I've had a lot of bad experiences with doctors/medical community and I can certainly feel your pain on this one (no pun intended). Keep in mind...there are many doctors who barely made it through medical school (someone has to be last, right?), and not all of them are good at what they do...just like anyone else in other occupations.

YOU are the boss. You hired them, not the other way around. You pay them for services rendered...if the services provided are below par, then seek out another professional. You'd do the same if you hired someone to install new windows in your home and they did a shoddy job. If your doctor behaved in an unethical way, then you should seek out a new doctor asap. I've done this several times due to a common condition called 'doctor-has-head-up-azz-itius'. I went through 2 Rheumatologists before I found a good one.

Unfortunately, a doctor can abruptly stop giving you a medication whenever their little heart desires. Interesting bit of power they have huh?

Seek out a new doctor to-day. Ask your doctor why she is putting you on a tricyclic antidepressant (Nortriptyline). Secondly, ask her why she is taking you off vicodin since it helps you (I'm assuming it does). Blatantly say "Nothing is working for me and you want to take me off the one thing that does". 1 a day is a very low dose...just FYI. Shoot, I take 25 mcg Fentanyl patches...which is way stronger than Vicodin. Only thing higher up is Morphine. Not sure why your doctor is getting all weird over 1 vicodin a day.

Thank you for your response. The nortrip was prescribed for my migraines. I actually have had them under control with B2 and fish oil vitamins for over a month. I was taking a baby aspirin, but over the weekend I ended up taking Aleve for a headache and ended up with severe stomach pain. I called the doctor on call and he said it sounded like an ulcer, so no more Aleve, aspirin or ibuprofen for me.

I figured if she cuts me off of the vicodin, than I am going to contact my GYN or Rheumy doctor. They are the only docs that understand my pain.

My dose is so low, so I do not see what the problem is. I have been on the same one a day for 3 years and have never had to go up. I do not know why doctors want to mess up your meds when they are the only things that work.

Some doctors are scared of prescribing pain killers. But if this is the one thing that helps you, I agree with SugrAddict1973, you should seek out another doctor. Since you said below you could ask one of your other doctors for the prescription I would asap and I would look for a different regular doctor.

Hi, WashingtonMom,

I've had migraines for years, mainly coinciding with my cycle. For several years, Imitrex would keep the pain under control. I would only need to take it when a migraine started. Finally, that alone wasn't enough, and I was ending up at the dr's office or the ER for pain and nausea shots.

I saw a neurologist who put me on a migraine preventive called Topamax....That's been about two years ago, and I've only had two migraines since. He also adjusted the meds to take when a migraine hit....Imitrex, Reglan (for stomach), and two Excedrin.

Nothing in the way of oral meds was touching my migraine pain, but the Topamax has been like magic. Maybe ask about that, for the headache pain at least.

I hope your pain eases! HUGS from down south :)

I can give u the name of a good doc and clinic for endo/pelvic pain if u are interested they treated me and are located in Seattle and Bellevue. My doctor at least understood endo and the effect that rampaging estrogen all over your abdomen has all over your body.

Couggenny,

Thank you for your help with a doc, but I live in Vancouver, so it would be too far. I am hoping my gyn will help me. He is caring and listens. It is my intern doc that has no bedside manner.

CajunTiger,

I asked for Topamax, but my neuro said he would not prescribe it for me for some reason. He suggested Depakote and I said absolutely not. I take Frova and Relpax at the onset and they will help depending on the time of month. Hormonal migraines are what I suffer from the most.

I'd get a new Neuro as well. Depakote is a b.s. alternative.

Additionally, did you ask why he said he would not give you topamax? I have found that with many Neurologists (and most of the medical community) don't feel the need to inform their patients of the reasons for their medical treatments. Unless you engage them with a barrage of questions...they won't say a word.

I've been to many specialists that had the personality of a rock. They keep all helpful & educating information to themselves and simply dole out the meds. If you don't ask, they won't tell you.

It's your body...you need to be vigilant in finding out the reasons for treatments and the medications they want to give you. It doesn't affect them if you have bad side effects, or the medication doesn't work and you're in misery until your next visit. They don't lose sleep over it...you do.

P.S. You absolutely cannot take anti-inflammatory medication without either a full glass of milk or after a meal. They WILL eat a hole in your stomach. I worked in a small hotel many moons ago, and a guest was rushed out by ambulance one night. When she came by the hotel again, she told me that all of the motrin she had been taking for a few months was on an empty stomach. She went to the ER because they literally ate a hole in her stomach and her stomach acid was pouring all over her internal organs. She said it felt as if someone was tearing her in half.

If you have a refill, fill it. They can not stop you from filling or penalize you for filling something that they already prescribed to you. Plus you dont want to just go off it cold turkey that will cause a flare up and possibly dtox. They probably wouldnt be happy if you told them you refilled but you know what is best for your body and they are not the ones that lives in the pain when its after 5pm and they are at home and all is good in their little world and we are going from couch to baths to the bed to the floor in pain. Be careful when you do change over to this Nortriptyline with the Vicodin. I dont know if they can be mixed. But if I were you I would definately fill the Vicodin, you never know when you will need it. Having FM it is always better to have it in the cabinet than not to have it at all. I myself have not taken the Nortriptyline and if I did I dont remember what response I had. I have been doing this for 26yrs. I also had endo and migraines. I wish you all the luck. You ever need someone to vent to I understand completely what you are going through. I feel more comfortable on here than I do anywhere. Here its people who actually sympothize not just empathize with you.

Thank you shy5556879 and Sugaraddict for your help.

I called in my vic RX and she filled it, so that is good. I will let everyone know how I do on the Nortrip when I start in a couple of weeks.

Your doctor sounds like a jerk. I would definitely look for another one. I wish you the best of luck with the new med.

I started making sure the Dr's who gave me pelvic exams or anything to do with the female issues was FEMALE, several yrs. ago. Male Dr's don't have a clue, men complain with a hang nail. Good luck.

P.S... ER Dr's are notorious for giving out vicodin, I had a friend who used to go to the ER everytime she needed or wanted vicodin.