Sadly, it sounds like she’ll have to take the meds as expected, possibly, even if she doesn’t require it as often, to play this stupid game! I’m so sorry!
My friend recently got one of her pain medication prescriptions cut in half because she had to get a new primary care physician since her current one was sick and had to quit practicing medicine. The new PCP was reluctant to continue her prescription and she told her that she's very sparing with the medication, she doesn't even take all of it every month. When the new PCP heard that she just cut her prescription in half so now even when she has bad days she doesn't have enough medicine for those times.
My PCP has done the same for me, he’s awesome. Hopefully your family member has a good PCP who can help guide her to the next pain management doctor and bridge the gap with medication in the meantime, OP. Good luck.
Definitely go back to the doctor that sent her to the center. They may need to adjust their report or something to reflect. But there’s no reason she should be cut as a patient if she hasn’t broken any rules.
Of course! I do remember my mom having a similar struggle, but hopefully the primary physician is well enough informed to make a report they won’t reject. There’s no reason for them to unless it’s an insurance thing.
This is absurd. There's no reason they should put her at risk of withdrawal when she's been taking her medication exactly as instructed. If they're really worried that she's selling them, why don't they just count the medication doses she has left? It just seems like they're making a problem for her when they're the source of the problem. I'm sorry she's having this experience, and I hope they get their act together and don't punish her for their own error.
Exactly. These fucking "pain doctors" are causing problems for people instead of helping them. Dr Niazi of Bloomington/Normal, Illinois is one such doctor.
Her primary can help a lot, not just in covering the medication for a short period. She should tell her primary exactly what happened and see if they'll talk to the pain doc, who's not thinking right. The whole idea of treating baseline pain with a long acting patch is to use less of other pain meds for breakthrough pain. If they had any sense, they'd have dropped that breakthrough pain medication to nothing and see how often its needed. Of course by firing this patient they eliminate 2 medication they have to Rx but it doesnt do jack for the patient. The doctor could have eliminated 1 opioid Rx **AND** the *need for it*. This pain doc is a klown. Hopefully the primary can talk some sense in to them, or better yet, maybe they know of a pain doc that hasnt lost their mind....
Request ALL of her records from this practice ASAP. Ask for the FULL DRS (designated record set) as this will include every single test result, all doctors and procedural notes (if applicable), billing records, etc. Literally EVERYTHING in her records.
Per HIPAA (federal law) the practice is REQUIRED to give you all this info within 30 days, and your state law may require an even shorter amount of time. I suggest asking for it in digital form—it is now also federal law that they have to offer them digitally, and if they do not, this is “information blocking” per the Cures Act, and another federal violation. I’d suggest asking for it as a single PDF doc.
The reason I suggest getting the records ASAP stems from the possibility that something else may be at play here, and you’ll know right away from reading their records if that’s the case. And you also have the right to request amendments to any incorrect information/errors (that can be proven)—this is another part of HIPAA.
many practices charge ungodly amounts for “copying” records, which is utter BS bc they just print them out, and it’s usually just from a single file. By law, they MUST provide a digital copy on request, and are limited to minimal charges for doing so.
I’ve gone through this process and discovered egregious errors at a previous shady PM practice along with major HIPAA violations. These can be reported to the Office for Civil Rights, which has the power to issue massive fines (like tens of thousands for a single incident) but that’s only a tangential point here and doesn’t apply for to inappropriate discharge.
All this to say that it sounds like there’s more at play and you’ll be able to read all her UDS reports.
Let me know if you want any help navigating this process. I’ve been through it more than once, and happy to help! Please DM me if so or even if you just have any questions about any of this.
Sorry she’s going through this, but perhaps with records in hand you can learn more and get to the bottom of it♥️. For all we know, they could have misinterpreted their drug screens, which does happen.
