Chronic Pain Rehab Clinics?
 

Have any of you ever attended one of the chronic pain rehabilitation programs or
clinics (some examples below). I would be interested in hearing
about your experiences, if you thought they were helpful and if it was difficult to get your insurance to cover program.

Thank you, Diandra


http://www.brooksrehab.org/specialty...rehabilitation

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/servi...-rehab-program

I'm off in 3 weeks
 

Hi D, I'm off to one in 3 weeks (November) I will be an in house resident for 4 weeks and will be able to give you some more info over the next 2 weeks as I begin pre treatment therapy.:hug:

Will you be in contact with us?
 

Hi Pamela June,

Will you be in contact with us DURING your stay? We would love to hear from you and know how it is going.

Wishing you the best and much success in pain reduction.

I hope so
 

I am taking my iPad, apparently the signal is not the best and often sporadic. I bought a new 4G SIM card today as they said it's the one most likely to get a signal (my existing card is 3G) of course most of the techno speak is beyond me but I trust them when they say 4G works and 3G doesn't. Will keep you updated in the weeks to come :hug:

Hi Pam,
My brain is not working well....sorry, I thought I had posted back to you.

Do you mind talking about your personal goals for the pain rehab?

I would like to either get off my pain meds or get on lower doses and be able to learn new ways to deal with pain that I have not tried. For example, I have not tried biofeedback. I would love to finally get off Lyrica but with my neuropathy I don't know if that will ever be possible.

I had gone to a holistic health center for 3 weeks many yrs ago and got off all my meds but that place was basically about detoxing the entire body off the Standard American diet and remaining on a raw vegan diet to keep the body alkaline, lower BP and chol. It was great, I was very successful, I felt great and lost 12 lbs but I pushed myself too hard to get off everything in 3 wks and found the raw vegan diet hard to live on full time. I lasted 2+ yrs then, what can I say, life intervened and I slowly fell off the diet. I am on more meds now and feel I need more support with drug detox and health providers specifically trained in pain control.

You are in my prayers as you deal with these issues and your sweetie being home and just back to work. Don't know how you do it.
My best, D.

p.s. feel free to PM or whatever while you are there. would love to be your cheerleader.

2 weeks instead of 4
 

Had a meeting yesterday, they are looking instead for me to go for 2 weeks in December rather than 4 weeks in November. Evidently I am at a higher level than the group intake for November and they believe I wouldn't get as much out of it even though it's 4 weeks vs 2 weeks. I confess 2 weeks sounds better to me and makes me feel much better about them. Let me explain, my husband initially cynically said they just want you to fill the place up and keep their money coming in, well that's debunked isn't it... I believe they have my best interests at heart and the way they explained it yesterday made so much more sense. So, next Monday I begin the twice a week outpatient 1-4pm sessions, at the end of November I have 2 full days inpatient sessions and then 2 weeks inpatient from December 6th.

Their aim is to assist me find better ways of managing my anxiety/ depression/ PTSD all of which trigger my pain receptors and vice versa. Thank goodness for Private Health Cover. My aim is to continue to reduce medication to as needed rather than daily maintenance and live a life mindful of good health with a balanced nutrition and reduce further my ongoing risk of bowel complications. I am open to any suggestions on how to live life without the daily risk of bowel blockages and peritonitis. We have been told if I require intestinal surgery ever again I am at significant risk with fatal consequences.

Now that it has been extended out to December, I am toying with the idea of having another epidural root sleeve injection. I got significant relief for at least a month from the last one (in December) which I think would put me in a good place to be able to sit still when in these group sessions. Currently I'm like a jack in the box, up and down all the time and I worry it will disrupt the rest of the group. Oh well, there you go, my mind over thinking things again... :grouphug:

Hi Pam,
I think the 2 weeks is reasonable and I am sure, if they find you need a longer program, they will adjust it. This is what the Cleveland Clinic says about the length of stay in their program.

"How long does the Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program take?
Most people who are seriously disabled and suffering from chronic pain require 3-4 weeks to be able to function well and begin to feel joyous and productive. Some people are doing well and complete the program in 2 weeks, while others may require more than 4 weeks to achieve their goals. Of course, this is only a start, and working to maintain wellness will need to become a way of life for benefit to endure."

