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When they ask:” any pain today? On a scale... with 10 being the worst
Does anyone else find this method of recording your pain strangely and potentially misleading?
Last week after I signed out but still needed to wait for my number to be called for blood draw and urine deposit I said to the girl who was taking my blood and one of 3 people at the VA clinic who alternate between checking us in and checking us out. So I comment: “ if the women who checked me in asked now what my pain level was my answer would be way different “ “ which arm do you prefer ?” It occurred to me that these 3 women had jobs and the knew the routine. That said this blood taker was not interested in what I just said. Thinking about these women, the VA, the world of medicine it troubled me that I can honestly say that I’m not sure if anyone knew why I was there or how complicated my pain level is to describe let alone put a number on it.
In Feb when hospitalized my nurse informed me that I should comment when asked about my pain level to inform the person asking that I have chronic pain and acute pain and they are not the same.
So the first time I did that the person asking left the room and came back saying “ just pick a number “ other times I said that I also received strange reactions
So if this proves anything to me it’s that the process is broken and no one knows who to go to to fix the problem.
I also think that this is a great example of how the whole system is in need of review but who will bring it up and to whom?
Is it even possible that we the patients can start the discussion and process?
Any suggestions or ideas?
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No suggestions, but fully agree there are the 2 types of pain. chronic pain number is a 4. Acute pain, when it happens is an 8.
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1 Reaction@stuckonu I always ask the assistant what pain they are referring to. If it is as to my right knee, that may be one level. Overall it may be something else. I agree, there are many variables, and the factors are numerous. It seems they just need to put something in the computer as they check you in. My doctors rarely refer to the answer I have given, and if you get a copy of the chart notes, I never see that part of the questions there. Not too sure why they want to know, then. Guess we could ask why they want to know since it never seems to change anything. Next time you go in, you might see "DP" for "difficult patient" on your folder; I am proud to have that label ;))
Ginger
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5 ReactionsYOU GO GIRL!!!
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1 Reaction@gingerw Ginger, I have the ability to break down and give a number to different pains. My doctors think that I’m fortunate to do so, I take it as having too many pains.
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3 ReactionsI always tend to have the same response when asked what is your pain level today: "Compared to what?"
I have also learned, especially for those that deal with chronic pain and learn to mostly deal with it or to push it back in their brain, to not undersell your pain when asked. Most who deal with chronic pain learn to push it back some and it becomes a fabric of daily life, so when asked to rate it, it is often underrated. It took me some time, but I learned to not be "tough" and say my pain was a 3 when really it was probably something closer to a 6+. It is a hard scale, but I am sure it is difficult for many providers too.
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3 ReactionsMy family doctor's nurse usually ask what pain level I am now and what makes it worse or better.
I am attaching a chart (hopefully I am; I have never attached a photo before) that is kind of funny, but is more of a reality of how to describe the pain.
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5 ReactionsThat is pretty funny @fourof5zs! Although, I have to say, I think I'd put mauled by a bear at 10 if it were me.
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2 ReactionsYes, exactly. I have finally learned to be honest ad clear. My best days now are pain levels of 3-4, "flare-up" days 5-7, needing more serious intervention, 8-10. I have not had an 8-10 day for at least a year, probably since I added Cymbalta and CBD gels to my pill regimen. I probably have a DP on my pain clinic file, as none of their costly interventions ever helped at all. Glad to be past the pain clinic days! Lots of them here in the land where folks come to die--Arizona!--and the pain clinics guys are doing very well.(Tongue in cheek, but true to my experience for the most part!)
@JustinMcClanahan .. sometimes I think we need to draw up our own pain chart. Everyone's pain is different. Some people can tolerate more pain than others and use different words to describe their pains.
On most days my pain is like knives not bees. A level 5-6. Pain med will sometimes take it to a 4. If I am active like today it is off the scale. Doing laundry and cleaning bathroom is active. I and my husband take care of my 91 year old mom who has dementia. That is quite active ... some days more than others.
Ginger, LMAO at the DP admission!👍
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