Doctor Won't See Me Anymore (Page 2)
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I have been going to the same doctor since Sept of 1998..We have had some money problems this year like a lot of other people, and I haven't been able to pay my bill in full, however my husband and I have both talked to financing and agreed that we would pay a certain amount every month starting last month. We made the payment last month, so I thought everything was ok. I called to have a prescription refilled on Friday, and I found out that my doctor has chosen to not have me as a patient anymore. He has had me on several medications that will cause severe withdrawls if stopped abruptly. He has me on Temazepam 30mg one capsule a night, Alprazolam 1mg as needed for panic attacks, doxipen 150mg everyday, and EPI PEN if needed for bee stings, Albuerol for asthma and imetrx 100mg as needed for migraine, I am not worried about the alprazolam as I very seldom take it, but I have been on temazepam since 1984 with no stopping at all, and doxipen since 1979 with no stopping. I am starting to get scared because I have no insurance, and I am not on any kind of aid. Can my doctor just say too bad. you can't pay me like I want so see ya? What is going to happen when I run out of these medications? I can't find another doctor, so I guess I am asking do I have any recourse? He in fact has cut me off of medication I am dependent on and can die from withdrawls..What can I do?? I just found this out today..
Thanks

Pat

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REPORT

I have been taking clonazapam 2mg. for over 20 years,elavil 100mg. for as long,methadone 10mg. for 13 years along with soma 350mg.,norco 10mg. for an injury and my husband lost his job and insurance and we have no income are living with my son who is only 26 and barely supporting everybody and I am almost out of all of my meds. very scared I cant sleep or eat and now I am having trouble getting fluids in me I am so scared and the doctor who put me on these meds now wont even return my calls and while not yet suicidle dont feel far away from it my belief in God keeps from that but its getting so very hard. Need some help.

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hi my name is diane i am going threw the samething with my doctor and i was wondering if i could sue?

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Jeanie, you can E mail me. My husband isgoing through something very similar and both of us would like to talk to you...I can't say I know how you feel because of the type of injury you have, but I do have empathy for you and I care..My husband has a disability similar to yours and when I tell him about this he is going to go through the roof....We are trying to save money to move to Canada because at least there patients get free care no matter what, we are just arguing because I want to move to Toronto, and he likes Vancouver.. Don't even get me started on those idiots Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck and Sarah the moose killer, they are a waste of air IMO..BTW, I feel bad for Lindsey Loaen, she was given dope from day one as a child and now that she is an adult, she has a substance abuse issue, and also she has been so used up that she may have mental issues also. Remember when Patty Duke was labled a drug addict for many years back in the 1960's? She never had a drug or alcohol problem, she was bi polar and no one cared enough to send her to a doctor to get diagnoised..I agree with you on most of your complaints about the rich and famous, but a lot of them were handed drugs at such a young age that when they became adults they were drug addicts before they even knew what it meant. When I was 14 my mom took me to her OB because I had painful periods that wouldn't end, so at that young age I had a prescription for dihydrocodeine, valium, miltown, seconal,, and they were open end prescriptions, when the laws got strick in 1974 or sometime around there, my doctor cut me off cold turkey..I told my mom how scared I was because I was so sick, and when she took me back to him for help his exact words were "Take this melleril, and don't come back, I am too old for this s***" He was a raging alcoholic, but back then you trusted your doctors, so what started as taking pain medications, sleeping medications, muscle relaxers and tranks made me a drug addict who has struggled my whole life with the disease of addiction..I tried in patient rehabs, 12 step groups, detoxes, but I could never put more than a few years together, I finally decided with my husbands encouragement that I was either going to die, end up in prison or a nut house, so we both made the choice that turned out to be the saving grace in my life, I got on methadone maintenance in 2001, I finally felt for the first time since I took those first drugs, normal..Today I feel like I did before I ever took a drug, yes most people look down on methadone patients, but I don't care because I got my life back, I am no longer depressed, I am not self destructive anymore, and I can feel today. I always worked, so I can't say I have a job because of methadone, especially since at 56, I am disabled..I applied for Medicaide, but according to the doctors I am not disabled enough to not work, but no insurance company will take me because I am disabled..So yes, we can brainstorm together because there has to be a better way. I have no insurance so I go to a micky mouse doctor just to get prescriptions for thyroid medication and xanax for severe acute panic attacks, I walk with a cane, because my left foot is so bad from arthritis I can't walk on it without pain, I need cructhes but can't afford them, I haven't had a mamogram or a pap smear in years because I can't afford it, and even though my thyroid needs to be checked again, I don't have the money for the blood test..I have Hep C, but since I feel fine, I refuse to take the poison that treats it. My mom and grandma both died from breast cancer, but family planning won't see me because I am no longer of childbearing years...If the frigging right wing would have let our President pass his health care bill, we wouldn't be in this mess....I have talked enough, so I hope to TTYS

