Is It Legal?

[Chuck75]

Is it legal for a Va Medical Center Doctor to pull a 100% Permanent and Total Service connected Veterans Pain Medication (which seemed to be working fine without adverse affects) without good reason after 15 years and other Va Doctors prescribing it because they felt it was necessary?

In short, yes, if the med center doctor is the "treating physician".

What you can do about it --

Request a review, citing increased pain or other limitations or complications, etc.

Go to a private physician that is fully qualified by current license and "board certified" in the appropriate specialty, and have that physician write a new prescription. (What I would do, in order to prevent lapse of the drugs benefits.)

Depending on what the pain medication is, and what it's for, and what happens when you don't take it, you may have other options as well. You can always ask for another VA physician, for instance.

After the Oxycontin debacle, many doctors and health care providers have gotten a bit paranoid about strong pain killing drugs, and some doctors are very reluctant to prescribe them.

[VET4LIFE]

So sorry to hear this happened. Fortunately there is a solution. Unfortunately the VA assures that significant time will pass before rectifying the problem.

I did not accept any medication for a long time because I have a Substance Abuse problem sober since July 2001.

Never have a posative drug screening at any of my MH appointments.

When my back was terrible I requested Prendisone for the swelling.

I was denied for drug seeking:angry: . How high can you get on prendisone???

I still have not fixed it, but I know I can.

My mother was an RN for the VA for 25 + years and said to go to the Patient Advocate and if it does not work request to see a Psychiatrist.

So the answer is yes they can stop meds, but with out substantial evidence they can not keep you from them indeffinately.

Thank God for civilian doctors.

Of course there are some good VA Doc's too.

The best one I had was a Physician Assistant.

My wife and I currently see a Civilian Doc that is a Nurse Practitioner.

Just my two or three cents.

[Hurting]

In short, yes, if the med center doctor is the "treating physician".

What you can do about it --

Request a review, citing increased pain or other limitations or complications, etc.

Go to a private physician that is fully qualified by current license and "board certified" in the appropriate specialty, and have that physician write a new prescription. (What I would do, in order to prevent lapse of the drugs benefits.)

Depending on what the pain medication is, and what it's for, and what happens when you don't take it, you may have other options as well. You can always ask for another VA physician, for instance.

After the Oxycontin debacle, many doctors and health care providers have gotten a bit paranoid about strong pain killing drugs, and some doctors are very reluctant to prescribe them.

Thanks Chuck. My meds have already lapsed. I have been doing without for quite a while now. Hurting and very limited as to what I am able to do everyday. Just really tired of missing out on the important parts of my children's life and of hurting.

[Hurting]

So sorry to hear this happened. Fortunately there is a solution. Unfortunately the VA assures that significant time will pass before rectifying the problem.

I did not accept any medication for a long time because I have a Substance Abuse problem sober since July 2001.

Never have a posative drug screening at any of my MH appointments.

When my back was terrible I requested Prendisone for the swelling.

I was denied for drug seeking:angry: . How high can you get on prendisone???

I still have not fixed it, but I know I can.

My mother was an RN for the VA for 25 + years and said to go to the Patient Advocate and if it does not work request to see a Psychiatrist.

So the answer is yes they can stop meds, but with out substantial evidence they can not keep you from them indeffinately.

Thank God for civilian doctors.

Of course there are some good VA Doc's too.

The best one I had was a Physician Assistant.

My wife and I currently see a Civilian Doc that is a Nurse Practitioner.

Just my two or three cents.

I guess that I will have to check and see if I have gone crazy! Pain is definitely something that can drive you crazy!