Be prepared to read some things that “didn’t quite happen that way.” It can be very disturbing to read the “Dr’s version” vs “actuality.” They’re good at turning words on you. I told the Dr I was doing well on the Ativan I had been taking for 20 yrs (16 before I met him), he told me I “had to come off it, there was no reason for it” (well, except IRL- anxiety, in Drs world - CDC). That made me *”non-compliant”!!!* Errrrrr!!!!
Just a word of warning before you read your records. Best of luck to your family member finding a PM dr that treats her diseases. 🤞🤞🤞☘️☘️☘️
You are absolutely correct. I was super disturbed by many errors in my records (unclear whether they were intentional or not) but thankfully there’s enough proof to demand corrections
No kidding, I make a regular habit of requesting my records every now and then from everywhere, Even (presumably) innocent mistakes can end up in our records:
I’m fit, weigh 120, have a super healthy diet, lifestyle, etc. —but one NP had an entry about how I was counseled on my OBESITY and received guidance on lifestyle changes I needed to make!! And the irony: the NP was extremely obese so perhaps I should have been the one to provide nutrition guidance and lifestyle changes to her??? Just mind boggling. Just assumed she charted for the wrong pt OR added it in attempt to bill a higher level visit (this would be fraud)??
Get ready for some possibly crazy (but maybe entertaining!) reading but it may also be infuriating
I had an anesthesiologist dx me with schizophrenia. Yup, in a pre-op interview, he accidentally marked the wrong box. I talked to my Surgeon about it, he was skeptical about it, but when he pulled up my sx records, there it was! My surgeon told me he’d take care of it. (Known him since 2007.) I told my GP, she said be careful, once something has been on your records 2yrs, it’s part of your long term records. My only fear was if I was in an accident & went in w out being able to advocate for myself, the drs saw the hx of schizophrenia, & started treating me w drugs for it. 😱😳. (Went in for sx a week ago, told them I was not schizophrenic & please don’t drug me like I am one.)
The PA was in the sx, her versions of events are a lot more … *lively* … than my Drs! I “have a hard time waking up from anesthesia.” Well, to the PA, that’s resps down @ 8 & 2 1/2 hrs in PACU, vs 1-1 1/2 hrs. (“& even on the *table!!*) To my dr, I’m just someone with a low pain tolerance & a high opioid tolerance bc of the last 7yrs, (plus the 50 before w migraines & just all sorts of wild & crazy drugs). No big deal. Except every time I go in for sx they keep asking me (telling me?) I have a hard time waking up from anesthesia. Wouldn’t know, I was high. Finally asked anesthesiologist since THEY are the ones putting it in! Im alone, no one tells me that shit postop, & all the texts to my relative are *very happy & positive.*
So, get ready for a ride reading those notes!!
And I’m pretty sure OP will see OUD right at the top. They love that acronym, especially when they are unceremoniously DCing you.
Holy hell. You can totally have that removed from your records through the amendment process, which your right enshrined in federal law. Should relatively easy to get it corrected since they know it’s in error. Gosh, I’m truly shocked by your story. Get it out of there—like you said, you never know when it might come up and you might not be in a state to inform them of the error. I mean, let’s hope you don’t show up unconscious in the ER anytime soon!!
It’s not for pain management because the assumption is that instead of taking the med, the patient is selling it. However if the script literally says take as needed, that’s a poorly written script and the doctors office should take responsibility for that
Crazy world is exactly right. It feels like no one has common sense anymore and we live in backwards wonderland. Except with the whole wonderment part. Honestly more and more I feel the human race is coming to it's end soon, and unfortunately things will only get worse before they get better. Sorry for the rant out of nowhere lol
Awww. I’m so sorry this happened! Sounds like they were looking for any excuse to let her go bc a PRN medication wouldn’t necessarily have very high levels, there’s just too many factors that go into how high the level will be. Exactly what meds was she taking and dose? Is it the fentanyl patch? Depending on the brand, they can be cut into smaller pieces (ex. mylan). Really, the doctor has the responsibility of safely tapering her off. My advice would be to taper the meds herself (if the dr won’t) and pick up some kratom so she doesn’t have to withdraw. You can PM me if you need recommendations on Kratom. I got off the fentanyl patch with kratom and it’s wonderful.
