Need More Answers Please

[troubleinohio]

For those of you who answered my original post a couple days ago (Horrified of going to JAIL"), I just wanted to ask a few additional questions.

Should I call my insrance company? If so what do I say?

Im just wondering because I am supposed to go back to my primary doctor this friday (same one I saw last friday) for follow up. I am going to ask him if I am now allowed to get my Vicodin RX (I was due to get a new RX for it on the 12th, hence one of the reasons I was there on the 13th)  . I do not know if he has yet spoken to the other doctors at the pain clinic, and if one or both of them are going to say they wont treat me anymore with narcotics. I dont know what to expect. What I do know is my back started going out again yesterday and Im in a great deal of pain. Ive been taking my MS Contin for it, but it doesnt help enough without having any breakthroughs to take.

So should I call my insurance company and tell them Im aware that the "Flagged me", and ask them if they are going to allow me to fill narcotic RX's still, or what? Im not sure what to do next. what typically happens after something like that?  

also should I ask my doctor for a drug test? I am willing to take one to prove I dont use other drugs.

BTW, Ive been without any vicodin for more than a week now and ironically have not noticed any withdrawls. Aside from the pain Im having, I dont have any cravings or other problems. Im so grateful for that. I figured I would since Ive been using it so long and suddenly went off it with no tapering. I thought I was physically dependant on it and dont know why Im not having problems? Maybe becasue Im still using the MS Contin?

thanks for any help you guys can give me...    

[addict13]

She has already said she isn't an addict! Some people actually do need pain meds, beachtowel, and it doesn't make them an addict. What a judgemental person you are.

[peekawho]

Its like that episode of Seinfeld, when Elaine gets her medical chart flagged with "hypochondriac" or something similar.
She goes from doctor to doctor, even in different cities, but somehow they all know about it and no one takes her seriously after that.  

Just thought I'd throw something lighthearted into the discussion.

[wdagain]

The problem is not the multiple Drs at the pain clinic that use the same charts.  I think the the problem is this, When you start going to a Pain Clinic and get pain meds from them (even Davocet) then  you should no longer get any type of pain meds from your primary DR,  when you get a pain script filled from your primary DR and then go to a pain clinic and do the same thing, even though they are for different symptoms, then red flags go up.   Example:  If I get pain meds for back problems from my pain clinic and then go to me Primary Dr to get pain meds for my kidney stones then I am breaking the rules.  I have kidney stones every month and get 4 back injections a year (from back surgery) and now I don't take any pain meds for any of it because they made my life unmanageable.  I just take the pain now, pain won't kill me but overuse of meds will.  I am NOT telling anyone else that they don't need all their OXY and Norco and Dilaudid and Morhpine etc. I am just saying that the human can deal with a lot more pain that we think,  I know, I just passed a 6mm kidney stone and only took tylenol<<< without codeine  :)      

[beachtowel]

I am sorry I called you a he its hard to tell and I haven't been looking at the profiles......

One thing for sure when they red flag you and investigate you it isn't because you occasionally
get narcotic pain killers......
When I talk in my posts many think I am pointing fingers that in not correct.......I am speaking from my own experience.........
I have been as deep in addiction as anyone here..............and probably many more years......

I can say what I do because I was there like in this situation......

Your a mother of two children and an addict.......from me to you get clean for yourself first and then be a clean Mom to your kids......
Today you won't care hopefully in tomorrows you will......

Good luck to you and your kids.........

[troubleinohio]

I also forgot to add that my doctor sent me to yet another specialist (an orthopedic surgeon) in the past year who tried to give me even more narcotics. I never even filled thos RXs and in fact I still have the old wrinkled up scripts in my pocketbook as proof. He tried to give me Opana, Avinza and someother one I cant think of name of. Those are types of time realease morphines. If I was truly an addict, wouldnt I have filled those?

also another point Ive forgotten to put in: Not only does my PCP know I go to the pain clinic, he gets progress notes from them each time I visit. Maybe that is why he said he is scared of going to jail too? Because he still gave me RX's even though I was getting meds from somewhere else?

And yes, the pain clinic also knows I have gotten meds from my regular doctor. I told my pain doctor more than once that his darvocet does not help me enough and that i need stronger pain reflief. He has consistently said he does not want to give me stronger meds, that he doesnt think there is enough radiologic evidence to prove I am in enough pain to warrant those. Yet he would not order a second MRI to check and see the deterioation and changes my spine has gone through since the first one which was actually 3 years ago now. My PCP finally did order a second MRI that I had in the spring of this year which did show more degenerative changes in my discs, more bulging discs, linear tears particularly in the L5-S1 areas. THey also found some pockets of fluid in there by my ovaries/cul de sac that he wants me to see my OB about. I have not yet gone for that evaluation and in light of everything that has happened, I dont want to go to yet another doctor!!    

