Newbie to Chronic Pain

Hi Kaci, glad to welcome you aboard here to our lovely chronic pain family. Sorry to hear that you are going through a rough time. At my first pain management appointment, they took vitals and height and weight etc. and I had to fill out questionnaires about pain levels and how they impact my life as in what I can or cannot do etc. Then after that it was pretty cut and dry. The doctor asked me about my pain and where it was located and what had been tried in the past and what had been successful and so forth.

We discussed short term and long term goals and talked about realistic expectations. Then she told me what she recommended and I was okay with it so she wrote prescriptions for me and had me come back in a month. I didn't ask for any certain type of medications since I also didn't want to come across as a pill seeker. I am sure that everything will be just fine so just relax and answer truthfully about things. They are there to help you and most want to work with you. Good luck and keep us updated :)

Lynn

Hi kaci and welcome to the CP forum at HW. You've certainly came to the right place to begin. Folks here with decades of experience dealing with chronic pain. Although things pertaining to pain management have changed drastically in the last several years folks here have first hand knowledge of those changes and that's priceless for someone just starting this journey!

What exactly do they suspect is causing you all the pain? What tests have you had done and results of those if you don't mind? We're much better able to help with this kind of information. What kind of Dr referred you to PM? Have they been doing anything up to this point for your pain and when did all of this start? Anything happen to bring it on? Re : accident, illness? What kinds of things have you tried and has anything helped at all? What is your expectations of pain management?

These are the kinds of questions you need to have ready answers for, one way or another a legitimate and good PM are going to ask them. Either outright or via intake paperwork. They're important to get you the right treatment.

These days without the questions having answers and good ones, your actually getting lucky if they help at all. The questions for the most part have to have answers to satisfy the Pharmacys and the DEA. Like I said, many changes have taken place and Drs can no longer use his narcotic prescription pad as a first line of defense!!

Do you go to therapy? Have you used any meds that work? What helps at home?

Also, and this is the biggest, be prepared to find and utilize many different things to bring your pain down a notch and in the end the hopes of all of us are that they all come together to cut our pain to some measure of livable! There's no miracle cure for CP, no magic pills, no cure all that will do away with CP.

With a good team of Drs, therapists,RPH'S, and our own desire and hard work we can diminish our pain enough to give us a decent quality of life most days.

Good luck and please let us know if you've any questions and how your appointment goes.