How do you guys get help with pain management?

[hdb1982]

Afer reading a lof of your guys post I see some are on a nice pain management regimn. How did you get there. Our hosp has pt rights and those rights are posted in my dr office. one of them states "Receive information about pain management measures and to have staff respond quickly to their reports of pain" but my dr doesn't even acknowledge it. even in the code of ethics from the ama that drs are supposed to follow it says "Physicians have an ethical, moral, and legal obligation to manage pain or to assure that the patient is referred to another doctor who is competent and willing to do so.'' so how do the drs brush off my complaints of pain. the first 1 of treatment my pain was controlled but my condition has progressed and my meds have stayed the same so i am on a pain level of 7-8 at all times and my dr dismisses me. i have no ins so I feel like i am stuck with him. when I brought it up last time he did a pharm check on me and saw I have used 1 pharmacy for 10 years and since he began seeing me I have only been given pain meds by another dr 1 time and that was when I had major surgery on my neck. It was done at the same hosp so he was able to look at my record and see I did have major surgery. so im not dr shopping or phar hopping but he treats me like an addict. asking for an increase every 1.5 years doesn't seem unreasonable to be but he thinks it is. i am doing everythingon my behalf i can. ic diet no coffee or soda, stopped smoking cotton panties etc. help me getthrough to him please

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Doctors are good at treating acute pain, but chronic pain is a different story. Finding good pain mgmt. isn't easy and many of us have had to search high and low to find a dood pain mgmt. doc. Could you apply for some sort of state run insurance policy, so you could go to a pain mgmt. doc?

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[hdb1982]

When I left my jobin Feb my hubbys business was in an off season so I was eligible for WV Medicaid. Once spring came and mu hubby's business picked back up I became ineligible. They said we were no longer in hardship because we made over 216.00 per month. I asked if it mattered I had a chronic medical condition and they said no. We looked into ins for private business owners and it is outrageous so I have charity care through WVUH. It covers all medical expenses but I have to be treated at WVUH. None of our other medical facilities offer anything like that. I may consider finding a private practice dr and just paying out of pocket for office visits. If I ever need any major medical procedure I can always go to WVUH but I don't want to appear as if I am Dr shopping. Maybe I am too newly diagnosed to expect good pain management. It looks like most people here had to go through helland high water to get where they are as far as pain managment. The thougt of going through this for 5-10 years before I find a good dr almost makes me feel hopeless. I know I shouldn't feel this way but it's haed not to. Two years ago I thought I had my whole life a head of me. Now I feel like this is my life from here out. I have a degree in english and political sience and was accepted into WVU law school but don;t see that happening. not sson anyway. My dr actually told me to basicall guve up that dream because my health is " too messed up" to attend school full time. I " need to go on diabailty and accept it":mad:

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It didn't take me 5-10 years to find good pain mgmt. It is bad, but not that bad in most places.

I am so sorry about your insurance. It is limiting. It is a huge struggle even with insurance to pay the medical bills, so I can only imagine your frustration. I didn't mean medicaid when referring ot state insurance. Sometimes states will have insurance policies if you are turned down by other insurance because of a pre-existing condition. I am suprise your state doesn't have a spend down policy on its medicaid, but it can vary from state to state. Have you called your state insurance commissioner sometimes they are helpful. (Man I just hate dealing with health insurance and medical bills!)

I hope things get better soon, and you can return to college.

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[hdb1982]

I don't know how any dr can tell their patient to give up on their dreams. Aren't they supposed to encourage their pts to never give up? After this ordeal I may focus on medical malpractice when I start law school. They way some pts are treated is appauling. Not just myself but the patient community in general.

