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...
I have been seeing the NP for the past few months and the new doc before that, so I was shocked when I saw my actual doctor today. He was so funny- he looked at what I was taking and said, "Let's see what are we giving you..." Then he looks at me with disbelief and said, "You haven't needed anything stronger?"
I laughed, b/c we'd both wondered how I'd react to his changing my meds when I 1st came to him. He'd taken me to a higher long-acting and much less quick-acting/breakthrough meds b/c the govt had released some rule or law that said you can't take more breakthrough pills than long-acting. He felt bad but he follows every rule/law and won't risk his ability to help people by prescribing against the rules. We had briefly discussed how the Winter would affect the RSD as I knew how it would, and how I would react with less breakthrough. He had said I could call anytime and he could try another medication- something stronger if needed.
I told him I'd had a rough December but as the Winter had become so mild, I hadn't needed to go to anything stronger. Other than a few bad weeks at the end of the year, I was okay. I wasn't thrilled, but I was able to handle it.
So today he told me he was "proud" of me for being strong, and for having such a good attitude. They have a new computer system and today was a really rough day for them all, so he said it was nice to see someone smiling and not complaining. Then he backtracked and said, "I don't mean that how it sounds- I'm HERE to make it so people don't have to complain." I laughed and told him he shouldn't worry so much! Then he said, "Are you SURE you don't have any complaints? You know, since you're here?" Guess you had to be there, but it was really funny.
We had a very funny conversation about my trip to Vegas and my winning at blackjack. He had seemed down b/c of the computers and it was nice to see him laugh and chat. He's SO funny. And even when he has a bad day, I've never seen him take it out on his patients. It's been almost a year since I started with him and at 1st I didn't know what to think. But now I really like him.
He is just SO kind, and so worried about his patients. He follows the laws and guidelines to a T and won't prescribe one more pill than is allowed- a real straight arrow. That's why I like him. Also, I'm not sitting in the waiting room with a bunch of addicts- it's normal people with medical problems who are just like me. He is kind of difficult to get in with and does frequent random drug tests so I think addicts are scared off.
We spoke a bit about my shoulders and back and I told him I was telling the family doc next month at my appt to look into breast reductions, and he said he agreed. When I reminded him I'd already had one, he admitted it might be hard to find a doc to "redo" it.
He did a full exam of my feet, legs and back and said my upper back was in spasm. But it ALWAYS is in spasm so that wasn't news to me. He said we should keep an eye on it b/c I'm hunching forward too much.
I was dreading the appointment, not b/c I'm ever treated badly, quite the opposite! The whole office is very kind to me and they're just so sweet and they talk to me about travel and their grandkids, etc. I don't know WHY I'm afraid every month- as it is easily a nice afternoon for me. It's a drive BY MYSELF where I can listen to what I WANT to listen to on Sirius Radio.
And today I had the DISpleasure of hearing part of Dr. Laura Schelessinger's radio show. WHY would people call in to her? She attacks everyone who calls; even if it's done with a "Hun" it's still a diss. Man, that was 7 minutes I'll never get back. She is so negative! Karma is gonna bite her butt! I had heard that she and I have differing views on civil/human rights, but I had never heard her working before. Now I know why we have such differing views- she has no patience! In her view we should all be HER. She talks over the caller and bullies them, and they're calling HER for advice on life? Ugh- made my stomach turn!
Anyway, I'm not sure WHY I always worry, but again, a great appointment and a nice chat with my doctor. Worrying about nothing is becoming a career for me. I had a wonderful appointment and yet, in the back of my mind I'm glad it's over for another month! ;)
I laughed, b/c we'd both wondered how I'd react to his changing my meds when I 1st came to him. He'd taken me to a higher long-acting and much less quick-acting/breakthrough meds b/c the govt had released some rule or law that said you can't take more breakthrough pills than long-acting. He felt bad but he follows every rule/law and won't risk his ability to help people by prescribing against the rules. We had briefly discussed how the Winter would affect the RSD as I knew how it would, and how I would react with less breakthrough. He had said I could call anytime and he could try another medication- something stronger if needed.
I told him I'd had a rough December but as the Winter had become so mild, I hadn't needed to go to anything stronger. Other than a few bad weeks at the end of the year, I was okay. I wasn't thrilled, but I was able to handle it.
So today he told me he was "proud" of me for being strong, and for having such a good attitude. They have a new computer system and today was a really rough day for them all, so he said it was nice to see someone smiling and not complaining. Then he backtracked and said, "I don't mean that how it sounds- I'm HERE to make it so people don't have to complain." I laughed and told him he shouldn't worry so much! Then he said, "Are you SURE you don't have any complaints? You know, since you're here?" Guess you had to be there, but it was really funny.
We had a very funny conversation about my trip to Vegas and my winning at blackjack. He had seemed down b/c of the computers and it was nice to see him laugh and chat. He's SO funny. And even when he has a bad day, I've never seen him take it out on his patients. It's been almost a year since I started with him and at 1st I didn't know what to think. But now I really like him.
He is just SO kind, and so worried about his patients. He follows the laws and guidelines to a T and won't prescribe one more pill than is allowed- a real straight arrow. That's why I like him. Also, I'm not sitting in the waiting room with a bunch of addicts- it's normal people with medical problems who are just like me. He is kind of difficult to get in with and does frequent random drug tests so I think addicts are scared off.
