Out Of Pain Meds

[rpowell01]

I don't hate the VA I just hate the System itself. I should I have surgery two years ago on my lumbar and 5 years ago on my neck. Bay Pines contracts their spine surgeries out to the lowest cheapest doctor in St Pete and Clearwater. I know this first hand as they did this to my uncle in-law. You can have the best surgeon in the world work on you but that doesn't say you won't have problems afterwards. I hear horror stories of people who had multiple surgeries and now have a cage in their back. I hear people who had neck surgery, fusions from C2 all the way down to T1 and they are living without pain. Actually a friend of mine had neck surgery because of tumor that was growing in his cervical spine. His Ortho surgeon along with a Neurosurgeon was able to get the tumor out. They had to wait 5 years before they were able to do any surgery because they had to wait until the tumor grew some in order to get to it. He has a cervical fusion from C2-T1 and finally lives without pain. Every single symptoms I have I talked with his wife about and she was stunned because he had the same exact systems. Trust me I had so many types of symptoms I don't know if I can ever have any new types.

My point is it doesn't matter where you go get surgery its not 100% full proof that it will be a success. The spine is just one place on the body they have a hard time with. But you know what I am willing to at least allow them to try. James A. Haley has a Neurosurgeon on staff. Maybe he is good and maybe he isn't. I know the hand-nerve surgeon who did my right CT surgery was excellent. He told me that the issues I mainly have in my hands and arms are from my neck. He was honest and very respectful. There are some good people at the VA but the system itself sucks big time. I feel like they give people a number and whenever their number comes up we will get the surgery we should have had. Its my understanding that the VAMCs in Florida only has TWO Neurosurgeons on staff. Think about the back log they must have. Again its the system that is broken and our so called great leader up in DC is not helping us one bit. The system has in fact gotten worse since he took his oath. I notice things a lot of people may not even notice but I do see things and we are in fact no going in the right direction.

[ArNG11]

For a few moments I thought the VA may have had it right with the Choice program, however, it was very poorly thought out, but I like the idea. 

Besides I like going through experts and experienced doctors for opinions especially with back or neck surgery.  I refuse to let the med side of the VA play with those areas.  In my dealings the VA medical care, well to put it nicely, I just won't say anything.  Even on the private side you must use caution.  Serves a person well to do research and look up statistics and such.

[Vync]

1 hour ago, ArNG11 said:

For a few moments I thought the VA may have had it right with the Choice program, however, it was very poorly thought out, but I like the idea. 

Besides I like going through experts and experienced doctors for opinions especially with back or neck surgery.  I refuse to let the med side of the VA play with those areas.  In my dealings the VA medical care, well to put it nicely, I just won't say anything.  Even on the private side you must use caution.  Serves a person well to do research and look up statistics and such.

You are indeed correct on all points!

[Troll]

I have been reading comments on this page for a couple days now,really just trying to figure out where to go from here.RRVA are doing the same thing to me now with my medicine's,there was no letter,no nothing.i have been going there for appr 12yrs and never really had a problem,I got a newPCP and that's where it all starts. I seen him 4mos ago and he stated that if I was his father or his brother he would be concerned for me because of my pain medication(morphine, oxycodone ).well I'm not his father nor his brother!!! Anyway I call in 10 days before they are to b picked up and I have recieved them every month until now I was suppose to pick them up on Friday they called me on Wednesday and stated that they have cut my dosage.she ( the nurse) said not drastically,I didn't like the ideal but pretty much didn't have a choice. I picked them up on Friday and find they drastically cut me down I was taking 3 60mg morphine  2 times a day and 2 5mg oxycodone up to 4 times a day now they want me to take1 30mg morphine 3 times  a day and the oxycodone is also 2 times a day.i know I should be thankful that I am even getting anything ,but it has already getting to me,I can't hardly get out of my chair because of the pain. I have called the dr's office for 3days now and of course I get no call back! I am not going to just lay down and let them do this to me.i am 64 and have a lot of chronic pain. I was able to get around enough to get some stuff done,now they want to take my quality of life away.

[TALON II FE]

You need to go to the ER, get it documented and see if they can help.  Good luck!

[Derrick911]

To be honest i have had no problems with my pain meds they come UPS in 2 to 3 days my best advice is that you switch doctors like i did and then go to patient advocate. No doctor wants to be reported to them you can always request to switch doctors because it benefits you to get the right one for your best interest in need