I Was Shamed by My Doctor for Being Black

[KamaAina]

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/doctor-shaming-race

Alexandra Moffett-Bateau, 30, was desperate for relief after being admitted to a hospital with crippling stomach cramps. What she got was an epic rant.

"There is nothing wrong with you. You are just a drug seeker. People like you make my job harder!"...

Her mother and several friends arrived to meet with hospital administrators. Learning that her doctor wouldn't be reprimanded wasn't even the worst part, says Alexandra.

"Because we were black, the meeting was surrounded by security guards, in case we 'acted up.'"

Then again, former DUer bicentennial_baby was once called a drug-seeker for having tattoos!

[Lee-Lee]

1. ER docs do that to almost everyone who comes in with claims of pain

I've seen it happen all the time. To people of all races.

Mostly because the DEA forces them to be judges of what and what is legitimate and will come behind second guessing their judgement and can end their career. The DEA stays crawled firmly up ER docs and hospitals read ends watching just who they give any narcotic pain killers too and how much. They expect docs to have a crystal ball and know the fakers, the fakers know what symptoms to claim so that they can't be tested to disprove, and only the docs get punished if they get it wrong.

[bunnies]

2. Yep.

Good luck getting anything for pain at the hospitals in NH these days. The Dr.s think everyone is a heroine addict.

[jwirr]

54. One of the real problems our community has is an epidemic drug use especially opitates. The DEA

is correct to come down on doctors and start watching how much they dispense. There are illegal dealers also but many of our people have gotten their start with some doctor who took the easy way out. The give em what they want and get em out of our hair way. Who cares that they are addicted.

And the method of obtaining these legal drugs is the one the OP describes as her experience. I am sorry that she felt insulted and I believe that she is not one of the addicts but doctors are finely realizing the they have been enablers for decades. They are trying to stop that practice. The first time I realized this was reading about the problems that JFK faced due to his real back problems that led to a doctor giving him very dangerous drugs.

I am working as a lobbyist right now to tighten up some other ways that users get drugs in legal ways to feed an addiction. To fund rehab and to work with addicts who are in prison to help them to transition back into the community when they get out and to keep them for returning.

When I say drugs I am talking hard drugs not MJ. That I am lobbying to legalize.

[bunnies]

60. I used to live upstairs from a woman who was constantly...

calling 911 in hopes of obtaining drugs. She was out-of-control violent when things didnt go her way. She'd also open her door and scream at the top of her lungs for hours "why?!!! WHY?!! WHYYYYY?!!!". I cant imagine being the ER docs that had to deal with her. And security? Hell. The hospital even had her arrested.

I know so many people who got hooked on pills it blows my mind to think of them all. A few of them are junkies now (and in prison) because of it. A co-worker even stole a prescription of mine out of my bathroom cabinet and nearly punched me when I mentioned it to her. Im not sure everyone understands how crazy some addicts get when it comes to getting their drugs.

We have such an opiate problem in NH (highest heroine use in the country) - that anyone looking for painkillers at the ER if looked at as suspect. The same thing that happened to this woman happens all the time in white NH.

I have the utmost respect for what you are trying to do with regard to the drug laws. I'd think the pharmaceutical companies could make enough money without turning us all into junkies.

[jwirr]

62. Yes over the years I have witnessed much of what you talk about. And in all races. Addiction is a

very terrible disease. And one that many legislatures do not understand very well. It took us a long time just to get them to understand that both legal and illegal sales are involved.

[sorefeet]

65. I would take a look at the DEA

when drug problems slow down around here, it's like on cue, all of a sudden we have meth or heroin or spice epidemic. The DEA have to keep business alive to justify their job. The VA allows massive illegal drugs on the street because of a 5 cent price in a drug test, but the person that is suicidal with pain can't get any help because he uses medical cannabis. I tried to explain to the doc, but he said as long as I can pass the drug test is all that matters to him. Look at the pill mills in Florida.

[jwirr]

66. I am not lobbying for the DEA. I am working for the tribe. We are trying to find any way we can to

help our people.

[sorefeet]

69. I am working as a lobbyist right now

to tighten up some other ways that users get drugs in legal ways to feed an addiction.

I just told you the VA is a massive outlet for corruption. And it's a 5 cent fix.

[jwirr]

91. I know that - my SIL was badly hurt when he was in the army in Turkey years ago and they

have been operating on him off and on. He has resisted taking all the offered drugs until this year when his pain has increased. We are also doing what you suggested - trying to get him to start with MJ. We have it here in MN but not for pain purposed yet. He actually talked with his doctor at the VA about using it. The doctor told him that it might help but that he should avoid smoking it - should use other forms.

[TheFrenchRazor]

100. guess that makes it ok to force people to live in pain. are you going to

pay my bills when i can't function enough to work??!! i don't give a #$%^ if some fool is a druggie; i'm NOT, and i really resent busy-body drug-o-phobics forcing me to live in pain, or making it next to impossible to get pain relief.

[jwirr]

112. And are you going to pay for the funerals our here this year? I am not lobbying regarding ERs

mostly I am dealing with drug treatment centers that do the same thing as the doctors. However since you ask about busy body drug-o-phobics.

My grandson is one of the addicts. He was run over by a car and had his hip broken in 7 places. The generous doctors were told that he was trying to quit using a pain certain medication - what did they do - they gave him the drug he was already having trouble with and they raised the dosage. Today he is still trying to fight this addiction. And they not only gave it to him in the hospital but they gave him refills for 3 years. They were really "helping" him.

My SIL had his spine injured in the military in Turkey way before the Iraq war had ever been started. The VA did surgery but it did not help and he has been living with pain continually. It has been getting steadily worse. He did not want to get addicted so he lived with the pain - this last surgery he had not choice. So as you see I am no stranger to pain.

The way to get drugs legally is to go to a regular clinic that knows you and your problems. ER has no way of knowing which client comes there just to score drugs for a habit and which one has real pain. One of the problems is that no one can see pain.

