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Avatar universal

please answere this soon as its happening in 12 hours

Ok, so I ran in some trouble for "doctor shopping" court date is in a few months, well I have fibromyalgia and frequent kidney stones, I'm in trouble BC I went to the ER and urgent care too much, actually one of my charges is tramadol and none of them is higher than lortab 5 mg and even that isn't something I got alot, I don't think I'm addicted as I have legit medical problems and kidney stones REQUIRE an ER visit, well I am goin out of state to a neurologist in the morning over my fibromyalgia, my question is can I get in more legal trouble for going out of state? Like even though I NEED a neurologist? And if they give me meds for it can I get in trouble? Or should I just not fill any meds they give? Or not go? I'm on Medicaid and I can't find any docs in my area to accept Medicaid, not a neurologist anyway... I'm only going 2 hours away my city is right at the state line so its closer to go to the other state than travel 4 or more hours deeper into my own state and even at that I haven't been able to locate any Medicaid neurologist.. I know this is for addiction help but, I googled and couldn't for the life of me get an answer. I can't just skip out on my overall health just BC I'm in trouble I still have too look out for my well being and I'm not positive that fibro is my only issue as I'm having severe symptoms of a number of things... I have a lawyer so maybe I can get out of trouble considering I haven't literally "doctor shopped" my PCP doesn't even write narcotics unless absolutely necessary. I don't get multiple scripts from multiple docs, I just go to the ER alot and they DO write pain meds everytime only because kidney stones kind of require them, the hurt so bad I can't imagine ANYONE being able to "deal" with it but who knows maybe I'm a whiny baby? But should I go or not BC I have kids and my kids matter more to me then my own health (they are the only thing is let myself be sick over) but they need their mom around.. Also am I likely to go to jail I've these charges? Its 4 counts of "fraudulent" obtaining prescriptions they told me its fraud BC I didn't tell the ER that *the last ER doc I seen wrote me yaddayaddayadda* I didn't tell them BC I though they kept records of what their doctors wrote. Oh and one count was BC I had surgery and ran out if my pain meds n went to the ER and when they asked my current meds I said none BC I ran out and the nurse didn't specify on my record I said I ran out so the officer said the ER didn't know about that prescription but I mean, I just had surgery so common sense says they'd give me meds it was tubal location and taking a cyst out. Sorry this is long I'm just worried. If I was/am addicted I wanna get clean but I just don't think I am.
18 Responses
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Avatar universal
I have had 6 kidney stones and I know the excruciating pain it is, there is no way a non narcotic pain med can deal with that level of pain, so I totally get where you're coming from with that. But you have to admit that your behavior and actions are those of an addict. I don't say this to be nasty, we all are addicts here so we know. We also know how hard that can be to hear let alone admit to ourselves.  If you are having legal action taken against you, you have a problem. I would not go out of state, that just makes you look like you are trying to beat the system and get away with something, I had that very thought when I ran out of doctors in my area that would give me pills. My parents live in Wisconsin and I in Illinois and I went to an ER up there in desperation, during my month long rock bottom. This was out of sheer desperation. I work with insurances and I know there has to be someone closer than 4 hours away for you to see, even with public aid. Is it just you ran out of doctors to see in your area?  It kind of sounds like it. Again, I'm not trying to be nasty, just the contrary i can feel your desperation for pills....I remember this desperation. Please do yourself a favor and be honest with yourself if  not for yourself than for your kids. You need to go to court and be honest and humble....you need help, let someone help you.
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
Copy then paste your post into your own thread.  Top right of the page is an orange "post a question" button.  That's where you want to be.  It's better to start your own thread.  Once you do that, the mods can delete your reply on this thread (and mine).

