Hey everyone! Hope everyone is having as good a day as possible. As some of you may or may not know, I am STILL waiting for my doc to place the referral for pain management. She was suppose to have done it Aug. 7th. I have called and left message after message after message, and nothing. I was told that if i don't hear back from her by Monday afternoon to call back and ask to talk to the NCOIC (non-commissioned officier in charge). The past few days the pain has been getting worse and am now experiencing "hot spots" in my right thigh (it's my left leg that's got RSD). When i was Dxed, i was only given Calcium and Vit D. The Tramadol (50mg) does nothing. I only find some relief from the klonopin that i still have for my anxiety, and it's an old PX. I start my fall semester tomorrow so i'm excited, but nervous at the sametime. If i were to go to ER or urgent care, the army docs there would only give me 800mg motrin and then tell me to follow up w/ my doctor...that is what the did w/ my knee when i went there and couldn't walk on the freakin' thing...crutches, motrin, and go see your doc.
I need some encouragement and wisdom on how to handle the call that i know i'm gonna have to make tomorrow to the NCOIC. I mean, what do i say other than "where the hell is my referral?" I don't want to come off as a *****, but i don't want to be a push-over either. Any advice on how to deal with this would be so great
Hope all the best to everyone and thanks in advance!

I'm confused why you would have to talk to this NCOIC? I'd call the doctor back.

I have no direct way to contact her or her staff. Everytime i have to make an appointment I call the central appointment line...like a call center. I have a number for the actual clinic (TMC) but then I just get to talk to the "check-in" people and they take a message. I have no way of talking to my doctor directly unless I have an appointment. It's the way the system works for us in the military.

My best hopes and prayers for you, to be able to stand up to this testing time.

It's horrible, I know, most of us have been through things like this here.

Sometimes, You've got to SCREAM to get the Attention it Needs!

Do that. It might not make an ********* of you, but get you what you need!

Highest of hopes for a better future!

Pete
asb

I was in a conversation on the phone with with my mom when I first read this- she is a retired USMC officer's wife and lived on many US military bases when our family was young. She advised that you call Monday a.m. and if you can, request an appt with a DIFFERENT doc in order to get your referral, since it sounds like the one you are with is not very helpful.

Most of all, she recommended that you TRY not to complain too much, as hard as it might be, especially if you are on a small base, because in the process you may alienate the very people that you need most to help you. That includes NOT calling the NCOIC unless you ABSOLUTELY have to, so that you don't get a reputation as a complainer.

My mom has spinal stenosis and she and my dad still use docs at military bases in Cape May, New Jersey (summer) and Florida (winter) for their medical care. When they are prescribed pain meds, it is usually Ultram (or tramadol). That is all she uses now for her back pain, and in my opinion, her pain is not at all well controlled. It is a good thing that she is a very strong woman and has managed to handle it so far. But I worry about her a lot, I wish they would do more for her.

Please feel free to PM if you need any additional info. My dad was in the Marine Corps for 36 years. They are in NJ right now, and I can call my mom for you and ask her a few more questions. She has had many years of exerience with military bases! I would be happy to help you in any way possible.

Take care and good luck, Sandy

Hi Penguin,

Sorry to hear about everything you are going through right now! I really hope you are able to get some answers real soon! I really can't believe how awkward doctors can be sometimes ... they should try having RSD for themselves a day and see what we go through on a daily basis - maybe that way, they would pay more attention!!!!

When calling the NCOIC, I would make it clear that you need the referal making to the pain doctor ASAP! Tell your doctor that if she/he knows anything about RSD, they would know that the quicker it is diagnosed and treated properly, the more chance the patient has on going into remission and that it isn't something you can wait on!!!

I understand what you mean about not wanting to sound too nasty as i'm like that too. I really hate to complain as I think it will make me sound nasty but i'm slowly coming to realise that in life, you NEED to speak up otherwise you don't get anywhere!! I'd make it clear to the doctor that you are frustrated and that this has been ongoing for nearly a month now and that you need some help!