BTW I have severe arthritis in my hips and back. So I am no stranger to pain myself. I am just tired of watching my family and friends, including children with SUD, die around me all the time because they are given drugs by the very people who are supposed to be helping them. One of my neighbors is supplying her whole family (parents and 7 brothers) with drugs by both going to a treatment center to get her daily dose and then hitting the ER room for an additional hit. God only knows what she is scoring illegally on the side. When I say we are trying to deal with an epidemic I mean just what I say.

We are lobbying for better treatment methods and I am not lobbying for myself alone. I am lobbying for every tribe in the state. It is happening all over our state. There has to be more records kept and they need to be shared with doctors who do not even know the their patient is in treatment etc. An old lady I knew years ago hated druggies but she had a window sill full of drugs all scored from different doctors. She did not even know she was one of the druggies.

Get yourself a regular doctor who will deal with your real pain. He will not only deal with it but he will look for the causes. The ER does not do that. If you do not have medical coverage then yes if that is the only way you can get help apply for disability. That is what it is there for.

[onyourleft]

85. You are...

...spot on, bunnies. It is most unfortunate that my husband was recently involved in an accident at work and is suffering great pain. I'm most anxious to see if he is offered any relief.

[HFRN]

4. agree - I didn't see anything there, that specifically mapped the accusations to race

and they are clamping down big time on narcotic prescriptions

[KamaAina]

5. "Because we were black, the meeting was surrounded by security guards, in case we 'acted up.'"

That specifically maps the accusations to race.

[HFRN]

6. 'Because we were black, the meeting was surrounded by security guards, in case we 'acted up''

where in the article, do they cite evidence beyond the writer's presumption?

at that point, if the doctor is suspecting addiction, and the patient get upset, it's because the doctor thinks they're dealing with an upset addict, not necessarily a black person

[Rex]

8. Okay so explain why they needed security guards at the meeting?

If you can.

[HFRN]

11. because the doctor is assuming an upset addict?

and it may or may not matter of what race?

[Rex]

15. Thanks, it has to do with race just like I thought.

[HFRN]

18. what - you did a vulcan mind meld, to read everyone's mind?

is that it, Mr. Spock?

[mythology]

31. That seems to be a yes

I don't see this this as unusual. Hospitals see a lot of drug seekers, which can create problems when somebody who is legitimately in pain gets denied.

I have a friend who runs a gym. When she had to kick somebody out, she brought security because she wasn't sure how the guy would react. Dealing with pissed off people can be tricky.

There is nothing other than the claim it was racism to support the conclusion that it's racism. Circular logic isn't particularly convincing.

[HFRN]

32. thank you

and I'm not asserting that I know that it was not racism, because that would be committing the same logical error

I think we're just agreeing that evidence was not supported to reach a the conclusion they made

[Lee-Lee]

38. You will note they don't say how the patient or family were behaving

Calm and collected, or unruly and disruptive?

We don't know.

Hospitals call security because patients and family are agitated, unruly, irrational or disruptive all the time. If she or the family was behaving in that way, it explains it fine regardless of race.

Since the article doesn't say how the family behaved, but jumps straight to race, we only know what they want to share about it.

[japple]

51. Code Gray?

http://med.stanford.edu/shs/update/archives/DEC2002/codes.pdf

[nadine_mn]

123. You would need security for me if you denied my loved one pain meds

when they are in pain. My mom has brain aneurysms (she has lived through 3 massive ruptures and has had at least 7-8 aneurysms over the last 20 yrs) and she has a shit load of pain. The neuro ICU docs have given her whatever she needs - she was afraid of becoming addicted so she downplayed how much pain she was in. But her regular neurologist of 15 yrs basically just pats her on the head and says there, there hysterical female when she tells him how much pain she is in. He missed a massive (fist sized by the time it ruptured) aneurysm despite her having symptoms for years and a past medical history of them.

My mom won't let me go to her dr appts with her because she is afraid I will beat him bloody. But you bet, if someone accused her of faking, and I as a family member know how much pain she is, I will get pretty upset.

[LanternWaste]

14. You then believe it's standard to surround guests invited to a hospital meeting with guards?

You then believe it's standard to surround guests invited to a hospital meeting with guards?

[Rex]

17. Not for white people, different set of rules.

What the hospital did was discriminate based on skin color...oops...

[whathehell]

56. Not for this white person -- I was denied needed prescription drugs for the same reason

even though I had NO history of drug abuse.

I did not however, get the "guard" treatment.

[Lee-Lee]

39. How were the patient and family behaving

It's not uncommon for patients and family to get irate and disruptive in a hospital when they don't think they got treated properly. That can explain security.

The story, of course, leaves out any mention of her and the families demeanor and behavior during the meeting.

Some ER workers need to jump in here with some stories and explanations of just how often they need security for stuff like that in the ER.

[Igel]

70. Obviously calm and cool.

For some, all you need to know is the skin color of the participants--or perhaps just one of the participants--to know their emotional state, intelligence level, and character.

The writer isn't about to write bad things about herself. That would be admitting something bad and require a degree of objectivity. To write something good might not be accurate. We can't tell. She's mostly present in the story as melanin and silence.

Her purpose is to shame the doctor by focusing on generalizations to achieve a stereotype that she applies to the individual case. It's virtually a fact-free article.

So much irony here.

[uhnope]

30. Evidence isn't needed anymore. Ask Danielle Watts or BLM's Marissa Johnson

Watts http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141176798

[Comrade Grumpy]

33. Danielle Watts got caught having public sex and tried to make it about race.

Marissa Jenae provides her own evidence.

[azurnoir]

41. If I may I work in the medical field and it is absolutely TRUE

I've seen it, I have seen people die from this bigotry, in one case a former cancer patient who's cancer had recurred, he came in because of pain,this was an cancer/blood disease treatment clinic, he palmed off as drug seeker and repeatedly drug tested on a number of visits but NO other blood work-until he collapsed that is and by then it was too late

oh and if I may add if you're Native American you're presumed drunk until proven otherwise

[jwirr]

58. That is very true especially if you go to ER. At our own clinic that is not true of course. In fact

sometimes our own doctors at Indian Health Centers give you a benefit of a doubt when they should not. I used to drive people into the hospital and if I knew they were drunk or addicted would tell the doctor - seldom did the they suggest treatment. It is one of the reasons we have a very short life expectancy - our real problems are ignored. Either they think you are drunk or addicted when you are not or they ignore it when you are. Either way you do not get good health treatment.