[Amy07]

Dear IC Friend-

I feel your pain. I was diagnosed w/ IC in Jan. 2007. My doctor wrote an RX for Darvocet for my pain and I took them as needed. After following the IC diet I was better, but no where near better. I would have flares weekly, and pretty much still do. After I was out of pain meds, I called my doctor, but she refused to prescripe more pain meds to me. I was ******. I went to my family doctor who suggested I enroll in physical therapy sessions at a pain management clinic. I thought, yea right whatever, you think I'am becomming a drug addit too. He told me that he would prescribe me pain meds, but I really needed to do PT as well, and that he would not just prescribe pain meds on a regular basis. So, I said fine, I'll give it six weeks like he asked. I had physical therapy twice a week a first, then did it once a week for awhile. My physical therapist had me do the same thing at home everyday. I hate to admit it, but my pain level had drastically gone done. I just finished the six week regimen and now I just do them at home, but I can't believe what these simple exersises have done for me. They are targeted for my pelvic floor muscles. I've been reading this site for awhile and as you can see I've never responded to anybody's problems before, because they were always my problems too. I truly feel better from doing those exercises. Hope you feel better soon.

[Amy07]

Dear IC Friend-

I feel your pain. I was diagnosed w/ IC in Jan. 2007. My doctor wrote an RX for Darvocet for my pain and I took them as needed. After following the IC diet I was better, but no where near better. I would have flares weekly, and pretty much still do. After I was out of pain meds, I called my doctor, but she refused to prescripe more pain meds to me. I was ******. I went to my family doctor who suggested I enroll in physical therapy sessions at a pain management clinic. I thought, yea right whatever, you think I'am becomming a drug addit too. He told me that he would prescribe me pain meds, but I really needed to do PT as well, and that he would not just prescribe pain meds on a regular basis. So, I said fine, I'll give it six weeks like he asked. I had physical therapy twice a week a first, then did it once a week for awhile. My physical therapist had me do the same thing at home everyday. I hate to admit it, but my pain level had drastically gone done. I just finished the six week regimen and now I just do them at home, but I can't believe what these simple exersises have done for me. They are targeted for my pelvic floor muscles. I've been reading this site for awhile and as you can see I've never responded to anybody's problems before, because they were always my problems too. I truly feel better from doing those exercises. Hope you feel better soon.

[hdb1982]

I truly appreciate your kind word and advice. I need to check and see if there is anywhere I can go to pt at WVUH since I have to go there to have my bills covered. I am willing to try anything.

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1982,
We need to find a way to get you new doctor. That is ridiculous he told you to give law school. I didn't see any where you have had this for 10 years and all treatments were a failure! We have had women go into remission on this board and probably many more do that don't ever report here because they are out living without any signs of IC.

While it is great your current hospital has a program for those without insurance, which sounds generous. If we could figure out another doctor without making your current one mad that might be good or way to get insurance. I don't know your age (none of our business) but you may be able to hold off law school and apply for disability to get insurance? Have you called your insurance commissioner? I have spoken with several states regarding medicaid and they usually have a spend down option. (State and federal government employees just can't keep up with all the rules, so you call or go into an office once, the go back again you may get two different answers.) If you can't go thru your state's normal channels have you called your state and federal legislators? Most federal Congressional offices have health care workers in place, which if you explain your situation may be able to guide you to a program you missed. Not being able to select the doctor/medical care you want is taking away your power. Everyone on this board is very supportive and maybe you could a post just on that subject.

I can tell you are an extremely intelligent individual and understand the legal system, which does intertwine with the medical industry, but you need to realize medicine has a system all of its own. It is even different than corporate America. I always say one must understand the system to make it work for them. We don't have the time while ill to change the system, we just need to make it work for us, so we can get well. After you get well enough if you want to be a medical lawyer who advocates for the ill, great because the world will be a better place. Guess it doesn't suprise me, but does still anger me the way the medical world functions at times. No system is perfect though. I am going to suggest another book to you, which some of the other women have been reading it is called How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman. If you do a search you might find some of the board members comments as posted while reading it.

