Is this your only option? I go see someone else before I'd let this happen. Another member, RSDhurts posts here often so hopefully you will hear from her. I'd message her if she doesn't to see if she has any ideas for you. Or start a new thread with her name in the title. Sorry I can't offer more help.

I'm so sorry. I've never had a good experience with a Pain Management clinic. They seem to be to afraid to treat pain which kind of defeats the whole purpose of the clinic. The one I went to only wanted to give me injections into my hip joints for my fibro pain and when i asked about they could do for all the other pain the doctor just told me to go to physical therapy. Which if they had read my chart would have known I had done that already and it made my pains worse. I really makes me mad that because so many abuse prescription medications those of us who actually need it can't get it without a fight and then those who abuse it can get it with no questions.

Maybe try another pain clinic or a different doctor that could refer you to one that actually treats pain with medication meant for pain management and not something for addicts.

So so so sorry to hear this! I am very close w RSDhurts and I myself have RSD! Please contact her for RSD support and also search for a post I made called "Subuxone for CP Management" as it is full of responses from members taking subs!

Please call your insurance and request a list of docs accepting new patients! Make as many appointments as you can with any doc willing to make an appt with you! You do have choices and subuxone is not the only one! What did your former docs office do with all of his patients? Were you referred to this sub doc by his office? Don't give up and maybe even lower your dose to be able to stretch the morphine you do have out a lil longer if you cant find a replacement doc within that 30 days!

Also, try going to an urgent care and explain that your doc just passed away and you need to find a doc accepting pain patients! Often times urgent cares are full of new docs that are opening their own practices and are seeking patients to bring on board to their practices!

I almost asked my doc about subs and after much research, I have chosen to hold off as it is viewed as an abuse resolution! However, many members on here do use subs for pain management and have very positive experiences on it!

Don't give up! There are docs that understand and will truly "get" the position you've been put in!

Best wishes, keep your head up!
Riss

Thank-you for the reply. The truth is, I don't know who else to see. It seems as if no one wants to take on the task of writing prescriptions for morphine. I live in MI now, so when my doctor died I thought I'd just find another here in my home state. If my doctor in Houston hadn't been so good, I might've encountered this when we 1st moved here about 6 years ago. But b/c I was often in Houston anyway and my doctor there said I was fine to see him every 3 months, I stayed with him. All they have around here for "Pain" doctors are these clinics that offer injections and other treatments, anything but opiods. The thing is, they don't dispute the RSD or the pain, they just don't "like" morphine. I'm guessing the other pain clinic in the area would feel the same. I don't get this suboxone kick- I know from my RSD support group that it doesn't help as a painkiller. If they could give me a good reason WHY morphine is so bad, maybe I'd understand. It's the old prejudice against opiod meds that work. When I 1st moved to Houston I did a search for compassionate pain doctors in the area. The 1st one I found was the doctor I had for years, the one who passed away recently. He died so suddenly, and w/o a partner, so I have no idea what to do next. The website that once listed good pain docs by state is no longer up. At this point I don't even care if I have to travel as I do that anyway. I'm just really shocked that this has happened. I know, I shouldn't be. My doctor kept all his patients up to date on the war against pain patients and he worked tirelessly for our rights. Now he's gone and I see that things are worse than I thought. I'm literally TERRIFIED to go back to that place 14 years ago when I was in such pain I couldn't move. I couldn't work or have friends...I was wasting away until my doctor found a medication and a dose that worked. The odd thing is, I've never had to increase my dose. Not in 14 years! But the nurse tells me that was what should've happened- I should've needed higher doses. At that point I was angry- I mean, is it my fault that it worked? If I miss a dose I sure feel the pain, but that's it. And that's my own fault. I guess I thought I would find the right doctor, but as this nurse says, "no one is going to want to prescribe morphine to you." I pray she is wrong. Since being diagnosed with RSD I have met my husband, dated him, married him and now have a 1 year old. I also work as a travel consultant and writer so I am in the air every 4 weeks. I just returned from New Orleans a few days ago. My life is crazy busy and I've never had to worry about this before. How can I be a Mom to my baby boy when the pain is so bad I can't open my eyes? If I was alone, it wouldn't be so bad but this affects my child, my husband, HIS boss, MY boss- I am still just in shock. I don't think more than a few people in my life even know I HAVE RSD! I'm crying, I'm sick to my stomach, I'm shaking...how can doctors play with our lives this way? Sorry, didn't mean to keep going on. It's so hard to talk to my hubby about this b/c he can't fix it and that drives him nuts. Besides, it's hard to explain to people who haven't experienced pain in this way. My doctor was one of a few who put patients 1st when it came to medication. Is it really going to be that difficult to find another? It hasn't even been 24 hours and I'm a mess so I apologize for going on and on. I'll look for this other RSD poster and maybe she will have an idea where I can find a doctor. I've got a month (I hope) to find someone. I've just never been this scared.