[onyourleft]

88. Oh, your last...

...sentence is spot on.

[Journeyman]

7. It could have been too that security guards were called because the family was agitated & demanding...

Nothing to do with race and everything to do with keeping order in a close situation.

[Rex]

10. Or it could have been the hospital stereotyped the family and now can't play CYA fast enough.

Really? Security for a meeting? Can you cite were that is SOP? SO agitated and demanding means you are dangerous to soceity, got it.

[HFRN]

22. I've always wondered what it would be like, for a white and a black person to trade places for a day

first of all, I'm guessing that the white person would have confirmed, that some level of racism is real.

But, I think the black person (temporarily white), might be surprised that being white doesn't mean every white person now likes, respects and is nice to you - that some people who were nasty to you before, still are, even though you are now temporarily a white stranger

all speculation of course, but I do wonder if that is true

[Rex]

13. Yes it does.

Now the hospital has to play CYA to explain their racist behavior.

[ismnotwasm]

24. So you think this doesn't happen?

Or you doubt this particular account, or do you think it might happen but rarely?

[HFRN]

25. I'm saying the writed stated it as a fact, yet only presented an account that supported a suspicion

that may or may not be true

a leap was made to 'fact', without supporting it with evidence

[ismnotwasm]

27. What is that do you suppose?

[HFRN]

29. I suppose that it may or may not have been about race

but i think that one has to consider that security after someone gets agitated after being refused a narcotic could be standard procedure - regardless of race

whether that person is really an addict, or not

[ismnotwasm]

35. There are interesting studies done on perception of racism

But here is a broader article on the impact of racism on health and healthcare with embedded studies to peruse if you like. It's from ThinkProgress.

This excerpt:

The majority of doctors harbor “unconscious racial biases” toward their black patients.
A 2012 study found that about two-thirds of primary care doctors harbor biases toward their African-American patients, leading those doctors to spend less time with their black patients and involve them less in medical decisions. Although doctors typically aren’t aware that they’re treating African-American patients any differently, this ultimately creates an environment in which black people often don’t feel welcome in the medical system — and may start avoiding it. On top of that, black Americans are more likely to lack access to health insurance and less likely to have a regular doctor. This creates a situation in which African-Americans are dying from diseases at higher rates than other racial groups because they don’t get treatment in time.

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/02/03/3239101/racism-public-health-issue/

[LanternWaste]

19. I was prescribed narcotics for the pain resulting from bursitis even before X-rays were taken.

Oddly enough, the ER doctor prescribed narcotics for the pain resulting from bursitis even before X-rays were taken-- simply because I said "it hurts pretty badly when I move my arm like this..."

[1939]

64. Then don't move your arm like that!!!! NT

[LWolf]

20. That's a terrible catch 22.

Is there a good solution?

Stop the war on drugs?

Universal health CARE?

These are both important, yet it seems like they wouldn't completely address this. What else?

[Lee-Lee]

37. Good question

Best answer would be a nationwide prescription database with every doctor, pharmacy and hospital linked that includes a photo of the patient when they pull up a history.

Then a doc can easily see if a person has a history of this or if they don't have a history of prescriptions that is indicative of drug seeking- and the photo to stop identity theft in the system.

[LWolf]

115. That's one to think on.

It would be a good solution to this problem, but my first reaction relates to privacy concerns. I assume that info would only be available to doctors.

I'm going to go away and think about this one.

[Lee-Lee]

117. Doctors, pharmacists and only by warrant LE

An ideal system would use some sort of biometric ID like fingerprints to prevent identity theft.

There are several states with databases that don't link up- so the drug seekers just claim to be from out of state or even go out of state.

[sub.theory]

46. Agreed - there's more to this story

I guarantee there's more to this story than we are being told. Most hospitals wouldn't dare risk a discrimination lawsuit. I bet dollars to doughnuts they had solid ground to deny pain meds. You do know doctors have been imprisoned for giving out drugs without sufficient cause, right?

Btw, the hospital is in a one down position since they are forbidden to discuss the patient's medical history without consent. Makes it hard to defend themselves. This story screams of someone crying discrimination without cause. If they have such a strong civil rights case, then go ahead and sue.

[salib]

50. Not my experience in the ER

Never had any doctor (or otherwise) in ER accuse me of faking or doubt my pain.

This is appalling behavior.

[Lee-Lee]

53. You've been lucky or presented with real enough symptoms

Seriously, go find an ER nurse and just say "tell me about drug seekers".

You will get an earful.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

67. Ha Try being a middle aged, middle class white woman

without good looks.

"Young lady, I can't help you." How patronizing.



arrgghhhh

[RKP5637]

105. I have a friend who went to the ER with a slipped disc in horrible pain. All they did was read him

the riot act on drugs. It was stupid and ridiculous. They would not give him anything. Finally when the xrays came back they got what was going on and helped him, but initially it was horrible. He is white, I can just imagine what would have happened if he were black.

[Nay]

107. Yep. nt

[Rex]

3. Drug seeker? Is that like a drug user? Sounds like the doc is a fucking moran that listens to Rush.

Sue sue sue sue sue sue sue...sue sue sue suey!

[Journeyman]

9. One of my sister-in-laws is regularly denied medical assistance because she only wants drugs. . .

She went in once with a litany of complaints and the hospital left her, sitting in a hallway in a wheelchair, for almost 24 hours. They were waiting for her to cave, collect herself and leave. She eventually did, but was back the next day -- only the second time, she called an ambulance and had them drive her to the hospital, believing she'd get drugs if she was brought in. And she did.

She's as white as can be, and just as addicted. Oh, she's got medical issues, no doubt. Most psychosomatic, manufactured to score what she needs.

