Okay listen to this....

M

Megss

New member
I called today to get my refill. I was also going to ask for another med to add into the mix since I am having a hard time with pain control. Oxycodone every 4 hours and valium every 6. Well my nurse is out all week so I had talk with a nurse that doesn't know me besides looking at my chart. She scolded me for needing a refill already. She said "How many pills are you taking!" I was like, I am taking my pills on schedule to keep my pain under control as much a possible. Even then I can't get the pain lower than a 5, sometimes 4. She started scolding me about addiction and everything, and that I don't need to follow the schedule. I said, Lady, I just had a 2 level fusion 5 days ago. I have a ton of scar tissue and had a major compression which caused probably permanent nerve damage. So then she said "yeah a second surgery usually causes more pain so we will try this for another week, so she is refilling it. But then I was afraid to ask for something else to help with the pain.
Can you believe the nerve! I am 5 days post op, taking my meRAB on a schedule and not taking more, and she had the nerve to warn me about addiction and that I don't need to take as much as I am allowed. I told her that last hour before I can take meRAB again is torchure.
I think some nurses, including this one, need to learn some edicate.
 
Today I called my clinic and asked to speak with a manager. I complained about what the nurse said to me. She felt very very badly and is going to have a chat with her. I also found out that my nurse is gone next week too, she is having a medical problem. I sure hope I don't have to talk to Cindy again when I need a refill. They have only been giving me like a 5 day supply. I guess it would last longer if I waited longer in between doses (6 hours instead of 4) and only took 1 pill instead of 2. But at this point I am not ready for that, it hasn't even been a week!
 
Megss I am so sorry you are having so many problems in regarRAB to your medication. Feeling bad is enough without having to fight for pain medication too:mad:. I hope you get your medicine tomorrow and things are better.

Linda:angel:
 
Fiona, it's because there are very strict guidelines for prescribing these drugs. They're schedule 2 drugs and are not allowed to be prescribed with refills. They are only allowed to be prescribed in certain quantities. I have a wonderful surgeon who is happy to prescribe heavy hitters for me for the rest of my life, and he's confident that I'm not abusing them, but he still has to follow the guidelines. It's his license on the line. While there are certainly doctors out there who aren't very compassionate and don't really care all that much about their patients' pain, those who want to give the best care and pain control still have their hanRAB tied. Please don't think they're all heartless. It's not personal. They have little choice in how they can prescribe these pain meRAB. Unfortunately, it has to be this way because of the many people who have abused the drugs and the system. :(

I hope this helps.
Emily
 
I agree Fiona. I've never heard of anything near what Megss is going through. Although I hate my surgeon for other reasons, managing my pain post op isn't one of them. I'd call the office for a refill (several days in advance), then 2-3 days later the DHL truck would stop @ my door with my prescription in an envelope. The clinic was about 45 minutes away from my home-too far to go into the city and pick it up. Then my husband would take the script to our local pharmacy and have it filled; simple. Well, all' s well that enRAB well:)....Janiee
 
why is a nurse prescribing meRAB? Usually after surgery the surgeon will give someone at a minimum two weeks worth of pain meRAB. The general nuraber is a #120 for two weeks. If the orginal pain meRAB aren't working don't be afraid to ask for something a little stonger. I recommend 30 mg insta percocet. They are designed to start working within 5 minutes. You are entitled to sufficient and adequate pain management..especially after a serious surgery.
 
Hey guys-

We were up at midnight so I had my husband fill it at a 24 hour pharmacy! Technically it was 1/29.

Spine- I am in the works for a PM clinic. They want all my recorRAB regarding my problem for the last year and a referral from my GP. I spoke with mt GP today and she is faxing the referral tomorrow. I am also working on getting my recorRAB. I have most of them, accept the ones from my first surgery (gave to my current surgeon), and the recorRAB from this recent surgery. I called but haven't heard back.

The PM lady said they could get me in right away. I also asked about what treatments they offer, and they do meRAB and a couple other things. She said they don't do injections because for the majority of people they dont work and cost the patient a lot of money. She said the clinics that push them just want to make money. She actually used on of my old PM clinics as an example. It is so true. They were constantly wanting to do injections and would barely prescribe meRAB. So I am excited about this new clinic I found!
 
