And, yes, I was very hurt by the content of that hug. And, believe it or not, I'm crying. I don't know why I keep coming here...I really don't.

We all have a choice right? I agree.

Hmm support isn't a journal an update. Show the new people what support, encouragement, really is, inspire them to keep going on in spite of the obstacles in their way.

This isn't directed at anyone. Just saying.........

JC don't stop your inspirations because a few don't "get" it.

JC: Great Post!

Since my reply wad the one that seems to have caused a reaction by you, Redheadeddiva, I am going to try one last time to state that I was in NO WAY WHATSOEVER, criticizing you ,or your decisions about your Healthcare.
I see that you are dealing with struggles with the relationships that you have had with your previous doctors and your view of PM as a whole is negative one.
My comments are reflective of my own experiences, dealing with pain management doctors and the way things are today , as well as dealing with pm, and other specialists for over 20 years. I was attempting to try to offer some positive experiences in dealing with pm, and what a patient might do to make their experience in PM a better one, with less obstacles.
I am sorry that your experiences have colored your view of the world of pm, but I also know that nothing I said was directed at you, or anyone else in particular.

It is very clear that your comments were directed at me, but I prefer a direct approach, instead of attempting snide remarks.
You have every right to disagree with what I or anyone else posts, and you also have the option of using the ignore feature, rather than resort to trying to mask insults, or negative comments you want to make the way you did in this thread and your last few responses to things I have posted.
We can agree to disagree, or you can use the pm feature if there is something you feel you need to say.

Darlin', I feel your pain and frustration. I have been dealing with all this for going on 18 years. I was lucky enough to get an incredible PM doctor the first time. But he quit practicing medicine because the insurance companies kept denying his prescribed treatments. So he got so frustrated, he just retired at 45. It took 7 years to build a re-pore and trust with him, and then when we finally got a plan that worked, he was gone. That kept happening and now I am on my 4th PM. The first thing they told me when I called for an appointment was if you are coming for drugs, we don't do that. Before they even knew about my 9 back surgeries, and 6 fused discs. They just automatically assume if you need drugs, you are and addict. Well I have had more procedures, tests, and every other thing , more than I can count. But every time I have to change PM Dr. because they are getting chased out of the business; you have to start all over building trust with the new one. One things is for certain. Anytime you have a disc fusion, it puts double the strain on the surrounding discs, so they fail prematurely. That is a fact that I learned the hard way. As mine was a work injury, there was also 17 years of what I consider actual torture by them. Workers Comp Hell. It took 17 and a half years to settle my case. I told my attorney that I wanted them totally out of my life forever. So because I am considered 100% disabled by Social Security, and am now on Medicare. Which happens automatically once you get S>S disability, regardless of age; you can get what is called a Medicare Set Aside. They give you a large chunk of money up front, and then every year add more too it to cover your work related injury medical costs. The great thing is, YOU make the decisions and payments, so there is no having to get approvals. You are in control of your own treatments that your Doctor wants to try. So it costs you nothing. Of course that is only for work related injuries and people on S.S. disability. For everyone else, it will be a continual battle that wears you down to the point of wanting to give up. But what other choice do we have. Either suffer, or fight for your treatment. One thing that has helped me is exercising in a hot therapy pool. I lost 80 pounds and it has done more to relieve my pain then all the meds and procedures ever did. It is not a magic bullet though. I still need 2 Percocet a day on most days. That is all this new doctor will prescribe. My first Doctor had me up to 8 a day, which is way too much. I found that 3 to 4 a day kept me pretty pain free, and not so drugged up that I couldn't do anything. But government and insurance regs are making getting narcotics harder every year. But I know as well as anyone here how mind numbing the pain can get. I spend many a night or morning in tears, I hurt so bad some days. I keep trying new procedures, like a spinal Cord Stimulator, but it really did not help my low back pain. it did help my leg pain though. So like everything, some get great results and some get none. back pain is one of the least understood by everyone, including Doctors. And we all have different tolerances for pain. Mine is very low. I admit it, I am a wimp when it comes to pain. You would think one gets used to it, but I never have. When I am really hurting, I actually shake from the pain uncontrollably. A hot bath helps, but only enough to help me fall asleep. Then I wake up in tears. So the only thing we have is each other. Because no one that is has not gone through it can possibly understand what we go through each and every day. And finding a GOOD PM Doc is not easy. Especially if you live in a small town, and not in the city. But you have to keep trying, or it will consume you. When I first got hurt, it took 10 months for them to figure out what I did. I had MRI;s CAT scans, Milograms, etc. Nothing showed up. Then I had a discogram, which is the most incredibly painful test I ever had. But it instantly showed I had torn my disc almost entirely in half. That will not show up on any other type of test. But is was my unwillingness to give up that finally found the answer. So keep fighting the good fight. We are here for you

Classic..
Your screnname is not familiar.
Welcome to the CP group.
Hugs
jc

well said.. I have had a long relationship with my doctor , she was actually my kids x 4 gp first .. before I had a dx of cancer. I went to a different doctor. but the oncologist urged me to changed. as that was neglected for 9 years and was very close to my spine..on my back I cant see it.