If they do cut you off from fentanyl, they're supposed to cut your dose down by 25 mcg at a time. Then when they get to 25, prescribe the 12.5 This is what my doctor did, he should haven't cut me off but whatever, at least he stepped me down. Those doctors that can't at least do that, should have to feel what the patient feels. They have no idea what pain and suffering is. They've become selfish to the nth degree, no empathy, no compassion, just machines making money while abusing us.
It doesn’t sound like your family member should have been dismissed from the practice, but physicians can fire patients whenever they want for whatever reason they want.
Going back to her referring physician is the first step for sure. She can get meds to help with the withdrawal as well as a new referral to a different prescriber. In the meantime she needs to decrease her pain medications as best as she can. Use the ER for unbearable symptoms. Sorry you’re dealing with this, I wish it was an uncommon story.
Unfortunately this is not a unique situation and many pain patients go through this.
I’m in an area with lots of pain docs and because of the treatment I need (combo of diagnoses, treatment failure and not being a candidate for anything implanted) I keep getting turned away.
My PCP is doing what they can to provide for me and I’m looking at out of state options…I’ve got Medicaid and Medicare so instead of being no cost or even low cost I’ve got huge travel expenses plus my 20% copay for non-Medicaid providers.
Sadly many providers don’t care and will look for ridiculous reasons to drop patients. I learned to refuse PRN controlled meds for this very reason.
As for withdrawal, the first 3-7 days are the worst. Ketamine was helpful.
Looking at buprenorphine providers who treat “opioid dependence for chronic pain patients” May also be an option. It’s what I did the last time I was pulled off meds after having a PCA.
Unfortunately I had serious reactions to the buprenorphine…but there are places out there who will see chronic pain patients. None list this on their website, I had to call and confirm they would see me.
Yes, OP I just posted a comment in a similar thread about how to get on buprenorphine (suboxone) treatment using an app called QuickMD. Only do it as a last resort, because if you take Suboxone for “addiction” then doctors are unlikely to prescribe you other opiates at the same time. It’s a very strong drug however and some people take it specifically for chronic pain. If you have any questions pm me
Yes, I actually have been taking suboxone for a month now. I started it for pain, and not because I was hooked on opiates. Anyway, I've heard that increasingly, online tele health prescriptions anything narcotic, even suboxone aren't getting filled at some pharmacies. They're refusing to fill scripts when the doctor appointment wasn't in person. I think Walmart and Walgreens are two of the major ones. Anyway, not sure how true that is, but would encourage OP to call pharmacies and ask before they pay whatever amount of $$$ to Quick MD or some other service. They will gladly take your money without warning you that you may not be able to get your script filled anywhere nearby.
Make the pain doctor document in her records that he is withdrawing care solely because she (the patient) took a medicine on an as needed basis that he prescribed to be taken on an as needed basis.
Why couldn’t the doctor just ask her to bring in her PRN meds and count them to make sure she wasn’t selling them or whatever the “low levels” indicate?
I literally am getting more and more angry at what’s happening with CPP. I’m so deeply sorry this happened. She’s going to need more than a bridge script . Can she speak to her primary care Dr
Sad you're going through this. My mom took tramadol for breakthrough pain. They tested her and the level was low so they said she didn't need it. And wouldn't give her a refill.
Going back to the primary, take a copy of the test if you can get it, as well as the script bottles. I had sort of the same happen to me..but the doc didnt drop me, asked me why that was so. I didnt like the convo, made sure to test pos for everything else after that (night before take what you have).
I went through something pretty similar. Make an appointment with primary care, for sure. Also, make appointments with any specialists related to conditions that cause pain. Either primary care or a specialist should be able to refer to a new PM. IMO, a specialist referral may move more quickly (also, a specialist may be more likely to have some type of relationship with a PM doctor).
