When you have to get over being heart sick.
By Amber
@AmbiePam (93895)
United States
October 9, 2017 4:05pm CST
I have been sitting with this discussion for almost a week. I was so sick at heart that I couldn't bring myself to bring it up. You might remember in my last discussion "Going Away" I was excited about going on vacation to Branson, Missouri with my dad, his wife, my sister, BIL, niece, and nephew. I had an appointment the following Monday (today), but I would be back in time for that, of course. I was going to be home late this past Thursday. However, on Tuesday afternoon, close to 24 hours after I arrived, I got a call from my pain management doctor's office. They said I had to be in their office by 11am the next morning for a random count of my pain pills. I remember saying, "Maam, I'm in Branson, Missouri." I also remember her telling me it didn't matter. That if I didn't come in they would kick me out of the program. I was stunned. I reminded her I'd be there in a few days for my regular appointment, but it didn't matter to them.
I did everything I could to try to fix the problem. I called my main doctor and she said she couldn't do anything but refer me to a different pain management doctor. But she wouldn't be able to do in time for me to get a refill of pain medication (she said it would likely take a month). Plus, there was no guarantee they would keep me on the same dose. If you have followed me on here you know the ups and downs of doctors who cut my pain medication before even looking at my MRIs.
My dad assured me it was okay, and bless his heart, he told me he didn't like missing church anyway (he's a pastor). Once I got off the phone I just cried and cried. I wanted to spend time with my family (my sister and her family live 3 hours away), but knowing my dad would lose hundred of dollars on the only vacation I'd been on in years tore me up (he and his wife have been on vacation a couple of times, thank goodness). Never mind the 10 hour drive home. He was so sweet, as was my dad's wife (my mother died 2 1/2 years ago). I told him I could go a month without pain medication, but he insisted I not put myself through that, and that we would go home.
So today I went in again, and this time asked if I could have done something different. If I had told them beforehand, could they have refrained from making me come in and I could have stayed on vacation? No, that would not have worked. They told me I could be overseas when they called for a pill count or urine test, and if that I didn't show up in 24 hours I would be kicked out. They also said if I hadn't picked up the phone I would have been kicked out.
It's not right, and just like life, it isn't fair. I get that doctors fear the law laying into them on prescription pain medication. But good grief, this is insane.
26 people like this
26 responses
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
9 Oct 17
that is just awful. I don't understand why you were treated like this.
5 people like this
@TiarasOceanView (70022)
• United States
10 Oct 17
I hear you Ambie and I am sorry..I so understand this situation more than you know..one day I will tell you how myself and my son are trapped here in the system..it is awful how they are allowed to do this and get away with it. It is inhumane and degrading to treat a sick person as such.
4 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Oct 17
now i see what you were talking about in the recent discussion. at least glad you got it sorted out.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
9 Oct 17
I am so so sorry. That seems extremely unfair. I'm sorry your vacation was cut short. =(
I'm glad your family was understanding though.
3 people like this
@Srbageldog (7716)
• United States
3 Nov 17
How horrible. What if something came up like you were in the hospital and absolutely couldn't just drop everything and go in? They would still kick you out of the program? And are you not allowed to enjoy life, expected to stay close to home and always available to drop everything to randomly come in? That is not fair to you.
I understand there are a lot of people who abuse pain medications, but surely they should take into account your past records as a patient, as well as the fact that you have a legitimate need for such medication. It's not like you're selling your meds on the streets or over-medicating. Everywhere is getting strict about pain meds nowadays it seems, especially if you have medicaid. The clinic I go to (to see my primary doctor) won't take new patients who require chronic pain management. So then where do they go when no one will take them? It seems so discriminatory. Just because you're poor and in chronic pain, doesn't mean that you're a pill seeker or that you are abusing your meds.
