My dad's pain doc...what should he do??

[Georgia_Peach11]

I'm posting this for my dad...he has so much chronic pain. He's been going to a pain management doc for awhile now and he's prescribed methadone. His family practitioner was prescribing it then in March he told my dad he could no longer write it for anyone and that he had to go to a pain clinic. Long story short, he did and has been getting his script monthly. However he had an appt for this Thurs. and the doc cancelled/rescheduled him for NEXT month. He asked what he's supposed to do about his meds and they said to get a script from his family doc. (This is the one that supposedly can't write it anymore!!) So now he's wondering if he will even get his meds?? He has major heart probs too so this isn't right. Anybody else went through something like this?? I'm worried for him.

[marycarmel]

It may be time to look for a new pain doctor if this is happening to many patients.  

[Georgia_Peach11]

Thanks marycarmel  for responding and for your thoughts/advice. :)  Dad went to his primary doc today and saw the NP. She said that ALOT of patients from that very same pain center were calling wanting their scripts begging to get an apt so they can get meds!! This is awful and I hope my dad and the other patients don't have to deal with all this crap too often. The only good thing about it was the fact that it saved my dad from driving 3.5 hours today!!

God Bless y'all and thanks for listening to me. :)

[marycarmel]

If they can't write for methadone, I hope they'll write him something so at least he won't be in withdrawal.  As for his pain doctor, the facr he's not seeing patients or writing prescriptions for a month sounds pretty shady.  My doctors have other docs cover for them, though I've never had it phrased in the way they're not seeing patients or writing scripts for a month.  I'd do some investigating about this doctor.  Google him, check whatever board he's licensed under and maybe start looking for a new doctor.  Keep us postedk as to what's going on.

[Georgia_Peach11]

Thank you all for your replies. My dad has me listed as his contact and when the nurse called she was kinda avoiding my questions. I'm the type to not sugarcoat nothing so when she told me they were rescheduling him for next month I asked her. I said "Why are you doing this...he's had this appt. since last month"?? She said doc isn't gonna be seeing or writing any meds for this month so we will just see him next month. I said oh no wait a minute..just what is he supposed to do about getting his meds for this month??  Her reply was to just go see his primary and she was all worried about who I am?!! Told her I am his daughter...his contact...the one that loves him and drives him to ALL his doc appts.!!! Anyways the primary luckily happens to be coming back tomorrow after being gone for 2 weeks. We went to the docs (primary) office and they said the doc wouldn't write it without seeing him and he's booked for the next 3 weeks!! Wow I got frustrated and they said he could see the nurse practitioner (she can't even write this meds either). Sooo he's set to see np tomorrow so hopefully just hopefully the primary will at least be there and can possibly sign off on it. Then again supposedly NOW they need a methadone prescribing liscence and he doesn't have that. Gonna pray everything works out for him tomorrow. Sorry this a little long, I'm worried, anxious, etc and I tend to ramble when I get like this. Thanks again for replies. :)

[RN_ER]

I agree, they have been prescribing and still should have written his RXs. Call primary, explain situation and report the doctor to your state licensing board!

[marycarmel]

Even if the doctor had to reschedule the appointment, he should have still written the script.  He could have gone to pick it up or had someone pick it up for him or they could have mailed it.  Just stay on top of them.  You don't want yourndad to run out and be scrambling between the two doctors.

[philnoir]

Call the family doc, let the pain doc and the family doc work it out between them.