[bebop]

ok so after I have exhausted all possible procedures I am being referred to a pain clinic. I hate the thoughts of it because I hate taking a pill all the time. I am terrified of addiction but I can't take the pain much more. I suffer long before I will take what I have now but even with a med change it isn't helping. Anyone going thru this? What can I expect at a pain clinic? I am praying it is not a pill mill!

[pegasus]

Hi bebop, they might be able to give you a patch. Let us know how it goes.

[bebop]

thanks peg. I ended up at my primary care dr monday in such pain I was in tears. he gave me a cortisone shot. man did that hurt! ouchy!

[eskielover]

I am on the pain patches.....they are narcotic, but give a stable dose over the 72 hours (unless in the summer you end up getting too hot & sweating while doing yard work during the middle of the day....which I have learned NOT to do).

For me they are the best solution & have actually taken my pain down to 0 except when a stress gets too bad or when a skunk decided to spary & makes the migraines come back....but my migraines were 24/7 without any relief....& since 2003 I have been on the same high dose without any change.....it's been a wonderful solution....doesn't give me any highs or anything strange even when I get too hot.

Only other problem during the summer is that they don't stick so well & there can be a need to use tape around them to keep then on, but that's usually ok unless alergic to the adhesive.

Best solution I ever had....They can also start on a dose & raise it until they find the right dose that takes care of the pain.

I have heard some very nagative experiences....but I have had only positive.....I was already on the patch after having neck fusion in 1999 but it didn't take care of the pain at the low dose.....they found another solution with the actiq but changed the forumlation & it quit working for me....so I asked why they didn't just increase the patch level....the pain specialist I was seeing at the time was a jerk....he had told me to try it at the higher dose, (husband was there to hear that comment)...next month when I came in & said how well it worked he denied saying that & told me to find a new pain specialist...gave me 1 month perscription at the higher dose & dropped me. Found one who told me that the mediation was causing the pain & I had to go off....then sent me to this other pain specialist to help me to off the medication in the hospital where my pdoc had priviledges....lol.....that pain specialist said the patches were the perfect solution & was quite willing to prescribe since they were working & there was nothing wrong with taking that high of dose .....have one here in KY who was willing to prescribe also...but it was difficult finding pain specialists that do anything but injections around here.....so I honestly don't know what you are going to end up with??????

Hope it's a solution though & not just a run around.

[Travelinglady]

Some pain clinics are bigger on pills than others. I went to one that was a big believer in shots.....(I had at least four around my spine.) I didn't find them all that helpful.

I like the place I am going to now. Yes, the doc gives me pills, but he doesn't just hand me a prescription and push me out the door. He even mentioned another place that could get in trouble for being a popular place to just get opiates!

[bebop]

eskie I was on patches before and they did nothing for my pain. ugh I am just difficult to treat actually.

[bebop]

Payne this dr I will be seeing is one that does all kinds of tests throughout you being a patient. liver testing, dexa scans and so forth. I am really hoping for good results from him.

[eskielover]

When I was first on the patches, the level was too low & I was constantly ending up in the ER.....the patch did absolutely nothing at the lower level. They basically had to double the level which surprisingly in my small size had no effect on dizziness or grogginess.....it just took the pain away & I could finally function. If the higher dose had made me non-functional, then yep, it wouldn't have been the right thing...but all it did was give that final kick to get it to really work. At the lower dose....it did absolutely NOTHING for me either.....just lucky that the higher dose was what was needed & went directly to work on the pain so the body was able to handle it.....but if your body can't handle a higher dose than what you were given to make the pain medication work....then yes, the patches wouldn't be the right solution.

LOL....the first pain specialist said he had one lady that was on the patches that came in with her cloths on inside out & had no knowledge that she had done it.....patches definitely weren't for her either...lol.

[lorna]

Hi Bebop:
I have had experience with pain clinics. I will say I do prefer a physiatrist (physical rehabilitation doc) as the one I had did get to what was causing the pain, through tests , referrals and many visits. The pain clinics I went to were either places that just tried to inject me and gave me flares, that was the first one, and told me I needed a psychiatrist... nice eh. The second was shortly after a surgery too soon, referred by a surgeon dumping the med responsibilities and all the doc wanted to do was something he did to everyone.. nerve burns, I was having none of that... but we are all different and it may work for others. Please know you are not alone, please feel free to contact me, as I can truly relate, was just dumped by my pt for not meeting his goals... how can you when moving is impossible...

[tiggerandcrew]

I had a few kids fall on my neck and went to pain clinic eventually for that. I had radiofrequency done on the nerves of my neck on both sides. No meds but they killed off the pain nerves and when they regrow they don't carry the sensation as much. I had four nerves on each side done and only had one nerve that had to be done over again a few times. Now no neck and head pain.

[ginaaa22]

You shouldnt worry about addiction. The rate of addiction for people who have chronic pain is less than 10% of patients. Just as long as you take what is prescribed you should be fine.