Can patient refuse surgery for meds?

Chiropractic Healthiness » Chiropractic Treatment » Can patient refuse surgery for meds?

Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> If surgery is recommended for degenerative disk disease can you choose > to >take pain meds instead of surgery? > no…you are labeled a junkie in my opinion… > Can you be forced to be treated with >surgery considering the doctors reluctance to use narcotics. Thanks. > Well…you dont have to do anything you dont want…but if you are > resistant to enough doctors advice….your not gonna get anything…… > even taken seriously…… > Sid

Hi I got hit by a truck some 14ish years ago. I refused surgery then as I am at this time. Although those years have not been a bag of laughs. Yes, I have cried a lot. It is still my body. which was re-arranged by a truck without my consent. I feel that as it is my body I am entitled to have some input into the way it is. Not everyone suffering pain is a narco. Although I am. I was also made diabetic by the aforementioned event. That’s for life. For however long one is privilidged to have life at ones disposal. Make your own mind up you know your body as well as anyone else. Best wishes Al From Freezing London. — Life is sweet. Ask any Diabetic? |__||__)/ __/ | ||_ | /

Response:

It is perfectly acceptable to refuse surgery and utilize a course of pain management, medical or otherwise. Don’t let anyone tell you differently. Just be certain you are being treated by a conservative Doctor who practices non-invasive medicine. K

:-There may be a circumstance or circumstances when you could reasonably :NOT opt for surgery and still be medicated. Other underlying risks that :would preclude a general anesthetic, an HMO that would not PAY for the :procedure, and do not forget after care. Does your HMO pay for a :skilled nursing facility for recovery? Can your relatives help? Its ften just assumed that you have people that will become your nurses and :gophers the minute they release you from surgery, (which is like the :same day anymore). What if you are ALONE? : I have put off surgery on bad ligaments in my ankle, because I do not :have anyone to help me when I come home in a hard cast. I couldn’t even :get out if there was a fire. This puts the ball back in their court and :they certainly will not pay for a month of out or in home care. : I am not needing any drugs for this condition, so its not exactly the :same, but in this case I AM declining a surgical procedure with an 80% :sucess rate. The doc is still taking me seriously, and realizes the :recovery prognosis is not very good with my current resources. My GP has :also advised against it at this time, and he and the surgeon agree , :now. I imagine if I NEEDED pain meds for this he would continue to :supply them until financial circumstances allowed for the surgery AND :recovery : You need to ask some pointed questions about after care,and success :rates with this type of surgery, risks, etc. Will you even get the :physical therapy? This may be a big part of the sucess. Your doc wont :know this unless YOU bring it up and make sure the WHOLE operation is :covered and practical. Ivestigate your options carefully and then :discuss it with an open mind. Perhaps you and your doc will then come to :a meeting of the minds about what is best and you will be taken :seriously WHATEVER the decision. : Also, don’t hesitate to involve your GP or internest and get a SECOND pinion. Refusing surgery does not mean you are necessarilly a wanna be :drug addict. Considering the decision carefully is every bit your :right. If a doc does NOT encourage you to think this out, and threatens :to cut your meds, without careful consideration, you need to get a more :ethical doc. You should not be blackmailed by your own doctor into :surgery, whatever your final decision.] : : These of course, are just my opinion, and I think a common sense :approach. :Lea

Response:

> If surgery is recommended for degenerative disk disease can you choose to > take pain meds instead of surgery? Can you be forced to be treated with > surgery considering the doctors reluctance to use narcotics. Thanks.

You don’t have to have any surgery if you don’t want to. OTOH, the doctor is under no obligation to give you all the pain meds you want, either. If you can find someone who is comfortable acceding to your wishes, you are in luck, otherwise you’ll end up "drug-seeking". At some point, the doc is going to be uncomfortable with how much medication you are on, and that will be your ceiling, like it or not. There is a tendency to be more liberal with narcotics nowadays, but large amounts of narcotics are still mostly reserved for those people with terminal cancer or who have severe nonmalignant pain refractory to non-narcotic types of treatment, such as PT, chiropractic, surgery, blocks, etc.

