Seems like there are to many drug addicts in this country trying to score drugs, that doctors don't want to prescribe pain meds for people like us. Doctors are forced (due to new laws) to send us to a pain management specialists where they want to teach us how to meditate, visualize, think happy thoughts and breath thru the pain. Makes me angry, I'm not a drug seeker, but if you ask your doctor for something that could help you on those bad days, then they look at you like you just might be one. I'm referring to meds like a muscle relaxant for muscle spasms? They can prescribe a short supply for acute pain, but not chronic pain because you just might become addicted. Really?
This is a real problematic state of affairs. My advice would be say that if they are worried they can give you a week worth at a time or something like that? I have just within the week been told to go to hell basically for asking about spasms in my back. I wrote a blog post on here about it... although I do not think it was the doctor's intention I was left feeling humiliated and like an addict. All I wanted was something to stop me from needing to call the out of hours doctor every night about the pain. It really was that simple.
I know the doc's are hesitant to give out med's for pain. You might want to seek out another doctor that will work with you more. I had to research and find a good doctor that has been wonderful to me. The trouble is these doctor's don't know how to help us because they don't have a grip on the illness yet. It has been around a long time but since it doesn't " kill us", it doesn't get the research it should. I had to get my own pain specialist to come and evaluate me and suggest a pain medication before my regular doctor would prescribe anything! I take Hydromorphone 2 mg as needed for pain. Sometimes it helps but some days like yesterday , it did nothing for the terrible pain I had. There are no clear answers for us. We will all keep looking for an answer to this painful illness.
I agree!!! I was given a 20 count of Percocet in the ER because I couldn't move and I went back to my primary care physician over a year and a half later with 14 1/2 of those tablets still in the bottle, with my name on them. I asked her if she could please refill just a few because these expired and I am in just too much pain sometimes. I told her it took me over half a year to get the courage to come in and ask for them and I certainly did not like having to do so but some days the pain is just too much to handle.
She told me "No". Clear and simple. I looked up, holding back tears as best as I could and asked why. She had the nerve to tell me that they were constipating. HAH! I could not believe it! I felt belittled and ashamed of myself at the same time. I am no idiot and know that pain killers can be constipating but I was holding a 2 year old prescription with 14 1/2 of the original total count of 20 still in hand. Mind you, I was supposed to be taking a full tablet! If they were going to constipate me I am pretty sure I would be able to find a way to handle it at the rate at which I would not have been taking the pills. I'm certain my body and I would have found a way to compensate, but instead I was told to turn on some music and dance with my son! As if the unicorns and rainbows were supposed to suddenly to appear in my magical rose garden and I would be happy ever after! Instead I had to walk out and choose to either be demeaned by another physician or risk taking expired meds the next time it got that bad. Sadly, I cried the entire walk home, and told myself that I should not have even tried. It is over a year later and I still have the same 14 1/2 pills in my kitchen cabinet and have not gotten anything else to replace them, even though I have asked. But certainly, not with the same sincerity. I cry through many of my nights.
Man can I relate. I asked my Rheumie about marijuana on a visit because my friend has MS and she gets tintures for tea (because she doesn't smoke it) and it really helps her. I asked him about it and he gave me a strange look before saying that marijuana is not beneficial for Fibro. I live in Washington State, marijuana is legal here, but it wasn't legal when I asked him. So what he doesn't know??? The medical MJ dispensory has this thing like an E-Cigarette that has THC oil in a filter cartridge that you inhale (no nicotine or carcinogens). I've never tried it, but ya never know. Some days it seems like nothing helps.
Thank you for answering. Everytime I think about changing doctors, I'm afraid I might get labeled as a difficult or a nutty patient that no doctor will take seriously. It also takes forever to get a new patient appt. with a rheumie.
What a sad experience you had with that doctor. Some doctors really don't understand fibro. My primary doctor prescribed Nsaids (mega dose Naproxen) for my fibro, I took it for 6 months and the only thing it did was give me indigestion daily. On my 1st Rheumie appt. I told him about taking the Nsaids and he told me to stop taking them because they do nothing for fibro pain. 6 Months of indigestion and money out the window. I hope you find a caring doctor to help you : ) and you should keep that magical rose garden, there might be some pirates gold burried there.
Ironic that you touched upon the angst of considering changing drs...I stuck with seeing the same crappy doctor for over 10 years....she was great at first, but then it changed....and then I changed....I started thinking that if I cant get them to listen, then to #$% with them all. I stopped going to drs, I ignored myself because they ignored me! Not much sense now that hind sight is there...But then I came back to the same dr for fear of having to tell a new dr all my truck loads of real serious baggage and the basements of charts I have all over my state. I just found that it was to triggering for me to consider digging all my demons up,just for a new dr who will then treat me through all my old diagnosis....and then not take me seriously. Trying a new dr can be a real anxiety provoker...
Good subject matter here! Thanks for posting this, as it needs to be addressed. I have read so many posts referring to this very problem. Personally I am fortunate, as my Internist takes care of this prescription for me, but so many of our friends here that not only have fibro, but degenerative arthritis, have been seriously injured, autoimmune. The list of caused of chronic pain are endless, those are just a few.
Movie stars seem to be especially fond of misusing pain meds, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, this list goes on forever as well. Then there is the problem of all of these prescription meds sold on the streets, home invasions for meds...