BUT cos my GP knows me. she is willing to give me medication.
the other GP I saw.. was not even willing to give me a diagnoses. she only works 2 days a week at the same clinic. but she is not my GP who knows me well.

I also have ME/ CFS and have a lovely doctor. his actual support is the best treatment as well as other medication
my GP will not prescribe me those meds. she will work with him.
includes him in all blood tests.
he also includes her in all tests.

but he wont prescribe the pain medication either. not long term.
both of them have to answer to the Government agency at the end of the day ..that is a common thing

and those relationships of trust did not happen over night.

being your own advocate. .yes yes yes

but don't go in knowing.. the answers. doctors hate that

go in knowing your body .. and that may take a few visits.
make notes

off course when nothing comes up in scans.. then what.
a PT can tell if the sacro iliac joint is not right.. by feeling.. when it does not show up on MRI.

one sad thing is .. it costs money to seek help.
BUT DONT GIVE UP !

So basically, you should have to get to know your doctor for years before you are given any medication? If that were true most sick people would be dead right now. So you have to hunker down in pain, living like a pauper, unable to work because of pain, for years before you are given enough meds to be able to return to the work force. That is some really flawed logic right there. I can probably live without pain meds, but I would not be able to get around that much. That would be completely acceptable if I was independently wealthy, or if I could win my disability case because docs will not treat my pain. Of course that is not the case. Some of us want to be able to do more than just survive. Some of us want to thrive. Some people need meds to thrive. That is all I'm going to say on this matter as this topic keeps on coming up every six months or so and it is very hurtful to some of us.

The better a dr knows a patient, the better he may be able to determine how likely they are to abuse or divert pain meds. If a dr feels the patient is at a low risk of this, they are usually more comfortable rxing pain meds. If a dr knows a patient well, they know from the patients history is they are inclined to exaggerate their symptoms, They are also better able to tell is the patient is one to follow drs order. It does not make sense for someone who suffers from chronic severe pain to not make lifestyle adjustments.

No one said that Jeremy. None of us even implied anything like what you stated.
There is not one of us stated that it takes years, we stated that our relationships with our doctors were built on mutual trust, over time, and being willing to try other things, not just the ones we want, including seeing other doctors ,therapies, and yes,even the dreaded injections and procedures.
There is an awful lot of bashing pm doctors on forums all over the internet, calling them shot jockeys, they are only in the field for the money, etc. , yet those same people doing most of the bashing refuse most, if not all of the other options that may offer even a tiny bit of relief.
They complain about urine testing or pill counts, as "invasive" and violations of their "rights" but, if those same doctors were writing unlimited opiate prescriptions for every person who comes in complaining of pain, no questions asked, then they would be the greatest thing since sliced bread ,as long as they don't require anything of their patients that might be a little uncomfortable .
It seems that there are some who want a very one sided "relationship", where there are no demands placed on them, but the doctor should do what the patient demands, life, let alone medicine doesn't work that way.

Jancam I read a bit of this but not all three pages...you know we all have different stories about PM....mine came about because my doctor at that time now no longer because he changed his practice to become some kind of elitist and it would cost $1000 just to be his patient....anyway he took on giving me pain meds for my knee for a little while....then he decided I need to go to PM doctors for that...so I did not have insurance at time and did as he told me made appointment with a PM...at that time I had been taking Tramadol....I get to pain management and am self pay...so his suggestion was to do PT which since I did not have insurance was not going to happen...and he gave me tramadol because I had been given that and at that time it was as effective as I needed....and it was left knee that was bad...anyway I did go back one time and again he told me that all I needed was PT and again I believe he gave me tramadol again...not 100% sure he did but I assume he did....I did not go back because out of pocket was way too expensive and tramadol was no longer effective on left knee...needed stronger meds...

