Incompetent Doctor Put Me in Unfortunate Position... May Need To Contact Old Dealers?

[JMT-1983]

Hello, I am a new member here (though I have regularly refered to this site for information regarding my past drug use for tips, as well as for drug-quitting advice, all while using, but decided to join membership tonight while finding myself in an unforeseen predicament)...Although this is a complicated story, I will try my best to keep post as brief as possible*

I am in such a state of disbelief over the complete lack of seriousness, and truly disrespectful, mind boggling level of unprofessionalism my doctors office showed today(??!?!!)... My doctor prescribed me suboxine almost 2 months ago to replace my 2.5 year heroin addiction. He, with the help of my incredibly supportive boyfriend, got me on 2x 8mg (16 total) SUBs per day for the first week, where over the course of said (just under) 2 months: I have slowly tapered down (as of 2 nights ago) to 4mg. I've been taking my SUB doses seriously and prefer the 24-hour (versus half every 12-hour approach), and my last dose of 4mg was last night at 11:30pm. It is, right this minute: 8:50pm*

Well get this: this very morning, before work, I dropped of my LAST prescription (15x 8mg pills, hoping to have left overs and been done with the nightmare, never needing to revisit again, not intentionally) off at the pharmacy. They asked when I'd be picking it up, I said after 4pm when finished with work. On my way to the pharmacy I listened to a voice-message informing me that they couldn't fill the subscription because they needed to check something with the doctor. So I went to the pharmacy anyway to find out what happened. Here's the story:

It turns out that these past (nearly 2 months) my doctor never had the LICENSE to prescribe me suboxine. They (the pharmacy) LUCKILY "caught" it THIS time. I IMMEDIATELY called the doctors office to find out WHAT THE HELL was going on... And the receptionist told me the same thing. ...I asked: "So what am I supposed to do?! I will be SICK over this weekend**!" She transferred me to another receptionist who told me that I can call back Monday. I asked, "What is Monday going to solve?" She said, "He will find out how to apply for the registration to prescribe this medication". Oh, and she told me if I get sick over the weekend I can visit the nearest ER Hospital.

Trying to keep this as short as possible, I am in such shock that any of this happened in the first place? How in the he'll was this doctor "treating" me all along? And by the way, I'm a PATIENT here, NOT a damn customer or client. And how everyone seemed to have "known" who I was toward the end... "she's that heroin addict, but look how far she's come" mentality and treatment... I'm fine with being the freaking mirror of what could be, the worst case scenario or whatever it is these people think, but to have gotten such a brush off, they KNOW me NOW, BY NAME... To say "oh he left, call back Monday, and go to the ER if you feel sick" also knowing I have ZERO INSURANCE, my boyfriend pays for all visits with his card. ANYWAY, I'm REALLY starting to get scared because I have just enough for tonight: one half of an 8mg pill. Come tomorrow night at 11:30 (assuming I even take the entire HALF pill tonight??Or at 11:30pmfor that matter??) It simply won't last me till Monday, and god knows how long it will take to get HIS license straightened out???...

My furry is this: the fact that I am even contemplating calling every single drug dealer who's phone number I have memorized, or just cruize up to their home(s) to either ASK IF THEY HAVE ANY SUBOXINE PILLS(highly doubtful**), or have to buy heroin? ...I clearly have the cash, was ANTICIPATING using it for my SUBSCRIPTION. By the way: my boyfriend is on a yet another business trip, to New Zealand trip, the only reason I got away hiding my addiction from him for so long. If he were here, I would be so much calmer, he would figure a way to work this out, but I can't even talk to him for another three days because he's at sea AND last I heard he managed to break his FOOT during the beginning of the trip?? I am loosing my mind needing to talk to him, to see how in the he'll HE is holding up?!?? Love is a true blessing (I mean that whole heartedly, NO sarcasm intended) ...To the END of the POINT of my post: HOW in the hell dare they put me such a tug-of-war position, AND treat it so casually? I am at a loss for words over their incompetency?!?! On and on and on and on...

If ANYONE has ANY advice, I would genuinely and sincerely appreciate it. Thank You for reading this ridiculously long post. Thank You, JMT

 

[JMT-1983]

It is me JMT-1983 again, wanted to apologize for typos: I'm using an iPad which doesn't allow scroll-up or scroll-down ability. ANYWAY: Last mentions: aren't addictions supposed to be treated the same as medical diseases in doctors offices/hospitals/etc? I cannot believe they would even treat the entire situation to such the casual point that I very well may NEED to call an old drug dealer tomorrow or the next day in Order to escape an insanely priced ER visit??! ...it's fundamentally wrong, and HOW the DOCTOR or staff DIDN'T KNOW (supposedly) he wasn't licensed for that type of prescription, well ALL of it p,ays into MY QUESTION as to HOW/WHY I was "taken on" as HIS patient in the first place??? Isn't there SOME kind of patient-protection in existence?? I am NOT looking Tom sue, I just think it's absurd, and NEVER saw it coming, I would have gone elsewhere had I known ahead of time!! I'm simply shocked this happened, or that it could be happening to other people! This is NOT HELPING the drug use among communities, if it were I wouldn't have to f*ing possibly need to call (or think about calling) my old DRUG DEALERS because my DOCTOR F*ED UP! And how did he??? I'm using too many words and not using the right words to explain or express my confusion... It makes absolutely NO SENSE to me that this has happened. Maybe yet another reminder that doctors are doctors, not gods, yes?...

