Tips for working with your doctor to help pain

in reply to @vivianclark I am SO sorry that you live with such pain, and am also astonished that you cannot get a referral to a neurologist! I understand the sciatic pain, as I too have this problem which is worse now that I have lost a ton of weight. My neurologist has made a referral to Home Health for some physical therapy because I do not drive and between the cost of transportation and the copy, it would have been about $100 per week. However, Home Health is backlogged, just like everything else. Fortunately I have a friend in my complex who is a physical therapist and she gave me some lessons on exercises that may help me.

There is nothing worse than chronic pain, having suffered with this for many years. Many do not understand unless they have experienced it themselves. I have a referral to Pain Management, and the doctor is one I have seen before. I have no clue what he will discuss with me, but I am open to all options at this point in my life, however short it may be. One step at a time, right?

My PCP sent me to an orthopedic surgeon because of my ongoing chronic hip pain, and as a result I have received many cortisone injections that have been of great success. In fact, I had one yesterday. They are of the kind done by the radiologist so he can use an xray to ensure he gets the injection exactly where he wants. Because he does such a great job, I always ask if he is available to give them to me when I need them, which is about every 6 months. While I know I need a new hip, I am not in a position to get one, nor do I want one. I figure that if the injections help, then I will continue on this course.

I wonder if you should ask for a referral to see a back surgeon and here is why: I recently participated in a webinar that was conducted by the surgeon who removed my Tarlov cyst. He said that doctors frequently think that a person's sciatica is coming from the lumbar spine, when in fact it is coming from the sacral spine. If I recall, he said that doctors do not give much attention to the sacral spine, simply because when someone says they have back pain and/or sciatica, the doctors think of the lumbar spine first. I do have a referral to see the same surgeon who removed my Tarlov cyst, but before I see him I have to have a lumbar and sacral spine MRI, which has been scheduled for next Sunday. I am not sure how I will be able to stand laying in the machine for 90 minutes, but I will do everything in my power and take whatever I think will help me overcome my claustrophobia. I have had many MRIs,but it was not until I got older that I started hating them.

In any event, I often use Arnica Gel to help with the pain and have great success with this, as well as some of the other OTC topical things one can buy. I stay away from the scented ones for practical reasons. The Arnica might be worth a try if you have not already used it.

Best of luck

As an RN, I know all about pain and pain medication. But now I'm the patient..and have suffered for over 10-years with Lumbar spinal stenosis pain. I spent all these years running between Orthopedic physicians and Pain Management Physicians, having numerous Epidural steroid injections, Radiofrequency ablation, Physical therapy, Acupuncture, an Interspinous spacer inserted, a MILD procedure, and nothing has helped my pain. No physician today apparently will prescribe pain medications, and that is due to the pressure of the Federal Government. So what are all these Pain Management Physicians doing with their patients? Nothing. It's a crime, and patients are suffering unnecessarily. Finally, after all these years, I received the SPRINT PNS System .....and it worked! My pain is greatly reduced and absent most days. I am thrilled with the results, despite the fact that it took 10+ years to get to this point.

An orthopedic doctor or PA in an orthopedic group can give you a cortisone injection. Praying as sciatica is very painful. Blessings....

First, I disagree - not all doctors don’t care. I couldn’t be more please with my doctor.

Second, there has to be a reason you had drugs withdrawn. Please explain what the reason was. That way we can better help you.

So rot your gut or damage your liver?

You must still be in pain or you would be skipping down the street.

We are not talking about hard core drugs but if individuals need à fentanyl patch, they have to have a darn good reason. All of us are talking about some of the most prescribed meds, tramadol, hydrocodone or Percocet. The even spinal cord stimulator don’t work for many. WE are trying to have the last days on this mess of an earth as comfortable and able to have a life.

Correct! When one is wrong, apologize, but that would be a submission of guilt to them. They fear a law suit even though we all know that is a difficult undertaking, we are on pain meds, strike one.

Having a mri as soon as a spot opens, it’s season in Florida! Need open MRI.

Praying they find something but I doubt it. Going back to Chicago in the spring or summer. As one surgeon stated, nothing showing up on MRI, looks fine except it too large. Would be very hesitant to do a revision. But stated Florida makes a great deal of money for them, replacement capital of America, then they come home in pain, Chicago does the revisions. So much for the AMA keeping tabs on their members.

I hope you fine some way for help and less pain. I too would love to get my life back. This physician took it away!

John Thompson, Ft Myers, Fl.

Doctor just wanted to see how I would feel without pain meds. I asked her if I still had trouble would she help me out with pain. She agreed she would. After I was off she now had said no to the help. I was tricked. Luckily the back shots help and if it does really get bad I do get short term pain meds. Our state has put pressure on the doctors to not give out pain meds.

Both

I had an interesting conversation with my pharmacist at Walmart yesterday because a friend of mine was having trouble filling her prescription at both CVS and Walgreens. She is 85 and has been taking Norco for years, prescribed by her long term doctor. My pharmacist did say that the government is "keeping an eye" on the scheduled drugs, however they are not the ones to blame for withholding medication from those who do need their pain medication. When my friend, Diane, would go to CVS to pick-up her script, she would be told that she could only have a certain number amount of the prescription, the same with Walgreens, even though she had been given a prescription for say, 30 tablets. CVS and Walgreens would only give her 12 at a time. I told my friend to ask her doctor to call the drug into Walmart, and he said this would raise a red flag because it may look like she is "shopping around." My pharmacist told me the following: CVS and Walgreens buy mass quantities of these medications. Doctors purchase these drugs from these stores, therefore depleting the supply that might otherwise be available to patients. Walmart only buys enough of the medication for their patients, they do not stockpile the drug as these other stores do. There would be no "red flags" if Diane changes her pharmacy to Walmart, which she has now done at my behest. As I mentioned, I have never had any issues getting my pain medication filled by my pharmacy. They know me by name, bend over backwards to ensure that my prescriptions are "high priority" and I ALWAYS obtain the FULL prescription when it is ready. She further stated that the problem has intensified due to the influx of cheap drugs like heroin and synthetic opiates, including fentanyl being supplied by foreign drug cartels. I am sure you are all aware of the fentanyl pills that look like candy and have killed many, including children. Also, the use of opiates rose during the COVID-19 epidemic, which did create a shortage. Having said this, I would question your doctor about the lack of access to the drugs that you need in an effort to relieve your pain. Yes, I occasionally have to submit a urine sample so that my doctor knows I am not out on the street selling my Norco to supplement my income, which has become common among "senior citizens."
I am so sorry all of you are having issues getting your medication. In as much as I may abhor my PCP, I keep going to him because I know he will continue to fill my medications. I am not a drug addict, I do not sell or give my pills to others. I am so astonished that so many of you are not able to access medications which would provide you with the relief you need. I understand many do not want to take opiates for pain relief, and yes I may be drug dependant, but at this stage in my life I have a whole lot more to be concerned about other than whether I may be a drug addict, drug dependant or otherwise.

To draw a line between people with "real pain" and people who are "drug addicts" is short sighted and stigmatizing. People with pain are commonly addicted to their prescription drugs. It is virtually impossible NOT to be addicted to things like opiates if you have taken them long-term. So the line drawn would be more like people who take their drugs as prescribed versus people who don't have prescriptions or misuse their prescriptions. Drug addicts are often in pain, which can be a reason they are seeking drugs in the first place. Many people who are given prescriptions, then become addicted, and when they can no longer get those prescriptions, they start drug seeking from other sources that are likely illegal. Doctors in the past have been shameless and unethical with pain drugs and it has cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Doctors generally do want to help people in pain. They also want to prevent harm to people.