Hi
Allan,
Quote:
Originally Posted by pebblebeach2
From what I saw when I googled it, it said basically that with all that is wrong there is no other treatmet options left. So does this mean just medicate me at this point that I am at the end of the road for finding any answers or treatment for what is wrong.
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I do not believe so, though I think it's possible, from things you've mentioned in your posts, that you may not have the best doctor(s)
for you. If I haven't mentioned it before, please download & read
The Intractable Pain Patient's Handbook for Survival by
Dr. Forest Tennant. (In fact, his definition of
Intractable Pain may have been one of those you read.) Visiting his
website and reading some of his other articles & publications might not be a bad idea either.
There are many good resources on the web for information about chronic pain and ways of dealing with/treating it. Some can be found in the
Sticky Thread above, including some I just added. Some others I've found helpful/useful are:
Practical Pain Management
Pain Treatment Topics
and their respective links pages.
Quote:
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I'm finding that when I see him and the meds arent working the answer is just increase the medications. How long can you go on and just increasing the medications so that I can survive and function during the day?
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Everyone is different, and you have some complex conditions/factors, but
theoretically, indefinitely. For some people, there comes a point (and they may reach that point repeatedly over time) when pain, and its alleviation, surpass side effects. Pain management, and medicating pain, are always questions of benefit vs. risk/side effects.
Pain medication is nothing to be feared or ashamed of. Many people are stigmatized for taking pain medications they need to function, and that's ignorant, illogical, reprehensible, and just plain wrong. Other kinds of patients are not stigmatized for taking other kinds of medications - only pain sufferers. People may argue that that's because there is so much abuse of pain medication, but the fact is that abuse among patients in chronic intractable pain with no history of abuse or psychological problems is extremely rare - less than 3%.
Chronic Pain Fact Sheet
http://www.cssa-inc.org/Articles/Chronic_Pain.htm
Materials Distributed at AAPS 9/18/2004 Briefing to Congress - "Politics of Pain"
http://www.aapsonline.org/painman/pbmaterials.htm
Quote:
I guess I am frustrated beyond belief at this point. I find it difficult getting thru the day without the medication. But on the medication I find it difficult as well due to side effects.
I guess I am just looking for input on what Chrong Intractable Pain is and how to deal with chronic pain when there may be no answers or treatment left.
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I get that. I really do, as I'm sure many other folks here do. For some people in chronic intractable pain, medication is the only way they can handle the pain, function, and have any quality of life at all. This isn't to say medication is the only solution - it isn't - but it is often one of last or near last resort when other treatments are ineffective.
We all deal with it... well, we
find ways of dealing with it. What choice do we have? We do whatever we have to do. I deal with it one day at a time. I spend a good deal of my days distracting myself from the pain. I try to be involved in chronic pain awareness and advocacy. Other people find other ways, and I hope they'll join in with what they do to deal.
Doc