[troubleinohio]

beachtowel writes <<>>>>>>>

whoa whoah whoah.....first off Im not a HE. I am a 36 year old mother of two small children. Secondly, you must not have read or understood my previous posts thoroughly. I did not use other names, nor did I go to several doctors.  I only got my meds from two places. My primary doctor adn from the pain clinic that my primary doctor referred me to in the first place! He knew I was seeing the pain doctor, he is the one who sent me to him. He knew I got darvocets from this doctor. I have had a long standing problem with the pain clinic doctor, he would never give me anything else besides darvocets. I asked him at every appt if he would change my regimen because the Darvs make me nauseaous and they dont relieve my back pain. He refused, and then started just letting me see nurses  at each appt instead of himself except the times he gave me steroid injections into my spine (he is a neuro surgeon I believe). ANyhow I told my primary doctor that the darvs dont help my back, that they only help my fibro and arthritis pain. So he started me on Vicodin, and eventually MS Contin and reduced my vics to use as breakthrough only instead of the primary med to take. ANYHOW, during the course of all this, each month when i went to the pain clinic, i only saw a nurse, and whatever rotating doctor was on duty that day signed the RX paper. So in 5 months time or so, 4 different doctors were listed as having given me drugs. THe insurance company apparently doesnt bother to check first to find out that these docs were all from teh same practice and that I was not out going to multiple doctors.  

So last week when my primary sees this paper, he doesnt know that these guys are all in the same place either. He just sees whats printed on the damn paper they sent him. Nobody communicates with each other anymore. its unreal. And hell yes I panicked, I freaked out totally, thinking I may go to jail because everyfreaking body including the doctors and insurance seems to only see what they want to see and not investigate and follow up on the truth. I have two small children, so i am very horrified of unjustifiably going to jail and being away from my kids.Im not scared because Ive done something wrong. Im scared because I know how often misjustice happens in this country.

and yes, I DO want my ViCs back. Ive been on them for about 2 years and then suddenly they stop giving them to me with no warning and my back is very bad right now. I am in pain. alot.        

[fishmeal]

Trouble?  I'm curios why you don't answer the question posed in the comments?

[beachtowel]

lurker, he can't hear you right now he only wants his vics and no jail.......by his story I'll tell you he is leaving a big part of his story out..........
You don't go to jail for drug seeking unless your using different names..........

[lurker]

As i told you last time, I work for an insurance company.  I don't recommend calling them unless you are going to ask for help.  Many companies offer a nurse case manager to help you get your pain management under control.  You'll have to agree to go to ONLY one doctor for prescriptions, ONLY one pharmacy and ONLY one hospital - your insurance will not pay for any other.  If you aren't ready to do that, don't call your insurance but make no mistake. Any doctor who is being paid by them can call them or be called by them to advise of all other physicians and drugs you are getting.  I agree with beachtowel here, you need to decide you are going to come clean and stay with one MD or stop using your insurance to fill your scripts.  I'd go to the doctor on Friday and see where he comes from and then you will have a better idea of what is going to happen.  You deserve pain relief but you have to be willing to be honest with all of your providers.  Best of luck toyou.

[beachtowel]

If your primary dr. refuses to give you any narcotic pain meds what will you do then?

[beachtowel]

You have already been flagged which means your doctor hoping......
and you really seem to worry about getting your vicodin and not going to jail......

Why are you taking Vicodin and my question still is after reading all those posts why are
you still worried about going to jail.....your leaving things out........

I would say since you have been flagged your primary doctor is not going to give you any narcotics............

[positvthots]

1st off you dont need to find yet another dr to write you a script,multi scrips IS your problem right now regardless of whos fault it is. Yes YOU the paitent ARE supposed to know whats going on but you cant change whats already happened but NOW you know. The only one who can/will keep things straight is you. Now you know to question things that dont seem right to you. If things happened just like you said then I wouldnt contact anyone,,you did nothing wrong so dont act like you did. I"d just go to the dr on friday and let HIM explain to you any problem and then show him where you have done nothing wrong,remind him your there for chronic pain and if theres a problem then lets straighten it out and get on with fixing your health issues,,in other words'I"ve done nothing wrong and my HEALTH is my concern ,,it"ll work out

[peekawho]

A drug test really won't help you, because it will be positive for opiates.  They don't distinguish between the different types.  It would rule out benzos or amphetamines or different types of drugs, though.
But I don't think it will help you a lot.  For all they know, you're abusing many different types of opiates.

If the primary doc won't give you an Rx, then you'll have to go to the pain clinic docs and see what their view on it is, I guess.  

My only other advice is to either stop going to multiple pharmacies, or pay for the scripts yourself.  Its a huge flag, going to different pharmacies.  Even if its out of your way, only use one, if your use is legit.  

Good luck.  Bad situation.  

[addict13]

If he's 'against writing her a new script', then I'd find me another doctor! Screw that pain clinic! This whole predicament you are in is THEIR faults, not yours! Because they herd people in there like cattle, then write out a script via a nurse and send them home. Fck that! They are the ones that have no organization or conferring skills. Idiots. How are you, the patient supposed to know what is going on? A doctor writes out a script, you take it. Its not your fault, I'm sorry. Its totally their faults. And if that doctor tomorrow refuses to write you out any pain meds, knowing you are truly in pain, Man! I'd Flip OUT! Don't be scared to tell him off, ohio, HE is the one in the wrong here, him and his stupid associates. Notice, the 'ass' in associates? lol

[GA Guy]

The MS Contin is keeping the WD's away. I would just explain what you've told us to your primary doc. I think your primary may have jumped the gun a bit. You have no idea what pressure the FDA and DEA are putting on doctors who prescribe opiates long term (some docs care, others write them like candy). The more you cause a scene, the more it will look like you're doing something wrong (me thinks thou doth protest too much). Just go in like normal, and if the doc make a case, tell him what you've told us. If he's against writing the script, it's because he's scared, and not likely to change his mind.