Pain clinic

[sparkey]

Well I have been going to the same PM clinic since my injury 2 yrs ago. I had seen many doctors there over time because my origional doctor was never available for a doctors appointment for my med refills so they would set me up with a fellow that was available.

I had all the treatments they suggested and none worked. I did not have any problems till my visit last Friday with this one fellow. I walked in and he asked how I was. I told him my left hand was more painful than my right hand which is pretty bad. I went there expecting to get a referral for a EMG done on that hand. He told me straight out that it is a mirroring effect of RSD from one side to the other. Then he proceded to say " we cannot prescribe your meds all the time and you need your primary care doctor to do it". Out of the blue he came up with that.

I was very upset as I was asking for help in why my pain was so bad and he then told me they have to many patients to just prescribe meds, and I am taking up to much of his time. He gave me a script for now and I had an appointment with my primary doctor right after him. I took a urine test and set up another appointment with a different doctor. Went to my primary all upset with this fellow that only knew me for two visits now. I of course called my wc case worker and she sent my email that I sent to her saying why I would like to change pain clinics. She forwarded it to the director and said they do not tolerate that type of practice there. She will be at my next appointment on the 27th and asked me to get a note from my primary that he is taking over my meds. and referring me to a new pain clinic so that WC can take over paying for my treatment elsewhere.

I also have given up on doctors. I have never had a MRI to find out what is wrong and have had so many doctors guessing what is wrong with me. I really do not think I have RSD and wish some doctor would take the time to search and find out what it is. It could be something simple such as RA. No blood test for that has even been preformed and I mentioned that to the doctor on Friday also. Seems they do not want to hear us and how we feel and what we may think is wrong with our bodies. I agree with Kat as when I worked in SDC I spoke to many doctors who said malpractice was getting very expensive and they did not suggest their kids to go to medical school now because of it. It is a very risky buisness now with all the law suits etc. I really cannot blame them, but sure wish some had the compassion that they had when they first started to go to school to become a doctor. Someday I may find a doctor who knows what they are doing or at least care how one feels being a chronic pain patient.

[katicabogar]

I agree doctor's have way too much paperwork to deal with and many are told how much time they can spend with each patient, so they are frustrated. But the trouble is many doctors take out their frustration on the patients and this is just not right.
They should try to work in some of the European countries where they would have to deal with 10 times more patients on a daily basis for a lot less pay. They should appreciate how privilaged they are compared to other people who are working even harder than them for a lot less. I believe many of these doctors are in their profession just to make good money and nothing else.

I guess the breaking point regarding how I was treated by some of the doctors since my injury was by this pain clinic doctor, who just topped all of them. At least, other doctors didn't try to change my mind if I was in pain or not..some didn't believe me, but they didn't try to convince me all was just in my head. This pain clinic doctor is so highly regarded by the w/c and the auto insurance companies, he can afford to "reject" some of the people like me, who didn't co-operate and still make lots of money. I say shame on him because probably I will loose my benefits due to his report and I will be left without any income and still in pain.

Kat

[snowbear]

So sorry to hear you're going through this Kat. I've been thinking about having my pcp refer me to a pain clinic to try and get this fricken pain under control...but with what I've been reading, I don't know if it's such a good idea or not. I am just so tired of eating so dang many pills everyday, still hurting, and watching the world go on without me. I need a change!!! I want my life back!!! I hope you find a good doctor. I think we should all go see Still's doctor...too bad his doctor is so far away from here.

[capricorn]

Sparkey...can you have your PCP do the blood work. Mine at the request of a rhematologist ran all sorts of tests for Lupus, RA, etc. I think it's called an ANA. It's worth getting done. If nothing else it outrules alot of disorders.


Capricorn

[Still in Limbo]

Snow bear, take Your Time and "Choose" the Dr. You want for Your PM Dr. I was Referred to My Dr. via My PCP, which is the way I Understood it had to be for w/c to Cover it, but had I not Liked Her, I would have Looked for another, until I found One I was Comfortable with! Remember, even though w/c is going to Fight Us on Our Care, It's "Our Bodies, and Our Health at Stake", and if I have to Fight like He** to get the Right Care, I Will!!! I Had to do some Scratching and Clawing throughout My w/c Process, and when it came to Hearing Time, the Judge saw How Badly I was Working at getting the Correct Care, it was Ordered By the Court that I get what I was Asking for. So even though it May Seem like a Never Ending Battle it's not, so Keep at It!!!