Pat

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@PAT

I don't think so Pat, but I would contact a FREE lawyer that handles cases like this and talk to them. You need to have the proof you were dropped wrongly. I had my one doctor certified a letter to me and I was told by my old boss who's a Chiropractor that he was smart and did it the legal way so he couldn't be sued. But I had another one not tell me until I later found out when I called their office...shocker! Not sure there is a fine line or not, but I have heard this done way too many times and it's NOT FAIR to the patient to just cut them off. Not slowly going off your medicines can cause serious health problems.

My mom moved here from MI to OR she came on a plane with her oxygen and a long story made short (I hope) she ended up in the hospital, four hour drive or more from my house. They couldn't put her on a connecting plane like she was suppose to come. She had oxygen problems, and that led to panic attacks and anxiety. She needed her medicines, but someone wasn't thinking in her family and put them in her luggage and that got on the connecting flight and ended up near me. So the hospital contacted her doctor in MI to get approval from him for a medicine she needed for her high blood pressure that they needed that night and the next morning until I could get there with her pills and the hospital informed me that they were told by her doctor that she was "CUT OFF as a patient". Just because she HAD TO MOVE to Oregon to live with me and it was on his request to do so. So what does this tell you about what this is really all about! I still have yet to chew his BLEEP OUT. If she would of stayed under his care I know she wouldn't be here today.

There are several reasons why they cut patients off, one is if there is no money to be made they rather drop a patient and put one they can write prescription for and continue to bringing in that money!

I wish you the best...