Response:

-There may be a circumstance or circumstances when you could reasonably NOT opt for surgery and still be medicated. Other underlying risks that would preclude a general anesthetic, an HMO that would not PAY for the procedure, and do not forget after care. Does your HMO pay for a skilled nursing facility for recovery? Can your relatives help? Its often just assumed that you have people that will become your nurses and gophers the minute they release you from surgery, (which is like the same day anymore). What if you are ALONE? I have put off surgery on bad ligaments in my ankle, because I do not have anyone to help me when I come home in a hard cast. I couldn’t even get out if there was a fire. This puts the ball back in their court and they certainly will not pay for a month of out or in home care. I am not needing any drugs for this condition, so its not exactly the same, but in this case I AM declining a surgical procedure with an 80% sucess rate. The doc is still taking me seriously, and realizes the recovery prognosis is not very good with my current resources. My GP has also advised against it at this time, and he and the surgeon agree , now. I imagine if I NEEDED pain meds for this he would continue to supply them until financial circumstances allowed for the surgery AND recovery You need to ask some pointed questions about after care,and success rates with this type of surgery, risks, etc. Will you even get the physical therapy? This may be a big part of the sucess. Your doc wont know this unless YOU bring it up and make sure the WHOLE operation is covered and practical. Ivestigate your options carefully and then discuss it with an open mind. Perhaps you and your doc will then come to a meeting of the minds about what is best and you will be taken seriously WHATEVER the decision. Also, don’t hesitate to involve your GP or internest and get a SECOND opinion. Refusing surgery does not mean you are necessarilly a wanna be drug addict. Considering the decision carefully is every bit your right. If a doc does NOT encourage you to think this out, and threatens to cut your meds, without careful consideration, you need to get a more ethical doc. You should not be blackmailed by your own doctor into surgery, whatever your final decision.] These of course, are just my opinion, and I think a common sense approach. Lea

Response:

>E.V. >Most docs will drop you and cut off the meds for, "..failing to >comply with recommended treatment." Their goal is to cut you and >make you well as opposed to turning you into a senior doper and >a bad disk. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it seems >like that’s the way the system works. >…..The evil jc.

I have to agree here also….most surgeons are willing to do just about anything you want…as long as they think they are going to get to do their job….surgery! Once you decide against this plan…they will be quick to drop interest and help….unfortunately, their comments on your non-compliance to follow recommended treatments may follow you thru out your search to find someone to help you with the pain! It is amazing how the comment of on eperson, even a nurse or therapist, can negatively impact how other docs may look at you for a very long time! I wonder though….if this surgery will repair your problem…then why not do it…Unless, of course, it is one of those really nasty or controversial surgeries? Just curious, sorry! Back to your original question….yes you can refuse….but rather you would get meds or not is questionable! Good luck! Rae Rae Martin RN

Response:

thusly > If surgery is recommended for degenerative disk disease can you choose to > take pain meds instead of surgery? Can you be forced to be treated with > surgery considering the doctors reluctance to use narcotics. Thanks. > E.V. >E.V. >Most docs will drop you and cut off the meds for, "..failing to >comply with recommended treatment." Their goal is to cut you and >make you well as opposed to turning you into a senior doper and >a bad disk.

Their "goal" is to avoid as much crap as possible and generate as much money as they can…..your "health" has very little to do with their agenda……its nothing but a game and to play…you gotta go along Sid I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it seems – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->like that’s the way the system works. >…..The evil jc.

Response:

If surgery is recommended for degenerative disk disease can you choose to take pain meds instead of surgery? Can you be forced to be treated with surgery considering the doctors reluctance to use narcotics. Thanks. E.V.

Response:

E.V. Most docs will drop you and cut off the meds for, "..failing to comply with recommended treatment." Their goal is to cut you and make you well as opposed to turning you into a senior doper and a bad disk. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it seems like that’s the way the system works. …..The evil jc.

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