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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Can my pain doctor just FIRE ME?

J

John_Burrows

Bluelighter
Joined
Jul 31, 2008
Messages
1,007
It's a long story, which i'll probably go into later in this thread, but today my pain medication doctor of 3 years basically threw a temper tantrum. He told me to get out and not come back and refused to give me enough medication to get me through to finding a new doctor.

I've been taking 8mg dilaidud (hydromorphone) steadily (as in every day) for 5 or 6 years for back pain. It's legit, in fact I had surgery for it but what can I say, it's chronic, daily pain. The meds DO NOT get me high, but they do allow me to function and work.

I can go into why he did this later, but CAN he do it?? Can he just tell a patient to scram? I told him I read online that he has to give a "final" script for 30 days so I have enough time to find a new doctor but he balked at the idea.

He eventually gave me enough for 5 days, which on a Tuesday night means I basically have the next 3 days to find a doctor (wed, thurs and fri) before I run out and go into withdrawls over the weekend.

I explained this but he didn't care - he just lost his temper and told me to get out. For what it's worth, I stayed calm, never raised my voice and just asked him what I'd have to do to remain his patient.

He didn't care. Just told me to leave and not come back...


-JB
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Did you ask him to raise your meds or put you on something stronger, or did you fail a piss test?

As far as him telling you he doesn't want to be your doctor anymore, he can definitely do that with good cause, which you haven't stated yet?

Its hard to answer your question w/o you telling us what happened in his office.........
 
TheLostBoys said:
Did you ask him to raise your meds or put you on something stronger, or did you fail a piss test?

As far as him telling you he doesn't want to be your doctor anymore, he can definitely do that with good cause, which you haven't stated yet?

Its hard to answer your question w/o you telling us what happened in his office.........
Click to expand...

Agreed- something bad must have happened, sorry for making this assumption.
They can and will discharge you for breaking your contract.
 
There has to be a reason he doesn't want to see you anymore and yes doctors can stop seeing a patient my grandmas doctor did this to her just because she mentioned things to her new doctor about her last doctor who lost his licence for being a pill addict. Her new doc said i dont want to see you anymore because she doesnt want to hear about what happened to the doctor who lost his license because of a code between medical professionals.

If a doctor feels any suspision about a patient abusing meds or about whatever, they could cut them off after all they are the ones who write the script so at the end of the day its their ass on the line. If you went to med school for ten years you wouldn't risk your medical licence either you can bet your bottom dollar. The only time it may be considered unethical is if it was a medicine where you could die if you stop taking it (ex. Benzos, heart medication,insulin etc.) You may be able to agure that but before you prove anything you would be withdrawn already so your better off finding a new doctor. Doctors are usually not the type to flip out and throw temper tantrums for no good reason so im thinking your not telling us the truth for a reason but i could be wrong.
 
If you're willing to tell us the whole story, we're listening & we may be able to give you advice on whether he had good cause, but I've never heard of a doctor throwing a temper tantrum for no reason unless he was an addict........
 
Yeah, what you've given for us to run with is less than nothing.

A lot is missing/left out as no sense can be made of this.

Only thing I can make of it is you've been dr shopping and you're caught out. I'm in no wsy accusing you of before you go there.

Just doesnt add up without this extra info you never bothered typing.
 
It might be unethical, but in the USA a doctor is not bound by any law to prescribe anything to anyone for any reason.
 
Yeah, well if it were a situation in which I needed a drug to continue living (which, incidentally, is the situation I'm in now), I don't care about doctors or the law or anything, I'm going out there and getting it one way or another. Those are pretty high stakes.

But I don't really consider a circumstance where that would arise, as I don't take feel-good-happy drugs that the state is so worried about.
 
nsauce said:
It might be unethical, but in the USA a doctor is not bound by any law to prescribe anything to anyone for any reason.
Click to expand...

Yea thats what im saying ive even know doctors to cut people off benzos randomly it happened to my mom and she had a sezuire had to go to the hospital but nothing happened to the doctor. It may be unethical to us but its hard to prove any wrong doing from the doctor.
 
Burrows, I removed the Emergency part of your title. Can you tell us what happened? Otherwise, we're just guessing.
 
