DOES ANYONE HAVE MIGRAINE/PAIN MGMT EXPERIENCE AT DUKE?

Hey gang,

I'm having to search far and wide to get some help with my chronic migraines and other pain issues.  I have finally procured an appointment with a migraine specialist at DUKE University Medical Center.  Unfortunately, I have to wait 3 1/2 months for the appointment.  I would greatly appreciate any information available from anyone having experience at Duke in the meantime. 

Frankly, the state of Virginia is rapidly becoming a police state when it come to pain management.  Doctors won't even treat me as a whole person.  Heck, my PCP doesn't want to be responsible for my pain issues.  The "Pain Management" clinics I've been to at major facilities in the state only want to treat "parts", and doctors that will prescribe opiates are disappearing faster than the price of gas is going up.  I can't take NSAIDS due to a reoccurring GI bleed, so I'm kind of stuck.  To give you an example, I have a whole series of major problems with my back.  My latest PM specialist doesn't want me to take any pain medication at all.  He basically says I just need to exercise more and lose some weight.  HELLOOOOO!!!!  Not very easy to do when you can barely walk when you get out of bed in the morning.  My daily pain level is about a 6/7 out of 10.  My migraines are 8/9+ on the scale.  The pain medication I get is 30-5/325 LORTABs every two weeks from my PCP.  I have a moderate tolerance to narcotics, so this low dosage of LORTAB is about as effective as if I were eating chalk, and my doctors don't even want to me to be taking that dinky amount.  I do have a migraine abortive that is also a narcotic nasal spray, but it barely lasts a week, and I can only get it filled once a month.  AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!

Any input would be appreciated.

Leigh Ann

Hey Papasgirl,

Thanks for sharing your story with me.  It amazes me how some people are prescribed several heavy duty narcotics, while others with similar problems fight to get any help at all.  I just got a prescription for Lortab 5/325 - 30 of them.  I get this prescription once every ten days.  The instructions are for 1 or 2 every four hours, with a limit of eight per day.  Let's see...by my count the prescription will last for less than 4 days!!!  So that leaves six days with NOTHING to help ease the pain.  The Pain Management Clinic I have been going to doesn't even want me having that piddling amount of help.  It boggles my mind how some doctors just want to do procedures, instead of whatever it takes to make the patient comfortable.  The whole thing just really makes me angry sometimes.

Leigh Ann