Keep a daily journal and use a stick figure to show the location of the pain when, where, what works, what does not work, and show this to the doctor at the next visit.

Then, listen to what the doctor offers as options. If they say the pain is not excruciating, then go through your journal, point out the fast change in pain level, or the point of no return that requires you to stop.

I know, to be your best advocate, you have to shut off your personal feelings, and focus on the medical feelings.

I hope this helps. It is very frustrating to hear this from the doctor, and when I heard it, I decided to show them, since they were not listening.

Best wishes.

When doctors say it isn't serious, they mean it won't kill you physically. Lfts your spirits, doesn't it? Perhaps it lifts theirs. Doctors aren't talking about your quality of life. Most often, they can't do anything to change that.

I understand how isolating pain can feel. No one can understand your pain unless they live it and thankfully they can't. You could seek out a "live" pain support group. You do have us and this is a compassionalte, nonjudgemental group. I'm sorry you're suffering.

Good and healing vibrations are coming your way ~

Tink

Yes, I totally second everything Tink and mideyebrow said. Keep detailed records of what the pain is like to show the doctor so they can see how the pain is affecting you. If you go to www.painclinic.org and look at the left hand column you'll see 'health check ebook' and if you download the link you'll get standardised questionnaires that can help you explain your pain to your doctor.

I third Pumpkins second and agree.

I too keep a daily journal of how I was feeling and wrote down the doses of pain meds, the time, how I felt and what my pain level was at.

It has come in vey handy at my doctors appts, they have read parts of it and can see that this pain and misery is very real.

Keep posting you are not alone.

I completely feel your pain. The way doctors act about this condition is so disheartening and makes you question yourself and your pain. I've spent years questioning myself, thinking I'm weak or over exaggerating or maybe even making it up because doctors act like it's nothing and it shouldn't be bothering me so much.

I've cried to doctors and I provided a pain journal and my doctor looked at me like I was nuts and wanted me to go away. He still gave me the meds I wanted and the referral to a PM and for MRIs, so he didn't write me off but for some reason he wouldn't acknowledge the seriousness of my pain. He didn't even suggest solutions, just said yeah that's going to be forever. Just like that. Sorry, it's forever. Nothing to do about it. Didn't even suggest I look into it or search for a different type of practitioner, just deal with it.

I still think you should try giving your doctor the pain journal but if it doesn't work consider these two things:

1. The doctor doesn't get it and never will and don't try to convince him or her. Do what you must to get what you must from the doctor, i.e. pain meds, referrals, but don't ask for more because he/she just doesn't care.

I'm not saying doctors are heartless - maybe they've just seen so much worse, but they are wrong to judge others based on what they've seen. The worst thing you've ever experienced in your life is the worst thing to you. Sadly, that's the way it is so we got to find someone else or figure out a way to work around it.

2. Get a doctor that does get it. No one got my pain until I started seeing a Myofascial Release Therapist. She acknowledged my pain and could explain it and said, yes this is a big deal. That was a huge thing for me.

I'm sorry if this doesn't help but I hope it does help to say that yes this is a big deal. Your condition is serious. It's serious to everyone on this forum and to everyone who has it. It's debilitating and excruciating and even worse, no one with a medical degree seems to get it, so it's isolating and confusing. Even friends and family seem to think, he/she's not dying so can't be that bad but they don't get it.

You have every right to feel what you are feeling. You have every right to feel the pain you feel, to feel the desperation, and frustration, and misery, and loneliness. You are not wrong or mistaken. Unfortunately you are misunderstood, but not by me or anyone else here.

And I personally believe that someday doctors will stop misunderstanding too but right now our condition is something not well known so they are choosing to ignore it because it doesn't kill us. But that doesn't mean answers and hope aren't out there. It just means they're not in the usual places.

Tearful and Understanding Hugs

Stephanie