Suggest Remedy For Severe Pain Caused By Osteoarthritis

Brief Answer:
Need to seek new doctor

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for contacting HCM with your health care concerns

I am deeply sorry to hear that your primary care doctor has decided to no longer prescribe tramadol to you. Up until oct 2014 tramadol was not a scheduled medication but be cause of concern over abuse and addiction the DEA changed the scheduling to a Schedule 4 which is low to moderate risk of abuse. Your option is to find another provider that will prescribe it for you. I recommend going to a chronic pain specialist and request to have them prescribe your tramadol. Your other option is to make a pain contract with your current provider stating you will only get pain medications through them and not get early refills or abuse it.

In summary
1. Tramadol Schedule IV as of Oct 2014
2. Ask for a pain contract between you and your provider to continue to prescribe it
3. Find a new provider or pain specialist

I hope I answered your question. Please contact us again if you have any additional questions

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Brief Answer:
Pain contract

Detailed Answer:
A pain contract is a contract between your doctor and you that states that your provider will continue to provide treatment for you as long as you abide by the rules which include no early refills, getting your prescription from one pharmacy, you will not abuse the medication and you submit to random drug testing.

This will protect you and give you reassurance that your provider will continue to provide care and treatment and write your prescriptions and in turn the provider is protected from you if you do abuse.

I do agree that your doctor is just giving up and not writing the tramadol and is abandoning your care. You have done nothing wrong and to have your provider refuse to treat is a form of abandonment.

I hope this answers your question.

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Brief Answer:
Pain centers

Detailed Answer:
Our network of doctors does not have any list of specialists. I can recommend going to yellow pages and getting a list of pain centers. They usually deal in pain control measures and will be able to help. You can and should as your provider for referral to chronic pain specialist.

Best of luck with your endeavors

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Brief Answer:
the chance for seizures are very low

Detailed Answer:
I do agree with the doctor stating stopping someone without cause is patient abandonment. Your doctor has a responsibility to treat you medically and if there is a need to stop a medication like Tramadol then you should be weaned. Stopping Tramadol suddenly will cause withdrawals which will include goose bumps, abdominal cramping and diarrhea, increased pain and leg cramps. In extreme cases it can cause seizures but rarely. I do think your doctor is medically wrong for abruptly stopping your Tramadol. I would complain to your doctor and if needed to their supervisor and if no supervisor then to the state medical board. By abruptly stopping your Tramadol she is putting you at risk for withdrawals.

If you still can't get satisfaction then perhaps a law suit for medical malpractice. I don't like advocating malpractice but when a doctor takes the Hippocratic oath they also don't get to pick and chose what type of patients they get. By stopping your medication they are causing harm. The humane and proper way to deal with this situation is to discuss and make a plan of weaning you from Tramadol but not abruptly stopping you.

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