I returned to the orthopedic as I continued to seek help with knee and he gave me hydrocodine...I do not remember strength maybe 500/325 and they were to be PRN....which will be the way it has stayed pretty much to this day...then of course I had a fall at work and needed to file workman's comp claim...they ended up allowing me to get a new knee brace as I had lost mine when I had wrecked a car and I guess I left it in car or behind car when I cleaned out car that was total wrecked...they also paid for the scope of that left knee...walla the right knee goes wonky immediately after the left is repaired...so now I get another MRI of right knee and another tear in what little cartilage I had left...but this is not getting any surgery because still no insurance...then I get medicaid....my ortho who had been giving me injected cortisone shots in knee and giving me narco 500/325 is one who does not accept medicaid...so I switched doctors offices to a new orthopedic group to continue to get shots and meds...and now I am about to get knee replacement discussions going because next Friday I go on medicare...and the other surgeon will allow that too so I have appointment for him to discuss knee replacement on right side....I am also going to ask for a cortisone shot and more narco...I am hopeful that I get both and sort of a plan for the knee surgery in ASAP timing....this hurting can be stopped within reason...lessening that pain is important to me for it really is my worst and not only but the worst...it never would I describe as over a 7 but it is painful after walking or standing for too much time....distances...

thanks for starting this thread because I am uninsured for the most part of last 14 yrs or more and not really given the best pain management but some which has helped...also my now PCP is willing to write for narco too...so I do get the med I need...but then I also have my addictive personality to consider when I am taking them and how I am using them....

@bill were you not introduced to the government Health Insurance Market? You can find really good Health Insurance in their for very reasonable prices......

Jeremy
I agree with sandim. No one said you have to go years without med. What was said is that any dr. has to have a level of trust built up, and that comes from a willingness to try other solutions from the dr. Have you? Back not so long ago; yes there were PM's that just dolled out opiates like candy. They were called pill mills. That is what put us where we are today. There are so many more rules and regulations for Dosc RX'ing narcotics. At this time; you do have to try alternative treatments and build trust. Most PM's will give you Tramadol to start, and suggest injections, nerve blocks, physical therapy and the list goes on and on. Because of the pill mill, the government like they do with everything; makes laws that punish everyone for the few that abused the privilege. .I wrote on another thread that a hot therapy pool has done far more for me than the meds. If I try any land based physical therapy; I am in screaming pain. The pool got me out of a 7 year stint being basically bedridden. I finally said enough was enough, and I couldn't live like that anymore. It took less than 10 months; and I went from being bedridden, to being able to drive, go to dinner, the movies, etc. It was life changing. I still need some meds, but not the 8 a day I was on. I am getting a new treatment tomorrow that I had never heard of until my last visit with my PM It is call Radio Frequency Ablation. I don't know much about it, other than it burns the nerve endings in the area of your pain. I asked about it on here, and as with most any kind of treatment, it got mixed reviews. Some got excellent relief, and some none. Yes narcotics will take the pain away. But it is not good to be on them for the long haul; even though many on here, myself included still need them, and likely always will. You have to meet your dr. halfway, and be willing to try other treatments. Especially if it is a new Dr. No surgeon or other type of Dr, are going to keep giving you opiates for more than a short time. A PM is the only ones that will. When my wife left me last year because of my back; I thought I was going to lose my house. So I found a few places in other states where it is cheaper than in Calif. to buy a house in a place I actually wanted to live. Then it occurred to me; I better make sure there is a Dr that will take over my back treatment. I called every doctor within an hour from the places I chose to live. There were no PM's at all, and not one doctor would take on a chronic pain patient for treating it. So now I have to stay in my house, and borrow $2K a month from my IRA just to pay the bills to live because the house costs so much. And no, I can't get a cheaper house or even an apartment for less in my area.. When that runs out; I will likely be homeless. All because it is very hard to find a PM in small towns, and even if you do; they are not just going to RX narcotics to someone they know nothing about. All of this problem with meds is because a few abused it. I sold my stereo to a guy after my wife left to get some cash. He told me he was on Workers Comp. I asked what happened. he said nothing. He heard he was going to be laid off, so he faked a fall off a ladder, so he could collect workers comp. I about took my cane and cracked his skull I was so pissed off. It is people like him, and the ones that get narcotics prescribed just to get high or sell them; that has made it so difficult for those of us that are truly in screaming pain to get them. Right now, the pendulum has swung to the less meds the better. Hopefully it will swing back to a balance of meds and other treatments. Don't give up just because you don't think you can have a life without a lot of narcotics. You can. You just need to try as many alternative treatments as you can, to see if anything helps. The Therapy Pool was what turned my life around. Otherwise I would still be in bed 99% of the time. All if us here have to go through the same elongated process. It does not take years to get meds, and no one expects you to spend years with no relief. You have to just be willing to try other things and build trust.