Re: Multidisciplinary Pain Center

[Guest guest]

RIC is awesome. All of the MSCICs are. They are tops in the country for

any SCI/D. I think RIC houses theirs in two different buildings, but at

Shepherd, they are all in one big building. Shepherd is located in the city

limits of ATL, in a part of the city called " Midtown " , so its not all the

way downtown. I did my IP rehab after my last surgery at Shepherd. Then I

transitioned to their day program (PT from 8a-5p M-F, but you stay at your

home or some apartments they have nearby if you don't live locally) before

I transitioned to their OP PT program. They have great MDs at Shepherd, but

like I said, they were just messed up. Maybe now would be better, with

their new appointment structure and now that I'm stable on my meds and only

see my physiatrist every 3 months for refills. But, at the time, I was

seeing several different docs more often trying to get things stabilized.

I'm not sure what you meant about the psychiatrist - I've never seen one of

those since my TC diagnosis (aside from the therapist assigned to my case

when I was an IP. Every IP is assigned and sees a therapist, even if it is

as it was in my case - they would pop in my room and ask if everything was

going ok and if I needed anything or wanted to talk. Basically just trying

to catch patients who are not coping well early - before they may even

notice they are not coping well.

It may be easier to get in to see the physiatrists sooner (ie: emergent

basis) than it used to be since Shepherd restructured the appointments. You

call the call center/appointment line and then they will have a RN call you

back that evaluates what is going on to determine if you need to come in

before your next scheduled appt or if you don't have an appt scheduled, if

you can wait until the next available or if they need to work you into the

schedule. I just found them to be very " strict " (for lack of a better word)

as to what qualified as a condition that needed to be seen sooner than

later. But it wasn't that big a deal since I ultimately went back to the

physiatrist I had been seeing shortly after I started my TC journey. But

the MDs at Shepherd are top notch (Shepherd wouldn't be a MSCIC if they

weren't). Ultimately, I just preferred the physiatrist I had been seeing

who owned his own practice (it used to be nice and small. His practice sure

has grown in the 10-11 years i have been seeing him!) His office is in a

northern suburb of ATL. It used to be in Roswell, but about a year ago, he

moved even farther north to Cumming.

Jenn

On Wed, Nov 23, 2011 at 6:39 PM, Dybowski wrote:

> **

>

>

> A bit confused..

> They have 2 centers in Chicago, one is a pain clinic, and the other

> is rehabilitation. I did not hear anything about a urologist/GI etc. But

> it's possible they have one.

> So you go Downtown and see the pain physician or see the psychiatrist

> etc. I only see their pain docs. I schedule my appointments in advance, and

> if I need to go in earlier that's arranged. If you have severe pain and

> need more they have an inpatient program also where you are there all week,

> or a few days.

> They have vocational and PT services at their other location.

> Been going there for a year and no issues so far.

> If you are only a pain patient you go in every 3-6 months for a med/status

> check, and get refills sent to your home. I found them online, they were

> voted one of the best in pain management.

> This is their website: http://www.ric.org/

>

>

>

>

>

> > **

> >

> >

> > I know there has been some talk in the " rant " about a pain center that

> > does everything. My pain clinic- Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago does

> > it all.They have a full month program (M-F) and 2 x a week, 1x a week

> with

> > EVERYONE. So biofeedback, PT, Psychiatrist etc...

> > If anyone is near the area I would highly suggest going there. Or if you

> > know of someone please pass it along.

> > They also see patients out of state, so if you are having trouble getting

> > proper treatment I would call them. I believe that for pain management

> you

> > would fly in every 6 months or so, and the meds are mailed via Walgreens

> > and delivered to you.

> > I found them while I had no meds or hope and they have been a lifesaver

>

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Oh ok gotcha 

They make you see a shrink for 2 hours on your first visit to make sure you are

OK to be prescribed meds.. what other issues are plaguing your life etc. Like a

mental health appointment! 

I have not seen her since though..

