Saved by the Pancreatitus group again

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Just wanted to share how the group helped me again.

I had posted about how I was forced to change doctors, and the hoops he's

making me go through.

In addition to CP, I have type II diabetes. I had been on insulin prior to

my last major attack. When that occurred, the doctor in the ER woke me

after nearly dying once to tell me that there was nothing they could do, and

if I had some phone numbers of anyone I wanted to see one last time to give

them to her, and she would get them down there.

However, somehow after three times being near death, I survived to find

myself in ICU. Spent 3/4'ths the time there and a week on the general

floor. That last week was hell because they switched student doctors that

week and I got Dr. No Pain Med. He wanted to switch me to something I had a

bad experience with and wouldn't take No for an answer. He said to try it

for him (like I owed him something) and if it didn't work they would switch

me back. He was of the notion I was done with pancreatitus for the moment

and was hooked on morphine. So we went to the meds, I forget the name now

but would know it if heard again. It raised hell with my stomach an did

nothing for pain. He kept stretching it out or wouldn't come by to hear my

protests. Finally, after several days of virtually no pain relief, I

demanded to see the group of them through the nurse. When they got there I

explained that I didn't pick them, I didn't hire them, but I sure as hec was

firing them, and wanted new doctors or the supervising doctor from the

hospital. Suddenly, I was back on morphine.

The story doesn't end there. I am feeling horrible but I was given the

" all-clear " from these guys and gals. (all along, I had been asking them or

giving them information about previous attacks and who my regular doctor

was, and was being assured that he had been informed and updated as needed)

They sent me packing with enough pain meds for a week, and at the end of the

week I should follow up with my regular doctor. Because I was in serious

condition, I went to the closest hospital instead of my doctors hospital,

which happened to be a different healthcare organization.

A week of pain, fevers and throwing up goes by and although I was told to

call the hospital I had been in for such symptoms, they said I was fine but

I should see my regular doctor.

The end of the week, and I had gotten in to see my regular doctor. " What

brings you in to see me today? " he says. He had not known anything. He had

no history of them even calling. He put me back into the hospital, and my

pancreatitus was even worse than before. That began the second hospital

stay, so 1 month in one hospital followed by 5 or 6 days home, and then a 4

month stay in the second hospital.

Now to the point of all that. Half way through my second stint in the

hospital, while on TPN, my blood sugars balanced out and for the rest of the

stay, no insulin. When I was discharged, after being told I would be using

needles for the rest of my life, I was told I needed to do nothing for the

diabetes, except occasionally monitor it.

Not long after that is when my regular doctor, whom I picked up after my

first attack, had problems with my insurance being United Health Care. His

group, Aurora, really was the one who had the problem. They didn't like

what the insurance company deemed " fair and reasonable. " So, I owe them a

lot of money now because they just billed the difference to me.

Forced to find a new doctor, I went to the other major health care group who

was in the program and had no problems with United healthcare. At that time

I was wearing the duregesic patch, 100iu's and mscotin for break thru pain.

I ran out of the meds before I found a doctor, and urgent care with the

group refused to prescribe them for me until I had a doctor with that group.

So, I went through the doctor information but everyone I choose had a long

time before I could get in for an appointment or they were not accepting new

patients.

I finally hook up with the doctor I have now, and he can get me in that

week. You'll never guess who that was. Yes, it was the student doctor from

the first hospital. We basically start from scratch and I don't get the

meds I was on previously, but tylenol 3's to start out with. Gradually, we

worked up to percecets.

I had shared all this with the group and had been given a lot of guidance in

regards to what was reasonable pain control. Over the last month, my blood

sugars had jumped, and of course, I was feeling it but had no clue it was

the blood sugars because it seemed to blur in with the CP.

Eventually I was having pain in my hands which reminded me to check my blood

sugars, and they were at like 480 that time. They were in the 200's and

300's before but bouncing all over the place. It was around midnight and

the high reading had bothered me, having been told long ago to call the

doctor if they ever got over 300. So I called the doc. He said not to

worry about it, right now, but I should come in to see him ASAP. 10 days

later I got in to see him because that was the earliest workable appt.

He put me back on Glucophage. I hadn't been on that for a long time. I

can't remember for sure why I had been taken off for sure, whether it had

some contributory factor to CP or it just was not effective control.

At that point, armed with information I gained from many of you in the

group, I explained to the doc that I was not happy with the pain control and

had told him that based on what I had learned through this group that what I

was on was an appropriate treatment and my pain control could be better. To

my surprise, he was agreeable! I told him that at this point I don't want

to go back on the patch, but would like something stronger for pain control

and we worked out a better plan, which I am trying now, which includes

oxycontin as well as oxycodone. The oxycontin is time released.

So far, and it has only been a few days, pain control is better.

Thanks again everyone! (and sorry this went on so long..)

-Bob

Potter

bobpotter@...

[Guest guest]

Bob,

Good for you! You stood up for yourself and for the belief that

appropriate pain control should let you function the best that can be

expected....and that doesn't mean having to stay in bed or restrict

yourself from outside life and activities! I think it's just great

that you told the doctor, (and was this really Dr. No Pain Med?), what

you expected, and that he was willing to accept your standards and

change his program to help you.

The MS Contin, (Oxycontin), has been very effective for many patients,

and I hope it works as well for you as it does for others. With the

right control, you may feel as though you have a new lease on life,

and after what you've been through in the past, you really deserve it.

Thanks for sharing your good news with us.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

www.pancassociation.org/anthology#Heidi.html

Bluffton, SC

SC State & SE Regional Representative

Pancreatitis Association, International

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pancreatitis/

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and should not

be substituted for professional medical consultation.

[Guest guest]

-----Original Message-----

(and was this really Dr. No Pain Med?)

Yes, it is! He looked familiar to me but I couldn't place him. Then when

he looked at my records he told me. He remembered my case because it was so

unusual.

[Guest guest]

-----Original Message-----

(and was this really Dr. No Pain Med?)

Yes, it is! He looked familiar to me but I couldn't place him. Then when

he looked at my records he told me. He remembered my case because it was so

unusual.

Thanks, Heidi!

-Bob

Potter

bobpotter@...