Poll: How many of us have been made to feel like we were drug-seekers

Hi, I have been very curious, and now that we have the polling option, I would love to find some answers. I started with a simple yes/no format, and will expand depending on how this works.

Please leave comments about this poll subject here on the thread.

Wow, we have nine results already. I may just expand this poll idea when I can spare some time staring at the screen.

I would love to be able to direct health care professionals to info like this when needed.

milo wrote:I would love to be able to direct health care professionals to info like this when needed.

Excellent idea!

Becky

It is no longer an issue for me what people think in that aspect (other aspects bug me, I'm not perfect).

My doctor said to me once, when I didn't want to take an antidepressant....'you wouldn't berate a person who has diabetes for taking life saving medications, so why do you berate yourself for what you have to do?'.......now I do what I must and heal my body as best I can and everyone else can blow wind with their hang ups.

It's no ones business what I take so I don't tell anyone. As for the health professionals, I don't know what it is like to be in their shoes so I won't comment. Some people are nice, some are major jerks.

Angela

I wish I could not care. I try not to care. Every once in a while though, I do care.

I had my first horror story with a locum just a few months ago, and I still get angry thinking about it.

We all have the right to pain control, so it makes me sooooo angry when nurses, doctors or other health care professionals refuse to treat pain.

AND I know what is supposed to happen, as I am one of the above mentioned health care professionals, so I know the patients rights.

It makes me so angry when I see it in practice, but not nearly as livid as I was when the locum painted me with the same brush.

milo wrote:I wish I could not care. I try not to care. Every once in a while though, I do care.

I had my first horror story with a locum just a few months ago, and I still get angry thinking about it.

We all have the right to pain control, so it makes me sooooo angry when nurses, doctors or other health care professionals refuse to treat pain.

AND I know what is supposed to happen, as I am one of the above mentioned health care professionals, so I know the patients rights.

It makes me so angry when I see it in practice, but not nearly as livid as I was when the locum painted me with the same brush.

Boy, I can see how infuriating that must be, and you being stuck in the middle of it all. It's easier for me, not seeing what is behind the scenes and I can just be the persistant annoying patient that won't give up. You have all this background information to eat away at you.

Hugs to you (((Milo)))

I spend a lot of time doing teaching, both to health professionals and to patients.

Being in the field, I have a lot of friends who are also in the field.

I go nuts when they let certain terms slip in front of me....but I also understand that we all need to vent in our own ways, and a lot of medical professionals say a lot of nasty things about patients behind closed doors.

I try to use the situation to educate, but I also know that sometimes a vent is just a vent.

Many of my close friends are MD's and I have discussed what has happened to me with each of them, as well as with the other medical professionals I know. I do so hoping that they will think of me and my head when they are having a bad day and are seeing "Mr Jones for the fourth time this week". Thinking of a friend with the same issue may just be the thing that stops them from taking their frustration out on poor "Mr Jones".

I know that sometimes good people act like jerks. Doesn't make it any easier to take knowing that.

I love polls! I go to the Glamour magazines website and do their polls that sometimes end up in the mag.

Milo, I'm glad we have someone like you on the "inside" trying to get the word out!

I hate getting treated like that from pharmacists and pharmacy staff. Esp. trained pharm staff that should know better.

I've had pharm techs yell out inappropriate things/comments/facts about my medical history that I do not want yelled out across the pharmacy store.
I've had pharmacy staff (techs and actual pharmacists) treat me like a drug seeker, and because they think I am a druggie, think its fine to talk down to me, treat me badly, and in a public and shaming way, in front of other customers. It's embarassing and humiliating.
I've had them say, loudly and disparagingly, "you can't fill this. Your insurance won't cover it because you fill it too much and it's addictive. If you're filling it as often as you do, you must be taking too much of it." When I patiently explain the insurance WILL cover it, (refraining from saying "I know my coverage better than you do, you just made an error running the script through") if they could double check the dr.'s instructions and run it through again, they've accused me of "trying to pull something", etc. etc. And when I turn out to be right, they act like I conned someone into believing a lie just to get my drugs.

I've had more problems with pharmacies than with doctors.

I have to say, so far I have been fairly lucky. But I know things may worsen as this disease progresses, as my episodes are getting worse and worse and responding to les and less.

