Hydrocodone, Driving, New Va Doctor And Pain Management

[hurryupnwait]

I had a urine test yesterday and today I received an email from my VA PCP that said I had no hydrocodone in my test. My new VA doctor is wanting me to have hydrocodone in my urine test before she will give me a few months refill of my medication. She has given me one refill and asked me to come in next week for another urine test. I live about 1.5 hours from the clinic and have to drive on a dangerous canyon road, so on days that I have to drive to the clinic I do not take a couple of doses of the medication because it makes me a little drowsy.

She also added that I need to sign a pain management agreement with the VA and not get any pain meds from outside doctors. Since my previous PCP retired, getting these meds has been very hit and miss, especially when she took time off to have a baby. I did get some pain meds from my family doctor a few years ago. I have some on reserve for days when the meds do not come in, which has been quite frequent lately. The new VA doctor asked me if I have ever received pain meds from an outside doctor and I said yes. She said oh, then we need this and this and this.

I have Blue Cross insurance that covers part of prescription costs. I have stayed with the VA clinic because I thought that it would add good evidence to my claim and it was free but now that I have IU and I have an appeal that deals with retro pay only maybe it would be better to drop VA healthcare now. In eight months I will have Medicare also. I think it might be time to cut this ball and chain and go to civilian doctors.

Any suggestions or comments

[Testvet]

actually most civilian docs have trouble writing hydrocodone narcotics also, the DEA is cracking down all over the country and they are hard pushed over drugs, and most docs are like other people they don't need the govt up their backside, you might not have it easier getting pills from them even if you are paying the bills.

I hear from what you are saying though, I gave up my license when I started the hydrocodone a decade ago, but they will not operate on the 3 herniated disks due to my heart disease, and something has to give, so I take pain pills to survive the day, my wife drives me everywhere, I have been lucky, in ten years I have had 2 periods where I had problems getting it refilled, and it was normally when they changed me to a new Primary care doc.