I certainly understand about not being able to sit still because you are in
pain Pam but, everyone in the program is in pain and they will understand you needing to pace the room, stand up and walk to a corner, take frequent breaks or even lie on the floor or a couch. Just make certain to bring all your things from home that help, like the freezer packs, etc.

I am also sure, once they learn about your bowel complications, they will have solutions. They know many pain meds bring bowel issues and with your added issues, they will make sure they get you off the meds or treatments that cause the biggest issues. It is scary to hear that another surgery could have dire consequences.

Wishing you the best Pam...this is a big step and it must be anxiety producing.
When I went to the holistic health ctr for 3 weeks I really had little idea what I was getting myself into but, I was so ill, I just said to myself, put your trust in these people, follow what they say and put your trust in God that you were lead to this place for healing....and I was helped Pam. I pray for the same experience for you. Just believe this is where you were meant to be and follow their path.


D.

((((( Pam )))))
 

Hi Pam,

It's hard to believe it's already almost time to start the preparation for the program. In my mind, it seems like a great service to provide. I am sure it takes dedication on the part of participants. I know you are highly motivated.

I'd invest a lot in a real opportunity to get off of my pain meds.
I hear Diandra, loud and clear on this.


When I had started narcotics, my primary care had said he was always reticent to start any patient on narcotics, as doing so seems to commit them to narcotics for a lifetime. It was an interesting statement and I really did not think that would be the case for me. I thought I would find other modalities and would be able to taper off the meds. I have tried many modalities of all types and, thus far, I see little hope of getting off the narcotics, in my case.

I hope you have a good response and do extremely well, Pam!:D

I will also be thinking of you, offering supportive thoughts and prayers.

:hug:
DejaVu

Hi Diandra,

I have never heard of an inpatient pain clinic or pain rehabilitation center.

I am going to google it and see if there is one not too far away from me.

I wish you the best of luck and great success with the program.

You are in my thoughts and prayers...

:hug:

Epidural injection
 

Hello, so I had the dorsa and lumbar epidural injections on Monday. They kept me in overnight because my blood pressure was too low for me to go home. Spent a sleepless night in the hospital, up and down getting hot drinks so probably a good thing to not be home as I would have driven DB up the wall. He had to be up and out of the house for a 3am start. Anyway, I'm home now, came home yesterday, felt very spaced out and again today, BUT, the pain in my lower back is good, so the injections must have worked. I hope they hold out long enough for me to attend the clinic in 2 weeks and for the 2 weeks I'm there, Fingers crossed. I do have this bizarre hip pain in my left side, I wonder had it always been there and I haven't noticed because I was taken up with the back pain, or is it a new way of the nerves trying to let my brain know, helloooo we are still here, just trying to get your attention. I Just don't know anymore, I'm sick and tired of functioning in this world of pain. No one friend or family (other than DB) understands, you have a procedure and they think voila you are better forever, they are shocked when you say, yes better for today, maybe even tomorrow or the next month, but it will return, and then the look comes, I call it the look, it's the one where you can see the wheels turning in their brain, oh she is just attention seeking.

I suppose also using the pain scale of 1-10 where most would say 5 is painful, so very painful, 5 /6 to me is normal. I'm still in pain today, just not like I normally am my pain scale today would be a 4, I say that's an improvement.

I have a busy remainder of week, work wise I juggle my load around and I am fortunate in that. Many would be unable, they would just have to take the time off and lose the pay, instead I move my days around.

Hi Pam,
Thanks for the update. I hope the epidurals have given you sustained pain relief and hope the hip pain got better.

when do you go to the clinic or are you there already?

You are in my thoughts and prayers that all goes well and please know your NT buddies are here to helpl,

My very best,
D.

December 6
 

Hi D, I go Dec 6. Hip pain resolving, and now weird feeling like a dozen or so bumble bee sting attack sensation comes over my lumbar region from time to time. The nerves reawakening no doubt.

My anxiety has kicked in and is overwhelming at times. My pre-sessions to the clinic have awakened some hugely traumatic incidences that occurred in my childhood and teenage years, things I have had locked away and not even acknowledged, there is the saying you need to remember in order to forget, I hope so. It's painful and traumatic, the two weeks inpatient period will no doubt explore these. I am not sure I was ready for this, it has opened some incredible wounds and I have cried an ocean of tears. I am so hopeful this experience will release me. It will be devestating to go through this and get no relief (pain relief I mean) of course, there should be emotional relief, perhaps that will be enough? I sure hope so xxx

Hi Pam,
This is certainly a lot to undertake.

