Hey Doc, Is the DEA making you guys paranoid?

[Jerk]

This week I got my MRI done and it shows a buldged disk, hence the pinched sciotic nerve. I got 1 prescription filled with hydrocodone and 1 refill. I know not to take more than 5 of these things per day, and so I haven't been over-doing it. Well, I'm going to run out today. I called friday and my doc denied the refill. I thought "well, maybe he thinks I'm taking them too fast so I'll wait till Sunday when I actually run out" (you see, I was planning ahead). Doc, says, no, he ain't gonna do it. "If you're hurting that bad, go to the emergency room!" WTF??

I just got a $400 bill from the Mercy ER that my insurance didn't pay. Oh well, bulged disk, pinch nerve, massive pain, but I guess they think I'm Chuck Norris. Hey, I am an internet tough guy. Sorry, had to vent. I need a new Doctor, but I hope I don't get accused of "doctor shopping," but Judas H Priest, I've got to do something. Over-the-counter won't do nothing.. Nothing.

Pain is good right? It means you're alive. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I guess that's their philosophy.

ps- they never gave me muscle relaxers, which I'm told is needed to relieve pressure on the nerve.

These guys are horrible...."Edmond Renaissance" Dr Olay, Dr Limbaugh. I wouldn't send my worst enemies to them.

[slickdawg]

They are always that way about narcotics.

[TUSooner]

If it makes you feel good, it's evil. Blame it on the War on Drugs.
You have my sympathy.

[StoopTroup]

You need to get him to refer you to a specialist if he doesn't want to treat you.

[yermom]

Dr. Limbaugh?

was that a joke? :D

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

I can't imagine a Limbaugh having any problems with pain pills!

[OUDoc]

Ehh, it depends on how well we know you. Some patients fake it. Other times we don't want to get anyone addicted. It's a ****ty call sometimes, but some of us are really conservative with narcotics, and some are pretty liberal. You need to find a lib doctor. ;)
Good luck.

[Jerk]

Thanks for the reply. The thing that irks me is, they have the MRI, and I can't fake that.

Oh well. You're right... I need a long-haired hippie doctor :mad:

[batonrougesooner]

I'm an ER doc here in OKC and I see this problem daily.

The problem is managing what is most likely going to be a chronic pain condition with narcotics.

You are obviously not a drug seeker...yet.

You obviously don't intend to become a drug seeker. You have legitimate pain and you are seeking a legitimate way to deal with it.

The problem is that managing this pain with a few scripts of narcotic meds is a slippery slope.

NSAIDs (think Motrin/Aleve) plus a muscle relaxer like Flexeril would be a good start. Might relieve some muscle spasm surrounding the nerve which may be causing your pain.

Call your doc and ask about a muscle relaxer.

I wish we had a consistent and reliable way of dealing with chronic pain sans narcotics. Without knowing more specific information it is hard to comment further.

[Jerk]

Thanks, Doc. I have thought that is probably a life-long thing that will come and go. I'm sure there is a better way to deal with it than lor-tab, and I don't really like the stuff anyway. It seems to make me midly nauseated...like I want to throw up. But that is better than the pain that throbs in my leg and foot. This hydrocodone is decent at getting rid of most of the pain, but it doesn't give me a good "high" like an illicite drug would (not that I would know :D ) Point is, even I don't want to be on and off this stuff for the rest of my life.

The only time in my life when I've been in more pain is after I got my wisdom teeth removed.

Now how do I find another doc without getting charged with "doctor shopping" like Rush Limbaugh did? These docs I see now...I really don't think they care. They kind of have this attitude, like "Well, buddy, we've done all we can do, and we're not doing any more. Good luck!"

[OUinFLA]

Ehh, it depends on how well we know you. Some patients fake it. Other times we don't want to get anyone addicted. It's a ****ty call sometimes, but some of us are really conservative with narcotics, and some are pretty liberal. You need to find a lib doctor. ;)
Good luck.

Jerk going to a Democrat Doc?
Not likely.
Prolly have to leave his guns in the truck.

[Jerk]

Jerk going to a Democrat Doc?
Not likely.
Prolly have to leave his guns in the truck.

I need a libertarian doc!

[OCUDad]

For years I have had two bulging disks and a sciatic nerve problem that occasionally flares up and causes lots of pain down the right leg. What works for me for most flare-ups is regular doses of ibuprofen (Advil - 4 at a time), and alternating heat and ice. That plus some simple stretching exercises usually can keep things in check, at least for me.

Once, maybe twice a year, it gets so bad it requires an ER visit. Last time was Toradol, Dilaudid, Valium, and Vicodin. I floated for two days, then went to the Advil/heat/ice thing. Not a great idea to get too dependent on painkillers.