I finally have a GP close by, and so far she seems great. She even offered to look into learning how to do my botox injections, which I found pretty impressive.

Yes, I have been treated like a drug seeker on a few occasions.

The worst occured dueing my senior year in college. I haD a horrible migraine and had been instructed to go the to the ER by my neurologist. He also told me that I should ask the ER dr to call him, as he was in another city. I got to the Er and eventually got called back. The ER dr came in and asked what the problem was I stated that I had a horrible migraine and gave the dr my neurologists number. He did not want to call my neuro. He then said he wanted to try a shot of demerol and phenergan. I told him that demerol me throw up and that to other medicines worked better. Still, he saaid he wanted to try it first. So nurse came in and gave me a shot of demorol and phenergan. I immediately began vommitting. After a while, the ER dr came backe in and asked if I was still in pain. I replied that I was, but that the medication was not helping. My roommate also went out aqnd told the dr that demerol did not usually help me and could they give me something else. Instead, a nurse came back in and gave me more demerol, which just made me sicker. A few minutes llate, the doctor came back in and asked if I was still in pain. I replied that I was. He said " There is no way you could be in that much pain after demerol. He then told me that I needed to get out of the room, so they could use it for a "real patient/" I left the hospital sicker than i was when I entered. I could barely wal;k and the nurse would not help,. just told ,e that I was only hurting myself.

Now, I have a letter from my neuro if needed. But I usually get any IVs in the home care center. This has been helpful and I do not have to worry about the hazards ans stress of the ER>

Pain free days,
sailingm

AuntieBubbs, your story is a major violation of HIPAA Privacy Rules! To yell out or talk about your medical history in front of other customers is unacceptable. If that happens again I would firmly remind them of their obligation to follow those rules.

Then I would immediately switch pharmacies!

Dan, I know. I was so shocked and upset the first time it happened I couldn't think straight. I did switch pharmacies though.

It's happened a few times over the years. I've switched pharmacies a few times too. It hasn't happened in a while. The last time was about a month ago. The woman behind the counter started to call out to me while I was still in line, she was calling out with personal info (my dr. had already told me he wouldn't refill one of my meds until I came in to see him, and she was yelling this out to me for everyone to hear) and I interrupted her by saying, "I would rather discuss this when I get to the counter and not be overheard by everyone here in the line."

She totally did not get it, just said, "oh, well, ok."

You are right, though, next time it happens, I'll have to remind the pharmacy tech that he or she is violating my HIPAA rights and ask them to please not shout out my personal information for everyone in the pharmacy to hear.

It does go to show, though, that once they assume you're a drug seeker, they treat you like an addict. With no respect, no rights, and barely any civility.

Yes. I had a doctor come in and yell at me, then left the room. This was the first time seeking help for migraines.

Please do not judge me. I'm a weak individual who gets 10/10 migraines on a frequent basis.
My GP is a wonderful man who prescribes Stadol for me... a wonderful pain reliever, specifically created for migraines & childbirth, that works wonders for me. But it's a narcotic.
My neurologist is a sadist who says that narcotics are bad for me & "set the pain back." I wonder if he's ever had a migraine.
My husband took all of my Stadol away from me. He won't give it to me when I'm crying & begging & calling him every nasty name I can think of because my pain is killing me. I climb the walls when it rains. Or even when it doesn't.

So anyway... I had refills left at the pharmacy, so I called & got one filled & went to the pharmacy to pick it up, all behind my husband's back. Well, he showed up there & took it from me as I paid for it. I felt I had no other choice. Now, my husband & even my mother say that I act like a junkie. How's that for support....

Rachel

I don't judge you at all, Rachel.

It would be very difficult if I didn't have the support of my hubby and family.

Yes, I doubt your neuro has ever had a migraine. I'm guessing your husband hasn't either!

Charlotte

I think several doctors have implied that I'm a non-compliant patient because I have refused to take more drugs.

Too many side effects, not much efficacy

I avoid narcotics since they set off my IBS.

The neruoleptics just make me brain dead - can't really tell if they help. Most of the other drugs either don't help at all or the side effects are worst than the disease.

Rachel, I am so sorry you are in this position. I don't know what you could do about it, either.

Is there any chance you could guide your husband here to this site? Then he could read how many of us are in pain and are not drug seekers.

I hope things get better for you, soon.
£eslie