Mermaidxx
12-05-2007, 04:44 AM
Hiya,
I maybe moving to a different state next year. I have been to dozens of DR's concerning my pain where I currenlty live. But never out of state. I've been threw hell and back trying get proper help, and have finally been given the help I need.
My question is. If I move or have to get a new dr, will they honour my old doctors orders? Or will I have to start over and possible change meds etc.
I maybe moving to a different state next year. I have been to dozens of DR's concerning my pain where I currenlty live. But never out of state. I've been threw hell and back trying get proper help, and have finally been given the help I need.
My question is. If I move or have to get a new dr, will they honour my old doctors orders? Or will I have to start over and possible change meds etc.
Sponsor
123dietdrpepper
12-05-2007, 06:21 AM
Be sure to bring your past records and tests results. Unfortunately from what I have experienced myself and read on the boards, typically the doctor will restart you at your lowest dose, change meds sometimes, do his own workup, and rebuild. Good luck.
butrfligirl28
12-05-2007, 07:55 AM
Go ahead and search for doctors in your new area. I have found that a good way to feel out any doctor is to call and speak with a nurse who works there. It will help you get an idea, what type of pm doc are they? I hope that this helps you, and that you find a great doctor. Make sure your doctor here will cover you for at least 6 weeks. This will give you enough time to move, and shop around some. Most docs are happy to do this, as they know how hard it can be for pain patients.
Good luck and keep us posted!
Amanda
Good luck and keep us posted!
Amanda
Shoreline
12-05-2007, 08:27 AM
Hi Mermaid, With this much advance notice you can certainly make the transition easier and have scouted ahead. People make pretrips to scout the housingmarket, this is no different.
Dr Peper is talking worst case scenariorios, She is right in that it doesn't matter if your orders came from the Mayo clinic, Boston General or Hopkins. It's the new doc that's prescribing whos licence is on the line. Opening a chart and say this is how they did it there doesn't give him a free ticket to prescribe without fear of abuse from a patient or making him a target for an over zealouis DEA agent or cop in the new area.
Thereis a right way and a wrong way to do this. I have a pump, I would first ask my doc for a referalll if he knows anyone. Then I would cntact the makers of my pump and get the names of every doc in the area cerified to manage medtronics pumps, Then I would send a brief synosis of my recorsds to everyone odff those docs and ask if they would be taking new patient on my arival date and are they comfortable continuing a plan that is working well and explain the positive benefits of the present regemin.
The wrong way is to show up in town with an empty
Dood Mcjm Dace bottle expecting somone to continue your regemin simply because your old doc was comfy with it. If your doc is comfy and your state and insurance allows, you can get 9 day suplies right before you leave, bujt at the end of those 90 days you better have a plan. I don't beleive It's the norm to torture new patients, but I do believe there are docs out there that can't possibly justify their prescribing that are seen by their patients as compassionate and miraculous. Unfortunately no other doc could ever justify continuing The "compasionate" regemin without fear of loosing their licence.
It just depends on each patient, the area your movng too and your abilty to provide documaentaion that you have tried alternatives before your old doc sent you on your way dependent on a high dose of opiates.AS general rule, the less you tried before being put on opiates leaves that many more options for your next doc to try before he's cmfortable prescribing the same. If you have extensive history and documantation of 12 other Epidural steroid injections where 5 resulted in spinal fluid leaks, you less likely to have to try another or "jump through the same hoop". If you have had one interventional procedure and had a negative reaction,sayy a fluid leak or an infection at the injection sight which are both risks we should be aware of prior to a treatment plan, I doubt most docs are going to say fine, we will never ask you to try any other interventional procedure. Being one in 10,000 for a negative side effect or reaction, doesn't mean you will be that one everytime anything similar is done. Thereis ratuional fear and irational fear.
So plan ahead, get a referall, get copies and send them out once you know for sure you will leaving.
