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

[john148]

good luck i gave up and picked up today god bless

[IBKleen]

Sparky...I am glad that you found help. I only hope that you have done research on Suboxone and understand the drug, as well as the program. Suboxone is an opiate, so you will want to talk with your doctor regarding this. Decide if you are going to stay with the program long-term, or short-term and understand that there will come a time when you will have to get off the Sub, just as you did your pain meds. Good Luck.

[Sparkytc]

Well, I finally got into a program for Suboxone. Starting on the 30th i go in then like 5 other appointments after to just watch. But here is something I do really reccomend to anyone looking for help getting off of thier prescription pain medications. a website called NAATB.org. This website is where you post your current issue weather it be prescription meds, heroin or whatever and insurance and all other pertinant information. Then keep it on file an doctors from all over your area review them an if they can do anything for you they contact you. I posted my dilema and only 2 days i got e-mails from doctors an clinic within 10-15 miles of my home with immediate help. This website has to be one the best lifesavers i have yet to see...Gotten other emails sayin they can help me now but of course with a fee of like 16 thousand dollars..lol out of work 4 yrs an they think i can pay that....That is why i have insurance..lol but if anyone reads this an wishes to contact me I would be very pleased to help others with the same or close to same issues to help get them set straigt also....
This was an will be a forum you will see more of me in the future with help for others.
Thnx all for your comments an wonderful helpful attitudes
Mike

[Sparkytc]

Thank you all for sharing your stories an also your help. As for the doctor getting wind of abuse or selling pills, I will admit days i took a couple more mostly due to the fact i love to work outdoors and i live in a duplex an my father in law lives next door, he is 77 years old an really cannot do much, though he tries but since his wife/my mother in law passes away at the end of June its been tough and the fact my daughter in in a temp foster home the stress an emotional strain here is enough to make one want to drink or find some way to forget. I am not the kind of person to drink since i dont like to or go find some illegal drugs cause again...Tried em as a teenager but never enjoyed em..always hated side effects or time messed up. But going cold turkey would be possible if i could sit an relax and do my hobby of building model kits (Japanese kits and some Auto kits) I am a big kid at heart an I belive that is the bond me an my daugher have, We watch anime an she is starting to build model kits with me...Now being almost 13 years old I feel as if I am losing her because of middle school life with friends/Boy talk. I know its how its supposed to feel but all this is like an emotional weight like 500 pounds sitting on my chest an gets me upset making those cravings worse an worse. As for trying new methods of pain management my state health insurance does not give you much to work with...I wanted the lydicane patches or even the lydacane shots and was declined due to my insurance. Physical Therapy I have tried 3 times so far. my dad said once if you hurt say your arms is it the right thing to bend it back an forth an twist it around? makes sence but the issue with PT is to strengthen the muscles around the damaged parts...but you end up in large amounts more of pain in the first few weeks which is what would i do for those few weeks? I want to move around, I want to do things, I hate being stuck in a chair or on my bed for days an weeks at a time. I evven tried for Accupuncture again my insurance thinks I should just be medicated all the time and with my other medical issues like Severe Complex Migraines they even pulled me off my Fioricet because its a barbituate compound an its has addictive properties.. Again its great for a dope of a doctor to just drop you cold off meds....Also on another note....I was never fired from her practice , she still is offering to see me and does show signs of trying to help but I cannot tell if she is sincere or just BS'n me so I detox by myself. Which i feel is unprofessional...
But thnx again all an now i am just sitting here in my mouth pain state awaiting my dentist to open monday so i may get an extraction an end up with more pain again just to get turned down for any medication to prevent infection or pain. Man I just love my states medical systems.
My things I can happily say that sorta keep me sane is my Boy 3 yr Golden Retriever (Jake), my 5 yr old Cockatoo (Casper), and my 1 yr old all black kitty with big bright yellow eyes (Lumpy) by feedin an speding time with them an they sence when i am in a bad state they do come well except for the bird who i can take out cause he worse that a big baby. lol loves being petted an help and snuggles with you. I appologize about the blah blah blah info but I am glad for all the advice an information you kind people are offering me. Makes me feel like I am not alone at this (corny yea but true)
thnx Guys
I will keep posting when i get updates for anyone else who could use this info for when they every have the same of close to the same problems.

[MICHAEL_777]

Have you tried spinal decompression yet?  I just stared this week and have only had two treatments, but I have noticed a slight difference in the pain level.  I have 2 degenerating discs and 2 herniated discs.  The shooting/stabbing pain has been reduced by about 20%.  I have 18 more treatments to go.  It might be something you want to look into for a long term fix.  There are also patches that contain some type of novacaine.  You wear the patch over the site of pain for 12 hours and then remove it.  It is supposed to provide 24 hour relief per patch and you can wear up to 3 patches at a time.  Hope this helps.  Love and Strength to ya!

[Summer123]

I, like you, have degenerative disc disease.  I cannot sit or stand for more than 20 minutes.  I am on total disability.  Have been on pain meds for 12 years.  I remember signing something at the pain med's office that says that they have the right to stop prescribing at any time.  If I went to another doctor at the same time and got the same meds, they could fire me.  If I didn't pass a drug test (which they can administer at anytime), they could fire me.  The drug test is actually to make sure you have the drug in you (they don't want you getting the meds and selling them).  I am in awful pain too.  I went all the way from the fentalyn patch 75 mg to oxycontin with percocet for breakthrough pain.  Tapered myself down to 10 mg of percocet a day for last 6 days.  My pain is bad, but I wouldn't say it is too much worse than before.  I still cannot sit or stand long, am substituting tylenol and ibuprofen (don't want to take too much of either product) for pain.  When I moved across the country 4 years ago, the new doctor wouldn't prescribe what the old one did, and it took several visits before I was back on the same meds.  I'm getting off of them for one reason.  When I tried to find a family doctor 4 years ago, I had difficulty getting a doctor that would take me being on so much pain meds.  I haven't asked my pain doctor for help in getting off the pain meds cause I fear he may give me less time to taper than I give myself.    Anyway, you might want to try getting off (I think it is quite the hassle to go to the pain doctor anyway).  Best of luck.