[Turin_C3PO]

16. I'd rather a drug seeker get a high

then someone in pain get denied. I am sorry about your sister, but I believe Docs should err on the side of believing the patient. Of course, I ultimately think drugs should be legalized and these problems would dramatically lessen.

[Mariana]

26. Absolutely.

People in pain should get adequate pain medication. If they're faking it, so be it. I'm with you on legalization, too. I haven't heard a lot of stories about alcoholics flooding the ER's trying to get their drug of choice, because as long as they're over 21 they can just go buy it off the shelf, no questions asked.

[snort]

43. Thats just a damn good point there.

[laundry_queen]

79. 100% agree. nt

[Nay]

108. That's where I'm at, too. Legalize them all, even though it means we will lose some

people to addiction and overdoses. Let's at LEAST make it so there isn't a whole crime superstructure aiding and abetting drug users and pushers. People who can't kick an addiction are out of luck, but they're out of luck anyway. Let's not destroy the quality of life for people in pain over punishing an addict. The addicts aren't the problem -- unless, of course, they have to enter into the criminal world to get their drugs.

[Mariana]

113. I wouldn't be surprised if we had fewer overdoses overall.

At any rate I don't think there would be all that much of an increase. If it can be bought legally, it will be in standard dosages like every other legal drug including alcohol, so the user can know exactly how much of the drug they're taking, unlike with street drugs. Of course there will always be some who go overboard and kill themselves with it. People die of acute alcohol poisoning (i.e. overdose) every day, and I don't really see much of a difference between that and OD'ing on painkillers or tranquilizers or whatever.

BTW, I've always wondered how many people who die from taking drugs like Vicodin are actually killed by acetominophen toxicity, rather than by overdose of the narcotic. Tens of thousands of people OD on plain old Tylenol every year, and hundreds die. It's very dangerous stuff if you take too much of it and it's in most of the prescription pain medications.

[Nay]

116. I agree. Standard dosage, uncontaminated drugs would likely decrease the OD

rate. We allow ppl to drink themselves to death, so why get all up in arms over other drugs? And it's very true that the acetominophen toxicity is the big problem!

The main thrust should be to regulate drugs to make them standard and safe, sell them at rates that compare to alcohol, and cut out all the middlemen who are making money off the trade (DEA, drug cartels, private prison corps., street dealers, mafias, local PDs, etc.). We should also put moderate "sin" taxes on them, as we do the recently legalized marijuana. Then we just let nature take its course. Nature was taking its course anyway; the least we can do is limit the damage to the actual users. And frankly, users will be in LESS danger if it's legal, IMO, and we will have eliminated God knows how much criminal activity and its attendant ills from society.

[Lee-Lee]

40. Many docs may agree with you- but the DEA forces their hand

And the drug seekers make it worse. When a doc has a reputation for erring on the side of the patient in decisions to manage pain the drug seekers will learn who is "soft" and exploit the hell out of them. They will watch for that doc in the ER
And suddenly have pain when that doc is on shift.

Ask any ambulance crew what happens when a new ER doc starts at a hospital- every known drug seeker gets word and starts dialing 911 for back or abdominal pain.

Then the DEA audits the docs history or sees they have a history or prescribing to addicts when they audit a pharmacy and they revoke the docs ability to write prescriptions- and maybe even launch a criminal investigation.

[onyourleft]

92. This.

I agree that any patient in severe pain should be treated. There are signs that pain is occurring such as elevated blood pressure, rapid pulse, restlessness, etc.

[TheFrenchRazor]

101. word. nt

[justamama83]

12. Oh that is standard procedure these days

I've had it happen too- bent over and barely able to walk due to a flare up of plantars fasciitis. Was a weekend so my podiatrist was not open- went to an urgent care and gave them the history- they asked me what my normal treatment was and I told them what my doctor normally gave me. Cost me $150 to be told to take Tylenol that they would not give me any script - they never accused me in words but by deeds and looks.

[Turin_C3PO]

21. Ridiculous.

The security guard part at the end was almost certainly racial based. I'm also sick of docs insisting everyone's a drug seeker. My dad, with two bad hip replacements and terrible arthritis, has tried all the non-narcotic alternatives in the book and nothing relieves his pain. He was on Vicoden some years back for ruptured disk pain and he never once abused it, even going off for a few weeks at a time to ensure he didn't get addicted and that the drug kept its efficacy.
I'd much rather a drug user get a high from a trusting doc, than a patient in terrible pain get denied meds due to an untrusting doc.

[daredtowork]

23. This article does shed light on how the War on Drugs can lead to racism

whether we can "prove" this is a particular incident or not. We should stop interrogating the eye witness. There is clearly latitude for abuse here.

People with pain conditions (such as me: I have an underlying genetic condition that prevents me from taking aspirin or nsaids, and I refuse to take narcotics because I already suffer from fatigue) are already highly agitated over the difficulties around getting their medical situations addressed. Things are made more difficult when the social system doesn't recognize "exceptional" situations related to "subjective" measures. In other words, no one believes your pain is undermining you. Medicaid doesn't funds pain management referrals. I can't imagine what the situation would be like with the stereotype that I might be a drug dealer overlaid on top of that.

The anti-Drug War crusade is not usually one of my big things around here, but it might become one due to this article. The potential for racism and fomenting the resentments around structural racism is clear. This merits serious consideration.

[Hortensis]

28. NO, ER docs do NOT do that to everyone. They see and treat real pain all day long. Pain

is the #1 symptom that brings people in and analyzing its character and location a major diagnostic tool.

And bringing security officers to a family meeting is beyond outrageous. I hope the fallout from this forces a major overhaul.

[deafskeptic]

36. I find that difficult to believe given my own personal experiences.

A few years ago I dropped a sewing on my right ankle and I had a bruise that turned ugly and then became a diabetic ulcer.

For the next two years, I was in pain and at times pain so severe that it had me literally screaming in pain. I admit that I have PAD as a result of smoking. I stopped smoking in 2008.

I had a difficult time getting pain meds that was adequate for my pain. Even stronger pain meds didn't ease the pain though it made it easier to cope with the pain. Some also made me sick to my stomach even with food.

