I am on the verge of a full blown anxiety attack.

This kind of thing is so maddening. I've been through it.

If opioids help with the daily pain, and you take them, you're labeled opioid dependent (see this: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143174/http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143174/

Just be calm and rational when you discuss this with your docs. Ask them what are their objective reasons for this diagnosis?

It's just more of the same s**t pain sufferers have to put up with.
I'm so sorry you had to be subjected to it. Sometimes it's better not to read your medical record (that's why I left Kaiser, after reading what a doc and a social worker wrote about me.)

Kind hugs

One other thing.

If it's not going to make any difference in your care (like you're not going to be denied opioid meds) then try to get over it and not feed the flames too much.

Docs make mistakes every day. Some are somewhat heartless.

Well, I am not going back to this ortho Dr. I am going to get this removed from my records one way or another. I am actually glad I saw it , because I now know what I am dealing with.

Thanks for your replies Shakota

Breathe easy, breathe slow, okay? Been here, done this.

The first thing to do is to consult your GP, discuss this and your fears of how it will affect your treatment. Make it clear that you want the GP to advocate for you, with this other doc, and have the medical record amended if/as necessary.

Second? Dependency is not addiction. I know we've all gone over this a gazillion times, but opiod-dependent for pain relief is like me being Dilantin-dependent for seizure control. No Dilantin (sorry, firs tseizure drug that came to mind), seizures. I am not addicted mentally or physically. I just need it to prevent seizures. THat's dependency. Addiction is you're popping the stuff to get high and feel happy, an dgenerally pain patients don't get enough pain relief to achieve a "high".

Third, this is part of a broader crackdown on opiate use as a whole, and no doctor wants it on record they "messed up", in case of malpractice suit. And since medical records are private, slander won't work, btw, slander has to be a public statement. (Sorry. Did this when I was told I had an anxiety attack when, in fact, I was having a medication reaction. *headdesk*)

Finally, be sure to express willingness to try non-opiate meds, given what has/hasn't worked in the past. That always throws docs off-balance. I'd love to use non-opiates, but that med reaction I mentioned? Yeah, tramadol and epilepsy don't mix. I wound up in the ER. Soooo..... Yeah.

We got your back, Milily, been through it.

Thanks Leo

I feel very violated. There is a whole list of meds including pain meds that I cant take because of either allergic reactions or I get really gastric sick for weeks - I have a chronically bad stomach. This ortho Dr was given this list by me - it is on the same paper as my med list..

I went to this ortho Dr to have my arm looked at, not get in a mess about my pain med regimen. I did not ask her for pain meds and would never. My medical Dr prescribes my pain meds. This ortho Dr introduced herself and then proceeded to crawl up my a## about my pain meds. It is none of her business and it is misconduct what she did to me at my appt and the 2 diagnosis she wrote in my record. I had to literally tell her I am done talking about my pain med regimen - I am here to have my arm looked at - to get her to shut the he## up and to look at my arm.

Wow I would be enraged, too, if it happened to me!

All you were doing was trying to figure out what was going on with your arm. Never asked about getting pain meds. But like Leo said it's a national crack down of pain meds so perhaps she felt like looking to see if you were on any opioids and if so, what's the history with it. She probably feels like she is just doing her job. But you being the patient probably feel betrayed /backstabbed / lied to because you are just trying to get help and not looking for any trouble. I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I wish I had some advice, but I don't know what to do about it. The last time someone made a "mistake" in my records I simply asked them during the next visit to type out a correction in ref to the mistake.

I had a rheumy appt about a month and a half ago and asked for some low dose pain killers, just a few, maybe 2 weeks fill to help get my pain under control after the move. And the guy started talking to me like I was some drug seeking pill popping crack head! I was very offended since I've been seeing him for years and this was the 1st time I EVER asked for any pain pills.

After what you've said, I'm curious to see what was put in my records, too! SMH

I made an appt with my medical Dr - but can't get in until Feb 4th. Also, left a message at ortho Dr office to get a copy of my medical records for that appointment. At this point that is all I can do. But I am not going just to let this slide, anyone in this hospital system will have access to this. I am taking a.stand. For me and the next patient that is subjected to this ortho Drs abuse.

Aloha Blue - thanks for your reply. It helps.to know my fibro friends are there for me.

