AHHHHHHH #2

[Guest guest]

I need to vent. If anyone has any, suggestions wouldn't hurt right

now, but I'm not expecting any.

As some of you may already know, my pain management doctor kicked me

out of his office for " cancelling an appointment " (I had to reschedule

for reasons beyond my control, and I called to reschedule, but they

didn't have room in their schedule until AFTER my next appointment

date (a month later). They told me not to worry about it because I was

seen a month earlier).

The REAL reason that they kicked me out of the office is that they

didn't want to prescribe my medications. When I was referred to that

office, the agreement was that my PCP would continue prescribing the

medications and the pain management doctor would make suggestions on

dose changes and alternate medications. My first appointment was on

October 21, 2010 (I only remember because it was my 21st birthday). On

October 21, 2011, my PCP mailed me a letter stating that he would no

longer prescribe my opioid medications because I had a pain management

doctor and he should be prescribing them.

When I told the PM office about what my PCP said as soon as I got the

letter (Nov 10) they realized that they had no choice but to prescribe

the urgently needed medications. They prescribe the medications to

keep me alive and out of the hospital, but they were sure to let me

know that the only reason they did it was because Dr. potter backed

them into a corner. Apparently, they were secretly waiting for the

slightest mistake so that they could kick me out of the office. Then,

they manufactured one.

Not ONE of my doctors is willing to prescribe my pain medications.

I've already run out of methadone and oxycodone. I have a few Actiq

left because I've been severely rationing them, but they aren't going

to last more than a few days. I have another month until I run out of

the Duragesic and simply die a torturous death.

My PCP, who should be prescribing these for me and has yet to give me

a valid reason for not doing so, got me into a pain management office.

I arrived at the pain management office earlier today (technically

yesterday) and 30 minutes into the appointment (after 45 minutes of

paperwork), I am told that he is an interventional pain management

office. Apparently, my PCP didn't bother to make sure that the office

that they sent me to to prescribe my pain meds actually prescribes

pain meds!

Since the referral was non-specific and overall wrong, the pain doctor

darted out of the room while telling her that he was going to contact

my PCP. After a little while his staff came in and explained better

what was going on. Basically, he wanted to know what my PCP wanted him

to do. After waiting in the exam room for over an hour, they realized

that my PCP was not calling them back. I wasted over two hours in that

office and I'm going to need 3-4 days to recover from the appointment.

Right now, I'm alright, but I still have a little Actiq left and a

month of Duragesic. When I run out of Actiq, I'll want to die. If I

run out of Duragesic, I'm going to experience the most intense

withdrawal possible coupled with my pain (not to mention

uncontrollable vomiting and crapping my pants) and I'll want to die

until my heart finally gives out. I'm freaking out and I have no idea

what to do next. I can't wait for yet another referral and

appointment, I just don't have the time.

I don't understand how these doctors can care so little that they are

putting my life at risk. If I die, maybe they'll care after the get

hit with wrongful death suits.

I get treated like this and I have cancer, I can't imagine how I would

be treated if I didn't have cancer. I don't know how some of you guys

handle it.

Thanks for listening (well, reading)

Steve M in PA