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.