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  • EADD Moderators: Pissed_and_messed | Shinji Ikari

GP changing file without telling me. Can she do that?

kaosisallwesee

kaosisallwesee

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Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
796
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uk
I posted a while ago about getting switched to bupe patches from codeine, I was confused about why they decided to change my meds and I think I've got an idea...
My old GP has put that I'm dependent (after 3 years of getting prescribed opiates what does she expect?!) and that I was over using my meds?!
I could understand if she'd ever asked me about dependence and abuse, but as far as she knew I wasn't and hadn't. I've never asked for more/higher dose etc... she just assumed and added it to my file without my knowledge.
Does she have to discuss these things with me before doing that?
I'm now labelled as an addict, when I was only getting 15mg codeine tablets :(
Anything I can do to get stuff off my file?
Thanks for any help.
 
So wait. You had taken opiates for 3 years then she put in addict?
She could just be tak8ng note that you are were under long term medication. So indicative of her therapy than a reflection on you
 
Shambles said:
They suspect you of abusing your pain meds so switch you from a low-dose "weak" opioid to a far, far more potent opioid? I'd question their sanity rather than complaining if it were me.
Click to expand...

Buprenorphine may be more potent, but it's regarded as being far less abusable, certainly in patch form, and also more efficacious when it comes to analgesia. I know there's much debate to be had over how abusable buprenorphine can in reality be, but it's not directly relevant to this situation.

They did the exact same thing to my father. I don't know if there are recent NHS guidelines on the subject, but getting pain patients away from drugs which create dependencies to, um, other drugs that create (arguably more manageable) dependencies seems to be a trend.

OP, the doctor has acknowledged your dependency on codeine, but it's not 'labelling you an addict' - you'd be straight off to drug treatment services if that were the case.

If anything, she's acknowledging that it's not you who's responsible, as kingme suggests.
 
kingme said:
So wait. You had taken opiates for 3 years then she put in addict?
Click to expand...

I suspect this is a situation that none of us can really give much of a relevant answer to as GPs have very different systems for making such decisions from one practice to the next. I know in my case I had been prescribed codeine phosphate and co-codamol for many years until I was told that "GPs are no longer allowed to prescribe those meds on a longterm basis" and am now only given a paracetamol script and told to use addiction services to acquire bupe legally despite it being acknowledged to be a chronic pain issue not an addiction issue per se (it has actually now been shunted off to being a mental health issue for no obvious reason whatsoever beyond the fact I've recently experienced an unquestionably (and totally unrelated) mental health crisis). If my GP read the same supposed guidelines that the OP's did I'd be a happy bunny instead of being forced to chase around scripts from three different agencies who all pass the buck to one another whilst none of them actually do a damn thing in practical terms :\
 
Quite right - some trusts still don't prescribe buprenorphine patches for pain, so even if a GP wanted to prescribe it for such, they can't, and would have to refer the patient to the drugs team. Whereas others do prescribe it and see it as a more viable long-term treatment method.

Out of interest, Shambles, are you prescribed patches or tabs? I suspect the latter, with you having to take the DSP route.

As crazy as it may seem, one is seen as 'pain relief' whereas the other is for 'junky scum'. Silly.
 
I'm currently prescribed neither because nobody wants to take responsibility for prescribing anything to me. I've had two appointments with GPs in the last fortnight (one attended by my addiction nurse to help argue my case) and not only are they refusing to prescribe any pain meds beyond paracetamol they're also refusing to prescribe my psychiatric meds even after being told to by my psychiatrist. One of them also refused to prescribe antacids. Apparently my GP suregery truly believe anybody with a history of drug addiction can and will abuse anything including antipsychotics and fukkin Gavsicon. But history of mental illness including psychotic episodes and severe depression suits a large paracetamol script just fine.
 
hmmm, yea i see your point sammy. Im going to request a copy of my record i think, just to see what it actually says.

I'm just worried because the Gp surgery that this concerns, has a habit of treating its patients like shit. Nothing but terrible reviews on their doctors. I was with them for about a year, saw them 30 ish times and despite me asking they would never examine me, they just read of their screen.
I had a small cyst in my knee on my last MRI which was 12 months ago, apparently too small to do anything about. Since then the pain has increased and they kept saying they couldn't do anything about it, blah blah blah.
Im seeing my new GP this week so im gonna see about a new scan. Cos these patches worked for a week and now nothing :( Don't really want to keep raising the dose. Bupe WD sounds long.

Sorry to hear about all the shit your getting put through, hope you get the help you need.
 