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All the doctors care about is money and the kickbacks from insurance companies they don't care about you!! Healthcare is a business, incase you haven't figured that out yet!!! It's not like doc Baker is riding up on his buckboard to see if Laura Ingalls broke her arm and he's going to accept that awesome fresh apple pie that Caroline has cooling on the windowsill for payment!! You got money honey and I mean right when the services are rendered you'll get whatever you want, addicts will get Drugs (Duh Winning - Charlie Sheen or these dumb broads from the Real house wife series, yeah show me a real housewife that get botox everyday, or have their hair done daily, and don't even know her own children because of all the nannies, oh and let us not forget about the breast implants, you get my meaning and I have to say this, that thing Bethany is a self-serving ugly person and I mean looks, personality all of it and she has a TV show about it and all these other bulls**t so-called reality shows that crop up because of these hot messes like jekery shore (i meant to spell it that way, because I can, I grew up there and am extremely embarrassed by it) that get endorsements and doctors falling all over them, it is know wonder they are a bunch of drug abusing, alcoholic losers because of -- you guessed it money and they can afford high priced, high profile doctors who will take care of them, make up a press release about some joke of a stomach flu when these jack asses are abusing their bodies with plastic surgery, drugs and alcohol and these doctors don't care because it is a pay check, but when regular, normal people like us just want to be healthy and live an active healthy life style this is what is on TV and what our children see (MTV) and they want to emulate them and it is disgusting, this s**t has got to stop and these shows need to get off the air, they are not celebrities (I challenge you to look up the true meaning of the word celebrity and it sure as hell is not Lindsay Lohan) We need to change the face of media, what about Martin Luther King, he is someone to celebrate and I am sure he would be appalled at the way media runs or should I say ruins this country and our healthcare. WE NEED A CHANGE and get rid of Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck maybe they should go moose hunting with Sarah but she should be on the ground herding the moose for those two!!! We need to change media, pay teachers more, get our priorities straight and get back to real basic healthcare and start by teaching our children than $125 jeans don't mean a damn thing if your starve yourself to fit into them. I am a disabled person with a spine injury and can't even get a doctor to look at me because I am under 35 on medicare because my SSDI check is too much to qualify me for medicaid. I will be in a wheel chair because I can't get proper medical care because a visit to a neurologist is $500 and they don't take medicare, however if I was a wealthy overpaid actor, or athlete -- no problem.. When is this going to change??? Or will it, I have my doubts. Its all about money, and if you want quality healthcare, don't count on it unless you have plenty of money or some sort of media status and that is the sad truth, I can't even pay for medication to at least have some comfort or I am labeled an addict, so I was sent to counselor after counselor to tell me I am not an addict I am just in pain and I still can not get a doctor to help mitigate some of my painful symptoms, just so you know it took me over 2 hours to write this due to the pain, I had to keep getting up to move and shake the pain off and the meds they want me on cost over $700 a month, hmm pain or eat and have a rough over my head --- so if there is anyone in the same situation as I am and would like to chat and brainstorm some ideas I would love to hear from you!! I can't type anymore the pain is to strong, but for those of you struggling don't give up hope -- those rich and famous that abuse the system will pay in the end most likely with their lives, for those that have the money and don't abuse it, god can only bless them as he has for so many of us who struggle every but still mange to get up and live our lives. Peace and love to all those who get up with a smile and face the day head on. I love you all!! WE are the winners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Hello Shelly, I didn't read a post from, anyone saying they were addicted to the medications they have been prescribed. I truely am sorry for what happened to your friend and I also have had many friends die because of drugs. Your friend was probably prescribed opiates for her chronic pain and that is what caused her organ failure, the tylenol in the opiate. Opiates themselves don't harm the body, it is the damn fillers they put in them..I don't know what your condition is to have 100's of prescriptions written, but just because some doctors are too free with prescribing, some doctors won't prescribe anything for any reason..You can't just tell your doctor to take a hike if you are prescribed something for say a low thyroid, or for diabitis..Don't knock all doctors because your friend was overmedicating herself..Again, sorry about your friend, but you can't put down all doctors because of that....
Pat

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Hello Dawn, this is Aldo, from Italy, writing you. Unfortunately, your story is just one of the consequences of USA philosophy of life and society. In my country, the few people who watched Michal Moore enlightening movie Sicko were shocked. How can such a country permit that most of its citizens are deprived of health care, because the state doesn't offer any medical care and those who can't afford buying insurance are just free to die by desperation? How is it possible that also those who do have insurance are ripped off by the greed of insurance companies, who can do whatever they want, because they are protected by hyper-conservative politicians and/or are simply corrupted by insurance money? Your poor president Obama tried to enact an historical reform, but he was interfered in any possible way and his reform was very watered down in the end. And now, he also has to face a Republican Party dominated congress, because most American citizens voted against his party and himself.. How can you, American people, vote for the American Party? The most conservative party in Europe is a socialist party, as compared to the USA republican party. How can you vote for all those sort of reversed Robin Hood, who steal the money to the poor to make rich people even richer? Poor Dawn, your medical history with that crook of your doctor is just a small part of this whole story. Good luck: Aldo

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If you are addicted then you need to get help, if your not and need the medicine find a new doctor if you can't find a new doctor you need to seek help and start slowly taking your self off the medicine. It can do permanent damage to the body DNA how it was told to me.

My girl friend took her life getting addicted to pills after an auto accident caused severe pain, she was over dosing on them all the time and over time it killed off her organs. She left behind a husband a young handicap son...it's sad!

I been cut off from doctors, but it was because I wouldn't take their medicines for various reasons mostly because they are toxic and I been down that avenue I went for a diagnoses not to be fed 100 pills that I have major side affects from due to the liver being toxic from my health problems as it is!

So my advice is this: Get it in writing! They have to do a certified letter to you or a letter period OR it's not legal and you have a case that is what I was told.