Sorry- I hadn't seen the additional responses. When my doc died there were no referrals b/c he died so suddenly and had planned to be around a long time. The fact that I was seeing an out-of-state doctor (even though he was my doc when I lived in that state) seems to offend some doctors. I have an appt Monday for a scrip refill so if that goes well, I can stretch a bit. Problem is here in MI the weather makes RSD worse, not better. Well, at least for me. Other problem is that I was also on Darvocet and that was taken off the market. So I'm used to having morphine and darvocet for the Winter months. I feel like I'm stretching already. Our urgent Cares around here don't give narcotics, or so they advertise. And my primary Care doc won't, I believe, be comfortable prescribing this much medication. But I will try him. My big problem right now is getting my medical records. My doc who died has no office, and no office means no records. I had them sent to this clinic so THEY have them but asking them is going to look odd. But I have a right to my records. We'll see how it goes. It's nice to be able to come here and meet other people who have been through this, though I am shocked at how many untreated or mistreated people there are. Pain is the only affliction where doctors want to run away instead of heal.

I understand, whole heartly do I understand your pain. I went to 5 different pain docs and finaly found that number 5 was the best. My first pm doc was much like you describled. He spent all of 5 min with me, told me to go as much pt as I could and if that doesn't work the "I guess I could give you a few shots" I asked him for something for pain and he said, well take some OTC tylenol that should be all you need. My faimly doc gave me enough lortab to last and my second pm doc spent 15 min going bonkers about the fact that I can't take any more opoids and gave me tramadol, which was crap. My third pm doc spent an hour with me and totaly miss dx me and everything he thought was crap. I had knee pain and he blew that off and said if you can walk your fine, then he said all my back pain was musclar which was crap, and then he said go to a chiro which never helped and gave me what he called was a pain pill, which was a anti inflamtory which did nothing. Then my 4th pm doc was very rude he comes in with a shocked looked on his face thorws my mri's on the table and goes "I don't have time for this crap", he then said the report says you have no back problems, and the report was wrong. He was then very rough with my kness and goes you have arthritis, and I'll send you to pt. I asked him for something for pain and he goes nothing I can give you, you tried all the anti inflamtory, I guess you could take OTC aleve....

Most pm docs are idiots that don't know anything, nor do they care. they want money and that is it. Howevere there are good ones out there, you just need to keep at it. Most of the time you will know in the first few min if they are worth anything. If they seem stupid then fire them and see a new one, and just don't give up

My 5th pm doc spent two hours with me got all my medical records, started me on tramadol which didn't help and now have since moved me up to oxycontin and oxycodone, we have tried everything together and nothing helps, he goes out of his way for me, he is wonderful, best doc I have ever seen, and I never would have found him if I had given up, so just keep looking you will get your morphine back sooner or later

What a terrible predicament to find yourself in. In all honesty Suboxone or Butran patches would be my last choice in pain management. Because of the way the opioid receptors work, this drug makes any BT med very ineffective. People who are in accidents or have to have emergency surgery are in a real predicament --- it takes large doses of drugs such as fentanyl to touch the pain. Others who are having elective surgery have to be detoxed off of it prior to operations.

You should be able to stick with what has worked for 14 years. My first choice would be my GP or Internist. Honestly, while some people have had luck finding PM Dr's, it seems that having one Dr. prescribe for you is best. Good PM Dr's seem to be few and far between.

For you to be able to live a full life on a pain medication that works well for you is where you should be kept. I wish you all of the luck finding someone to take over prescribing for you. SB2

I know it sounds crazy.I agree.It sounds like the Dr.s working for the drug company.

