Re: Jen: Re: What pain clinic questions do I need to ask?

[Guest guest]

M. G. wrote:

> For some reason why if I say I horde my pain medication

> sounds bad because I am just meaning that I don't take my pills as

> prescribed because of 3 kids I have to take care of and try to take care of

the house as best as I can.

M.G

I have been sick with fibro flare but wanted to get some information to you.

Walgreens has a medical bracelet that hooks up to your computer to have your

whole medical history.

When you have any tests, ask for a copy of the report.

We have done our own histories on our computer. The American Pain Foundation has

publications on this subject and a Target Pain Journal. A doctor I went to

required his patients to do a pain dairy and I have a copy I did but the

American Pain Foundation and Pain Topics. Org has information on this.

Doctors are used to reading medical notes and they appreciate a timeline. The

psychiatrists have to write down your physical and reactive condition and I also

have situational depression but when you have a bout of depression you can get a

condition called kindling which means you are more susceptible to depression.

Here is the website and below are some descriptions of some of the brochures :

http://www.painfoundation.org/learn/publications/

It is normal for intractable Pain Patients to hoard because of the fear of not

being able to have their pain controlled. It is part of the Flight or Fight

response of the body to protect itself.

There are also medical forms or templates that prompt questions to ask .

Some of the interventional Pain Management Doctors require you have spinal

injections and for me it caused extensive scarring and a condition called

arachoidnitis which is very painful.

I have had a three level spinal fusion with instrumentation and I want to get

the hardware out but have to get my body healthy before having the surgery

Below are the descriptions of the publications you can download for free. I

hope the best for you and I always ask the doctors what requirements and

treatment plans they adhere to and their protocol for pain.

-Explain Your Pain

This brochure, with its easy-to-use self assessment worksheet, allows you to

record and visually describe where your pain hurts, how it feels and when it

hurts to your health care provider so he/she can assess your pain more

effectively. Available in English and Spanish.

-Finding a Health Care Provider for Your Pain

No one should have to live with pain, and ignoring it will only lead to more

suffering. Finding the right health care provider to treat your pain is an

important step in getting relief. Take the time to find a health care provider

who has the education, skills and willingness to work with you to manage your

pain.

-Pain Resource Guide: Getting the Help You Need

Our booklet is designed to help you take charge of your pain care. It provides

important information about pain and tips to assist you in getting the quality

pain care you deserve. Also included are pages to help you list your health care

team and record your questions and concerns for appointments with your

healthcare provider(s). We hope this will be an invaluable resource for you.

-Pain Resource Guide: Getting the Help You Need

Our booklet is designed to help you take charge of your pain care. It provides

important information about pain and tips to assist you in getting the quality

pain care you deserve. Also included are pages to help you list your health care

team and record your questions and concerns for appointments with your

healthcare provider(s). We hope this will be an invaluable resource for you.

***Target Chronic Pain (This is the pain journal with forms)

Target Chronic Pain publications are easy-to-use practical tools for pain

assessment, management and communication. The Pain Notebook helps you maintain a

record of your pain and communicate your experiences. It's extremely useful when

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

and side effects. Additional pages are available for printing and include Daily

Log, Easing Pain, Healthcare Team, Medications, Pain Scale and Questions &

Concerns worksheets.

-The Target Chronic Pain Card is designed to give healthcare professionals a

road map to providing quality chronic pain assessment and relief. The card

contains useful resources, including protective strategies to guard against

addiction, abuse and diversion, and graphs to help explain components of chronic

pain.

-Tools - Chronic Opioid Therapy

Chronic Opioid Therapy: Preparing for Your Appointments

If you are prescribed an opioid to help manage your pain, there are many things

you need to know. This new worksheet will help you prepare for follow up medical

appointments. Use this in combination with APF’s Targeting Chronic Pain

Notebook.

-Opioid Dos and Don’ts to Help Avoid Problems

Opioid Dos and Don'ts can help you stay safe and avoid problems when taking an

opioid. For more information about how to safely use opioids and other pain

therapies, visit www.painsafe.org.

Chronic Opioid Therapy Worksheet: A Companion to Chronic Pain Treatment designed

for health care providers is an easy-to-use worksheet that delineates key

components that should be included in each interaction with patients receiving

chronic opioid therapy.

- SIX OPIOID SAFETY (SOS) STEPS that everyone needs to follow when using opioids

to treat pain.

This is one of the best resources I have found besides Dr. Forest Tennents

" Survival Guide for Intractable Pain Patients " and can be downloaded.

I hope this helps you and let us know how your visit goes. I try to be positive

and hide my pain because I always had a high pain threshold so I kid and smile

which is a defense mechanism and I would tell your Doctor that you do this so he

has a understanding and does not mis read your signals.

I have had one Doctor write some remarks that I was non compliant because I had

to reschedule two appointments but his Nurse approved it and the two reschedules

were because of my Mothers Death and Military training. I did a Memo with my

Mothers Death Certificate and my military orders and requested it be put in my

Medical Records.

Good Luck and hope this info helps you . I do not bring my meds but write them

all down Bennie