Chronic Pain Support Group

Hey Lg, many pain clinic's are different. Have they already sent you a big packet of info to fill out? If not they will have you do it before your appointment. They will want to know all your pain sites and what if any meds you have taken worked or are still working. Many palces will have you give a urine sample so they can check that you are taking what has been prescribed and that there are no illegal drugs in your system.

Many clinics don't prescribe meds on the first visit. They may want you to have some tests first depending on what tests you have had and brought the results with you. They may have you sign a PM contract and make sure you read it. Most docs don't take to kindly to any deviation from the contract and you don't want to get kicked out.

The doc will examine you and ask a bunch of questions and then go over their procedures and policies. Some pain docs prescribe themselves and others send recommendations to your PCP and he will then continue to prescribe your meds.

Some pain docs don't prescribe meds and only do shots and procedures. If the do prescribe pain meds, he may leave you on what you are on already but if it's not working well may change the dose or frequency or change the med altogether.

Just be open and honest and go from there. I was very nervous before my first PM appointment and it went really well. My doc kept me on the short acting I had been taking for years and added a long acting to go with it. Good luck Thurs. and I hope all goes well!

Like Boxerlover said, all pain management clinics are different. Most have you signed a contract to promise them that you will take your meds as directed, that you will not sell them or get meds from any other Doc, and they will put you through a pee test whenever they deem it necessary. Others (like my Doc) does not require a contract.

I have found that honesty is the best policy when talking to your pain management Doctor. When mine put me on a medication that did not worked for me, I will tell him right away, and he would either change it, or give me a higher dosage. Be honest and you should be fine. Good luck.

pain clinics here in australia are different.
to get in and see the pain doctor, you have to do a 2 day course on how to handle pain without meds and then you have another 4 weeks to see the doctor.
i took in all my xrays and test results and what meds the doctors have tried.
they tried me out on different meds saying with pain it's hard to tell whats going to work one person.
theirs was loads of paperwork to fill out about pain.
at my first visit i was prescribe a drug endep and when that didnt work they tried nerve blocks and once they couldnt do that it was gabapention.

I have your same worries I go to a new doctor tomorrow .
I do know going to a pain management they will go over you pain with you go over you meds you are on see what is helping you there may be something they have that will work better for the type of pain you are in like a TENS unit , a spinal stemulator, physical therapy, water therapy, pain pumps, or many other things that to just name a few I hope I have help ease your worries I hope to talk to you soon take care Brandy

Hey you guys, thanks for all of your replies--I took it it heart and was just very open and honest about the continued pain I have in my upper right side (past liver issues--the pain is still there, but nothing shows up on the tests)--this doctor was just great: she did an epidural nerve block from my back--and I felt almost instant relief--thank the Good Lord above!!! the doctor is going to give me these nerve blocks along with steriods once a week--plus if I need it an injection directly into the liver itself (please pray we can avoid that!!!!) I am starting PT and am now using a TENS unit--for the first time in almost five years I actually have some hope that I won't be stuck living a life full of physical pain. Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone who replied---I sincerely appreciated it.