Re: Pain Specialist - 2nd Posting - Please someone answer!

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

I am sorry about no answers to your post, but I have never been to a pain

specialist. I saw a Neurologist for pain, but there was no special thing done

other than nerve conduction studies on my arms and legs. I was then Rx'd

Neurontin. My situation is also different and not just RA. I also have gout,

osteoporosis, raynauds ....the Rheumy at Stanford University calls it Mixed

connective Tissue Disorder. When I was first diagnosed it seems like I had

one big flare and then I broke my leg _#@$%.....in_ (mailto:#@$.....in) a cast

for a year. I too was taking high doses of Lortabs and antiinflammitories.

My Dr. changed things because they just weren't working, I now take 600Mg

Ibuprofin 4 x per day, 400 mg Neurontin 4 x per day, Tramadol as needed for

pain

and Lortabs (maybe 2 times per day if needed) I also take prednisone,

plaquinel, Mtx and Enbrel, plus high blood pressure meds, asthma meds. I have

been taking intense physical therapy for my walking and for arm pain and it has

really helped. IF the Pain Specialist doesn't help, please try PHysical

Therapy, it is amazing how different it has made me and my quality of life.

Please feel free to contact me if I can help.

Gentle Hugs & Prayers

Carol M. in CA

@>~~~~

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/28/07 6:23:58 PM, betnden@... writes:

> I am taking morphine for the pain

>

Does the effect wear off if you do not increase the dose?

Thanks,

Pris

[Guest guest]

,

I am so sorry no one answered you I read your email but I am also new and I

do not have the information you need. I am sure someone will answer you.

I just wanted you to know we care and hang in there.

Marsha

<faith_4_me_2@...> wrote:

Is it because I am new in here or is it because I just have fibro and

arthritis that my questions are not important? I posted this question

yesterday and I have not had anyone who has cared enough to answer yet.

(See message below)

Ok, so yeah, I have my first trip to a pain specialist coming up this

coming week. I have osteo-arthritis, arthritis, gout, and fibro. I am

currently on several medications from my primary care and rheumie. I am

also going to have a sleep study test done toward the middle of Feb. My

questions are:

1. What am I to expect from the pain specialist? How is he going to

help me where the primary care and rheumie couldn't?

2. Is it normal to have pain still after being on high doses of pain

meds, anti-inflams & vicadin?

[Guest guest]

,

Sometimes it takes a while to get a response, especially on the weekend. Don't

be

discouraged.

I can tell you of my experience. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia three years

ago and

Rheumatoid Arthritis 3 months ago. Before I found my current rheumatologist, I

went

through a long and frustrating search for adequate pain relief. I saw an

orthopedist,

neurologist and pain specialist. Sadly, my experience with a pain management

specialist

was not a good one. I had hoped that this doctor would take over my pain

management.

He encouraged facet joint injections which only gave me a month of pain relief

and then

discharged me, claiming that " fibromyalgia was a waste basket diagnosis when

doctors

don't know what is really wrong with you. "

Sometimes primary care doctors get uncomfortable with the continued prescription

of pain

medication so they push their patients off on pain management specialists. This

is my

opinion. I'm sure that there are others out there who have had better

experiences than I

have.

My current rheumatologist coordinates all of my medical care. I very lucky to

have found

her. She's sympathetic rather than judgmental, has no problem prescribing the

medication I need and is willing to try new things in my medical management.

As far as continued pain despite Vicodin, when I had a bad flare last year,

Vicodin did not

help me. My rheumatologist had me try Vicoprofen which is the same narcotic

combined

with Ibuprofen (rather than tylenol). It is also a stronger dosage. Also, our

bodies become

used to the medications we take. Perhaps Vicodin no longer is effective in

controlling your

pain and you need something stronger.

I hope this helps. Let us know how you make out.

Paige

[Guest guest]

I didn't answer because I expected there would be lots of replies, but I

guess not, huh?

My experiences with a " pain specialist " weren't the best, so my offerings

may not be what you want to hear. Most seem to be backlogged from the

beginning of the day, and get worse as the day goes on. In the first clinic,

I had to wait for more than 2 hours, and the other patients said it's normal

for his business. It took a long time for any results, then he charged

outrageous prices for the little bit of treatment I got. He didn't get that

money either.