1 person likes this
@Srbageldog (7716)
• United States
3 Nov 17
@AmbiePam I would definitely ask him about it. It's unrealistic to expect patients to come in at the drop of a hat. I personally would not always be able to do that. I rely on transportation through my insurance (California's version of Medicaid) and they require 5 business days to schedule a ride. So I wonder if they take things like that into consideration with their patients? What if you had no way to get there on such short notice? (Especially when you were out of state -- that was ridiculous for them to demand you come in while you were away on vacation!)
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
19 Oct 17
I've not heard of this before. Is this a program that you expect to be on for a long time? Is it one of those trial type things that are done for research before bringing some pill out to the public? Again, I've never heard before of anyone being on a pain management thing where they have to be at the program's beck and call.
My friend is on probation for driving after drinking too much and she has to call each night to make sure she doesn't need to report for a pee test the next evening, but that is the closest to your situation that I've ever heard of.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (93895)
• United States
19 Oct 17
My discussion does sound a little like something like a prison requirement, doesn't it? No, it's a pain management clinic. Some primary care physicians (like my current one) don't like writing prescriptions for heavy duty pain medicine like Loritab or Vicodin, and other similar meds. So they send you to the pain management clinic that handles only patients who take that kind of medicine. They also recommend surgery (which I've had), administer shots in the back and neck (which I have had), and tell you when you need all out metal rod in the back and neck kind of surgeries.
I have had pain management doctors who are rigid, but never in my life have I seen or experienced what happened during my vacation.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (93895)
• United States
19 Oct 17
@MarshaMusselman I addressed that in my discussion, why I have no other choices right now. If I could get someone else, I would. When you are on Medicaid your options are limited. And I have already gone through my available options. Believe me, I've exhausted all of the possibilities. I couldn't believe I got into this doctor. I had been under the impression I was stuck with my former pain management doctor. As for my primary care physician: she was literally the last person on my list when I had to find a new one. No other primary care physicians had open spaces for patients. If she hadn't taken me I would have to get a physician's assistant, who is not allowed to prescribe any pain medication.
I remember when I'm was in regular insurance I had a lot of choices. But then I ended up in disability. I guess I should be grateful for any insurance.
But thank you for suggestions. There are always possibilities I haven't thought of something.
2 people like this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
9 Oct 17
I am so sorry this happened to you. It is not fair at all.
3 people like this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
10 Oct 17
Oh I'm so sorry. That is disgusting. I can certainly understand you being sad about the plans for Branson. However (even though it doesn't make it less frustrating) - it wasn't your fault. You did everything you could to re-arrange it so it could still work out. Sometimes when really disappointing things like that happen to me - I wonder if they are blessings in disguise. Like - maybe - if you had went - would something bad have happened (youd have been in an accident or... whatever else)....? Of course there's no way to tell for sure.... but sometimes I find that calms me. Anyway - will you make new plans for vacation?
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (93895)
• United States
10 Oct 17
That's what I tried to do. Two of my dad's friends from Iowa came into town unexpectedly, and if he hadn't been home early he would have missed it. You know, anything to make myself feel better.
No, no new vacation plans, unfortunately. There just isn't money. My sister and her family stayed in so at least they got to finish the fun. And, on the bright side, the one day of vacation I had was really enjoyable.
2 people like this
@AmbiePam (93895)
• United States
11 Oct 17
@FayeHazel It is ironic you mentioned an accident because on the way back I was almost convinced we were going to have one. I had such a bad feeling, but I guess it was just my mood.
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
10 Oct 17
@AmbiePam Well - at least there were some silver linings
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160951)
• United States
20 Oct 17
I knew I had not seen any further posts about your vacation, but I had not checked in with you. This is awful!!
1 person likes this
@much2say (56056)
• Los Angeles, California
10 Oct 17
Like you said, I think doctors fear the law too, but it's so not fair for to those who do not need to be checked this way. It's crazy they cannot not make certain exceptions or at least make other arrangements. You have such a supportive family - I'm so sorry you had to leave your vacation so abruptly like that.
1 person likes this