Welcome!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have another question regrding dr. shopping. I see my neurologist every three months, all presciptions are totally needed. I have a lot of problems, pinched nerve in my neck and lower back spine desease, nerve damage due to broken ribs from when I fell down the stairs, broke both my wrist and shoulder. Both break  requringI surgery I hae constant pain even with my meds. .( I have a 7" plate in my wrist and also a7" steel rod in my shoulder) Now getting to the point I went to see my PC because I had a bad case of bronchotis(sp). When I went back to follow up (she knows what meds I take)I mentioned that I was out of my percocet and she could tell I was in pain.So she gave me a script for a lower dose of what I usually take, I actually asked her if this was consider dr. shopping and she never really gave me a good answer, She did tell (I live in NY) that there will be a new computer system installed with al dr's officers and they will br able to check if anyone looking for pain meds has been dr. shopping. I am sorry if this is not the right place to post this but i saw dr. shopping mentioned so I thought I would post here. Do you think I will have a problem and be considered a dr. shopper. I have only done this once. I am a going to my neur. next week and plan on telling about the script from the other dr. Thanks in advance for any info. And again sorry if I posted in the wrong place  
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
EXCELLENT post from everyone, but I especially agree with everything marycarmel said above!  Absolutely!  Hope you really read the posts and do some soul searching, because you're not being honest with yourself.  You were drug seeking IMO.  There's just no way that many "misunderstandings" happen, and if you have chronic conditions, they shouldn't be treated in the ER anyway, not that frequently.  Like mary said, you have doctors you should have been seeing.  Going to various ERs for pain meds is the oldest gig in the books for an addict.

I'm not judging you, but I think your whole situation will have a MUCH more positive outcome if you stop kidding yourself about what you were doing.  Like mary said, take this as a gift...use it to get well...to learn more about addiction.  Addiction doesn't go away.

Best of luck to you!
Helpful - 0
1855076 tn?1337115303
You are in a tough spot.  What has been said about the legal system is sometimes true.  Prosecutors are looking for convictions and they don't much care about the circumstances.  Sometimes you can get lucky with court appointed defense attorneys but sometimes they're inept.  You should call your attorney about whether or not to keep the appointment with the out-of-state neurologist. (I worked in court for years.)

I'm sorry to say that from an outside perspective it sounds like you are deep in your addiction.  That doesn't mean you don't have legitimate pain.  You can be an addict and have fibro or migraines or anything else.  Kidney stones definitely hurt and most people need meds to get through it.  (Though my daughter had them 2 years ago and just took ibuprofen.)

It's your behavior that's screaming addict.  Chronic kidney stones should be treated by a urologist.  If you think they're moving, you would call your urologist and he should tell you when or if to go to the ER.  If you see a pain doctor, you need to tell him about the kidney stones and talk about whether they want to handle your kidney stones or if they want the urologist to treat them.

Fibro can be a tough disease but narcotics are not the best way to treat it.  Meds like Cymbalta' Lyrica or Neurontin are more effective for that type of pain.  I've had fibro for over 13 years and personally found diet and exercise is best for fibro type pain.

I agree with the others who've said you don't just stop being an addict.  That doesn't mean you have to suffer with pain.  It means you have to work with your pain doctor. Aybe it means giving someone your pills to give them to you as prescribed.  Maybe it means your doctor gives you a script once a week and you have to do random pill counts and urine tests.  Almost all doctors involved in pain management makes you sign a contract.  I had nine surgeries and had to tell mypain doctor ahead of time.  My pain doctor would contact my surgeon and my pain doctor would take care of any postop medications.

I feel very badly for you because you really sound like you're trying to justify for your behavior and it definitely sounds like you need to be seeing a psychiatrist for anxiety and/or depression.  To me it sounds like you are self medicating.  Anxiety and xepression are real illnesses that need treatment.  You sayyou.have two daughters and the youngest is two.  Maybe you.re dealing with postpartum depression.

You are very young to have high tolerances to pain pills.  If you keep going like you are you may find yourself needing pain relief in the not too distant future and find they cannot cover your pain because your tolerance is too high.

You need to get very honest with yourself and your attorney and your doctors.  Turn this into the biggest gift you will ever get.  It is very unlikely you would have to serve any time if you have no record.  You vey likely will have to either go to a detox, attend meetings, give random urine samples.  You may be given probation, which if you violate, you will serve time.  You could be given a suspended sentence, which is similar.  It would look better for you if you started treatment or meetings before the judge tells you to.  

