[Seaswept]

I'm sorry this is long.

So my back has been bothering me. I called my Dr.s office to see if he could call in some pain meds. The secretary called back and said that I needed to make an appointment- this was a week ago.
Turned out I never made it in. So I called again on Wednesday and asked if he could just call in like 10 and I'd come see him next week.
Secretary called me back and again said you'd have to come in . I said calmly- " Did you ask him if he could just call in a few?" and she said No, Dr. G. is not that kind of Dr. He won' t just call in 6 if its any type of narcotic. "I replied, well I've been going to him for 15 years and he knows I have chronic pain" (meaning that's why I asked him to just call in a few)- I didn't say that, but that's what I meant and he has done it in the past, just not recently.
She said " He will call you in a muscle relaxant or an anti-inflammatory, so I said muscle relaxant.

A little while after the Dr. called (I missed the call) and left a voicemail- saying that he was told I was upset and in fact I used "choice language" to his front office staff.

I swear I wasn't upset and DID NOT lose my temper. I wasn't even snotty- I knew what the answer might be but thought I'd try anyway.
So anyways, he went on to say he will never call those type meds in EVER and told me I have to stop asking, If you need something stronger you have to make an appointment. Sorry you have to pay a co-pay thats just the way it is. You need to control your temper, its perfectly fine by me if you want to find another dr., I called in the Flexeril, GOODBYE slam.

Now, I really like this Dr. he has always been patient with me and sweet and has gone out of his way to help me but this message shocked me . The office staff lied or he just said that to get rid of me..? I was so upset, I called the office back sayin I needed to talk to him about the message he left and mid-sentence I started crying. When I got of the phone, I was balling my eyes out for a 1/2 an hour. I felt so hurt and rejected. It was awful.
He never called back again.

Now I don't know whether to call and make an appointment and explain my side of the story or find a new DR.

Help. Please.

[Victoria'smom]

I would make an appointment, get your records and find a new Dr. You want to see your records first to know they didn't put "drug seeking" or something like that in your records. So check your records, talk to current dr. and scheduled an appointment with a new doctor. There's no harm in interviewing other dr.'s. I'm sorry this happened.

it aint long at all

...never be sorry for what you feel

[BlackPup]

sounds very upsetting. I'm sure there was a mixup with what the office staff said to him. See what he says when you see him next. It would be a shame to lose an otherwise good doctor over a miscommunication.

[bluemountains]

James

Does your pdoc have a dr. he can recommend? This way, it might be easier to fill in a new dr. about your mental health.
I think the thing that puts me off about your dr.'s call, James, is that he was willing to leave a message of dismissal without talking directly to you. What happened to the hyppocratic oath and all that?
Meanwhile, are you still in pain? I understand the dr.'s position on narcotics, but there must be something that can be done to help you.
Many well wishes!
Bluemountains

[Seaswept]

Omg the threads on this forum move sooo fast!

Thank you mm, dm Black Pup and bluemountains for responding.

I made an appointment for Thursday. My husband is really busy at work but will try to come with me for moral support. I am nervous.

When I go I will let the medical assistant (they always ask, to fill the doc in a 2nd? time) know that I'm there not only for pain meds but also to talk with him about the message he left on my voicemail.

Blue- I agree with you and didn't even think of it til you mentioned it- hyppocratic oath. Also, that was a violation of hippa laws- what if it was a shared phone.

So I will see how it goes, present my side of the story and ask him, as my pcp, to refer me to a pain specialist. If he does not give me a chance I will find a new doc.

I don't need this ****.

Thanks again!!

[Seaswept]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

I would make an appointment, get your records and find a new Dr. You want to see your records first to know they didn't put "drug seeking" or something like that in your records. So check your records, talk to current dr. and scheduled an appointment with a new doctor. There's no harm in interviewing other dr.'s. I'm sorry this happened.

What do I do next, if the records do say "drug seeking"?

[Seaswept]

So I just talked with my therapist about this.

She gave me some tips on how to stay grounded while meeting with him.
She also advised me to be pleasant, do not go in with a chip on my shoulder. To tell him it was a misunderstanding, explain my side and don't trash his staff. This is about the message HE left me.

Also to bring my x-rays and mri films. I have had several done, also had surgery for this which did not fix EVERYTHING. The most recent films were from about a year ago.

So, my appointment is tomorrow please wish me luck. I don't want to break down in there.

[faerie_moon_x]

If they have put drug seeking in your chart that would be very, very bad....

I'm glad you have an appointment. It's hard to say what happened but it does sound like the staff member made up some type of story that you were cursing or something. That's not good, but maybe you going in and explaining things might help. (Maybe it will be the first tiny red flag if this staff member suddenly has issues with other long time patients, if you know what I mean....)

Doctors can be spooked about these types of meds. Where I work, a doctor was actually caught in a sting operation and arrested about 4 years ago. Ever since, all of the doctors in the organization are timid about this stuff. So perhaps he got audited or something and it spooked him.

[Seaswept]

Thank you Dark Heart.

When you say drug seeking in my chart would be very very bad does that mean another dr may not take me on?
Yeah I was wondering about maybe an audit too.

