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

[ImDONENoMore]

Yes, Dr.'s have the right to stop medications if they are concerned that you've become addicted.  He probably feels like he's helping you because he's concerned for you - so if you really don't think you have a problem, find a new Dr.  It is absolutely your right to get another opinion.

Good luck to you :)

[Roxy955]

I have Fibromialgia,osteo arthritis &severe nerve pain in my eye my scalp & right through my gums every day since 1991. I pulled 14 teeth due to thinking I had nerve tooths.. I eventually wentt to a neurologist & for 7 yrs was put on Nurontin of which made me appear to be drunk  I was on Percocet as well. I stoped taking that as well on my own. I had to see a knew Dr as my regular dr was away. I had taken no pain meds & the pain had returned. I was given oxycontin & didn't like the fact that it was in my system 24/7 so I was given oxycodone. I started with 10mgs & it did not work. I was then given 20mgs, that was not strong enough for this awful nerve pain. So I finally went on 30mgs 4xa day. I until yesterday was doing fine with it.I had to go back to the origional Dr I mentioned earlier. I did. I was having trouble getting to this other Dr.Well let me tell you this Dr took me back emmediatly well knowing I am on the oxycodone & prescibed it to me for 4 months. Yesterday when I went he cut me off & called me a junkie out of the no where!! I now have 2 tablets left, no place to get another prescription & the reason for this pain was caused by a stroke I had in my 7th month of pregnency 24yrs ago. I was shocked & I am in pain & was told to go to a hospital for detox. I told him I went to school to be a CASAC which is a drug & alcahol counsler. I explained to him there is a difference between dependance & a junkie! I now am going to go into convulsions since this drug is a semi synthetic. This Dr said to me "You will be surprised how you wont notice any difference & simply walked out & left me with nothing to take to relieve my symtoms or G-D forbid siezures. Bad enough I will have extreme cramping & diarea, vomiting etc. I wanted to find out if this is legal for him to do this. He told me to come back on the 21st.for other health issues.Please can someone give me an answer? I am a 56yr old woman who has HepC as well & I am frightened because I know what will begin to happen in the next few hrs.I know Sabaxone is used to detox, but is it a pain medication as  well?please can anyone help me? ***@****












1

[anna_c85]

HI MIKE MY NAME IS ANNA AND I AM 25 YEARS OLD. I WAS PRESCRIBED LORTAB 10/500 MG BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2005 AND I HAVE BEEN SEVERELY ADDICTED TO THEM EVER SINCE. I STARTED OFF TAKING ONE TO TWO PILLS EVERY 4 TO 6 HOURS. BUT AFTER TAKING THEM FOR 5 YEARS MY BODY STARTED TO DEVELOP A TOLERANCE TO THEM SO I STARTED TO TAKE MORE BECAUSE IF I DIDN'T I WOULD EXPERIENCE SEVERE WITHDRAW SYMPTOMS WHICH WOULD MAKE ME VERY SICK. I AM CURRENTLY TRYING TO GET OFF OF THEM RIGHT NOW. COLD TURKEY BUT I AM USING ATIVAN (OR LORAZEPAM) 2 MG TABLETS TO HELP ME THROUGH THE WITHDRAWS. I HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE AND THE ATIVAN WORKS REALLY WELL. THIS WILL BE PROBABLY BE MY 5TH TIME TRYING TO GET OFF WITHIN THE 5 YEARS I HAVE BEEN ADDICTED, BUT I THINK AND PRAY TO GOD THIS WILL BE THE LAST. IT TAKES ABOUT 14 DAYS TO GO THROUGH THE WITHDRAWS AND THE FIRST 5 DAYS ARE THE WORST BUT AFTER 5 DAYS YOU CAN START TO FEEL YOURSELF GET BETTER AND BETTER. BUT ATIVAN (OR LORAZEPAM) 2 MG WILL HELP YOU SO MUCH THROUGH THE WITHDRAWS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO INTO A HOSPITAL TO GET OFF OF THE NARCOTIC ( OR OPIATE) PAIN MEDICATION. YOU CAN DO IT AT HOME. BUT YOU NEED TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR TO PRESCRIBE YOU 120 2MG ATIVAN TO BE TAKEN 3 TO 4 TIMES A DAY TO HELP SOOTHE YOU THROUGH TO WITHDRAW PROCESS YOU WILL GO THROUGH FOR 2 WEEKS. YOU CAN GET OFF OF THIS STUFF AND BECOME HEALTHY AGAIN. I THINK DOCTORS NEED TO STOP PRESCRIBING SUCH HIGHLY ADDICTING NARCOTIC (OR OPIATE) PAIN MEICATIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO STOP TAKING THEM. WHAT REALLY MAKES ME MAD IS THAT THEY PRESCRIBE THEM TO PEOPLE AND THEN THEY THINK THEY CAN JUST STOP PRESCRIBING THE MEDICATION TO PEOPLE ANYTIME THEY WANT WITHOUT WARNING AND THEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE A JOB TO GO TO EVERYDAY, RESPONSIBILITIES, FAMILIES TO CARE FOR ARE PUT INTO A TERRIBLE SITUATION BECAUSE THEY WILL GO THROUGH HORRIBLE WITHDRAWS. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT NARCOTIC (OR OPIATE) PAIN MEDICATIONS MUST STOP BEING USED COMPLETELY. THE ONLY TIME THEY SHOULD BE USED IS IN PEOPLE WHO HAVE A TERMINAL ILLNESS OR AS A EMERGENCY MEDICATION ONLY, SUCH AS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND HAVE BROKEN LEGS, OR FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEVERE INJURIES AND SO ON. NARCOTIC OPIATE PAIN MEDICATIONS RUIN PEOPLES LIVES. AND UNTIL THE DOCTORS AND PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES STOP HANDING IT OUT LIKE CANDY TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW EASY IT IS TO BECOME SEVERELY ADDICTED TO IT THEN PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE SUFFER BY BECOMING AN ADDICT TO NARCOTICS. IT MUST STOP.

[stpthesuffering]

hi mike, i almost didn't read the last few post - glad i did or i wouldn't know that you found a suboxon program. i am glad you're not suffering from w/drawel. but ... geesum, are you still in pain??
did you file a complaint w/the board of medicine?
have you talked w/the suboxon dr about your pain? some docs do both pain management and detox.
where abouts are you located? and have you tried websites that rate doctors in your area?
i wish i felt well enough to read all of the responses to your post.
any way, i hope this finds you well and no longer suffering.
best wishes

[IBKleen]

Me neither john?

[lurker]

I don't understand your post????