Veterans administration ability to halt services

[beachgrass]

I have been prescribed 8mg of Klonopin for the last two years by three different psychiatrists. I recently moved and are now utilizing the services of a different VA facility. I have seen my new psychiatrist twice. According to him the first time I saw him he cut my Klonopin from 8mg per day down to 4, all at once.
Seven years ago I had ECT for major depression. I was supposed to have had ten treatments but the Drs.there decided to stop after three as I became very disoriented. The ECT also wiped out a very good portion of my short term memory.
On August 14th. I ran out of Klonopin due to the fact that I had totally forgotten that the Dr. had cut my script in half. I called the VA clinic and the triage nurse told me to come in. When I got there they contacted my Dr., he's only at my clinic Monday and Tuesday. He informed the triage nurse that this could wait until I saw him on Monday. That would mean that I would have been off of Klonopin for 8 days. I explained to my social worker that I was already starting to go through withdrawl. He told me if things got worse between then (Thursday) and Monday to go to the ER.
I had no other choice but to follow his directions and went to the ER with severe stomach cramps, hot and cold sweats, severe anxiety, vomiting and disorientation. The ER doc gave me a script for enough Klonopin to make it through until I saw my psychiatrist on Monday.
When I had my appointment on Monday and I told my psychiatrist that I had not remembered his cutting my dosage in half and that I had used the month's supply in two weeks and had gone to the hospital with Klonopin withdrawl he became extremely agitated, calling me a liar, a junkie doing this in a manner in which I have never seen a proffesional act, he couldn't sit down except to get to his computer and told me I would have to sign a contract with him that if I ever sought Klonopin at any other medical facility I would lose all of my rights to utilize any VA facility. Knowing that if I didn't sign the contract he would not provide me with any more Klonopin. (I believe that contact is null and void due to the fact it was signed under duress).
We then went to the pharmacists office (no drugs are kept at the clinic they have to be mailed from a VA Hospital), where my Dr. told me he could not overnight it to me, and it would take seven to ten days for me to receive (and by contract I could not seek Klonopin from any other facility!!!)
Well after three days the withdrawl started again and on the fourth day I went back to the hospital where the ER doc  gave me four 1mg Klonopin. I finally received my script on Friday the 22nd.
I decided this last Friday to call the automated refill system the VA Hospital has at which time I was informed that my script would be FILLED 37 days after my last script. I feel as though this Dr. is harrasing me and I'm sure he's going to ask me to sign releases from the two local hospitals to see if I obtained Klonopin against the stipulations in the contract I had to sign. I would change to a private Dr except that my prescriptions cost approximately $300 per month which I cannot afford. If anyone knows where I can get answers to the legal questions this scenario poses I would very much appreciate it.       Thank-You

[imsmiley12]

When my father was still alive (he's been gone about 8 years)  if he was sick and went to the local doc (the va was about 1 1/2 hrs away) whatever dad was prescribed longterm he took with him to his next VA appt and they took over filling the scrips.  Policy may have changed but for your sake I hope not.  Hope this helped a little.

[beachgrass]

Thank-You all for your support it is very much appreciated. The Dr. I was aving all the troubles with has completely done a 180. He has supplied me with two months of Klonopin and I will be seeing him under the watchfull eye of the Dr in charge of the clinic. Never in my wildest dreams did I think things would go as well as they have and I attribute alot of that to having so many cc's at the botom of my letter. Should anything change I will keep you informed and if at anytime I can loan a shoulder please let me know. Thank-You all so much. Bob  

[RJ233]

Good for you. I hope everything goes well. Keep us updated. RJ

[beachgrass]

Thank-You for your suport it's much appreciated. I have an appt with my DR on 9/29 and if he eliminates my VA medical rights I have a two page letter waiting to be sent to approx 3 different people. I will let you know how I make out.

[Venora Moonwind]

I am just going to echo RJ post. I too am a vet and that is  horrible for that doc to treat you that way. press and press till you get what you need from the VA.
I am an Army brat and an Air Force vet and my hubby is Ret AF
I have learned the sqeaky wheel gets the grease.
Dont give up. This is your health. Sad as it we have to the advocates for our own health care.Doctors jsut happened to have gone to scholl a lttle longer than the rest of us and they specialized in a career field.
Let us know what happens.
Love venora

[RJ233]

I would call the Vet. Administration Headquarters and tell them exactly what happened. This dr does have a boss. If the Vet Administration Headquarters can't help I am sure they can tell who can. I would make sure I told them about how he forced you sign that contract then wouldn't let you have your meds.

You can also make a complaint to the American Medical Association. If this guy has enough complaints they can take his license. They need to. How dare he treat you like that. He probably never served this Country a day in his life. Talk to others to see if they get the same treatment from him (I am sure they do). Stick together and complain. He acts like he enjoys treating this Country's Veterans bad. He has no business there and he doesn't deserve a license to practice, since the people who gave for the freedom he had to become a dr, and walk freely, he seems to detest.

They just had a thing on the news not long ago about the treatment of Veterans in medical facilities, and how terrible it was that they had to suffer such things. I wish I could remember what Association it was. If I get the name, I will post it so you can contact them. Let that guy have it, he may think he is God but he is sadly mistaken. He should be proud to have the opportunity to give his time to honor our military.

They do have an attorney on a base near you, don't they. If it is too far to go, call him. Send a letter to the Headquarters of that base. I hope that guy gets so much heat his butt is kicked out of there. That really gets my goat. My father was a Vet. My husband served in the Marines 5 1/2 yrs, and my son was in the Army.Please keep us informed as to what happens. I am sure the others in this community feel the same way I do and will give you all the support we can.