Pain Management won't give me appoint. without MRI?

Hello everyone! My question today is about making an appointment with pain management. I use to go to a pain clinic around 10 years ago for my Fibromyalgia. Since then I have a whole lot more disorders and diseases such as Diabetes, Carpal tunnel, arthritis in my spine and moderate degenerative disc disease to mane a few. I am in so much pain in my back I can barely move. And it's like this almost all the time. I finally got my Primary Dr. to send me to a pain specialist along with physical therapy. So I call to make an appointment and the lady on the phone tells me that she can't make me an appointment until I have had a MRI or CT scan. I do have an x-ray but she said that isn't good enough. Along with that she needs 3 months of my primary Dr's records. Well, the problem is in order for me to have an MRI done I have to have at least 3 months of physical therapy done first and I have to say that it didn't work for me. This is so my insurance will pay for it. So, I know that I have to wait at least another 3 months before I can get any relief. More like 4 months actually because you know you can never get in there right away. How come 10 years ago or so I didn't need anything but a referral from my Dr.? And all I want is some cortizone injections in my knees and back. I think that is what it's called. I use to get them in my knees. I don't want pain meds. But that is beside the point. So what do people do that have things like Fibro? As we all know who have this here there is no "proof" with MRI's and stuff. So, they can just turn us down now? What happened to the pain laws? I can't get someone else because I have state insurance or whatever and you have to go by there rules and they assign you a certain Dr. to go to if you like it or not. Is this how it is now? Or did I just happen to get unlucky with this particular pain clinic and insurance group?

Hi, Eascusa, and welcome! Can’t your primary care doctor give you the cortisone injections? My Internist gave me one in my shoulder when I ruptured the tendon in my arm. Since that’s all you are looking for I would let your doctor know and then you wouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get into a pain management clinic.

I have a really bad back and assumed it was fibro but, after seeing a rheumatologist, I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis which is like rheumatoid arthritis of the spine. I take ibuprofen with food, Tylenol, and a muscle relaxer called Robaxin (methocarbamol) that has made a significant difference in my pain. Talk to your primary care doctor about trying these and see if it helps you also!

Susie gave great information to you also. I’ve never gone to a pain clinic so I don’t know much about that so I’m very happy when Susie comes on and gives me a hand. 😊

Be sure to read Fibro 101...the first thread on the forum. There are links to good info about fibro and you might learn some new things about fibro and how to help yourself.

I’m looking forward to getting to know you better. Don’t hesitate to ask questions because we are here to help you. Hope to hear more from you soon.

Sherrine