I don't know how to edit, but also is asking to up my dose to 4 a day reasonable? I am not currently waiting for my neurosurgeon to be able to place a permanent SCS and that may take awhile. It will be at least two weeks because the Dr told me my body needs or heal from the trial.
That girl,
Welcome to the forum. I have a couple of questions- when was your last refill from the surgeon? How many tablets were you given in your last refill? You still are technically under his care until he releases you. The surgeon should have been the ONLY doctor prescribing opiates until you are formally released to another doctors care. Have you obtained any more prescriptions from the surgeon since seeing the PM consult/trial?
The CONSULT/visit with the Pain Management dr was specifically about getting a scs implant, correct? When did you see him in relation to your last fill from your surgeon? When did he provide the hydrocodone, and how many?
These appts were specifically for the implant, not necessarily for ongoing pain management.
I can see you might have a couple of issues here, with both doctors. The surgeon because you accepted a prescription from the PM CONSULT. If by any chance, you also obtained any new scripts from the surgeon during this and you did not alert the surgeons office of the prescription for hydrocodone BEFORE you filled it, you could find yourself dismissed from the surgeons care.
No matter what ‘reasons’ someone has, you should NEVER take more medication per day/per dose, then you are prescribed UNLESS you get approval from your doctor FIRST. Doing so is automatic grounds for dismissal.
As far as the PM consult goes, as I said, you should not have accepted or filled that prescription without your surgeons approval before filling it.
You will obviously fail the urine compliance testing. They don’t care why- just that you do not have the medication prescribed in the amounts prescribed- no more, no less. Why did you not ask the dr what you should do if the pain continued , since you spoke to them to obtain the steroid pack?
I wouldn’t be surprised if they dismiss you as well.
I know this sounds harsh, I don’t mean it to, but you have got yourself in a big mess now- and it is likely that both drs will dismiss you. The PM may offer to continue with the scs implant, but refuse to provide opiates from here on out.
If there was overlap in the prescriptions by both doctors- meaning you should have had meds from the surgeon when you got the meds from the PM, that will be a bigger issue.
You are going to have to be honest with both doctors, and face the consequences. Obtaining opiates from two prescribers is considered dr shopping. Taking more than prescribed is non-compliance/self medicating. All are considered huge NO NO ‘s in the world of chronic pain.
If you are dismissed, it will be extremely difficult finding another to prescribe scheduled medications for a very long time. Things like this become part of your medical record and follow you.
We patients have to scrupulous when it comes to these meds, only taking them EXACTLY as prescribed , and if they are not working, call the doctor and ask them what you should do. Nerve pain is not well managed with opiates- typically other meds are used to manage that type of pain, far more effectively.
I wish you the best, and hope you get this straightened out. You DEFINATELY need to tell BOTH doctors you will not have the opiates in your system, BEFORE the visit ends and why. Both to the nurse/tech AND the Dr/PA. You need to be 100% honest. Whatever you do, do not ACCEPT another prescription hoping they won’t find out until they get the urine results back. THAT could cause you legal problems.
How did your SCS work? I’m doing trial soon. Thank you.