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Can My Pcp Abruptly Stop My Pain Management Meds?

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Hello folks, during service I became a Type-1 insulin dependent diabetic. Anthrax vaccinations shut down my pancreas. After separation, I hit rock bottom with alcohol and the prism of street drugs. This irresponsible me 'saw the error of my illegal activities' August of 09. Facing a strict prison sentence I emerged from rehab a sober law-abiding citizen again (from alcohol and street drugs) 6 months later. A year or so after separation, and early in my diabetes I was prescribed hydrocodone 5/500 then 7.5's for diabetic pain. Of course, at the same time I signed the VA rights release. I called to renew my hydro prescription religiously for approximately 8 years. Eight months ago I needed renewal and was informed by my 'physician' that I would have a urination and lab before he would renew. I performed the request, got my medication but the next day mail told me I violated VA policy, marijuana use: so no more VA narcs. I do smoke and will never understand why we can self medicate with alcohol freely without medical benefit accepting the horrible risks associated but someone can't med with MJ when it's a proven diabetic nerve-pain reliever among other uses. Such a political contradiction. Regardless, last weekend I seriously screwed something up in my lower back, went back to the Jack C. in Muskogee and after being denied by my 'physician', his boss and the patient advocate, I have been labeled as a narc hunter. Yes, I have had a couple of Ozzy episodes with these providers and admin, and...5-6 YEARS ago, the 'label' would have been true. I haven't had anything but OTC in my system since November 11, excluding Naproxen and Methocarbomol from the VA-E.R. Wonder drugs that don't do anything to the jack-hammer in my back. I have legitimacy with this lumbar injury, but have cried wolf too many times? Is this the kind of mentality vets are dealing with? Could someone let me know if there is another course of action besides relaying my new injury with these 'buddy-system' dictators? I don't care about being monitored for illegal drugs, if these people would look past my history and actually do something for my back. The pain has caused me to loose a decent welding gig, which I can weld anywhere but really don't feel like spending a fortune on a private physician just to be able to work. Who can I talk to about signing the release again, or is it just a one time deal? I'm at my breaking point.

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  • 3 months later...

I've signed the pain med contractseveral different times over the last 10 years that I've been prescribed opiods (oxycodone) through the VA in Illinois - I'm currently rated 60% disabled for 3 herniated (1 ruptured) discs in my lower back, elbow tendonitis, and plantar fascitis in both feet. The pain meds are mostly for my back, which has progressively gotten worse, and thus I need to take more and more meds, and for the last year I've asked to see a pain management doctor to get the dosage increased - I've taken the same amount for 3+ years now, which isn't working - in order to do my job I have to take half of my day's dose first thing in the morning!

I was just urine tested Tuesday morning and I got a call from my VA doctor yesterday telling me that I tested negative for marijuana AND for opiods, and that the last urine test showed no opiods in my system either (I wasn't told though)! The doc told me that pain management wanted to stop the pain meds and I was completely floored - oxycodone is the only medication that actually helps with the debilitating pain and sciatica and they want to stop giving it to me! I told my doctor just that and that their tests had to be wrong and that I'd take a polygraph or whatever would prove that I was taking my meds! The doc discussed the matter with Pain mgmt., called me back, and told me that he believed me (and told them as much) and got them to fill the script week-to-week, with a weekly urine test to see what was going on. He said that I might be metabolizing the meds at a different rate and that we'd figure this out.

I was actually shaking with anger after he initially told me that they were going to discontinue the medication - I take them as prescribed (sometimes more when the pain is worse - it happens too often lately with the amount of pain I've been having), I am NOT selling them "on the street," and I've only ran out early and asked for a re-fill once (last month actually). Maybe the last time I had to provide urine I had taken too much medication, and it showed up as too much in my system, I don't know. Does the VA play head games, trying to get you to stumble so they can snatch the rug out from under you? Why do they treat vets like criminals, like we can't be trusted, and that we'll lie before telling the truth?!?! I held a top secret security clearance (TS/SCI) the entire time I was in the Army, and it can actually still be used should I get a job needing it today! But this bureaucratic government entity can flippantly call me (and countless other honest vets) a liar and make me jump through hoops, just to relieve the pain that was caused while I was their employee!!!!! That's why I was shaking (as I am right now!) as I tried to fathom this insult.

Thank God my doctor is a stand-up guy who actually cares about his patients. I hope he can figure out why the meds aren't showing up on the urine test, if not I guess I'll be blacklisted and forced to find a civilian doctor, which I can't afford.

Anyone had the same (non) results on their drug screening? If so, what happened? Can/will my state representative help me? I don't know what to do here, this is absurd to me.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The big problem here is that the VA does NOT have a pain management system in which all modalities of pain management are used. Massage, acupuncture, opiod therapy, psychological therapy and more need to be used together to control the pain. I recently got upgraded to 50% disability due to my back but no increase in pain meds or other treatments, EVERY VA should have a pain management team so that veterans get the treatment they earned and deserve.. The only way this is going to happen is for us to organize, write letters to elected officials, newspapers, etc, and generally just make life miserable for the government until we get what we want. I think we need a review board when someone is said to be in violation of their pain contract. I also think the DEA needs to be disbanded. The war on drugs was lost before it ever started and we could restart our economy by treating people as adults and legalizing everything and make the consequence for infringing on someone elses rights huge. But unless we become politically involved we will continue to be controlled by others.

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First you are physically dependant and your body would need more meds to get the same results. Go to the patient advocate and the newspaper. Both can help you. Also go to every veteran organization you can find,. Call your elected officials. This is the fault of the VA. How do they know you didn't return the meds? Or that they never got to you. This is exactly why I do not get meds mailed. I simply told the VA we live in a rural area and things get stolen (not a lie). If you go through withdrawals go to the ER.

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  • 2 months later...

Troyez, I've been on ms04 and a break thru for the last 15years. Each month my morphine and oxy are late. I was told Friday that I would get my meds yesterday (Monday), today is Tuesday and still no meds (they were due on Sunday). It seems the Pharmacy decides when you can have your meds. I was told they went back 6 months, n if you ever received them early by a day, they post pine your receipt by that number of days. They seem to do this every month. However, I never get any credit for the number of days they've been late. I don't know who to call. The patient advocate doesn't help either. I would sure like to talk to you. Could you email me at Soulsurvivvor@aol.com?

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