lawsuit?

[arrington]

I am addicted to opiates....any and all. I always accept responsibilty for my own actions and I guess this should be no different.  But, I feel torn. When I met my fiance, I had NO CLUE about his opiate addiction. Well, he had been clean for a year or so. He said he was taking "oxy" and up to eating 40 vicodin a day. Mind you, I was floored. I took some tylenol 3 when I had wisdom teeth removed, never even finished the bottle and could not understand how anyone could snort an oxycontin, eat it...much less each 40 vics a day. I was trying to help hi maintain his sobrety. At one point, he had gotten some OC's. I was livid. Through his ways, he convinced me to take one (so i could see it was "no big deal). I did. I dont know why i did....but, i did.  ONe pill lead to another pill which led to another pill. Next thing I know he ends up telling me he use to actually do Heroin.  Shoot it up. That made me want to kill him because i felt that was gross. I havent done H, but am now addicted to opiates.  What's messed up is, I really do have pain.  My regualr dr was giving me pills.....he referred me to a clinic to get some checks done on my back.....and at that time, i really wasnt an addict i dont think.  They gave me vicodin which i didnt want because they dont do anything for me but make it hard to sleep.  But, i took the script.  I also got injection in my neck and back and followed everything to a T.  However, during this time i became addicted, i think, more and more to opiates.  To be honest, I did take the vics even tho i hate them and they didnt work. At one point tho i went back to oxys on my own because truthfully it was the only pill that made me feel better all day.  But, as u know,  u cant do that at a PM clinic.  I got tested. I failed. I got booted. Fine. Well, not fine...but fine.  However, what really annoys me is this:  The discharge letter from the Pm place said that they were sending this info to my family dr since he was the referring dr.  This dr is a friend of my dad's.  I know privacy laws, blah blah.  But, we all know a dr can tell a friend something on the side and nobody would know, except my dad. Not to mention, I have gone to this dr for like 15 years and i am embarrassed. I feel like I neeeded to take the oxy because the vics didnt work and i told the dr that. But, i know it isnt about what i feel.  And yes i did try talking to my dr about it. I almost feel like im addicted to the pills because the back pain i have is just oo much to bear. I know i shouldnt have taken the Oc, but again, I did.  My question is this: (one of many)  Does a PM dr have the right to send my discharge paperwork to my family dr. Or, is this against the Hippa Laws? I am so mad. Of course i am mad i got booted and need help and have no clue what to do now....BUT, im mad because i know the dr will tell my dad.  And, i cant have that. I dont want my family knowing.  Do  i have any course of a lawsuit? What do i do? I want to talk to my fam dr but im embarrassed becasue i feel like he wont understand and he will look at me as a dope addict.  I never dr shopped, ever. Never.

[avisg]

If you signed the hippa form then yes for the sake of your health they can exchange info .

[corey411]

Hey Arrington, Sounds like my Mom. She won't take Tylenol unless she is in agony. When my dad passed the doctor gave her 2.5 mg valium and she took 1 and threw the rest out because she thinks that if she takes any addictive drug she will instantly get addicted. Funny, as I wrote this I was kinda making fun of her but boy, I wish I woulda thought like that.  This addiction has been more painful than anything I ever needed meds for. I never told my mom about my addiction either. It would make her feel bad as I have had alot of things happen in my life and my mother is very protective of me as I am of her. My hope for you is that you don't get close to that line where you get pulled over and can't get back. It is a big concern that you are reaching for stronger meds that arent even being prescribed for you and you know that you are chasing the high as well as needing them for pain. These are real bad signs that you are becoming addicted. Can you talk to your PCP? He is definitly NOT allowed to tell your family anything. This is the law and he is very aware of HIPPA regs. He will hopefully want to help you more than do damage by telling your family. I would tell him up front not to tell my family just to let him know you want your information to remain private. Good luck to you. There is no such thing as "some addiction" It is progressive and will get worse and you will not be able to stop it even if you want to. I hope that you will stick around and read some posts. None of us thought this could possibly happen. We come from all walks of life and it will not discriminate. Stopping now....and getting help if you can't will make your life so totally different. Be careful my friend. Don't think you can control these pills once they start making you want them. I really just want a happy life for you. God bless, Corey

[tommm70]

A doctor may NOT share information unless you have given them written permission.

[arrington]

I am over 18.  You just have to know my family......about drugs. Even something that is prescribed like Vicodin....let alone an oxycontin.  They are freaks about that stuff. My mom barely takes a tylenol and thinks people are weak that need medicine.  My dad is basically the same way ( dont get me wrong, if they need meds for their hearts and things like that then ok fine......but NOT pain killers) PLUS its just the way it  "looks"  do u  know what i mean. I am NOT at all embarrassed that I need pain killers ... or rather that i hurt.  Not at all. I believe in meds. ANd yeah i am sure their is some addiction too.  

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

A Doctor may share information regarding treatment with another physician. However; if you are under the age of 18 and he tells your father anything about your treatment he may be disciplined. And you may sue for breach privacy concerning disclosure of private health matters.   Beware that if you chose to sue you will need someone to testify that they heard him divulge this information ..... a second hand testimony is hearsay and wont float at all.

[corey411]

If you are over 18 your doctor cannot share information with anyone that you have not given written consent. Like if  someone has medical power of attorney. When you sign the HIPPA papers you are giving permission for your medical information to be shared with other medical professionals and the clerical workers that will be directly involved in yor medical care and have a need to know for your treatment. These are Federal guidelines and do not vary from state to state. The PM center can send the info to your PCP but if your PCP tells your family he will be violating your right to confidentiality.

If you are only planning to take these meds for the pain in your back then why wouldn't you want your PCP to know anyway? If I had a chronic back pain and needed Vicodin I would not hide it from my family. They should know that you can be addicted from taking it. I realize that your saying that the oxys were just a passing thing but I bet not. I't sounds like you are totally addicted, Opiates are shown to not work for chroniic pain. They stop working and you keep needing more pills then stronger pills. When many of us stopped our opiate use pain that we had actually let up. When you detox, your pain gets magnified but then it lessens or just goes away.

There are other options, Neurontin, Lyrica to name a few. I would have an honest and serious talk with your PCP and come clean. Tell him you are starting to want these pills for the way they make you feel.

Keep posting and reading these threads. Opiate addiction will take you to he!! and you will not be able to stop taking them. Addiction is progressive. It keeps getting worse and the longer that you find reasons to let it go, the harder it will be to get your life back. I wish you the best and really hope that you concider alternatives for your pain and take hold of your life. God bless, Corey

[arrington]

k thanks i PM u  back

[tomskat]

check your inbox...I left you a message.Anne

[keeponkeepingon333]

sorry to hear your upset.  Actually when you sign hippa agreements, you are consenting to info being shared w/ other people that take an active role in your care.  probs nothing u can do.

[arrington]

and yes of course i know i need to get off the pills.  but i really dont think i can right now based on my back pain. unless there is something else out there to help me...which to date i havent found.  

in the beginning, when i was in pain, i felt like nobody wanted to help me. so, in a way, when i took the first OC, and i had no pain, i thought awwweee thats it! i should go on those!  apparently, though, those are infact widely abused and dr's are reluctant, around here, to give u anything other than it seems freaking motrin.