Then medical folk discovered a blood clot in my thigh .I underwent surgery. It was disastrous. I have no history of medical interactions so what happened next was quite a shock to me. I had an autoimmune reaction to heparin that was so severe that I lost almost all of my right leg. The bright spot here is that I am no longer in extreme pain.

[Hortensis]

68. I'm so sorry, Deafskeptic. Your suffering reminds me of Keith Obermann's awakening when his father

was dying and the clinicians couldn't alleviate his torment, and sometimes did less even than they could. After seeing the horrible limitations of current treatments, Obermann called for intensive research into more effective pain control methods.

What I answered, though, was that "ER docs do that to almost everyone who comes in with claims of pain." I'm in the field and it's simply not true. What is true is the assertion that doctors are being forced to be more careful about assisting addiction to controlled substances (epidemic!) through careless prescribing. They are required to be on the lookout for drug-seeking behavior these days, and a frequent response when they suspect it is to give a very limited prescription, a warning that no further controlled substances will be prescribed from the ER, and a recommendation that the patient should consult a pain management specialist to develop a workable medication regimen.

[Rex]

45. Bringing in security raises the level of tension and the hospital knew that.

I hope they get sued for a large chunk of money.

[sub.theory]

52. What they aren't telling you is they started yelling

You're not getting the full story and buying their version hook, line, and sinker. It's almost a certainty this patient started screaming and acting out when they found out they weren't going to get what they came for. They aren't going to sue because they know they have no case.

[JTFrog]

72. And you are just making shit up out of thin air. n/t

[sub.theory]

74. You've only heard one side

What if this is all crying wolf? Here's what the truth most likely was. She was drug seeking. She was denied. She got mad. Security got called. She got even more mad. She screamed racism because it was her only way to get even, or because it was the way to rationalize that she's in the right in her mind. Bet that's exactly how this went down.

[JTFrog]

95. Like I said, making shit up out of thin air. n/t

[sub.theory]

96. I can't speak for everyone

but that brilliant rebuttal certainly convinced me

[Person 2713]

98. Do you have a link ? Or are you relating what happened to you not the OP ?

Did they bring in security when you started to yell or were you met with security at the beginning of the meeting just in case?

[Crunchy Frog]

120. They did that to me.

Last March I went into a local ER in the middle of the night, via ambulance, due to rapid onset of excruciating abdominal pain from what turned out to be a kidney stone. First time in my adult life that I've even been to an ER, so no "frequent flyer" here. I'm a white female, older than I care to mention, but I'm also on Medicaid, and that may have impacted the way I was treated.

Got hooked up to the monitering devices and a saline lock. And left alone to scream in agony for nearly 3 hours. The only attention I got was some staff member popping into my cubicle every so often to tell me to STFU, and someone coming in to inform me that my call button was being ignored because I "was only using it to ask for pain meds".

Got no medical attention at all, not even a pain assessment, until I managed to get my mother in to advocate for me. As far as treating the pain, I was generously given two 5mg Hydrocodone tablets, AFTER the stone had shifted position, and the pain had largely dissipated on its own. And given a prescription for high dose ibuprofen for treatment of intermittent pain as the stone made its way down the ureter (a process that took 8 weeks). Was told that it would be completely effective for kidney stone pain. NOT!

The big difference for me was that the arrival of my mother did not precipitate the bringing in of security officers. She's white, respectable looking, and obviously highly intelligent, and experienced with advocating for people in medical situations.

When/if this happens again, I won't be going to the ER. I'm looking into alternative means for controlling that kind of pain while remaining at home. I don't like to do it that way, but the system has kind of forced my hand.

[ileus]

34. Must have been an ER doc....they see 100's of drug seekers a month.

Work healthcare a few months.

[Live and Learn]

42. While I think it is harder for many to get pain medication these days,

I would be most outraged if a doctor ever dared to say such a thing to me. Of course, I realize that it is unlikely to happen due to circumstances beyond my control (color, sex, age, etc.) And that is what is meant by privilege, although it is really just common courtesy that some do not afford people that they are biased against.

I find that doctor totally disgusting and suggest he find a new career more suited to his temperament and biases.

[stevenleser]

44. I can't get percocet for a herniated disc at C6-C7 anymore. Turns out that's OK. THe next time

I have a flare-up I am going to go to a pain specialist and get the new patches I have been hearing about.

But the percocet worked fine and I had no dependency issues with it. I just can't get it prescribed because of all of what's being discussed here.

[TheKentuckian]

128. Percocet worked well for me too. Now we have doctors and even states requiring drug tests

too and guess what you gotta pay for that shit. Could be more than the consultation and the prescription together too.

End the stupid and failed drug war now!

Let's just make it so a doctor one day will say "well, clearly they weren't drug seeking because if they were they would have went to the store. You come to me seeking care and if I think you have a legitimate need then I'll write a script that let's insurance pay for it".

Time to run up the white flag on this dumbass, fuck up of a "war" with all haste, if it was going to work we wouldn't be have any epidemic 40 years in.

[Skeeter Barnes]

47. I know the feeling. Was accused of being on meth by an ER doc because I had bad teeth

and I'm a truck driver.

I had collapsed at the terminal due to fatigue. My head hit the ground hard enough to split open and knock me out so an ambulance took me to the ER. I woke up to this doctor saying I needed to admit to being on meth and he was going to tell my employer. I was barely conscious and in a lot of pain and this asshole was giving me a browbeating over something I didn't do.

When the results of my piss test came back clean I wanted to go back to that hospital and demand an apology but I probably would have just been arrested.

I think in addition to minorities, those of us who are poor and/or not good looking are just worthless in a lot of people's eyes. We are unwanted portions of the population, little better than the worst criminals.

[Live and Learn]

80. Wow, that is terrible.

And aren't doctors supposed to be compassionate and treat diseases such as addiction anyway. What the hell is with this threatening people?

[Marr]

48. Huh? My white grandmother used to get that response regularly.

And deservedly so. She was always trying to get prescription drugs that she didn't need. It isn't uncommon.

