Aa
Dr fired me
Hello everyone
My first post. Sorry So Long
I started seeing my PCP in April of this year.; after relocating to Kentucky.I have been on Hydrocodone 7.5mg for 5 years for low back pain.I signed a narcotic contract. my first time.I had a lap band and my PCP began working me up for pain at the port.I had trouble finding a surgeon ,because the lap band was placed in another state. Ok I found a surgeon. I was admitted to the hospital right from the surgeons office.for 2 weeks had two surgiers and off work until end of Aug. I went to my PCP after I was discharged from the surgeon. I offered to show him paperwork,He said he didn't need.to see it and prescibed my usual pain medication. In september I received a letter he would not treat me because I received medications from another Dr.. I called the office manager. I told her HE KNEW about the surgery. By the way I never requested my medications too early,passed the uds.
eventually I spoke with him,I was worried about withdrawals. He told me to go to an er.
How can this be humane treatment??
My first post. Sorry So Long
I started seeing my PCP in April of this year.; after relocating to Kentucky.I have been on Hydrocodone 7.5mg for 5 years for low back pain.I signed a narcotic contract. my first time.I had a lap band and my PCP began working me up for pain at the port.I had trouble finding a surgeon ,because the lap band was placed in another state. Ok I found a surgeon. I was admitted to the hospital right from the surgeons office.for 2 weeks had two surgiers and off work until end of Aug. I went to my PCP after I was discharged from the surgeon. I offered to show him paperwork,He said he didn't need.to see it and prescibed my usual pain medication. In september I received a letter he would not treat me because I received medications from another Dr.. I called the office manager. I told her HE KNEW about the surgery. By the way I never requested my medications too early,passed the uds.
eventually I spoke with him,I was worried about withdrawals. He told me to go to an er.
How can this be humane treatment??
Hi Annie,
Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am so very sorry that this happened to you. Your PCP sounds like a pistol... what did he think you would do for surgical pain? That doesn't even make sense... and if he thought about it..... it wouldn't make sense to him either!! I doubt the surgeon Or the hospital would have even let your PCP prescribe opiates while you were hospitalized and upon discharge.
Yes I would call the surgeon and explain what has happened.He may assist you or contact your PCP. I doubt your PCP will take your phone calls but you could try. You have a right to request a months supply of medications to carry you while you look for a physician that will treat you. Yes there are patient abandonment laws every where ... but they also know that by the time you charge them and it gets to court you will have invested a lot of time... and maybe some money. Sadly they are counting on you not to press charges for that very reason... and they will stand by the contract you signed to the letter. If it states they can dismiss you without meds you may have little recourse.
I would also write a letter to your former PCP explaining the situation (as suggested above) I would ask for his rationale in your dismissal. Also request that your letter be placed in your medical records. Explain you have always taken your opiates as prescribed now as well as in the past. This letter may not get you reinstated but it will become part of your medical record, which is what you want. When you request them it available for future physicians as your side of the story. It will also show that you cared enough to dispute the dismissal and why you justly disagreed with it. Walk in and hand it to them if you must.... then you won't have to wait for the mail and you're sure it will be in your medical file asap.
I'd then get on the phone and start searching for a new physician. My sister is also a nurse in KY. I know the laws are tough due to the past abusers and sanctions on some physicians.... however I also know that opiates are prescribed by physicians so you should be able to find one to treat you. It's doubtful ER will be of much assistance and shame on your former PCP for placing you in such a position. My heart goes out to you!!!No one should be treated as you have been. There ought to be better laws! Chronic Pain patients have little if any rights. The so called Pain Management "Contract" protects ONLY the physician and not the patient. Sadly I have heard this too often on our forum.
Please keep in touch and let us know how this turns out. I will look forward to hearing from you again soon.
Best of Luck,
~Tuck
Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am so very sorry that this happened to you. Your PCP sounds like a pistol... what did he think you would do for surgical pain? That doesn't even make sense... and if he thought about it..... it wouldn't make sense to him either!! I doubt the surgeon Or the hospital would have even let your PCP prescribe opiates while you were hospitalized and upon discharge.
Yes I would call the surgeon and explain what has happened.He may assist you or contact your PCP. I doubt your PCP will take your phone calls but you could try. You have a right to request a months supply of medications to carry you while you look for a physician that will treat you. Yes there are patient abandonment laws every where ... but they also know that by the time you charge them and it gets to court you will have invested a lot of time... and maybe some money. Sadly they are counting on you not to press charges for that very reason... and they will stand by the contract you signed to the letter. If it states they can dismiss you without meds you may have little recourse.
I would also write a letter to your former PCP explaining the situation (as suggested above) I would ask for his rationale in your dismissal. Also request that your letter be placed in your medical records. Explain you have always taken your opiates as prescribed now as well as in the past. This letter may not get you reinstated but it will become part of your medical record, which is what you want. When you request them it available for future physicians as your side of the story. It will also show that you cared enough to dispute the dismissal and why you justly disagreed with it. Walk in and hand it to them if you must.... then you won't have to wait for the mail and you're sure it will be in your medical file asap.
