Mayo Clinic to

[Guest guest]

,

I read your story about your experiences at the Rochester Mayo and I'm

stilling here, stunned, since your treatment with those doctors was so totally

the opposite from my meeting with Dr. Lange at the Jax Mayo! It's weird! Dr.

Lange saw what I was using, (the 75 mg. Duragesic, oxycodone 10 mgs. for

breakthrough, and 600 mgs. Neurontin), and said that it was wonderful that I

was able to get the pain control I needed from that combination, and that he

was going to recommend to my GI in Savannah that I continue on that narcotic

therapy. We had a long conversation about pain meds, specifically the

duragesic patch, and my fears that continued use of the heavy narcotics might

harm me. He was adamant that " no, it wouldn't " , and that I should continue as

I was. It was a relief for me to hear this, and my husband was relieved also,

because he'd been worried about it because of something another doctor had

said.

I'll have to tell you the story about this other doctor's comments, since we've

been in a big disagreement about this for the last month, and I'm glad that it's

finally over.

My husband belongs to a private men's club that is for pilot's only. It's

called

" Quiet Birdmen " , and it's comprised mainly of WWII pilots, with some younger

pilots from the military and civilian sectors. One of the member's of my

husband's group is a doctor named Larry, from Savannah, and Bob and this

doctor Larry have become pretty good friends. When I had my acute attack

last year and was hospitalized at Candler Hospital, my husband was standing

in the corridor outside my room and Larry saw him, as Larry was attending to

one of his patients who was in the room next to me. He asked my husband

why I was there, and Bob told him that it was an acute pancreatitis attack, that

I was on a PC pump with dilaudid, etc. Ever since then, Larry always asks

about how I'm doing when he sees my husband at their QB meetings. I think

Bob probably tries to get all kinds of medical opinions about things whenever

they meet, and I know they've discussed my case frequently.

Last month, when Dr. Larry heard that I was on the 75 mg. Duragesic patch,

he said to my husband, " is her brain fried, yet? " , and then proceeded to tell

him that the duragesic, or any long term narcotic medication was going to

totally " fry my brain " (his words), and that I shouldn't be on them.

Apparently,

he went on and on about this, and consequently, Bob was really concerned

and upset. He came home and told me what Larry had said, and I asked him

whether he thought I was showing any signs of limited mental capacity, and of

course, he said no, but I could tell that he was still worried about it. And

has

been, we've gone back and forth in discussion about it ever since.

So hearing from a highly respected and well known medical professional at

the Mayo Clinic that the duragesic wouldn't hurt me, or fry up my mental

capacities, was exactly what my husband needed to hear. It's removed his

fears about my analgesic needs. Larry is going to be at their QB meeting,

which is tonight, so now I'm curious to hear what he has to say for himself

when my husband tells him what the doctor at Mayo said! It should be

interesting. I hate it when people who don't even know the particulars of my

situation start making their own judgements, especially when it's another

doctor! Anyway, that's the story, and you can see now why what we learned

was so important.

Our whole experience at Mayo was so positive, I'm so sorry that you went to

the other clinic and were treated with such negativity and doubt. If you ever

have to do it again, I guess you need to go in the other direction!