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Posted 8/2/2013 12:10 AM (GMT 0)
I was just wondering how you all explain you pain level to your Dr. That is the one thing that I always have a problem with. How do you average something that changes so much (in so many areas of the body?)
Posted 8/2/2013 1:19 AM (GMT 0)
I have trouble with that as well; I tend to focus more on areas, and say, "Well, for the last week or so, these are the areas, and this is how much for each one." I don't ever try to average, especially if I've been having severe pain in one or two specific areas.
Posted 8/2/2013 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
That is a great idea, but at my Drs. Office he has a chart that you fill out before he comes in the room so he can add everything up and compare to the last visit.
Posted 8/2/2013 4:52 AM (GMT 0)
I hate that chart. I'd like to make multiple copies and keep a notebook of them. Write the date at the top and write down from such and such time this hurt on a level -------.
It would help them see it's everywhere and varies so much from minute to minute.
Posted 8/2/2013 5:17 AM (GMT 0)
The doctor asked me today to pick which area bothers me the most. I was at a complete loss as to how to answer that question and in the same boat as you, how do you put a blanket statement on something so complex and variable.
Posted 8/2/2013 5:20 AM (GMT 0)
Ladym,

I hate them, too. Then they want you (at least, in my surgeon's office) to draw a certain type of line in the areas that are numb, a different type where the pain is throbbing, and so on. Sometimes I'm not even sure when I'm experiencing it how I'd define it! It might be 2 or 3 kinds of pain at once.

I think they're just covering their butts half the time....that they just want the charts in their files. Then again, I suppose they have their place. But I do think the really good doctors don't rely overly on them....they are too busy actually listening and trying to come up with helpful ideas. My regular doc, who treats my Fibro, never has me fill one out.

Debbie
Posted 8/2/2013 11:04 AM (GMT 0)
Acheybody, this is my rheumatologist and he has me fill it out to see how well the meds are working from one visit to the next. I just don't get how you can average something like that, to me it is impossible. Just because you feel better then you did before doesn't mean you feel great. It is just really confusing to me. I wish someone would come up with a good way to rate fibro pain for all Drs. to use and make it simple. Not this 1-10 scale. Unless they want to do 1-10 on each part on the body.
Posted 8/2/2013 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
It is so hard to explain how and where our pain is. I found a site that has a pain log you can fill out daily. This is made for people with Fibro and it lists different areas of your body plus appetite,general mood,etc. You can print out after a comparison of your results for 1-6 months. Very helpful in seeing how you are doing. It is titled "Fibro Log" and they also have a pain log. Hope this helps. Here is the link http://www.theacpa.org/
Posted 8/2/2013 5:54 PM (GMT 0)
You'd think they could just listen to you - "It's way worse!" or, "I'm having less pain." The attempt to numerically quantify every aspect of our lives gets to me sometimes....there are times when it makes sense and times when it doesn't.

Good luck.

Debbie
Posted 8/4/2013 12:28 PM (GMT 0)
You would think after all these years they would get it that it is an almost impossible question to answer for most of us and come up with a better option for us on how to explain it.
Posted 8/4/2013 1:00 PM (GMT 0)
I've found the Fibro Log that TinaL mentioned at http://www.theacpa.org/ to be helpful. And the WEMSI pain chart referenced in the Fibro 101 thread at www.wemsi.org/painscale.html really helps me to quantify my pain.

One thing the log is lacking though is an area for comments. I'm still new to this and trying to figure out how much is too much for me to do on any given day. I seem to be crossing that line almost every "good" day I have, so I'm going through a 4-5 day cycle of a good day, then several days of flare up. I wanted to have a way to track what I've done (or eaten since I also have IBS) that could contribute to my flare ups.

So I took the categories in that ACPA Fibro log and put them in an Excel spreadsheet and then added some categories to tailor it to my needs. Here's the result if you'd like to try it. And you can tailor it to your own situation.

-----

Or maybe not.  I can't figure out how to post the file.  So if you'd like a copy, let me know and I'll e-mail it to you.

Moderators, is there a way I can post the file for others to use if they'd like?

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Have a blessed day!
Mari

Posted 8/5/2013 3:02 AM (GMT 0)
Well, there probably is - but I don't know it! I'm going to check out those websites you mentioned.

Sherrine and Karen are more knowledegable about such things, so hopefully they will see this....or, since I see you have a HealingWell email account - you could email them and ask.

Debbie
Posted 8/5/2013 3:35 AM (GMT 0)
I went to the site today and I love it!
I can even use some of the arthritis charts they have to show my rhuemy.
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