These are serious charges.  Yoou need to get control of your life back now.
Helpful - 0
511409 tn?1373395178
As someone who is NO stranger to legal troubles, I strongly suggest you speak to your lawyer. If you're on Medicare, I'm guessing you have a court appointed counsel. Now, these pricks HAVE to take these cases in order to practice in the county they work.  You... YOU better get off you're *** and learn as much about the state laws where you live and press that attorney to do his job. They just want you to take whatever plea the prosecution comes at you with. IT IS OPEN SEASON ON ADDICTS! Especially ones who doctor shop. You have to understand, prosecutors couldn't give a rat's *** about right and wrong. All they care about is conviction rates. So you need to make you're case something he/she doesn't want to take on. Go see you're PCP and get him to write you up documentation of you're diagnosis. Then go to the ER' s, clinics or wherever you've been and try to get the same. The goal here is to make their case UN-winnable. And for God's sake DO NOT CROSS STATE LINES FOR MORE MEDS!! If you do, you're looking at a Fed case. ******** you can't find a neurologist in you're state. It may be a longer drive, but if u cross state lines, you're ASKING for the full wrath of a monster you DON'T wanna deal with. Sorry if I seem like I'm being a prick. But you're screwing with a bull. And I'm trying to save you from getting the horns. Good luck. And get some second opinions.

O... And yeah. You're an addict. It *****, but if you Don't come to terms with it. It's gonna land you somewhere you REALLY don't wanna be.
Dan
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I didn't take to get high but my tolerance is high BC of the fact that I have the stones and I was getting IV dilaudid alot in the other state at the ER... I def was an active addict at that time definitely the amount of meds I took shoud have hurt me or made me sick but they didn't n I just wanted to be numb not high but numb I wanted my emotions numbed my physical pain numbed. I know I have depression I don't know why I'm depressed I have 2 amazing perfect healthy girls and one of them is still a baby almost 2 years old but my life isn't bad and I know that, I have no clue what is wrong with me I felt happy when I had meds I felt normal and when I didn't I felt like a dead weight I couldn't do simple things like cleaning, I'm not like that anymore I still feel dread alot but I do stuff and I realize my life is good and I'm able to find joy in feeling my girls love for me but for some reason I still feel dread, and I have soooo many fears  the dark, death, spiders, nights. The list goes on. I think my actions and thoughts are ignorant yet I can stop thinking them if that makes sense.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
No I haven't I tried suboxone once like I went to the sub clinic once but I didn't go back I felt dirty going there? I don't know what I am anymore.. I'm not on ssri meds or benzodiazepines if that's what you mean I've tried both ssri meds make me I'll and benzodiazepines make me feel angry after I take them and I get shouty and curse the people I love klonopin is the worst benzo with making me mean
Helpful - 0
1235186 tn?1656987798
Hun yes going to the ER once a week is definitely hypochondriac behavior.
You should see a therapist  and go back to the psychiatrist. Do you take medication for depression?
"You used to be an addict?" I am sorry but you don't stop being an addict. You are either in recovery or active addiction. I would certainly seem that you are drug seeking.
Depression and/ or anxiety can cause you to "feel" sick and think that something is wrong with your physically when in reality it is a mental issue.
Have you attended na or aa to help prevent relapse?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I don't see my PCP for my stones he don't have a scanner and I wouldn't take meds unless I was 100 percent sure I had a legit reason BC , I worry that I AM making the pain up I mean sometimes I go to the ER and the stones r only in my kidneys n not my ureter so they can't hurt I think I'm a hypochondriac (sad to admit) but is it worth having something serious n not know it? I had 2 surgies on kidney stones as well BC they got stuck in my ureter and I was becoming septic and could have died the urologist came in and did emergency surgery so I know how serious it can get which pushes me to run to the ER at any sign of pain. I will say about 2 years ago I was ADDICTED I lived in another state and the doctor I had at the time pushed pills like no other but I moved back to my home state (where I am now) and my family helped me get clean, but this isn't the same thing at that time I couldn't function without a pill any pill but now I can I'm not on meds everyday or every week even. Back then I was on 10 mg lortab and I went thru 180 in about 2 weeks and when I tried to get more the doctor dropped me as a patient but, as I said in better now I know I am BC I know that feeling and I don't have that feeling. My now PCP has written pain meds 1 time at the very beginning he wrote 30 lortab 5 mg and told me he wanted it to last a LONG time at least a few months and only take 1 if I HAD to and told me to try not to go to the ER. I didn't say I don't go alot. I do go alot I go once a week now not necessarily drug seeking I go even if I know I won't get meds BC I sincerely believe something BAD is wrong with me and they are missing it, I don't know why but every day I feel like I'm dying, I literally manage my time around if I was to die everyday I have this feeling of doom I can't shake ever since I was a teenager I used to say I wouldn't live to be 20 I'm 23 now so the feelings are worst but, I'm sick ALL the time in anemic I bleed alot when I had my kids I almost bled out, I hurt constantly I throw up all the time (not by choice) I'm bigger do doctors don't believe that I throw up alot they tell me I look fine, I get migraine (I only went to the ER one time over the migraines BC they treated me like I was retarded) I've been to a psychiatrist I have depression but that's all, and I just don't think its normal to feel like this. I think my body is telling me I'm sick really sick.
Helpful - 0
3197167 tn?1348968606
You can always go see the neurologist that accepts medacaid for a check up and diagnosis.  You don't HAVE to fill a prescription from this dr.
That's a choice you can make without entering into the dilemma of "filling a script" out of state.

