Re: I saw the Doctor and.......

[Guest guest]

I was just faced with something similar when I lost medical insurance. I

used benadryl to let me sleep thru withdrawals. I would investigate

a free clinic. Can your regular doctor just prescribe you enough mess for a week

at a time?

While it is a Shame that you are 32 and in pain...that doesn't mean that

anyone should tell you to just suck it up.

Have you found a position that gives you relief? I find that if I stay in

bed on my side, I can do with less meds.

I saw a behavioral health specialist. I was put on Cymbalta. It helps

with neuropathy and is an antidepressant. I was also given Wellbutrin.

Selling is massive amounts of folic acid which helped boost when I was in

antidepressants for a.while.

Fighting pain can be an emotional battle as well as a physical one.

A friend who has a broken back has her psychiatrist prescribe oxycontin.

Don't know how that came to be, but it works for her.

Ellen

> in AZ wrote:

>

> " Your 32, you should be just fine " " why don't you just deal with this

> pain " he kept saying how young I was and then asking about my previous

> doctor and I told him that I miss him and that he was a very good doctor.

> omg I am so scared that I just may run out of meds and if I do then what?

[Guest guest]

SABRINA,

You don't need him so if you have to ask for another referral do so and check

out all the pain doctors in the area and their reviews. You will be able to tell

by their websites also because the ones that do injections only say they do

interventional pain therapy so stay away for those.

Look for the websites that state they treat pain in a comprehensive manner with

medication therapy, physical therapy, counseling, and alternative therapies and

last but not least injections and other interventional therapies.

I would look at the American Pain Foundation on how to find a provider but most

of us have to do our pain management doctors like interviewing the physician.

You need to start immediately and not be on there run around. Your local

hospital will have a physician referral service also.

I like to choose a physician in a group practice in case the one physician is

sick, I have someone else to treat me. Urgent care usually will not give you

narcotics, go to the Emergency Room. Is this your primary care Doctor ? Well if

it is , you need to change Doctors and try to get an internal medicine as they

are more receptive to identifying disorders.

You get a second opinion for a primary care doctor and insurance will pay for

this and even third opinion. This is your life you are talking about and start

keeping a pain dairy so the Doctor you finally see will see the documentation of

you pain, what helps, what your triggers are and what has and has not helped.

There is one online at the American Pain Foundation under Publications and

Target Pain Notebook. Doctors tend to take you more seriously when this type of

information is presented to them and ask them to place it in your medical

records.

I copied the information so you can see what they are like but you need to go to

the American Pain Foundation, click on toolbar heading " Learn About Pain " ,

then click on Publications and there are ten to fifteen listed there

Hope that helps. This Doctor is probably affiliated with a Hospital and I would

call there and see what ever other Doctors are available and you don' t feel

comfortable with this Doctor. Good Luck and let us know.

Target Chronic Pain Notebook

The Pain Notebook is an easy-to-use tool to help you maintain a record of your

pain and communicate your experiences. It's an extremely useful tool when

discussing levels of pain, response to treatment and improvements in functioning

and side effects.

http://www.painfoundation.org/

[Guest guest]

Kick him in the crotch and ask him, " why don't you just deal with the

pain? " Then, tell him to see a psychiatrist

I'm 22 and I've been in pain my entire life. I was put on Duragesic

when I was 19. I was put on Vicodin about a week after I turned 18.

Urgent care centers usually don't handle withdrawals, most of them

will just tell you to go to the ER. Who was prescribing for you

before? Do you have a PCP? Would they prescribe for you until you can

find a REAL pain doctor? The doctor who previously prescribed is

liable for malpractice if he or she doesn't continue to prescribe

until they find you a new doctor or safely taper your dose. If you end

up in withdrawal, go to the ER and file complaints against the doctor

who abandoned you. Usually, if you gently remind them that they are

liable if you end up in withdrawal, they'll give you a couple of weeks

worth of meds to keep you safe. Withdrawal can kill, especially if you

have any other health issues.

What are you currently taking? (you mentioned a fear of withdrawal)

I'm sorry I can't be more help, best of luck, and keep us informed

Steve M in PA

> in AZ wrote:

Oh Wow, I met my Doctor I just have to say I had a major headache

while in their. I didn't get my meds cause I have to see a Pain doctor

but what this Doctor said was not cool to me at all!!

" Your 32, you should be just fine " " why don't you just deal with this

pain " he kept saying how young I was and then asking about my previous

doctor and I told him that I miss him and that he was a very good

doctor. omg I am so scared that I just may run out of meds and if I do

then what?

[Guest guest]

(((((((()))))))) You have every right to be upset! Age, race, sex,

intelligence has nothing to do with how someone experiences pain!! However a

person experiences it, it is real

to that person.

Sadly few doctors are trained in pain management. I understand that the what

they get in med school is a brief course in post surgery pain management.

I believe that is a major problem in the US and is part of the reason this

country under treats pain.

I think all your concerns are valid! We who deal with chronic pain daily

understand completely. Don't let any doctor make you feel that your pain is all

in your head! It is real. It sounds like this doctor is not knowledgeable on

managing pain. I am glad you will be seeing a pain management doctor. My

experience is that at least there you will have your pain addressed properly.

Do you have additional methods to help with yoru pain? I find for me heat helps

and gentle stretching. Even with medication it is important to have other ways

to manage your pain.

Huge gentle hugs, Tami

> in AZ wrote:

>

> Oh Wow, I met my Doctor I just have to say I had a major headache while in

their. I didn't get my meds cause I have to see a Pain doctor but what this

Doctor said was not cool to me at all!!

>

> " Your 32, you should be just fine " " why don't you just deal with this pain "

he kept saying how young I was and then asking about my previous doctor and I

told him that I miss him and that he was a very good doctor. omg I am so scared

that I just may run out of meds and if I do then what?

[Guest guest]

Sorry, but Drs are NOT liable if you withdraw from your meds. If you have a pain

contract with the Dr read it to see if he/she has to rx you a months worth of

meds to get you through until you find another Dr.

[Guest guest]

If they put you in withdrawal and you die, they are liable for

malpractice. Maybe there are some states that don't protect that

patients. Also, Sorry, but a " pain contract " NEVER trumps state laws

or even medical board guidelines. Not not mention, most of the " pain

contracts " are jokes as far as legally binding contracts are

concerned.

They aren't required to give you the meds, but they are taking a

pretty big gamble if they don't. If I were forced to go cold turkey, I

would die and my doctor would get investigated and my wife could sue

for malpractice and wrongful death.

Heck, my pain management doctor wasn't my prescribing physician and to

cover his a~~, he still prescribed all of my meds last month to keep

me from going into withdrawal. I will admit, I am very luck, I have a

doctor with a conscience, which helped the situation.

In addition to laws, there are ethical implications to cold turkey-ing

a patient. I know that some medical school have done away with the

Hippocratic Oath, but most doctors abide by " First, Do No Harm " .

Plus, it's just bad business to kill off your patients. It makes it

hard to find new ones once the word gets around.

Steve M in PA

Sorry, but Drs are NOT liable if you withdraw from your meds. If you

have a pain contract with the Dr read it to see if he/she has to rx

you a months worth of meds to get you through until you find another

Dr.