>>>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Lin" <j.vermey@xtra.co.nz>
>To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS"
><adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
>Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 2:03 PM
>Subject: Re: Question
>
>> At Wed, 5 Dec 2001, Karla wrote:
>> >
>> >Lin,
>> >
>> >Do you have to have a pain specialist? Around here you don't, but they
>are
>> >the ones more likely to prescribe the narcotics than regular doctors. I
>> >don't really see any pain specialists...not any more. I have one down in
>> >Chicago, but it is not easy to fly down there all the time for treatment
>and
>> >since my doctor is handling things pretty well I will leave it that way.
>I
>> >did go through their wanting to do the spinal blocks which were no help
>at
>> >all other than increasing the pain. If your surgeon wants to prescribe
>the
>> >narcotics that is his choice. The way it works around here, the pain
>> >management doctor would not overrule him. He knows your problems and
>your
>> >pain much more than the PS because he deals with you all the time.
>> >
>> >--
>> >Karla
>> >
>> >Somewhere up in the stars..............
>> >My angel and me!
>> >
>> >http://www.geocities.com/karlasfamily2001
>> >http://www.geocities.com/princessd82000/BraydensHaven
>> >
>
>>>> >>----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "J&L VERMEY" <J.VERMEY@xtra.co.nz>
>> >To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS"
>> ><adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
>> >Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 1:27 AM
>> >Subject: Re: Question
>> >
>> >> Hey Lisa,
>> >>
>> >> I attend Pain Clinic here in New Zealand. I see two different people,
>one
>> >is
>> >> the Pain Specialist, the other is the Pain Team's Psychologist.
>> >>
>> >> The P.S. basically is in charge of all my medications related to my
>> >chronic
>> >> pain - but since some specialists can be narrow minded in regards to
>> >> narcotics - and my P.S. is definitely that - and does not want me to
>> >> continue taking any - I am now by-passing him and my house doctor is
>> >> handling my pain management. There are about half a dozen pain
>specialists
>> >> at my hospital - I may have to change to one who is more sympathetic to
>my
>> >> needs eventually - but for now I'm going to leave it the way it is. I
>talk
>> >> to my P.S. once every month over the phone - as he gives me a month's
>> >> prescription for methadone - which we're reducing slowly - but I'm no
>> >longer
>> >> mentioning to him that I am taking morphine as prescribed my my GP - as
>it
>> >> only makes things more difficult.
>> >>
>> >> My Pain Psychologist helps me cope with the pain 'mentally' - she's
>been
>> >> teaching me breathing and relaxation exercises, and she lets me talk to
>> >her
>> >> about anything that bothers me, and she helps me see a different
>> >perspective
>> >> of things. The good thing is my husband sometimes comes with me, and
>she
>> >> helps him cope too, and sometimes he even goes by himself. If I need
>> >advice
>> >> I call her on the phone, and most of the time that is helpful. The only
>> >> thing that bothers me is that she blabs everything I say to my P.S.
>> >>
>> >> I know this doesn't sound very encouraging. I'm sorry about that.
>> >Sometimes
>> >> you just come across people who are prejudiced and narrow minded, and
>who
>> >> are simply too busy to listen.
>> >>
>> >> I hope your experience will be a positive one!
>> >>
>> >> Good luck.
>> >>
>> >> Lin.
>> >>
>
>>>> >>> ----- Original Message -----
>> >> From: Lisa <lilylover5555@aol.com>
>> >> To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS
>> ><adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
>> >> Sent: Wednesday, 5 December 2001 16:27
>> >> Subject: Question
>> >>
>> >> > I have a first appointment at a pain management clinic next week and
>I
>> >> > was wondering if anyone could give me a clue as to what to expect, or
>> >> > any advise would really be appreciated!
>> >> >
>> >> > --
>> >> > Lisa
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >> ---
>> >> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
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>> >>
>>
>> --
>> Thank you Karla,
>>
>> I agree! Why do I have to have a Pain Specialist? I was talking to John
>about
>> the same thing last night, and I said to him too - can't I simply say next
>time
>> I am admitted that I don't need my P.S.? That Dr Robertson and I are
>handling
>> the situation just fine and that I am perfectly happy with how my pain
>> management is going?
>> It's just that everytime in the past when I've gone into hospital I've run
>> into the same situation - the doctors and nurses act like my P.S. word is
>> LAW! And they won't prescribe anything for my pain - but leave it to him
>> instead.
>> I don't want to cause a problem, I really don't want to upset my P.S. by
>> demanding that I want another P.S. - he's basically a nice guy - and in a
>> way he does care about me, it's just that on this matter we don't see eye
>to
>> eye.
>> I've been wandering about writing to Dr Robertson and expressing my
>concerns and
>> to aks him what to do? What do you think?
>> Or am I making a too big a deal out of this?
>> The other thing I blurted out to John last night was that I wished I could
>> simply stop taking the methadone - I'm down to 7 mg's - and at the rate I
>am
>> going - dropping it 1 mg a month - it's going to take me another 7
>months - it
>> seems like forever.
>> I know that if I stop taking it that i will feel absolutely terrible -
>I'll
>> have weeks of withdrawl to deal with and I will be impossible to live
>with.
>> I've done it a couple of times before and believe me - I'm intolerable to
>be
>> around when I'm withdrawing! I can't sit still, can't think straight,
>can't
>> sleep.
>> And then, I may be pregnant - and I don't want to risk anything going
>wrong.
>> It's just that in 14 days I have to ring my P.S. up for another
>prescription -
>> and the first thing he's going to ask me is what medications I am taking.
>> Karla, I don't want to lie to him - I don't like being dishonest - but
>last
>> month when I said that I was taking morphine it got me into hot water -
>and
>> that's when he basically put his foot down and said he wouldn't prescribe
>it
>> as he wanted me off all the narcotics. John suggested that I simply say to
>him
>> "the same as last month" and hope that he wont catch on, I know
>technically it's
>> not lying - but I'd still feel bad about it.
>> I wish I could change to another P.S. who was more sympathetic to my
>needs,
>> someone who isn't too busy to listen to me - but all the other P.S.'s are
>no
>> better!
>> I don't know what to do, I really don't.
>>
>> Hugs
>>
>> Lin
>>
-- Thanks,I will do that.
Lin