 

[Ziggy stardust]

One word..LAWSUIT.
The least he owes you is all the money he's collected from you fraudulently....

 

[pasha]

My advice to you would be to ration your suboxone and try to pay a visit to another suboxone doctor in the meantime.

Homeless -> North & South American Drug Discussion

 

[nintey]

Stop freaking out and look up another doctor in the area for suboxone and explain your situation. Seems like a more rational response than going back to heroin doesn't it?

 

[Tommyboy]

I am not 100% sure if doctors are able to prescribe suboxone for other reasons even if they don't have a license, so maybe look into that. I know that for the treatment of substance abuse they need the license, and when the prescription needs authorization the first time filling it they tell them what it's for, and say substance abuse. So I'm wondering if they can switch the reason to 'pain' or 'depression' (both of which it is sometimes prescribed 'off-label' for) if they would fill it. Another option would be to see if you could get a prescription for 'subutex' for either of those two symptoms, as I believe it is more commonly used to treat pain than subutex is, although both are more rare than traditional opiate/opioid prescription pain meds.

In the US all doctors certified to prescribe suboxone get a separate DEA number that they have to write on those prescriptions, which is why I'm surprised it took the pharmacy that long to figure it out. I have a friend that wrote himself a few scripts for it though using a doctors prescription pad who is was working for at the time (nobody ever do this, the only reason he got away with it at first was because he had access to their prescribing manual which had templates for how to write any prescription, and referred to that when writing his own scripts) but he was caught after a few times for other reasons, so I'm not sure how it can go undetected in some cases. I was actually turned away by a pharmacy for my script once because the doctor accidentally used his regular DEA # on the script, even though I had been using the same doctor and pharmacy for a while with that script, but they are strict with this sort of thing.

I would try the subutex route with this doctor at first, and see if he can file the authorization under any treatment other than opioid dependence, and see how that goes. I know someone that was prescribed suboxone for pain after asking for it, and something tells me his doctor wasn't licensed to prescribe it for addiction since it was at least 5 years ago before a lot more doctors starting applying for it, and since he randomly asked the doctor for it when he started going through his oxycodone way too fast and was sick for the majority of each month. Then again he only got it once from him so maybe if it wasn't in accordance with the regulations it just didn't have the time to get caught on to.

 

[JMT-1983]

Thank You VERY Much for every single response/comment, yes I had planned on calling the doctors office first thing Monday morning and demand they get me a same-day appointment with any doctor whom they know or recommend who DOES have a license to prescribe this medication. Not sure if this will even work? But yes, I am rationing the little I have and keeping my fingers crossed my body won't spiral into the ill consequences of drug addiction withdrawal. It sure it MiSERABLE. If they cannot help me, I will then start calling every doctor I can find in my area who is known to treat my "condition" and see if I can also get a same day appointment? Being that it's the weekend, this all happened Friday night made things more difficult, and now that I've "slept-on it" I'm feeling much more relaxed. Something WILL be sorted out, but still bitter that I've been put in this situation at all. Again, I THANK all of you for offering YOUR bits of advice, encouragement, and knowledge Be well yourselves

 

[pasha]

I think the suboxone you have can carry you for at least 2 days. People usually end up needing and using a lot less suboxone than they're prescribed.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Definitely NO HOSPITAL or ER. Why would you think that? You've already been decreasing the dosage weekly it seems, so going from 4MG to ZERO wouldnt be the end of the world. alot of people have gone thorough worse and were able to come out on top. I would def. CALM DOWN and just chill and think it over. If you truly want to stop using then DONT GO BACK to the drugs; stay w/ Subox and continue to taper (if you can buy Subox).

