~I signed a pain contract and now they are using it to prevent me from getting meds..

[Sunshine2]

I am feeling I have been lied to...my doctor told me any time I need a refill to call them.......I am following the presciption less than what I was prescribed I am even using.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I spent 3 years fighting for a new healthcare organization (right down the street vs 12 miles away)....got a new doctor (family practice) etc.

Well, for the FIRST time in 15 years I've been asked to sign a pain contract, it basically said I agreed to not get pain meds elseware, not to sell the pain meds I am given and if I get them stolen, to report it to the police and that sort of a thing.

On my prescription it says to take one to two tablets per day for pain, but I was only given 30 tablets. Well, since I got this prescription, now I am almost out and I've been taking half a tablet up to 3 times per day......sometimes I don't even take it before I go to sleep...but sometimes i just have to because my body is screaming in pain.

If you notice, I have a lot of pain issues, I have pain from the top of my spine all the way down to the bottom of my right foot. I have degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, scoliosis and sciatica, a nerve root compression and I get lightening bolt pains down my right leg. If I walk too much, i have to go lay down because i can't even walk any more. I have a cane for my right leg which gives out on me on occasion. I HAVE PAIN IN MY HIP, WHICH also makes walking difficult for me. I was given a CANE TOO! WHICH I use on occasion.

Just yesterday I was in there asking my new doctor if I could please have a nerve conduction test (I had one 15 years ago which showed that I have a nerve root compression and foot drop, etc) my ATTORNEY told me last year I should get another one to use in my next hearing (I have a new hearing coming up, it will be the second one the Federal judge kicked back down to the hearings and appeals level) my 4th hearing for these claims in 7 years.

Do you know what that doctor told me? "We don't want to see you go through any more pain, so we aren't going to let you have that test and if it comes back negative it will hurt your case".... He did, however, agree to refer me to a Rheumatologist (this will be the 4th referral in 6-7 years, always been denied by the HMO to see one) though.

I walk with a limp and when they kick my knee (to check my reflexes) that leg JUST SITS THERE....why does it just sit there? because the main nerve in my leg is pinched due to the nerve root compression...this is also why I get lightening bolt pains...but they said they dont' want to do anything to keep me from winning my claim? I expained it will HELP my claim ..immensely.

Anyway.....

So the clerk at the doctor's office called me to inform me they won't give me any more pain pills (my script says 1-2 tabs daily and I've followed that) because its not quite been a month. I didn't agree to cut my script in HALF, I agreed to only get my medicine through them and I agreed not abuse my script or sell my meds and to report them stolen if they are indeed, stolen.



I already have the patient advocate's phone number for the clinic if I need it and the Health advocacy group that helped me before, I called already and left them a message, just in case..

I need pain medicine (half of what they prescribed me) just to GET THROUGH THE DAY....and do HALF of what a NORMAL person can do...I can't even walk where I need to half the time (no car) or keep up with my housework due to the chronic pain and I just started more physical therapy. I also have this old injury to my spine and I've lost 3 inches of height since this injury.

When I do laundry, it takes me four days to recover from that....(extra pain and fatigue).....I have pushed my body to the limit by doing a days worth of laundry....if I walk anywhere (ie: to the store) it takes me several days to recover from that....if I walk too much in one day, I have to go lay down because my pain levels are 9-10.....Once I was given a prescription for arthritis, but it made me so sick, I had to stop taking it....this particular prescription is the only one that even works for me (I've been given others and tylenol or aspirin doesn't work with my pain issues....because of all the diseases that I have in my spine)....


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Cauda Equina syndrome, lost 3 inches of height after my accident (Compression fracture of L4 in 1992), Nerve Root compression, Sciatica, Scoliosis, Osteoarthritis in spine and hip, DDD, Chronic pain and fatigue, fibromyalgia (but not allowed treatment) hypothyroidism, asthma, anemia, depression, anxiety, PTSD, lightening bolt pains down leg...plus other things.

[Sunshine2]

I just talked to the advocate and she set me up with another appointment at the end of next week, she said if I need more than 30 pills in a month, I have to do a new pain contract....HE told me I would be able to get the needed pain relief, I reiterated to her on the phone that I was not even GIVEN the prescription amount for the month I(it says 1-2 pills per DAY) I WAS GIVEN 30 PILLS and was told to just call when I needed more....and now I'm being told "Oh, the pain contract says you can't have any more" I said well, I might have to go to the emergency room for more and they said I will be not following the contract and they might never give me any medicine ever again.......I was angry....I then told her that I don't have a massage therapist I can visit, or a hot tub or any of those sorts of things, this is the only thing I have for pain relief....if I was rich, I would be doing those things but i can't. I am a single parent, have no car I HAVE TO WALK MANY PLACES and was just told AGAIN to stay OFF OF THE BUS!!!!!!!!!!!!! (It causes more damage to my spine)......

[joy]

Hi Sunshine

We sound a lot alike in our pain issues. I can't stand very long myself and for the same reasone. It's a shame that the contract was so picky. I myself had to sign one. And at the time I was told I had to get another doctor to give me the prescription. Long story short, I now have NO ONE to prescribe me my meds, contract or not. I feel bad for you. I have no advice but will watch the thread and would like to keep hearing how you are doing. It's bad when we get in this shape. I am 61 and have been this way for years. I did finally get diasbility however and I believe you will also. Mine was OVERTURNED when it went to final place. I also have peripheral neuropathy and fibromyalgia and some other things but I know just the arthritis was enough to qualify me for disability.

[Sunshine2]

I guess what makes me so angry is that I was LIED TO

My prescription says one to two tablets PER DAY, yet I was not GIVEN THAT............I was only given ONE tablet per day.

And the doctor TOLD ME WITH HIS OWN MOUTH that I can get a refill when I run out and I am only taking HALF of WHAT THE PRESCRIPTION SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe I should now LIE and say I need the entire pill one or two times a day...and sue them when they don't give it to me as needed?

I have called an advocacy group.

I was DENIED A nerve root conduction test as what my ATTORNEY ASKED FOR .....they said they DON"T WANT ME TO SUFFER THE PAIN OF IT!!!!

I also was DENIED the medicine the Neurologist suggested when I saw him last (he also said I could get a nerve conduction test also, when I was ready)

If I need to go to the ER I will be denied later?

I DON"T have a car or another adult helping me at all and I have a kid to take care of, I need to not lay in bed racked in pain all day long.

IS my doctor or someone from the hospital going to come here and help me get things done I need to do around here?

No, they will not.

Are they going to give me a ride places that I need to go to?

No, they are not.