Any experience with Residential Chronic Pain Treatment Programs?

Hello,

I am a “graduate” of Mayo’s PRC program and it certainly helped me. Three weeks seemed unrealistic for me, but if anything I wish it would have lasted longer. So I highly recommend it.

But there is another place that you likely have heard about.

Check this place out. http://www.thesperoclinic.com

I have heard great things about it. You can also schedule a 30 minute long Zoom meeting with someone from the clinic who will ask a lot of questions, but will also let you tell your story. They will be very honest about whether they feel like they can help you or not. The program is long and of course expensive, but if it gets you your life back, it would be worth it.

If you have any specific questions about Mayo PRC, I will do my best to answer them.

Great find @jenatsky! So nice of you to share for Canadian folks.

@alh123 hasn't posted since last July after he completed the 3 week Mayo Pain Rehab Center program in Arizona. I really hope he's doing well and managing for the better. My fingers are crossed that no news is good news for him.

Hi @joelhoward1092 - nice to meet a fellow PRC grad. Which PRC did you attend and how long ago did you graduate? I completed Florida in 2020.

I could not agree with you more and highly recommend PRC . Yep, I felt the same, while 3 weeks seemed like an eternity at one point, I almost didn't want to leave. Toughest thing I've ever done but so worth it.

How are you doing keeping up with the principles of the program?

Hi Rachel,
I was in Jacksonville in January 2018. I bet a lot of the same people were there when you went. Was Dr. Sletten was there when you were?

I had been doing very well since my time there. Sadly, I recently had to have a back surgery and I am not recovery well. I had 4 spine surgeries before I went to PRC in 2018. Although each surgery was necessary and successful I was left with all sorts of residual pain. I was constantly trying to find what might “fix” my pain. PRC really helped me get my head right.

That being said, I am kind of back in the same boat. I had to wait almost 5 months before I had surgery. By that time, I had been in pain for so long that I didn’t think I was ever going to get better. I am now 9 weeks post surgery and I am once again left with a lot of residual pain.

I now find myself doing the same things I did before. I am constantly looking for something that will make me feel better. I had been doing ok and had a good attitude, but as I type this I am having my worst flare up since I had the surgery. So I am pretty discouraged. I had been doing so well for so long that I had sort of forgotten what I learned at PRC. I am trying to remember some of it, but not doing so great.

Sorry to vent!

How are you doing since PRC?

Hi Joel, no worries at all about venting. I'm sorry about your recent setbacks from back surgeries and your most recent flare up.

Yes, Dr. Sletten- the man, the myth, the legend, was there during my time and still is. I keep in contact with him and the PRC staff as needed and am occasionally a guest graduate speaker for current classes, which is rewarding and helpful for me as well.

I'm doing pretty good, thanks for asking. Have better days, have worse days, and continue to work the program. PRC has greatly helped by providing a blueprint of pain management...heck life management really.

You are not alone in having setbacks. especially from acute issues. Please give yourself grace. Life ain't easy having CSS...you know that, everything is amplified.

Have you ever reached out to PRC staff through the Mayo portal? Once you've graduated, you're always welcome to remain in contact to run concerns or obstacles by them. Also, there is a PRC private Facebook group which supports the principles (no pain behaviors etc, etc.) and serves as a support group to help, encourage and motivate each other. Noone quite understands like fellow PRC grads and there are plenty that have been through surgical set backs and flares as you describe.

One thing that has really helped me is to re-read the PRC manual and stay refreshed. Do you still have your manual and notes from class?

Hi Rachel,

Thanks for the response. I actually do have some questions for you about PRC.

Would you mind if I emailed you instead of communicating on here? If you don’t feel comfortable with that I completely understand.

Hi Joel, I hope your day is going well. Thanks again for your PRC questions. Even though we private messaged, sharing the following info may be helpful to other members interested in PRC.

To apply to any of the 3 locations of Mayo Pain Rehabilitation Center (AZ, MN, FL) click here:
- http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

Contact information specifically for the Mayo Pain Rehabilitation Center in Jacksonville, Florida is:
904-956-1780
flapainrehabcenter@mayo.edu
* See attached for more *

Happy Sunday everyone!

Thanks Rachel. Are you asking me to share that information? Or are you going to?