[ariesgem]

49. Pharmacies can also be hostile and/or bias when it comes to black folks...

My BF came out of out-patient back surgery in Newport Beach and was in incredible pain. His doctor prescribed him a 30-day supply of pain meds. After I got him home (in the Pasadena area), I went to drop off the prescription at my neighborhood Rite Aid. The pharmacist looked at me with disgust after looking at the prescription and said he was going to use "his discretion as a pharmacist" not to fill it because it was a narcotic. Then he said "this prescription is from Newport Beach (an affluent area) and the doctor is an orthopedic surgeon, you're in Pasadena. THAT doesn't add up!".

I asked him to call the doctor's office to verify that the prescription was valid and also gave him my BF's hospital discharge papers. He declined to verify the info. I asked for the manager of the store and she said there's nothing she can do but to give me the number to the district manager. I told the District Manager, if I have to drag my boyfriend out of bed and up in here bent over in pain, I will film it, post it on BLM, create a hashtag just for Rite Aid and you all are gonna have problems for refusing to fill his prescript.

I then proceeded to get my BF up & dressed (he still had his hospital wristband on), we went into Rite Aide with my camera ready and guess what? They all of a sudden had a change of heart. THIS IT WHAT IT TOOK to get a pain prescription filled. My BF also told his ass off. While waiting for the prescription, we were talking to a older white lady who was a cancer patient. She said overheard us lettin' loose on the pharmacist. She said she never had problems with getting her pain prescripts filled and added "what if he was a cancer patient?"...

Same thing happened to singer Kelly Price: http://straightfromthea.com/2015/05/18/on-blast-singer-kelly-price-accuses-cvs-drugs-of-discriminatory-practices-cvs-responds-video/

Every time I think about that .....

[whathehell]

55. That is appalling -- I hope she can successfully sue the doctor and/or the hospital.

That being said, my white self was also denied needed prescription meds for the same

"she must be a "druggie", reason, although I had, in fact, NO history of drug abuse.

I was able to get them elsewhere, thank God, and wound up making an internal complaint to the head doctor and

finally got an apology, at least.

[people]

57. Shocked by DU'ers reactions to this

There is NOTHING in this woman's rendition of the story about her asking for ANY pain medications.
Why did all of you assume that? I assumed her primary concern was learning what was causing her that level of cramping and pain.

None of you know what is in this woman's medical chart. Why did you assume that she was there to get pain meds????

I have been in an emergency dep't myself and with family members. None of us has ever been accused of drug addiction, nor have security guards ever been called in to deal with me or any of my family members. We are all WHITE.

If you don't think there's a difference in how blacks are routinely treated in this country and whites then you are all (in the figurative sense) blind.

Maybe some of you have asked for pain meds, but I bet none of you (other than the poster who said he was accused of being a meth addict) have been called drug addicts.

I am almost as disgusted with the DU'ers above as I am with the MD who called this woman a drug addict.

[Lee-Lee]

59. Go ask any ER nurse about drug seekers

Be prepared for a long rant that has nothing to do with race.

There would be no reason for the ER doc to bring up drug addiction if she wasn't after pain meds. ER docs see it day in and day out.

[Live and Learn]

81. Who the hell are they to determine if her pain is real?

Their treatment disgusts me.

[Lee-Lee]

103. The people who lose their license or go to jail

If they get it wrong.

The cycle goes like this- ER doc gives in to obvious drug seekers who are faking. ER doc immediately get a reputation as "easy" because they talk to each other. They now watch to see who is working and when he/she is they come on, causing the first problem by flooding the ER taking up the limited beds.

But then the record shows this doc has a history and habit of prescribing questionable people for questionable reasons. DEA moves in, if the doc is lucky they just get investigated and a scare- if not its loss of license and/or even jail.

[Live and Learn]

118. That is an entirely different thing.

That is not determining if her pain is real, which the doctors and nurses can not do. That is merely determining if pain medication is warranted. Their can be a multitude of reasons pain medication cannot be given including side effects, the persons overall health and a history of doctor shopping.

By the way, doctors do have access to a database showing a persons prescription history and they are supposed to check it.

The only doctors getting in trouble are those that are offering prescriptions without even offering real evaluations and offering a ridiculous number of prescriptions to the public. It is usually done only after a sting operation where the doctor offers an undercover officer a prescription without a valid reason.

This has absolutely nothing to do with this woman's claim as far as we know and nothing to do with the doctors rude comment.

I do not understand why anyone would excuse someone else's rudeness for any reason.

If the doctor sees that the patient has been doctor shopping or suspects drug addiction, he should not offer a prescription and should try NICELY to steer the patient toward treatment.

[sub.theory]

63. And why do you assume she's telling the truth?

You're assuming she's the wronged party here and she's telling the truth. The hospital supported the doctor which means there very likely was cause to deny drugs. This probably has nothing to do with race.

[Live and Learn]

82. Innocent until proven guilty, maybe? Just a hunch. nt

[sub.theory]

84. You can say the exact same thing about the doctor and hospital

She's the one making accusations. Burden of proof's on her.

[Live and Learn]

87. Huh? The doctor hasn't been fired to the best of my knowledge

and of course it would have to be proven for anything to happen to her. But we are discussing the news story which states exactly what he was purported to have said. If he said it, he was wrong and should be fired.

And by the way, the story also states that she WAS in pain not that she only claimed to be in pain.

[sub.theory]

89. That's my entire point

We only have her side of the story except that we know she was upset that the doctor wasn't going to be reprimanded. We can infer from that that the hospital determined the doctor acted correctly. They have an obligation, like it or not, to deny controlled medication to those who do not have justification to have it.

Is it possible she was the victim of racism? Yes. But given even the facts from her one sided account it just doesn't sound too very likely. If she truly feels that she was indeed discriminated against then she is free to file a lawsuit and she will certainly be awarded significant damages. I doubt she will, because the story smells fishy to me.

[Live and Learn]

90. So if she didn't file a lawsuit she must be a liar?

I guess you would surmise, in that case, that she is both a liar and a drug addict. Wow.

