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Violated My Pain Management Agreement

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Today I get Baclofen in the mail. We cancelled this muscle relaxer a couple of months ago and switched me back to cyclobenzaprine at my request. This was my first visit with the new PCP. The second visit is when they cancelled my pain meds. I am totally confused now. I am going to put in a message for her to call me, but I since she never returned my call the other day, I doubt she will this time either. No instructions to stop the cyclobenzaprine. No instructions on how to taper off the darvocet. Nothing to replace the darvocet with. Do I take both muscle relaxers together? If I do will I have a accidental overdose? I'm getting effin pissed!!!!!!!!!!!!! B)

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My wife has a failed back surgery and for years they tried to treat it with stronger and stronger narcotics, to the point it made her a staggering zombie. She was becoming suicidal because her pain was increasing, and they were making her sign pain management agreements and a couple of her doctors had notated 'drug seeking behavior' on her medical record. When we moved, we finally met with a doctor who thought that maybe, just maybe, something was being missed. She tried treating my wife for fibromyalgia using Lyrica and another medication to prevent breakthrough pain. My wife is no longer a zombie, and has her life back.

I mention this because she has successfully switched from heavy narcotics prescribed for the wrong diagnosis, although she still takes something for pain.

My method of communicating with my doctors, is to make them smile and laugh. They are much nicer that way, although sometimes they tell me to be more serious. If I have a problem with the VA, I have no problem with name dropping while speaking with the patient representative. Due to the fact that I try to volunteer and be politically active as much as I can, I end up knowing quite a few people. So by mentioning that I am not in the habit of letting things die down and will go outside the VA gets lots of attention. Of course, I make sure I am 100% correct that something untoward has occurred, before making any statement like that. Luckily, most of my complaints have been Finance-related snafus. Although there was the time that a VA employee poked me in the chest to make a point, and I bent back his finger and dropped him to his knees until another employee arrived, and then I made the employee apologize in front of them. There were witnesses that I did not make contact first, but I wouldn't have responded that way otherwise. Did you know there is a list of 'dangerous' veterans the VA Police keep, so they can respond in numbers? I still say I am not dangerous, I just don't like being poked! B)

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  • HadIt.com Elder

rentaguy,

im no PCP or pharmacist so I wouldn't begin to tell you how to taper off or switch meds.

Your PCP "SHOULD" have contacted you personally & done that already.

I can tell you they came close to killing me with toxic doses of meds. If you die from it, they could care less.

You need to contact the pharmacy & let them know what your PCP is and isn't doing & ask them what to do.

It's your life. Don't let them take it from you.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Finally got a call from my PCP's nurse. Went something like this:

Nurse: we got your message, and we have already sent you a letter. Did you get the letter?

Me: Yes. So do I keep taking the cyclobenzaprine, and start taking the baclofen, too?

Nurse: What cyclobenzaprine?

Me: The cyclobenzaprine that my pcp prescribed two months ago, at my request, during my first visit with her.

Nurse: Oh. I don't know. I will write a note and ask her. We will get back to you next Monday.

Me: OK. I also do not want a EMG, and I will not accept a appointment for one.

Nurse: Why?

Me: Because I have severe muscle guarding which will cause false readings, and which cause me to not be able to lie still long enough for the the test. A EMG will not change the course of treatment, either, because the neurosurgeon has already said that I am not a candidate for surgery at this point in time. All of this is in my medical records.

Nurse: I am writing all of this down to pass along to her.

Me: I also need some directions on how I should taper off of darvocet.

Nurse: Your pcp said to just stop taking it. There is no need to taper.

Me: If I miss a dose, I get headaches and nausea, but you're telling me it's ok to just stop taking these pills?

Nurse: Yes. I've never heard of any withdrawals from darvocet.

Me: Even after I've been taking it for two years?

Nurse: OH! I'm going to put you on hold and ask her.

Me: Ok.

Nurse: Your pcp said she didn't realize that you had been taking it for that long. She says you need to do this...to taper off.

Me: Ok. Thank you. I can't believe that she didn't know that I had been taking darvocet for that long. It's all in my records. She does review my records, doesn't she?

Nurse: (silence)

Me: The reason I'm on darvocet is because I failed the stronger narcotics. That's why Dr. XXX decided to just leave me on the short acting narcotic, because it kept me stable. The neurosurgeon agreed with this course. Even the VHA's literature regarding long vs short acting narcotics said it doesn't matter which is prescribed, so long as the patient's pain level is stable.

Nurse: (silence)

Me: I'm not trying to be a jerk, and I know I screwed up on this deal...even if it is silly in my mind. I am not opposed to switching to a non-narcotic, but I had hoped she would have given me something to replace the darvocet with since she has definitely discontinued it.

Nurse: I will pass all of this along to her. We will get back to you on Monday or Tuesday.

Me: Ok, but one more thing.

Nurse: Yes?

Me: Please have her take a little time and review my records before you guys call me back. All of this stuff is right there in your computers. You just have to look for it.

And that was about it. I doubt anything good is going to comeout this. I have the appeal working it's way to the Chief of Staff and Director of the hospital. I will take it higher than that if I must. Someone is going to get crucified for this piss poor medical care!

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  • HadIt.com Elder

I got a letter over the weekend telling me that I had a appointment for a EMG. I called this morning to cancel it. The clerk said it was giving him a hard time to cancel, but he finally got the system to accept it. I wonder what kind of sh**storm this will bring. I am still waiting on their return phone call.

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