Stretching every day (if it's not too painful) can help a lot.

[OUinFLA]

amputation from the belly button area downward is the least favorable alternative, but the most effective.

[1stTimeCaller]

ahhh gone are the days when the Doc would send a 2nd grader home after an ear surgery with a script for horse-pill sized Demarol (500mg I think) and a syringe for his mom to inject him with if the pain gets too bad.

Two pills and a 1cc injection of Demarol within an hour is not so good for a second grader, jus sayin'.

[BoogercountySooner]

I dealt with this exact same problem last year Jerk. My first advice is don't see a Surgeon unless you want surgery. My sister had surgery in her neck for this and has been off work for 3 yearts now probably will never work again. Thats worse case scenario. I went to a pain doctor and had a Cotizone shot releave the imflamation. Two days after the shot I was without any pain and haven't gone back I got the shot last January. I was told that sometimes a bulging disc will heal itself I think thats what happened with me. I have one friend that went to Physical Therapy and it is helping him alot. HAve your Doc refer you to a pain doctor is my advice.

[Okla-homey]

I would hate to be a anesthesiologist in the pain management business these days. I should think such a practice would net relatively large numbers of complaints to the medical licensing board by disgruntled drug seekers.

As an aside, I've been told by pain practitioners that drug seekers can be incredibly resourceful and will stop at nothing to get their meds.

Even if a complaint brought by a drug seeker were groundless, as most are I suspect, an investigation might lead to discovery of some relatively minor discrepancy which might require some form of censure or a blackmark with the DEA. That could result in higher premiums and/or a longer malpractice insurance tail. Result? We all pay more for care, and people who need the meds have a harder time getting them.

Yet another reason to decriminalize drug abuse.

[MamaMia]

My husband, who is a dentist, is shy with narcotics because of possible repercussions from the OBNDD. They're really hard on dentists because the executive director of the Oklahoma dental board fabricates falsehoods in an effort to collude with them to do her bidding, and has done so for over 20 years now. I don't know about other states, but here in Oklahoma, we have law enforcement practicing medicine at a very high rate.

[OCUDad]

amputation from the belly button area downward is the least favorable alternative, but the most effective.Amputation from the neck up works pretty well, too.

[OUDoc]

The OBNDD says they don't go after good doctors just taking care of their patients, only the ones doing really stupid acts in exchange for narcotic prescriptions. Despite how Mom feels about dentists and prescriptions, I believe them. However, there is a gray area between what's a "good doctor" and a "stupid act", IMO. They always tell us about the doc with the bedroom off his exam room and "stripper sex" for pain meds. Those are obvious. What about the patient you suspect is abusing, but can't prove? What about those BS stories about Percocet falling in the toilet? (Notice that antibiotics NEVER fall in the toilet.) Or people who claim they left their pills in the hotel room in another state? Or someone stole their purse that had the pain meds in it? That stuff happens, but shouldn't happen as frequently as patients claim it happens. It all makes us uncomfortable refilling narcotics at times. Unfortunately, good patients get caught in it at times.
My opinion, call their office again today. Usually you'll never get narcotics after hours (I know you originally called Friday). We don't have charts available to us at home. At least let them know that you are still hurting. It might work.

[yermom]

am i reading it that he denied the first refill?

[MamaMia]

The OBNDD stormed a dental clinic in Tulsa Oklahoma called Denture Care. They did this with hazmat safety gear and weapons drawn. They held innocent dentists for questioning while interrupting patient care. They confiscated all the lab work, paperwork, computers, patient records. They found nothing. No charges were filed and no apology was made.

Doc may believe the OBNDD when they say they don't go after innocent doctors, but I know that isn't always the case. I wouldn't call storming a clinic full of innocent dentists and patients the actions of any outfit I would automatically believe and thank goodness Senator Lewis Long Jr. didn't either.

The narcotics boards do serve a purpose, but there have been many cases in which they have abused their power. Don't believe me...google it. That is one reason , among others, why many responsible doctors don't feel comfortable in treating honest patients who have legitimate pain with narcotics.

[OUDoc]

That's kinda what I mean about the gray areas. In our business, the OBNDD wields a lot of power. If you're suspected of anything, it's going to get ugly. If you can stay off their radar, you're better off.

[MamaMia]

That's kinda what I mean about the gray areas. In our business, the OBNDD wields a lot of power. If you're suspected of anything, it's going to get ugly. If you can stay off their radar, you're better off.
Exactly, but its a shame that thousands of innocent patients have to suffer because of the abuse of power of a few.