I'd then get on the phone and start searching for a new physician. My sister is also a nurse in KY. I know the laws are tough due to the past abusers and sanctions on some physicians.... however I also know that opiates are prescribed by physicians so you should be able to find one to treat you. It's doubtful ER will be of much assistance and shame on your former PCP for placing you in such a position. My heart goes out to you!!!No one should be treated as you have been. There ought to be better laws! Chronic Pain patients have little if any rights. The so called Pain Management "Contract" protects ONLY the physician and not the patient. Sadly I have heard this too often on our forum.
Please keep in touch and let us know how this turns out. I will look forward to hearing from you again soon.
Best of Luck,
~Tuck
I'd call your surgeon and explain the situation and see if he can provide you the medications temporarily. This is outrageous. I'm on a pain contract and only get my meds from the pain clinic. But in the spring I had a terrible stomach bug and couldn't keep my meds down. I wound up in acute withdrawals and was dehydrated. I went to my local ER. They stated they would not give me any narcotic as that's their protocol. They would give me IV fluids and a little Ativan. I asked them to call my pain doctor. They did and then came back, apologized and gave me a narcotic through IV so I could get out of withdrawals. My pain doctor did not count that as getting medications through another doctor.
In August I was hospitalized with an illness. I received IV narcotics in the ER and through my hospitalization. I had contacted the pain clinic and told them of the hospitalization, but again, they didn't count that as me getting meds from another doctor.
I'm pretty certain that the clause stating you will only get your medications through your pain doctor means you don't get it from your primary, from a dentist, or that you go doctor shopping and get it from one or more other doctors. That makes sense. It does not make sense when you are hospitalized or have another procedure done that requires pain medication.
I hope your surgeon will help you out. Maybe he can even recommend another pain doctor for you. What your doctor did was negligent. You could contact an attorney but whatever outcome that brings about will be long-term. You need to get something put in place now.
You could always call and ask to speak to the doctor you were dismissed from. Maybe if you could talk to him he would prescribe a month's worth of meds to get you through. I would also send a letter to him stating what happened and stating how outraged you are. I would cc the medical board that oversees physicians in your state. I would also cc your primary care doctor and surgeon so your version of events is documented.
Best of luck. I'm so sorry this happened to you.
In August I was hospitalized with an illness. I received IV narcotics in the ER and through my hospitalization. I had contacted the pain clinic and told them of the hospitalization, but again, they didn't count that as me getting meds from another doctor.
I'm pretty certain that the clause stating you will only get your medications through your pain doctor means you don't get it from your primary, from a dentist, or that you go doctor shopping and get it from one or more other doctors. That makes sense. It does not make sense when you are hospitalized or have another procedure done that requires pain medication.
I hope your surgeon will help you out. Maybe he can even recommend another pain doctor for you. What your doctor did was negligent. You could contact an attorney but whatever outcome that brings about will be long-term. You need to get something put in place now.
You could always call and ask to speak to the doctor you were dismissed from. Maybe if you could talk to him he would prescribe a month's worth of meds to get you through. I would also send a letter to him stating what happened and stating how outraged you are. I would cc the medical board that oversees physicians in your state. I would also cc your primary care doctor and surgeon so your version of events is documented.
Best of luck. I'm so sorry this happened to you.
I don't know what the laws are where you live, but I don't even know if what your doctor did to you was legal! I was under the impression that they could let you go for whatever they deem to be their reason but they have to give you 30 days of your medication to hold you until you can find another doctor. They can't just hang you out to dry and send you spiraling into withdrawals just because they decide they don't want you for a patient any more! Chances are an ER is not going to give you more than a couple of days worth of meds and then you'll be forced to go back there, they they'll end up labeling you as a drug seeker because of your doctor! Some doctors just do not need to be in practice.
Calling my surgeon was an I idea I had today. I am completely out of my medications.I need to respond to the letter. any ideas?
The contract. I don't remember. Honestly I new I was not going to be shady.Yes i was naive. I did not see this coming.
I am so sorry this happened to you! This is so unfair. There are patient abandoment laws in place for a reason! I am not sure about the state laws in Kentucky but I can only assume that they are similar to others like Florida.
The firt thing you need to do is get a copy of your medical records from him and the ones from your surgeon and find a new PMP.
It angers me so much that Doctor' behave this way. The notation about your offer to show your surgeons records were most likely never noted.
It is not humane treatment and I would consult with an attorney.
Try speaking to your surgeon about this and see if he would be willing to refer you and give you enough medications until you can be seen again. it is worth a try.
I hope you do get a new Doctor soon. This happens more than it should and it is just deplorable. I am so sorry you were treated this way!
The firt thing you need to do is get a copy of your medical records from him and the ones from your surgeon and find a new PMP.
It angers me so much that Doctor' behave this way. The notation about your offer to show your surgeons records were most likely never noted.
It is not humane treatment and I would consult with an attorney.
Try speaking to your surgeon about this and see if he would be willing to refer you and give you enough medications until you can be seen again. it is worth a try.
I hope you do get a new Doctor soon. This happens more than it should and it is just deplorable. I am so sorry you were treated this way!
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