totally understand,

It is so hard because I want relief from the pain but at the same time I get tired of the attitude that anyone in chronic pain has to be seeking drugs. What I am seeking is relief and I am not getting it. The frustration comes in about doctors attitudes. Sure he has probably seen in our tiny ER plenty of patients who are seeking drugs and that turns him cynical but that totally does a disservice to tho of us who have never sought out painkillers but need them. I am just tired of the assumptions made for tho of us in chronic pain.

I understand exactly. I have arthritis in my back. No doctor believed that I was in any pain until it showed up on a CT!

STILL there are doctors who claim "it can't be THAT painful. plently of people live with arthritis all the time". I wish I could kick them in the tender place and then tell them, "well there is nothing on the X-ray so you should not be in pain. What are you doubled over for?"

Bottom line it is only the lousy doctors who don't "believe" in pain. I run when I met one. Although now that I have a CT to carry around with me, they don't brush me off as much.

Keeping you in my prayers
Sunny

I'll play devil's advocate on this one. What did you want them to do when you went to the ER?

If you haven't taken any narcotic in 9 years what about other meds? Most spine surgery pain is neuro so narcs don't work anyway.

You say there is a waiting list for a pm clinic you want to get into...are you on the list? I don't understand the waiting until May to call. That sounds more like they aren't accepting patients until maybe May which means you aren't on any waiting list and in May they might decide it will be another 6 months. If you pain is bad enough to go to the ER then it doesnt seem like you can wait months to try to get into this particular clinic.

My guess is that the doctor was frustrated by your lack of non emergency medical care. You have a chronic condition and went to the ER which is for accidents and acute health problems.

Maybe I've got this all wrong but from what you posted this is what I see. I imagine that the doctor did make a judgement that you were a drug seeker based on what he saw...hard to blame him.

u cant change a turd into a flower
so my advice is you see another doctor and you find anther pm clinic atleast until u can go to the one you want

but i also agree if u dont want narcotics what do u want the er doctor to do er doctors arnt gonna rx meds for on going treatment u need to find a doctor u can work with on going

Paige,

You know, I know that is very, very frustrating that ER Doctor's inmmediatley assume that a person with back pain is there for narcotics, but you can ask any ER nurse of how many people they get on a daily basis trying to score narcotics! They will invent any ailment in order to do so; kidney stones, back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, you name it, they have it, and that is why those of us that are in real pain and that need help don't get it, or if we get it we have to hear the "narcotic speech" from the ER Doctor's and Nurses!

How to change this professionals???? Very hard to do! My advice to you is, that if your pain is getting worst after 9 years and/or is flaring up, find a good pain management Doctor in your area that can help you out. Some of them can help you without giving you narcotics, actually all of them can! There is a spinal cord stimulator that can help you and is not a narcotic, injections, accupunture, mild yoga, massage, PT, etc. Find yourself a good PM Doc and see if you can get the help that you need. Take care and welcome to our group!

I agree with Tipper about alternative therapies while you search for a great pain doc.

You may need to travel for a good one. Even with pain it is well worth it! I live in Chicago and must pass dozens of pain docs on my 3.5 RT to the good one I see. 1 day of discomfort for 29 days of relief? I'll take it.

You can not change an opiophobe. You can move on until you find a doc with the nutsack to Rx what is needed!

Try to find a local pain patient support group. Call the local hospitals, read the local paper's "around town" or "local calendar" section or whatever it is called. Sometimes churches or healthclubs with physical rehab patients have support groups. This is good not only for the support, but to meet local pain patients and hear from them which docs are great and which aren't. That will save you time and money. You may also google "meetup" + "chronic Pain" + your zip code. Good luck!

tipper and chronicil gave you some good advice. Is the dr. still around that did your surgery 9 years ago? If there are call them and see if they won't do an MRI or CT. of your back get a new DX and have the Dr. thats DX the new peoblem refer you to the pain center you want to go to.You maybe able to get in quicker.

Paige,
I am so sorry that you went through something like that. It really does make things worse when the one place that is supposed to help in really bad situations like that, don't help. I have Crohns Disease and when I go to the hospital sometimes, they tell me that I am just seeking drugs and tell me that they can't help me. Even with a protocol from my doctor saying what they are supposed to do, sometimes they even tell me that I made that myself ( even though it has the doctor's signature and header on the paper ) I just sit there and cry and wonder what they would do if it was someone that they cared about or even better, THEM! They wouldn't expect to be treated like that! I know that they see people in there with made up ailments and such, even people that will hurt themselves just so they have a legitimate pain, to get the narcotics, but I have written documentation and I go to the same hospital! Why me? There is nothing that you can do to change that one doctor's mind. If you have to go to the ER again, I say ask to see another doctor or get something in writing from the doctor that did your surgery? I am not sure if this is an option for you, but if you can, I would ask. Sometimes doctor's feel safer seeing that you have documented problems.
I hope that I have helped you at least a little bit. If anything, please know that I am here to support you and understand the problems at the ER all too well.
Many Hugs and Lots of Support,
Beck

Yes I am on the list for May I made sure of that. The clinic that I am waiting for has alternative treatments like epidurals accupuncture and the like. There are 2 doctors one is liberal with the painkillers and the other who I hope to get is very into alternative treatments. I would do anything to relieve this pain.

Hi Paige, sorry you are here.

I think you have received some great advice and I hope that you find relief soon.

I am on my search for relief too...HUGS to you and I hope you are validated, trusted and helped soon

I would think you could get a doc to treat you til you have your pain doc appt.?

I have the reverse problem . The er has no problem giving somthing for pain its the doctores in my town . just cannot go to er all the time
hugs minnie

sorry forgot to say i do not get anytype of pain killer.

First I'm confused by what you've said about being on the list for this pain clinic. It sounds like you maybe on a list for new paitents and you have to call in May to see where you are on the list. That's the way I'm reading it and I could be wrong. If I read it correctly there is nothing that says in May you'll still be on the list and they could tell you to call back in a few months to check again to see where you are on the list.

There is nothing wrong with staying on the list and trying to get in there but if you don't have an actual appointment there is nothing wrong with going to another pain clinc or pain doctor untill then.

If the ER wasn't able to help you I hope you went to your PCP there is no reason he or she can't help you till you get in to see a pain doctor.

Hugs & Prayers,
Mary