[katicabogar]

Snowbear,

Still in Limbo is right, you should ask your pcp for a good pain doctor and probably that one is going to treat you right.
My problem was, it was the w/c who tried to push me into this weird pain clinic what should be called work hardening clinic, becasue that's what they are. Most pain doctors see you probably once a month, but this clinic wants patients to attend every day for eight hours, five days a week, for two months, sometimes longer. They give you some PT, more OT(which more like carrying weight from one place to other and placing boxes on top of each other, over and over again). People also have to attend the vocational counseling, which is mostly giving advice how to write resumes(like we don't know how) and how to dress for interviews to get that job etc. Once a week is also for mental counseling with their pshychologist who is trying to tell you, you are depressed because you didn't get enough attention as a child. And who oversees all this, but the director, who is trying to tell you, you are not in pain, everything is just your imagination and if you try really hard, you can be painfree and whole again just by the power of your mind.

Hope you find a really good pain doctor soon. My claims manager wouldn't authorize any pain doctors only this clinic and now I know why.

Take care.

Kat

[Lilly]

Kat, I really do "feel " for you, and hope your lawyer can get this resolved. That pain clinic sounds kinda spooky to me too. All I can say is, if they try to get you to wear a black robe, and start talking about Heaven gate and space ships...
Run like He** !

Lilly

[Still in Limbo]

I Like that One Lilly!!! We have a system here in Pa. also Called "Work Hardening" but it is no where near as Spooky as the One You were at!! The One I Tried, before I was Stopped and Referred back to My Surgeon due to Intense Pain did the PT and OT, along with Classes, but they never tried to Tell Us We Weren't in Pain! When I went Back to My Surgeon, after given an Emergency Appt. due to the Pain, He tried to Tell Me that it was going to "Hurt to Get Better", I had Major Spine Surgery and Recovery takes Time!! I said "Fine, give Me ONE More MRI, with and without Contrast, and if everything is O.K. I will Finish that WH Program if I had to do it in Tears!!" (I was a Household Mover before My Accident, carrying Couches, Refrigerators, Pianos, Washers and Dryers, etc. was My Every Day Work) along with being a Class A Tractor Trailer Driver, so I knew Pain and Exhaustion, and I knew this was Something Totally Different. Well Long Story Short, the Scar Tissue was Found, and the Surgeon was so Mad and Frustrated He was Wrong He Actually Threw a Script at Me for ESI Shots and Stormed Out the Door!! I Hired My Attorney that Very Same Day!!!

[katicabogar]

Report from this pain doctor just came out online.
He states:
"It is not worth bringing patient into program, as she still insist, something has been missed or seriously wrong. It may be the case, but it is not a problem from a muskuloskeletal standpoint. Patient's hands and feet are extremely warm and there is no evidence to suggest claudication or neurovascular problems.
Overall impression and recommendation:
I will be discharging patient from any follow up. Until the patient feels comforable that nothing else can be found to cause her symptoms, there would be no reason to bring the patient in. She would come in, but because of INCREASING symptoms, she would feel uncomfortable, have INCREASING pain and would not progress.
Told patient not sure what will happen now. She may have to go to an IME and they might bring her case to a close.
If patient wishes to return to our clinic, I told her exactly what we do here. I am hopeful, that at some point she will decide to return, but she is going to have to be able to state to me emphatically, that even though there might be something causing her symptoms, that we do not understand or cannot identify the cause".

So here it is, just as I feared, that they blame me for not attending this weird clinic.

I will call lawyer next Monday to read report. If I have to attend an other IME than it would be number eight. Still not sure, what vocational counselor will do. She was waiting for me to finish this pain program.

Thanks for reading my saga and for feeling for me. I do hope, none of you have to go through this hell.

Kat

[snowbear]

Oh Kat... I am sorry you're dealing with such crap!! He sounds like an egotistical, self-centered you-know-what. What a puke!!! Do you have personal insurance that you could use so you can see the right kind of doctor?

Thanks Still and Kat for your input on pain clinic doctors. I am seeing a doctor next week to see if shots are an option. I think he's also a pain doc. If this doctor can't do anything for me, my pcp was talking to me about a pain clinic he'll refer me to. And if they're quacks....I'll use my personal insurance and see somebody else and then let the insurance company battle wc.

Best of Luck to you Kat.