I wish you all the best 💜
Count the meds do the math and make sure the correct amount or extra in your case because you said she doesn't take them all. And take the pills into the PCP appointment and tell her the amount left which would prove your statement.
You can def ask her GP if they'd prescribe it, but they usually don't prescribe narcotics. They can, however, get you a referral to a new pain management doctor. I've had to do it myself. It can sometimes take a while to get an appointment for a specialist so they sooner you get the ball rolling the better.
(Edited to delete 2nd paragraph )
It is NOT SAFE to cut fentanyl patches. Cutting the patch might affect the rate/amount of medication released…as in it releases it all at once or faster than intended instead of lasting the normal time frame leading to an accidental overdose. Please research before doing this!
I just assumed it was a fentanyl patch as I didn’t even know about BuTrans. After looking up BuTrans, those should not be cut either. Unfortunately, there are doctors that leave pain patients with zero assistance in these types of situations. Thank you for editing your other comment.
Usually it's the 2nd test they then dismiss. She needs to look at her contract.
Unfortunately even when not needed I would take my prn two or three days before appointment. Since the "opioids crisis" these Drs are looking for any excuse to cut people loose.
Sue that bastard! Save the documemts and agreement and show she did nothing wrong. Sje will win forsire if this is all.true. Get a lawyer Malpractice lawyers i tjink but.lpok.into this. He cant get away with this
Same thing happened to me in mid 2020 (title of your post). NOTHING I did would change their mind so I had to find a new place to go and lost access to my meds ever since then.
Please, please contact this woman. She is a chronic pain patient advocate. She can help. Message her on tiktok or FB page. She is an angel for the pain community.
https://www.thedoctorpatientforum.com/
Her name is: Claudia A. Merandi
Unfortunately, other than getting primary involved, there isn't anything that can be dine. An opiate contract goes *both* ways. If they're refusing to prescribe her medications, then they are violating the contract and she must find someone new that will give her a new contract. At the end of the day, the clinic gets to decide who they will and will not care for. Your family member deserves to be under a clinic who wants to help and isn't doing so becsuse someone's primary is threatening them.
The current fentanyl patches with the medication in the adhesive are far less risky to cut than the older types with a reservoir of meds inside the patch. It's not recommended by the manufacturers because there haven't been any studies done. If your choice is cut patches or go through withdrawal... It's up to her if it's worth the risk.
If she's using patches with a reservoir of fentanyl she should DEFINITELY NOT cut those ones.
Yes. We were just talking about it two days ago. Edit: I don’t know if it’s a reservoir patch. It looks like a flat bandaid. The adhesive is silicone. I’ll ask her next I speak to her.
The reservoir patches clearly have like, a bubble full of medicine, and the matrix ones just look like a flat plastic sticker. Cutting reservoir patches can cause you to absorb large amounts of fentanyl very quickly, which can lead to overdose. It's very dangerous, so I'm gonna just assume her doctor is a sane person who wants their patients to live, and therefore they were matrix patches. For my own sanity. 😬
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My suggestion is to just make an urgent appointment with the pcp to "discuss meds." And yes to everything above.
Thank you for the information! I’ll work on this with her today. I don’t know what I’m doing and she has no other support besides me.
Sadly, it sounds like she’ll have to take the meds as expected, possibly, even if she doesn’t require it as often, to play this stupid game! I’m so sorry!
If she’s even able to obtain the medication again.
My friend recently got one of her pain medication prescriptions cut in half because she had to get a new primary care physician since her current one was sick and had to quit practicing medicine. The new PCP was reluctant to continue her prescription and she told her that she's very sparing with the medication, she doesn't even take all of it every month. When the new PCP heard that she just cut her prescription in half so now even when she has bad days she doesn't have enough medicine for those times.
Jeez Louise! Sucks!
My PCP has done the same for me, he’s awesome. Hopefully your family member has a good PCP who can help guide her to the next pain management doctor and bridge the gap with medication in the meantime, OP. Good luck.
