Can doctors just stop prescribing pain medication to patients after yrs prescribed them?

[Sparkytc]

I have been diagnosed with lower lumbar degenerative disease back in 1997. Back then it was only classified as arthritis, I am now only 36 an back then 25 and I was given Motrin 800mg 3 times a day. This worked for a few years but working at jobs being on my feet 8-10 hours a day the medication was just not doing the job. I went to my primary Dr. who unfortunatly where I live is a small clinic with mostly residents who leave after a year or 2 having me to start all over with another who most always has a different opinion of what treatment is best. After 2+ years of trying multiple medications and being without insurance at the time I went through medications like Celebrex, Vioxx, Peroxicam, and every NSAID there was with little to no relief. Well I was eventually fired from my job due to the fact my productivity was showing decline do to back pain. I had 1 MRI done in 1998 an then another 4 yrs later at that point I was put on 7/325 mg Hydrocodone 3 times a day. This was amazing how much relief I had gotten after all these years. I still have been on the Motrin 800 for the past 12 yrs which they do nothing but following doctors orders. Last year I had been given a new Doctor/Resident and I asked if I could have a recent MRI done, she responded no because you have degenerative disease that its only going to show more degeneration why should the money be spent on it and continued to prescribe the medications. On July 5th I was in another vehicle motor accident adding upper back pain to my current condition so my doctor, at this time was a new resident, who had increased my hydrocodone to 6 at 10/650mg per day. After 2 months of this I felt this just was too much medication and spoke with her about some type of long acting 12 hour pain medication, She mentioned Methodone, I agreed with the methadone due to the fact it can also get me off or minimize the narcotics I was on and the Hydrocodone was dropped to 3 a day an given 2 methodone per day. 4 days later I started having memory loss, I was bloated and had huge red blotches all over my body. I was taken off the methodone immediatly. But instead of offering something to try an help me get off the narcotics she put me on MS Contin which in my opinion was yes may help with pain but not help me get off the narcotics. As of last week my 12 yr old daughter who is bipolar and now in a treatment facility for medication review had decided to run to the doctor an throw out a long tale of how I am not myself anymore an the medications have changed me. Even though my daughter stated to her that she is a pathalogical liar and lies constantly. The only reason I can think why she did this was because me an her mom had a large argument the night before because she wanted to go out with friends on a school nite an she threw a tantrum and eventually tried to jump out her 3rd floor window, I stopped her but was injured by getting kicked in the groin and abdomen but made calls to her therapist and was making appointments to get her into a Pediatric EMH program to get her help. The Doctor had child services take her and again she is getting the help she needs but after hearing a 12 yr olds story she called me in and proceeded to decare that I am officially to recieve no more narcotic medications ever again. She has even claimed that she is going to mark my charts in bold letters "NO NARCOTICS". This doctor wanted nothing to hear what I had to say about the incident believing my daughter 100%. have been on the Hydrocodone for over 5 yrs and the MS Contin for 3 months there are days I will admit I may take an extra 1 for a long day working outside an then other days I may take less but I guess my original question is...Is a doctor allowed to just stop you dead on all your medications just like that and not to offer you any help either finding a detox facility or any help...it has now been 7 days off my medication an I can barely get out of bed or I get woken up multiple times per night because of my back pain. I have tried every place that does inpatient or outpatient detox by use of Suboxome but all are full or not booking until January. This doctor has taken my home and my family an torn us apart an had made our lives just each day more an more stressful, I cant go running from ER to ER because that is wrong and I know I shouldnt but when my Doctor said if I dont get to a detox facility I could end up looking for heroin on the street. What kind of Doctor says that to a patient?
Are doctors allowed to stop narcotic medications immediatly even if I have a documented medical back problems? and who can I contact because of this.
Mike

[lynette65]

I know exactly what you are talking about and going through.  I have been searching online for a WV state regulation regarding a similar situation.  Don't seem legal that a pain management doctor can keep postponing patients' appts., therefore, denying them access to their pain medication for weeks. Haven't found anything yet.  Seems there should be a law regarding this because withdrawal along with severe pain is not anything to play with.  If anyone knows about this subject, please inform me!

[chronicpainpatient850]

What do you think we as chronic pain patients should do then? Suffer from pain 24/7? I am on 100% disability and I hurt constantly. I know that addiction does comes with Narcotics, however, I wish that Medical Marijuana was a option in my State. You no longer have to smoke it, there are many ways in using it now. I REFUSE to live my life in pain 24/7. Since MM is not legal here in my State I have no other choice but to take Narcotics. With Medical Marijuana you may suffer some withdrawals but none compared to the withdrawals from Narcotics. I am talking about the Strong Narcotics. MM is known to help with chronic pain, depression, etc.... Again, do you think we (THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY ARE IN PAIN) should just suffer????

[Kittenpaw]

Skypilot I love what you said about walk a mile in your shoes and see how they feel.

I have had back pain for over 10 years and my Orthopaedic Doctor send to a surgeon to cut a buldge off my disc.  Well the pain is worse than it was beford the surgery.   I have  had two nurses accuse me just wanting pain meds.  I just wish I could pass my pain to both of thess nurses just for awhile and see how quick they ask for pain meds.  Now the surgeon has thrown me to the curb and does not want to do any thing for me even though he is the one who cause the extra pain.  I just want to live a normal life and not sitting in bed all the time.  I know I am not hooked on these meds, because my new pain management Doctor prescribed  me the same meds and is very strict about me following his instructions to letter. I sometimes forget to take my meds.  I think if I was hooked on pain meds I would be watching a clock.


    


I hope every gets the relief you all deserve. I really think there should be something out there for all of the people who have severe back pain. There should be a way to weed out all the Adicts.
There should be a law in place, so doctors don't leave someone in sereve pain.

[weaver71]

--------------Old Post-----------started Nov 2007-----------------------

Savas posted last Dec, this thread is 6 years old. Start a thread for yourself if you are looking for advice or support. You have to watch the dates if you are responding. Just trying to help.

[skypilot165]

I have been on narcotics - a stable dose, for over 20 yrs. to say they stop working is ridicules - I have had several decreases but had to have a small increase in my breakthrough. Who is ANYBODY to tell what the quality of my life is - You could no more deal with my back and other problems then I could fly to the moon. In other words, walk a mile in MY shoes(iwish I COULD walk a mile) before you start talking about things you may have read about but not experienced.

[Ozzy9903]

My doctor was a person I knew outside the office. While I was a patient of his he asked me to do some work at his house. After the work was done he didn't agree with the price so when my meds came time to fill the pharmacy said they weren't called in. So the next day I called him and he said have fun with the withdraws and laughed and hung up. Doctors think they are god and love to play the roll of him. They have huge egos and play people like puppets. I had to join a methadone clinic to deal with my pain and not ever have to deal with a doctor on my prescription again. I have a great counselor and love where I am. Consider joining one if you have this problem here we have both methadone and suboxone at the clinic and you can choose which you want. Hope this helps doctors can do what they want you just have to keep headed forward in life and find an alternative.