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If anyone's doctor simply cuts them off from their supply of a long term habit forming substance for no stated reason (the fact you can't pay the pills as well as you once could) then that doctor has failed in their 'duty of care' towards you as a patient and has opened themselves up to litigation. Take to your attorney the patient information leaflets from the boxes of your medications (anything narcotic or benzodiazipine) and point out to the attorney the clearly placed warnings given to patients about the abrupt discontinuance of these medications and the serious side effects that, (not 'may'), but will, most certainly cause the patient to become very, very ill from stopping them abruptly. If you as a patient are meant to be careful then how much more aware of these potential dangers should your doctor be? I would think that any judge in any court in any land when presented with the aforementioned data and within the context of Dr. Kindly cutting you off from your supply should and would most liklely win a lawsuit based on the doctor's breach of the 'duty of care'. (Which I understand to be a non-negotiable pledge universally made by all doctors during their swearing of the Hypocratic oath.)

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Thanks for responding Pat, I do have some left and how do I file a complaint? I have never encountered any situation like this before. I am just so mad because I was just starting the weaning off of these drugs, which I want to do and then he does this. I just could not believe it and he had been my doctor for almost 10 years. Sorry state this country is in for medical care. I can go to the ER if I have to for this? That is a relief because if I run out and do not have a doctor, that's where I'll probably end up.

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Hi Dawn,.Unfortunatly, as I found out the hard way, your doctor can. I filed a complaint with the MDA and they claim that my doctor acted in good faith, and did nothing wrong..The doctor I have today said my doctor was at the very least unethical in his cutting me off, but the Medical board are like cops, they all stick together like glue. I would still file a complaint because at least in my opinion your doctors actions can harm or even cause your death, and we all need to stand up to these big wigs and one day hopefully someone will take notice and act..If you are compleatly out of your medication, the only thing I can tell you to do is go to the ER and explain your situation..There should be a doctor on call who will give you a small prescription until you can see a new doctor..You may want to ask the ER for a list of doctors in your area taking new patients..Whatever you do, don't delay, you will go through bad WD's if you aren't taken off slowly..Let us know what happened, with this

Pat

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I had a doctor for many years that had me on lorazepam and valium as I was in the long process of wanting to get weaned off of benzos. I am on them for anxiety (severe), but I have researched them and found out how bad they are to get off of. Anyway, I went cold turkey and went into the worst withdrawals I could have ever imagined, went to my doctor (family doctor). A shrink prescribed the others.
We came up with a weaning plan to get me off them very slowly (which is recommended and much safer) and right before my next appt. their billing office called and told me not to come. I do have a bill there and pay them a monthly amount, but apparently it isn't enough and I currently cannot afford more. I do not know what to do because I have no insurance and I am terrified of the withdrawals. Can a doctor just leave you in this position without at least filling the prescriptions? He knows how dangerous this is and I am just scared to death now. Please, anyone that can help how do you find a decent doctor that understands how to safely get a person off of benzos. And why would my own doctor do this to me when this (dropping me) could have waited a couple months. I do pay when I go as well as make a monthly payment. Help.

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Crypto, sometimes the doctors who are recovering alcoholics are the worst ones to go to..I had a recovering heroin addict as a doctor and he was an a**hole. I finally had to tell him to STFU and work his own program. He had the nerve to tell me because I had been taking restoril AS PRESCRIBED for 20+ years that I wasn't in recovery..I think he is the one who was never in recovery...I am an addict, but I am a human being first, and we have insomnia, we have pain,, depression, etc. I found a doctor who knows I am an addict on opiate replacement therapy and just by talking to me she knows I am not drug seeking,, Hell, I am 55 years old, I haven't played the trick the doctor game in 25 years .I have always been truthful with my doctors and if they don't like it, I just leave..I know where you are coming from and I agree with you..If you were trying to get drugs you certainly wouldn't be taking neurontin for pain, you would be begging for opiates, See some of these doctors don't have a clue..My husband and I have considered moviing to Canada or to France (I have family there) because I have many medical problems that I can't afford to be treated for here..I need a liver biopsy How can I afford that? I need dentures, I need migraine medication that costs over $100.00 for 9 tablets..Methadone costs me $190.00 a month, then I have asthma, I need an EPI PEN. Doxipen for depression xanax as needed for panic disorder and I take restoril for insomnia, plus medication for low thyroid..There goes our check..Then try living in Ca where they rape us in auto renew fees, fines, tickets, Hell, I can barely put food on the table and now they say I am losing my drivers liecense because I didn't pay..I have proof that I paid over $1,000 to take care of everything..Now they want $1250 for 2 tickets they say I got..Problem is, I didn;t get a ticket when they say I did..Thos economy is bleeding us dry..No wonder when people come to live here from other states they don't register their cars here..I wouldn't...And it;s going up again..Sorry I got off the track..Seriously, if your doctor isn;t treating you with the respect you deserve, find another one..With the prices we pay, we deserve better than what we get... It isn't a shame you asked for help. You are taking care of yourself, I would say its a shame NOT asking for help..Doctors just don;t care anymore..Its all about the money now...HMO's people fighting to stay one extra night in the hospital because they need to. When I had surgery to remove my appendix in 1978, I was in the hospital for a week. I bet I wouldn't even be allowed to stay overnight today...I could go on and on, but unless we fight back with phone calls and letters, nothing will be done...The medical establishment doesn't want us to get well, if we did, they would be out of work..Don't even tell me they don't have a cure for AIDS and Cancer amd even heart diease..They don't want us to have the medicine to put them out of work..Just think about it
Pat

