Just had saline put in and feeling so defeated.
I wrote previously my current doctor doesn't take my insurance anymore. None of the doctors listed on Medtronic are options. Out of the 5. 2 are at my current office, 1 is on indefinite leave, 1 only takes cancer patients, the last is at Kaiser. I tried to ask my doctir to do the gap exception but he refused.
I found a doctor who's staff told me he did refills. After weeks waiting for my file to be sent over, the referral, etc I was scheduled. Appt time they say they have to reschedule me. 20 mins layer they call to say they don't know why I was ref'd there they don't do refills. Mind you I had talked to several people and had told them all this was urgent because my alarm date was coming up!
I find another office. Same thing happens! I made sure before I even got the referral "you do intrathecal pain pumps?" Was told yes! Appointment day, doc says "I don't know why you are here we don't do pumps"!
My doctor had been lowering my dose over a few weeks trying to make it last until I got into someone. Time ran out and he filled it with saline yesterday.
I had a small pity party last night. Withdrawals from the pump aren't bad the way he did it. He gave me oral meds. The withdrawal pain is awful though. Every bone and muscle is mad!
The next doctors listed on Medtronic are 4 hour drives! 2different cities both 2 hours away 1 way. My option is to pay my current doctors out of network "copay" of $600. He only does fills every month. He won't do longer. I'm retired and don't have that so just lost.
The pump was finally working and I was getting my life back! I don't want to be back on orals that don't work half as well. Just need encouragement or ideas, I don't know, just venting.