Mayo Clinic Pain Rehab Center (PRC) - What’s Your Experience?

Posted by robyn @boltz7555, May 13, 2022

Hello - my Mayo neurologist recently recommended the pain rehabilitation center (PRC) to me. They have scheduled my consultation for next week. I’m interested in hearing from others who have gone through this program. What was your experience?
@rwinney Hi Rachel - I had you in mind when I came to make this post and I found the helpful feedback and information you shared in a post from April, here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/residential-chronic-pain-treatment-programs/
Did your condition impact your ability to work? If so, were you able to return to work with no special accommodations after PRC?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Chronic Pain Support Group.

Good Luck at the Mayo PRC. I hope they care for your Mental Health too.

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@kendra75

Hi Rachel! I’m sorry I’m still new to connect. I didn’t realize you posted. I live in NY and will be going to Minnesota. My husband is also flying there with me for a night or two then going home. And during my time there my daughter has a school break so they visit me! So that will be nice. I can only imagine how quiet and lonely it will probably be. I’m sure it was so hard. But I would really do almost anything to feel better!

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@kendra75 Hey there, no worries. By going to your profile, you can turn on notifications and choose how you would like to receive notice when someone @mentions you in a reply or post. Otherwise, you have to hunt and peck by monitoring conversations that you have been in or begun.

Speaking of which, I'd like to introduce you to @dciddio. who graduated the PRC in MN, She kindly shared some of her experience with you in the following comment:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/1209392/
I hope you find this helpful! 😊

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@rwinney

@kendra75 Hey there, no worries. By going to your profile, you can turn on notifications and choose how you would like to receive notice when someone @mentions you in a reply or post. Otherwise, you have to hunt and peck by monitoring conversations that you have been in or begun.

Speaking of which, I'd like to introduce you to @dciddio. who graduated the PRC in MN, She kindly shared some of her experience with you in the following comment:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/comment/1209392/
I hope you find this helpful! 😊

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I actually graduated from the Arizona program. 🙂

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I have been to pain clinics in my area probably 6 or 7 times and feel that they are mostly in it for the money! I hate to say this but my experience has shown me. One needle this time and if it doesn't work, another needle or a pain patch, and next time you come we will give you another needle. Nothing has worked but they are making lots of money trying. Not one doctor asked me about my problem, my symptoms, or how the pain originated. I just question their ethics. Now if I could go to the Mayo Clinic, I don't think I would feel that way.

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@dciddio

I actually graduated from the Arizona program. 🙂

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Oops - my mistake, Arizona. 🙃

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@ksdm

I have been to pain clinics in my area probably 6 or 7 times and feel that they are mostly in it for the money! I hate to say this but my experience has shown me. One needle this time and if it doesn't work, another needle or a pain patch, and next time you come we will give you another needle. Nothing has worked but they are making lots of money trying. Not one doctor asked me about my problem, my symptoms, or how the pain originated. I just question their ethics. Now if I could go to the Mayo Clinic, I don't think I would feel that way.

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@ksdm I agree with you, I don't think you would feel that way going to the Mayo Clinic. I'm sorry to hear about your poor experience with pain clinics. Unfortunately, pain clinics are about a medicinal approach through injections, pills, infusions, etc... and don't treat the whole person, which is the most important part of chronic pain management. Mayo Clinic's Pain Rehabilitation Center is just that, a comprehensive program that focuses on Rehabilitation using the four pillars: emotional, behavioral, physical , chemical. Understandably getting to Mayo Clinic is not feasible for some. Is there any small chance you might ever look into going or is that out of the question for you?

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@creyn51

Good Luck at the Mayo PRC. I hope they care for your Mental Health too.

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My mental health is fine it is my muscle spasm that's the problem!

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@rwinney

@ksdm I agree with you, I don't think you would feel that way going to the Mayo Clinic. I'm sorry to hear about your poor experience with pain clinics. Unfortunately, pain clinics are about a medicinal approach through injections, pills, infusions, etc... and don't treat the whole person, which is the most important part of chronic pain management. Mayo Clinic's Pain Rehabilitation Center is just that, a comprehensive program that focuses on Rehabilitation using the four pillars: emotional, behavioral, physical , chemical. Understandably getting to Mayo Clinic is not feasible for some. Is there any small chance you might ever look into going or is that out of the question for you?

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Thank you, Rachel. My daughter lives in St. Paul, so getting to the clinic would be the least of the problems. But the insurance worries me, as does how many visits I would need. It does remain an option, though!

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@ksdm

My mental health is fine it is my muscle spasm that's the problem!

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Some conditions like my CRPS Type 2 actually Cause Anxiety, Depression, Panic and PTSD. As I'm not familiar with the Maio PRC I was just wondering how far they would go to treat my CRPS if I was ever lucky enough to attend their program some day. Best of Luck getting control of those muscle spasms.

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I did the three week class at PRC Mayo Jacksonville about 5 years ago. I got there in really bad shape. They weaned me off several meds during those three weeks which caused me to sleep very little during that time. I will say I learned a lot and left there doing a lot better and I was stronger and gained some endurance. A month after going home and continuing the plan, I still wasn’t sleeping so I got back on my sleeping medication. Being on certain meds is a big No no! I kept doing the plan but also wound up getting back on another med that helps my muscle spasms… I was still doing good then I tore my meniscus and it threw off track for a bit. As I was trying to return to the plan, something traumatic happened in my life and completely threw me off the plan, actually threw me off of anything positive. I still did OK for about a year without things getting terrible then in February 2024 my health took a turn and I have been miserable since. I finally got an overall diagnosis to what’s causing all these things to happen in my body. I have since done the today fibromyalgia pain class, and fill it as a much better fit to my issues. PRC is totally against certain meds and talk of certain things. I believe in the program, but do believe there are exceptions to some of the rules where that program does not. I feel PRC as a one-size-fits-all and not customized at all to the individual problems of a person the two day class Was basically the same principles, but took the big picture and the small details into account. I am back on the cardio and strengthening part of the program and starting to see some improvements. However, I am working closely with a sleep psychologist for the last four months to get to the root of my sleep problems And working with other doctors that believe coming straight off of those medication‘s in three weeks is not the best way to handle it for me. It’s a really good fit for most people but long-term. It wasn’t the right fit for me. I wish you the best of luck and hope that PRC is the perfect fit for You

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