 

[JMT-1983]

Yes, you are 100% correct. I had used this site countless times while planning to quit, including searching and printing the "Opioid Withdrawal Record (Induction Form)" and using it as a guide for when I truly did begin the quitting/withdrawal process. I also remember reading from handfuls of sources that what the doctor prescribes is often MUCH higher a dose than the patient really NEEDS!! I was extremely reluctant to take the full 16mg dose then taper down (as the doctor prescribed) when references at this site (bluelight) and the site that provides the Induction Form all estimated that even the highest degree of users only need between 2-4mg worth of suboxine in order to sidestep the initial withdrawal phase, then adjust and taper down accordingly. So I guess this is really a matter to be discussed with my boyfriend who insisted I follow my doctors orders. I'm 30 years old and my boyfriend (of 4 years) is 48, we have a 17-18 year age difference, and he comes from the generation that puts full trust into doctors. The other drug usurers I spoke with before actually quitting also put fear in me when describing how their experiences of trying to quit methadone (pre-suboxine, obviously) was THAT much harder than quoting heroin, which was shocking as well: how could ANYTHING be WORSE than heroin withdrawal?!!?? ...I hope I am not sounding hypocritical... I never want to return the life I led before, an unexpected life of: every night praying for strength to quit then waking up the very next morning finding your habitual day consisting of CONSTANT deceit, lies, desperation, and immoral behavior you never in your right mind imagined thinking let alone DOING in your previous life, as the person you once were and wish you could have back. I have not undergone any 12 step program(s) and am frequently overcome with heavy bouts of guilt and uncontrollable crying fits. I don't even know WHERE to begin my apologizes, and as this addiction is known to do, there are things I would never and could never admit to or "confess" as the amount of pain caused by such information will do more harm than any good, to any one. I'm not in a state of denial, I have a very real and long lasting conscious that has kept me as honest as possible my entire life, but here again, this drug, out of desperation, twists the mind into accepting mischievous and personally decided "untouchable" deeds toward that of acceptable behavior. It's all nonsensical to anyone who has never faced a serious addiction, and easy to rationalize just the same. I cannot undo any of the actions I have committed that now weigh heavy on my mind, the conscious that is slowly reentering sobriety and life before addiction. I talk too much too often, not so much in person, but I'm the type of person who's thoughts out race my own self. Thank YOU Very Much again, for the kind responses and for the

 

[Jabberwocky]

you have no worries; sometimes reading too much only hurts. peoples' minds' start to wander and they think the worst. if you've been steady w/ your subox and slowly decreasing the dosage weekly, then your 4MG to ZERO SHOULDNT be the end of the world; yes, it will be be the TOP OF THE WORLD, either. you just have to toughen it out. trust me, it can be done. if not, try and get the Subox ASAP. make dope your LAST CHOICE, please!

 

[MemphisX3]

That's extremely unprofessional and irresponsible of your doctor. I would look into getting some sort of monetary payment back but it would most likely be best to just find a new doctor that you know for sure is licensed asap and go from there. Odds are your doctor is in the process of getting the license and that's why he was able to do it. Who knows what the real answer is. The important part is that you find a new doctor and jeep yourself from doing anything stupid.

having said all that, from my understanding you are on just 4mg a day. A drop from 4mg to nothing isn't going to be what you make it put to be. A lot of it is in your head. Sure you will feel sub par but I don't think you will be running from bed to toilet all day either

 

[brutus]

Are you that afraid of withdrawals? I find all of this hard to believe especially since you had to add in the part about how your boyfriend was on a business trip on a yacht in NZ.

 

[ftpixelsticks]

Hi JMT-1983. I am very surprised to see that someone else had this experience with a doctor!! My situation is a little bit different, but had a similar outcome. I was being treated at a pain & spine center, & the doctor prescribed it for severe chronic pain I've had since 2004. In 2013, he sent everyone a letter who is taking the Suboxone, saying that he could no longer prescribe it but didn't say why. After that, the results have been and continue to be DEVASTATING. It is preventing me from seeing a new pain specialist & having necessary procedures continued on from that last place, & I am searching for an attorney. This is completely WRONG! I wonder how many other people have had this problem! I am very sorry this has happened to you too. I would not go back to heroin if I were you, but I know it's a difficult situation this doctor put you in. I see that this post was from quite a while ago. Did you end up contacting an attorney? Ziggy Stardust is right....definitely a lawsuit here. These doctors are abusing their power in order to protect their culos & make financial gain off of us like science experiments! I have contacted many attorneys in the area where I live, & so many already have said they can't help me. So I am going to start my search up again & not stop until I succeed with this. This idiot needs to correct my medical record, because he put false information in there...said "failure of suboxone" was one of the reasons they terminated me from their clinic without any warning. Apparently I was too much of a risk to his medical license to keep around! Unbelievable! Also, I had been on the suboxone for over a year, successfully treating my pain better than any other medications had. I asked this doctor before he started me on it, if there were ever a possibility that they would abruptly stop prescribing it in the future, & he said, "Oh, no, Sweetie. Don't worry about that. We would never do that to you". I can't believe I was on it for such a long time & then was yanked off, in such an unethical manner. There are many more complicated details about this nightmare. It is terrible!

If you still check these threads, please message me back if you can, as to how things went if you contacted an attorney. I hope you were able to find another doctor who can prescribe the suboxone for you! Take care!