Rheumy don't want to prescibe pain meds

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I was wondering if any of you had a problem with a doctor not wanting to

prescribe pain medication.

When I was first diagnosed by my GP, she prescribed me Darvocet and Tylenol

3's for the pain. Neither one of them helped with the pain at all.

My Rheumy is against prescribing me narcotics for pain. He first had me

try Tramadol which done nothing for me at all. Then he had me try Indocin.

That doesn't do anything for me either. Then one day I couldn't handle

the pain so I called the office and talk to the nurse. She called in a

script for me for Vicodin.

Since the beginning of my diagnosis with RA over a year ago, The pain has

been wider spread through out my body. I now get flares in my

Jaw/neck/shoulder/elbow/wrist/hand/fingers/thumb/knee/ankle/foot/big toe.

When the flare in my jaw gets too bad to withstand I will take a Tylenol

3. That seems to help sometimes.

But a Tylenol 3 won't do anything for a flare that is anywhere else on my

body. There are times when vicodin will help me through a bad flare in one

of my wrists. But won't help anywhere else on my body.

I'm not a big drug user and will only take something for the pain if I'm

near screaming.

I've had a few whopper flares where I was to the point I just wanted to

die. None of the pain meds that I have been previously prescribed helped

at all. I called my Rheumy and asked for something stronger than vicodin.

They called back and said they won't prescribe anything stronger than

vicodin at this time. So I call back and told them how different meds work

with different parts of my body and that maybe I don't need anything stonger

maybe just something else. The nurse said that he isn't going to presrcibe

any pain meds at all.

I'm thinking about switching doctors. He doesn't listen to me. He goes

by what kind of swelling that I may have in my hands. He doesn't go by what

I say. I will tell him the meds are working because I've been feeling

better and the flares are further and far between. He will then tell me that

no I am not doing better, that I am doing worse. There has been a time

when I told him I'm worse! and he tells me no, I'm doing much better. OMG!

I'm not sure if he is taking me serious.

I'm seriously considering a change in a Rheumatologist. Have any of you

gone through anything similar to this?

Is it common for a Doctor to not want to make you feel better?

What are your thoughts on this? Please?

Thanks!!

Michigan