Friday, January 11, 2008
I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas about who I could go to for a pain specialist. My arthritis doc will refer me but I don't know where to go that won't make me do the shot's again. They were painful and they didn't help. I know I am young and too young to have an 80year old body but that is why I need help. My 4 year old wants to be just like her mommy, and I can't have that. Explanation, She was sitting at her little table the other day and threw something in her mouth to a drink and tilted her head back I said what are you doing, She say's Im taking my medicine like you mommy, I want to be just like you when I grow up. After I got upset and yelled a little trying to make sure she didn't really take anything, she was pretending, I went to the bathroom and cried for a very long time. I just really think I would be doing them a favor if I weren't here. I have no help, my husband is a cop and works all the time and is very tired when he is at home and I am always scared he will finally get sick of it and leave. Not that he doesn't love me he does but I can hear and feel the resentment coming out. If there is something out there that helps why can't It be used. I know that the patch can be dangerous but the main thing is abuse and some people laid out in the sun with them and cause them to soak into the skin alot more. I want quality of life I don't want to be druged out so why would I abuse it and frankly I don't know how you could a patch anyway but that is besides the point. If I wanted to abuse them I wouldn't be going to a doctor, you can buy that kind of thing on the street. I go to a doctor because I want help living. So if anyone has any Idea what I am going through can you help me out. I want a doctor that listens and actually cares about their patients and helping them get some kind of quality of life back and that is not worried about drug abusers because frankly I don't see them going to a doctor when you can buy them on the street. I mean I know it happens some because my mother, and two aunts are nurses but when there is physical proof that a patient is in pain why can't they help. Again sorry I made this out to be about me when I didn't mean for it to it just keeps popping in my mind, and that If I don't get help soon my daughters may have to look to their dad for everything.
I read your prior posts and responded to one. Your story has really touched me because again, I feel the frustration in your message.
Faira, I was on the Duragesic patch for about a year. I just stopped the patch in Sept. 2007.
I was taking the next to the highest dosage of 50mg. I wore each patch for 3 days.
My experience with the patch is not a bad one. The biggest concern to doctors is getting addicted to narcotics. Some doctors understand that some people are not an addictive type. I certainly never have been addicted to anything other than cigarettes
!
You have to have a new written prescription every month, so it has to be called into the doctor's office. One month, my doctor was not in, I saw a doctor's assistant. SHE decided I had been on the patch too long and would not refill the patch without me going to a pain specialist. I thought, OK...I will play the game and show them I am willing to work with whatever they give me. I then decided to try life w/o the patch.
The reason I went on in the first place is I could not remember to take pills. Then I would always be behind the pain. You cannot get relief from pain unless you handle it before it starts. If you are going to do something you know will start your pain. Take your medicine BEFORE you do the task. Then take additional dose (if you can) BEFORE you hurt again.
I never could do this, and still can't...but that doesn't mean it is not good advice! Anyway, during the time I was on the patch and now...With patch: I was not in so much pain. I still hurt but it did not stress me. I did not realize though how drugged out I was. I could not watch a movie at night w/o falling asleep within the first few moments.
Now, I have to fight pain but I am in a better state of mind.
As someone who has experienced what you are going through. More medication is not the answer. Please look at these steps and see if you are doing them;
1. Keep a pain diary. Do this daily. Record when you hurt, where you hurt, what makes you hurt, etc.
2. Keep a diary on what helped you when you were hurting. What did you do to allieviate pain.
3. Try to write down all the symtoms you have ie. feet swell at night, hand hurts when doing typing, etc.
4. Write down all medications you are presently taking including supplements, over the counter, etc.
When you do this...and you are satisfied that you have included everything...take it to your rheumatologist.
The problem with doctors and patients: you have to be exact with a doctor. If you go to the doctor and you confuse your symtoms. They don't know how to treat you. They get confused when faced with multiple symtoms that do not add up to a disease or illness.
They are trained that 2 + 2 = 4.
I understand that we, as patients, confuse our doctors. My daughter is a prime example. She cannot verbalize how she hurts, and the doctor is not a mind reader. I do the same thing, only my problem is different. I don't talk to the doctor. I wait until they ask me if something is a problem and then I can get it out. My family get mad at me because I neglect to tell the doctor about symtoms. My husband has gone into my appointments with me when he worries about something.
The whole point of this is: narcotics will help your pain, but not help your family. You can help yourself to feel better. You just have to want to feel better. There are several resources on the internet and this site.
More medication is not what I am looking for. The reason that I wanted to take the patch in the first place is so that my 4 year old daughter didn't see me take the 16 pills I take every day and they would be cut in half. When your 4 year old pretends she is taking her medicine because she wants to be like her mommy it hurts worse than any physical pain. I would be happy to never take another pill in my life but it doesn't seem that that is ever going to happen. I want a doctor that is willing to help me and doesn't stop until he finds a way to help me whether it be a new medicine or anything else I don't care I am just sick and tired of hurting I have been in pain for 10 years and I am only 31 and have always been treated like a lepper from doctors. The one thing I do know is that the Ultram barely takes the edge off anymore and I have my kids to worry about. I don't want to be doped out of my mind I hate feeling dopey I miss enough in my life to have that too but I do need for something to happen very soon because it is getting unbarable. My sister got off of pills that she was taking 6 10mg hydrocodone a day and break through pain meds also to the patch and now she can play with her kids and she comes to see me and leaves her house. Is it wrong for me to want that too, she is 10 years older than me but now feels like she is a great deal younger and I feel like an 80 year old woman. I am just tired