Pain Doctors restricting treatment

Hello @medic7054. I am no matter of medical professional, but I know the issues surrounding medical marijuana and other pain medications are a very amorphous topic right now. There are state laws and then the federal laws as well. With the new US Attorney General saying publicly he wishes to attack states who allow medical and recreational marijuana use I am sure some medical professionals are very nervous right now.

While I cannot speak for anyone who has posted that their doctors are ignoring state law, etc. I am guessing here there might be far more to it. Here in my home state there are several medical centers run by religious groups and they write their own rules in some areas of care. I imagine this might be true for the use and prescribing of medical marijuana.

While not related to marijuana, I would also not be surprised if the opioid crisis also plays into some of these decisions. Again in my state and in my own county it is a true public health crisis. Top it off with the narcan opponents and you have a stew that some medical professionals may just decide to say out of.

Just my thoughts....

Hi @medic7054!!

As a health care professional myself and then add vid patient advocate I would like to add a little bit to @IndianaScott comments. I agree wholeheartedly with you and what he has to say and would like to add a little insight.

Just like any other prescribed or non-prescribed medications there are some patience the medications are simply not effective for and maybe a waste of money and resources. The more the healthcare industry uses pharmacogenetics testing before prescribing medications The better physicians will be calm at prescribing the right medication at the right dose at the right time of the day for the right patients.

Just this morning alone I have sent 7 out of 10 patients to their local emergency room department for treatment of overuse and overdosing and withdraw of narcotics and opiates and anxiety medication. There has to be regulations on prescribing medications regardless the prescription.

Your words have not fallen on deaf ears.
Keep on advocating!!
Dawn

All pain clinic are against oxy to I went to one thevsaid long term goal was to get off meds. I may have taken the whole appt wrong but I was pissed. Felt like they were treating me like an addict. I never went back their

@medic7054, I just got off Gabapentin and Baclofen due to all i have been reading on this Mayo Connect site. As I was coming off the Gabapentin I noticed a difference in the level of pain, it was better. Now that I've been off the Baclofen for a week, my pain level is decreased again! I am only taking Tramadol 50 mg. 4 x/day now and I'm thinking about stopping it as well.

I'm beginning to think my pain doctor, who seemed mad at me when I told him I wanted to stop the Gabapentin, really was mad. He was no help with stopping either drug, so i had to call my pharmacist to find out how to do it. The pain doctor said i could just stop them, no withdrawal which wasn't true. He laughed at me, which I felt mad about. I would much prefer to take marijuana on an as needed basis than these meds i have to take all the time!

@gailb, we always advise to consult your physician when tapering off or changing your medications. I am sorry to hear that your physician did not respond well to your requests. I am glad to hear that you tried to take the necessary precautions because changing medications on your own can be dangerous. Was the pharmacist helpful?

indianaScott

So far the only legal way to use marijuana is in states who have legalized it. The list of states is growing. It behooves medical doctors, including pain specialists in these states to open their eyes and accept it as an alternative approach to treating chronic pain. I don't expect them to love medical marijuana, as they surely love opioids, but at least accept it as another tool. In Minnesota, prescribing doctors, and there are fewer than 10 throughout the state, must see that obvious drug abusers do not get on the program. Patients are also screened by the Pharmacist who determines the blend and dose. All that I have met are extremely supportive.

Whatever puts the most money in their pockets.

@gailb, I had the same thing happen with my pain management doctor. I don't know if it is simply golf/hunting/whatever trips or if there is actually money swapping hands, but there is a remuneration system from pharma companies to doctors at some level and with some doctors. That is why you will see so much money on the marketing line if you read a pharmaceutical company's income statement. You don't see ads for generics on TV, but they still have marketing reps hitting doctor offices, sending in lunches for staff, etc...I also think they are more likely to have a bit of a god complex (I don't mean that is always a negative - I want my physicians to have a tremendous amount of confidence) than most other types of physicians I come in contact with. I have heard people with cardiologists say the same, but don't know that personally. So, when you discontinue a med that they would have you take, you are being defiant and how could you know more than them. 30 years ago, I don't believe you would have seen these type of issues between patients and physicians. Just my 1/2 cents worth.

Gail if you take 4 a day go down slowly reduce 3-2-1over 3weeks .This is how I tapered down to just 1I take it at bedtime so I can sleep as our muscles need to relax during sleep and a pain pill does this Good luck Linda

Yes has been known for along time the drug companies push the newest drugs to Dr,s and that's the drug of choice