FIVE? OMG, you must have the patience of Job. The problem here is that I can't go OFF the morphine b/c of the severe withdrawal. B/c of the diazepam, and the 14 years on the drug, I have to withdraw safely. The fact that they're taking me off one drug that works to put my on suboxone which is not considered a good pain med is beyond me. But I should get a prescription for morphine soon and then a week later I see the nurse who says I need the hospitalization. If that doc she works for will agree to write the scripts for the next few months, I can relax a bit and have time to look around. We can't get off work and find someone for our son this soon! I hope they realize that. My poor son just turned 21 months. He is used to having me home. He is also going through a Mommy phase. I can't think of leaving him for an untested, unknown treatment. But I may have to. As far as I'm concerned, my worst-case scenario is the hospitalization and suboxone. But it's honestly a possibility b/c I may not find a doc in the time they give me. In fact, it's all been quietly planned by them w/o my knowledge. The 1st doc said he'd write the meds till I saw the doc he was referring me to, one he said "did" meds. So I had 4 months in which I could've looked for a new doctor, before my old doctor's office closed completely (I need my records.) If he had said, "I'll write your meds till you see the other doctor and THEN you'll be taken off the morphine," I would've known to look elsewhere. They rob you of time, as well as quality of life. And THEN if I find a doc I'll need to withdraw from the suboxone! I just wish they still had the Pain Foundation online so I could find a compassionate doc. Things have changed a lot since 2001! Freedom- I hope they figure out soon what works for you. I remember trying everything and I was terrified to try morphine. But I finally did and it's worked for years. I was considering amputation at one point! And I wonder what would've happened if I had taken the morphine pump that was offered. I didn't want anything in my body I couldn't control but honestly, it might've made these doctors think twice. Maybe not. But I'm glad you have a doc who is willing to help you. They're hard to find!

I sent you a message. I have a doc I would gladly share his name if you are interested. I live in SE MIchigan, the tri-county area. He is a down-to-earth, great doc who is willing to work with people. He is the only doc I know that I trust in this area. Most docs in pain management are only interested in doing procedures, as that is what pays. Unfortunately, writing refill scripts every month does nothing for profit. He doesn't have a luxurious office, but...he is a great doc, he LISTENS, and he cares about our finances enough to do what he can to save us money while giving great care. I absolutely LOVE him. I too, have been through the gamut trying to find a good doc when I first suffered with chronic pain. It was awful, and my biggest fear is what happened to you. That one day, either my doc will quit and do something more lucrative, or retire, or die. :( I am very scared what will happen to me and the rest of his patients when/if that ever happens. Believe me, I think about it ALL the time.


Please get your records ASAP. Without those, you can't prove to whomever you see (hospitals, ER, docs) that you were a LEGITIMATE pain patient. I apologize for the rude treatment you received. But unfortunately, I know way too many people (nurses, docs included) that group CP patients in with addicts. It's a shame. Truly a shame.

I put the rest of my info in my message to you, so....I don't want to retype as it HURTS my wrists terribly today.

I'm so sorry. I hope you find a good pain doc quickly.

Is this your only option? i would go see someone else before i would let that happen hang in there your not alone and i would also like to welcome you to the group and the site i am here to listen if you need to talk

I agree with Liberty, you need help for you r pain and you should be seeing a specialist in chronic pain tomorrow! There are two websites were you can find a a good PM Doctor. One is; www.doctorsforpain.com and the other one is www.racegainstpain.com. Just check the Doctor's by City, and hopefully you will be able to see a new Doc that will give you compassion, the right operation. Good luck, and keep us informed, OK? Take care, .

There are 2 major flavors in pain management clinics: The more common anesthesia based approach, and the less common PM&R/Physiatrist camp. They are often opposite in philosophy and the schism is a source of great controversy. I strongly endorse the PM&R camp.

Thank-you! All of you! The hugs and messages- I've lost touch with everyone and I feel terrible. I used to be on websites like this all day! Then my doctor titrated my meds and I was good for 14 years. I forget that not everyone is as lucky and now I'm one of those unlucky people w/o a compassionate & responsible doctor. Not for long. I'm taking your advice and websites and messages, and I WILL get a new doctor who treats me with respect, values my opinion and knows that the meds I take work and need no tweaking. I can't keep up with ya'all but really, Thank-you! I started this day crying before my son woke up. I'm ending it with hope. You guys are amazing. I hope to keep the hope, and I wish serenity and peace to all of you. I totally found the right place. Thank-you! God (Whatever god or deity you believe in) Bless you and may He take your pain away and heal us all. :)

I just came from RACEAGAINSTPAIN and was shocked to see a doctor and THE pain clinic that did this to me was listed as a provider in MI! I guess that is bound to happen. I'm still very thankful and will find a doctor if it takes the rest of my life. I think Pain Clinics in general are just not good to ME. I need a solo doc, one who takes the time to listen. At that clinic they just shuffle you around for months before you hear your fate. Sad, really. Maybe it's their procedures that help people?