The next one wouldn't tell me anything and did nothing for me. I finally

found another one that did take time with me, showed me a backbone and the

exact place my problem was at, and how to treat it. It seems to me that it's

a 'crap-shoot' as to what might happen. I don't see a reason for a separate

pain manager since your general doctor can handle most of the problems. I

suspect however, that it might be the unwillingness of your doctor to

prescribe some medications that will be handled by the pain manager. He/she

can also do a better job of controlling your mass of meds and the conflicts

that may occur.

This is what I know it to be. Someone else may have a different perspective.

I am taking morphine for the pain and still am in pain. My normal level is

around a 6, but will go up to 8-9 easily. One time I didn't take that med

for a few days and found out quickly what good it was doing. So, don't

expect a magic mix of meds or an adjustment to cure you, but it might make

you do better. Good luck..

Dennis in Eastexas

" It's not Rocket Surgery "

[ ] Pain Specialist - 2nd Posting - Please someone answer!

> Is it because I am new in here or is it because I just have fibro and

> arthritis that my questions are not important? I posted this question

> yesterday and I have not had anyone who has cared enough to answer yet.

> (See message below)

>

>

> Ok, so yeah, I have my first trip to a pain specialist coming up this

> coming week. I have osteo-arthritis, arthritis, gout, and fibro. I am

> currently on several medications from my primary care and rheumie. I am

> also going to have a sleep study test done toward the middle of Feb. My

> questions are:

> 1. What am I to expect from the pain specialist? How is he going to

> help me where the primary care and rheumie couldn't?

> 2. Is it normal to have pain still after being on high doses of pain

> meds, anti-inflams & vicadin?

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

: I am not sure what you should expect from the pain specialist but I

wanted to welcome you here and tell you that sometimes gets really busy

and responses are not posted right away. I still have not seen one I posted a

few days ago......

I wanted to welcome you to the group and let you know that these are some of

the most speical, wonderful and compassionate people you could ever want to

meet...........they always understand when families and others do not

I am glad you found us but sorry for all of the problems you have. I also

have osteo, RA and fibro............knees are getting worse all the time but I

keep trying to find ways to get thru the days and be optomistic.

Just wanted to tell you that I have found two of my very best friends in the

whole world through this group.......

Gentle Hugs

Pat in So. Ore.

<faith_4_me_2@...> wrote:

Is it because I am new in here or is it because I just have fibro and

arthritis that my questions are not important? I posted this question

yesterday and I have not had anyone who has cared enough to answer yet.

(See message below)

Ok, so yeah, I have my first trip to a pain specialist coming up this

coming week. I have osteo-arthritis, arthritis, gout, and fibro. I am

currently on several medications from my primary care and rheumie. I am

also going to have a sleep study test done toward the middle of Feb. My

questions are:

1. What am I to expect from the pain specialist? How is he going to

help me where the primary care and rheumie couldn't?

2. Is it normal to have pain still after being on high doses of pain

meds, anti-inflams & vicadin?

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on Answers.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I understand your impatience but remember that mostly everyone here is not

feeling well and may not read or respond to email daily. That being said, I

am going to a pain specialist and he was the only one that actually helped

the quality of my life. Pain specialists are more concerned with ridding

you of your pain than other doctors. Sometimes, things need to be treated

aggressively and therefore different meds and/or methods may be used. A

sleep test is good, also, because if you're not sleeping well, that can

create it's own problems. I took one of those a few years ago where I took

a machine home with me and slept with it connected to me. Fortunately (or

not) I don't have trouble sleeping, unless I'm in a lot of pain. But the

pain specialist should be working closely with you and keeping an eye on

your pain level.

It is " normal " to have pain after being on high doses of pain meds,

anti-inflams & vicodin, at least for me. Lately, I've had to go into my

pain specialist every few weeks to get injections in my worst joints and I'm

on a cocktail of meds.

It's helpful to write down the date and what problems you're having and

bring it with you to your appointment. I do that to let him know what has

been going on since I've last seen him because I usually would forget to

mention things at my appointment. Best of luck and I hope you feel better

soon.

Joanne, Chicago, IL

[ ] Pain Specialist - 2nd Posting - Please someone answer!

> Is it because I am new in here or is it because I just have fibro and

> arthritis that my questions are not important? I posted this question

> yesterday and I have not had anyone who has cared enough to answer yet.