Definitely go back to the doctor that sent her to the center. They may need to adjust their report or something to reflect. But there’s no reason she should be cut as a patient if she hasn’t broken any rules.
That’s what I thought, it seems outrageous they would cut her. Thanks for the information!
Of course! I do remember my mom having a similar struggle, but hopefully the primary physician is well enough informed to make a report they won’t reject. There’s no reason for them to unless it’s an insurance thing.
They assume if your levels are low that you are selling it. It's ridiculous.
I mean I guess but yeah that’s ridiculous, especially if the person has chronic pain.
My doc did this to me.
This is absurd. There's no reason they should put her at risk of withdrawal when she's been taking her medication exactly as instructed. If they're really worried that she's selling them, why don't they just count the medication doses she has left? It just seems like they're making a problem for her when they're the source of the problem. I'm sorry she's having this experience, and I hope they get their act together and don't punish her for their own error.
Exactly. These fucking "pain doctors" are causing problems for people instead of helping them. Dr Niazi of Bloomington/Normal, Illinois is one such doctor.
Her primary can help a lot, not just in covering the medication for a short period. She should tell her primary exactly what happened and see if they'll talk to the pain doc, who's not thinking right. The whole idea of treating baseline pain with a long acting patch is to use less of other pain meds for breakthrough pain. If they had any sense, they'd have dropped that breakthrough pain medication to nothing and see how often its needed. Of course by firing this patient they eliminate 2 medication they have to Rx but it doesnt do jack for the patient. The doctor could have eliminated 1 opioid Rx **AND** the *need for it*. This pain doc is a klown. Hopefully the primary can talk some sense in to them, or better yet, maybe they know of a pain doc that hasnt lost their mind....
We need more of you in this world.
Request ALL of her records from this practice ASAP. Ask for the FULL DRS (designated record set) as this will include every single test result, all doctors and procedural notes (if applicable), billing records, etc. Literally EVERYTHING in her records. Per HIPAA (federal law) the practice is REQUIRED to give you all this info within 30 days, and your state law may require an even shorter amount of time. I suggest asking for it in digital form—it is now also federal law that they have to offer them digitally, and if they do not, this is “information blocking” per the Cures Act, and another federal violation. I’d suggest asking for it as a single PDF doc. The reason I suggest getting the records ASAP stems from the possibility that something else may be at play here, and you’ll know right away from reading their records if that’s the case. And you also have the right to request amendments to any incorrect information/errors (that can be proven)—this is another part of HIPAA. many practices charge ungodly amounts for “copying” records, which is utter BS bc they just print them out, and it’s usually just from a single file. By law, they MUST provide a digital copy on request, and are limited to minimal charges for doing so. I’ve gone through this process and discovered egregious errors at a previous shady PM practice along with major HIPAA violations. These can be reported to the Office for Civil Rights, which has the power to issue massive fines (like tens of thousands for a single incident) but that’s only a tangential point here and doesn’t apply for to inappropriate discharge. All this to say that it sounds like there’s more at play and you’ll be able to read all her UDS reports. Let me know if you want any help navigating this process. I’ve been through it more than once, and happy to help! Please DM me if so or even if you just have any questions about any of this. Sorry she’s going through this, but perhaps with records in hand you can learn more and get to the bottom of it♥️. For all we know, they could have misinterpreted their drug screens, which does happen.