I go in every 6 months now and just call in my refills, I have been able to get

my meds changed over the phone also (increase) when they were too swamped to see

me, before I was going in every 3 months or so, but same thing as at Shepherd, I

call in and speak to a nurse.I also have my docs direct line so I bother her on

occasion

I guess I LOVE them because they were the only place that does not judge

patients ever. My doc even asked if I drink or use pot, and if I do it's OK (my

first appointment) due to the pain I am in.The last doc left me high (no pun!)

and dry after wanting to do an epidural (after TC diagnosis)

I got so sick of going to these guys who were only interested in doing 10

injections, and when that didn't work they would send me on my way, or as one

did write me a script/referral for tailbone REMOVAL. I laugh now, but those were

some terrible times.

-->

> 

[Guest guest]

Now, my experience with RIC was dreadful. I was supposed to be there

for 2 months while on massive steroids, before I decided whether or

not to have my 5th detethering. They kept rooming me with car

accident patients (some who were actually 'fibbing' a bit about the

extent of their injuries).

One roommate and her family wanted her to have a private room, so they

simply drove me out by purposely shoving dishes/glasses onto my bed.

Then insisting I had issues. Since my family was not as available, I

was treated as though it was my bad behavior. Even my family couldn't

believe how obnoxious this stuff was until they heard the family

screaming at me one night over the phone.

The whole thing was terrible and I had no advocate who gave a crap.

As a kind of grand finale, RIC Staff actually put on my records,

" Patient looks older than age " . What in the h*(( is that supposed to

mean? Is that a medical opinion? I ripped up the copy that was

supposed to go to the hospital, finished out my course of steroids

without any problem at home, and decided to have the last surgery (so

far) in the longest period of time to date.

Overall, they had put me on the wrong floor/wing. I was trying to

decide if I wanted to have a detethering surgery. At that point, I

didn't need wheelchair training. Nothing was relevant to me at all.

They had very poor listening skills and I could see them, in their

zeal, breaking a limb on someone because they thought it should 'go

this way'. I guess, as a grand finale, I had made an appointment over

a year in advance with a doctor in their Spina Bifida Clinic. Two

weeks before the appointment she had left. Hahhaa..

RIC has a 'sister' facility, ian Brothers. Safer, better, and more caring.

>

> ------------------------------------

>

> NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. We Are Not Doctors.

> Need help with list?Email Darlene: darlene_self@... or

> : hollygolightly1916@...

>                                                          

[Guest guest]

 that's funny because ian was terrible for me! They are one of my top

horror stories actually The guys made me pee in a cup and wanted to send me

home. I could barely walk due to a flare up while sitting. I had an order for

an MRI but they told me it would take 6 hours so... I had to convince them to

give me the order so I could go somewhere else. 

So I guess you never know...

I go to the outpatient clinic Downtown Chicago, over 1 year now and never any

issues. 

Subject: Re: Multidisciplinary Pain Center

To: tetheredspinalcord

Date: Monday, November 28, 2011, 4:59 PM

 

Now, my experience with RIC was dreadful. I was supposed to be there

for 2 months while on massive steroids, before I decided whether or

not to have my 5th detethering. They kept rooming me with car

accident patients (some who were actually 'fibbing' a bit about the

extent of their injuries).

One roommate and her family wanted her to have a private room, so they

simply drove me out by purposely shoving dishes/glasses onto my bed.

Then insisting I had issues. Since my family was not as available, I

was treated as though it was my bad behavior. Even my family couldn't

believe how obnoxious this stuff was until they heard the family

screaming at me one night over the phone.

The whole thing was terrible and I had no advocate who gave a crap.

As a kind of grand finale, RIC Staff actually put on my records,

" Patient looks older than age " . What in the h*(( is that supposed to

mean? Is that a medical opinion? I ripped up the copy that was

supposed to go to the hospital, finished out my course of steroids

without any problem at home, and decided to have the last surgery (so

far) in the longest period of time to date.

Overall, they had put me on the wrong floor/wing. I was trying to

decide if I wanted to have a detethering surgery. At that point, I

didn't need wheelchair training. Nothing was relevant to me at all.

They had very poor listening skills and I could see them, in their

zeal, breaking a limb on someone because they thought it should 'go

this way'. I guess, as a grand finale, I had made an appointment over

a year in advance with a doctor in their Spina Bifida Clinic. Two

weeks before the appointment she had left. Hahhaa..

RIC has a 'sister' facility, ian Brothers. Safer, better, and more caring.

>

> ------------------------------------

>

> NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. We Are Not Doctors.

> Need help with list?Email Darlene: darlene_self@... or

> : hollygolightly1916@...

>