We spoke a bit about my shoulders and back and I told him I was telling the family doc next month at my appt to look into breast reductions, and he said he agreed. When I reminded him I'd already had one, he admitted it might be hard to find a doc to "redo" it.
He did a full exam of my feet, legs and back and said my upper back was in spasm. But it ALWAYS is in spasm so that wasn't news to me. He said we should keep an eye on it b/c I'm hunching forward too much.
I was dreading the appointment, not b/c I'm ever treated badly, quite the opposite! The whole office is very kind to me and they're just so sweet and they talk to me about travel and their grandkids, etc. I don't know WHY I'm afraid every month- as it is easily a nice afternoon for me. It's a drive BY MYSELF where I can listen to what I WANT to listen to on Sirius Radio.
And today I had the DISpleasure of hearing part of Dr. Laura Schelessinger's radio show. WHY would people call in to her? She attacks everyone who calls; even if it's done with a "Hun" it's still a diss. Man, that was 7 minutes I'll never get back. She is so negative! Karma is gonna bite her butt! I had heard that she and I have differing views on civil/human rights, but I had never heard her working before. Now I know why we have such differing views- she has no patience! In her view we should all be HER. She talks over the caller and bullies them, and they're calling HER for advice on life? Ugh- made my stomach turn!
Anyway, I'm not sure WHY I always worry, but again, a great appointment and a nice chat with my doctor. Worrying about nothing is becoming a career for me. I had a wonderful appointment and yet, in the back of my mind I'm glad it's over for another month! ;)
I get nervous before every appointment no matter how well I know or like the doc.....
Think it's a mini-PTSD from bad doc experiences :-) :-)
I'm glad you like your doc so much....it makes the whole process a little better...huh? I had one with my fave doc today, too.
You won at blackjack? How did I miss that?
Hugs....jc..
Umm, Blackjack. Hmm. Well, let's see... I had some cash my "romantic" hubby gave me for Valentine's Day. CASH! Like, flowers would've killed him? Anyway, WHEN I have $ and am near a BJ table I am all over it. So my friend had to get the parking card punched and I sat at a double-deck table where I proceeded to get 2 Blackjacks to START! That was right before my friend left for 15 minutes.
While she was gone, I won hand after hand after...it was nuts! I got SEVEN more blackjacks! The guy next to me was getting them too, not as many, though. But my friend had to work the next day and we had to leave. But that's good b/c I left way up. (Well, for me, anyway.)
Over the next 2 nights I played a little here, little there and was very lucky. SO lucky that I paid cash for my room service charges, massage, and the 1 night I owed. (I had to pay 1 of 3 nights b/c it was a free day for me.) I paid cash from then on, cabs, jewelry, dinners, etc. I got one of those Pandora bracelets for Christmas and I LOVE it, and Vegas is the only place that sells the "dice" charm so I bought THAT at the airport Pandora store.
Normally I would've played more, but I have 2 rules about gambling. ALWAYS go in with a set amount and NEVER deviate from that. I don't use the ATMs and I don't use credit. If my hubby or I were to lose all our $ on day 1, we'd be miserable but we wouldn't get anymore $ out. That's just how we agree to play, together or alone.
The other rule is to not let the smokers ruin my game or my lungs/sinuses. If I can't get a Non-smoking table going, or a NS pit like MGM has, then I get up and leave. I can take a bit of smoke but when you're washing your hair 3X a day, you KNOW you're lungs are in the same need of a cleaning.
And THIS trip I just happened to leave the table when I was even or up. It was a crazy trip- my most lucky playing EVER. And a good thing, too, b/c we just had a real unexpected expense come up and I had to fork over my "secret" stash to cover bills until payday. I'll get it back in 2 weeks, but now the hubby KNOWS! ;) I like to have a few bucks to myself, ya know?
Okay, if you're with the IRS, now would be a good time to tell me! ;)
TOTALLY just kidding- I didn't win THAT much! But it sure was fun winning! Hee hee.
For the record the phrase "you know you're lungs" should read, "you know your lungs".
Thanks for indulging my craziness- at least I'm only correcting my own grammar! ;) And it was a typo, but still...
Gives others hope.
Sure does make life easier when you know you've got a good one & one who actually cares whether your suffering or not.
God bless him, We need more like him for patients like us.
Mine is on the new side & so far so good. He's my old PMs partner so Ive seen him in the past when my PM was out of the office.
I hear over & over how a lot of people see the NPs, that is rare for me. We'll see if that changes but for the most part I see the doctor. Even with the NP if there are any questions she would get the doctor.
I wish there were more sites out there on the web where one could rate the good, bad & ugly.Save us a lot of time & agony when choosing a doctor.
Sounds like you in good hands. I'm the same by the way, my nerves are always trying to get the best of me.
You just never know with all the changes.
Its has changed or is suppose it where the patients are to have more LA over the SA. My SA is just a wee bit more but my old LA could not be raised or I would have awful side effects.
There are cases where it depends on what the insurance covers. I wonder how they will deal with that one.
Seems that to many are dictating our care.
Well I'm happy for you, you have a good one & he is worth is weight in gold & you know how valuable gold is today.
Blessings, Sammy