It sounds like the facility you are going to is doing the right thing by having you start to explore these emotional issues as an outpatient, while you still have the love and comforts of home for support. It is like they are giving you a head start on what you will be going through.

Trying to deal with emotional issues and pain issues simultaneously sounds like an awful lot to bite off at once though, I hope you don't mind me saying. Pam, Do you have the flexibility to say to the facility, "Listen, the therapy has re opened hugely traumatic incidences from my past that I am having some difficulty with and I would like to come to terms with all the before I start the inhouse 2 week program? " Meaning, can you say, I prefer to start later, after I have a better handle on these issues?
Just a thought.

I am also thinking time frames, in that, the holidays have a lot of emotional import for many of us and you will be dealing with all of this in the weeks before Christmas and then come home just before Christmas, perhaps at your most vulnerable, yet have all the issues of Christmas to deal with. Perhaps, it is a matter of the glass half full or half empty. On the positive side, It could potentially be the greatest Christmas gift in the world to you and your family
as you successfully make it through the program with the results you are seeking. Or maybe, good to away from home during all the pre Christmas hubbub.

Honestly, my heart aches for you as you are not only dealing with the physical side, the "bee stings" , overall daily chronic pain, etc, but dealing with re-emerging emotional traumas, and no doubt dealing with hubby's readjustment to sobriety and return to work AND you are working part time.You have shown you are the type of person who, when she sets her mind to a task, you accomplish it.
I wish you the very best Pam and am thinking, as painful as this has been on so many levels, what an amazing accomplishment and how much better your life will be when you have completed the program. I have my cheerleading skirt on for you!

A big hug and tons of positive energy coming your way. Please keep us posted.
Much love, D.

(((((( Pam ))))))
 

Hi Pam,

Thinking of you.

Offering Love and Supportive energy.

:hug:
DejaVu

It's back
 

My companion pain opted to renew its tenure... I'm reminded of the movie paranormal (?) that line when she is looking at the TV all fuzzy white noise and she says "they're baack". Yup, they're back alrighty, full strength crippling pain kicked in over the last 24 hours. And this coupled with the weird crap my mind is kicking up is making for a really unpleasant tough time right now. I'm working hard on my coping resources, breathing techniques etc etc and I found on youtube 2 brilliant anxiety and relaxation. I hope I'm allowed to say his name?Search for David Fairweather

Pam,
This is so unfair. One step forward and two steps back....I hope all this work comes to a positive outcome while you are away.

I just learned a great, quick relaxation technique in yoga class yesterday.
Put your right thumb on your right nostril and breath in slowly,deeply, filling
your belly like a large balloon, then slowly let it out through lightly pursed lips.
Keep repeating til the anxiety has subsided. This worked very well for me.
We did it for about 8-10 breathes.

Sending hugs and prayers,
D.

2 week group cancelled
 

Just when I need it the most they have had to cancel. Next intake is January 15, not sure if I will be able to go then. DB telling me everything happens for a reason and he is right. All will become clearer and I bet something happens and we will be relieved I'm home. :hug:
I'm very disappointed though, but I understand the group dynamics depend largely on the number of participants.

Maybe shingles
 

My pharmacist thinks I might be having a shingles outbreak, I'm ever so stressed right now, my painkillers don't seem to be working since my companion reawakened, and truthfully, I really am upset the clinic treatment didn't happen. I dont know where to put myself. I can't help but wonder if this attack was coming anyway and it's a good thing I haven't gone to the clinic or if my suddenly learning I'm not going has triggered this enormous stress and attack... A conundrum no less...
I had booked off two weeks from work and had not yet told them yet the clinic has cancelled so I will take a few days this week and see if I can calm this nerve pain down. Left outer thigh and parts of the inner thigh. It's a different colour to the rest of the limb and hurts like the dickens, resorted to taking a Valium last night. Pharmacy dispensed valtrex (?) this morning have to get a script from my GP asap for it. My pharmacy are just the best, they really look after me and DB. I can't get in to see the GP until Tuesday and the pharmacist said it is far too long to wait with the symptoms and pain I'm in. I hope this valtrex works.
I really am having a crappy time right now, thank goodness for having found this david fairweather chap on YouTube I would be lost without his tracks I can tell you.

rsd
 

i have had rsd for many years and i really need advice.i have been working with pain management and nothing seems to be working . should i be working with any other doctors? right now i need help very bad. the pain is so bad that my clothes hurt my body. if you have any info for me please help me.