To put things into perspective, pain management is a rather new area of medicine and there aren't a lot of pain doctors. In our life times, chronic pain has just recently been recognized as a condition which needs to be treated. It used to be just live with it... Now accute and pain coming with fatal illness such as cancer is usually treated without a second thought, though sometimes not well enough. That area of medicine has imporoved too. Change can come about slowly.

The experience you are having with this doctor isn't uncommon, so we just need to find a way to change the course of this doctor's treatment with you or move onto other medical care. I wish I had an answer for you today, which would definitely work. We can all learn together as you research for your answer to healing. Please hang in there and keep posting.

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I don't know how any dr can tell their patient to give up on their dreams. Aren't they supposed to encourage their pts to never give up? After this ordeal I may focus on medical malpractice when I start law school. They way some pts are treated is appauling. Not just myself but the patient community in general.

[hdb1982]

I was diagnosed 09/06 after almost 1 1/2 years of suffering. I said 5-10 years because I have read on her it has taken a few members years to get good pain management. I am 24 years old and I think my dr looks at my age a lot when treating me, almost as if i were 64 with pain issues it wouldn't be an issue for the dr to help me. Peolpe abusing rx drugs have ruined it for the people who really need them. I taled to the university and they have informed me there is a few online classes I can take froim home so I will start there and hopefully be back in school full time by this spring. Thanks for the encouragement.:cat:

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1982,
Don't get discouraged because people come to this message board for help ans support so you will see people having problems getting pain control. It is a problem in this country for chronic pain treatment, but things are a lot better. There are quite a few people on the board who have great pain mgmt., not that it is a cure but gives them better quality of life.

I hope you can get better before starting school. It will be more enjoyable that way. Please keep things in perspective, which is hard to do when one is miserable and know you will find a way to get better medical treatment. If you get stuck, just send us a post.

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[ICNDonna]

I'm assuming you are following an IC diet and not wavering from that. It can be more help than any other thing. And people do go to school with IC! And people do work full time with IC!

It may take some time to find which treatment options work best for YOU, but most of us do --- and most of us feel good most of the time.

Warm hugs,
Donna

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1982,
Donna is so right about the diet. Many times when we have docs who aren't treating an ample amount of IC pateints, simple steps of treatment can be missed. If you haven't already, I would go to the www.ic-network.com and see the homepage. There is information your doctor may have missed, which could make you feel better. Then visit the IC shop. If you don't have Dr. Moldwin's book make sure your read it. (You will probably be able to breeze right thru it with your study skills.) I think it is worth reading twice because sometimes you will read something and miss the fact it applies to your situation. Dr. Moldwin's a the best patient reference guide to IC.

Each small improvement can add up to better health.

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[Iceblink_Luck]

Well as far as reducing pain I try to not irritate my bladder by putting pressure on it. I wear boxers to bed and I do not use tampons at all. With medications and the diet there are a few things you can do to help pain. When I read that not all all flares are caused by food & drink, I started to look at other factors as well and it's been helping a lot.

[dancemomof2]

My suggestion would be to have your PCP refer you to the pain managemnet Dr at WVU. THey have some great physicians at the pain center.

[bmendoza]

Donna, I have a questtion for you. I have very little bladder space, and when it gets even a little more urine in it then I feel like I can hold it feels like my bladder is going to rip in two. The pain is bad enough that I will break out in a sweat and if we are in the car I have to go immediately. Is there a possibility that this could be scarring from the distentions I have had? Is there anything I can do to repair my bladder. I have tried Elmiron and it did nothing at all. I have actually tried it twice. I currently am trying colostrum, serrapeptase and gotu kola. Nothing for pain. I hope you can give me some help. Thanks Brenda

[dancemomof2]

Here are a couple pain managment centers right in your area 1982, I would suggest you have your PCP refer y ou to one of them. Keep us posted on how things go



Morgantown Pain Management Center (304) 599-7001 2000 Hampton Ctr,


Northern West Virginia Pain (304) 598-1969 1000 J D Anderson Dr, Morgantown, WV