My Situation And Questions About Qualification

[Glavey]

Hello! I hope this is the right section of the forums to post this in, if it isn't, I'm sorry.

 

I have had severe headaches and migraines since I was about 8 years old. Back then I didn't even know they were migraines. They stuck with me through junior high and high school. In fact they got so bad in HS, probably caused by stress from my anxiety, I was missing at least 1 or 2 days a week of school. I eventually had to dropout because I was failing every class. I was seeing a doctor who prescribed a multitude of medications from depakote to imitrex to lexapro. The depakote had no effect, imitrex gave me tightness in my chest and swollen throat, lexapro, to help with the anxiety and thus get rid of the migraines, made me sleep for 22 hours. After all that, the diagnosis was something like atypical migraines. In short, nothing worked or would work. I stopped seeing the doc since there was not much else he could do and I, nor my family could afford it.

 

It has been at least 5 years since then and my headaches and migraines are still with me. I haven't gotten used to them, just come to expect them. Now with the medical marijuana act, I am looking to get my recommendation based on my migraine history, but I have read in many places that medical records need to be within 3 years or less. Should I set an appointment with a medical marijuana recommending clinic and possibly have to pay $130 to be told I need more recent medical records, or should I start seeing a doc about my migraines again and use the reports from those visits for my medical history of migraines. Also, if I do start to see a new doc, how many visits should I have before I go to a medical marijuana recommending clinic?

 

Thanks in advance.

[northerngal]

 How are you able to prove over the course of the last 5 years that you have had these migraines?

 

You have the answer you seek:

 

Go to a primary doctor and establish a record. Establishing CHRONIC pain is not a one shot visit with any doctor.  Get a few visits in and then make the appointment with a reputable mmj clinic. (if your primary will not sign off for you)

 

With the old records and the new ones, you should be able to show a past and current history of your condition.

 

On another note, a reputable clinic will not charge you if you do not qualify!    But a reputable one WILL require current records.

 

Good luck and welcome to the 3MA!  

[Glavey]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll set an appointment for a primary doctor. Will it be necessary for me to release my old medical records to my new Primary doctor?

 

Oh, and the two clinics I am choosing between are Greenlight Wellness and Denali Healthcare. Have you or anyone else had dealings with them, good or bad?

[northerngal]

Releasing your old records to your new primary doctor is completely up to you. Do you want your new doctor to know your history?  Most patients find it beneficial for the new doctor to know their past medical history.  It may also help with future concerns if all your records are within one location.  But again, completely your call there. 

 

I am familiar with both doctors Singh and Townsend, I am not aware of any medically related complaints about either of them.  Personally, I can not attest to whether one is better than the other.  I would say that they have very similar approaches regarding this. 

[Glavey]

If I do decide to release my old records to my new doctor, when the time comes for me to get my records from my new doctor sent to the clinic; can/will those records include the old ones I had sent to the new doctor?

[northerngal]

If I do decide to release my old records to my new doctor, when the time comes for me to get my records from my new doctor sent to the clinic; can/will those records include the old ones I had sent to the new doctor?

 

I would say 90% of patients bring their own records to the clinic.    As far as whether the old ones will be included in a fax, it depends on what is requested.  If the past few visits are requested, then your whole medical history won't be sent.   If your whole chart is requested, then that is typically what would be sent.  

[Celliach]

If I do decide to release my old records to my new doctor, when the time comes for me to get my records from my new doctor sent to the clinic; can/will those records include the old ones I had sent to the new doctor?

 

You'll be seeing the new doctor as a specialist.  You won't stop seeing your regular doctor.  Many GPs and Internalists will drop you if they find out you're using medical marijuana.  It's sometimes best to not tell your regular doctor why you need copies of your records.  You could always tell them you need them for a lawyer if they ask.

[Chauncy Gardner]

My certifying physician is a pain specialist. Why couldn't you just go to a cert. doctor and be treated by him (or her)? In other words, the certification doctor could be your primary physician for purposes of treating your migraines.

[Glavey]

I would say 90% of patients bring their own records to the clinic.    As far as whether the old ones will be included in a fax, it depends on what is requested.  If the past few visits are requested, then your whole medical history won't be sent.   If your whole chart is requested, then that is typically what would be sent.  

 

Maybe I wasn't quite clear in what I was asking about - I have a hard time turning thoughts into words. Lets say I request records from hospital A to be sent to hospital B. Now hospital B has their own records plus the records of hospital A. If I request records from hospital B, can I request those that were sent from hospital A, or do I have to go back to hospital A and get my records again? 

 

You'll be seeing the new doctor as a specialist.  You won't stop seeing your regular doctor.  Many GPs and Internalists will drop you if they find out you're using medical marijuana.  It's sometimes best to not tell your regular doctor why you need copies of your records.  You could always tell them you need them for a lawyer if they ask.

 

I don't have a regular doctor, and I wasn't planning on telling my new doctor about the medical marijuana.

 

My certifying physician is a pain specialist. Why couldn't you just go to a cert. doctor and be treated by him (or her)? In other words, the certification doctor could be your primary physician for purposes of treating your migraines.

 

There aren't any medical marijuana-recommending doctors close enough to me that are within my price range.

[northerngal]

Maybe I wasn't quite clear in what I was asking about - I have a hard time turning thoughts into words. Lets say I request records from hospital A to be sent to hospital B. Now hospital B has their own records plus the records of hospital A. If I request records from hospital B, can I request those that were sent from hospital A, or do I have to go back to hospital A and get my records again? 

 

 

I don't have a regular doctor, and I wasn't planning on telling my new doctor about the medical marijuana.

 

 

There aren't any medical marijuana-recommending doctors close enough to me that are within my price range.

 

It may have been me who wasn't clear, I understood your question.

 

The records from Doctor A will become part of your chart with Doctor B.  You may then request the records from Doctor B and they can include those from Doctor A.

 

Most certification doctors are not going to ask for your life history of medical records, especially the records that do not pertain to your qualifying condition.  They need to verify you have a CHRONIC issue, but do not neccessarily concern themselves with the tonsillectomy you had at age 9.

 

In your situation, as you have stated above....I would get a copy of my medical records from Doctor B and hand deliver them to my certification doctor.  

 

Does this better answer your question?

[Glavey]

Very much so, thank you. Now when I ask for my records, do I say I just want any records that pertain to migraines and let them sort through the records or should I ask for everything and sort it out myself?

 

Sorry if I am asking too many questions, I just like to know everything I can beforehand.

Edited May 22, 2013 by Glavey

[jointedone]

Call the Drs office and tell them you want a copy of your whole chart. Then you look thru it and take the pertinent things with you to give the Dr that will be signing for you. Don't tell them why you want a copy. Don't tell ANY other Drs you are a patient.

[Ms Chocolate]

To the OP.

 

If you have not had treatment for your headaches and migraines in 5 years, why try to treat now, what as changed?

Edited May 23, 2013 by Ms Chocolate