Just curious.....does he use psychology to control your pain or is he able (being an anaesthesiologist) to prescribe medications?

I know that it really helps to be able to control your pain through psychology, but I also know that it doesn't help if you really do need a medication to ease the pain.

I have finally been lucky with the pain medication I am on...I am able to take a dose (even though it's large) that has my pain completely in control......I get the symptoms of the migraines, but not the pain. Maybe a twinge here & there when a smell triggers the pain to be worse, but overall, the pain medication I'm on is 100% working for me (very unusual & lucky). I am also lucky that the large dose doesn't effect my functioning. My pain specialist explained that when the dose actually is working fully on the pain it's like there is none left over to cause the "out of it" feeling.

I have been on this same high dose for 7 years without becoming tolerant & needing a larger dose. When the pain medication is a narcotic, one always becomes dependent on it (meaning that one would go through withdrawals if I went off of it without tapering down the dose). When I started with my new pain specialist 3 years ago after moving, we tried to taper the med just to see if the migraine was still there (sadly it was right under there waiting to come out as soon as the dose was lowered).

I so much enjoy my life now that it's pain free. I can do the things that I always loved to do. Here in the US, they are willing to justify prescribing pain meds when it makes a difference in our "quality of life". Going from laying in a dark room without any smells or sounds day after day to being able to ride my horses, work in the yard & in the house.....was definitely proof that my quality of life improved along with the fact that my pain is controlled at 100% which was more than I ever expected it would be.

Hoping that your success with your pain specialist will be as successful as mine has been.....but it did take many years to get to that success. They always like to start with therapy or shots in the area that might control the pain without starting on a high dose of medication. They usually try everything else & maybe a small dose of medication.....then as they are able to determine better the cause & the ability to control it, they will adjust where it's needed......definitely a long process.....the pain doesn't go away overnight. The psychology end of it may help you to mentally control your pain....this may also help too.

Sending you gentle .....very glad your fiancée was able to convince you that there is hope & get you to the point of going for it. I know that just the thought of there being hope when the pain is so bad is definitely a start in the right direction.....patience will also be necessary while keeping the hope going.

I know how angry the pain used to make me feel....that helpless feeling that no one could or wanted to do anything to fix it & it wouldn't go away on it's own was depressing. Keep the faith that in the long run there will be the help for you that you need to be able to enjoy your life again.