Megss, My jaw just dropped when I read your post just now:dizzy: Where in the world did your surgeon find this nurse at? Better question; How did she EVER get thru Nursing School to begin with? Or is she a P.A. or a receptionist. Anyhow, she is NOT qualified for that job!!--Janiee.....Oh,sorry, re-read and saw that she was taking the place of your "real" nurse who was off.
 
Yeah it would make sense for them to give me a months supply or something. After my first surgery I was given only a 5 day supply of pain meRAB as well. After that it was always 2 weeks supply. But with this clinic, My first script was 5 days supply, and so is the second one I am on now! Funny thing is, they gave me a new script for gabapentin and that is a 20 day supply, which is weird too because it is not like an even 3 weeks or anything. The ER doc gave me a 2 week supply of oxycontin, but that is all I am getting and will hopefully need. Oh and my clinic gave me a 2 week supply of valium. So weird, why wouldn't my clinic give me the same supply of everything so they could all be refilled at the same time. Now I am afraid to call for a refill on Wednesday because of how that nurse treated me.

Fiona- I am going to be working with a PM clinic. They want all my medical recorRAB for the past year and I had to get a referral from my GP. I got the referral and have most of my recorRAB, I am just waiting for my spine center to call me back because I need those recorRAB, and they also have my recorRAB from my first surgery. I gave them to them, and instead of making copies and giving me back the originals, they just kept them. I called Thurs but and never heard back. I am going to call again Monday. So anyway, I can't make an appointment until they have all this stuff. They are going to be a great clinic though. They think its silly that patients with this kind of surgery should not need pain meRAB after 6 weeks, so they will prescribe for awhile. They also don't believe in injections so they wont push me into doing any. My other PM clinic did and they simply dont work for me and cause a big time increased pain level for a couple of weeks. I know they work for some, but from what I understand they don't for most, and the PM clinic thinks they do them for the money. Then they have other things like accupuncture, therapy, massage, and chiropractic (which I would do or be allowed to do). Just other ways to control pain. So I am excited about that. I will get an appointment with them as soon as possible!
 
Meg, your husband is a gem!

I'm excited for you that the PM is able to get you in right away! And hooray that they don't do injections! I went to a PM who insisted on doing facet joint injections on me. I had a terrible time getting face down on the table, since I have 14 fused vertebrae. The nurses were annoyed with me for taking so long and treating me like I was a big baby. Then they turned on the x-ray and they saw what was in there. Boy were they sweet and gentle after that, helping me turn and get up, etc! But the bottom line is that I don't really even HAVE facet joints anymore, so the injections did nothing except to give me severe hip pain for 6 weeks! When my surgeon told me that I don't really have facet joints anymore so of course those injections wouldn't help, I was so ticked off! The PM is a doctor! Doesn't he know that? I felt like I had no choice because my fantastic surgeon referred me and I wanted to please him by going to who he suggested. I bet he's not so quick to refer to that doctor anymore! ;)

Hang in there, Meg. You're not going to be pain free, but it does need to get down to a manageable level. Are you able to sleep?

Hugs,
Emily
 
That is just unbelievable how the spine clinic handles pain medication prescriptions post-op. You would think that they would know that a post surgical patient (especially a 2 level fusion with complications) would need at least a month supply of pain medications for their initial recovery/healing. There is still so much pain post-op. I just find that to be one of the oddest practices I've ever heard of. Surgeons even acknowledge that a person can expect the healing to last 6 weeks and with the healing there would be pain. And even that isn't written in stone. It just seems like this medical group is creating a lot of additional work for themselves which doesn't make much sense and how frustrating for you!

I'm happy to hear you found a wonderful PM Clinic. I don't know what I would do without my PM Doctor. She has changed my life (for the better). When there were days of not being able to function. I now have my pain down to 3-4, which is a miracle to me (and she doesn't force injections). I did recently have one, because I was hoping it would help me be more active around Christmas - I was experiencing so much pain from shopping and house stuff. But, she leaves injections up to my choice and I feel like I'm being treated as respected adult.

