Take home bottles at my clinic HELP!(I thought Vacations are to DE-stress!)

Not sure if I'm posting this in the right spot (I'm new) but I have a pretty serious problem with my clinic regarding vacation bottles.

I am going to try and be as short and to the point as I can.

I am going out of state for 2 weeks, so I put in a request for extra 'take home' bottles. I've done this before, as has my husband, so I know it takes time, so I put in my request several days ago.

This morning during my bi-weekly meeting with my counselor I asked her about the bottles and if everything was going okay. She then called the doctor to see if the papers were in order. It seemed that they were not, and that the doctor needed to sign them or whatever.

SO a few minutes later the doctor called my counselor back and informs her that I would only be able to get 12 bottles instead of the 14 I put in for because there was not enough time for the doctor to notify Lansing and get 14 bottles okay'ed.

I asked my counselor what I was suppose to do for the 2 days I would be without my prescribed methadone and she said the doctor suggested I take a little bit out of some bottles to make up for the two bottles I wouldn't get. (I am not kidding, she actually said this).

Now I am very angry because why should I have to "take a little bit out of some bottles" ? Why shouldn't I get 14 bottles I put in for? I got 14 bottles before, why not now? I did everything properly, I made sure I put my request in early, I follow all rules etc.

It is my opinion that what the doctor advised is very medically unprofessional! But I guess I do not have a choice in the matter if I want to go. And I really want to go! The airline does not do refunds and I really want to see my grandchild!

Our son is in the Army and he had to move himself and his family to New York. We're a really close family and this is the first time somebody
moved far away and we like to visit them wherever we get the chance,
so, as I have stated earlier, my husband and I have been through this
before with the clinic.
We do everything exactly how we are told, turn in our request usually months early, (always at least several weeks early, but it doesn't seem to matter) and keep reminding the counselors and nurses or whoever about the extra take homes were suppose to get, but every time, because somebody at the clinic does not bother to do whatever it is they are suppose to do (?), it gets really stressed out.

My counselor told me she would support me in any way regarding turning in a complaint but I have no idea where to start. I wasn't sure if I wanted to turn in a complaint until I got home, so this is why I am contacting you. She can also vouch for me in that I am doing really good with my program in the clinic. All of my urine tests have been clean and I go to all my meetings etc.

I have absolutely no other complaints as this clinic is a good one. It's just this process they have with the vacation and extra take homes. It is really very stressful! And now this! I'm going to have to fool around with my dose to make up for the 2 days I can't get. I dread doing this! I feel like I am being punished because I am on methadone. If I were on any other medicine I would not be having this problem. I would have enough med's to go on vacation. My doctor would not tell me to take a little bit off here and there to make up for 2 missing days!

If you can help me in any way I would really appreciate it. If not, well, I feel better just writing this out. (venting helps!)

I just hope a day will finally come where methadone patients can feel just as good as any other person on any other prescribed medicine feels.

Thank you,
Susan Knight

PS: By the way, the date I am leaving on vacation is May 18. The clinic doctor informed me this morning, May 14, that she would not have enough time to "okay the 14 bottles with Lansing". (Even though I turned in my request last month). I am returning from my vacation on June 1.
I live in Fraser, Michigan.
The name of my clinic is PremierCare,
address: 23700 Van Dyke, Warren Michigan 48089.
Their phone number is: 586-758-6670.
www.premiercare.org
My counselor's name is JoAnn Brown and my identification number is: 4522.
The doctor's name is: Dr. Cardova.

Thank you again.

Hi there. I am sorry you are having this kind of trouble with your clinic. It is very frustrating, I know. It seems like we are always having to follow rules and guidelines, but the clinics can do whatever they want and interpret those rules to suit them.

Being that you are leaving the 18th, it doesn't give you a lot of time to get much done about it in time for you to leave, but you can try a few things.

Can you get a copy of the original request that you signed and dated last month? This will show that you did indeed turn in your request with PLENTY of time for them to get it done. I would do that RIGHT AWAY before you say or do anything else.

ALSO, one other thing you may can do is see about getting guest dosed at whatever clinic may be close to where you will be visiting your son. That way you don't have to go without and try to "spread out" your doses.

I can give you the info you need to file a complaint against your clinic, but keep in mind that even though they are NOT suppose to, sometimes they end up taking it out on you that you are "causing them trouble" and filing a complaint.

ALSO, if you do decide to file a complaint, i would think about waiting until after you get back from your trip before doing so. Once again, even though they aren't suppose to, they may find a reason to deny your takeouts for the trip all together (or have you bring them back if you already have them) because now there is a "problem".......and you do not want that to happen.

Once again, most importantly......BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE, get a copy of that request form you signed and dated last month. Things have a way of getting "misplaced" and even changed when someone finds out that you are filing a complaint or considering a complaint so get a copy of that before you do anything else and certainly before you let them know you are considering a complaint.

Have you talked to the clinic director and/or the owner of the clinic? If you get the copy and then take it to them and show them what is going on, then they may be able to get it squared away, especially if you let them know that you will be filing a complaint.

Again, I would weigh your pros and cons very carefully in this situation and see what would be best.

To file a complaint, you can get step by step instructions from our website and the link is
http://www.medicalassistedtreatment.org/277599/47311.html

Good luck and if you have any questions or concerns, let us know and for sure keep us posted.
ruthann

Hi,
Thanks so much for your reply.

You are right, I am going to really think about this first before filing a complaint. Methadone clinics have a way of making people jump through hoops and I don't want to give them reasons to be upset with me and make more hoops.
But when my own counselor recommends filing a complaint it's very tempting to do so! Plus, it would be different if this were the only time vacation take homes were a problem. (It seems I am not the only one this has happened to).
But I don't know....I think I will just talk to the doctor Monday and see what happens. I really hate causing any kind of trouble and being in the spot light, if ya know what I mean.

But thank you again for replying and for your info. I will for sure copy it and keep it in mind.
sue
PS: There is no clinic nearby where my son lives. He lives about an hour out of New York City, in a little village called Wappengers.