If only you didn't have such a brilliant doctor with such a massive ego, this problem wouldn't exist at all - but it looks like you're stuck with it and him. There's little doubt about this being the passing of the buck between your specialist and primary doctor who don't want the extra hassles associated with providing you the pain management you need.

What you're needing is what I refer to in my life as "kickers." This is nothing more than some kind of pain medication that you use for breakthrough pain. I've been using breakthrough narcotics for years and they've been a godsend.

With your medical diagnosis and prognosis, I don't personally see why your pain doctor is giving you such hassle other than he prefers his other more profitable treatments. This irks me more than you'll ever know and yes, I have experienced this firsthand myself. Doctors who are into Trigger Point Injection Therapy and all the other different types of treatments that cost the poor patient a small fortune do have their financial gain at heart more than your care I'm sorry to admit.

My question is, what kind of relationship do you have with your primary doctor? Are we talking about someone you can talk to about anything and everything and who really cares, or are we dealing with someone who just pushes you through like you're just another card in the deck that needs to be dealt, but that's not really given much attention to? If you've got a close and solid working relationship with your primary, then I'd tell him how you feel and what your concerns are about the problems with moving over to another pain doctor. You need a doctor who can still work with your stimulator but who's not scared of writing out the scripts where the feds are looking over their shoulder all the time. Doctors who write out narcotics do have a long list of prerequisites that must be met and maintained anytime there's narcotics involved.

I'm personally fearful that till you get some breakthrough medication for when you're dealing with the rough moments in your day, you're going to just keep suffering. Even once you do find a new pain doctor, these are relationships that slowly build over time so don't expect perfect results the first time you see him/her. I've been with mine for over 9 years and it's a relationship I take very seriously. By always keeping complete honesty and never over-inflating, but simply stating the facts, you'll be on the right road.

Like it or not, there are a whole lot of people out there screaming day in and day out over pain that's really not that bad. By the time a patient such as yourself comes along with real damage, the doctor is totally burned out and just assumes that you're one more of the complainers who's filled his waiting room that day. It's not just the doctors fault, it's the patients I'm sad to say who have created this problem for you.

As far as you becoming addicted, the numbers just don't stack up. Of the patients who are in real chronic pain, most reports show that only 1 to 3% of the patients who take narcotics ever really get hooked, yet most are treated like they're junkies by the press, family/friends, and medical professionals. Only your good reputation will overcome these prejudices over time.

Best of luck and keep me posted on how you're doing. This is no easy problem to solve, but you do need the help that's for sure. Bob.