Hi Katurah, I'm sorry you are in such a bad way. You might get a better response on the crps /rsd forums.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum21.html

Hi Pam,
I do think the postponement will go in your favor...in the end you will be glad.
If you got shingles while there, I think you would have been miserable.
Hopefully you took the Valtrex in time and it caught it before it got too bad.

Enjoy Christmas and New Year with hubby and family and be more prepared physically and emotionally Jan 15. I Am sorry the pain has ramped up again.
Thinking of you, D.

Short notice
 

So at short notice they have thrown together a weekend here at the clinic. I arrived last night at 4, 2 others arrived btwn 6&7 and the 4th due to arrive last night a no show. 2 more expected early this morning. Apparently, sadly, no shows without calls ahead are the norm. The two week group definitely cancelled due to lack of numbers so this 2 day group with maybe 5 will I hope be big enough for us all to get something out of it.
Although, as yet, I don't know what the approach will be. I can't deny a big part of me worries there is an unspoken thread, the pain is in my mind, the drugs you take are addiction / dependence based and the focus will be instead of managing pain dealing with addiction. I guess I will find out in a few hours. I went to sleep sometime after 11, been up since 3, no surprise, I don't sleep well at home so down here would be no different. I made a cup of tea at 4, the sun is up enough now for me to try a walk. Update tonight maybe, hope I don't spend the day in tears.

Hi Pam,
Thanks so much for the update but, I was surprised.
So what is game plan for only a weekend?
Do you get to come back some time soon for the full 2 weeks?

If you do get to come back for a longer period, maybe it will be good to just get a sample of what will be going on and it may do wonders to assuage any anxiety you have because you will have a clear picture of what will be transpiring.

Looking forward to your update.
Hugs, D.

It was a group of people put together who they felt would benefit from even just 2 days worth. SO much emotional trauma here for this group of people, not one of us has zilch baggage carried around for decades. I am the only one here who has not been previously and they have all attended the 2 week and 4 week programs. They all say the weekend ones are better and will continue to only do weekend visits. Me, I'm not so sure, it's a 3&1/2 drive, but, we shall see. Yesterday was a tough day, very tough, but we did some exercises of the mind where at one stage all my pain just left my body, it was a very surreal feeling and so immediately noticeable. Lasted for about 2 minutes. If I can work on that, I hope to expand the duration.:hug:

Hi Pam,
Just checking to see how things went this past weekend.
Was it productive?
Glad you attended?
What kind of mind exercises did you do that enabled your pain to leave your
body? .....very interesting.
D.

Glad I went
 

Hi D, it was good and I am glad I went. I couldn't tell you exactly what exercise it was that we did, he had us do a number of mindful exercises throughout the day and I think they all came together in that one moment, combined and the result was the lifting of the pain. It was surreal, I had hoped he would do it again on day two but it was instead based on the trauma each of us had experienced and we only did a meditation exercise before end if day. I struggled with that one as I couldn't lie comfortably at all. I will def go again if the opportunity arises.:hug:

Hit by a reversing car
 

Christmas Eve 6am seafood shopping (only in Aus) carpark manic and people crazy I got only a bump but enough to throw me off balance and fall against my car. My handbag took the brunt, in it my iPad with screen now shattered. He of course reversing caught me with his SUV corner blind spot left the scene, no cctv footage and no number plates.

Christmas night and now I'm really feeling the pain it hurts to bend into the fridge to pack away the festive leftovers. DB busy caught up with his own poor health jumped off his wagon into the bottles lure and is oblivious. But the kids said its the best Christmas they have ever had so it was worth it.

I put all I had into Christmas Day with cleaning and cooking to get everything ready for the evening /night celebrations. Up at 5am to cook the bird and begin cleaning, moving furniture to create room for Santa & 9 eat in comfort at the big table. The 2 young ones on their own little table closer to the floor (my old aerobic step came up a treat decorated with cloth and crackers) began cooking the pork at 3pm along with the ham and at 6 began shelling the prawns. Good thing I have 3 ovens. I squeezed in a shower at 4, I reckon I needed it! The family began to arrive around 6ish, DB home at 7 and at 7.30 Santa arrived. Bed never felt so wonderful!