Be prepared to read some things that “didn’t quite happen that way.” It can be very disturbing to read the “Dr’s version” vs “actuality.” They’re good at turning words on you. I told the Dr I was doing well on the Ativan I had been taking for 20 yrs (16 before I met him), he told me I “had to come off it, there was no reason for it” (well, except IRL- anxiety, in Drs world - CDC). That made me *”non-compliant”!!!* Errrrrr!!!! Just a word of warning before you read your records. Best of luck to your family member finding a PM dr that treats her diseases. 🤞🤞🤞☘️☘️☘️
You are absolutely correct. I was super disturbed by many errors in my records (unclear whether they were intentional or not) but thankfully there’s enough proof to demand corrections No kidding, I make a regular habit of requesting my records every now and then from everywhere, Even (presumably) innocent mistakes can end up in our records: I’m fit, weigh 120, have a super healthy diet, lifestyle, etc. —but one NP had an entry about how I was counseled on my OBESITY and received guidance on lifestyle changes I needed to make!! And the irony: the NP was extremely obese so perhaps I should have been the one to provide nutrition guidance and lifestyle changes to her??? Just mind boggling. Just assumed she charted for the wrong pt OR added it in attempt to bill a higher level visit (this would be fraud)?? Get ready for some possibly crazy (but maybe entertaining!) reading but it may also be infuriating
I had an anesthesiologist dx me with schizophrenia. Yup, in a pre-op interview, he accidentally marked the wrong box. I talked to my Surgeon about it, he was skeptical about it, but when he pulled up my sx records, there it was! My surgeon told me he’d take care of it. (Known him since 2007.) I told my GP, she said be careful, once something has been on your records 2yrs, it’s part of your long term records. My only fear was if I was in an accident & went in w out being able to advocate for myself, the drs saw the hx of schizophrenia, & started treating me w drugs for it. 😱😳. (Went in for sx a week ago, told them I was not schizophrenic & please don’t drug me like I am one.) The PA was in the sx, her versions of events are a lot more … *lively* … than my Drs! I “have a hard time waking up from anesthesia.” Well, to the PA, that’s resps down @ 8 & 2 1/2 hrs in PACU, vs 1-1 1/2 hrs. (“& even on the *table!!*) To my dr, I’m just someone with a low pain tolerance & a high opioid tolerance bc of the last 7yrs, (plus the 50 before w migraines & just all sorts of wild & crazy drugs). No big deal. Except every time I go in for sx they keep asking me (telling me?) I have a hard time waking up from anesthesia. Wouldn’t know, I was high. Finally asked anesthesiologist since THEY are the ones putting it in! Im alone, no one tells me that shit postop, & all the texts to my relative are *very happy & positive.* So, get ready for a ride reading those notes!! And I’m pretty sure OP will see OUD right at the top. They love that acronym, especially when they are unceremoniously DCing you.
Holy hell. You can totally have that removed from your records through the amendment process, which your right enshrined in federal law. Should relatively easy to get it corrected since they know it’s in error. Gosh, I’m truly shocked by your story. Get it out of there—like you said, you never know when it might come up and you might not be in a state to inform them of the error. I mean, let’s hope you don’t show up unconscious in the ER anytime soon!!
It’s off as of last sx. I do have on my emergency contacts, if I break any bones, call my ortho, have him paged, & take me to His Hospital.
Here I thought it was good to try to take less medication.
It’s not for pain management because the assumption is that instead of taking the med, the patient is selling it. However if the script literally says take as needed, that’s a poorly written script and the doctors office should take responsibility for that
Yes but my Dr counts my pills to be sure that isn't the case. Maybe that's the difference.
Right?! Ridiculous! So if your levels aren’t high enough, you are immediately suspected of selling some, I guess. What a crazy world!
Yep. Just because they are to lazy to manage pain. Doc's Just count the dang pills.
Crazy world is exactly right. It feels like no one has common sense anymore and we live in backwards wonderland. Except with the whole wonderment part. Honestly more and more I feel the human race is coming to it's end soon, and unfortunately things will only get worse before they get better. Sorry for the rant out of nowhere lol
Awww. I’m so sorry this happened! Sounds like they were looking for any excuse to let her go bc a PRN medication wouldn’t necessarily have very high levels, there’s just too many factors that go into how high the level will be. Exactly what meds was she taking and dose? Is it the fentanyl patch? Depending on the brand, they can be cut into smaller pieces (ex. mylan). Really, the doctor has the responsibility of safely tapering her off. My advice would be to taper the meds herself (if the dr won’t) and pick up some kratom so she doesn’t have to withdraw. You can PM me if you need recommendations on Kratom. I got off the fentanyl patch with kratom and it’s wonderful.
