Pdoc Advocacy not working to get Pain Med

The purpose of this... Well I guess I'm just venting.

I take methadone (an opioid) for something called Central Pain Syndrome (which started after an emergency surgery on my cervical spine due to extreme spinal cord compression back in 2007). I've been on Methadone from 2 years after that (after trying many other meds) up until now.

I saw my pdoc first (in the state where I just moved). I told her that having that utter agonizing pain greatly affected my mood. She offered to talk to my PCP to advocate for me to get the medication here because of how it affects my mood. She also said that here it's hard to get PCP's to prescribe opioids.

But I didn't have a chance to tell them (the PCP) that. I had dropped off my chart from CA, they saw I had been taking Methadone, called me, and told me they wouldn't treat me. That I had to see a pain specialist, get established with him/her first and that 'this could take months.' I asked, so, if I were to get sick, say a bad stomach ache or something, they won't treat me there? NO!!:

So I called a Pain Clinic at the local hospital and talked with the new patient coordinator. They need the last couple of visits (from CA) in my chart. Since I have my whole chart with me, I'll drop off the last few visits to them on Monday.

I'm livid!! They wouldn't even give me a chance to explain myself. My pdoc knew my PCP and said she'd call her, if I'd like, to let her know how not taking the Methadone (and the pain coming back) could seriously affect my mood. I couldn't show them the evaluation at the Stanford pain clinic saying I could continue to take the methadone. They just looked at the chart, saw the methadone (even though it showed I had been taking it responsibly and the dose had never been increased) and said "NO."

My previous pdoc in CA also wrote in her referral that I had been taking it 'responsibly' and I didn't get the opportunity to show that to them either.

The thing is, I was told (if they'll take me after seeing my chart) that it will take a couple of weeks to get an appointment at the pain clinic. I will run out of methadone before then (though I have a little extra that might help, but I don't know if it will be enough until I can get an appointment).

So there's the one pdoc who's willing to advocate for me over the phone, another pdoc who advocated for me via a referral letter, a referral from Stanford in CA saying I could continue to take methadone, but I didn't even get the chance to tell them, to show these things to them. The doctors (PCP's) wouldn't talk to me, it was all about taking Methadone and, according to the secretary, them not wanting to "be responsible for me."

The thing is, you can't stop this medication abruptly (aside from the agonizing pain that would ensue); it can and will cause terrible withdrawal. Someone has to prescribe it at the very least so I don't go into withdrawal.

I feel like because of a few (or many) bad apples, the rest of us have to fight tooth and nail to get the medications that work for us. And it does work, after the 5 medications I tried previously didn't. And methadone doesn't produce a 'high' like other opioids can and therefore is not so addictive in that way.

Has anyone else had trouble getting this type of medication, even with advocacy on the part of their pdocs's, or even other docs? I find it reprehensible that they won't even treat me for regular PCP things, they just dropped me like a hot potato without ever seeing me in the first place.

Sorry this is so long and thanks for reading!

I'm so sorry they are treating you that way! It is unfortunate that some people who legitimately need opioids have such trouble getting them. And you're right, you can't just quit taking it! Methadone withdrawal is horrible. I watched my husband withdraw off opioids several times and he was a wreck. Resorted to buying suboxone off the street when he couldn't get in touch with his addiction pdoc. My husband was addicted though, mentally as well as physically.

I am torn on this issue because I think doctors (at least in NJ) are too free with opioids. At least my husband's doctor was. But then there are people like you who really need them.

I hope you are able to get a prescription before it runs out.

I had to go to several urgent cares to get my psych meds when I first moved down. If you go with your records to urgent care they may help.

Ahhhh...I really feel for you. This sudden prejudice against pain meds and benzos is very frustrating for those of us who do not abuse them, but genuinely need the meds.

It is a case of a few spoiling the whole barrel. It's 1 person out of 5 that turn into addicts, that means 4 out of 5 do not. I'm lucky my spine surgery went well and I was able to quit the narcotics. If I hadn't I'd be in the same place you are now cause I moved and they are very prejudiced against pain meds even though I never abused them. One of the first things my new PCP said was I don't take people on pain meds! Meaning even if I had a pain specilist all lined up he wouldn't accept me. Best of luck getting this resolved before you run out of meds. Maybe emphasis that besides the physical withdrawal the withdrawal can also trigger a mood episode.

Sorry you're not able to get the meds immediately. I'd also suggest you go to an urgent care, they may be able to help tide you over until you see the pain specialist.

Unfortunately there are those who have ruined it for the others (there is a whole community in my province on methadone because a doctor was prescribing oxicodone left right and centre).

Are there such a thing as 'methadone clinics' there? These a primarily for those with addiction issues but it occurs to me they ought to be able to help those who need pain management too.

They don't refuse pain meds and benzos(!) because they genuinely care about the welfare of their (nonabusing) patients. They just don't want to take any chance at all of besmirching their records since they have to report it. I think that's just cowardly.

I'm sorry this is happening to you.

I need both benzos and morphine. I'm not abusing meds. My PCP is retiring soon and... I'm very nervous about getting a new PCP.

I wish I had an answer for you.


WC

Thanks for the advice, but I don't know about Urgent Care --I'm afraid of being seen as a 'drug seeker,' which could make things worse. Though maybe what I'll do is ask the pain doctor's office what I should do if I run out... I don't know anymore.

I suspect there's a Methadone clinic around here somewhere, but I think you need a referral from a doctor for that kind of clinic and my understanding is that for addicts they prescribe really high doses, for everyone, and I take a low dose...

YES, that's true!!!

I think it's a good idea to ask the pain doctor about this.

WC

You can thank the DEA.