Severe pain help
 

Hello all,

Hope you are all have pain free end-of-summer days! As a resident of a HOT HOT state, I am looking forward to the next 7 months of livable weather conditions.

I have fibro, DDD, some disc issues, and Idiopathic Peripheral Small Fiber Neuropathy from from calves down through my toes. It was this neuropathy that flared the last 2 days way more than a "normal" flare. Last night nothing helped the horrible pain, not even doubling up the med I take for BT pain.

At 3:00 a.m. I considered going into the ER to see if I could get a shot to help me but the last and only time I made such a visit, more time was spent "making sure" I wasn't an addict than was spent treating me. I didn't want to go through that BS again plus I was in too much pain to even think about moving. At 5:00 a.m. the pain started to subside and I spent most of today sleeping or resting.

OK, so you've all been there. But my question is this: Is it possible to get a letter from my pain doctor describing my condition and listing my meds, etc. and kind of pre-approving additional treatment for pain? My sister-in-law has something like this for her migranes kept at her hospital's ER.

Any comments or similar situations???

Thanks and "let no pain be with you"!

nancy-h

One could carry such a letter. It will only be as effective as the attitude of the ER you go to and the attitude of the attending ER doctor.

I have been a chronic pain patient for 30 years and have been officially disabled since 1995. I have been in a disciplined relationship with my current pain doc for almost seven years now. I had my 8th spinal surgery two weeks ago and this was the third time this particular spinal surgeon had worked on me. Prior to discharge, the surgeon discontinued my Fentanyl patch, throwing me into withdrawl. He also advised me that I was not disabled but a dead beat as I was an addict. I was further advised that I did not deserve rehab., home health etc. These services were also discontinued by this illustrious surgeon. My primary and pain docs were able to re-establish these services but it has taken time and I have been out on a limb post operatively. Best wishes.

Hello Nancy-H
I have been in pretty much the same situation at times, and never went
to the ER for the reasons you have stated. Plus the fact that when you hurt that badly, who could take the ride to the ER, and wait in the waiting room for them to tell you that your an addict just looking for a fix.
Having a letter in place from your medical team might help that in some cases. It's a shame we have to be treated this way just because there are junkies looking for their fix in the ER.

Hi Jane,
My jaw dropped in awe when I read your post. I am shocked that you have been treated that way, but I have been treated the same way by a few doctors as well. Not as bad as your case, but it still wasn't right.
Don't they have laws that say a doctor can't just put you out on the street "cold turkey"? Especially after such a surgery! I have heard that fentanyl is one of the worst withdrawals to go through, my heart goes out to you for all that your going through.. I can only imagine how you felt when he told you this.:eek:
Hopefully you have your meds back in place now, and are recovering well.
I just can't imagine going through that after having such an invasive surgery.
Doctors should have to answer to someone when they treat a patient like that, its just sooooooo wrong.
I have had a doctor say the same things to me when I was looking for a doc to do my fusion, he stated that "People like me were a huge drain on the country's resources, and there should be tougher laws, etc, etc.
I said to him very loudly so the whole office could hear it.."Do you really think someone would go through a fusion surgery just to get the disability benefits? you, sir are a (I wont say here what I said to him), as I walked out of the office......
What's wrong with these doctors, do they really think you would have all these surgeries just to get the meager disability benefits?
The medical profession never ceases to amaze me!

{{{{{{{{{Jane}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Peace
Rags

I was discharged with 40 hydorcondone 7.5s and 60 flexerils to manage my pain until my follow up exam at 4 weeks, post op. I was not discharged empty handed. ;) Wisely, I had enough medication at home to take appropriately until I could get into the pain doc and the first thing I did when I got home was to call him and ask how he wanted me to handle things until then. I don't make those decisions. BTW, I had two cages put in the lower lumbar.........with a nice six inch anterior incission. I was discharged at day three, post op. and down right uncomfortable. :rolleyes:

hi Nancy h. good to see you here. I'm sorry things have been so ruff for you. Maybe it will lighten up soon. Sorry I can't help but did want to say hi.

Jo6

Follow-up
 

First of all - Hi JoJo, hope you are doing well. Good to see you on here. Jane - sorry all of this has happened to you. All I can say today is,


Today I had a horrible thing happen to mel I went in to have a Colonoscopy, not the most pleasant thing in the world to have in the first place and I was quite nervous. I was worried that they normally used "lite" or sometimes called "Midnight" anasthesia would not work because of the amount of pain meds I take. I asked 3 different nurses if there would be a problem and they all said they would make note on the chart. Well, one of those nurses was the one who ended up doing the nite-nite drugs and, as much as she tried, I would not fall asleep and FELT EVERY BIT OF THE COLONOSCOPY!!!! It was awful and so very painful. I dislike this particular doctor anyway who kept right on going even though I was saying, "Oh my, it hurts so bad, please stop." Only once did he say, "Almost done". JERK.
I would have liked to done something with that equipment on him. Afterward, a couple of the other attending nurses stopped by and apologized. Both said I needed general anasthesia in the future as long as I am taking my pain meds. Too little, too late.

Well, sorry for the book but thought I should give everyone a heads-up. Have a good night's sleep all!

Love,
nancy-h :(

oh Nancy, how AWFUL!! I had one years ago, the didn't put me to sleep, didn't give me anything and I still felt the pain as you were describing it!!

It took the DR. so long they ended up giving me something to "help me relax". How stupid! Relax? how the heck can one relax with that going on??

I hope you are feeling better today. You are probably sore and may be in pain, but maybe your pain meds will help you today. Take care and feel better, JoJo

There is no excuse for this to happen. When it became obvious that the original plan was not working, the doc SHOULD have stopped until you were sufficiently sedated. I take a significant amount of pain meds, have had four colonoscopies and never felt a thing. So sorry you went through this.

Jane

Hi Nancy-h,
I had a colonoscopy last friday, and was worried about exactly what happened to you. I've been on fentanyl patches for several years now, and was worried the meds they gave me wouldn't work. They gave me, IV fentanyl, versed, and phenegan (sp?). I was completely knocked out, and didn't feel a thing, and good thing they told me to bring a driver with me, as I hardly remember the ride home.
Sorry you had to go through all that, I had the same thing happen to me several years ago, felt the whole procedure, it was done in the doctors office with NO meds at all! So I know what you went through.
{{{{{{{{nancy}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Peace
Rags

Awwwww honey..... Come 'ere....
I hope that helped a little! I know what you went through, and it hurt like h*ll! Mayo doesn't give any meds for colonoscopies. Well, I didn't get any anyway, so I feel your pain!

Hang in there BS (Oh, that's her nickname--Big Sis) and take care of YOU!
Hugs,
LS (Little Sis)