You kicked butt girlfriend
 

Girl
You and I went at it
And like I was told
The best Christmas ever
All of my children their husband partner
Most importantly my sons partner Jason brought my son to the
house as he was released from the hospital I was the only one that
had no clue
My guests one friend for thirty years has an only child
the same age as Christine both her and Patrick the same age
thirty years old came also with his fiancé enamored with my
granddaughter
Patrick is part of this family as a family member
He was watched over by me
grew up with my children
Took them to the circus
Played in my backyard with my children all his life
That's how close he is too us
To know you kicked butt and everyone was happy
made me happy
Jeez the ham was out of this world
My eldest baked homemade biscuits
I am most certain my OCD THAT KICKED IN TWO DAYS BEFORE
Christmas Day
Now we have something we can reflect on
It puts a smile on my face when a new friend invited
called and said
"It was the best Christmas I ever had"
Says enough
God bless you and family as You push through with the pain
Love and support
Me

Just bumping this up for myself since I would still like to hear from anyone who may have attended one of these inpatient chronic pain clinics in the USA. I really would like to attend one but a bit apprehensive about going blindly. I have called several of them to inquire. My goal is to learn biofeedback and other hypnosis / mindfulness skills to reduce meds. I lack the discipline to do this at home and that is why I am seeking an inpatient program. I have asked my painmgmt doc and the ones he knows personally are all private and very expensive (I.e Silver Hill Hospital, New Canaan, CT) costs $40k for 28 days. Yeah, right.:rolleyes:
Thanks,
D.

Hi Diandra

Just a suggestion before you fork out $$$$ for the biofeedback or hypnosis treatment. Some people just don't respond to that type of treatment - maybe because their brains are wired differently or there may be some unknown neurological condition that is making the brain less receptive.

I'm one of them - 7 years ago I was prescribed hypnotherapy to assist with chronic pain for an (at that time) undiagnosed physical condition. I did 4 sessions (privately). I suspected right from the 1st session that I wasn't receptive but carried on - desperate for improvement. By the 4th session my pragmatism (and rapidly emptying wallet) kicked in and I asked the therapist more probing questions about how I should be responding and she grudgingly admitted that I wasn't very susceptible to hypnosis. She would have carried on treating me as long as I was gullible enough to pay.

So I would recommend a few trial sessions to assess your receptiveness before committing to an expensive residential course.

All the best for finding some relief.

D, have you heard of the Walsh institute? Dr William Walsh, released an updated version of his book nutrient power. Heal your biochemistry and heal your brain. It is on sale for $14.95 in paperback and $21.49 in hard cover. Might be worth a look, lots cheaper than $40k! I have heard Some private clinics have an opportunity to deliver considerably reduced charges for inpatient treatment when presented with an angle they have not encountered previously ie it is a challenge for them. You might qualify with your lymes history and now cancer? It might be worth writing a letter to a number of the treating specialists in these private clinics with a snapshot of your history diagnosis and throw yourself at their mercy. Thinking of you :hug: extra hugs to Buck, hope he is doing ok xxx

Thanks so much for your input. It is very valuable to me. I am glad you were sharp enough to recognize hypnosis it was not working for you and terminate.

I did one hypnosis session for pain years ago and it did help me. The psychiatrist was REALLY weird and creeped me out so I did not return to him. I don't know why I have not explored it again. The reason I want to try one of these places is because the combo of my pain meds and the meds I take for breast cancer are becoming problematic and I want to try and reduce my pain meds.

Thanks, D.

Hi Pam,
No, I have not heard of Walsh Inst but will look into it.
I did contact the hospital I mentioned, Silver Hill, because my pain mgmt doc consults there and said he would help me. They do sponsor several patients a year but, just to apply for the sponsorship, it required $3000 of medical testing. I did ask if there was anything else I could do because this place is so close to my home I really wanted to try it and they have a great reputation for helping people. I am afraid, it is just a business and there are folks who can shell out $40k without batting an eyelash so, at least this place didn't care about my background.
Thanks for the idea though, maybe I will try it other places. I called 3 places on Friday for info. I was just hoping someone on these forums had tried one of these places. It is scary to me to go to one of these places for 3-4 weeks without having much detailed knowledge of how they truly operate.

Hope you are doing Ok Pam.
My best, D.