If you are really honest with yourself.....and you think you are going to this specialist to actually get meds that you don't feel you can get where you live because you are feeling desperate....that puts a whole different light on it.

Any dr. that knows you have kidney stones and are in pain because you are passing them will help you.  If you are seeing your PCP for your stones and say this PCP will prescribe a narcotic "if necessary" then something doesn't add up.

Even if you didn't go to multiple drs and get multiple scripts...you obviously have been to the ER multiple times and are not forthcoming.  Otherwise, they wouldn't be taking action against you.

You said it is only common sense that you would have been on pain meds post surgery....but yet when asked you said "none".....that's what they wrote down.  I'd encourage you to get really honest with yourself....as an addict, I can talk myself into believing anything I want to believe.  You can't be honest with others, if you aren't able to be honest with yourself.

I hope you get all this resolved....and are able to look at thru new glasses somehow.  Legal troubles can be a big red flag to save us from more problems down the line.
Wishing the best~
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I told the receptionist my fibromyalgia diagnosis and she thought I should get an appointment just to be safe and proceeded to tell me that if it is just fibromyalgia then I wouldn't have to go there but once and then I could just go back to my rheumy and if its more serious then I would become a patient but now I doubt I'll go BC its not worth my kids seeing mommy go to jail, I think my charges are simply a misunderstanding at the ER and don't understand how something so innocent get turned into such a terrible situation. I've NEVER been in legal trouble I don't do illegal drugs I don't even drink.
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Avatar universal
I have a rheumatologist who says my migraine and nausea is fibromyalgia BC I have all the symptoms of fibromyalgia but I think my migraines r a bit more serious, cancer runs in my family. My PCP is more of a homeopathic doctor he thinks the right combo of vitamins and exercise heals everything my grandmother sees the same PCP and has breast cancer and she's is treated the same as me only diff vitamins she has a cancer doc tho who treats that.when I take meds I take as prescribed. My kidney stones show up on my ct scans, when I pass them they go away but as of now I have 4 or 5 in each kidney so they don't cause pain BC when they r in the kidneys they don't hurt, its when they drop into the ureter they cause pain, the most excruciating pain I've ever felt in my life hurts more than child birth.
Helpful - 0
1235186 tn?1656987798
a tumor? you said you were going about your fibromyalgia.
if the ER suspected a tumor they would certainly do testing. you don't need a specialist to diagnosis a tumor.
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1235186 tn?1656987798
" If I was/am addicted I wanna get clean but I just don't think I am."

do you take the scripts as prescribed?

' my PCP doesn't even write narcotics unless absolutely necessary'
if your doctor doesn't write you scripts for narcotics then it would seem that he doesn't think you need them.
who diagnosed you with fibromyalgia?
did you get a ct scan or a ultrasound of your kidneys? do you have the stones still?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well, damn i don't know what to do anymore I think I have a tumor and this is my only chance to check it, BC the ER won't check BC I need a specialist and I'd rather find out I don't have one then not know and die from it.  :(
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4341997 tn?1514588688
i agree with above poster..since it's a diff state and diff doctors it might look even worse for your case....sorry you are going thru all this.
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1235186 tn?1656987798
yes that would be doctor shopping going to another state. I wouldn't go.
Helpful - 0
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