> (See message below)

>

>

> Ok, so yeah, I have my first trip to a pain specialist coming up this

> coming week. I have osteo-arthritis, arthritis, gout, and fibro. I am

> currently on several medications from my primary care and rheumie. I am

> also going to have a sleep study test done toward the middle of Feb. My

> questions are:

> 1. What am I to expect from the pain specialist? How is he going to

> help me where the primary care and rheumie couldn't?

> 2. Is it normal to have pain still after being on high doses of pain

> meds, anti-inflams & vicadin?

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I think there are others that feel as I do. That is, I do not have a good or

knowledgeable answer so I wait to see what others post.

I have not been to a pain management doctor but my husband has seen several

different doctors and none have really been a help. His pain source is still

undiagnosed. They try to find the source but with that exhausted they try to

relieve the pain.

Here, North FL, seeing a pain specialist is needed to cover legal problems.

Even pain doctors find themselves in deep trouble. Currently there is a local

pain management doctor serving a long prison sentence saying he was dealing

drugs illegally. Whether he was or not a jury found him guilty. The truth

probably will never be known but that makes other doctors skittish. Pain

specialist are on a little more solid legal ground than other doctors. Many

other doctors won't prescribe such things as Vicodan. Pain doctors have to be

very careful.

He no longer sees a pain doctor as our GP is taking a chance and prescribing for

him. To get these meds he has to see the GP each month at which time a new

prescription is written and then he has a limited number of days, almost hours,

to get it filled.

There are those who continue to have pain regardless of what the situation is.

I hope you are not one of them. Here's expecting the best for you.

Betty

[ ] Pain Specialist - 2nd Posting - Please someone answer!

Is it because I am new in here or is it because I just have fibro and

arthritis that my questions are not important? I posted this question

yesterday and I have not had anyone who has cared enough to answer yet.

(See message below)

Ok, so yeah, I have my first trip to a pain specialist coming up this

coming week. I have osteo-arthritis, arthritis, gout, and fibro. I am

currently on several medications from my primary care and rheumie. I am

also going to have a sleep study test done toward the middle of Feb. My

questions are:

1. What am I to expect from the pain specialist? How is he going to

help me where the primary care and rheumie couldn't?

2. Is it normal to have pain still after being on high doses of pain

meds, anti-inflams & vicadin?

[Guest guest]

,

Pain is real and big with arthritis, myself, I had went through a pain

management clinic for my back, my arthiritis is all through my body, spine

sacrum joint. I had several nerve blocks done, and finally they did radio

frequency blocks on both sides of my spine. And unbelievably I have been pain

free in the spine for a year and half now. The Doctor told me it could last up

to 2 years or longer pending on if I do the physical therapy exercises. I can

not tell you how much PT I have been through, it does help, but overall the pain

does not go away completely, you have good days or bad days with it. I was in so

much pain I could no longer sleep at night. My RA Doc sent me to a spine center.

My right hip was out of place, I was diagnosed with spondylitis also. I did PT

for 2 months and then started the pain management sessions. As of now I take

Enbrel, mobic, MXT, folic acid, prednisone, and vicodin, If I am in a lot of

pain I take 2 tylenols with the vicodin, kind of gives

it a kick. I also use Bio Freeze, a rub highly used by PT's , I also rotate

between hot and cold, ice on the flares, heat on the back. It's not easy dealing

with the pain, it will cause you to be fatigued. The radio nerve blocks

consisted of having a bunch of needles stuck in my spine, while the Dr. put

medicine in and burned off the nerve ends that sensor the pain. It does work,

and I know that these type of clinics do pain in other locations of the body as

well. The name of the place I went to is called Matrix, it is in Saginaw

Michigan, I'm sure you may be able to find some info on the web about. Good

Luck, and don't let it get you down, I am on my 7th, year of being diagnosed,

And my fingers are just now starting to cripple. I'm 47 years old, and far from

being ready to let this disease beat me. Jean

isa <faith_4_me_2@...> wrote:

Is it because I am new in here or is it because I just have fibro and

arthritis that my questions are not important? I posted this question

yesterday and I have not had anyone who has cared enough to answer yet.

(See message below)

Ok, so yeah, I have my first trip to a pain specialist coming up this

coming week. I have osteo-arthritis, arthritis, gout, and fibro. I am

currently on several medications from my primary care and rheumie. I am

also going to have a sleep study test done toward the middle of Feb. My

questions are:

1. What am I to expect from the pain specialist? How is he going to

help me where the primary care and rheumie couldn't?