Dr Peper is talking worst case scenariorios, She is right in that it doesn't matter if your orders came from the Mayo clinic, Boston General or Hopkins. It's the new doc that's prescribing whos licence is on the line. Opening a chart and say this is how they did it there doesn't give him a free ticket to prescribe without fear of abuse from a patient or making him a target for an over zealouis DEA agent or cop in the new area.
Thereis a right way and a wrong way to do this. I have a pump, I would first ask my doc for a referalll if he knows anyone. Then I would cntact the makers of my pump and get the names of every doc in the area cerified to manage medtronics pumps, Then I would send a brief synosis of my recorsds to everyone odff those docs and ask if they would be taking new patient on my arival date and are they comfortable continuing a plan that is working well and explain the positive benefits of the present regemin.
The wrong way is to show up in town with an empty
Dood Mcjm Dace bottle expecting somone to continue your regemin simply because your old doc was comfy with it. If your doc is comfy and your state and insurance allows, you can get 9 day suplies right before you leave, bujt at the end of those 90 days you better have a plan. I don't beleive It's the norm to torture new patients, but I do believe there are docs out there that can't possibly justify their prescribing that are seen by their patients as compassionate and miraculous. Unfortunately no other doc could ever justify continuing The "compasionate" regemin without fear of loosing their licence.
It just depends on each patient, the area your movng too and your abilty to provide documaentaion that you have tried alternatives before your old doc sent you on your way dependent on a high dose of opiates.AS general rule, the less you tried before being put on opiates leaves that many more options for your next doc to try before he's cmfortable prescribing the same. If you have extensive history and documantation of 12 other Epidural steroid injections where 5 resulted in spinal fluid leaks, you less likely to have to try another or "jump through the same hoop". If you have had one interventional procedure and had a negative reaction,sayy a fluid leak or an infection at the injection sight which are both risks we should be aware of prior to a treatment plan, I doubt most docs are going to say fine, we will never ask you to try any other interventional procedure. Being one in 10,000 for a negative side effect or reaction, doesn't mean you will be that one everytime anything similar is done. Thereis ratuional fear and irational fear.
So plan ahead, get a referall, get copies and send them out once you know for sure you will leaving.
Mermaidxx
12-06-2007, 12:25 AM
Thanks for all the helpful info. Will diff think ahead.
Boxerluver
12-06-2007, 07:11 PM
Mermaid, just do your best to dot your i's and cross your t's. Even then things happen. I knew I was moving so I researched and found a new doc. I made the appointment then spoke with my current doc to see what he wanted to do, call the new doc, just send records, etc. Before I went to my last appointment I call the new doc's office to make sure they got my records, they hadn't so I told my current doc who said they'd be done that day. Of course as I followed up it was yes we sent them, but no the new office didn't get them! So frustrating. When I went to my new appointment, guess what, no records! But my pain doc was and is really good and gave me my meds on my word alone. They sent for my records, but I kept calling until they were confirmed.
Now I keep my own copy so this doesn't happen again. SO do all you can to prepare, but be ready in case everything doesn't go according to plan.
Melissa
Now I keep my own copy so this doesn't happen again. SO do all you can to prepare, but be ready in case everything doesn't go according to plan.
Melissa
madhatter
12-09-2007, 03:44 AM
A few yrs ago my doc. retired heres what happened-My doc. was already semi-retired.He only saw patients on Thursdays.It was wed. and I noticed I didn't get my call stating I had an appointment,so I called the doc. office,and they told me he's not seeing patients anymore,and that I should of received a letter in the mail,Which I did that day,and it said bla bla bla,and referred me to another doc.At the time I was taking 40 mg. of oxycontin and 15 mg. of oxycodone,and 5 mg of diazapam.Now I'm thinking there will be no problem at all,everything will be in my chart.WRONG! The new doc. looked at my chart,and said,'I'm not giving you these meds,there not good for you etc. I said I've been on these meds for almost 2 yrs! He wrote me a prescription for 45 of the oxycodone 15 mg,thats it! When I went to my pharmacist[mom and pops,the best imo] I told him what happened,he was in an uproar! He said,"he can't take you off your meds cold turkey,so my pharmacist called the doc. office and told them what he thought,they gave me a different doc[same practice] so when I went to see here[I'm thinking everything is ok by now] she said basicly the same thing,but gave me a script for diazapam 5 mg 30 count,to take 2 a day for 5 days,then one a day,then discontinue,same with the oxycodone,and cut me down to 10 mg oxycontin with no breakthrough.Heres the kicker! My pharmacist said the newer doc. called 3 different times,to see if I ever got early refills,or meds. from different doc. etc.My pharmacist stuck up for me,and told her,we never had a problem with him! My pharm. told me that the doc. was looking for a reason not to prescribe me pain meds.I stuck with this doc. for half a yr.! I've since have got a new doc. who treats my pain accordingly.
