Chronic Pain Support Group
Physicians and professionalsdefine pain as chronic if it lasts longer than three to six months and is persistent. It's distinct from acute pain that is a direct result of injury or trauma. This support group is dedicated to those suffering from chronic pain. Discuss treatments that have worked for you, find advice for your specific experience, and find support. You're not...
Good morning,
I've been up since 1:30 am...grrrrr. That could be a new record for me to decide to start drinking coffee and give up on sleep.
My neck has caused pain for years, but lately, has been out of control. I mentioned to my doc last week that the ortho said I should see a cervical spine specialist. The only MRI of that area was done in '07 and showed bulging discs back then. I've been told by more than one doc that the pain from my neck down to my hand was caused by pinched nerves so that was no surprise.
I mentioned how out of control my neck pain was at my last regular appt. and told my doc what the Ortho said. She focused on the torn rotator cuff and med changes for pain in general and ignored what I said about my neck. It didn't surprise me since it took months of telling her that my shoulder pain was something new and different than the chronic pain of Fibro and arthritis, for her to finally send me to an Ortho! It seems she doesn't hear me when I have something acute and only focuses on finding the right med to manage pain. She hasn't exactly been successful in that area!
No matter what she's prescribed in the last couple months has even begun to manage my pain. It's changed, migrated and I've had several new pain issues besides my neck and shoulder. I think it's because I got no relief from the Fentanyl patch, even when she doubled the amount, that she was afraid to increase again without another opinion.
The ER doc was like a tropical storm entering my exam area. He had reviewed my chart and blasted in with a graphic description of his own surgery for the same neck issue I have.. He ignored everything else and told me who did his surgery and how successful it was. At one point, he grabbed me by the wrists and pulled my arms forward...I can't even remember why he did that because it caused horrible pain in my right shoulder from the cuff tear. Once again...only focusing on one thing and not thinking what that quic, jerky motion would do to a current, acute problem other than my neck. My Sister grabbed his arm and gave him holy hell.
Anyway, he said the Fibro, arthritis, upper back pain, throbbing legs and feet were different issues and nothing to do with my cervical neuropathy. I kind of figured that as I've suffered with Fibro for years.
I had a slight fever, but that didn't seem to concern him and I was given a shot of Toradol and told to see my GP within 3 days. She'll have to refer me to the specialist.
I really didn't want to go to the ER at our local hospital. I've not had many good experiences tere in the past. Just a week ago, my doc told me not to bother, anyway, because they wouldn't do anything for my severe pain. So when she ordered me to go, I was more than a little surprised.
So...the shoulder and neck are just more pieces in the overall puzzle. The arthritis in my hands is progressing rapidly and making everyday tasks very difficult. This doc couldn't believe I'd been doing hair with all this pain!
You do what you gotta do, right? Not any more... I guess I'm rambling, now and it's taken me 45 minutes to type this.
Hope everyone is feeling more joy than pain,
Cherry
I've been up since 1:30 am...grrrrr. That could be a new record for me to decide to start drinking coffee and give up on sleep.
My neck has caused pain for years, but lately, has been out of control. I mentioned to my doc last week that the ortho said I should see a cervical spine specialist. The only MRI of that area was done in '07 and showed bulging discs back then. I've been told by more than one doc that the pain from my neck down to my hand was caused by pinched nerves so that was no surprise.
I mentioned how out of control my neck pain was at my last regular appt. and told my doc what the Ortho said. She focused on the torn rotator cuff and med changes for pain in general and ignored what I said about my neck. It didn't surprise me since it took months of telling her that my shoulder pain was something new and different than the chronic pain of Fibro and arthritis, for her to finally send me to an Ortho! It seems she doesn't hear me when I have something acute and only focuses on finding the right med to manage pain. She hasn't exactly been successful in that area!
No matter what she's prescribed in the last couple months has even begun to manage my pain. It's changed, migrated and I've had several new pain issues besides my neck and shoulder. I think it's because I got no relief from the Fentanyl patch, even when she doubled the amount, that she was afraid to increase again without another opinion.
