Re: I see a therapist

[Guest guest]

((()))

I have found that most doctors do not understand chronic pain. My therapist

used to work with chronic pain patients and he tried to tell me that I didn't

really need the pain medication! I think he is beginning to understand that the

medication is necessary as part of the treatment. Don't give up. Educate. Even

the professionals need it. Hope you are getting some relief soon. Huzs,

Tami

>

> Caitlin

> i see a therapist and a psychiatrist, but they neither one agree with any

type of pain management. the people who abuse them have made it so hard on those

of us who really need them. i am just waiting to hear something from my doctor.

my family doctor is not in on Fridays so looks like it will be a long weekend.

> thank you

> in Kentucky (harleyhoney)

>

[Guest guest]

from Kentucky,

Here in Boston, many of the psychiatrists who do pain management don't believe

in prescribing opiates to people with non-cancer severe chronic pain that does

not respond to anything else. These behind-the-times doctors won't prescribe

opiates to patients that have a very low risk of abusing them. When you read the

research on the treatment of severe, poorly controlled chronic pain, this is not

the standard of care.

I am fortunate that I have an enlightened neurologist and we've worked hard to

get my pain under control as best as we can. She does read the literature and

does follow the current standard of care. I once listened to my neurologist give

a PCP h*ll because he refused to prescribe a medically necessary opiate to a

medically stable, chronic pain patient who was ready to have his care

transferred back to primary care. She told me that she had to ask the patient to

request that his primary care be transfered to a different doctor and she had to

pull strings to get someone she knew to take the case. The last I knew, he was

getting the care he needs.

If your psychiatrist and/or therapist flat out believes that opiates are never

appropriate to control severe, chronic pain, the best thing you can do is to

discontinue treatment immediately and to find another therapist and/or

psychiatrist. That therapist or psychiatrist is either not knowledgeable about

chronic pain management or is incompetent. A therapist or psychiatrist who

believes this is likely to view pain as " It's All In Your Head... " and will make

very nasty assumptions that could ultimately do you a lot of harm (like making

it difficult to get or stay on Social Security Disability or Long Term

Disability, like ruining your reputation as a patient, such as spreading the

word that you are a malingerer, making it difficult for you to get appropriate

medical care). I'm very careful with mental health pros, because they are some

of the most prejudicial people I've ever met. Many of them are quick to

diagnose, quick to label. Sometimes, they have too much power and ordinary

people are too quick to believe them over you--even when you can prove that they

are flat out wrong!

Go Wildcats! (I used to live in Southwestern Ohio and I was a Kentucky fan.)

Best of Luck,

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