What is it with Dr.'s and Pain Medicine?

   I am usually in the fibro forum but I was hoping I could get some opinions over here because I do have chronic pain.  I have tried all of the "preventative" types of medicines.  Almost all were designed as anti-seizure or anti-depressant so its hit and miss person to person.  Unfortunately, for me, most were misses.  And those that were hits didn't last long.  As in they started out great but 2 months into using it they lost their effectiveness and they were really expensive. 

  I have been to 6 doctors in 9 months.  Before being dx'd my family doctor (I call him Dr. Great Guy- self explanatory!) put me on Vicodin to deal with the pain I had all over my body while I was trying to find out what was wrong with me.  And it worked- and it still works, but Dr. GG isn't a pain mgt doctor and he didn't feel comfortable leaving me on it long term.  So I went to rheumies and finally got a dx and a second opinion.  But like I said none of the drugs made to help fibro worked for me.  So I went to a pain doctor that I was referred to that was 2 hours from home.  That doc wanted me to take methadone.  Ok, but he required monthly drug tests and at each one I would get my next prescription.  But a two hour trip (four hours round trip) into a not so nice part of the city wasn't really doable for me because he didn't have office hours on my days off.  And my employer is not so supportive of my condition.

  So Dr. GG set me up with another one close to home- and this guy doesn't believe in pain medicine (duh why are you in pain mgt?) so he put me on the last medicine that I hadn't tried (I had tried one very similar) and had a bad reaction- allergy- swelling not being able to breathe and oh the hives!    I am TIRED of having people tell me that I have to live with the pain.  My question is WHY? 

  If prescription pain medicines exist why can't I use them?  Cause they can be dangerous?  So is fibromyalgia pain.  It threatens to ruin my life every day, and a lot of days it succeeds.  I see people all over these forums that are on Vicodin, Percocet, Oxycontin and all types of pain killers long term.  These are good, kind, upstanding people that just want to be pain free.  Why is it so hard for me to get that kind of help?  And better yet, why is it hard for me to get that kind of help without being looked at like a druggie???  I have a legitimate need and dx of a pain disease,  why is it so hard for me to get help?  I have to work (about 50 hours a week at a warehouse and no, quitting is not an option).   Please can anyone help me go about getting the medicine that I need to control this pain through a doctor?  I don't mean to sound rude, but I really don't want suggestions of diet, exercise or supplements.  I already do yoga, take ALL the supplements that have ever been thought to help.   I need help learning to make these doctors understand what I need.  And also what types of doctors are the best equipped to help me stay on the right path and control of these medicines.  Please can anyone help me??  Oh and i am sorry if I tend to ramble I am just so frustrated and miserable.  Please help me.  Please.

I suggest that you download the pain diary that Chutz has put under CP101 and make a diary of your pain and give it to the dr, starting with your PCP. Now you already know how is not going to be willing to rx the medication you need long term so that is a dead horse. Very few PCP's will rx pain meds these days for more than 10 days . Why is this  they do not want to be responsible for a patient that may become addicted, may sell the script, they want nothing coming back on them, end of story. If a dr writes a lot of scripts for even vicodin you can be assured he will get red flagged and he will get a visit from the DEA and have an audit done. They want no part of this, no dr does. With all the hype about drugs in the news, on the radio and all over the newspaper they are scared to death. Unfortunately, the drug seekers, abusers users and sellers have ruined it for the legitimate people. But perhaps if he had something tangible in his hands to get an idea of what you are going thru it may get him to rx the medication until you can find a decent PM dr. Please be assured your PCP is not singling you out, it is this way with about 97% of them. One thing I suggest is you remind your PCP and any other dr you may see that you work long hours and intend on continuing to work as you must make a living, and these long hours keep your condition aggravated.

Whenever you get a call a new PM dr has been found, call that new one's office and ask what all he does in terms of pain mgt and does he write prescriptions for pain meds besides doing procedures. Some PM drs do procedures only and will not write a script for pain meds. Also ask if this dr treat Fibro patients, I would ask that question first.

Yes, we do often see many drs before we find one that can and will take care of us in the manner we deserve. There are also a lot of under educated PM drs out there, too. If they don't know much about medications you are sunk, been there & done that.

Making a list of meds you have tried and how they affected you is really important when seeing a new dr. Never tell a dr you want a medication by name. All that will get you is him booting you out of his office and he will write it in your chart that you are a drug seeker and that will make a paper trail that follows you around. Thats why it is important to make a list of medications you have tried and anything you have tried besides medication. Yes, we do many times have to advocate for our care and this is something I am afraid is only going to get worse.

Good luck and getting a new dr, just don't give up.

