Has anybody here been to Pain Management?

[zanne]

I have an appointment for next week. I was screened a few days ago. I was a bit unnerved when they took my picture and made me sign a contract about pain meds. (I felt like I was being booked). They assured me it was just "policy". I'm not looking forward to my second appointment. Has anybody here had good experiences with Pain Mangement?

[Warpy]

1. It is just policy

and any doc who is worth his diploma will do a contract with patients who need long term pain management. The photo ID won't be used unless you have been suspected of doctor shopping and copying scrips to use for multiple refills, plus a few other scams out there. People who take their opiate meds as they are prescribed won't run into trouble. People who are so afraid of pain that they take extra opiates to prevent it before it occurs do run into trouble. If you run into trouble, they need to know it.

Pain management is great. They use both chemical and non chemical methods to teach you how to cope. Some of it may seem a little new agey to you if you haven't been exposed to it before, but it all helps. The physical therapy might decrease the pain so much that you are able to be drug free a lot of the time.

Good luck, I hope it all works out for you. As a fellow chronic pain person, I know pain can be treated to the point you can function with it.

[Samurai_Writer]

2. I've been to a Pain Management doctor

The contract and ID are standard practice. I had great experiences with it. I suffered for 9 years before going to one, because I really didn't want to be on pain meds. But it's more than just getting pain meds - physical therapy, diet, lifestyle changes, etc. I am to the point now that I don't need pain meds anymore. I just do the physical therapy every day at home, and also am good enough now that I can do some moderate exercise. I've lost 70 pounds in the 7 years since I started pain management, and I truly believe that was the catalyst in my weight loss.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

3. My experience with pain management was not positive.

But not for the fault of opiates, or pain meds given for the condition that they were treating...


To make a long story short, they put me on a long-term use of an NSAID for neck pain/disc problems combined with a whole bunch of other things. This would be fine for 90%+ of patients... Yet, as a migraineur... bad news. Continued repeated daily use of any pain reliever for any length of time was enough to send me into a Medication Overuse Headache migraine pattern- unrelenting migraines, both triggered by, and helped by the NSAID. Only way to break the cycle and let the preventative medications that I take for Migraine Disease-- to prevent awful migraines- (nausea, vomitting, pain, etc)... work, and let me keep my job (it was seriously at the point where I could barely work), I had to go off all pain meds.

Agony . Senseless agony. I had asked about this phenomenon occurring-- and been assurred that it wouldn't by the pain management team- including specialists...at one of the top 20 pain management clinics (US news & world reports) in the country.
.
My opinion of pain management, is thus coloured. However, I currently am wearing a TENS unit- not Rxed through the pain management clinic, but through other physicians and medical personnel...


My experience is definitely not the norm, I am sure. Please do not be scared off by it... However, if you DO have other conditions...make sure your medical team works together- my one lesson learned from this experience!

[ThomCat]

4. My pain management doctor is the best of all my doctors.

He's smart, on top of everything, and really discusses options with me. I don't know what I'd do without him.

He's now making everyone sign that same contract you mentioned. I'm not worried about it. I always come in to see him to get new prescriptions, never calling in for one, and I don't get pain prescriptions from any of my other doctors, so I'm not in violation in any way. Unfortunately, I understand why he has to have a contract like that.

If your pain management doctor is really good you'll wish you had been there sooner.