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Hi everyone I have a few questions

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 1/26/2009 12:57 AM (GMT 0)
I have Passport which is medicade in KY. I have asked my primary care to refer me (need a referral) to a RA to no avail. I am almost positive I have AnkylosingSpondilitis which is related to Crohns disease, plus frequent migraines, abdominal pain, maybe its Fibro, hell I think she thinks Im a hypocondriac. Anyways my point is they only give me Lortabs every so often for a year now. Then she started acting like I was some kind of drug seeker and denied the refill.

Should I go back to her and ask to see a RA again or a pain management specialist or just switch docs? I have extreme anxiety and just going to the doc I start sweating and having panic attacks....scared they won't help me...scared I will stay in pain. My husband gets mad and says I don't demand better medical care but really the way these docs treat me is as if my disease causes little pain when I know otherwise. My grandmother just died from complications and had the worst painful death. It was sad to see.

What do you all recommend?

Posted 1/26/2009 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
Hi songstress,

I'd definitely look into going to see a pain management doctor. They generally know much more about pain & treating pain with various approaches than pcp's & are more likely to help you get the relief you need. However, many, if not most PM docs require a referral before you can see them. Could you bring your husband with you to your doc's appointment to help advocate for you? If you cannot convince him to give you a referral, maybe your husband can by explaining what you go through every day & how you deserve to find out what is wrong & get it treated. Or maybe it is even worth finding a new pcp & starting over again. You do have the right to choose your doctors & gosh know how many doctors everyone here has fired over the years because they were just not willing to help or understand. I know that it isn't always easy, but you really do have to try to advocate for yourself, or have someone help advocate for you, or you won't get too far. Good luck!

Skeye
Posted 1/26/2009 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, Songstress,
Welcome to the CP forum. I'm not exactly sure what to suggest, but it does sound like you either need a specialist or a new PCP. Some of that might be determined by your insurance; be sure to check about how often you can switch doctors, will they cover a pm, etc.

I also wondered if you're seeing a therapist or someone for your anxiety. That could help you learn to get the confidence to be more assertive.

As I write I'm thinking your PCP doesn't sound like such a great doc, and if your insurance will allow you to switch and you have some idea of another doc to try, that might be a good start. You shouldn't have to work so hard to get a referral to a specialist, unless your insurance doesn't cover it. (which still isn't ok in my book, but that's another topic)

Don't know if this helps, but maybe others will come along with more ideas.

PaLady
Posted 1/26/2009 1:52 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Songstress,

 

Welcome to the CP forum. I am right there with you sister, I have both CD & UC. I know exactly where you coming from. My 2cents are get into a rheumatologist if you are thinking you have RA & AS. A pain mgt is not going to be the one that will be willing to make a diagnosis in either of these conditions. A rheumatologist is far more qualified to diagnose & treat either of these conditions. We have peeps on the cd forum that have AS and they are under the care of a rheumy for  the AS. I have a wonderful rheumy who is well versed in crohns and he has been a godsend for me. A pain mgt dr will tell you to see a rheumy for a dx of either conditions, as they are totally out of his realm of diagnosing.  I know you hang out in the cd forum so do I, you may want to track down Keah, she has AS and she can sure give you some good info. Both RA & AS are easy for a rheumy to dx. If it turns out that you have neither, then my next step would be a consut with a pain mgt dr. You know you can have a form of arthritis caused by cd, from what I understand it comes & goes, its not an arthritis that stays like RA or osteoarthritis. My gi & rheumy both think that is a problem for me.

 

Since your PCP seems to be a piece of work, now may be the time to kick him/her to the curb and find yourself one that is willing to work with you and take care of you. Your treatment with your current one is not likely to get any better. You could try & take your husband in with you to an appt and see if this makes any difference, may well be worth a shot.

 

One thing about pain mgt drs, some do injections only and diagnostic blocks-no medications period. Then there are pain mgt drs that do both injections and medications. You do live in the part of the country that it is extremely hard to get a dr to prescribe pain medication, whether its a PCP or pain mgt dr. This has been an ongoing increasingly difficult road for us peeps suffering with chronic pain. The war on drugs has affected this area of medicine resulting in people being undertreated for their conditions. Drs do not want the DEA breathing down their necks, coming into their offices and demanding audits of their medical records, snooping into their computers & ect. I think you see where I am coming from.

 

I would suggest you keep a journal of how your pain is affecting you being able to handle your daily living task. Make notes when your pain is the worst. Keep track of what seems to make the pain its very worst. Its not an easy road, anyone on this forum will tell you. There is no magic pill to make pain go completely away, wish there was.

 

You definetly need to get your anxiety under control. In fact, your dr may be interpreting this anxiety as something else. You never know with some of these idiots they call doctors. By the way, I was born & raised in Ky. Hugs, Susie

Posted 1/26/2009 5:44 AM (GMT 0)
thank you all sooo much. I am going to make an appt 1st thing tomorrow and guess what I am bringing my husband with me. So if I tighten up and get scfared that I can sttill get out what I need to say.

On the anxiety tip, Im so sure she reads me weird and has strange feeling about whether how I feel is reality or made up. I am now under therapy treatment once a week for my anxiety and they said it stems mainly from social situations/ family/ and trauma in my past. But people are looking at me and I see them judging me its crazy! right before my eyes Im like, I know what this f n doc is thinking and darnit if she doesnt say exactly the same thing. So we will give her a try but I am going to press her to send me to a rhuemy one last time! and we shall seee what happens!

Thanks for all the advice!
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