Ok basically I've been seeing this doc for about 3 years ever since the GP who used to perscribe me retired. Ive never been totally happy with this guy - he's impatient and has a temper. If you even accidentally interrupt him, he becomes emotionally angry and has literally yelled at me more than once and treated me like a 6 year old for "not letting him finish," even when what he's saying is wrong or he's not remembering something correctly. But you know how it is, i've been with him a long time and it's easier to just stick with what you know.

But, for example, if I have any perscrition problems, he goes ape and treats you like a problem. I'd say in 3 years ive only had a handful of perscription issues - a few times I ran out early because of pain emergencies (my back goes out maybe once or twice a year and when that happens I take more, what can I say - and a few months ago I had a KIDNEY STONE (my 4th, i'm prone to them) and since I don't have insurance I couldn't afford an emergecny room visit, so I took extra pain meds to get me through it. Asking him to refill those early was like pulling teeth. I try to explain that i'm not a robot and I can't promise that I'll always take 4 pills a day, every day, for 3 years like a machine without any hiccups!

A few weeks ago, I didn't have enough money to cover my entire perscription (it costs about $300 a month) so I asked the pharmacy to just fill half and i'd have the doctor re-write me for the other half. Well, he did, but he gave me a really hard time about it and is now using that as an example of me being "a problem patient who always has issues." And he KNOWS i've had financial problems lately, you'd think he'd be understanding, especially with such a long term patient.

Another thing, and I'll take some heat for this, is sometimes I show up as a walk-in without an appointment. Firstly, he keeps terrible hours and is only availbale twice a week, tues and Thurs. So that alone is pretty inconvenient. The first time I showed up without an appointment he didn't mind at all - he just smiled and treated me like I HAD an appointment, so since he didn't seem to mind I would ocassiponally just show up when I was able to make it if my scheduled appointment was inconvenient. Or, for example, if my appointment was for the afternoon and that was no good but I know his mornings are light, I would just take a chance and show up in the morning - and he never gave me a hard time about it! As long as there was no one else waiting, he was happy to see me.

Until recently. Now, all of a sudden, he cites me showing up unnanounced as a major issue. Also, I recently lost my car, so I have to rely on friends for last minute rides so I have to get a lift when I can. The doctor knows this, and i'll be honest - if my pills are about to run out and I NEED to see him and a friend is available to give me a lift and it just happens to be one of the TWO DAYS he keeps office hours, screw it - I jump in the car and hope for the best.

Now look, i'm aware that this all makes me less than the world's most desireable patient. If he just wants people who will walk in at the same time every month, get a script and never talk to him in between then fine, he can politely tell me that he thinks we are incompatible as clients and work with me to find a replacement - but to throw a tantrum and yell at me and refuse to give me enough meds to cover the time it will take to find a new doctor?! That almost sounds like malpractice, but what do I know....

All i DO know is I have 2 days to find a new doctor...
 
John, this isn't Malpractice........a doctor can choose to have you as a patient or not.

There could be all sorts of reasons why but he wont tell you.......he sees you can't afford a full script for 1 month as problematic because he's gotta write another one.

He may look at your lifestyle.......do you work? He may be one of these doctors that sees you can't afford a car, can't pay for the script fully, don't have insurance, just show up whenever w/o an appointment.......so.e doctors can be real pr*cks & think if you're not well dressed & aren't working, you're a drug seeker.

The only problem I see is you going into his office whenever.......I would never go in w/o an appointment.

Who knows what exactly is pissing him off.......could be a combination of things.

Doctors label people as drug seekers just by the way they dress & talk sometimes........

Can you get on Obama Care?

Doesn't everyone need to have insurance & its actually a law now?
 
Obama care was not affordable for me. Luckily, I live in a Medicaid reform state so I got that which makes a huge difference in my quality of life. It sounds like a combination of circumstances that caused your doctor to discharge you. I really hope you can find a new one soon! <3
 
To the OP that's an unfortunate situation for you im sorry to hear that and sorry for assuming you did something wrong when you never told us the whole story. All you can do is look for a new doctor i supose you could try to sue him for pain and suffering on your part but it may be futile im afraid.

Hope things get better im sure if you have chronic pain youll come across a nice doctor one of these days.
 
ethically its wrong but legally he is free to choose his patients unfortunately.

like said before you really need to find a new doctor, perhaps not as childish one.

i understand your frustration and despair though. have been plagued with my adhd psych just fitting and stopped my meds full stop for no reason. have been searching for a new doc since and fingers crossed have found one that will re-scribe me my meds.
 
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