Need opinion on my ex-pain management doctor

[AnonDH56]

I have had back problems since '84, I was 28, and had one surgery that helped with a herniated disc problem. Then in 2001 I had a recurrence so had surgery again after extensive tests, 8 months, lots of thought. Ended up a surgeon did the wrong disk. I ended up on,... "75ug/hr Duragesic every two days plus two Actiq 800ug per day plus 2-10mg vicodin generic at night, from all that down to just the 2-10mg vicodin a day." plus I was getting depomedrol injections every three months or so. My insurance wouldnt get me a doctor close to where i lived, there were none, until last year (2007) so I got my records and a referal for one only an hour away instead of two. For one thing this doctor I had, gatz, they never monitored my vitals as anyone on this many meds should be. Never weighed me, took my pulse, blood pressure, visits often lasted under 3 minutes with him after the two hour drive. The new docs I tried to hookup with gladly took my $75 copay then would not take my case. This despite me telling him I would go onto whatever protocol of meds he thoguth was proper given his education. Didnt matter, he just flat out would not take me. So then I had to pay a sleasy clinic $200 to get scripts for only some of what my body was used to and I was no longer getting injections. Then I found the closest doctor possible, not in their list, took days of research to locate and he appeared to be very good, WRONG. Again, he took the copay but not my case. Even worse he wouldnt even answer my pleas for a referral to an alternative solutuion, even to a Methadone clinic, etc. etc. He completely ignored me excepting that they thought the copay was only $50 so I am hounded each month with a bill only and next month they threaten collections. Now I am a 100% legitimate pain management patient and I could have died from his neglect. I went thru terrrible symproms of withdrawal since no one ever would write scripts after that for the Actiq 800's that are very strong and work. After spending close to a grand I got myself down to 20 mg of Vicodin a day by mself thru titration but it will be gone soon and I have so much pain now I can not work full time or barely part time and my profession is fixing computers. Just standing stationary compresses something in my back to the point that my legs go numb in 5 mins, then tingly then horrific pain and I have to be helped down. I can have days I am visually normal and hence a video of me doing my laundry and stretching in a yogo and taichi class to ease my pain, it so freaked out my lawyer that I had warned of this scenario a dozen times, she said we have to settle and forget the $750 grand suit. I got $18K out of the $80K she had me settle on, a disaster! The insurance company that paid for two surgeries since one was done on the wrong disc got some $25K back for that and my lawyer, Lytal Reiter,... in West Palm Beach, they were up to 40%, yada yada and I have $18 thousand left (had). That was two years ago and it is almost all spent on this insurance I finally had to cancel at $700/month and I had to move back in with my mom who suffers a similar condition caused by Post Polio Syndrome. At least I am helping her out now widowed. Before I cancelled my insurance I called around some seven doctors asking if they would take me so I didnt waste anymore $75 copays and the answer was usually "most likely not but come in...". I outlined the above once before from a different angle and took the advise to start applying for a disability but i have heard so many stories of people even worse off than me that never get their disablitiy that I am not optimistic. I am thinking maybe a lawfirm would take my case against the insurance company and these doctors that wouldnt take me but I am not too smart when it comes to legal matters. I was never one to sue for just anything but at the rate things are going I will be homeless or worse in a year or two. What opinions does everyone have out there? I contribute regularly to others questions so now I am asking what you can suggest for me. Thanks and good luck to the rest of you.
DH

[AnonDH56]

Good stuff and though I cant email you I hope you get this. I will just give you the answer I gave the last person. Now I am told by BinderandBinder that I can not make ONE CENT in order to qualify plus read what I wrote her please and thanks. I want to work, I want a partial thing to get me so I can but I guess to sensible for the goverment to realize. I hope you fair well somehow.

Shaley Girl
"Thanks for your reply. Yes, I learned of them and called and know all their rules. It is not looking good though. First off, if I work even ten minutes I cant qualify, 2nd it takes 8 months usually to get a TURN DOWN, then they kick in and fight. #3-I have to get some doctor to write a letter that says I am incapable of ANY WORK, who is giong to do that. I am working now typing. The woman in there commercails is standing up right smiling and seems fine yet that is there cover for their ads. Then if they (gov) gives in Binder gets 25% which I think is fair, and the gov pays for the time you waited and the rest of the year. I think that is all the money Binder gets their hands on so the next year it is all yours. It is #3 I doubt I can achieve unless there are just some doctors out there that for a price would write such a note. I dont want full disability, I want to get care so I can work. This all or nothing is Stupid IMHO. So since I am broke and in dept it turns out I should forget SSA and go with Medicaid. I will pursue that soon. Thank you again.

[HiddenPain]

But nobody wins the first time and it helps to have a representative . Mine was very helpful but worked for a firm that is smaller . I am so messed up now I cant remember there name but you really need one to get you through all the hoops . It helps so much if you have a work history showing how you tried to work and kept failing falling under the $800 a month and hourly maximums . I am so mental now from years of chronic pain with treatment that led to chronic illness I cant regurgitate the facts but they will help you and by law the payments they take are set by Social Security . Just do it and make sure you file tax forms even if you dont have too to substantiate things . I know its hard for self employed . I am 50 years old and live on my Moms back porch now myself . I get SSD that covers medicare and leaves me $500 a month to survive its unreal how people insult you for taking it too like you would choose that over working if you could .

[HiddenPain]

Talk to Binder and Binder ..do it now but be prepared with tax forms on your income . You need to get on disabillity its sad Pain is not a disabillity either . Now if trying to be nomral breaks you down to tears , your behavior isnt normal like you dont even try to work  which happens then you qualify for being crazy but need professionals which are in psychiatry and psycology ...very expensive visits to document you and they want follow up for life . I tell people never , never settle on medical becuase the system here is so expensive and corrupt they will take a sick person and bleed them of all their financial resources leaving them to die all while knowing they cant solve the problem . Often they collude with insurance companies against the patients just so they are sure to get paid off themselves. Vote Democratic or suffer the consequences we need Universal Health Care like our Austrailian friend .

[Shaley Girl]

Allsup, Inc. and Binder & Binder are national companies that take SS disability cases and the pay is when they win your case and comes out of the backpay only.

Good luck

[mareke]

I'm not sure what I'd do in your case but it's a pity you took the lousy settlement without at least getting a second opinion. I wouldn't try suing the insurance company or the doctors that wouldn't take you at least not without some pretty sound advice to the effect that you had a good chance of winning because if you sued and lost it could be disastrous financially. Your best chance for decent compensation was with the first suit where you settled. Why not apply for disability as it certainly sounds like you have a case? In your situation I'd want to make sure I could get decent pain relief and medical help when I needed it & maybe if you are granted disability this may be easier to get. There must surely be a place other than a lawyer where you can get advice about what would be your best options. I live in Australia where a situation like yours would not occur as seeing a doctor is free and the most I pay for medication is about $25 for a months supply so I can't give you much advice other than seeing if you can find somewhere where you can get some sound advice about your options.