HI,
I never ceased to be amazed by these dorks whose 1st oath is "to do no harm". Apparently, "insult not the weak or infirm" wasn't in there. I don't know where u live, but living in Fresno for a couple of years has been a REAL eyeopener! The unemployment rate is about 15% and with it the crime. I can't understand why the docs think that Vico is such a big deal! My dentist gave my Oxycontin once. I wasn't thrilled with it pain-wise and the hassle to get a triplicate Rx filled was a pain too. They think Norco and Lortab are "exotic meds" here. I thought "exotic meds" were like fentanyl, morphine, demerol and some other stuff I probably have no idea exist. I wish we had more of a voice and situations like yours could be easily avoided. After gallbladder surgery, I asked the surgeon for lortab instead of the vico 5/500 because of the recent news about tylenol. He got a nasty look on his face like he suddenly smelled garbage and said," How do YOU know about an exotic med like that?!?!" If I hadn't felt guilty and ashamed as you did, I would have told him my dentist had given it to me. But I said I'd been doing research on the web for alternative meds to reg. hydro and stammered while I said it. HE proceded to give me a lecture on a paitent that had asked him in the ER for some med I'd never even heard of instead of morphine. "People who ask for pain meds by name are generally abusers," he said. I told him that if he felt uncomfortable writing a script for me, then not to trouble himself. (That was the G-rated version of what I was thinking in my tired head) "No, I'll give you a script for REGULAR VICODIN,"he said with a don't-bother-me again look. I had 1st thought I was in good hands with him because he looked like Scotty from the old Star Trek and we had discussed pain med options at our 1st consult where he seemed to be genuinely concerned about his patients' welfare and comfort. I have rambled on now, but I wanted to reply and tell you that u have nothing to feel ashamed about. You were demeaned and stripped of your dignity at that moment. Shame on him and the rest of these dorks that IMHO feel as though laypeople have stepped on their PERSONAL realm of medical knowledge. I don't know about u, but I got the impression from some of these docs that "the little people shouldn't even know the names of these drugs, let alone be asking for them by name." I've had a couple of bad experiences with nurses too. But, that's for another post. I feel badly for you and know just what it feels like. So what if we belong at Weenie Hut General? (from Spongebob) We're lucky enough to live in places that have these medicines and these ppl are acting like aghast gate-keepers to the treasure. They put on their pants/dresses the same way we do, so I don't see what the bigdeal is all about. Whe are the companies making these drugs if docs aren't prescribing them? Wow. I'll stop now.
Pick your dignity up and knock him upside his bloated head with it!
Aisha