Pain Clinics

[minihorses]

I know this isn't the place to ask about medical stuff not related to smoking but this is a big enough community that I thought I'd at least have a chance getting some first hand information.  Has anyone gone to a pain clinic?  If so what did you go there for (just overall reason to go)?  What did they do to help you? I did a search to find one where I live and the results were almost all a part of ortho and spine doctors. I don't know if my pain and numbness is originating in my neck or spine or something else completely.  Any experience and help you can give me will help me in thinking about going to one or not waste my time.  Thanks guys!

[elvan]

Will be thinking of you and saying prayers for you Julie.  Pain is overwhelming when it just goes on and on and on.  Wears a person down, no matter how strong you might think you are.  DO keep us updated.

Hugs,

Ellen

[jconfusion]

I'm on percocet and morphine  and amptitripaline meds for my psoriatic arthritis and my nerve pain from multiple sclerosis i also do my own physical therapy seated tia chi and an arm pulley on my door wiith a pulley i get my ,meds from my fsmily doctor. but this is the only office that gives out narcotics.  in hillsdale county.  hope this has helped

[DonnaMarie]

2 weeks ago, I took a friend to the military hospital nearby as that's the type of insurance she has and in my town, no one takes the military insurance. Anyway, she was having undetermined pain in her leg. Turns out she had been walking around on a broken leg!

Someone above said you have to give birth to a dinosaur to get an aspirin. My friend has a broken leg and they told her to stay off of it and take Tylenol. Argh. Broken bones hurt like a mofo!

I hope you have good luck with the pain clinic. It's horrible how we treat people in pain these days

Donna

Day 211

[minihorses]

I've got an MRI scheduled for this Friday night to look at my neck and back. I was hoping that swimming would help at least with my neck but so far it's not helping, it's making it more uncomfortable.  That's not keeping me out of the pool though.  We had to replace the old one last year but I only went in twice because I couldn't climb the ladder due to my knee.  Nothing like a $10,000 water hole that no one uses.  There's a 2 acre pond behind us that didn't cost us a dime, not like I'd swim in it. This year I just started being able to get up and down the ladder by myself.  Now that I know I don't absolutely need someone to hold the ladder I've been able to use it so I've been doing some laps even though they're a little shorter in my round pool. It's not really helping my neck or back but I'll keep it up gently to build strength if I can.  I'll be able to swim at night after the MRI though.  After all these look-sees I ought to be a glow stick.

This looks good with red hair right?

[elvan]

I walk in a pool and do leg lifts and arm exercises with water weights.  It really does make me feel better.  I am hoping it works for you too.

Ellen

[minihorses]

Yep, I do the walking/jogging, leg lifts, under the surface arm exercises and swim using several styles. I can't do butterfly strokes anymore but can handle the rest to work different muscle groups need for each type of stroke.  invited my mini to come in with me but she said she couldn't swim because she had hoofs.  I know horses can swim because I've been to the Chincoteague pony round up and they have to swim but after thinking about it I said I wasn't going to push a 200 lb. horse up that ladder.  Me thinks it's almost pool time.

[YoungAtHeart]

[minihorses]

I had the MRI and went to the Dr. to get the results.  He printed out the images so that I could see it better.  It's ugly and he hopes that steroid shots in my neck will be enough to get rid of it or at lease make it bearable for a while.  I've had them before and they never did a thing but maybe this time it will.  They don't think my back is important even though it hurts so much I can barely move. The best part is that even though he said "I can see that neck and arm are really bothering you", No S--- Sherlock, AND he wouldn't give me anything for pain even though I only asked for enough to get me through till I come in next week to get the shots.  BIG SURPRISE!  I got some crappy muscle relaxer that hasn't done a damn thing even taking 2 at a time.  Arrr!  I still can't get my daily bipolar medicine filled because the Dr. office says they won't refill it until the middle of August.  That's o.k. when I kill someone I can blame it on them.  I'm literally giving up on seeing any doctor and going off all meds except blood pressure stuff and one round of steroids.  One can only fight so hard and the patient always loses one way or another.  I was really hoping I'd get a permanent resolution. I swear my family and I are cursed!

[minihorses]

UPDATE:  I had the shots 2 weeks ago.  They kicked in pretty much the day after I got them.  Unfortunately they only lasted less than a week.  When they first kicked in, I kicked myself into gear to get things done that I hadn't been able to do in a while.  I may have over done it but not by so much that I made anything worse.  The symptoms that came back and the severity of pain and weakness were exactly as before the shots.  My whole lower back is worse, now both legs are stiff and painful and my feet are all cramped up. I go to the orthopedic doc again this morning. Hopefully they can do something besides send me on my merry way out with only a shrug of the shoulders like always. My stomach is torn up from the ibuprofen and aspirin.

[Gwenivere]

Gawd, I can so relate to how you must feel.  I’m juggling a few medical issues and have been ping ponged all over the med system.   Gotten wrong info, conflicting yes and no’s on meds, told I was calling too much, etc.  easy for them to say as they live healthily along.  What it has done is make me leery to reach out to these experts.  I get especially annoyed when reporting side effects from meds and they blow it off.  It’s not my nature to call about every little thing.  When I do it’s because it is really affecting my functioning.  I’ve talked to pharmacists who are very knowledgeable and been told something should be reported.  Like you, I know I didn’t do anything wrong.  Very compliant it’s instructions.  It’s so darned frustrating.