My last trip to the ER after a fall was to make sure there were no fractures, but I was treated badly when first interviewed as they suspected me of being a 'drug seeker', I got that out of the way quickly, telling them that I did not come here in search of drugs, and assured them that I already had my own, but could they just politely make sure that I didn't fracture my skull!
I don't know where the answers are, but it is certainly a big problem getting them, and I don't know of anyone who enjoys taking them!
Who suffers? Just people who need pain relief the most, and the struggle is more pronounced each time!
Thanks for posting, hope you can find some relief!
Honestly, if you cannot find a doctor who is NOT negligent (calling a spade a spade here) in providing you with pain relieving medication, then talk to your local political representative. In Canada that'd be an ombudsman, I do not know what the American equivalent would be.
Squeaky wheel and all that. If you can't find the appropriate person to talk to, ask around. or get vocal and public on social media. THAT always gets some notice :)
We are paying a high price for the complete ignorance of some doctors. There are few doctors aroung who get it, or for that matter have a basic knowledge of fibromyalgia, but still I would keep changing doctors until I found one that treated me with respect.
You know those use by dates on tablets are pretty conservative and you can probably take them no problem.Perhaps I shouldn’t say that. Take care and a deep breath and just ring around and try to find a reasonable doctor. Good Luck Barb
You know im really tired of the medical proffesionals treating us folks with chronic pain like we are drug addicts. I went to a pain clinic and gave it a chance. They were injecting my trigger spotd with a local antistic that would numb the area...well i went 3x's and the last time she did 26 of them in my back and i said NO MORE. this is crazy and painful and doesnt work. I live in michigan and we have medical marijuana im a true beleiver and do WHATEVER works for you. Studies have proven in clincal trials that people with chronic pain do not become addicted to them. Look it up for yourself. The proof is out there. It really is a personal choice and how you choose to manage your pain and quality of life. I have 2 kids and its a nightmare on the days that i can barely move. I mean seriously whats a mom to do? :(
I saw several Rheumie's and the last one told me she couldn't help me. Now that is a first! I thought they specialized in all areas especially Firbromyagia patient's. I am being treated by my regular physician. She keeps pushing me to go to a specialist but I had bad experiences with them and don't want to go.
I don't think it's that most of the doctors don't care, or don't think we're legitimately in pain, or just ignorant, I think the bottom line is that their licenses and practices are in jeopardy. With the EMR laws going into affect, all of our records -- no matter who we see, where -- will be accessible by any medical professional and organization. It's a good way for those who don't abuse the medicines to have proof that they aren't over-taking the drugs, but it also tracks how much the doctors are prescribing overall. Doctors are being arrested and losing their licenses left and right for handing out narcotics, and they are scared. It's safer for them to just refer to a pain management specialist.
As much as I balk at Pain Management and despise the way they some of them treat you like a criminal, to get control of your pain, it really is the best place to go. Most of us just want that quick fix in whatever form we can get it, and don't want to waste time with another specialist. These doctors are usually anesthesiologists or neurologists, trained specifically to deal with pain, where the other doctors really aren't. They have much more knowledge about what pain medicine works on certain nerves, brain signals, etc, and are more skilled to determine where exactly that pain generates from. They also tend to use drugs that are not the basic pain meds, giving them a much broader choice of treatments. Our other doctors only really know the standard opiate drugs, and dispense them based on what our pain level is, no matter what the source of the pain is. I think that's the basis for all of the talk about opiates not working on Fibromyalgia patients -- because most of our pain is generated from faulty nerve endings, and needs specialized meds. Pain doctors also incorporate the non-medication treatments, like physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, TENS units, injections, acupuncture -- all the things we don't want to hear about, but in the long run really can help.
So as angry as I am over the whole situation, I know I need to get over my aversion to pain management doctors, and get myself there for some sort of relief---especially since I hope they will be able to find something that i'm not allergic to, and the other doctors can't.
mmom, I think most of us have the same exact fear. The idea of starting with a new doctor is overwhelming to me, because I can't remember things, and who knows where all of my records are anymore. I've seen 4 new doctors in the past 3 months, and it's exhausting. Besides the fact, none of them have done a thing for me, so it feels like it was totally wasted time. So I stick with the same lousy doctors too, just to avoid the change.
I have had the same experience with my Rheumie too - can't help me. I think that there is only so much that can be tried and after that, they just have no idea. As I am very sensitive to chemicals, medications are out for me. And really, that's all they can do - prescribe meds. I have all the other things, physio, massage, warm pool, naps, eating organically, meditation etc, etc, etc. I can manage - but it's really hard.
Reading all your e mails makes me angry and i am crying i'm so mad. How can doc tors treat patients like that when they swore an oath to do no harm. I changed doctors to. But i am afraid they are all the same. I managed to get 30 tylenol 3 this three month reflii. Askead for 60 and was told no. They have to last me three months. Only reason she gave them to me is cuz i'm in a flare.Big deal , i could use them up in a few days if i take them the way they had been prescribe. Was allowed 2x3. So unless we are brave enough to walk the streets and hunt down a dealer and pay $50.00 a pill. Which i can't afford, we are screwed,scuse the launguage.I think this won't last long if we all get together and complain to the medecial board. The government needs to understand , we are not DRUG ADDICTS, just people in pain.
