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Posted 4/14/2009 3:22 AM (GMT 0)

I am so tired of pain, unending pain.  Has anyone gone to any pain centers that really helped?  I have been to 3.  All the pain centers are controlled by doctors who specialize in masking pain, not eliminating it.  I have severe diabetic neuropathy, degenerative disc disease,arthritis, 3stents and am  a rbk amputee. I wear two 100 Duragesic patches, have  spinal cord stiulator implant and have Vicodin ES for break thru pain and sometimes, like right now, nothing helps.  My significnt other is a therapeutic massage therapist and sometimes he works mircles and sometimes it doesn't help. 

I went to University of Michigan Multidisciplinary Pain Center.  Notice the word multidisciplinary?  I thought I was seeing neurologists, neurosurgeons, anesthesiologists, physical therapists and others.  After a year and a half I discovered that besides resident anesthesiogists and one lone physical therapists I only saw one attending physician.  After 3 IV regional anesthesiology (which I considered to be  torture) they said there was nothing else they could do for me and sent me home with some pills, (By the way they said that they felt my pain level was medium.)  I didn't know how I was going to survive - I called a friend from grade school, his brother is a surgeon at Henry Ford Hospital and he got me in that week and I had  spinal cord stimulator implant.  What was really strange is that U of M was implanting the stimulator before Ford but their department of Neurosugery and their pain center weren't speaking!

I will quit rambling and await you replies.

Ms Kitty

Posted 4/14/2009 5:30 AM (GMT 0)
Kitty,
It seems even what we think should be the top notch pain centers sometimes aren't all they're cracked up to be. I don't know what to say except that it seems we all have to go through a "trial and error" period which sometimes never ends! But I would encourage you to keep trying, as you did - and you learned more from a friend than anything. I'm hopeful that over time the sites where we as patients can rate doctors (ratemd.com, angieslist.com, etc.) will become a normal thing for us to do. If there are lots of people rating doctors or a clinic, then we'll be able to get an idea of the experiences of others that doesn't just reflect a few "great" or "horrible" experiences. So I would encourage you to go to those sites and share your experience.

I'm surprised that you weren't referred to a pain psychologist as part of the team. it's something that may be helpful to you, even if it's a person in private practice rather than part of the multidisciplinary team.

Sometimes I think there's a lot of hype in names like "Spine Center" or "Multidisciplnary Pain Clinic" just to draw us in. They're know how needy we are. Still, some places might be great. And sometimes the only thing to do is try them.

I'm glad you're finding something better. And you're not rambling!

PaLady
Posted 4/14/2009 9:16 AM (GMT 0)
Ms. Kitty,

When I was first diagnosed with CP seven years ago, the doctor said, "You
will always have pain." We have medicines that will help you but don't think
they will take away your pain. It's not possible."

I accepted it I've been all over the place to hospitals, clinics, etc. That
first doctor was right.

That wasn't a very happy post. Was it? Sorry.

Pamela
Posted 4/14/2009 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
Lucky me, I have been to several pain management doctors and all of them just handed me drugs but absoutly no treatmnet, they wouldnt even do an mri, so til this day I still have disgnosis on why my back hurts so much. My councelour told me last week that she was gonna make some calls to my insurance to see if she can help get me another doctor to help treat me, I just want some answers on why I hurt so much, and I have been otld that because whatever is wrong has not been treated that I probably have arthritis in my back now. I have been rearended by a lady doing atleast 50 mph and I have fallen alsleep at the wheel and rolled down a hill, both of these accidents happened within a month of each other, so I know their has to be some damage to my back. I have fired my last pain specialist cause of the way he treated me, and the other 2 pain speaclists dont take my insurance or cash payments so I cant go to them, and thats all we have for pain management where I live. But truthfully I am happy with my pain meds right now but would love some physical therapy or aqua therapy for my back, or surgey if thats whats needed. I'm just surprised that these doctors are so quick to throw narcotics at me with no proof of what was wrong, and you would think it would be the other way around. So now I just see a neurologist formy migraines and fibro, and a doctor that specializes in the suboxone treatment, but no regualuasr doctor for my other problems, which makes me mad.

-hellokitty
Posted 4/14/2009 5:26 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Ms Kitty,

I am glad to see that you have found something that gives you some relief. It would be a lot better though if it helped all the time, not just some days. Its a rough life living with pain, but no one needs to remind you of that considering your past medical history, you have been there and done that before.

I agree with you on how many of these so called clinics are nothing more than masking the symptoms than trying to find out why a person is in pain. There are too many tests available today that can be performed on a patient to give a proper diagnosis. Alot of these guys are in it for a fast easy way to make a lot of bucks. Its a great money making scheme. I think these are the very ones the DEA is going to eventually weed out.  From what I have been reading at the FDA site and the guidelines being set up on treating a patient with chronic pain it may very well stop this walking in once a month and getting a script without a real diagnosis or any kind of treatment to validate the need for the medication.

I know when I first started having pain over twenty years ago the drs just said oh you have strained this or that. I walked out with a handful of scripts but had no clue other than a strain or something. Then as time went by and nothing changed except the meds, we sometimes reach a point where we think well maybe it is in my head, maybe there isn't anything wrong me.But, once my new dr started ordering different tests and could show or tell me what the test revealed I could ease my mind about things. As patients we deserve to have appropriate testing done to find out why things are happening.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

I have always been leery of these clinics that have the drs all in one little box. I always said it was like that game show that for the life of me I cannot remember the name of lol. But, its kind of like behind door #1 is the chiropractor, door #2 th physical therapist, door # 3 pain mgt guy and the list of drs continue right on down the line to the surgeon. Just never cared for these places at all. I am sure maybe some where there are some good legitmate ones but they are few and far in between. The biggest problem is these drs know how to target the public when opening up these clinics.

When I worked, I saw so many new drs hit town and they knocked on every plaintiff lawyers door in town begging for business. You guys have no idea the length some of these guys went to for business. It was scary knowing that some of these people were actually drs. It gave me a real education in the medical field believe me. I am not saying that all drs are like that thanks goodness. Its just so hard finding a good dr that is for sure.

I hope Ms Kitty that you can get some longer lasting relief as time goes by.....Susie

Posted 4/14/2009 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
No answers; I can't even read the questions since the lines don't wordwrap.

Is everyone seeing the post that way?

What I can say, however, is that I was given a VERY GOOD answer on my
own pain; what is causing it and why. And why it can't be stopped very
well. They know ALL about it except how to stop it, actually.
Posted 4/14/2009 7:01 PM (GMT 0)
Ms. Kitty, I was in a car wreck over 10 years ago, my upper back got better, but my lower back never did
and I was on 500 mg of Naproxen more than twice a day and when that stopped working for me my PCP
finally told me maybe a pain management doc could help..1st PM Doc was a jerk did injections and
radiofrequency ablations to no aval and finally did a discogram and contrast ct scan for which he
called me at home in shock to say I had spinal stenosis moderate for at least 3 disc levels.
So go get your MRI or Contrast CT and maybe that'll show what's going on..The pain doc I'm with now
helps me better........but I know my pain will not get better on a good day 5 to 6, but lately hurts so bad to even sit..
Soft Hugz.........
(((((((((((((((((((((Ms. Kitty)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Posted 4/14/2009 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
Tony,
Yes, this post is going long again. Can you figure out why?

PaLady
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