Log #25 (Quack Doctors)

It can be so hard to find good doctors these days. Just like most lawyers, they're out to make a buck and they don't care one bit for their clients/patients. On the surface they pretend to so you'll come back, but when push comes to shove they'll treat you like dirt.

When I saw the Pain Management Doctor a little over a week ago he said he was going to take over all of my medications associated with pain so he gave me prescriptions for Oxycontin, Norco, and a two week trial pack of Savella. The Savella seemed like it might be working okay so I called last Friday and asked for a full prescription.

The doctor told me I would have to come into his office each month to get refills, which I don't like, but I can live with it. The problem is that I have to go in for refills on Savella as well. In other words, I would have to go in to his office every two weeks. Every two weeks I have to pay a stupid co-pay. That makes me mad!!

Now the other matter that upsets me. When I was there, he asked some questions, but didn't do an examination. He told me to come in today for some kind of diagnostic test, but he didn't explain why and what for. Last Thursday I spoke with one of the people in his office and asked what the diagnostic was all about since the doctor didn't really explain what he wanted to do.

It turns out that he planned on irritating the nerves in my back to see which ones would recreate my pain. If he was successful then he was going to numb those nerves with something and see if my pain went away for a few hours. If that worked then he planned on having me come back again to literally burn those same nerves. I would initially be in more pain for a week, but after that the pain would possibly go away all together. Anywhere from six months to a year I would have to go back in and have the process repeated because the nerve heals itself.

After that call I did some reading and from what I read it said that the procedure (Facet Rhizotomy) is only successful on certain candidates and proper screening had to be done first. One of those screening procedures is to press on the facet joint with your fingers and if it's painful then there is a very good indication that the diagnostic should be done. Well, the doctor never touched my back when I was in his office and when my wife rubs my back those areas don't hurt so immediately I was sceptical. The other thing is that this procedure doesn't do anything to fix the problem if I had one. The last thing that I have to consider is how it affects my case with Workman's Comp and I was advised by my lawyer that we're still fighting over whether or not my back would require the surgery I already had. If I were to have the burning procedure done it would complicate my case and possibly ruin it. After fighting it for this long I don't want to take that chance. I called the doctor and explained the situation and he said that if I didn't want to follow his plan then I had no reason to see him. He didn't care how it would affect my legal case or what the lawyer had to say. he said I should have the lawyer treat me for my pain then. When I asked about the Savella prescription he basically told me to do what I want, but he won't treat me or prescribe anything unless I have the procedure.

I am left to conclude from all of this that for one he is a total and complete jerk! He is also a quack who's only interested in frequent office visits and guessed at procedures so he can keep me coming in and billing my insurance. Most likely so he can pay for his huge house, fancy car, and who knows what else.

He is the second Pain Management Doctor I have met and the second one who is and egocentric maniacal jerk. In other words, the definition of A__ H____!!!!

I made an appointment with a different Pain Management Doctor for next week in a different office. If that guy won't listen to what I have to say, what my legal situation is, or do an examination of his own, I'm going to let this issue drop and not try to seek help from any doctor in that speciality. My hopes are not high at this point. What a disappointment!