our plan allows for brand where physician states medical necessity, but I know prescription plans differ).

How would you feel about switching to another pain management doctor?

 

[totoro]

I am so sorry you are suffering. Pain is such a hard thing to make people not only believe but *see*.

There are so many people that take advantage of pain medications that ruin for the people who truly need the medications. Like you.
It has taken years for husband to get his doctor's to realize how bad his Gout has been. He has never asked for pain medications, but just to get them to take him seriously has been heck!

Because they can't *see* how much pain he is in... well you know.

I am so sorry. I hope they can do something soon

 

[DammitJanet]

Susie....I used the pain patches before they came out with generic so I couldnt even try generic. I became allergic to the name brand after one terrific year of using them. It really upset me to have to give them up because they worked so well. A few years later someone told me that some people are able to tolerate them if they rub on some benedryl gel and let it dry before putting on the patch so the skin has that antihystimine protection. I dont know, never tried it. I may have to try as my pain is getting worse.

 

[Hound dog]

Susie I've only found 1 doctor who actually "got" chronic pain. Frustrating as all get out. And having reactions to medications is no fun. (why would people make that up?) I can't use motrin or ibuprofen......I can't keep them in my stomach long enough to give them a chance to work. I dunno why. Just the way it is. Yet everytime I'm in pain I seem to find docs who want to try to "work with those" first before handing me a script for a real pain medication. grrr

I know there are people out there abusing the medications, but to automatically assume from the get go that every patient is a pain medication abuser is just plain wrong. And that's what most docs do these days.

Janet's suggestion sounds like it might help. The adhesives on patches of any sort get me everytime......eventually. Some are faster than others.

(((hugs)))

 

[susiestar]

Thanks to all!

My ins co will not cover any part of a brand name where a generic EXISTS - no matter if it works for you or not. but at least I have insurance.

I did FINE on the other generic. But the ins co now wants us to only use the pharmacy they own, so.....

I will try the benadryl gel. I will pick it up today to see if that works. wonder why the doctor didn't suggest it to me?

I wouldn't dread the pain doctor so much if I hadn't had such horrible treatment by the 2 I have seen. 1 is in my town and is the one who wrote "drug addict" in big letters on the inside and outside of the chart after speaking to me for less than 10 minutes. the other did my spinal epidural shot before the surgery and I had the horrible headache for 2 weeks from it. His staff INSISTED it was just a migraine, and would not even go talk to him about it. Same staff that 2 yrs prior told me I didn't have enough of a history of pain to qualify to see them. 20 years of records is just not enough time, I guess. Hopefully 25 yrs still won't be and they will send me to a real doctor!

Anyway, thanks for the support. I will let you know how the endocrine doctor goes.

 

[hearts and roses]

I hope this new doctor can help you and I hope that you are able to work within the parameters of your insurance company to find the medication that works. It stinks that your doctor can't override that stupid rule to only use generic. I had an awful reaction to the generic that the mail place sent me. Now I can get the name brand, but I have to pay nearly triple for it. Bites.

Sending continued supportive hugs~

 

[Star*]

Susie*

I think you should report the doctor to the AMA that wrote drug addict on your file. WHAT a boob. Personally I think I would have written a few choice words of my own with one of those broad sharpie/grocery style markers for his viewing pleasure.

With all you have going on - do you think there is anyway you could do accupuncture? I feel so bad for you to know that what did help is now causing another problem. I did talk to the 'friend' that works for the compounding pharmacy - and she said I should just give you the pharmacy name and number - (gosh thanks I could have done THAT). So I'll PM you with the information.

Do you think you could tolerate methadone? There's a lot of stigma surrounding this medicine, but without it DF couldn't have any pain free days. He still hurts - but it's just less pain.

I think the benedryl gel is a neat idea - I had no idea they made that.

Hugs for your day and your boo booos and your pain and just for you!

Star

 

[susiestar]

Well, I am back from the docs. I managed to tolerate the day in the "big city" ONLY because I spent quite a few hours at a library where I could rest on my side with my legs outstretched to let my hip bones quit hurting.

I had a decent appointment with the endocrine doctor. He left the room with-phone call from another doctor right after he came in. The resident he is working with was there. I started on HIM about the lab test I have been asking for for the last 9 months. Resident said it would be a VERY good idea, esp because we only get mitochondria from our mothers (the test is for antimitochondrial antibodies). We had a nice talk about the Vit D problem, what might be causing it, and then the doctor came in.

doctor agreed to do the test and then I wouldn't let him leave until he WROTE IT DOWN on the orders. The last 2 times I saw the rheumy he was going to order it and left the room to write things down and forgot. So I had the blood drawn and will get results in about 2 weeks. They are also doing more thyroid testing (he is doing it every 3 months) and Vit D levels.

No more shots until I hear back from the doctor. PLEASE PRAY my Vit D levels have come up and are where they need to be. If they are we may try oral Vit D to see if it will work with some Vit D in my system. If they are not up enough then we will do more shots.

Star, I would appreciate the pharmacy info. I have no problem trying methadone. I just have to get someone to rx it. Rheumy won't at this point. We tried short acting morphine, but it wasn't very helpful and then they put me on the fentanyl patches. They are AMAZING when they work. I don't think methadone deserves the stigma. It can be incredibly useful for pain relief. I have some info on a pain forum if you or DF would like it. They have VERY helpful info and are working to help get laws passed to keep chronic pain patients from being treated like addicts the way many docs treat them. One thing they explained was if you have to suddenly go off of the pain medication you can use loperamide to help prevent the withdrawal. It acts on the same receptors and can help provide relief to the worst of the withdrawal symptoms usually. Yup, immodium is good for more than one thing. They explain all the science behind it very effectively.

I didn't get the benadryl gel because it all has camphor. I do have eyedrops that are for allergies. I think I will see if that will work before I do a lot of searching for a product that doesn't have the camphor (I am VERY allergic to camphor.).

I did manage to go and get some cross stitch stuff from the specialty store I love and to go get Jessie's contacts. It was NOT fun to get a call at 8am that Jessie needed new contacts because she ripped hers and forgot to tell me last month that she didn't have any more pairs to put in when she got this pair out.

Jess gets an eye exam next week as her prescription expires tomorrow. I will get her more contacts then. ! pair SHOULD last a month, knock on wood and cross my fingers!

Thanks for all the helpful info and prayers.

 

[gcvmom]

No advice, just wanted to say I'm sorry you are having to deal with so much pain and frustration. It's just not right the pain docs should give you the runaround like that.

 

[ML]

I hope your Vit D levels are back up and that these practicing jerks will start listening to you. Let me know about the Vit D.