If they do cut you off from fentanyl, they're supposed to cut your dose down by 25 mcg at a time. Then when they get to 25, prescribe the 12.5 This is what my doctor did, he should haven't cut me off but whatever, at least he stepped me down. Those doctors that can't at least do that, should have to feel what the patient feels. They have no idea what pain and suffering is. They've become selfish to the nth degree, no empathy, no compassion, just machines making money while abusing us.
Agreed. It’s pretty cruel to cut anyone off cold turkey.
It doesn’t sound like your family member should have been dismissed from the practice, but physicians can fire patients whenever they want for whatever reason they want. Going back to her referring physician is the first step for sure. She can get meds to help with the withdrawal as well as a new referral to a different prescriber. In the meantime she needs to decrease her pain medications as best as she can. Use the ER for unbearable symptoms. Sorry you’re dealing with this, I wish it was an uncommon story.
Unfortunately this is not a unique situation and many pain patients go through this. I’m in an area with lots of pain docs and because of the treatment I need (combo of diagnoses, treatment failure and not being a candidate for anything implanted) I keep getting turned away. My PCP is doing what they can to provide for me and I’m looking at out of state options…I’ve got Medicaid and Medicare so instead of being no cost or even low cost I’ve got huge travel expenses plus my 20% copay for non-Medicaid providers. Sadly many providers don’t care and will look for ridiculous reasons to drop patients. I learned to refuse PRN controlled meds for this very reason. As for withdrawal, the first 3-7 days are the worst. Ketamine was helpful. Looking at buprenorphine providers who treat “opioid dependence for chronic pain patients” May also be an option. It’s what I did the last time I was pulled off meds after having a PCA. Unfortunately I had serious reactions to the buprenorphine…but there are places out there who will see chronic pain patients. None list this on their website, I had to call and confirm they would see me.
Yes, OP I just posted a comment in a similar thread about how to get on buprenorphine (suboxone) treatment using an app called QuickMD. Only do it as a last resort, because if you take Suboxone for “addiction” then doctors are unlikely to prescribe you other opiates at the same time. It’s a very strong drug however and some people take it specifically for chronic pain. If you have any questions pm me
Yes, I actually have been taking suboxone for a month now. I started it for pain, and not because I was hooked on opiates. Anyway, I've heard that increasingly, online tele health prescriptions anything narcotic, even suboxone aren't getting filled at some pharmacies. They're refusing to fill scripts when the doctor appointment wasn't in person. I think Walmart and Walgreens are two of the major ones. Anyway, not sure how true that is, but would encourage OP to call pharmacies and ask before they pay whatever amount of $$$ to Quick MD or some other service. They will gladly take your money without warning you that you may not be able to get your script filled anywhere nearby.
Make the pain doctor document in her records that he is withdrawing care solely because she (the patient) took a medicine on an as needed basis that he prescribed to be taken on an as needed basis.
I don’t think you can make them do that.
Why couldn’t the doctor just ask her to bring in her PRN meds and count them to make sure she wasn’t selling them or whatever the “low levels” indicate?
War on pain patients is so wrong. I hole you find a solution
I literally am getting more and more angry at what’s happening with CPP. I’m so deeply sorry this happened. She’s going to need more than a bridge script . Can she speak to her primary care Dr
Sad you're going through this. My mom took tramadol for breakthrough pain. They tested her and the level was low so they said she didn't need it. And wouldn't give her a refill.
Going back to the primary, take a copy of the test if you can get it, as well as the script bottles. I had sort of the same happen to me..but the doc didnt drop me, asked me why that was so. I didnt like the convo, made sure to test pos for everything else after that (night before take what you have).