Good Luck with your semester this year! I hope everything goes well for you! I'm starting college on the 9th September and am pretty nervous but excited at the same time! I'm only 14 but the UK is currently doing diplomas for 14-16 year olds. I'm doing a course in Health and Social Care and have been told that it will be pretty hard work but hopefully, it will be worth it!!

I hope you are able to get the referal really soon ... you shouldn't have to keep waiting like this, it's pathetic!!

Take care of yourself and keep us posted when you can! You're in my thoughts!

Alison

Val, I am here for you. I wish I could suggest more than I did last night on yahoo im. Please know that you are loved and I am here for you.
Dew

HI Penguin,
I am so sorry you are gong through the frustraton of not getting a call back and not being able to get past the front staff!

Last year, I was having an off the charts pain day in my ankle/foot ...I was at work and had walked too much..)

I left work and went to my Pain Management doctor's office without an appointment! I walked in and told them I was in distress...
She was booked that day, as usual, and I asked to see her for a moment.
She squeezed me in to her schedule for just a few minutes and gave my an injection into my foot, without even getting auth. from worker's comp...

I am just wondering if you are able to go to the doc's office and let them know how bad it is and ask to see the doc just for a moment....maybe you'd get some response and a few minutes of his time since calling into the office just isn't getting any results..
I hope this suggestion helps..I don't know what the circumstances are or how far away your doc is, but I do hope this helps!
thinking of you,
Hope4thebest

Hi Penquin,
I can't even imagine he pain you are in.I think before I made the call, I would look up RSDSA and make a copy of the McGill Pain Index It's a Pain Chart-it lists RSD as 42 on a 1-50 scale- Above amputation and cancer-child birth. I would call can get the fax number of the NCOIC. I would tell them the number you are at-most people don't have a clue what kind of pain RSD patients are dealing with. I was in tears yesterday and I'm on several meds, but I am sick with the flu or some kind of infection, my lymph glands are swollen and soooooo sore.
Please know we are pulling for you. If the NCOIC doesn't sound ready to fight for you, ask him who you might call that he answers to, not as a threat, but as an emergency pain situation. Ask to be hospitalized if you can't get anywhere. This is 'unacceptable' as my Dr. would say.
You can't be sleeping with this kind of pain. Make a dailey diary of what you are going thru. Actually dailey journaling can help us to figure out what we are going thru and what needs to be done. A lot of us seem to think I'll just tought it out. Well that only last so long.
Besides pain meds, there are other meds that help calm the sympathetic nervous system- anti-anxiety, anti-depressants, sleeping pills, meds for fibromyalgia, patches, compounding creams for the burning, made by a compounding pharmacy. Counseling helps, distraction of different forms, music, scented candles, essential oils, MASSAGE done gentley by someone knowledgeable. physical therapy, water therapy, swimming epsom salt bathes,
comedy, reading, drawing, number paints talking to your friends,support group, join a support group. RSDSA has under support a place where you put your zip code and will give you the closest name and phone number, rent a movie, go see a movie, put some flowers in your room,house,they are a gift from God, meditation, visualization-putting a favorite beach or stream in your mind, think about a favorite vacation spot. I found a wonderful counselor-not the first one either. Been seeing him 5 years. Had RSD 14 years.
When you are under more control of this monster, calling others or writing others and 'giving' in ways that helped you or at a support group, will in turn be a gift to you.
I'm so deeply sorry you are in this place-it truly is torturous. We all care and will be thinking of you tonight and tomorrow. Your friend, loretta soft hugs -

Well, I atleast got past the front desk Monday when i made and appointment and got one for Monday. I was given some muscle relaxors and they seem to be helping a good bit. Unfortunately i had to miss my first class for the appointment...but it was the first day so I didn't really miss anything I finally got my referral today! I have an appointment with a PM doc Sept. 8, it was the soonest they had....and i'll take what i can get . Thank you all for all your posts and encouragement. It so nice to not feel alone or abandoned.