Question about pain meds

[designgyrl]

Anyone ever questioned about the pain meds that you are taking.  Today I had to go to the urgent care for an abcessed tooth.  I went in, and the first thing the urgent care doctor said (I have been to this location twice all year, and the first time he sent me to the er and didn't prescribe anything) was that they received a letter from my insurance company stating how many medications that I'm on.  I was completely floored.  

On May 11th I went to the doctor and my primary doctor gave me vicodin 10 mgs.  I then ended up in the hospital the next day.  I came back and saw the physician a week later and told  him that they were too strong so he lowered the vicodin to 7.5.  When I went to the pain doctor we talked about medication and he decided to try me on percocet.  My prescription card paid for these medications and I thought nothing of it.  Now today when I was in trying to get an antibiotic for my abcessed tooth, the urgent care doctor that I've never seen made that comment that they received a letter from my insurance carrier.  I'm very upset because I"m trying to find out what medication works best and now I'm sure both my doctors got that letter.  I do not doctor shop, I have two doctors that prescribe medication, and then on occasion I have to go to the urgent care for kidney stones, etc.... I said absolutely nothing to the urgent care doctor but am very worried now and don't quite understand why my insurance carrier would completely pay for those prescriptions but do that to me.  I would like a note of what they wrote because I deserve to know what they were saying.  I've had my primary doctor for almost ten years, but he was the one who prescribed two of the medications.  It really upsets me because I have two good doctors who are helping me and I'm now concerned what they think.

Has anyone ever had this happen before.  Can anyone give me any good advice to make sure my primary doctor knows that I'm not abusing the meds (I still have the bottles with me) and how to go about making him understand.  Does anyone think this will be an issues since he's the doctor that wrote for both prescriptions?  I'm scared because I really need to keep my primary doctor, he's been amazing to me.  I definitely can change my pain management doctor if needed, but don't want to do that either.  Do you guys think I should just blow it off, since the urgent care doctor really has no idea what is going on with me for pain control.  It just upset me because I've only been to the urgent care twice, and the last time I was there, they sent me to the ER for kidney stones, they didn't prescribe any medication.  I may make a lot of mistakes, but this really upsets me.

Any advice that you can give to me would be appreciated.

[GSWsurvivor]

Same thing happend to me when i went to the ER except the doctor said it was the dea who is tracking it

[jamajessie]

The way I see it sometimes you have no choice but to go to the Urgent Cares and Er's because your regular Dr can't see you that day or it's a weekend or they are closed. You can't help what time you get sick. Two times seeing an urgent care Dr in the same year is very common. That's why they are there because of emergency's.

The Insurance company has probably sent the same letter to your local ER's and any other emergency care facilities in your area. Anytime you get a narcotic RX from several Dr's and you use insurance to pay for it the Insurance company will go into red alert and it will alert the local Er's and emergency care facilities also any Dr that has ever gave you a RX.   I know people that have been put on a non narcotic list an alert on their chart ( which now is computerized)will come up if they go to ER or Emergency care and try to get drugs.


As long as you are honest with the Dr's you see  and tell them what medications you are on you have nothing to worry about at all...

[JadedSweetheart]

I doubt it will be a problem at all if you're PCP is the only one who prescribes any pain meds for you.  Or if both the PCP and PM prescribe to you, as long as they both know what you are taking, it shouldn't be a problem.  Although it's probably best to have only one doctor that prescribes the narcotics.  I have found it's just easier and better if anyone accuses you of anything.  Not that it stops anyone from accusing us of things when we go to the hospital anyway.
The problem with prescription pain med abuse is so bad in FL that it's like a literal witch hunt here.  They are doing stings on pain clinics and put a moritorium on any new clinics.  They signed a new law that starting in July, a doctor will not be allowed to prescribe more than 72 hours worth of medication if they dispense on site.  On the other hand, Florida has so many problems with doctor shopping and "pill mills" that I understand the reason behind the witch hunt, but they don't understand how this affects people who really have CP.  There are a lot of doctors here who don't take insurance and operate on a Cash n' Carry policy.  The problem is that medications like oxycodone and oxycontin are not carried by the regular pharmacies for fear of break-ins, so one has to buy the meds from the doctor.  A really bad catch-22.
I'm glad I'm moving to AZ.   I really hope it's better there.

[Sarajmt]

OMG!  Karen, you can't get a break.  An abscessed tooth is so painful.  I'd need additional pain meds if I were to get one.  You are really having a tough time of it.  

I'd take Tuck's advice and ask to see the letter.  You may want to get a letter from your PMP explaining your medications and reasons for receiving them.  You could take this with you in the future if you need to go to the ER or urgent care.

Bless your heart.  I really hope that peace finds you soon.

[Tuckamore]

I wouldn't be over concerned either. I have no idea why insurance companies send out these letters. I guess I should do some research and discover why this seems to becoming more common. It could depend on the state you live in or the insurance company.

I would ask to see the letter. It would be interesting to know how it is worded. My insurance company once sent a letter to my pharmacy but it was because they were concerned about my acetaminophen consumption. Initially I thought it was a concern about the narcotic but it wasn't. So I would ask for a copy of that letter.

In the mean time don't worry. Life is too short.

Peace,
~Tuck

[namnam46]

Karen,

I really wouldn't be concerned. I'd follow that great advice that everyone has given you and ask your Dr. about it. I'm guessing that this letter was sent quite sometime ago and they don't think anything of it. We ALL proably have had one sent. I'm sure that I've probably had one sent. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't do this quarterly or semi-annually or annually. The Dr.s aren't concerned because THEY are rthe ones sending them and this lets them know for sure that we are ALL following the RULES.

I wish that you had asked to see what it said or what the DATE was that it was sent. Since you only see this particular Urgent Care Dr. twice a year it most likely might even have been in 2009 or the START of 2010.

PLEASE DON'T WORRY ABOUT THIS. If there was any type of problem you would have ALREADY heard from your Dr.'s.

TRY to relax this weekend and I AM so sorry that you are having this problem with your tooth on top of  EVERYTHING else that you are struggling with.

Sending you LOTS of (((Hugs!)))....Sherry

[jamlws]

I guess we all should be checking our mail. It is good that they keep up with stuff like that. I only get meds from one doctor so only see would get a letter if I was to get one.
Jamie

[Mollyrae]

Hi:

I had a letter come to my home in regards to the Medications prescribed as well. Basically the Narcotics. They stated in the letter that they also sent one to my Doctor. All the Medications that I have had throughout the year was listed which most were opiates.

This is all fine with me. The only Doctors name on the prescriptions were from my PCP who does all the prescribing. There were no other scripts from any other Doctors.

I'm not sure why the Insurance Co's are doing this. I suppose it's because of the rampid drug abuse in this country.

I actually thought that the letter was amusing. I'm sure that my Doctor did as well. So, your not the only one that this has happened to lately. I'm, sure that there are many of us with the same letter.

Hope this helps,
Mollyrae

[designgyrl]

Yeah they told me I had an abcess tooth and no I didn't ask for pain medication.  They gave me penicillan for the infection.

[jamlws]

My family dr told me once that she treated this girl and a few days later got a letter from her insurnace compnay letting her know that she is being watched by her insurance company. I guess they follow her everywhere she goes. I would just flat out ask your dr about the letter to see what it says. Maybe it will put your mind at ease if you talk to your dr. Could urgant care tell you had a abcessed tooth? If you was only wanting antibiotics then there shouldn't of been a problem.
Does your pain dr and your family dr both give you meds? If I remember right your not on a contract. So I would just talk to your drs about all of this.
Best of luck
Jamie