[sub.theory]

93. No, not necessarily

Just because she doesn't file a lawsuit doesn't mean she is lying.

The bottom line is that doctors have an obligation to deny medications when there is reason to believe that the patient is pill seeking. This happens to ALL races. It has happened in front of my very eyes to a friend of mine when she violated her pain contract. She's white, but has lupus like the woman in the article. Lupus is a chronic pain condition, but there can still be addiction at play. That was the case with my friend and she acted the same way. She was all upset that she didn't get what she wanted, and she felt like she was being picked on and made into a criminal too. Personally, I would have given pain meds to my friend, but I didn't get to make the call. I thought she was in legit pain. We don't know why this woman was denied pain meds, but the most statistically likely explanation is the she was pill seeking, not because she was black. We have no idea what her history is with medication. ER doctors deal with this sort of thing all the time.

[Live and Learn]

99. I don't think that is the most statistically likely explanations at all but unless you have valid

statistics taking all factors involved in to consideration, it really doesn't matter what we think. This woman felt abused, due to her skin color and that does matter!

[elias7]

106. You're right on the mark

Coming from an ED doc. I am one of those easier docs, as I give everyone the benefit of the doubt. It is very hard to say no to someone in pain, even the psychic pain of addiction. Needless to say, a good doc will try to parse each case individually, try to use resources available ( including a database from all controlled substance pharmacy fills in the state, very useful for checking the honesty of a patient). But I have seen docs who are so tired of the process that they can become jaded and quick to judge. It is not based on race in my experience, though there are cultural differences in response to pain that may be more palatable or less depending on the practitioner.

[KamaAina]

71. Thank you!

And welcome to DU!

Don't let it get you down. It's just GD being GD.

[JTFrog]

73. And those who have fabricated a story out of whole cloth about a screaming drug addict.

Pretty damn gross.

[Crunchy Frog]

121. I got called a "drug seeker" by my primary care doc

when I requested pain meds for a kidney stone that ended up taking 8 weeks to pass. She finally gave me a tiny prescription for the lowest possible dose of hydrocodone, but not without throwing a temper tantrum first. I've never gotten a narcotic prescription from her before. I haven't had any narc prescription since I had my twins by c-section 6 1/2 years ago.

She's been my doctor for years, and knows most of my medical history where there is no record of substance abus, and she still accused me of being a "seeker".

I'm white, in my 50s, and live in a fairly affluent area (with my mother) despite being on Medicaid. And it's only fairly recently that I went onto Medicaid. I've been on private insurance for most of the time that I've been with her.

In spite of my experience, I'm quite comfortable in assuming that this sort of thing is vastly more likely to happen to black people.

(She's going to be my "ex" doctor soon.)

[leftyladyfrommo]

61. I'm white and my doctor tries to shame me every time I go in there.

If I have the audacity to disagree with him, God that he is, he gets all defensive and then attacks.

It may just be an arrogant doctor thing.

[Supersedeas]

75. white people problems

[Facility Inspector]

111. like cancer?

[Skittles]

122. because we all know white people have no real problems

right?

[Live and Learn]

83. Why would you continue to go to a doctor that tries to shame you? nt

[leftyladyfrommo]

102. I'm on Medicare

I go to a big clinic and I have an assigned doctor. From what I've heard the others aren'the any better.

I just don't go unless I need to get my BP meds.

[Gormy Cuss]

76. Well, tats are a sign

or something.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

77. The doctor should have been fired

[Lee-Lee]

78. For those who don't get why ER docs are jaded and suspect of patients looking for pain meds.

Some reading:

https://hospitalstories.wordpress.com/tag/drug-seeker/

http://allnurses.com/emergency-nursing/best-drug-seeker-885882.html

Some highlights form this one:

Had a guy admitted to the inpatient unit for chest pain, to undergo cardiac angiography the next day. On a heparin gtt and everything. He was getting morphine 2mg q 1 hour as well as lorazepam PRN, both of which he was requesting regularly.

Weird thing was, I recognized him. I had taken care of a guy about a month prior for the same thing, and I remembered his tattoos because we had talked about them. I happened to have a bunch of brain sheets in my locker that I hadn't shredded yet, and I found the one from the month before. It had a different name than this guy, but the same birth date.

Turns out it was the same guy, and this was actually his THIRD visit within two months for the same thing. He was about to allow himself to be subjected to an angiogram for the third time.

Of course, once I let the cardiologist know what was going on, the cath was cancelled, because his two previous exams had been negative.


........................

Patient - I want my Dilaudid NOW. So I go get the Dilaudid, diluted and push it according to policy (2-5 minutes). Patient states "Why are you pushing it so slow?" And I explain to her the safety risks. She says "Well if you're going to push it so slow, I don't want it from you. I want that other nurse who pushes it fast." I leave the room, waste the med, and immediately page the MD. No more Dillys for you. This has happened to me COUNTLESS times.

........................

We had a regular that we wouldn't give narcs to for his "complaint of the day", he was DC'd from triage and then he walked over to our 2 story stair well and jumped! Bilat Tib/Fib fx's, said, "Now you will give me pain meds!"

.......................

Had a woman come in with her friend for chronic knee pain, goes on to state a WHOLE list of allergies, suprise supries NSAIDS and Toradol first on the list. Gets a couple percocet and discharge later. Next day her friend comes in with her and her friend has "knee pain" same list of allergies same issues, same doc and me. They now know he isnt going to give our narcs though they stop in reguraly to see who is on. =( This is the one thing that kind of gets me down and out about ER nursing.

......................

Had a woman come in for "seizures". She had a long list of meds including po morphine. On her allergies, morphine was listed. When I asked her about it, she told me she was allergic to IV morphine and had to have dilaudid instead. She then told me she was due for her pain meds and ativan and needed them immediately. I explained that she would have to wait to be seen by the MD prior to getting any meds. A few minutes later, she proceeded to have a "seizure". Another nurse and I went in and did the Oklahoma seizure test on her, which she passed with flying colors. To do the Oklahoma seizure test, have two nurses at the bedside, on next to the patient and the other at the foot of the bed. The nurse at the side of the bed asks the other nurse how to perform the test. The nurse at the foot of the bed explains (out loud) to rub the inside of the left foot (all while actually performing said task) and the right arm will twitch. Yep, my patient's right arm definitely started twitching when her left foot was rubbed. We were laughing so hard, we had to leave the room. Consequently, she received no meds during her stay.