Please do NOT let this slide. As others have said, be calm and rational, but do address it.

Dependence is not addiction - I would actually be more concerned with the "mood disorder." Your ortho doc has no qualifications to diagnose a psychiatric disorder, and the fact that you insisted that she address the condition you came to her for doesn't mean you're not a perfectly rational person.

Like you, there is a list of meds I can't take. All of my docs have a full list of the meds I do take, as well as what I can't. If I'm not asking them to prescribe meds, I'd take issue with their wanting to criticize another doctor's treatment protocol.

It could impact your care down the road to have this erroneous information in your chart - be calm, but do follow up with your regular doc.

You can't have it removed and you can't sue. It is the drs opinion and nothing says that a drs opinion has to be correct. You "may" be able to get the dr that wrote it to amend it, but it won't be removed and no other dr or person can amend the statement, but the dr that wrote it. You can write a letter and have them put it in your chart. See the link below.

If this is the minimal of what you have access to that the dr wrote in your medical records, you need to get a complete copy of everything that the dr wrote and maybe All of your medical records and read them. It may make a huge difference in your care at some point in the future. Even though you probably have no plans on changing to another dr from the one that writes your pain meds, things happen. Your current dr could move, get ill and have to quit practicing or die suddenly. So, you need to know exactly what all of your drs have written in your medical records. At least if you have read exactly what other drs will read you can be prepared.

If it makes you feel better you can file all the complaints that you want to, but it won't make any difference for the reason I stated above.

"If you think the information in your medical or billing record is incorrect, you can request a change, or amendment, to your record. The health care provider or health plan must respond to your request. If it created the information, it must amend inaccurate or incomplete information.

If the provider or plan does not agree to your request, you have the right to submit a statement of disagreement that the provider or plan must add to your record."
http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individuals/medical-records/index.html

I feel your pain. But Leo is correct. There is a huge difference between being dependent and being addicted. My ex had osteo arthritis and took a high dose of an opiod daily. He went to the ER one night for a different issue. When his blood work came back it showed the opiod. The hospital began treating him like an addict until they could reach the prescribing doctor to confirm he was taking the medication legally. Believe me, you do not want to be in that position. Dependent only means that you take the medication regularly and it is prescribed. Unfortunately addiction is so widespread and deadly that all medical professionals are now held to a higher standard of proving they are not prescribing opiods to addicts.

After reading the definition for "dependence" in this ICD-10 listing for opioid dependence
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK143174/

I feel that one has to look at this whole subject rationally. You are not being judged here for using an opioid (so am I ). It is a statement to communicate to other doctors that you are taking opioids on a regular basis and that, let's say you're unconscious, need emergency surgery, or can't speak for yourself, other docs will be aware that you will need extra pain relief before/after surgery, and that you would have withdrawal symptoms should they neglect to give you doses in the hospital, etc.

I know it doesn't feel like that. Believe me.
If there is an ICD-10 (diagnosis) code for chronic pain, using opioids, then that would be more correct.

Hope this helps and doesn't hurt.
I'm a former RN, so forgive me for trying to see the medical complex rational for this.

Hi Peace - I was hoping you would reply to this. Yes, I feel I cant let this slide - the whole experience was wrong on so many levels. I do worry how this could impact my care in the future. The ortho Dr had an agenda before even meeting me it was very apparent.
She is not qualified to make either diagnosis - she just met me. I was there to get my arm diagnosed and treated. I did not ask for pain meds - I wouldnt, my medical prescribes them and I have signed a narcotic contract.

Itsjustme - Although you may be right and I cant get it off my records or sue - I have to try. I cant be a doormat . It was blatant misconduct - I wish I would of had someone in the room with me.

Venus - Yes, the addicts have made treatment for people with legitimate pain harder.

Shakota - I really dont believe this ortho Dr made the 2 diagnosis re opiods to help me out with future medical care.. She wanted me to be her captive audience and agree with everything she was saying and I wasnt and it pissed her off. I was an RN for almost 20 years , so I understand what you are saying.

I am going back and forth between being angry and depressed about this. It is stressing me out. My sleep is being even more disrupted (the pain in my left arm wakes me up frequently) and I have to force myself to eat because my already bad stomach is not handling the stress well.