Last edited:
^ As mentioned, my bupe script was cancelled because a psychotic episode made for a handy excuse to stop it as I was incapable of picking it up for a week (daily supervised script, naturally 8)). I have been prescribed bupe for many years overall though and never once had to up the dose once I found the dose that worked for me. I actually had to ask to have it reduced several times before I found my sweetspot. Personally I rate it as being just about the best painkiller available but obviously each situation is different. Best of luck <3

Sammy G said:
Wow. Sounds like some kind of enlightened surgery. 8)

Can your psychiatrist not kick their arses? I know mine would tear their throats out.
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I've not come close to being given an actual appointment with my psychiatrist since the first day as an inpatient. I have been chasing up both the psychiatric hospital, my GP surgery and my addiction team for the last month and it's still nothing but finger-pointing and avoidance from the GPs and gobsmacked amazement ans sympathy (with no actual change in circumstances) from the addiction team and psychiatric services. It's enough to send a person nuts so it is. Or make them turn to drugs 8)
 
theres nothing more frustrating than being in pain, needing meds, but cus u have a label all theyl give u is fucking paracetamol. i had the exact same thing with my dr. it really pissed me off at the time. its a sad fact that once u get that label Drs turn into fucking arseholes. when your in bad health and need genuine help its really frustrating
 
I've luckily never had to, and consciously haven't ever mentioned drug use to any GP. I have to my counsellor who was nothing to do with NHS. The reason for this is I can't be honest because all it will accomplish is I get treated worse. I won't get occasional Valium prescriptions or my monthly codeine with no paracetamol and I doubt I'd get ritalin either.

i would just be treated worse and given worse stuff (I think) I have ended up in hospital once A & E - but walked out when I realised I'd taken too much MXE - but I still wonder if it would ever get back to my GP if I'd stayed. My mum ended up in hospital from a booze, lyrica and sleeping pill overdose, stayed for 2 nights and was still given same prescription now for over a year. I don't know how it works really.
 
kaosisallwesee said:
Anything I can do to get stuff off my file?
Click to expand...

AFAIK you can get a copy of your medical records if you really feel the need to check it out although I'm not sure about your conclusion.

I've been on opiate pain killers since May 2012 and my doc has some awareness of my drug abuse issues but I've found open an honest discussion has been the best policy. There's no need to be confrontational but don't let such things be unspoken, dependence and addiction are largely medical issues and a decent GP will appreciate your frankness.

Good luck
 
Tangerine Dream said:
I've luckily never had to, and consciously haven't ever mentioned drug use to any GP. I have to my counsellor who was nothing to do with NHS. The reason for this is I can't be honest because all it will accomplish is I get treated worse. I won't get occasional Valium prescriptions or my monthly codeine with no paracetamol and I doubt I'd get ritalin either.

i would just be treated worse and given worse stuff (I think) I have ended up in hospital once A & E - but walked out when I realised I'd taken too much MXE - but I still wonder if it would ever get back to my GP if I'd stayed. My mum ended up in hospital from a booze, lyrica and sleeping pill overdose, stayed for 2 nights and was still given same prescription now for over a year. I don't know how it works really.
Click to expand...

is your drug councillar private cus my councillor has full access to my Drs records and vice versa ive seen it with my own eyes on the computer.
sorry i may have misunderstood your post by counsellor i thought u meant like MMT counsellor.
 
Anyone can get access to their medical records. In fact yo can even get them e-mailed to you now. I had to do some shit course on Information Governance and Freedom of Information within the NHS the other day and this was one of the things that came up.

A few years ago I was being prescribed methadone pills by a pain clinic and my GP refused to take over the prescribing and said I would have to go to a MMT clinic which wouldn't take me because I wasn't using methadone for addiction. It was a vicious circle and eventually the GP relented but it can be a nightmare.

I dispare at some of the bureaucracy in the NHS sometimes and I've worked in it for 15 years. I do know the guidelines on prescription opiates are ever tightening and while I don't think we will quite see the situation that happened over in the states where things went from a total oxycontin free for all to now being mega strict, there is definitely a trend among the new CCGs to reign in prescribing and the creating of the "accountable officer" role in charge of CD prescribing is just the start of it.


For me personally, after being prescribed opiates for the last 18 years for a chronic pain condition, things have now improved to the point where I'm looking to get off for good. I started on 180mg of methadone pills 6 weeks ago and have dropped 10mg a week where I'm now on 120mg. I know I will have to slow the reduction down at some point and it's going to be hard but I just got sick of constantly jumping through their silly hoops every time you need a script a day early because you have to work or something. They make you feel like a second class citizen sometimes just because you are taking the pills that THEY started prescribing you in the first place. When I first developed the condition that I take painkillers for back in 1996 prescribing was a hell of a lot different to what it is now. It was so much more liberal. When I look back at some of the things my old GP would prescribe to me "just for me to try out" and in the insane amounts it makes me shudder. Back then of course I thought it was great but I guess I'm a bit older, wiser and more jaded now.....
 
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