Judged for taking narcotics

Hi everyone, I am writing this in response to Scooter's post.  I did comment on her post with all of this same information.

I can totally relate to this...being judged for taking narcotics.  Most of my family, as well as many "friends" (?), judge me for taking narcotics.  I suffer with chronic pain, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis with a "grade 1 wedge deformity" which is basically a hairline fracture of sorts, esophagitis, gastritis, GERD, TMD, diverticulosis, hiatal hernia, anxiety, IBD, ulcerative colitis (it is currently in remission), thoracic scoliosis, atherosclerotic disease of the abdomen/pelvis, several buldging disks, and torn rotator cuff of my right shoulder, as well as having a tumor IN my left adrenal gland which causes a multitude of symptoms.  Back in 2003, after pleading with my pcp doctor for 2 years prior, (all doctors believed I just wanted the narcotics because I was a "druggie"), they finally put me on Lortab 7.5 along with Zanaflex 4 mg and I have been on them ever since.  My pcp doctor will only "allow" me to take 2 of each daily.  I wake up around 5 to 5:30 a.m. and take my first round, suffer throughout the middle of each day until around 2 p.m. when I take the 2nd round.  Heaven forbid I should ask for more!  My pcp doctor will only give me 60 a month.  He, as well as all the specialists I see, tell me "oh sure, it's ok if you're having a REALLY bad pain day to take more", and I will tell them great...but when I run out before my prescriptions are due again, then what do I do?  And what about the months when there are 31 days??  Why don't I get 62 for those months?  I have been told that the insurance company will only let me have 60 a month, when I know that is not true because I have one of my best friends suffering with RA and Fibro and her specialist gives her 90 a month and we have the same insurance...MEDICAID!  I also have Medicare Part D, but they rarely cover anything I have to take.  I make it a practice to read the little medical insert sheet they give you with any prescription you take, and it is extremely dangerous to just stop taking most any drug after being on it for so long.  My pharmacist at one time a few years ago actually called my pcp doctor to make sure he understood this and what could happen...didn't do any good, my pcp doctor at that time didn't care at all.  I did some research through the Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, wherein it states "pain should be assessed and treated promptly and the quantity and frequency of doses should be adjusted according to the intensity, duration of the pain, and the treatment outcome.  So you'll know, I was first diagnosed by a very highly thought of, in our state, Neurologist,  with having Fibro back in 1992 and have suffered from it ever since.  Back to the Board information, it also states that "physicians should recognize that tolerance and physical dependence are NORMAL consequences of sustained use of opioid analgesics and are NOT the same as addiction.  It also states that "inappropriate pain treatment may result from physicians' lack of knowledge about pain management.  Fears of investigation or sanction by federal, state and local agencies may also result in inappropriate treatment of pain.  Appropriate pain management is the treating physician's responsibility.  As such, the Board will consider the inappropriate treatment of pain to be a departure from standards of practice and the Board will investigate such allegations, recognizing that some types of pain CANNOT be completely relieved, and taking into account whether the treatment is appropriate for the diagnosis".  It also stated that "physicians should not fear disciplinary action from the Board for ordering, prescribing, dispensing or administering controlled substances, including opioid analgesics, for a legitimate medical purpose and in the course of professional practice".  I keep a copy of this with me at all times in case any doctor I see gives me the "look" when I ask for pain meds.  I think if more doctors, here in Oklahoma anyway, understood these rules, they would be more willing to treat your pain.  An experience I just recently went through...I see 2 digestive specialists, one for my colon, one for my stomach/esophagus.  About 4 months ago, after enduring so much pain from my colon I could barely take it, my colon doctor actually prescribed 30 Lortab of the same strength, so I could make it through the middle of the day.  Heaven forbid I should ask my pcp doctor to give me more!  So you'll know, every single doctor I see knows what the others prescribe to me.  I want them to ALL know what I take and to be "on the same page" with each other.  Okay, back to the experience...I use Walgreens for my pharmacy and have used them since first being prescribed the pain pills/muscle relaxers.  I got online with Walgreens as I usually do, to get the Lortab refilled that my colon specialist prescribes to me.  Walgreens later that day, sent me their "confirmation" email that my pills were ready to pick up.  I waited until the next day and drove up there to get them, only to be told they were not ready.  I said what???  But you sent me an email telling me they were ready!  The pharmacist says "well we haven't heard back from your doctor yet".  Again, I was like what is going on here??  Then WHY did you send the email saying they WERE ready to pick up?  Finally, he tells me (and mind you this is after getting them filled for the past 4 months with no problems), well we see where you're getting the Lortab from two different doctors.  I said yes I am and all of my doctors I see know this!  I asked the pharmacist why are you just now having problems with this, when I've been getting them refilled now for 4 months with you??  He couldn't answer my question.  So he suggested I go home and call the colon doctor and see what was going on which I did do.  I spoke with the doctor's nurse and asked her what was going on??  She said the same thing, "well you're getting the Lortab from your pcp doctor".  I said yes I am and you all have known this since my first visit!  I told her to go pull my file and you will see this.  She did pull my file and DID see this.  I type up a list of all the meds I take, a list of all my drug allergies, as well as a list of all my diagnosed medical conditions and give these lists to each and every doctor I see.  After going through all of this with her, she asked for Walgreens phone number and called them up to let them know it was okay for them to fill the prescription for the Lortab.  Well then, later that afternoon, I checked my email and had one from Walgreens now saying they were having problems filing it due to my insurance not wanting to cover it.  So I called Walgreens to see what the heck was going on and the very RUDE woman pharmacist told me that my insurance would not cover them until September 16th!  I told her well if they won't pay for it, then use my free drug card and I will just outright pay for them myself!  Any of you can get this free drug card to help with prescriptions from www.freedrugcard.us and it does help.  Anyway, she said it'll be 11 dollars and some change and I was in the middle of telling her I'd be right there, when she just hung up on me!   The entire time I was speaking with her (the judging going on here again), she was acting like I was the one doing "something wrong"!  I took one of my best friends with me to pick them up in order to have a witness because I fully intended to "ream that lady's you know what" when I got there.  Of course she had already gone home.  I understand all about the DEA and their freaking out on people that go "doctor hopping" in order to get narcotics, BUT I AM NOT ONE OF THEM!!  As mentioned above, I tell every single one of the doctors I see everything each is prescribing.  I do not want them to think I'm trying to "doctor hop", have anything to hide, or am some kind of evil "druggie".  So...I have my doctors judging me, the pharmacy, my family (some of them), as well as a lot of my so-called friends which only adds to my anxiety levels, which leads to more pain.  I go crazy having to deal with all of this judging going on.  Aren't your doctors supposed to be on your side as well as your friends and family?  Who can one talk with about this?  That's why I signed up here with this website, to at least be able to share my experiences with people that truly know what I'm going through.