Big change to make it harder for patients to get pain killers like Vicodin

[csziggy]

79. If you are treated by other doctors they may not know

If you have a tendency to abuse drugs. No matter that the doctors are supposed to share records so they don't have to trust the patient's memory or willingness to tell them every detail - it doesn't happen.

Since 2001 I've changed my primary doctor and seen at least seven different specialists for various things. The ONLY one who read my complete file was my new primary doctor. I am very allergic to one antibiotic - one of the doctors prescribed that one even though it is in my records and on my page of prescriptions, allergies and operations I give to every practitioner. I had to catch that and request something different.

Every one of the seven specialist prescribed heavy duty pain killers - Vicodin or Oxycontin. In addition, a periodontist also prescribed Vicodin. Of course during my treatment by each I had surgery and the pain killers were needed for after care.

I hate taking those drugs - they don't really control the pain for me, they just make me so foggy I don't care if I hurt. I call the my "stupid drugs" because taking one makes me stupid for 24-36 hours. I just hate taking them and prefer using something that leaves me functional.

Same type of thing for my husband. He's had a couple of operations in the last few years and had Vicodin prescribed for after the surgeries. He might take it for a day or two, then just uses OTC medications.

We have several bottles of Vicodin and one of Oxycontin in the freezer. I'm not sure why I'm keeping them - I probably won't use them without having something serious enough to see a doctor and then they will likely prescribe more drugs I don't want to take.

Of course the next time I get a severe injury it could be handy until I can get to a doctor!