.......................

And some more

http://docbastard.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-f-word.html

http://authenticmedicine.com/how-to-spot-a-narc-seeker/

http://www.medicalisland.net/guest-posts/professional-drug-seekers-exposed-by-former-addict

Now, you may read all this and think "so what"- but the stakes for doctors in these cases are huge. They can lose their DEA certification to prescribe meds (and as a result be out to work), be hassled by the DEA, and even end up in jail if they prescribe to too many fakers and seekers. these guys are not playing a harmless cat and mouse game to get a fix, buy toying with the livelihood and careers of the people they are trying to fool.

It sucks, because they make life not only hard for the doctors, but for all those who legitimately need meds.

[Live and Learn]

86. Addiction is a disease too. Doctors should treat the addiction if one is actually found, not

try to shame people.

[sub.theory]

94. You can't help an addict that doesn't want help

The best you can do is to try and deny them meds and place a psychiatric hold if there is sufficient reason to believe the patient is an imminent threat to themselves. Usually that's good for a maximum of 72 hours.

Addiction is a horrible, horrible disease. I've dealt with it in my own family. Quite a bit actually. I've had friends who are addicts. The damnable thing about it is that you can't make anyone stay clean if they don't want it themselves.

[Mariana]

97. You're right, addiction is absolutely horrible.

No illegal drug addicts in my family that I know of, but there are several active alcoholics. Of course, they can buy their drug just about anywhere and in any quantity they wish. If it weren't so easily available to them, I believe they'd behave just like anyone who's addicted to illegal drugs. Withdrawal from alcohol is extremely unpleasant, and I think they'd do just about anything to get what their bodies crave.

[Nay]

110. It is, and it is not helped by criminal penalties, IMHO. It is strictly a medical problem, and

we should treat all addicts like we treat alcoholics -- you can buy it, and if you want help kicking it, we'll help. If you want to kill yourself with alcohol/drugs, you can do that, too.

Involving addiction with the criminal underworld and the criminal justice system is a huge waste of resources. Making doctors the cops in the ER wastes time that could be used to treat legitimate patients AND endangers doctors with the DEA. This is a huge, complicated, inefficient way to treat drug use, but it makes money for quite a few people who like their cash cow.

[sub.theory]

119. Agreed it's a medical problem

We should not be making drug use a criminal matter. There are very complex reasons for addiction and it doesn't make you some horrible person. Those who traffic and profit from other's suffering and addiction, however do deserve punishment.

We can offer treatment, and it usually is offered. Just don't be surprised if it's refused. We can't force anyone to change. The best tool we have is to try and limit access. Short of locking someone up, however, there is no way to entirely prevent continuing the addiction. Only an inner determination to get clean can begin the process of recovery. That's when treatment works.

[Lee-Lee]

104. Doctors can't force treatment

Having been in the ER way too many times and watched it, as soon as the person figures out they are not getting the fix they want they will insist on signing themselves out.

Docs can offer treatment all day long, until the person is willing to accept it doesn't matter.

Until then best they can do is say no and discourage them from coming in and wasting everyone's time and money in the hospital, and keep them from putting the doctors livelihood at stake.

[Marr]

109. Yep-- I've seen elderly women screaming and pounding on the plexiglass divider

at the pharmacist because their prescription has run out on some drug and they can't find a doctor who will renew it. Addicts come in every size, shape, color, and walk of life. I don't fault, or envy, doctors or pharmacists on this.

[NutmegYankee]

125. Having an actual allergy to Naproxen, that is very upsetting to read.

I never realized I might get treated as a drug addict just because of an allergy because these fuckwits claim it to get narcotics.

[Lee-Lee]

126. Yes, they screw it up for a lot of people

Might talk to your regular physician and see what kind of documentation he/she can give you to carry just in case.

They do indeed make it hard for everyone else- the doctors and nurses, the other people who need to be seen in the ER who wait while they take up beds, and the people with actual drug allergies.

[Taitertots]

114. "Because we were black"? Nothing in the article supports this assertion

The simple solution is to end the draconian restrictions on medications. Then no one has to guess whether their inability to get narcotics is based on race or the legitimate professional opinion of their Doctor.

[nadine_mn]

124. Race could very well have been a factor

but it could have been a case of an ER doctor seeing too many drug addicts faking symptoms.

Reading through these posts have made me more in favor of legalizing all drugs than ever before. Addicts always find a way to feed their addiction and no war on drugs will stop that.

The desperation some addicts have cause them to do crazy things, fake all kinds of ailments etc, etc. Then ER doctors (mostly) have to try to guess what is wrong. So they can either run a crapload of expensive tests that may never be paid or risk giving pain meds to an addict. Well that just sucks for everyone.

But pain is a tricky thing and it is different for everyone. How the hell can one person judge how much pain another person is in? I am so clumsy that I am nearly oblivious to bumps and bruises I get. When I broke my ankle, I barely felt it. When I broke my hand, it hurt really bad, but then subsided. Now menstrual cramps - oh my goodness... I writhe in pain and beg for death some months. Some would say a broken hand should hurt worse than cramps and for some that may be true... not for me.

I would rather people get treated for pain and risk some addicts getting their fix, than addicts not getting their fix but some people are left in pain.

Nothing surprises me anymore as far as racist behavior so I cannot discount this story completely.

[Lyric]

127. Yep. They do it to Medicaid patients too.

My neurologist told me straight out that me being unemployed and on Medicaid was probably why my previous physicians didn't treat my pain properly. They assume that poor people are likely to be looking for pills to go sell on the street.

I have a pain contract with my doctor now. I take my meds, and he can count my pills and test my pee whenever he wants to. Seems like a fair trade for pain relief.