Re: Looking for a doctor

[Guest guest]

Hi Jai,

How are you doing this wonderful holiday season? I trust your pain

levels are on an even keel and manageable as long as you don't overdo it?

It is wonderful that you have treating physicians who have stuck by you

through all of this! I did have initially but after 3 years everything

started changing. Then I had the same docs for the next 7 years and for

the past year I have been searching for a doctor who is willing to be my

treating physician. I have seen all the physiatrists in the area and

they all said they can't help me. I have been to all the pain clinics

and they said I have had all the treatments that are available to date

and they can't do anything more either.

I just need someone to manage my meds and make referrals. I don't

understand why my last treating physician (who took care of me for 7

years) cannot do this. She will not prescribe anything stronger than

synalgos, no oxycontin or vicodin or anything like that, long term and

when my pain got out of control and I kept asking for oxycontin I think

it damaged our relationship. Nothing else worked before but now I am not

taking it anymore. I do have the new psychiatrist who is a pain

management specialist who does prescribe oxycontin long term so that is

not the issue. He would be my treating physician except that the

insurance company will not let him because he is a psychiatrist mainly.

He is very nice and understanding and we will work well together but

under worker's comp law I still need a treating physician. The last one

I just saw was a neurologist and he says he can't help me either.

Any other ideas for a different type of doc? Maybe a rheumatologist? If

RSD burns itself out and becomes simply chronic pain, who do you see?

When you have seen the best orthos and you have a mechanical problem with

tendons at the ankle, who do you see? I do have the podiatrist on

standby (need a new referral to go back to him) and he is willing to do

stress view x-rays to see if he can define the instability and help with

it. I have had steroid injections, physical therapy and meds, rest and

overuse of the ankle and it is no better than it was the day after I

stepped in the hole 4/13/99. The peroneal nerve has settled down because

of the surgery in August but the initial problem is still there. Who do

I turn to for help now?

Well, Jai, thanks for letting me think out loud! LOL My friends are so

tired of hearing about my problems and surgeries and all. My family

tries to understand and helps all they can (excluding Grandma) but I

don't like to depend on anyone for anything. I am not a whiner and don't

complain much until the pain is way out of control. Then I just want to

be left alone so I retreat. Now I have my own home and I can lounge all

day without feeling guilty if I need to! I have a lot left to get done

before tomorrow morning so I had better get busy! Take care and Merry

Christmas Jai, Debbie/JD

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