Havard Med Students Want Change

[candy (OP)]

I have been thinking for some time now that things must change when it comes to the training that medical students receive regarding opiate addiction and treatment options for those addicted. To be defined by our addiction and treated as criminals only continues to put up barriers to good healthcare and preventative treatment.

Ending the stigma and discrimination so many of us face when trying to get healthcare is something important and greatly needed.
As I get older and face more health issues, I have experienced more and more discrimination when it comes to getting the healthcare I need.

I recently went to the ER for pain related issues that were ignored by my PCP and having to lie about being on Methadone is not something I want to do or feel I should have to do.
It should not matter how long I have been on MMT or why I don't just get off of it.
Choosing MMT should not be seen as something bad. Would using heroin again be a better option?

I certainly don't need some doctor or nurse to give me props for choosing MMT, and as we all know, most of them don't acknowledge that choice at all.  I know that my choice to go on MMT was the best choice for me.
I think it is important for all, whether actively using or not, to be involved in our healthcare and to be able to make informed decisions about our health.

But when doctors and nurses take it upon themselves to ignore our needs and make decisions they think are best for us, they are impeding on our patient rights.
https://www.thefix.com/harvard-med-students-demand-training-opioid-addiction

[Griffin]

I am dealing with that now, i am miserable from having low T but my doctor wont put me on meds for it because I am on methadone. He says after I come off of it and stay off for 2 months if there is no increase he will think about trying me on something for it even though I told him I am not coming off of it. Even if it does cause it doesn't mean I should be miserable, considering all the males in my family have it and none of them take opiates they get meds for having Low T and don't have to deal with the depression lack of strength, sleep, energy, libido and motivation like me.

[Guts]

It's weird how people's perception of Marijuana has changed so much. I probably would never have thought it would've changed for weed but, somehow, I still don't think it'll change for opiates... especially not big bad heroin. If I was growing up in today's time, my teenage years would've been much different. Weed wouldn't have been such a big issue to my parents... it's funny to see how their opinion has changed with the publics.

I don't get how people are such sheep. Drugs are drugs. Coffee is a drug... how many people drink coffee as soon as they wake up? They can't poop without it and are sleepy. They need coffee throughout the day and suffer from headaches and restless without it. Yet they don't see themselves as drug users and certainly not addicts.

Fucking sheep I swear...

[DeadCat]

I am dealing with that now, i am miserable from having low T but my doctor wont put me on meds for it because I am on methadone. He says after I come off of it and stay off for 2 months if there is no increase he will think about trying me on something for it even though I told him I am not coming off of it. Even if it does cause it doesn't mean I should be miserable, considering all the males in my family have it and none of them take opiates they get meds for having Low T and don't have to deal with the depression lack of strength, sleep, energy, libido and motivation like me.

I don;t know how difficult it would be with your insurance but for the low T, you need to see a specialist, an endocrinologist, I believe. There MUST be a different one in you network.

Maybe explaing to your curent MD that you have ben told to expect to be on methadone for the rest of your life and you'd prefer that to have some quality so you are willing to take the T if that's what it takes.

It sounds to me s/he just doesn't undrstand methadone is often a lifelong treatment.

[Zoops]

yeah man, about that low T: I went to my PCP, and told him I think I have low T. Got a blood test, and it was VERY low, I was told. He immediately wrote for T injections. Feeling MUCH MUCH better these days. Confidence and energy has returned, and losing some fat in the abdominal area. And those pesky man-boobs have all but disappeared, inside of two months!

I would recommend you seek treatment from an endocrinologist, and don't bother telling him/her about your MMT status. Just go in and say that you strongly suspect that you have low T, and get a blood test. It should be pretty straightforward.

I need to punish some ASS now, FFS!

[Thoms]

Fire your doctor griffin.

[Chip]

Yes, @candy - Methadone maintenance is a life saver.

May we all overcome the limitations we suffer because we haven't detoxed from it yet.

Keep the faith.

[Roman Totale]

Good on these med students for demanding to be educated on how to treat their future patients who are on bupe or methadone maintenance, and cool that they actually went around to pharmacies trying to buy themselves Narcan to find out what the pharmacists' reactions were.

[candy (OP)]

Griffin, it truly saddens me that you have to go through this.
I know all too well the feelings of frustration and anger at not getting adequate and appropriate healthcare.  Being on methadone should only be a factor when it comes to our overall safety.

I wish I had an answer. I am not sure why I have not up until this point, but I am going to contact NAMA, National Alliance of Methadone Advocates, and talk to them as see if they can help me.

If I can give any advice to anyone seeking medical treatment, read everything you sign when you see the doctor.
I cannot believe that I didn't think about the fact that my doctor would forward my being on methadone to every other doctor I saw after her when she sent out the information needed for the referrals.
You would think I would be more careful, but I wasn't.

Being on methadone is not something we should feel we are forced to lie about.
No one ever says, "That's great that you chose methadone treatment"
It is the same crap over and over again. "Why don't you just stop? Why have you been on it for so long?"

The fact that we decide to tell our healthcare providers that we are on methadone should be looked upon as something positive.
We are being proactive in our healthcare and for that we are discriminated against.

We are being forced to keep it to ourselves like a dirty secret and that impedes on our rights.
Unfortunately, the medical community fights dirty and acts as if our rights as patients are not being infringed upon.
To say that they are not being discriminatory is something they get away with.

I have started to record every doctor's visit with my phone. While it may not be admissible in a court room, at least I can show that I have been trying to get the care I need. It will only make my case that much stronger, well my hope anyway.

My real hope is that whatever is causing me so much physical pain will not result in my death because of inadequate medical care.

Keep fighting Griffin and I will be more than happy to share with you what comes of me contacting NAMA.

[bignasty]

I am dealing with that now, i am miserable from having low T but my doctor wont put me on meds for it because I am on methadone. He says after I come off of it and stay off for 2 months if there is no increase he will think about trying me on something for it even though I told him I am not coming off of it. Even if it does cause it doesn't mean I should be miserable, considering all the males in my family have it and none of them take opiates they get meds for having Low T and don't have to deal with the depression lack of strength, sleep, energy, libido and motivation like me.

@Griffin I am and have dealt with the same shit. I was getting 40mg's of done per day from my PCP and I told her my test was low. She did a blood test and my test was 285ng/dl and the lab's reference range for normal was 280-1050 but some labs have the normal reference range starting at 300ng/dl. Anyway, I told her that was low and she argued with me saying that was in the normal range. I said yeah but at the VERY bottom of the normal range for men of all ages and I'm 30 yrs old! She just ignored me pretty much and asked if I wanted to be put on suboxone to see if that would increase my test levels. I said "naw I'm good with methadone as suboxone isn't meant for pain".

I'm still dealing with low T but I recently found a doctor that'll send you blood test paperwork. Then you get your blood work done and send it to the clinic. They write you scripts for HCG, Test cyp and test enanthate and anti-estrogens, etc.. from a compound pharmacy and send it to your front door. Send me a PM if you're interested.