Re: Pain meds for those truly in Chronic Pain

[Guest guest]

Moderator's note:

Please contact Mel privately if you know a doctor who can help.

Kaylene

what state are you in, Mel.

>Mel wrote:

>Does anyone have a good response for Dr.s' who don't give any pain meds,

because

they don't want a patient to become addicted? I've had chronic pain for several

years now. Tried injections, seizure meds, fibro meds, supplements, etc. Yet no

one will give pain meds. In meantime, pain levels mean I can't work, function,

think, and have caused documented cognitive issues.

[Guest guest]

I'm in Missouri. I know someone who works with quite a few veterans. Many have

permanent injuries. The thing I find ironic is that they can go to our

local VA and get lots of meds for pain. Some very strong pain meds and in

more than adequate quantities.

I'm not trying to 'shop' for a doctor who will give me pain meds. Nor have

I gone to doctor's specifically seeking pain medication. But after all of

these tests, invasive procedures, and other meds with their side effects; I

have just started to question why I am unable to get something to help

alleviate the pain.

However, I am so frustrated because my life has been changed so dramatically and

yet I can't get a doctor to understand that if I

could reduce my pain even a moderate amount, then I could function more

normally. I would be able to think more clearly and even work from home. The

doctors just don't seem to understand that chronic pain changes a person in many

ways.

The most recent doctor had the nerve to ask if I was beginning to get

depressed over the pain, or anxious! I informed him that I'm not depressed now,

but if this continues I could become depressed. He wanted to try more steroids,

which I've developed a bad reaction to, or NSAIDS which I can't take due to GI

issues. Then he replied that that didn't leave much else!

Ugh, sorry, but this is eating at me the last few days.

Mel

[Guest guest]

After considerable research for the best canidate available in the field,I

recently changed Rheumatologists, because my former one had the same negative

policy about pain medications.

When the new doctor came in to see me I told him I needed to ask some question's

before I could decide if he was the doctor I wanted to hire to care for me. He

said sure. I asked whether or not he had an on-call doctor available when he was

not? He said yes.

I asked if a " real person " answers the phone during business hours as opposed to

a tape recorded message? He said yes. I asked if he would see me in the hospital

if I was admitted as opposed, to a " Hospitalist " if I needed to be admitted? He

said yes and told me which hospitals he was affiliated with.

I then asked if he agreed with the following statement: I said, " I feel any

doctor worth his or her salt should be able to prescribe his patient pain

medications in a safe and non-addictive fashion as needed for pain, chronic or

acute without hesitation or concern. " He said, " I agree. " I said, " I think we

can work together. "

Hope this helps. Remember, the doctor is your employee, not the other way

around. If your's is not working out, fire him and find someone else. P.S. I

don't have great insurance...I'm on Medicare and Medicade. If you put in the

work, you will find someone good.

Debie

[Guest guest]

Hi Mel,

I can totally understand what you are saying!

Before I got on disability, I worked in the medical field and the doctors act

like they are afraid to give anyone pain meds!

I saw a doctor and he told me vicodin was the only thing they could give me and

if that didn't work, I was out of luck! I was thinking are you kidding me? These

doctors have no idea what it's like to be in pain, chronic pain everyday 24/7!!

They need to have some compassion and help people instead of judging them and

labeling them as drug seekers!

I am blessed to have an awesome pain doctor who will help me any way he can.

Every month when I see him he asks if I need anything changed or increased.

We as patients need to stand up for ourselves and not be listened to!

I hope things get better soon for you.

~ in CA

>Mel wrote:

>I'm not trying to 'shop' for a doctor who will give me pain meds. Nor have I

gone to doctor's specifically seeking pain medication. But after all of these

tests, invasive procedures, and other meds with their side effects; I have just

started to question why I am unable to get something to help alleviate the pain.

>However, I am so frustrated because my life has been changed so dramatically

and yet I can't get a doctor to understand that if I

could reduce my pain even a moderate amount, then I could function more

normally. I would be able to think more clearly and even work from home. The

doctors just don't seem to understand that chronic pain changes a person in many

ways.

