Raided doctor's patients complain they're 'left out in the cold'
December 19, 2009 12:00 AM
NEW BEDFORD — "Taylor's orphans" is how they are referred to by some in the local medical community.
When federal and state law enforcement authorities raided the Acushnet Avenue offices of Dr. Michael A. Taylor earlier this month in a drug investigation, hundreds of his patients found themselves without a primary care physician and with no way to get ahold of their medical records or to refill their prescriptions.
The patients say they have called other doctors but are either told the physicians are not accepting new patients or the earliest appointment cannot be made for two to three months. They are referred to emergency rooms or pain clinics to inquire about refilling prescriptions and are then told they will not receive any strong painkillers like OxyContin.
Some patients say they are being blackballed.
"I can't find a doctor. No one will take me, even for primary care," said Carolyn Lavoie, 68, of Fairhaven, who said she is diagnosed with reflex sympathetic dystrophy, a chronic neurological condition that causes severe burning pain over her body. Taylor prescribed her daily dosages of 50 milligrams of oxycodone and 15 10-milligram doses of methadone.
"It seems people consider most of (Taylor's) patients to be drug addicts, and that's just not fair," said Mike Miller, 44, of New Bedford, who has a diabetic ulcer on his foot and peripheral neuropathy in his legs. Miller said Taylor prescribed him a 30-day supply of 150 milligrams a day of oxycodone and 200 milligrams of morphine. Those prescriptions have run out.
"There are some of us who are legitimately sick," said Darlene Almeida, 44, of Acushnet, who is diagnosed with fibromyalgia and osteoporosis. She was prescribed four 50-milligram tablets a day of morphine as well as vicoprofen for break-through pain.
"I don't abuse my meds," she said. "I don't sell my medicine."
On Dec. 1, Drug Enforcement Administration agents in conjunction with state police detectives assigned to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office executed a search warrant for records at Taylor's office at 3388 Acushnet Ave. The office has been closed since the raid.
Spokesmen for the U.S. Attorney and DEA offices in Boston declined to comment on the nature of the investigation. Meanwhile, Taylor, 58, has not been charged with a crime. His medical license has not been revoked, according to the state Board of Registration in Medicine.
Taylor did not return a phone call seeking comment.
In August, Taylor's secretary, Cathy Pereira, was arrested in a state wiretap narcotics investigation, accused of helping her husband, Paul J. Pereira, and associates obtain painkillers such as OxyContin with fraudulent prescriptions from the office.
An answering service for Taylor's office says someone is collecting patients' names, telephone numbers and addresses to eventually forward them their medical records, which were seized by authorities.
Several of Taylor's patients have gone to St. Luke's Hospital seeking help and have been instructed to call the SouthCoast Physician Referral Line, where an operator will give contact information for several doctors in the area.
When contacted, those doctors' offices say they are not seeing new patients for at least two months.
Taylor's patients have been calling the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center. Cynthia Champagne, assistant director of nursing, said the health center will accommodate the patients as much as possible.
"Anyone who calls for an appointment, we will give them an appointment," Champagne said, adding that she could not answer any questions about the patients' prescriptions.
Almeida said she last saw Taylor a month ago. She received a prescription for painkillers and was told to return Dec. 10. But she then heard from an acquaintance that Taylor's office had been closed. She was told the DEA had her medical records.
"I'm in shock," she said. "I can't believe this happened," she said.
Almeida said she called several doctors in the area but could not find a primary care physician who was able to see her. The best she could do was schedule an April 14 appointment at the downtown community health center. She was told her prescriptions will not be refilled before then.
"I don't know what I'm going to do," she said. "The pain. I end up in a ball. I can't even move... I know I'm going to end up in detox."
Lavoie's insurance company arranged for a March appointment with the community health center. She said she will run out of her pain medications on Christmas Day.
"I have a disease, and I need my meds to live," she said.
After weeks of frustrating telephone calls, Miller found a primary care physician, but his appointment will not be until February.
"Everybody thinks you're out to get narcotics," he said. "A lot of us were using the meds for what they were meant to be used for, to ease our pain."
Patricia Thompson, 65, of New Bedford is still without a new primary care doctor. She broke her sternum and tailbone several years ago and said she cannot sleep at night or walk without holding onto something. Taylor placed her on Percocets, 30 milligrams eight times a day.
Taylor "was a very good doctor. He was concerned about his patients," said Thompson, adding that she went to St. Luke's Hospital after her doctor closed his office. She said she was given 12 5-milligram Percocet tablets and told she would not be given any more.
"I'm being thrown out in the cold," she said. "It's not right. It's not like I abused my medication, but no one's giving me an answer."
This really upsets me!! My heart goes out to ALL of "Taylor's Orphans"!! My thoughts and prayers are with you ALL on coming through this without extremely harmful repercussions!! ~God Bless "Taylor's Orphans"
