I trusted my family doctor but it turns out he is a junkie himself!
I have fibromyalgia and depression just to name a couple of my medical problems. My family dr that I met almost 3 years ago put me on oxycontin. I've tried many different things for pain relief, but this was my first narcotic. I was scared when he mentioned it to me because I had a fear of getting addicted to a narcotic. I've heard many horror stories about drugs like that. He started me at 10mg 2x daily. The first week I was elated at having some relief for 4 days in a row. I found the doses climbing quickly because I guess I was getting used to the dose and he'd move me up. I always asked him, is it safe? He said it was safe...safer than tylenol he repeated. When I felt the dose needed to go up, I asked him, am I getting addicted or dependant on these? Cause I feel aweful when my dose needs to be increased. I read bad stories about Oxycontin in the local newspaper, and my Mom was always telling me her Mom basically died from taking pain meds all her life. She ended up dying at 58 of a heart aneurism. My Mom swears pills caused it. So I asked doctor why is it such a controversial drug? He said, don't worry, you're no Rush Limbaugh. He said I am not an addict. Addicts take them by the handfuls. When I told him my Moms concerns he replied "Is she a doctor or nurse?" Basically telling me I should trust him.
Finally after getting to 120mg every 12 hours for a month, I told doctor I wanted to wean off slowly. For me, the pills did some good, but I still had pain, it was just more tolerable, but I still had a difficult time with my daily routines. I knew eventually I'd have to get off these things because I'd reach a point someday where I would be immune to the highest dose. So doctor said ok. Every week or two, I dropped a dose until I got to 40mg every 12 hours. I felt my pain was keeping me on the couch all day. It didn't seem like withdrawl bothered me, it was the pain. I was back at square one. Doctor agreed with me that I should go back on them. I got up to 120mg 3 times daily. I asked him, is this safe because my Mom is worried about me. I have been on these for 2 years now and I have been needing a sweat towel everyday for the last year or so. Terry-cloth dishtowels. I soak a few a day. My body is wet from sweating, my hair is wet from it. I take a cold shower only to get out, dry off and within a couple minutes, I am dripping sweat again. Doctor didn't seem concerned. His nurse always talked to me about the sweating because I cried in her offic one day. I was scared that I would never be able to go back to my excellent paying job with excellent benefits. When I first went off on S&A (sick and accident) My doctor put me on oxycontin then. I told him, I need to correct some health problems. I knew that not everything could be fixed.. but things that could have been corrected have not been. I told Dr. that I wanted to stay off work for a few months to get healthy and make physicall and emotional changes. Iseem to be going backwards in health and can't see how I could ever go back to my factory job at Daimler Chrysler Canada.
I never want to leave my house because of the pain, the sweating, depression and tiredness.
The combos of medication were unbelievable. I tried a second time to wean off oxycontin with my doctors help, but got down to a certain dose (40mg again) and back up I went.
There's so much more I can say but to make this long story no more longer... My doctor was in my local newspaper 2 months ago and it was about the fact that he's a 'junkie' himself and has been under investigation for 10 years for keeping bad records, and whatever else...
It said in the article that he overdosed in his office and came stumbling out where the waiting room patients were sitting. He was forced to get 'clean' for 3 months. I seen him every week or 2 for the last 2 or more years. I remember when he went a way for awhile. I just thought he took a vacation. There are also compliants about him being verbally abusive at patients including my father in law and others. (That's a whole other story)
I was given a phone number to the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Ontario, and I called them. They asked for a letter of my complaint. I emailed them yesterday because I heard no response. I get to call them back tomorrow (today actually because it is 3:30am here)
What can I do? I called a local lawyer who referred me to call Toronto or London (I forget) which is 4 hours from home but they were closes to call for medical malpractice case. They said most medical malpractices do not succeed. She said it sounded like I have 2 claims but I think it should be 3) They asked me to fax a bunch of stuff which I did about 2 months ago, and they never called me back. They said it could take years to get this case in court.
This Dr. is still practicing 5 minutes from my home. I know he knows I left him because of that article because He saw me every week until that article appeared in the paper.
I don't know what to do. I am a mess. My health is worse, now I have no family dr for my girls, husband and myself. My life has changed drastically from oxycontin. The clinic I go to is helping me wean off again. I was 120mg 3x daily when I left my dr and went to clinic. That day they put me on 120mg 2x daily. In August. Now it is November, I'm at 60mg 2x daily. Very tempting with this pain to take extra oxy cuz I know it would help.(current throat infection) but that would make it harder for me to quit. The dr helping me at clinic said I need to go get 'clean' in the hospital for 30 days, but I told her let me try to wean off. So I am.