Moved, Need advice!

[LiloDiscover]

Hello everyone, please bear with me. I just moved to Kansas City, KS from Dayton, OH. I have been prescribed low-dose pain medication for over a year now due to peripheal neuropathy, foraminal stenosis, facet arthopathy and degenerative retrolisthesis. Mind you, I am only 23. I have attempted to get into doctor offices out here, but due to pending insurance, they won't see me yet. I tried free clinics, but you must be a resident with proof, and proof of income. I had received a prescription prior to moving, but it was only for one week. I made it last two weeks, but now I have reached my last couple of pills, and if you all are understandiing and not judgemental, you'll know how absolutely terrifying it is to know the pain to come. I am a mother of a two-year old, so downtime is not an option. I don't know where to go, not receiving any good advice from the free clinics on where to go if you're new around here. Medicaid will be active in thirty days, but that is a very long time when you feel pain. Is the really no way around this?

[scleroderma]

It's been my experience that it is hard to find an understanding doctor much less one that understands pain. I am luck to have a doctor that treats me with respect and is always open to hear my concerns and try new meds for my pain. Unfortunately I have Scleroderma and until being diagnosed I couldnt get one to listen to me. Now its a different story since my diagnoses. Haved you looked in the yellow pages for your area for a pain doctor? I am sorry you are going thru this. I know it is NOT fun to run out of meds and that doctor you went to should know this. Hope things work out for you!

[LiloDiscover]

All rational thinking gone, I hurt so bad that I would love nothing more than to yell my doctor. My records arrived Friday morning, but she never called. Nurse just kept saying "Try again next week." Well, if they had degenerative and extremely painful diseases, they wouldn't want to wait all weekend either. Cannot sleep, can't eat, my son asks to be held and I try but can't even move my arms. The ER is sounding more and more like an option at this point. I hate these medications so much! They are the worst at tricking you into thinking life is normal, and sucking you into being comfortable. Then with no sympathy, they take it all away. My family is sick of hearing me, but my desperation is so overwhelming, I just long for someone to understand, listen and not judge! I feel more alone than ever.

[LiloDiscover]

Yeah, I did not argue with her, for I would do the same. I told her that I respect her and for us to build up a good relationship, I need to be understanding and not have her take potentially license losing risks. I can wait, already hurting, but I have done everything on my part! So just waiting...

[Totie]

I can understand your NEW pcp hesitation for now.

Hopefully you will get the records quickly...

[LiloDiscover]

Doctor finally called, apparently the records from my old PCP had nothing about my diagnosis(s). I had my PM Doctor fax them months before I came into his(my old PCP) office for he strongly said on the phone that he would not give pain relief RX's without records. So what the heck did he prescribe them for 4 months for?
My new doctor had me request my Pain Management records(of which I already did Monday) and said once those arrive, she'll continue my medications. In the meantime, she prescribed me Flexaril 1 2XD, Neurontin 1 2XD, and Naproxen 2 2XD. She ignored the fact that these were medications I started off with in the beginning, and that they didn't work! And Neurontin AND Flexaril send me into a sleep that only ends when the medication wears off. I want to be able to function, not sleep away. Heck, I could knock myself out with Ambien for the next week instead of taking 8 pills a day on top of everything else I take.
Sorry guys, not feeling very optimistic. About to call Pain Management to try and get these records faster.
Geez, I sound so desperate.

[LiloDiscover]

Well, the doctor asked a lot of questions and now knows what is going on with me, but unfortunately, there was a communication error and instead of having my records like they said they did when I called last week, my doctor had.an empty chart. She explained to me that she was uncomfortable doing anything based solely on what I was telling her, without records. While I completely understand why, I was still very frustrated because there is no way I would have kept that appointment without records. If there's one thing I know for sure concerning doctors, they will not do a thing without records! She told me since I had my bottles, she would run a urine screen and when it came back (clean, no drug use), she would write a week worth script and leave it up front so I wouldn't have to pay for another visit. If she received my records by the time the urine results were back, I would get a 28 day prescription. She told me to call around 1:00, yesterday, and she'd inform me of results/progress. Well, I called, spoke with nurses, left two messages and twidled my thumbs. I did not want to seem desperate, but I am so close to it. No one called back. I gave one last try around 4:30, which convienently is when those close. "Go to the ER if it gets to be too much" says MD On Call. Thus is life. Try again today, but how many times can one call before seeming absolutely crazy? Impatient, that I most definitely am, but if I wasn't in pain, she could take all week and I'd leave her be.
Also, she was very concerned with my blood pressure, said it was way too elevated. As with my kidneys? Failed to elaborate. I'm pretty sure your blood pressure goes up with pain, and that short acting opiate withdrawal can affect it as well.
Please send advice on how I should handle my doctor saying one thing, and not doing anything.

[sandee1818]

Just wondering how your appointment went? I hope things went well.

[Tuckamore]

You did do all the right things. It was your former physician that failed you, at least in my opinion.

I spend time between two states. My physician's  "cover"  me for a month when I travel between the states. I am so blessed that they are kind and caring. They understand appointments will take time to make and I may be without meds. I follow their rule to use only one Pharmacy, a national one. This provides them peace of mind that I am not trying to obtain more then they are prescribing. So far it has worked well.

I am glad that you are able to see a PMP. I know the costs are ghastly without insurance... and sometimes even with insurance. Maybe your Medicaid will back date and pick up these costs for you. I would ask.... as you never get anything you don't ask for.

I do wish you luck. Please let us know how the appt went.

~Tuck

[LiloDiscover]

Very appreciative of the advice! I had scheduled an appointment in Kansas City (for a week after I arrived, simply to get established) months before I moved, and had a refill appointment in Dayton a week before moving day, so I had thought everything would go smoothly. Little did I know my doctor would only give me a week of medication because I was moving, I could have been dishonest, but I have made sure to follow all rules, so I would not have felt comfortable lying or not informing him. So instead of a month to get medicaid, I had a week, which was impossible. Avoiding the ER at all costs, and the excruciating pain as well, I have given in to a local PCP and an appointment at $200, not including medications up to $150. I see him tomorrow, and he has my records, so here's crossing my fingers he does what doctors are supposed to do and keep me in good health. I know I mostly expressed my fear of being in pain, but I'm also on heart medication and when those run out, I typically get hospitalized. Wish me luck...

[Tuckamore]

Hello Lilo,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am so sorry to hear about your situation. I do understand the fear that you are experiencing. I've been there. My heart goes out to you!!

I was fortunate to find care for my Chronic Pain when I relocated to another state. However I was also fortunate to have medical insurance coverage. That is your real problem... and I don't know how you can get around it.

Is it possible to contact your former physician or return to that state to obtain a prescription that will get you through until you establish residency? When I relocated I made sure I had a prescription in hand as well as several weeks of medications. I encourage everyone that is relocating to do their homework. I even called ahead to local physicians before I moved... looking for care and coverage. We Chronic Pain patients find relocation much more complicated then the average person. We're almost prisoners.

I was prepared to return home for care if I was unable to find appropriate pain management. So that's the best suggestion I can give you. A PCP in your area may have better suggestions. Is it possible to consult one? They make take payments.

An ER will probably not help you. If you experience withdrawals and severe pain it may be your only choice... but I don't want to give you false hope. I have learned here that most ERs do not provide prescriptions for Chronic Pain patients. Even in my very patient friendly state you would not obtain more then a few days of opiates and even that would depend on the individual ER Physician and/or the facility that they practice.

I am hopeful that our members will have better suggestions. Please let us know how you are doing. What we can offer you is support. I wish you the very best and hope you will keep in touch.

Take Care,
~Tuck