What are you doing?

[Addie]

Here it is two am and I am wide awake. But tomorrow is Saturday and like today, I have nothing planned except to get my grocery list in order for shopping early Monday morning.

I am watching Lydia make a potato pancake. The crust is made of potatoes.

Lidia's Italy: Recipes: Potato Pizza

An interesting concept. The perfect opportunity to try slicing those small cherry tomatoes with the plate on top. Looks like something I just may try this.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Curious here----and if you prefer not to answer just ignore-----where you live do people have to sign a 'pain contract' to continue to get Vicodin?...

There was an article in the Telegram.com within the past week about this. A young man in his late 20s is living with the pain of a benign tumor in his leg because the doctor who was treating him required him to sign a pain contract. One condition of the contract was if his pain meds were lost or stolen he would no longer be able to get the prescription renewed until it was time for a refill. Unfortunately, his apartment was broken into and - you guessed it - one of the items that went missing was his pain med. There were a few days before he could get the next month's supply and the doctor would not write a prescription before the next month. I don't know if it was the doctor's rule or something the insurance provider required, but the patient filed a complaint with the medical board...and now no doctor will take him as a patient.

I don't have online privileges with the Telegram because I've used up my 10 free articles. We do get the paper 4 days a week and I did see the article in the paper, so it's a Thursday thru Sunday edition. In case you want to see the article.

BTW, in trying to find a generic link to the Telegram I did run across a Kaiser Health News article stating Blue Cross's new rules requiring pain contracts. The article dates back to 2012. The link to the article: Biggest Mass. Insurer Tightens Rules On Some Painkillers - Kaiser Health News

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I'm just waiting for the wine to kick in so I can be sleepy enough to hit the hay. It's supposed to be nice weather tomorrow, a good day for gardening. Now if I can just remember where my handy tube of Icy Hot gel is for my ankles...

 

[Cheryl J]

Lol, CG, it's 11:30 here now and I should be in bed....I just had my third glass of wine and decided it would be a good time to write down what I need for Cinco de Mayo dinner. Good to know I only need 2 ingredients.

Going to do some gardening as well tomorrow, I have many flowers and plants to tend to. Hope you sleep well.

 

[Addie]

Thanks for the article CG. I will fall into that category that will have to be reviewed. I have chronic pain that is caused by a circulatory problem that cannot be fixed. Surgically or otherwise. They have done all they can for me. Will let you know what happens.

Regarding that patient with the benign tumor. Under Obamacare, I thought they couldn't refuse a patient for previous conditions. Or am I confused?

 

[taxlady]

Addie, the other doctors aren't refusing him for a prior condition. They are refusing him because he was a tattletale.

 

[CarolPa]

Me, too! I find I like it better if it's mixed with other stuff. I slice summer squash and zucchini and saute them with garlic and roasted red peppers in olive oil, then hit it with a splash of white wine vinegar when it's done. When we're grilling outside, I'll do this on the side burner on the grill. Quick, pretty side dish

I think the word "squash" turns me off more than the actual food!

 

[CarolPa]

Yup, that's the discussion Addie and I have had.

What if the only way you can do that is to be taking an overdose of the meds? That's what my husband was up against with his shingles recently. I hated to tell him not to take it because he was in pain, but he was definately taking too much percocet. Finally he switched to Advil. In order to keep his does within the recommended daily amount, he has to suffer for a little while in between doses.

 

[cave76]

What if the only way you can do that is to be taking an overdose of the meds? That's what my husband was up against with his shingles recently. I hated to tell him not to take it because he was in pain, but he was definately taking too much percocet. Finally he switched to Advil. In order to keep his does within the recommended daily amount, he has to suffer for a little while in between doses.

Had your husband signed a Pain Contract? Are you saying he took more than was rx'd? Or did he have a REAL overdose, which can be extremely dangerous.

 

[taxlady]

I'm downloading the driver for my scanner. It's usually hooked up to my desktop computer, but the hard disk died and I haven't done anything about that yet. Getting the printer to work was simpler. I just plugged in the USB cable and it started to download the driver. I'm impressed. This is a printer we bought in 1996. I had to search a little bit to make it realize that I do have the duplex thingee installed.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

What if the only way you can do that is to be taking an overdose of the meds? That's what my husband was up against with his shingles recently. I hated to tell him not to take it because he was in pain, but he was definately taking too much percocet. Finally he switched to Advil. In order to keep his does within the recommended daily amount, he has to suffer for a little while in between doses.

The doctor should have offered prescriptions for cream and medication for nerve pain. Patients should not have to rely on their current pain medications to help with new and DIFFERENT pain. Topical lidocaine and Neurontin would have helped immensely, if he is still having pain from the shingles call the doc and ask for those two I just mentioned.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I think pain contracts should only be used for those patients who have abused narcotics in the past. It is counter productive and insulting to a patient who has never abused narcotics in the past.

I have patients whose pain management is very convoluted and necessary for their functioning on a daily basis. Of course, my patients are in a monitored situation so pain contracts are not needed.

 

[pacanis]

I'm downloading the driver for my scanner. It's usually hooked up to my desktop computer, but the hard disk died and I haven't done anything about that yet. Getting the printer to work was simpler. I just plugged in the USB cable and it started to download the driver. I'm impressed. This is a printer we bought in 1996. I had to search a little bit to make it realize that I do have the duplex thingee installed.