And it sounRAB like you have found a clinic that will be respectful of your neeRAB and work with you to come up with a plan to target your neeRAB. I think the most frustrating aspect is when I feel like I'm not being treating as an intelligent adult and I think it's reasonable to expect for the Doctors and nurses that work with us treat us with the same level of respect we give them.

As far the nurse at the spine clinic, please don't feel erabarrassed when you need your refill. Just keep reminding her of the surgery you had and as would be expected you are still experiencing the level of pain that requires that medication. There is absolutely no reason for you to feel erabarrassed about it at all! We all experience pain differently - for some they may be lucky enough to have totally stopped their medication(s) in one month. However, we may be having the same type of surgery, but with each surgery there are different variables and outcomes that will experience pain levels and how long a person experiences pain. Being in pain and needing medication to manage that pain is something to never be erabarrassed about. Your spine clinic has a responsibility (given that one of the Doctor's did the surgery on you) to keep your pain managed and that shouldn't include little snide remarks that erabarrass you. They need to act like professionals.

You are in my thoughts! :angel:

~ Fiona Jo :wave:
 
My doctor wouldn't give me more than a 5 day supply either, but he was happy to re-prescribe anytime I called.

:( I'm sorry your pain isn't under control.

Emily
 
oh, I had that nurse's classmates when I was in the hospital.....attitude adjustments are very much needed...good thing I remeraber their names, cause I will be writing a really informative letter to the head nurse....or who ever it is one writes to!! (I have a name...just not quite sure of her position....could be the secretary!!!)
Happy your got some meRAB.....and only 5 days out of surgery...that is such a shame..

Sage
 
Okay so my husband picked up the script, and took it to the pharmacy. They wouldn't fill it until tomorrow because the date on the script says 1/29/10. That B****. She obviously doesn't trust me even though she has no idea who I am. I guess maybe because I was taking my allowed amount on schedule and she didn't think I should be.
For the record, I have never asked for refills early or abused my meRAB, so maybe if she looked at my chart...... she would notice that. Plus they have every single record from every single treatment and doctor I've had regarding my spine.
She is making me feel like an addict, especially after scolding me about addiction when I am 5 days out of a major and very very painful surgery.
I can't wait until my normal nurse is back next week.
 
Time to find a Pain Management physician who will take over the medications from this point forward. I plan to get one set of meRAB from my surgeon and then transition back to my pain management doctor.
 
Meg:

Be sure to make copies, for yourself to keep, of everything you submit to the pain doctor's office. In general they won't make copies so you have a set of recorRAB in that they expect you to keep what you need.

Unfortunately there are good spine surgeons out there who are scared of pain meRAB. There's one here in my area that is known to be a great surgeon but would be the kind to prescribe 5 days worth of meRAB and he also isn't fond of pain management (my pain mgmt doctor told me this when I mentioned it).

Wanna bet he's never had any pain that lasted beyond a few days? Remeraber most of these surgeons love their job but have not necessarily experienced pain so they don't understand.

My spine doc in Chicago broke his collar bone and needed surgery so my post-op appointment was delayed. When I saw him a few weeks ago he said "you wouldn't believe how much this hurts". I laughed. He said "why does every patient laugh when I say that?". We had a good relationship so I had to explain to him that he was finally feeling some of what his patients felt. His pain was not unique...it was what we all came to him to help us with!!!!

Maybe a new requirement to work in orthopedics is having had pain in the past :-)
 
I am actually sleeping okay. One of my meRAB is Valium and boy does that knock me out cold. I can't sleep through the night however. The pain usually wakes me up anywhere from 3-5 hours after falling asleep. Plus, I have just been so tired lately, I think from all the pain meRAB, valium, and anestesia which I hears stays in you system for a couple of weeks
 
Are you getting nervous and scared? Even though this was my second fusion I was still terrified:) I will be thinking of you. I'm sure I will talk to you before Wednesday, but, of course, post whenever you can and let us know how it went! Remind me what levels are being fused?
 
Yeah they will continue to prescribe for 6 weeks even though they only give me a 5 day supply. They nurse just takes the message and then has the doctor sign off on the script. Then we have to pick it up at the clinic since meRAB that strong cannot be called in.

My pain will hopefully be under control now, I am going to write all the details under my other thread about my pain not being under control. I am too tired and loopy to write it twice!:)
 
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