Fabrashamx
12-09-2007, 07:02 AM
I would go so far as to strongly suggest you pick up your own chart and hand deliver it on your first visit.
When my long time doctor closed her practice, I was left in pain and with no insurance or referrals. I moved heaven and earth and thank God was able to get in with a county doctor on a sliding pay scale.
But his rule with CP patients was he would not prescribe narcotics until he had your chart. He made request after request, at this point the only contact info I had for my old doc was an answering machine!
Every month I would go in and hopefully ask, every month it was no, we havent gotten your records yet. I finally got her cell number and called it, (my old doctors) I'm sure she didnt apprieciate it, but too bad, she left me with very few choices and I was on the last few days of my 90 day supply of meds she gave me before she closed up shop.
Eventually my records came, and my new doctor was fine keeping me on what I had been on, even offered to move me up to methadone, which I will be doing soon, But he did end up having to prescribe before the records came.
If your old doctor is keeping their practice open, and the office staff is reliable, you should be fine, but if you have any doubts, get those records yourself.
Good luck and please let us know what happens.
~Fabby
When my long time doctor closed her practice, I was left in pain and with no insurance or referrals. I moved heaven and earth and thank God was able to get in with a county doctor on a sliding pay scale.
But his rule with CP patients was he would not prescribe narcotics until he had your chart. He made request after request, at this point the only contact info I had for my old doc was an answering machine!
Every month I would go in and hopefully ask, every month it was no, we havent gotten your records yet. I finally got her cell number and called it, (my old doctors) I'm sure she didnt apprieciate it, but too bad, she left me with very few choices and I was on the last few days of my 90 day supply of meds she gave me before she closed up shop.
Eventually my records came, and my new doctor was fine keeping me on what I had been on, even offered to move me up to methadone, which I will be doing soon, But he did end up having to prescribe before the records came.
If your old doctor is keeping their practice open, and the office staff is reliable, you should be fine, but if you have any doubts, get those records yourself.
Good luck and please let us know what happens.
~Fabby
madhatter
12-09-2007, 09:47 AM
From my experience,the doc. wouldn't see me until the charts arrive,which took a month,and they were walking distance apart.
lavenderlily13
12-09-2007, 12:01 PM
hey,
I had the same experience with getting records sent when I moved from the west coast to the mid-west, I just assumed you requested your records to be sent, signed the release forms, and thats it. Not hardly. It took me literally dozens of phone calls, and weeks and weeks to finally get it done. I have heard this is not uncommom. The doctors office will each blame the other for the problem, saying they have done their part on their end. I would definately reccommend hand-carrying your records. That's the only way I will transfer records anymore. Otherwise, I would say you have about a 1% chance if it actually getting where it's supposed to go. Sad but true.
good luck;)
~~lily
I had the same experience with getting records sent when I moved from the west coast to the mid-west, I just assumed you requested your records to be sent, signed the release forms, and thats it. Not hardly. It took me literally dozens of phone calls, and weeks and weeks to finally get it done. I have heard this is not uncommom. The doctors office will each blame the other for the problem, saying they have done their part on their end. I would definately reccommend hand-carrying your records. That's the only way I will transfer records anymore. Otherwise, I would say you have about a 1% chance if it actually getting where it's supposed to go. Sad but true.
good luck;)
~~lily