2. Is it normal to have pain still after being on high doses of pain

meds, anti-inflams & vicadin?

[Guest guest]

Year before last, I was in the hospital with pneumonia. The Hospitalist on

my case was my old GP from the clinic downstairs. I talked with him and told

him I was convinced that if I took more MS Contin in the morning and the

normal amount in the evening, it would make things a lot better. Without

hesitation, he wrote me a prescription for 15 mg tabs to go along with the

30's I was taking. It was a 3 month supply and I took them that way. The

only problem was that it didn't make any difference! I still don't know what

role the morphine is playing, but am going to stay with it for a while

longer. I don't know anything else to do.

Dennis in Eastexas

" It's not Rocket Surgery "

Re: [ ] Pain Specialist - 2nd Posting - Please someone

answer!

>

> In a message dated 1/28/07 6:23:58 PM, betnden@... writes:

>

>

>> I am taking morphine for the pain

>>

>

> Does the effect wear off if you do not increase the dose?

> Thanks,

> Pris

[Guest guest]

Thanks for all the overwhelming information! I am beginning to think

that maybe a Pain Specialist isn't the route to go? Humm..! LOL! Here

is how this all got started. In 2002 I ended up in the ER with a

bloodclot in the leg. Fast forward to 2004 when I thought I had

another one in the same leg, and ended up in the ER again, only to

find out I had Gout that had settled in the knee (of all places). My

GP sent me to Rhuemie since he also knew that I have osteo arthris (I

have one Total Knee Replacement, one to go-bone-on-bone). It was then

I found out I had arthritis in my hands. Over the years since my

first TKR, I started experience leg, feet, toe cramps. I thought it

was a circulation thing, my (old, fired) GP thought it was a lack of

potassium which it wasn't. I have a total hysterectomy Oct 31, 2006,

and the leg/foot/toe cramps have lessened tremendously. So, I thought

I was in the clear with that. But the hand, elbow, feet, knees, hips,

shoulders, neck, etc, etc... hurt all the time. Ok, so I thought is

my gout acting up? Oh, did I mention that my hysterectomy was due to

endometriosis(sp), and my fallopian tube/ovaries were attached to my

uterus. I didn't feel the pain of much else as that was more painful

than anything else.

Ok, back to the gout. Went back to my rheumie who examined me and

looked at my most recent labs and said that my gout is well under

control with my Allopurinol. Then he mentioned if I hurt in my elbows

when he touched it. OUCH did I! It was then he started doing the

Fibro points. He diagnosed me then, and asked me if anyone in my

family had this. Well, ok, he is a busy guy and apparently didn't

look back at his records from two years back huh? Yes, my birth

mother also has fibro. It was then he told me that rheumie's only

diagnose it, it is PCP's that care for it. SO, back to my PCP doc

with husband in tow. Doc has report from Rheumie, and puts me on

Gabapentin, which is nasty stuff and really not helping, makes me

lose my train of thought and stumble over my words. I am also on

Relafen, Allopurinol and Vicadin. This is in addition to my blood

pressure, allergy, migraine and diet meds. arghh!

>

> Is it because I am new in here or is it because I just have fibro

and

> arthritis that my questions are not important? I posted this

question

> yesterday and I have not had anyone who has cared enough to answer

yet.

> (See message below)

>

>

> Ok, so yeah, I have my first trip to a pain specialist coming up

this

> coming week. I have osteo-arthritis, arthritis, gout, and fibro. I

am

> currently on several medications from my primary care and rheumie.

I am

> also going to have a sleep study test done toward the middle of

Feb. My

> questions are:

> 1. What am I to expect from the pain specialist? How is he going to

> help me where the primary care and rheumie couldn't?

> 2. Is it normal to have pain still after being on high doses of pain

> meds, anti-inflams & vicadin?

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

I too got Gout In the joints above my toes on one of my feet!!! I don't

think anything really helps with the pain of gout/ I actually wound up with

osteomyelitis and had to have two of my toes surgically scraped because they

had

turned black and I couldn't walk, it felt like someone was putting out a

cigarette on my foot with every step, but it is gone now. I still have the

residual pain in that foot. So I think it is good that you are being diligent

in

seeing other Dr's and getting other opinions. Please continue to share with

us. Thank you.

Carol M. in CA

@>~~~~