     Dear Trish,

      Good evening. I cannot remember if I have introduced myself or not, so please forgive me if I have. My name is Dani and it a pleasure to meet you. *warm huggs*

      I am terribly sorry!! That you are being treated in such an inapproiate manner. One thing I can tell you is that you should keep looking for a doctor who you feel comfortable with. No matter what. Here is why. I have.... painfull problems to say the least. I was sent to a pain management specialist initally, before any tests were done 2yrs ago, and you know that educated (certianly not born yesterday) man said to me just as plain as day," Your too young, you dont have pain." I kidd you not. Then promptly sent me on my way. A doctor that my primary care doctor trusted enough to send me to. Goodness everyone was so surpised, shock, and yes, angry. Later, he did apologize to me. I know he was very sorry.... But, a simply X ray would have told him all he needed to know.

     So I guess, what I am trying to say is please, dont give up. And don't think you EVER have to stay with a doctor or a treatment plann that you do not feel comfortable with. I know it is hard, and I know it eats up time and money we really dont have to give... but you are worth it. Your comfort is worth it. Your quality of life is most certianly worth it. Stay strong!

*hugg*

  dani

I feel your pain No I han't Fibro but I suffer the pain from Syatica (If it is spelt right?) I have been on Methodone for almost 7 or more years, to the point now that I want to have my dosage reduced. It is not that the meds don't work, they do and sometimes don't but more so than not they have me in check. The problem with most Pain Management MD's is they have been taken advantage of by BS artists and then people who really need these Doctor' are the ones that suffer because of some A-Hole who took advantage of the MD thus making his trust factor a no show even when nhe or she feels that the patient is in real need of assistance.

Still in my case I want something other than Methodone for my pain I feel that I have been on it too long, my hair texture has changed and I have gained weight that I can not get rid of. I know that I am having severe pain and have been a sufferer for almost thirty years or more, when I was younger it didn't bother me as much as I was more active I was always out and about now a days I don't want to go anywhere, greatly attributed to my depression still I can't afford to do the things that I did back then as my pockets aren't as deep as they were then. 

I had an accident while in theMarine Corps. and suffer from it's effects now my hip, back and shoulder create a pain combined that you would not believe nevertheless I want to change my meds I sincerely believe that I have been on this one too long. Check this out; I recently received a letter from the VA claiming that I have been a ":substance abuser" which is not the truth I was placed in this program by a VA doctor in order to receive my meds without hinderance, and now I receive this notice from them I feel it is slanderous but what can I do accept remove myself from the program and find another type medication for my chronic pain. So, I sincerely understand your dilema as I would imagine I will find myself in the same position once I remove myself from this program.

I wish you much luck in finding what you need, someplace close to your home and something that is not going to clean out your bank account once you start using it. I don't suggest Methodone though because it is highly addictive and from what I have heard and experienced it gets into your bones and organs. I once tried to do with out my meds and found myself in withdrawal after the third or fourth day, it was so bad till it took me two days to feel normal but still stiff I want nothing more to do with it but I have to have them reduce my dosage slowly so that I will not feel like that again.

I don't suggest that you get on anything that you can't control yourself, even though I have empathy for you, and a complete understanding of what you are suffering, still I suggest that you find something that has less of a stigma attached to it and something that you have complete control over.

Respectfully,

Mike1x

PS, I babble also please forgive me  

I do not believe I have met you before and I would like toi say welcome to Healing Well. I am very glad you found us and I do hope that you will stay around and hang out with us. I think you will find this to be a terrific group of caring people. If you have not done so already I would like to encourage you to make an intro thread of your own so the others members can welcome you and say hi. I don't know how many will see your post here.

Yes, everything you said about CP and how we are treated is right on the money. So sad, but very true. Ruined by a sorry lot but decent folks are the ones paying the price for them.

I can understand wanting to get off Methadone. As you say it can be a wonderful pain reliever for many, but in all honesty I just think it is a drug that only should be used as a last resort when everything else has failed. It comes with its own set of rules and regulations so to speak. One of our other members here at the forum, Uniquely Me has been on Methadone I believe about 7 yrs and like you she is wanting off of it. Sje feels its has lost its punch and she says she is on a fairly high dose. She tried previously getting off of it and onto something else which was not successful, I sure hope she can make the switch this time around.

Please, please get medical help getting off the Methadone. It is just too serious of a drug to attempt reducing on your own. I am assuming you see a PM dr at the VA, can he help you with this? I sure hope so. Anyway, I wanted to stop by and say hi and welcome aboard. Take care and please let us hear from you. 

Snowy I am very glad to hear that you are able to manage your pain with Tylenol. Boy, wouldn't it be great if all of us would be that lucky, sure would save us a lot of money and grief. By all means count yourself lucky.

I thank you for the comment and yes I will be here I have been looking for someplace like this after I left AOL I was lost I couldn't find any forums to be a part of and most chat rooms are full of freaks if you know what I mean?

Anyway I like it here there is a great deal of information here and it souiknds like good people toboot. You will definately hear from me again and again and again LOL Also, you mentioned a thread, where do I submitt this thread? Later...

Till then, stay strong my friend!

Mike