>The most recent doctor had the nerve to ask if I was beginning to

get depressed over the pain, or anxious! I informed him that I'm not depressed

now, but if this continues I could become depressed. He wanted to try more

steroids, which I've developed a bad reaction to, or NSAIDS which I can't take

due to GI issues. Then he replied that that didn't leave much else!

[Guest guest]

--- Mel wrote:

>

> Does anyone have a good response for Dr.s' who don't give any pain meds,

because they don't want a patient to become addicted?>

Hi Mel, Not all pain clinics are the same. I tried a pain clinic several years

ago and they couldn't help me.

Finally my neurologist referred me to a pain doctor. I hesitated to go because

of previous rejections. Then my neurologist told me that he has worked with this

pain doctor before. She helped me more than anyone did before.

Then I contacted the first pain clinic I went to thinking maybe now they would

help me, but the answer was still no. I moved last year and found a closer pain

clinic. It took a lot of work to transfer but it has been a great experience.

Please note these medications make it difficult for me work because I can't

concentrate and I make too many mistakes.

Yesterday there was a newspaper article about a local medical doctor whose

license was suspended because he prescribed pain medications improperly.

I hope this helps.

[Guest guest]

> wrote:

>Yesterday there was a newspaper article about a local medical doctor whose

license was suspended because he prescribed pain medications

improperly.

Hi Everyone

Doctors are walking a very, very fine line now when prescribing narcotics. Most

states have a pharmacy review board and they check to

see how many narcotics each doctor writes. They do not always bother to notice

that this is a pain specialist etc.

Doctors have lost everything they own, their licenses and anything else the DEA

can take from them here in the states. It's crazy,

but I'm sure it's easier and they have more to confiscate than many drug

dealers. Doctors, don't keep weapons in their office

to shoot the DEA folks.

Hopefully, this will blow over one of these days.

Kaylene

[Guest guest]

, mygardenpeace wrote:

> Does anyone have a good response for Dr.s' who don't give any pain meds,

because they don't want a patient to become addicted? I've had chronic pain for

several years now. Tried injections, seizure meds, fibro meds, supplements, etc.

Yet no one will give pain meds. In meanwhile, pain levels mean I can't work,

function, think, and have caused documented cognitive issues.

Mel

i would contact the local hospital and ask the pain management doctors on staff

that prescribe medication management. The doctors that do intervention pain

management are usually anesthesiologists that do spinal injections and spinal

procedures and do not like to do medication management.

Be sure to check the website of the pain management doctor you are considering

to see if they do medication management. You have the right to refuse

intervention therapy and ask to be referred to a doctor that you can be assessed

for medication management.

That is what I had to do. Good Luck. What state do you live in as there are Pain

Patient Laws and you need to be checked. Yes this is a huge movement as

guidelines are be set by the State of Washington that is limiting prescribing as

a guideline for Best Practices and this is being preached at Doctors Seminars

everywhere. It is just suggestions but some Doctors are taking it as law.

This group Washington State's draft opioid dosing guideline

www.agencymeddirectors.wa.gov/Files/2006FAQV8.pdf developed the guidelines that

were set into law in July 2011 and is being preached to other states. I would

have to cut back my medications if these guidelines were law and it treats all

people as drug addicts and does not make concession for cancer patients or

patients with intractable pain and terminal prognosis.

It concerns me when one state limits opioid medication and another state close

by will dispense double to triple amounts to put yourself to sleep. It doesn't

make sense. Pain is Pain and it needs to be controlled. What next ? Insulin for

Diabetics being limited ? It just doesn't make sense.

Bennie

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately, there are only 3 rheumatologists who

are in my network and they are members of the same practice. I had already quit

one of the others and after a few conversations with the facility manager (and a

4 month wait), was able to get one of the others to see me. This new one is the

one I just saw last week for the first time, and is also the one who made the

statement about pain meds. So, it appears I will not be finding a rheumy who

will be giving me any pain meds for some time.

> Debie wrote:

> Hope this helps. Remember, the doctor is your employee, not the other way

around. If your's is not working out, fire him and find someone else. P.S. I

don't have great insurance...I'm on Medicare and Medicade. If you put in the

work, you will find someone good.