a first time pain clinic apt can anyone tell me what to expect?

Hi, Veronica. I've got my first appt. with PM on June 19th so I'm not sure what to tell you. Mine has requested notes from my doctor, any films I've had done and they sent me what looks like a book of questions to answer. Oh, also a list of all meds I've tried. I guess anything you may have to back up your pain complaints would be helpful.

I wanted to comment on the care you are giving to your grandmother. Have you considered having a home health aide come into the home for assistance. I've worked as a HHA and there are alot of programs out there to assist with payment. It could help take a load off of your back.

Good Luck

Veromia, welcome to the pain forum. It sounds like you keep very busy and probably do more than you should. Thats is no different than most of us here. There are demands in life regardless if we have pain. It sounds like your pain is coming from the lyme disease which can definietely be painful. I don't know alot about lyme disease but I do know that it is not always transferred from the mother to an unborn baby especially if it is treated by antibiotics early. Anyway you probably know more that me. At the pain doc (PMS) several things can take place. They will have wanted to look over reports from other doctors before your appointment. The same questions about where you hurt, when is the worst, what causes it to increase and what helps relieve it. They will do an overview of the medications that you have been on and are currently on. They will try and find the cause and that can include further testing. Many PMS drs have you sign a contract that says you won't get medications from anyone else, allow only one pharmacy to be used and that you will take the medications only as prescribed. What tests they will order depends on what has already been done, what the cause of the pain is, where it is at and in my sarcastic attitude what they think they can get paid to do. Not all are the same. It seems to me that they can be good and caring or they can be total jerks. Some PMS drs will want you to give a urine sample at each office visit and that is for drug testing. I hope you have ins. that is covering all this. After examining you they will look at tests, the possibility of changing the medications, adjusting the dosages as well as other possible treatments. I hope the PMS is a good one and is very caring and personal. I hope some of this helps and I am probably leaving a few things out. Blessings!

Hi Veromia,

 

     It is very nice to meet you. Im sorry you are going through so much pain. I see a spine specialist and he is awesome. Im not really sure about addiction suspicion, besides.. they are doctors afterall, i mean... Even if someone were they are more than capable to handle anything like that. Least I would hope so. As far as going first time, just take big deep breaths! I was so very scared, but really my doc was/is an increadibly intellgent man. It is my understanding that my X rays and other information was already sent, and the spine specialist and my primary care physician had already spoken to one another long time, before I arrived. He seemed VERY intrested in what I did to relieve my pain. In my case, wet heat. ... You know, even later, when I had to go in for my first procedure, I was so scared and frightened and they understood. They really did. And he literally tailor made a pain management programm for me that gave me back my life. You know I went to Bandolier national monument with my family few months ago? Fishing, hiking (or more like steady paced walk)I had so much fun. When the days were over all i felt was slight soreness and pressure under the skin base of my spine. That is it. Crazy no? Anyway.. there I go rambling again. Dont be worried Most of these guys know whats what. But, if you get a chance after your appointment, hop online and tell us how it went. Best of luck! No worries!

*warmest huggs*

dani

 

Oh my gosh you are all so nice over here . Thank you so much for the wonderful responses you have given me. They are a little more grumpy over on the Lyme forum considering the who political controversy and the fear of the unknown about the disease in its chronic form. You know that if you dont catch lyme in the first few weeks by taking some strong antibiotics for at least 4 weeks better 6 it becomes nearly immpossibe to erradicate. Everyone is scared over there because alot of doctors dont believe that including infectious disease socioty. So never go to an Infectious disease doc if you suspect Lyme as a cause of your arthritis or so many other symptoms because Lyme is a spirchete bactyeria screw shaped and can go anywhere in the body and be any symptom. The infectious disease guidlines for lyme were written by 12 IDS doc who dont didnt believe in chronic lyme years ago now that new evidence proves otherwise it has been terrible changing those guidelines.
It is assumed that Lyme is signaled by a bullseye rash that is not so in 60 to 80 percent of cases partly because it is proven to be able to be transmitted from the mother in utero sexually and also in small numbers from mosquitos biting flies, dragon flies ,fleas and any insect of this nature. It is also hard to test for because it decreases immune function greatly and current tests look for lyme antibodies which are almost gone in chronic lyme because lyme and aids are the only diseases which can lower your immune systems killer cd-57 cells. SO Lyme in often diagnosed clinically.
Lyme neurotoxins can gravitate to fatty tissues like nerves, brain,lung,bile etc. And this can lead to MS,Alzheimers,Lou gehrig,parkinsons. I know this is unbelievable but it is know that these diseases are of unknown origin and many people who have these diseases are testing pos for lyme who never would have recieved long term antibiotic treatment and who would haved died without the diagnose of lyme, who has made significant recovery with the lyme diagnosis.
I reely wanted all of you to know these things so that you can help anyone who may have these diseases to be tested and properly .
Simple blood tests for lyme tell you nothing and will most likely give you a neg result unless maybe you just contracted the disease and your immune system is still strong enough to produce antibodies to show on the test. You must see a lyme doc to get a proper lyme Western blot and it must be sent to igenex in california. If you suspect lyme Email [email protected] tell her the are you need to find a lyme doc for she will email you back and give you a doc near you.
the infectious disease society is under investigation for antitrust because member who created lyme guidelines hold patents ascociated w lyme and recieve money from insurance companies to testify against lyme docs removing their licences.
it is important to get this info out now through word of mouth now until change is made so that someone near you with these other diseases induced by undiagnosed lyme over many years can test for lyme and possibly recover instead of leaving this earth early because of not being diagnosed correctly.

thanks guys want ed you to know this sory for the book ask me any other questions would love to answer. -V

I started seeing a PM about three months ago. I had all my medical history sent to the office. The day I went in I filled out more paperwork on meds I have tried. Which ones worked and how well. When the appointment moved around to what I was currently taking I told him lortab 10's 3 x daily. He changed two things. Instead of Lortab he changed to Percocet saying it works better. Then increased to 4 x a day. That is their MAX for codiene. They can add lesser meds but not increase unless I change to a morphine type drug.

Signed a pain contract, so far had one drug test and agree to procedures when asked. (at least try them) Use one pharmacy and one doctor can prescribe pain meds.

I was scared when I first went in but now its nothing but a thing to go in for refills and a possible drug test. Which I have a problem with them. Its the first time I've been asked to come up positive for drug use feels strange..........

Good luck
Laurie

Hey;

       Don't be nervous, a pain management Doctor is just that he or she will work with you to relieve your pain so that you can function somewhat normally day to day, if you have legitimate documentation on a medical condition that requires pain management they will prescribe the proper medicine to help relieve your pain. Be totally honest with your Doctor, tell him/her exactly what is going on in your life, I am like you I take care of my parents as well as my own family and I have my career as well so there is a lot on my plate right now, it has taken almost a year but we have finally found the right combination of meds that allows me to work all day and remain clear headed enough to make decisions. One draw back is I no longer drive because the medicine I am on has a tendency to make me nod off when I am at rest or just sitting around so to be safe I have my son or co-workers drive me to where I need to go. Honesty is best when it comes to pain management. Good luck with your appointment.

                                   Sam

Thank you everyone for the lengthy responses i like that i do the same. You all have been very helpful. Yes susie the norco just has quit on me. I love giving lyme advice anytime i know very much. thank you everyone. So helpful.