My experience with pain and sleep last night, plus a brief update RE me getting into the pain clinic

[Guest guest]

I didn't realize how much pain I am actually in at night until last night. I

didn't take my half of a lortab before I went to bed because I don't want to run

out--it's a prescription I got in the ER for migraines, and I don't even know if

I've been accepted to the pain clinic yet. If I do get accepted, then it will be

probably 4-6 weeks before I get in. I won't have any pain meds during that

entire time if I run out of what I have and can't get anymore.

So, I didn't take it last night before I went to bed, which was at 9:15pm. I

could not get comfortable and did not fall asleep until after midnight, after

tossing and turning in and out of alpha wave sleep for three hours. I finally

gave in and took a half of a lortab just so I could get to sleep. It worked, but

I ended up losing three precious hours. :-\

I really hope that I can get in to see the doctor(s) at this pain clinic. The

referral clerk I spoke with said that there is a " good possibility " that I will

be accepted, due to my condition (spinal osteoarthritis and degenerative disc

disease) and given what treatments I have tried so far (just oral medication,

with nothing stronger than half of a lortab 7.5 once or twice a day

[occasionally up to 4 times per day] and tramadol; I forgot to tell her about

the cyclobenzaprine/Flexeril and the skelaxin, both antispasmodics).

She--Lynn, the referral clerk--said that I should definitely hear from her by

this Friday, but probably by Thursday (tomorrow). She said there was a chance I

might hear from her today, but I didn't, so I am praying that I hear from her

tomorrow. I am also praying STRONGLY that I will be accepted to this pain

clinic.

Assuming that I am accepted, then I am going to switch my PCP to someone who is

through the same hospital as the pain clinic, because right now my PCP is at a

different hospital. Switching is also a good idea because the pain clinic is in

the same hospital network as my neurologist, who referred me to the pain clinic;

and because my PCP is a 25 minute drive away, and her hospital when I have to go

there is about an hour away. The longest I'd have to drive to get to a doctor in

the hospital network where the pain clinic is (and that would be to get to the

pain clinic itself) is 35 minutes, and if I

see a PCP through that network, then I could potentially not need to drive more

than 15 minutes to get to that doctor.

Also if I am accepted to this pain clinic, then I am going to ask my

neurologist if he would be willing to prescribe for me enough pain medicine to

get me through until I see the pain doctor, assuming that the pain doctor will

prescribe pain meds. I am skeptical because their website says that they don't,

but rather that patients have to go through their PCPs or the doctors who

referred them in order to get prescriptions for medicine. But the pain clinic

does provide all sorts of injections, and spinal cord stimulators, pain pumps,

and things of that nature. Blah. I just want to feel better and not be in

constant, intolerable pain.

I could sure use some wishes/prayers/kind thoughts/hugs regarding waiting to get

in to see some sort of a pain doctor, and being able to make it that long.

Thanks,

e.h.