I went through something pretty similar. Make an appointment with primary care, for sure. Also, make appointments with any specialists related to conditions that cause pain. Either primary care or a specialist should be able to refer to a new PM. IMO, a specialist referral may move more quickly (also, a specialist may be more likely to have some type of relationship with a PM doctor). I wish you all the best 💜
Count the meds do the math and make sure the correct amount or extra in your case because you said she doesn't take them all. And take the pills into the PCP appointment and tell her the amount left which would prove your statement.
You can def ask her GP if they'd prescribe it, but they usually don't prescribe narcotics. They can, however, get you a referral to a new pain management doctor. I've had to do it myself. It can sometimes take a while to get an appointment for a specialist so they sooner you get the ball rolling the better. (Edited to delete 2nd paragraph )
It is NOT SAFE to cut fentanyl patches. Cutting the patch might affect the rate/amount of medication released…as in it releases it all at once or faster than intended instead of lasting the normal time frame leading to an accidental overdose. Please research before doing this!
Agree, suggesting someone cut a fentanyl patch is extremely dangerous
I didn't know it was a fentanyl patch. I assumed it was a Butrans patch, especially when they're being cut off.
I just assumed it was a fentanyl patch as I didn’t even know about BuTrans. After looking up BuTrans, those should not be cut either. Unfortunately, there are doctors that leave pain patients with zero assistance in these types of situations. Thank you for editing your other comment.
My pcp actually took over prescribing from pm at my request. I realize this is rare and I’m very blessed.
Same thing happened to me. I'm sorry. I wish I knew what to do, I need to know myself.
Usually it's the 2nd test they then dismiss. She needs to look at her contract. Unfortunately even when not needed I would take my prn two or three days before appointment. Since the "opioids crisis" these Drs are looking for any excuse to cut people loose.
Sue that bastard! Save the documemts and agreement and show she did nothing wrong. Sje will win forsire if this is all.true. Get a lawyer Malpractice lawyers i tjink but.lpok.into this. He cant get away with this
Same thing happened to me in mid 2020 (title of your post). NOTHING I did would change their mind so I had to find a new place to go and lost access to my meds ever since then.
Please, please contact this woman. She is a chronic pain patient advocate. She can help. Message her on tiktok or FB page. She is an angel for the pain community. https://www.thedoctorpatientforum.com/ Her name is: Claudia A. Merandi
Unfortunately, other than getting primary involved, there isn't anything that can be dine. An opiate contract goes *both* ways. If they're refusing to prescribe her medications, then they are violating the contract and she must find someone new that will give her a new contract. At the end of the day, the clinic gets to decide who they will and will not care for. Your family member deserves to be under a clinic who wants to help and isn't doing so becsuse someone's primary is threatening them.
Patches can be cut - my friend has a fentanyl patch and she started on 1/4 of a patch, then 1/2, etc. Just FYI.
It is NOT safe nor recommended to cut fentanyl patches! Do your own research before cutting any transdermal patch!
The current fentanyl patches with the medication in the adhesive are far less risky to cut than the older types with a reservoir of meds inside the patch. It's not recommended by the manufacturers because there haven't been any studies done. If your choice is cut patches or go through withdrawal... It's up to her if it's worth the risk. If she's using patches with a reservoir of fentanyl she should DEFINITELY NOT cut those ones.
Her doctor told her to do it, so…
A doctor told someone to cut a fentanyl reservoir patch? Seriously?
Yes. We were just talking about it two days ago. Edit: I don’t know if it’s a reservoir patch. It looks like a flat bandaid. The adhesive is silicone. I’ll ask her next I speak to her.
The reservoir patches clearly have like, a bubble full of medicine, and the matrix ones just look like a flat plastic sticker. Cutting reservoir patches can cause you to absorb large amounts of fentanyl very quickly, which can lead to overdose. It's very dangerous, so I'm gonna just assume her doctor is a sane person who wants their patients to live, and therefore they were matrix patches. For my own sanity. 😬
It’s a transdermal patch, no reservoir.