We have both here. PMD's and Anesteolgist. The Anesteologist I see is only that. He has a small hospital of his own that he goes to after leaving the hospital and does the blocks.

We have PM Drs here in my area that won't even do blocks on RSD patients. The ones in U of Co. never offered me blocks. I saw 3 more that never did.

We do have both here though and they are different. In the group I had belonged to, none of them had even had a block. I had by that time and talked a couple in to having them done.

I have a friend who went to see this one idiot PM Dr. that I saw and has a bad rep. around here. In one month, he diagnosed her with RSD, did one block to see if it would work and stuck the SCS in her. She is now having it taken out. I think the PM Drs. are doing blocks now but the ones we have in our area, I have not seen a lot of good come from.

Ada

Ada

Hey Ada,
It is the same here with the doctors. There are some Pain Docs that are anesthesiologists and do their own procedures, and there are some that are not. I have had both types of doctors. My very first PM was an anesthesiologist (and still did that work up at the hospital he was affiliated with...although I think that he has stopped that now and strictly does Pain Stuff), and so was the one that I just had (who moved away. *sniff). My new one, however, is not. There are 3 MD’s in my new Pain Clinic, and 2 main Psych docs (one that founded the clinic). None of the MD’s do their own procedures.....they are all farmed out to other docs. My Procedure doc is at a totally different hospital than the one where my PM doc is. This is something that is new for me....but it seems to be working OK so far (I have only had one procedure done since starting at this clinic this Summer...but I will have some others done soon, either right before ot right after Christmas).

I was prety concerned about having this “new” (for me) set up with different docs doing different things. But, from what I was given to understand by several people I have corresponded with, this is pretty much the “norm” in pain management. The Anesthesiologists that do the procedures that other docs send to them, are also “Pain Doctors”....and I guess that they do help to Manage the pain....but not like the PM’s that we see every month or whatever, for out regular care.

I have to say, that I do like the set up that I have had previously, because I have some trust issues when it comes to docs poking and prodding me. I really like my new PM Doc...and wish that he was able to do my procedures. I also liked my Procedure doc, as he seemed to be a really nice guy....but I don’t “KNOW” him. Haven’t been able to get a good doc/patient relationship with him, from having only seen him once. If that makes any sense? I liked having a doc that was handling both my regular treatment, and my procedure treatments....because I knew him better.

Anyway...I really just wanted to say that we have the same type of thing here, too. Not all PM’s are anesthesiologists....some are regular MD’s that have learned about Pain, and how to manage it.

Love and
Jose