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I have too been seeing a doctor that has me on zanex .5 mg for anxiety and neurotin 400mg for my nueropathy along with lithium 300mg.Thing is here I do not feel that a doctor should deny you the medications they put you . I am no addict for the condition I developed while in the service and the nueropathy is due to cancer surgeries.Tis a shame I accept I need help for being bi-polar and anti-social but heaven forbid a little money is worth more than my life to some doctor.People do run into binds and we don't have office jobs like them.I myself am going to look for a new doctor.Seeing he is a recovering alcoholic he should know how hard it is to say you need help.No he just wants to antagonize you to see if you really have a problem.To me that's just wrong.No I am not crazy just wanting to see how many ideas I get .....cause i don't make any sense as to why one would want to make someone that is miserable enough already ..make them more miserable....

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To Dr. Gupta..I appreciate your concern, however I am leading a very normal life..I understand that there are doctors who don't like to prescribe medications for chronic conditions. There are a lot of people who would rather have a doctor who would rather treat them with holistic medicine, I am not one of those people. We are each free to chose which kinds of treatments work best for us (with our doctors help) Luckily I did find one who isn't money hungry and will treat me with the medications that have worked for me..If I want a holistic doctor I know that there are many where I live

Pat

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When a physician prescribes medications for his patients, he should keep in mind a time when his patients would be completely free from those drugs and live a normal life. How many physicians keep this in their minds?
Ramesh Gupta. M.D.

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Hello Roy..The reason it was hard to find another doctor was because of the whole point of my post money..Luckily I did find a doctor who is compassionate and cares about what happens to people and I am back on my medications, in fact I found her B4 I ran out of refills. I was proactive from the startl.That is why I wrote here in the first place, to get opinions B4 making a decision..

Pat

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Slimdown..Thanks again for your help, but I really didn't want to taper off of any of the medications, and I did find a doctor B4 my refills ran out so I am ok..I am of the old school that says if it works leave it alone....Thank you so much for you post!!!

Pat

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Su..I don't believe you read my post correctly..My doctor NEVER FREELY prescribed me anything, and now that time has passed, I have found out he is not playing it safe, what he did is going to get him in a lot of trouble. I have put in a complaint with the AMA. and I am looking for a lawyer to sue him. I have also found a doctor who will prescribe what medications I do need. I appreciate your answer, but I wish people would get beyond the overprescribing BS, and think about UNDERPRESCRIBING and how that could have acually caused me great bodily harm. Just because I am an addict doesn't mean I abuse drugs anymore, in fact it has been more than 20+ years since I abused any drug, I believe I am a grown woman who is beyond that, 54 years old is a lot different than a 26 year old...
Pat.. BTW, sorry I haven't been by lately to everyone else that answered, but this was the first notice I got that anyone had been here in months,,,,,

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I have heard that recently this year (2009) many doctors have been under fire (under investigation by DEA, etc) for freely prescribing narcotics, addictive medication of the such. The most abused meds are painkillers, benzos, stimulants. Perhaps your former doc is playing it safe by cutting you off.
Try going to several doctors to get some opinions. Apply for medicaid, if you are qualified.

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