I went to my PCP today and while I was getting something else checked he pulled out a sheet from the insurance that stated they were concerned about the pain medication I was on. I am not sure what else it said on there but the doc was like why are you on all these. Now one I switched from in the middle of the month which might have really raised the flag.

But I am wondering now will the prescribing doctors also get that letter sent to them? I don't plan on going back to them and this has really scared the hell out of me, has anyone else gotten caught doing this?

I have never personally had that happen, but that is what we call (affectionately?)a jackpot, my friend, and the red flag is for you to get honest and get some help.

What do you mean by a jackpot? A wake up call that there is a problem?

Yeah I know, I already started a taper with the meds I have left and have cancelled my appointments. If my regular pain doc doesn't get rid of me I am just going to stay with him.

I sucks to be in chronic pain but also be an addict.

Big wake up call. Don't let it get to the point my hydrocodone addiction got to. I saw dozens of doctors at the same time. Had to in order to keep up with a 50 pill per day habit. And to the other poster about tapering. Good luck, because I think its all or nothing. When your body starts crying from the aches and pains of withdrawl, whether you are trying to taper or not, you'll take what you need to make that feeling stop. Well, I should say I would have, maybe you can do it. I abused hydrocodone for several years. Have been off of it for 3 years now. There isnt just physical withdrawl. There is emotional withdrawl also. The physical part is actually easier. Its only a miracle I dont have any liver damage from all that. Because each 10 mg lorcet I took also had 650 mg of tylenol in it. Should have died of tylenol poisoning. So, since I was spared all that, I feel like passing hope along. There is life after addiction.

Did you get caught seeing all those docs? That makes what I take pale in comparison. I take maybe a third of that and the withdrawals whenever I try to stop are sheer hell.

How long will they last?

It's a long story, and not a pretty one. Getting caught saved my life. But as far as how long withdrawl lasts, well....first 30 days are hell, next 60 days are partial hell...then about 2 more months were just a little bit of hell. Then I was human again. But if you didnt take the amount I did, for as long as I did, maybe you wont have it as bad.

What happened when you got caught though?

And who caught you?

I am pretty scared that my pain doc who is my main doctor is going to be done with me after this.

It wasn't even to the extent that I made it out to be. I didn't doc shop. I was seeing two different kind of doctors. One was for rehab for my back the other was for the nerve damage. Only one was giving me pain meds and the other was doing injections.

Finally the one giving me the injections offered me Norco, 4 pills a day and I accepted it. Thats where I f'd up. I never went doc to doc looking for meds. I made the mistake of accepting them from another doctor. I don't quite think that its shopping but I know that its wrong to get them from both.

Needless to say I stopped with it and canceled my followup because I don't think that they know about this and I don't plan on them finding out if I can help it. And I know that everytime I go back I increase the chance of a problem.

To Peach: What kind of insurance do you have that would allow you to see "dozens" of Dr.'s? Or did you pay out of pocket? OR...did you keep moving in order to be able to see so many different ones?