I'm starting freak out again about this. ugh.

[faerie_moon_x]

Originally Posted by Seaswept

Thank you Dark Heart.

When you say drug seeking in my chart would be very very bad does that mean another dr may not take me on?
Yeah I was wondering about maybe an audit too.

I'm starting freak out again about this. ugh.

It could mean you might end up black-balled for getting your pain meds if another doctor sees that. Could even end up in an investigation. My mother-in-law has chronic degenerative bone disease and takes pain meds for about 12 years now. It's very, very, very hard to get them. She keeps every shred of documentation proving that she has an illness that requires them.

Even with all of her doctumentation doctors treat her very similarly to how you described.

[hamster-bamster]

Oh, I am so sorry.

[Victoria'smom]

If it says "drug seeking" I would not transfer the record.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

If it says "drug seeking" I would not transfer the record.

Oh, that is so smart. That is right, the record belongs to you and you are not obligated to provide it.

[Seaswept]

I had my appointment today. It went well!! First he explained to me why he could not ever call in meds (which I should know better anyways). Its not only you, he said, its everyone, They are cracking down on any opiates being prescribed- its for my safety and for his. He said a Dr. recently lost his liscence. When we were going over my meds he said this is why too. They have to see the patient and know whats going on with them.. med changes etc. I promised I will never do that ever again.

We talked about the "mis-communication" with staff and he told me she said that I said "that's ********". Of course I never said that and told him I swear on my children's lives I didn't say that." We went over everything in his message and he said I believe you.

He told me he didn't want to lose me as a patient. He spent a good 1/2 hour with me and said he'd like me to consult with my surgeon. He'll make the appointment. Gave me the script I needed and one for Lyrica which of course needs a "prior authorization" from the insurance co.

I feel sooooo much better now, after talking to him!!! What a sigh of relief.

And want to thank you guys again. Your support means so much more than you know!!!

[Seaswept]

...Also I had to call the office on Tues. I made the call from my therapist's office, because I was so nervous about calling them. So I told the Dr. if the office staff said anything about that call ...it was made from her office, on speaker phone, and she was sitting right there.

From now on, when I have to deal with the front desk, I'll do it in person or while in therapy!

[Seaswept]

Please forgive me if this is poor pc etiquette lol but I am bumping this up to the top for purely selfish reasons.
I am just so happy that this worked out!!!

....I will ask this question in the chronic pain forum too...is anyone else here, by any chance, on Lyrica? What has been your experience?

[BipolaRNurse]

I'm happy this worked out so well for you, Seaswept. Ya know, doctors and nurses have bad days too, and while we should NEVER take it out on our patients, we're human and we screw up. So glad that your doc was big enough to own his mistake and explain things to you properly.

[~Christina]

Ahhh Lyrica .. Took it for my Fibro did nothing but then again medications in general don't help it.

Lyrica is pretty expensive. Neurontin is basically the same thing and its about 30.00 a month without insurance.

My friend takes Neurontin for back/nerve pain and shes happy with the results.

Hope you can find something to help Bump all ya want

[Seaswept]

Thank you for the support Bipolarnurse and morethings wrong. I come and go around here and get lazy to post but really do appreciate it!

Sorry Lyrica didn't work More. I haven't even started it yet. I wish I had read up on it before picking it up ..$50 copay and there are so so many side effect warnings-way more than any other drugs I have been on and I have been on a lot!! One of the things about it is thatI am afraid to take it and then have to drive..haven't had a day yet where I didn't have to drive somewhere. I don't have high hopes for it.

I was on Neurontin before and couldn't take the side effects so I'm afraid this will be similar.

Also...I was so happy with what the Dr. told me at the time- that he doesn't want to lose me as a patient... but now I keep thinking ...yeah but do I want to keep you as a Dr. where your front desk staff straight up LIES about me? I know it's a personal decision, guess I just needed to vent.

[~Christina]

Maybe you could get a few days supply self pay , that way you wouldn't hand over 50 bucks if you find you cant tolerate it.

Just a though

[Seaswept]

I already paid the $50 but just didn't take it yet. I wish I could have done that. I should have asked him if he had samples. shoulda, coulda, woulda.

[~Christina]

That's a bummer. The first 4 or 5 days I was so sedated ( I took it at night) I could barely walk , seriously, It did wear off after about a week. Certainly be very careful if you need to drive until you know how it will effect you.

Good luck

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Seaswept

I already paid the $50 but just didn't take it yet. I wish I could have done that. I should have asked him if he had samples. shoulda, coulda, woulda.

Seaswept, are you by any chance depressed? I know that when I started using this vocabulary - should have, could have, would have - I was depressed.

[BlueInanna]

Office staff can be so nasty. It's been about half and half I've found, great staff or mean intimidating staff.

My son's pdoc is great, but his office lady, I cannot stand her snobby attitude. And the fact that she has access to our most personal aspect of mental health information, that makes me want to stop going to him. She really is that bad.

Now my dentist, part of the reason I've gotten over my fear of going to a dentist, is because his office staff is so nice that I walk in and feel safe.

Hope you're feeling better Seaswept.