The Inhumanity of Worker's Comp

You may or may not know that my CRPS developed from a work injury. That's neither here nor there at this point. And, I am not trying to advocate for any particular kind of policy change.... yet. I just want to share the different ways that I am made to feel inhuman. My worker's comp agency and adjuster see me as a dollar aign and not a human being with needs.

For example, I have been beyond fortunate to land myself with one of the top CRPS doctors on the planet. He had me do a ketamine infusion therapy trial over 3 days. And guess what, I felt better for a while. So, he submits to do the 10 day treatment dose of the ketamine infusion.... denied. So, he tried to get creative with other treatments to help me, like hydrotherapy (think physical therapy in a pool)... denied.

One of my most troublesome headaches I deal with every month is prescriptions. I take duloxetine, celecoxib, amitriptyline, and pregabalin daily. These medicines can take sometimes up to eight weeks to get fully into your system to change your body's biochemistry to be effective. So, I have titrated up on all of them and been on a steady dosage since June. Yet, every month, I have to fight and follow up with 4 different people for evwry single medicine to get it approved and filled. Mind you, they all have refills prescribed by the doctor already. I have to talk to the pharmacy, my adjuster, my wc nurse, and the third party prescription advisors for every prescription refill. And, each medicine is refilled at a different time. Since April, I have only had one time that they all refilled without a lapse in any prescription. Every other time, I go at least one day without my meds, sometimes up to seven days.

The craziest thing is that the workers comp agency is frustrated that it is taking so long to get me better. Are they kidding? How about let the doctor do his mother lovin job and approve bis treatments?! How about approve my refills faster, so I can actually take the medicines how they are supposed to be taken?! No, no, no. Instead, they subject me to a QME process to get a 2nd opinion. They are trying to make it look like it's my doctor's fault that I am not getting better. Ugh, just get out of his way and I probably would be better.

Oh, and don't get me started on my approvals for my upcoming surgery. It was denied TWICE because they thought I was pregnant in November 2019, even though I had my baby and tubes tied in April 2019. However, I did get my antibiotic approved AND filled so quickly for IF and WHEN I have that surgery. I know it was only because those meds are cheap. So, those meds just sit in my medicine cabinet awaiting my return from a surgery that is STILL not approved!

All of these are just examples that make me feel inhuman. I feel like a number or a case file that they want to push aside. A dollar they are trying to save. They don't care if lapses in prescriptions cause withdrawal symptoms. They don't care if I don't improve. They don't care if I get worse. They don't care if I cant take care of my own basic needs.

Do you know how embarrassing it is to ask for a nurse or someone to come help wash my hair and shower? It isn't as painful as getting the request denied. And now, I have to pay people out of my own pocket to wash my hair and help clean my house.

I am not one of those people who sit quiet and just let the process fold out in front of me. I am an educated person and advocate for myself. I spend hours and hours a week emailing, texting and calling. I can only imagine what it would look like if I didn't put forth the effort and make myself a squeaky wheel.

It's sad. Managing my healthcare consumes my life. I don't know what I would do if I were working full time! I literally wouldn't have the time to stay on top of it all. And, that's probably what they are counting on. And with that, I feel inhuman... again.

#ineffablepain #crps #workerscomp #california #chronicpain #chronicillness #inhuman #change #advocate #educate #knowyourrights #qme