Strange how folks who need meds can't get them--but folks who don't can get them all the time.
I knew the problem that these doctors face with regard to pain medication. It's abused more and more, and I know that people do drift from clinic to clinic, and they've taken steps to control it. I was subject to one of these measures...it took effect October 2014 when they put a bunch of the pain medications on tighter "scheduling," including the ones that were previously deemed non-narcotic and rather innocuous, like Tramadol (which I was taking).
The only reason I went to the pain management place was because my GP was afraid of losing her license by giving me another prescription. I understood, and began rationing my initial 3-month supply. But she also warned me that "Pain management is like jail."
Boy oh boy was she right. I came in fully prepared to do whatever they wanted. I was prepared to reason with the guy, to discuss that I was aware of the risks. But since I was NOT on one of the hardcore narcotics (by choice) and my dosage was only 3-4 per day, I thought it would earn me points.
I did NOT expect to be treated like a criminal from the moment he breezed into the room. He wouldn't even let me talk. I was mischaracterized from the start, I had no opportunity to defend myself, and he used his position of power to intentionally belittle me. It was shocking behavior, really. "I have state-level records," "The thing is, you're lying. I have proof that you're lying...." Blah blah blah.
He had no such proof. Whatever database he accessed must've had someone with a similar name. Because even the clinic that he said I went to was shocked that he would accuse like that, without even calling them first to check if I had indeed been there.
In any case, I learned later that many pain management docs like to give cortisone shots instead of pain pills because it's basically $1200 straight into their pocket whenever they give a shot, and they do their part in trying to control the pill addiction issue. So they'll try to sell you on the shots no matter what, even if they're not the best choice for you (and in my case, they weren't...as the rheumatologist told me later.
I'm so glad all of that is over for me. I only had a small taste of what it's like to need medicine and be marginalized. There are people in chronic pain that deal with it constantly, and have no choice but to go to these clinics and deal with asshole doctors like him.
