Mind over Matter ???

To be blunt, I think your doctor doesn't know anything about RA. Unfortunately doctors have been taught that RA isn't as bad as we (the people with the disease) think it is.

http://rawarrior.com/does-rheumatoid-arthritis-pain-really-hurt-that-much/

I hope you get some relief.

eta: I'd look for a different doctor if someone treated me like yours is treating you. You deserve better.

Post Edited (Carole_D) : 2/26/2014 10:09:16 AM (GMT-7)

I agree with Carole_D, you need another doctor. Doctor's need to listen and should be able to help with increase in medications when our pain is bad.
Sometimes meditation can help, there are other CD's you can get with relaxation music and no talking...I have a relaxation CD and it has soft flute music only on it...So maybe the talking is distracting for you.
But, I have medications that I can fall back on if needed on bad days...
I never could get that into the deep breathing.
I have a pain management doctor that helps me with my pain, we've done injections, ect...and my RA doctor prescribes my RA meds only which is just mtx for now...
Ask your doctor about botox injections for your headaches, just make sure they are knowledged in botox....So very sorry your suffering with increased pain right now...

I was also given a script for efflexor for Migraines, however, I had a reaction to something related to efflexor... My daughter was prescribed a nasal spray for migraines which she said was a joke and did not help...So some migraine medications can be a hit or miss type thing...Make sure to keep a list of all the medications your on and make sure none have interactions with each other...Stress does play a role in migraines, so because of the med and the shrink, she's thinking you have migraines. However, I see a pain management psychologist and that might be a better route instead of a shrink and ask the psychologist if they have experience with helping people with chronic pain. I see one that has this experience and it can help, maybe look into relaxation techniques for migraines on line as well and you can google botox and migraines for more info on those as well... Allergan makes the botox for chronic migraines: google the following: BOTOXChronicMigraine.com
Hope this info helps...

I think if it were a question of mind over matter none of us would have any more pain. Find yourself a good rheumy and this Dr. to go see the shrink.

Alicat, with dealing with just RA and this doctor said you need a shrink out of the blue then yes Talsa should get another doctor. However, Talsa has chronic migraines as well and stress and a bad mood can make these worse and thereby a shrink could be utilized for relaxational techinqes to help get the migraines under better control, and thereby be benefical in the overall picture, plus some depression medications arebeing used to battle migraines such as effexor. So it could be this doctor is trying to get a multi point overall help for talsa.
A shrink can prescribe the effexor a pyschologist usually does not do prescribing of meds.
(Sorry for the typos)...Maybe look into accupuncture for help..
Just trying to help.

Post Edited (Chartreux) : 2/28/2014 10:09:44 PM (GMT-7)

I have used some meditation techniques when I have been In that terrible place where pain meds are not working and it has helped somewhat to not center on the pain and get my mind thinking of something else. That said it really is no replacement for pain meds however.

I have to admit I would be looking for a new doctor given these circumstances. I just don't see how a shrink is going to have any meaningful impact. I hope you feel better TayIsa.

If you go back to that doctor ask "why the shrink?".
The thing is a big spotlight has been recently placed on the military and pain meds and it might come down to going after good civilian doctors. More and more it might come down to all of us being asked by our doctors to go see a shrink and its because of all the negative associated with pain meds. Could be your doctor might not know what to try next, or that she has the fear of trying a stronger medication for you.
I did not mean to offend and was trying to state what Don said that sometimes a combination of therapies can help overall in dealing with chronic pain.
I use many things to try to help, tens unit, heat, meditation sometimes, vitamins, pain meds and sometimes pt.
However, if your doctor came into the room and said with a matter of fact type attitude and said "you need a shrink" then by all means get another doctor asap and do not go back at all.
I got confused with how your doctor said this to you, so I'm sorry. If by any means you are upset with any of your doctors at anytime then immediately change doctors as the doctor works for you and is someone you should "trusts" once trusts is broken you should not go back.
Please keep open to the botox for your migraines your next doctor might suggests them.
Hope this helps you better....www.webmd.com might help you in a search for a new doctor.

It is good that you complied with the doctors request at any rate. Who knows, you may gain some tools that will help to deal with the daily challenges we face. I went to a therapist a few years back for a year to help me deal with some emotional issues I was having and it was a big help to me. Regardless of the therapy we all just want to feel better as you said. I hope that you do!