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Hope4all

Active member
Joined
Oct 31, 2016
Messages
52
Reason
DX FIBRO
Diagnosis
01/2006
Country
US
State
MI
So today I had to go in person to get my prescriptions from my doctor an hour away. So after I had the medical assistant call me to let me know they were written so I could come get them, I get there and I have to have ID? She didn't think to tell me that when I had her call? Apparently it's a new rule at that office. I wouldn't be so picky, but my ID was in my car and I had to park really far away and the office is in a hospital and I was on a tight schedule, so I actually ended up having to come back and the added walking and driving put me into a flare. So I'm guessing this ID and signature requirement (not to mention having to get the prescription in writing) is to try to prevent addicts from abusing. I am not an addict and I have to suffer because of them. I should be glad I can get the meds I need at all. My other doctor took me off pain medicine because "I could get addicted." There is a lot more to an addiction than having a prescription when you have an actual diagnosis. I really have to budget my activity right now or I flare, so that's actually the result of their noble attempts to prevent abuse.
 
I know exactly how you feel as far as too much activity causing a problem, I have that issue as well. The doctor's office should definitely have mentioned the ID when they called, that's just common courtesy. I agree, though, being treated like an addict when you have a diagnosis to back up the need makes you feel degraded. I hate taking meds unless I really need them, so why would I take extra just for a high? Unfortunately, true addicts find ways to continue manipulating the system while those of us who actually need the meds suffer jumping through all the hoops to get what we need to function.
 
Thanks for the supportive answer. : )
 
So sorry you had a bad day. Being victims of the system appears to be another gift for having FMS. Unfortunately heavenjumper is right, the addicts Will get it without nearly the hoops we have to jump through and r unfortunate the reason for it. The good news is you know the new policy now. In their defense, they are protecting their ability to dispense your medications and honestly, I carry my id 99% of the time and I assumed so does everyone else. The key word being assume. That's probably what they did. I'm sure they didn't intend to delay and in convince you. Just a frustrating day. I hope today was better.
 
I feel sorry you all seem to be under suspicion for being addicts ...this is still is probably a problem in the UK but not to the same extent at all although we do have to sign for certain class drugs from the doctors surgery including 'addictive' sleep medications..

Our doctors usually know us as we don't usually change unless we move house or are unhappy with a practice so ID isn't asked for but this may be different in large City practices.

I guess they are just being sensible and stopping abuse of systems and drugs.
 
My doctor does know me. I've gone to her for a long time and she has helped me a lot and we actually first go through lots of lower risk therapies first, but this time she'd been prescribing tramadol, which isn't very strong so I am surprised they are even worried about it, and a local Valium for interstitial cystitis. but their practice now belongs to a big hospital, and so the ladies at the desk have probably been given this as an attempt to keep track of the drugs. I have been talking with a family member who is a doctor and he says yes they are worried. There is a big emphasis on being careful about addictive prescriptions right now. He told me a story about a doctor who lost their license because they didn't carefully document an add med. So doctors are scared. I read some of the articles aimed at doctors on the subject and some are emotionally manipulative, quote statistics wrong and lack patient responsibility. Since when do we shut down the doctors who do practice professionally and carefully because a patient lies and abuses or sells? Or deny patients who have always been responsible and really need the medication? One of the articles I read talked about a mom who knew for years her daughter was stealing her pain meds. The teenaged daughter and the mom should have stopped it a long time ago. If that is a real story, which I kind of doubt because it also said they locked up the meds later now n a safe and the daughter videotaped the combination and got in (that would be really hard without them knowing) anyway if it is real, the mom and the kid need a wake up call. I bet there's more than meets the eye. There is probably a highly stressful situation or poor parenting skills or something. Another story said this guy couldn't have any friends that didn't steal his pain meds. Where did he get his friends? They don't sound like friends. So he had a port installed in his body so they wouldn't steal his meds. That seems far-fetched and like a really inappropriate solution. These are the kinds of emotionally charged articles aimed at doctors. to scare them. So they do think they are protecting us, but there are side effects to suffering as well. I have been sick for a lot of years with varying degrees of success with treatments, and I can tell you it can be very traumatic. It is unfortunate that the health care practitioners usually don't know what it feels like to suffer so intensely because if they did they probably wouldn't have their job. I was able to tough it out and keep my career for a while, but I later couldn't perform anymore. Pushing myself so hard led to hospitalizations and infections. I am so thankful when a talented doctor can help me function and have better quality of life. I would rather have a small risk with a doctor's supervision than who knows what drug or dose people may try illegally if they are desperately suffering.
 
Hope4All, I definitely understand what you are saying.
(By the way.....if you would put paragraphs into your posts it would *really* help others to read them. One long paragraph is very hard to follow on a computer screen. Thanks.

The GP I was seeing treated me like an addict or something worse. She would suddenly, without notice or explanation, cut my pain medication in half and refuse to communicate with me about it when I tried (very politely and respectfully always) to contact her. It caused me a lot of trouble, not the least of which was a huge impact on my income, because I was unable to work without the pain medication.

She messed with me and with my life constantly for many months, and I have no idea why. I kept trying to explain to her what was going on but she would not listen. I kept asking for a referral and she would not do it. Finally, she sent me to a pain clinic, and they diagnosed me with fibromyalgia and are willing to prescribe the medication for me. But, although they are at least respectful to me, they drug test me constantly, which I feel is a horrible invasion of my privacy. I am not abusing the drugs, or any other drugs for that matter, so I have nothing to hide, but it feels completely wrong to me for them to do that. I am forced to submit to it, which makes me feel like a criminal or a lesser human being, because it is their "policy" and there's no other way I can get pain medication.

It makes me very angry, because....what? Do they think that I want to have to take medication? Nothing could be farther from the truth. I have severe carpal tunnel in both wrists, degenerative disc disease, and fibro, so, yes, I am in pain much of the time. I also do a very demanding and very physical kind of work for my living. I cannot keep it up without medication. It's hard to keep it up even with the medication, and this is very discouraging.
 
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