The ER doc was like a tropical storm entering my exam area. He had reviewed my chart and blasted in with a graphic description of his own surgery for the same neck issue I have.. He ignored everything else and told me who did his surgery and how successful it was. At one point, he grabbed me by the wrists and pulled my arms forward...I can't even remember why he did that because it caused horrible pain in my right shoulder from the cuff tear. Once again...only focusing on one thing and not thinking what that quic, jerky motion would do to a current, acute problem other than my neck. My Sister grabbed his arm and gave him holy hell.
Anyway, he said the Fibro, arthritis, upper back pain, throbbing legs and feet were different issues and nothing to do with my cervical neuropathy. I kind of figured that as I've suffered with Fibro for years.
I had a slight fever, but that didn't seem to concern him and I was given a shot of Toradol and told to see my GP within 3 days. She'll have to refer me to the specialist.
I really didn't want to go to the ER at our local hospital. I've not had many good experiences tere in the past. Just a week ago, my doc told me not to bother, anyway, because they wouldn't do anything for my severe pain. So when she ordered me to go, I was more than a little surprised.
So...the shoulder and neck are just more pieces in the overall puzzle. The arthritis in my hands is progressing rapidly and making everyday tasks very difficult. This doc couldn't believe I'd been doing hair with all this pain!
You do what you gotta do, right? Not any more... I guess I'm rambling, now and it's taken me 45 minutes to type this.
Hope everyone is feeling more joy than pain,
Cherry
David.
I wonder if they're all suffering like I am.
Hugs,
Cherry
Its hard when you have multiple things going on & your doctor is focused on one. You can't possibly get the help you need.
My heart goes out to you & I wish you the best of luck with this Neuro.
God bless, Sammy
I am so sorry. After my car accident. They left me strapped to the back board for 5 hours because another emergency came in. I was so nauseated from pain that I was in danger of throwing up.
The funny part was that my S.O. tried to help by raising my head. He is not good with mechanicla
I am glad that you ended up in the ER, maybe the ER Doc was not kind,, and it was rude, but you were able to get an MRI of the neck, and that alone is worth the price of admition!
Since you started here I've been telling you to find a PM Doctor, GP's do as much as they can, and as much as they feel comfortable with when people have pain, but their expertise is not chronic pain, their expertise is acute pain, so that is why no matter what she try's, you are going to continue in pain. Pain never goes away 100%, believe me, if it did, I would be the happiest person in this world but that's the
way it is, as long as I can function, and do my PT job, I am happy.
The one thing that could be happening, is that your GP wanted to treat things in faces, meaning that she wanted to do your shoulder first, since that without repair is going to create more issues, and then go to the cervical spine, and see what an NS could do.
I am very happy that you are finally going to see a PM Doctor, I am the kind that each area should have it's own Doctor, because for me having a GP treating pain, is like having an electrician repairing my plumbing.
Take care and keep us posted,
Hugs,
I'm never sure what doctors are thinking? What was the point of the double arm shake? Really? WTH was that gonna tell him?
I remember a sleep doctor I used to have once took two fingers and dug them hard in my ribs and asked me to lift my arm over my head. Between clenched teeth and tears I mumble I can't............
He said 'that's cause you have Fibro'! What? Well I knew that and what did that have to do with my apnea anyways!!
I think it pretty easy to tell which doctor graduated in the top 10% and which were in the bottom 10%!
I hope your feeling a little better today!
I'm hoping my doc will increase my pain meds tomorrow. I'm suffering terribly tonight.
This is why I can't post much.
I hope that you get to an NS and an MRI soon, so that way you can have
a concrete diagnosis and some solutions to the issues that pain you. Take care,
I've taken everything I can and it's not helping. I've been up since 1:30 am and it's almost 9:00 pm...pain and exhaustian are bringing me righ to he edge of...something.
i hope you can get a speedy referal to get this taken care of
hugs