Has my surgeon has blown a gasket?

Hi Colerg,

Really sorry to read about your back surgeries.

I do not have any experience with the type of surgeries you had but I do have experience with chronic pain, surgeons, ERs and pain clinics.

I have not heard those words said to me in the context of a post-op follow-up for unresolved pain but I am sorry to say it doesn't surprise me.

There is no doubt that positive thinking is very helpful for recovery and rehab but there is no way that a person can think his / her pain away! And for a surgeon or physician to say that in the context of pain to the degree you are experiencing it is a violation of everything that the "fifth vital sign" campaign is trying to teach docs - he has failed miserably!

However, coming from a surgeon it doesn't surprise me. They, of all doctors, are trained to only believe what they can see, feel, hear or touch. And pain cannot be "proven" - it is based on faith (as we all know). And secondly, to a surgeon, pain means that they have failed. Even though we are not accusing them of doing anything wrong, what their brain hears when we say "I still hurt" is "I am still broken". And being still broken implies he has failed you in some way. Taken together and to the extreme, the doc looks at the x-rays, looks at his handiwork and is convinced that nothing is "wrong" anatomically - that his handiwork is perfect. So if you still feel pain, its gotta be in your head and you just need to convince yourself that you really are well - that is what he looks at it.

Personally I disagree - my own experience with surgeons and chronic pain has taught me that pain has no logic. Your pain is very real and is a result of processes that are not fully understood. That is why it is considered the fifth vital sign: untreated pain is considered a disease in and of itself. Going to a pain management clinic may be your best option at this point - it basically saved my life. Good pain docs will take your pain seriously and offer many, many treatment options (some pharmacological - including narcotics if appropriate, PT, massage therapy, activity counseling, etc).

Positive thinking has its place and is a valuable component to pain management - but as the sole treatment option "prescribed" by this surgeon, well that is just not good doctoring.

I hope you have a good PCP who will help you get the pain management you need or the referral to a pain clinic.

Colerg, I'd love to see these docs in pain, I bet they wouldn't follow there advice, they'd be at those meds so fast! I have cancer, a few auto-immune diseases, and some related pains and in response to my pain, a doc told me buy granny shoes !  Now why didn't I think of that!! What an idiot!

Melissa

Ryand,

thanks for the post! I appreciate you outlook. I just got off the phone with my father, a massively respected doctor's doctor in the research world!!  He told me very close to what everyone has posted,,,,,, he said that in FACT that back pain is he hardest diagnosis to have....there are SO MANY factors that surgeons don't look at..  they believe " a chance to cut is a chance to cure..."  needless to say he was disgusted with the "oh it is in your head diagnosis"..... also he said .... you get a new doc! Oh the dilemmas we face....I hope everyone has a good night. peace and relief to all!!!no matter what!!

colerg

Colerg, just wondering...Did your doctor give you a pair of ruby slippers so that you could click your heels together when saying, "I am well and I am getting better"?  I agree with everyone here.  You do need another pain doctor.

 

Have you gotten a second opinion, since  you actually didn't get a first opinion for this recent pain?  I'd keep searching until  you find someone who will help you.  Back pain is one of the worst pains you can have, but I don't have to tell you that.  Hope you find someone soon.

 

Sherrine

Colerg,
Your father sounds like one of those MD's that we wish there were more of. I hope he's still teaching in some capacity, even if he can't do the things he did - which, by the way, I think should be mandatory in terms of teaching docs. Feeling like your power and identity are stripped from you when in the hospital, and let alone the issues with outpatient care.

I think I'm a bit envious of you having such access to such a knowledgeable source. And knowledge is power - look how you were able to deal with your FORMER doc's office! I'm sure youll keep searching until you find a good match, and your father can help guide you (and scare the bad ones off).

Good luck - although I don't think you'll need it!

PaLady

Good luck Red....I'm on my 2nd "pain specialist" and so far don't see anything special about him.

Hi Colerg,

I am glad that you had the satisfaction of "educating" your surgeon! And that I was able to give you some of the ammunition to do so.

Hopefully, because of the good points you mentioned concerning his willingness to speak to you at home, etc he will genuinely learn from this experience and delve into the research regarding chronic pain and be better able to treat future patients. In my opinion, if a physician or surgeon is willing to learn from his / her mistakes he is redeemable. And it seems that there is reason to hope for this in his case.

Let us know how your appointment goes with the pain doc - If yours is like mine, you will be on your way to finding a management plan. You may not be able to "cure" the pain but you certainly should be able to find a way to manage it - using meds, behavior modification, life-style changes, therapy, etc. There is alot of synergy for healing to be found in a good pain clinic and I hope that is what you are going to experience!

I'm so glad  you had such a good meeting with your new doctor.  Life begins again!  YEA!

 

Sherrine

colberg, that is sooo good to hear! A caring doc makes all of the diff!