WHY won't the doc write me a script for toradol?

[justmeagain]

Yesterday I ended up in the ER again. Some of you know that my DH got laid off from work and he was the only income earner. Well even when he was working the health insurance was completely unaffordable........so I racked up some pretty large medical bills. YESTERDAY, I was literally on the phone with Julie from patient accounts. I have five outstanding accounts right now. She wanted a payment and she told me I could NOT ring up any more bills or my payment would be higher. Well I can't even afford the payment arrangement right now. Anyways........I promised I would not. So.......then what happens.........I end up in the ER THAT night. I got a migraine so BAD I thought my head was going to explode. Of course I tried EVERYTHING to get it under control at home and it just got progressively worse until the point that I could absolutely not take it anymore and I was bawling my eyes out. Those of you that have had TRUE migraines know what I'm talking about---the nausea, EVERYTHING.......they are insanely awful. So I go in and know I need a shot of toradol. That is what they gave me last time and it is a miracle drug I swear to goodness. So, I'm bawling my eyes out begging the receptionist if the nurse could just come out and give me a shot. Nope, I have to wait for the doctor. So I wait.......
I get in the room, they give the pills that dissolves on your tongue for nausea, they give me some liquid medicine to help clear up sinus crap and then they give me the toradol injection. Now last time I was there I asked repeatedly if they could give me a script for toradol pills so in an emergency I could take them instead of running up ANOTHER bill I can't afford. This is the second TIME they absolutely REFUSE to give me a a script. I don't understand why not. When they give the shot, it does NOT make me high, loopy or anything. But the ER nurse guy said they do not even like giving the shot in the ER unless they absolutely have too. I'm not a drug absuser or anything.........so WHY can't they give me a script? The shot gives me absolutely zero side affects besides getting rid of the migraine. Is there something about this drug I don't know? Is there abuse of this drug or something?

[meems]

? found this googling..

Toradol Oral

Who should not take this medication?

Check with your physician if you have any of the following:

Conditions:

Tobacco Smoking, Pain Management Just Before Surgery, Pain Management during Surgery, Increased Cardiovascular Event Risk, Time Immediately after Coronary Bypass Surgery, High Blood Pressure, Heart Attack, Chronic Heart Failure, Disease of the Heart and Blood Vessels, Hemorrhage in the Brain, Stroke, Asthma, Stomach Ulcer, Ulcer of the Duodenum, Acute Ulcer of the Stomach or Intestine with Perforation, Stomach or Intestinal Ulcer, Ulcerated Colon, Liver Problems, Bleeding of the Stomach or Intestines, Serious Kidney Problems, Mild to Moderate Kidney Impairment, Labor Pain, Pregnancy, Decreased Blood Volume, Anemia, Blood Clotting Disorder

Allergies:

SALICYLATES NSAIDS


Actually, I think it might be more of a situation of an ER Dr. not wanting to act as a primary care physician.

[justmeagain]

I was wondering about that. I don't have a primary doctor, they know that from my paperwork........seems like they would just give a dumb script rather than me wasting their time having to get a measly shot. So frustrating......
Do ER docs not write scripts? Maybe they don't and I'm just not aware of that?

[meems]

They won't be there to follow up, KWIM?

[Dengineer]

I looked it up on-line and it said that the medication should be used for short-term pain relief (5 days or less). And one of the side effects I read about is bleeding or perforation of the digestive tract that can happen without warning and can be fatal. It may help your migraine but from what I've read it is a powerful drug and shouldn't be used without the close supervision of a doctor.

[justmeagain]

I wouldn't take it everyday.......only in emergency situations.........like last night. Seems like they would have something I could take at home in these situations without having to run up another flipping bill. Kinda like the people that are allergic to bees, they carry an epi pen. I don't know.......just the thought of having to run up such a large bill for a shot........well it sorta gives me a migraine

[Betsy33]

Toradol is a powerful NSAID, and NSAIDs can cause major stomach problems in some people (just Aleve gave me a perforated ulcer--that was no picnic, let me tell you!)

You could try a strong dose of ibuprofen next time if you absolutely can not go to an emergency room.

For my migraines, toradol doesn't work--I had to take Imitrex nasal inhalers, but then I couldn't anymore because those caused me health problems, too...so now I just have to suffer through them until they go away (and I hear you, they are really bad).

I'm sorry you are suffering. xo

[kittensqueak]

I looked it up on-line and it said that the medication should be used for short-term pain relief (5 days or less). And one of the side effects I read about is bleeding or perforation of the digestive tract that can happen without warning and can be fatal. It may help your migraine but from what I've read it is a powerful drug and shouldn't be used without the close supervision of a doctor.

Several migraine meds require the close supervision of a doctor - and if they know you don't have a PCP then they may not feel that they can adequately follow up with you.

I'm so sorry you have to suffer with migraines - they are agony.

[justmeagain]

Toradol is a powerful NSAID, and NSAIDs can cause major stomach problems in some people (just Aleve gave me a perforated ulcer--that was no picnic, let me tell you!)

You could try a strong dose of ibuprofen next time if you absolutely can not go to an emergency room.

For my migraines, toradol doesn't work--I had to take Imitrex nasal inhalers, but then I couldn't anymore because those caused me health problems, too...so now I just have to suffer through them until they go away (and I hear you, they are really bad).

I'm sorry you are suffering. xo

Oh man.......how can you POSSIBLY suffer through them........seriously......I think a person could SERIOUSLY go insane from the pain. And NOTHING helps, not ibuprofen by the loads, not tylenol......etc. I'm not a wimp when it comes to pain. I gave birth to my daughter with ZERO drugs if that gives any indication of my pain threshold. Laying down, sitting sit, heat, cold........nothing helps and they progressively get worse until I get a shot. I'm actually surprised to know about the tummy issues with the medicine though........that may be they won't write me a script.......because I do have a peptic ulcer......they never said anything to me though when I got the shot about side affects and I never feel anything from the shot. :shrug7:

[hotcouponmama]

Just a thought....I would call around to an urgent care type clinic that also has a physician's practice associated with it - someone independent.

I would explain the situation and see if they would be willing to treat you in exchange for maybe regular upkeep of the office, filing, personal shopping or other services/skills you might be able to swap in exchange for providing healthcare as needed and supervising the meds. That's likely why they aren't giving you a script for it is that a med like that, typically they want regular contact with the patient due to side effects and potential abuse. I am sure it's a liability thing for them.

I know a gal who does what I described and swaps personal services with a nutritionist. And then we did a community interview here on the site with a member and she did the same thing - worked in the office in exchange for paying off her bill and making sure she had coverage that way. There are still a lot of practitioners out there who are willing to trade and barter. And if you DH has a service/skill he could do, you could offer that up.

My dad had a friend who was a dentist. He needed to get his office ADA compliant. So my dad did the work with the materials the dentist provided, and in exchange for the labor, the family got free teeth care.

HUGS to you - hope something comes about for you.