Begin searching for a new doctor today. It is very important that you do not delay. Do this while your current doctor is still available for a new doctor to consult. You have a year, until Dec 2022 to find a new doc, take action today make as many new doctor appointments as possible. As a patient you must 'interview' a doctor to determine if they and their staff are suitable to you and your needs.
Often doctors sell their practice, find out if your doctor is selling and who is the purchasing doctor. If your doc is not selling his practice and is closing it down, obtain a copy of all your medical records.There could be a fee charged for copying your records, regardless, at least get the last past 5 years of records.
You have to begin to build a case to advocate for yourself and your care. Be prepared for an uphill battle because the health care industry attitude due to the recent 'opioid crisis' is anyone requesting pain medication is an addict. Some doctors routinely request an in office urine test without advising you what the purposes is, what they are testing for is pain meds and illegal drugs. All patients, before you submit to any lab test, ask what is the purpose of the test, does your insurance cover it. All pain meds are highly regulated, doctors have to sign into a State website prior to prescribing any pain meds. Investigate 'Pain Management' doctors you may find appropriate care there. With cervical stenosis and all spine issues there has been a shift to spinal injections.
You must do a lot of research on spinal injections (a/k/a epidural). Dr. Oz did a show on them and he advised against them for a number of reasons one of which is the medication being used is 'off-label' and when you see how close they come to the spinal cord to do the injection that is a concern. No matter the experience, education, even an excellent, the best doctor can have a bad procedure and you don't want to be that patient that day. Using medication 'off-label' isn't necessarily or always concerning, it is concerning when being directly injected into the spine.
Do know they will try to 'force' you into other treatment and you will have to gear up for that. Many doctors now pathologize their patients. In other words doctors: view or characterize their patients as medically or psychologically abnormal when they are not.
A professional that may help bolster your case and help advocate for you is a psychologist, so consider an approach from that angle as well. It may be advisable to appear willing to consider other therapies as apposed to being planted firmly that this is the care you will only accept. I would anticipate that you will come across a doctor who will seem willing to treat you your way but with the firm intent of switching you to another form of treatment. Keep in mind as the patient it is your job to advocate for your own care and that means actively participating in it, read, research, prepare questions and reach out to others as you have done here.
