i've gotten past being frustrated, hurt, and plain old ****** off at my doctor and pharmacist, but i still have a problem to deal with. i have skin cancer, hypertention, an anuresmyl problem with my ascending aorta, i have pain issues, nueropathy due to diabetes and a shattered arm, hep c (but he says i've been testing clear for 6 years) a pain that could be from scar tissue or a tumor, he isn't sure which after a year, anyway i was on 11 pills at one time for over a year. 12 days ago i quit taking them, i stopped everything but my pain meds and asprin, and lorazapam all that i've taken for 5 years. i called the phamacy and doctor and neither has called back, the last time i called was yesterday. how do you deal with this situation w/o losing your temper. this article says we're a team my doctor, pharmacist, & I but am i the only one aware of it? i didn't want to go to the pharmacist because i knew he'd say "go talk to the doctor" he did say it the first time. when i came back again saying the doctor wasn't returning my calls the pharmacist seems to vanished now along with the doctor.
i live on the big island of hawaii and i'm wondering if the reason for my being ignored is because i live on an island and things are different here. i had the staff on the phone the other day and asked if the doctor got any of the several messages i left and was told; it' s been over a week, you should be fine now. The remark was so off the wall i couldn't believe it. a nurse friend said i could be in big trouble not taking my blood pressure meds and it could take two months for me to get past some of the sides from these meds. i was taking cymbalta, toprol, lisinipril, requip, as well as my pain meds, oxycontin and oxycodone which i didn't quit because i'd never had side effects taking them and i stopped the requip and went back to lorazapam which never effected me poorly. so i see the doctor on the 16th and i really need some advice on the best way to find out why my life wasn't important enough to call and find out just how ill i was and i was ill. so ill i passed out in the drug store, threw up everyday, couldn't walk up the 3 flights of stairs to my apartment, couldn't eat, and couldn't sleep for fear of seeing dead people. the only one who saw me through this was my therapist who insisted i come in daily so she could see for herself how i was doing, two close friends who called 4 times a day, and the people in a group i belong to on line who are in pain or love someone in pain.
thanks for hearing me out. i don't want anyone else to suffer the way i have this past year. i knew if i stayed on those pills i would be dead in a matter of a few more days. i think i deserve some answers and better treatment and at the very least respect and i got none of that.
aloha
malia
What kind of doctor? does he prescribe all of the meds you decided to stop? I guess I don't understand what you needed from the doc. If you needed him or her to say that stopping all meds, particularly all at once, was okay or not okay, he should have responded. Did you ask him a question or questions that required a response? I didn't get what your question was about getting off of the meds was either. Regarding the pharmacy, generally, here anyhow, they just fill and, occasionally, if they have the time, actually talk about the meds we take. Again, I don't know what the question would be to them.. was it about if this was a safe thing to do? Be glad that you have friends and/or family who do check in on you so often, though! Some of us don't have that sort of support set up!
To answer the question at the top of your post: If they don't care, you can try and find a different doc and a different pharmacy... Other than that, I don't know exactly what youre asking. I do understand how it takes the docs and the pharms what feels like forever to call back, but, when I have a specific question, they do call me ad it is generally the same day.
I realise that you are dealing with a lot, too; maybe either wasn't sure of exactly what question you needed answered? Sorry, wish I could be more helpful. Guess I don't really understand the questions.... best to you.. Anne
I WAS TOLD I COULD DIE IF I STOPPED ALL THE MEDS, THAT THEY COULD LAST UP TO 2 MONTHS IN MY SYSTEM, LOTS OF SCARY THINGS, MAINLY I WAS TOLD I SHOULD BE IN TOUCH WITH MY DOCTOR, HE SHOULD BE MONITORING SYMPTOMS OR LACK OF. AT THE VERY LEAST THE DOCTOR SHOULD AKNOWLEDGE A PHONE CALL FROM A PATIENT WHO'S OBVIOUSLY IN DISTRESS. AND YES THE SAME DOCTOR WRITES FOR ALL MY MEDS. THESE MEDS HAVE SOME BAD SIDE EFFECTS AND IN COMBINATION THEY HAVE MANY BAD SIDE EFFECTS, WHAT I EXPECT IS TO BE MONITORED, WHAT I EXPECT IS TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT. WHAT I EXPECT IS HIS OPION AS TO WHETHER IN MY CASE IS IT WISE TO STOP THE MEDS OR IS THERE ANOTHER TREATMENT OPTION. WHAT I DON'T EXPECT IS TO BE IGNORED.
I EXPECT A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH MY PRIMARY.
MARY JO
WHO'S YELLING? I WRITE IN CAPS BECAUSE IT'S EASIER FOR ME TO READ.
IF I MISREAD YOUR LETTER EXCUSE ME.
I WILL ADMIT I'M VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THE WAY CHRONICLY ILL PEOPLE ARE TREATED BY THE MEDICAL PROFESSION I'M NOT SURE HOW IT IS ON THE MAINLAND BUT ON THIS ISLAND PATIENT CARE IS A FRIGHTENING STATE AND NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE.
M
Typing in "all caps" is generally seen as yelling and would, I think, prevent you from getting a reply that's not as I wrote, IF you get responses at all. There's things you can do to make the print easier to read (on this site). Up on the right side, below the search box, is a "font sizer".. also, you can select larger print in THIS drop-down box, itself. This way, people won't ONLY see you as angry and "yelling".
I do understand about chronic pain and have also been there for far too long. I get it about docs putting us off and generally not listening. I'm there. Most of my docs listen; the ones who don't, I fire OR I only see them when I have to (like my surgeon.. whenever he has time).. I get it...