You aren't going to scan and post your pain contract are you?


I'm watching TV. We are still going through that rainy bout with the weather, only the temps are beginning to give me a chill. I suppose I am growing weary of our current weather. My grass needs cut and it's been too miserable for me to ge the mower ready.

 

[taxlady]

You aren't going to scan and post your pain contract are you?


I'm watching TV. We are still going through that rainy bout with the weather, only the temps are beginning to give me a chill. I suppose I am growing weary of our current weather. My grass needs cut and it's been too miserable for me to ge the mower ready.

Nope, haven't got one. I'm going to scan client T-slips (like W-2, etc.). Then I give them a DVD with the PDFs of their tax returns and slips and anything else relevant. I print anything that needs to be mailed plus summaries of their tax returns.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Going for a walk.

 

[Addie]

I have been sitting here looking over the field for the Derby. A friend of mine went to Suffolk Downs and placed a bet for me on Wicked Good. A horse out of Boston. I live about two minutes from Suffolk Downs and have never been there my whole life. And I have never bet on the Derby either. So when I saw the name I just had to do it. I have served the exercise boys and jockeys at the restaurant where I used to work eons ago though.

When I was a kid, the trolley going to or from Revere Beach used to run right through where the barns were. In the summer if the trolley windows were open, you could stick your hand out and pat the noses of the horses. Then they moved the tracks to go underground. And stopped running the trolleys for the buses.

 

[Dawgluver]

It's a glorious day! I'm doing some outdoor furniture repairs. My birdbath that I made from an old DirecTv dish and mount has served us well for many years, but the plastic holding the bolts rotted out, and the birds like it so much that I have to fix it. Then a garden bench that DH built over 30 years ago lost its bottom brace, so will reattach that.

 

[cave76]

I think pain contracts should only be used for those patients who have abused narcotics in the past. It is counter productive and insulting to a patient who has never abused narcotics in the past.

So true and very insulting. But I can't do anything about it. I did ask a lot of questions before I signed my Pain Contract---- but bottom line was our way or the highway. I'd be accused of doctor shopping if I went to another doctor.

When I first applied to be accepted in my doctor's practice (he's the Buttoned Up Butt-Hole) I was asked (verbally, not in my intake form, if I had ever reported another doctor to the Medical Board!!!! That's VERBALLY. Now why is that suspicious to me?

I was so desperate for a doctor (I'd just gotten out of the hospital for clots in my lungs) that I complied with a 'no' , which was true.

Remember in grade school when the 'bad boy' misbehaved and didn't own up to it? We all had to stay after school! Well, this is the same thing. Many of us are being punished for what others do. As I said---- the War on Drugs is being waged against the wrong people.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

So true and very insulting. But I can't do anything about it. I did ask a lot of questions before I signed my Pain Contract---- but bottom line was our way or the highway. I'd be accused of doctor shopping if I went to another doctor.

When I first applied to be accepted in my doctor's practice (he's the Buttoned Up Butt-Hole) I was asked (verbally, not in my intake form, if I had ever reported another doctor to the Medical Board!!!! That's VERBALLY. Now why is that suspicious to me?

I was so desperate for a doctor (I'd just gotten out of the hospital for clots in my lungs) that I complied with a 'no' , which was true.

Remember in grade school when the 'bad boy' misbehaved and didn't own up to it? We all had to stay after school! Well, this is the same thing. Many of us are being punished for what others do. As I said---- the War on Drugs is being waged against the wrong people.

I agree.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Addie, the other doctors aren't refusing him for a prior condition. They are refusing him because he was a tattletale.

I don't see him being a "tattletale" taxy. The young man had a well-documented medical situation that had been managed for several years by his life-long doctor. He grew up about an hour south of Boston in a smaller community where everyone knows everyone. When he graduated college and got a job he made the mistake of working in a big city AND for a college. Had to change docs. Well obviously anyone who comes in contact with college students must be a pusher, right? I think this is more of a case of his newer doctor with his newer insurer covering their butts. I've noticed that over the years it seems like younger doctors with fresher degrees are much more lawsuit-shy than an older doctor who knows his first job is to make his patient healthy and comfortable.

I think pain contracts should only be used for those patients who have abused narcotics in the past. It is counter productive and insulting to a patient who has never abused narcotics in the past...

Fully agree with you PF. It seems like this young man played by the rules and ended up getting kicked in his femur - the part with the benign tumor.

If anyone wants to hunt down the article the website is "telegram.com". It was in the May 1 paper, Part Two of Four. The author is Susan Spencer.The paper title is "In pain, with no relief" but the google search page shows it as "Living with pain without a prescription". Like I said before, I'm out of freebie reads on their website so you'll have to do a little hunting. Sorry. BTW, a companion article is about another pain-management patient and her experiences with abating her pain even though her doctor IS supportive. She said just trying to get her meds makes her "feel like a criminal".

I remember back in 1991 when my Dad was dying. He was experiencing a lot of pain and his doctor had him going to the pain management clinic at a local hospital. His pain never went away but it was diminished greatly through meds and whatever treatment he was getting at the clinic. It seems like pain management treatments would have advanced more in the last 20+ years than it seems like. Gotta blame the junkies and thieves for that, I guess.