Hi, ColoVet:

Quote: "The nurse starts reading me the notes, and there are quite a few mistakes, mistakes would impact my care." Sometimes, these mistakes are not just mistakes; they are outright lies. In this world, there unfortunately are doctors who will lie about a patient's health condition or pain, just for the pleasure of harming this patient physically and emotionally, for example to prevent this patient from getting the good pain care he/she deserves. I am not just talking about me here; many, many other patients all over the world have been through this.

In my medical records, a lawyer told me I should look not only for mistakes and lies, but also for deffamation, which is illegal. You can sue a doctor for this if you have proof this doctor made deffamatory comments about you. For example, if your doctor says you are a druggie when you know you are not and you have proof you are not, you can ask the doctor to correct that deffamatory statement or sue him/her. It is your choice and your right as a human being.

Quote: "The thing is, my new doctor seems to think that when I'm weaned off the pain medication my pain will magically disappear!" This is one of the most ridiculous things I ever heard. This doctor is obviously not walking in your shoes 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Quote: "The problem is that each time I step down on the Fentanyl Patch my pain gets worse. My back is now spasming, something that hasn't happened in more than five years. I hurt in places that I don't remember hurting in before. I'm terrified that when they get me weaned off the pain is going to be more horrible than it was when I started on the meds." If you know you absolutely need your fentanyl patches and some doctor wants to wean you off or cut you off of them without giving you something else that works, fight to keep your patches. It is not easy to do this when you are in pain. I know it because I have been through it. I fought to keep my patches and I have won up until now. Maybe someday I will lose, but I hope not. It is your decision to make.

Quote: "The VAMC is determined to implement this policy of weaning all veterans with chronic pain but no cancer OFF THEIR MEDS." Do they think cancer is the only painful disease? If they take a good, hard look at the McGill Pain Scale, they will see RSD is supposed to be more painful than cancer. The McGill Pain Scale rates many acute and chronic pain conditions to compare them in terms of pain, even if each person reacts differently to pain.