Why Won't My Doctor Give Me Vicoden For My Pain?

[FrusteratedWithPain]

Ok, so my question is "Why won't my doctor give me vicoden for my pain any longer?"

I broke my ankle in June of 2011, I broke all three bones that hold my foot together. After I broke it, it had been dislocated in the hospital too. The emergency room imformed me that I would need to see a orthopedist doctor and have a new patient visit to talk about surgery options. I needed surgery, I got it.
I now have a plate and eight screws in my right ankle.

I am a college student, I am also a mom, I am also a wife. I am a very busy woman whether it be me going to my courses and walking all over college campus, up and down stairs to classes ( I started taking elevators ), or me being a mom and playing with my kids and running all over my house which also has stairs. My children are four years old and two. Very active. I am a wife who is responsible for all transportation in my household. I drive my husband to and from wherever he needs to go, I drive my kids to and from where they need to go, and I definately have to take myself to class. That is not including grociery shopping, ouch.
My point is that I am VERY active considering my lifestyle and since my surgery my ankle pain is Horrible!! It hurts me ALL of the time. I am 170 pounds and just to have to stand and walk on my foot all day long with not just my weight but other weight also id definately affecting my ankle pain too.

I was seeing my orthopedist doctor (who I never even got to mee) I only met her PA. I would have my check-ups and I did have a follow up after the surgery as well. I always told him that it hurt. He prescribed me Hydrocodone 10's. I had been taking them for months, at least 8 months. Well the PA told me since it was hurting I needed to see a specialist. I didn't mind because I figure if my ankle hurts than there is a reason or explanation. I went to see the specialist and we decided that I will get an MRI. I did, I went and got the MRI done and am waiting for my follow up appointment on March 2nd. My orthopedist doctor (the PA) said that due to me seeing a specialist I am no longer under his care and I need to either get my pain medication from my family doctor. Previously I had called for a medication refill for my doctor (the PA) and they thought I was requestion the refill from my specialist. The nurse of the specialist said that he does not prescribe pain medication until after he performs a surgery which he had not done on me.

So here I am having been taking Vicoden 10's for months, to not having them be prescribed to me at all. I went to go see my primary doctor told her about my ankle, about the pain, about what my PA doctor had told me to do, which was getting my pain medication from her. She says she does not prescribe narcotics for pain-management. So she prescribed me Nortipiline. It DOES NOT help and my ankle has been hurting SOO bad. I have nothing I just take Ibuprofen which does help take the pain away either. She completely cut me of vicoden. After have been on them for a long time I started getting really sick. I thought I had the flu, I even had an appointment with her when I was sick. I couldn't stop feeling nauseous and I was throwing up in the room and everything. Now that I think of it I probably was having withdrawls or something. The point is, I am in pain, she wont give me vicoden, and i don't really care what I get but I need it to help me. Vicoden helped and that was all I knew, and all I had that helped. Now I have no idea what to do, take, or anything... Someone PLEASE give me some advice!!! help.

[Tuckamore]

I am sorry to hear about your pain. It's true most MDs won't presribe narcotics for an "old injury" or something that seems to be normal pain.

If your MRI returns with evidence and an explaination as to why you are having abnormal pain a Physician may order something for you. It's not easy to get narcotics, in spite of what the uneducated media says.  The DEA is breathing down  the necks of our Physicians, watching every script they write and making them accountable. Certainly we want responsible Physicians... but the deaths of Michael Jackson and now Whitney Houston has made even responsible, caring Physicians worry... and sadly they are being looked at as Drug Dealers.

Look for ways to manage your pain until the MRI is done. Talk to your PCP again. I know this is probably not what you want to hear....Unfortunately it's reality.  We all know how pain can disrupt our lives. I am sorry you are hurting. I hope you'll get some answers soon.

Best of Luck to You,
~Tuck

[Rlawson2765]

MDs don't like to prescribe for such an old injury. You may hae been in withdrawl. Your weight will contribute to your pain. You should be wearing some type of ankle support, ice it down and elevate it when you get home. check with an ortho or pain management about pain blocking injections into the area so you can stay off the drugs.  

[littlebit667]

Just wanted to say you were having withdrawals from the removal of the pain medication.  They should have tapered you off.  Vicodin can be very addictive, at the very least you were dependent.  The doctors are trying not to prescribe pain meds for a long period of time as you can get addicted.  It happened to me and the alternative s u c k e d!  I hope others will chime in to give you more of an idea of what to do.