Prescription Pain Meds in Oregon, USA

[OuchAllDay]

Hey there.

I have a question about narcotic-based pain medicine.

I live in Oregon and have a chronic pain condition. When I lived in California, and my condition would flare, my doctors would prescribe Oxycodone or something like that. Now that I'm in Oregon, I've had some bad/strange experiences. Recently my pain specialist started asking about my past, like if I was ever abused or had bad sexual experiences. He had never prescribed pain medication though I had been seeing him for nearly a year about my condition. But on this particular occasion I did request and it was my ortho doctor who advised that I ask for it. I was offended at the questions he asked and refused to answer. (I have not been abused or had bad sexual experiences.) I then told him I would be seeing someone else and calmly left his office.

I have not gone to see someone else for my pain condition. But I did start having severe tooth pain last night. I went to my dentist. I have seen him before but only once since I moved recently. After examining my tooth he concluded it is probably a crack near the the root. He then said he could give me something for the pain and we'll see if it settles down.

He walked out of the room for several minutes and when he came back he told me he wasn't going to prescribe me anything. I hadn't even asked for anything though I was clearly in pain. I still am. And he told me to take ibuprofen and call back in a couple days to see if the inflammation and pain had subsided.

I've found both of these experiences weird.

So my question is, is there some way that that pain doctor put me on some list that states I should not be prescribed pain medication? He was obviously angry I refused to answer him. Is there such a list? Can doctors do that? Is Oregon just a state that can't tell the difference between real pain conditions and drug seeking behavior?

Does anyone else have any advice or experience like this?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[oldirtybizza]

Wish I could be more specific to Oregon but in many countries and states in US there are databases of patients that are checked before restricted meds are RXd or even given OTC. These databases contain information such as amount of drugs previously RX'd, OTC narcotic purchases, prior illicit drug use , drug seeking behavior and doctor shopping.
It wouldn't be unreasonable to believe that the Dr has placed you on such a list. The whole sexual abuse thing is very strange and I would speak to the relevant health authority about this.

 

[Morphling]

Did you release your medical records to him?

 

[OuchAllDay]

I did not release my medical records to him.

But I did find this.

http://www.orpdmp.com/

It is an Oregon drug monitoring program. However, I don't currently have any prescriptions for anything besides a low dose of antibiotic. So if the program only tracks prescriptions, as opposed to opinions doctors have about patients, then there would be no reason for him not to prescribe me pain medicine.

I did sign a HIPAA form when I started seeing my dentist, but I don't think that is the same as a release. I'm having a copy sent over. But the Health and Human Services says this about a HIPAA form:

"The Privacy Rule protects all "individually
identifiable health information" held or transmitted by a covered entity or its business
associate, in any form or media, whether electronic, paper, or oral. The Privacy Rule
calls this information "protected health information (PHI)."12"

So I'm guessing he's not allowed to find information about me specifically?

 

[pro re nata]

HIPAA is a very standard form to sign in any and all medical settings in protecting your privacy of medical records from place to place.


"The Privacy Rule"

The HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes national standards to protect individuals’ medical records and other personal health information and applies to health plans, health care clearinghouses, and those health care providers that conduct certain health care transactions electronically. The Rule requires appropriate safeguards to protect the privacy of personal health information, and sets limits and conditions on the uses and disclosures that may be made of such information without patient authorization. The Rule also gives patients rights over their health information, including rights to examine and obtain a copy of their health records, and to request corrections.

typically if your doctor wants to see records from another doctor, hospital, or specialist you sign a consent to release those certain records to that health care provider. where i am living i know there is a main frame data base where doctors can see which other doctors you have seen or are seeing along with hospitals and open medications. this does not allow them to see the details at all but is in place to help them understand your situation along as of course a safeguard from "doctor shopping". i also know here if you are in a certain medical system such as a main hospital with many other doctors offices connected to that system as health care is such a big business. this will allow more detail to be seen over the computer but again not full records and only with in that particular network which would be with in a town or city.

did you send your records from your CA doctors to your OR doctors, this particular pain doc you have been dealing with?? also did you send the records from your current ortho doc to him? strange he would just ask you those questions after seeing him for a year, strange just flat out.. . that is a good amount of time to establish a relationship. i assume you had been feeling pretty good about that or you would not have stayed on with him for that amount of time. have you tried to communicate with this doctor or his office since these events have happened? confronting the issue calmly and openly in trying to understand his thinking and what could be going down.. .

when building a new relationship with a doctor they typically want to see some records and build a foundation for starting your care with them. if they are having questions about your legitimacy once they see your records and physical evidence of your condition along with good communication things should be good. but all of a sudden what seems to be some shady activity in trying to receive care and medication makes one wonder.

 

[Felonious Monk]

That's definitely weird. I don't think the databases meant to prevent doctor-shopping would cover that at all. I think your best option is to talk to your doctors honestly, ask them what's up, maybe you share the name with someone who is doctor-shopping (or is a terrorist or someone equally sinister who shouldn't have pain meds...)