Guest guest Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 My GI called me Wed and said that he is going to review all my x-ray films to decide which surgeon he is going to refer me to to have the head of my pancreas removed. Last Nov he said I was not at that stage of disease now since my last admission last week that is going to be the best option for me to control the panc attacks. My pain specialist just called me today because I have had more pain after being d/c from hospital that I was taking the max of my lortab allowed per day. He is putting me on oxycodone for bt pain. Said it is more effective. The only thing I don't like is he wants me to bring to him the lortab I have left in exchange for the new script and they will destroy the rest of the lortab I have left. I don't have money to just throw away so I may just wait until Monday to pick up the new script. Has anyone else's pain doc done this. How do I know that they destroy it. What's the point of taking it back? Sincerly, Patty Duley, Office Coordinator L. Doering, MD Louisville Oncology 3991 Dutchmans Lane, Suite 405 Louisville, KY 40207 (502)899-3366 ext. 142 .jensen@... This message is confidential, intended only for the named recipient(s) and may contain information that is privileged or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. Any patient health information must be delivered immediately to intended recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient(s), you are notified that the dissemination, distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you receive this message in error, or are not the named recipient(s), please notify the sender at either the e-mail address or telephone number above and discard this e-mail. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2005 Report Share Posted March 4, 2005 Hi Patty, I am sorry about the news that you may have to undergo surgery. But I hope that this will be very effective in relieving your pain and the attacks. Surgery is a scary thing but if all goes well, it can also give you back your life. Just be kind to yourself while recovering and don't hurry back to work. That is one of my biggest mistakes that I did after my worst surgery....hurrying back to work....and I can't help but think that this is the reason I am sick still today, five years later. But it is hard to know for sure but I do know that abdominal surgery is one of the roughest on both your physical and mental health and you need to give yourself permission to use the maximum amount of sick time that you can have. Trust me, you won't regret it. As far as your meds are concerned: the only thing I can think of is that they want to destroy them in the clinic so they can document that you only have what they prescribe now on hand. I am thinking that pain clinics are feeling the effects of the increased policing of the DEA in regards to this issue and destroying previous scripts may be a new policy that is instituted to meet these DEA guidelines. I am feeling those effects myself as my pain clinic for the first time, made me sign a drug contract with them this Wednesday which had some pretty harsh " clauses " that were more rigid than what I have seen on previously published contracts. Truthfully, I am having some mental " issues " with these type of contracts - not that I intend to violate them in anyway as far as doctor shopping, purchasing non-prescribed meds, etc. - but that we are singled out and " blackmailed " with our drugs. It is pretty evident that they can take the prescriptions away from us at anytime for any reason - the drug contract only states what conditions we as a patient must meet, not what the responsibilities of the doctor and clinic are. I find that quite humiliating and emotionally depressing. To know that my quality and quantity of life is at the whim of a " benevolent " doctor - a stranger who has no vested interest in seeing me whole. I am also having problems reconciling this requirement to receiving medication when I compare it to other illnesses with long term medical management: that is, are asthma sufferer's, cardiac risk patients, and epileptics required to sign a contract in order to get meds? Are they told that if they lose meds or they get stolen that they must do without for a month? and that if they get sick in the meantime, " so-sorry, so sad? " . I also see it as one more example of why I personally, do not deserve health care, that there is something lacking in my personality that proclaims loud and clear to doctors that " this woman should be ignored and discouraged from getting treatment, so let's put one more hoop into the health care maze and maybe she will just go away and leave us alone " . Not that I do not realize that almost everyone on long term pain meds must sign this...it is just that we as a group are still being stigmatized...and by the specialists that are suppose to be our advocates. I have to say, my relationship with my pain doctor has been cast under a dark cloud because of this. Oh well, off on a tangent again.........Sorry Laurie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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