Great Picture of you Finalllyachance!
It is a funny thing about being on MMT, if we happen to get into a bad clinic at some point it effects our thinking in a negative way in regard to all the other clinics we go to. Going through 2 years of worry at your last clinic has now set a pattern in the brain. For lack of a better word. After you go through something like this it seems to me that the mind is always referring back to what the bad clinic did and how they reacted to our problems and situations. Then we start to think that the next one is going to treat us the same way and we are always on the look out for more bad behavior from the staff.
You said that no one at your new clinic asked you to bring in the P/T test results but that you brought them in anyway because you just ASSUMED that they would want it just like the last clinic did.... is that correct? It could be that you confused the counselor by bringing in something that was not requested of you. Like you have found out the hard way, all of these clinics have their own set of rules. One clinic may want P/T tests and the other could care less. One might want EKG testing and the other does not even have an EKG machine.
I think you said that you are/were a paralegal and as such I bet you are very thorough and concise with your work. Always trying to anticipate what will be needed ahead of time so you can do a good job. Does that sound like you? If you are like this then perhaps you are trying to be equally concise and be a good patient who is on top of everything, anticipating what this clinic wants based on your experience with the last clinic. I know you have some concerns about telling Joe that you were in the treatment industry and that might have something to do with why you want to make sure they have everything they need even before they ask for it. I commend you for trying to do a good job and make sure they have everything needed in their files. This I am sure in a normal business would be appreciated. However, I think in a clinic situation it confuses them. I understand that the whole point is to get your increases.
I would suggest to you the following: Only give to them what they ask you for. Try not to make assumptions about what they will want, what they are going to do to you, what they will "probably" think, etc. ASK them questions about what they need from you and then only give what is asked for from you. Nothing more. You might have heard this one.... Keep It Simple.
My own example to you.... I came out of a bad clinic into a better clinic. However, I assume that they are all the same based on my past experiences in the bad clinic. I have went for 2 whole weeks with 1/3 of my dose MISSING! I thought that either the machine/Computer broke or what I was almost positive of.... One of the Employees had stolen over 400mg of my methadone. All of my take homes were short and I have been sick as an old brown dog....LOL! Sorry...could not resist that one considering my screen name...
I did not call them as I was afraid they would tell me that I was the one who took the methadone and diverted it. I was scared they would then take away my privileges.
I went to the new clinic on schedule and I reported this problem. They told me that they had been at the office 2 weeks ago until the early morning trying to figure out why they had thousands of mg's of methadone TOO MUCH. They said no one called to report any shortages and they did not know who was shorted. They told me if I just would have called they would have replaced the shorted methadone! OMG!!! They apologized profusely for the mistake. You see what I am saying.... I just ASSUMED that the new clinic was going to treat me like the old clinic did. I could have saved myself 2 weeks of misery if I would have just called and communicated with them.
Hopefully, this will help you as you adjust to your new clinic too. I would have a sit down discussion with "Joe" and talk to him about these things you are feeling and see if some honest communication makes a difference. You said that he seemed to like you and you had a good feeling about him. We all have off days too. You have been around enough people in the treatment industry that you would have caught something if "Joe" was a real bad one that first day you were with him for over 4 hours I would think.
As far as your treatment records. I posted to you on what I asked for and maybe that will help you. I think it is always wise to have a back up just in case you ever need to relocate to a new clinic. I now maintain my own copy of my health records from ALL doctors, clinics, labs etc and will only give out a copy of what is in my file. If anyone needs originals then I will sign a release and they can obtain those from the source. I don't know your area but I will tell you about mine. There is no way in my area that a person would be able to see a clinic doctor unless they were transferring in as a new patient. Instead of trying to talk to a clinic doctor of all the clinics in a 50 mile range. Perhaps picking out your top 3-5 and calling for an appt with either the Clinic Director or a Head Counselor would be easier and just as effective. The doctor in my clinic has a private practice and if anyone wants to speak with him about anything it will cost a min of $100. I would save my money and the aggravation if I were you.
Now... Help me out if you don't mind. What is the status AT THIS POINT with your dosage increases? Have they stopped all increases or are you suppose to call on Mondays to request another one or what exactly?