What is Chronic Pain
Chronic pain becomes chronic when it persists longer than 6 months and is resistant to medical management. Millions of Americans are chronic pain patients and some exper...
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Here's the situation: I moved to Findlay, OH from Seattle, WA to be closer to family. I moved hoping for some support. I now have a babysitter when it's convenient for the family, or in a serious medical emergency.
However, my family has called me "lazy" and "a wimp" to my face... My brother constantly gives me crud about my not working. To top it all off, I cannot seem to find any doctors in this area willing to treat my pain with more than useless token gestures, and lies.( one doc gave me a TRANK and called it a painkiller.-I have a background in Vet medicine, and i know my pharmacology, as Vet offices handle most scrips on-site. Another told me I would be "all better" if I just lost 10-20 lbs.) I have Ehlers-Danlos, DDD of all 3 sections of the spine, osteoarthritis, bursitis of both hips, a pre-ulcer from all the nsaids, GERD, IBS, and loads of constant pain. If I decide to move where there are decent pain docs, I will have no place to live. (my family put me up while I looked for a place when I moved here) I have a 5-year old daughter, and homeless parents frequently lose their kids to the state. I love my little girl very much. If my pain continues to get worse, as it has been over the last couple years, I won't be able to take care of her anymore from being unable to move (I can barely stand for 5-10 minutes now) Any thoughts? Posted on 10/04/09, 04:10 am |
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Hi,
I'm sorry that your relatives are being insensitive. Ignore them. Only CP sufferers know what we go through! You need to request a copy of your recent medical records and demand that inaccurate info is stricken. Derogatory reports from other physicians might be the reason you are not being helped appropriately. (You will probably have to pay a small fee for them, $25 or so.) Here are the names and contact info for POPAN leaders in your area. I am a POPAN leader for IL. You can google POPAN and the American Pain Foundation for more info. These ladies might be able to steer you in the right direction. Hang in there! Erika Dionetta Hudzinski, RN, MN (HCP) Yakima, WA comfortcareunlimited@gmail.com Lyla Aldrich, COTA/L (HCP, PWP) Lacy, WA lraldrich60@yahoo.com 
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I'm not sure what to say about doc's in that area as I am new to the US and left my beloved doc back in Toronto. I also haven't quite figured out the healthcare system here, although I do now have insurance. :)
As for your family though, what they are saying is hurtful and you don't deserve it. My family doesn't get it either, and you are in a far more difficult situation I'd say, as you need to care for a child on top of being in chronic pain. I still find it hurts that my family doesn't understand, but I get the best relief from that hurt by reminding myself that my problem is real. For a long time I did think I was lazy (after being told that for much of my life), and it's only recently that I have started to think otherwise. They still don't get it, but at least I know I don't deserve the harsh judgment.
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One last thought:
You might want to ask around on Seattle based boards about good doctors. In a city of that size there must be some decent ones. That's how I found my great doc in Toronto. I asked the sickest person I knew if she was happy with hers, and when she said yes I called their office.
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The biggest problem is the lack of treatment for serious conditions in this small backwater town...In Ohio, not WA
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Can you get to a bigger area to see a doc in maybe one of the universities? Smaller areas can often have issues prescribing pain management.
Also if you are comfortable talking with your family so they could be a little more supportive would go along way in how you feel about your situation. Melissa
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My options are getting down to living with this w/o treatment(not!) or moving somewhere that i can get it-medicaid in this state makes you get an HMO, the HMO "assigns" you a doctor, and you cannot go more than 50 miles from your home for care without a special "prior approval" which your PCP assigned by the hmo has to show proof of need for-if you can even get the doc to sign off on it-which i can't
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