Thought this might be of some interest… Sorry for the long post.
Last week I made another fruitless attempt for relief at my 4th PS doctor. I’ll give a bit of background so this will make sense.

I asked my new GP if he knew of a Pain Specialist (PS) who knows something about Fibromyalgia (FM). It’s amazing what Dr.’s don’t bother to find out about this disease. I haven’t had a Rheumy yet ( 7 & counting) who half knew the symptoms and how serious this can be. GP sent me to Cambridge so I thought maybe I had a chance. I asked the secretary while making the appointment if they have FM patients there, “Oh yes, we have quite a few”. So I summoned up the courage and went for the hour ride.

I sit in the exam room in my stylish butt flash smock waiting for the doc. He comes in and looks like a high school kid (cute just the same). I asked if he was Dr. G & he stated he was the resident. Great. All that I have wrong with me and I get examined by an amateur. (Don’t jump on me for that. I know everyone has to learn but my days as a guinea pig are over. At least the Dr. I came to see should be in the room).

He starts asking questions and was very surprised to find I also had RA & 3 Herniated discs. GP didn’t think this was important I guess. He asked me what was wrong. I told him I literally hurt from neck to toe. Conversation as follows:
“Where does it hurt the most?”
“Hips, knees, feet, shoulders, hands, neck, etc, etc…”
“Ok, where does it hurt the most?”
“One day it will be my hips, next day I won’t be able to sleep on my side. Next day I won’t be able to stand the covers touching my feet. I’ll go for days when my SKIN hurts. Not that the other areas stop hurting, it’s just I’ll notice what hurts the most that day.”
“If we could make one area stop hurting TODAY, what would it be?”
At this point I’m aggravated. If he knew about FM he’d know what I was talking about. I felt like telling him to throw a dart & pick a spot himself. I knew all my hope was in vain at that point. I relented and just said “hips” with a heavy sigh. Then I knew exactly what he was going to say…

“Needles in the bursa sacks with plenty of numbing medication, blah, bla-blah, bla-blah…”
“And how does that help the rest of me?”
You know they never ask WHY you don’t want the injections. Anyway, he says “Ok, we’ll give you something to help you without the injections.”
“Is that possible?”
“Sure” he says enthusiastically as he exited the door…I wanted to say “Wanna make a bet?” sooo bad.

Here’s where it gets good.

I clearly hear him & the Dr. talking just outside the door. What caught my attention was when resident said “She WON’T tell me where it hurts the most…” I strongly disagreed with that so I strained to listen. It was broken up but I got the gist.
Res: “RA & Discs”
Dr.: “Insurance?”
Res: “State”
Dr.: Every Insurance Co….different….won’t pay for some (diseases?). Someone with…….they tell me it doesn’t exist……….so I might as well just stay home……
I missed a minute or two here then:
Dr.: “Surgeons are the worst. Insurance will tell them……they receive major kickbacks….It’s all run by insurance companys. The most corrupt is America and the U.K. The least corrupt is Sweden, Denmark…..

He went on for a few more minutes but I couldn’t hear anymore. I managed to jot down a few things that he said since I was still filling out paperwork. Wow.

He came in and immediately started filling out the notes to send back to my GP. He took a look at the list of meds that I have already tried for FM. To sum up the rest of the visit…

Dr.: “Well it looks like you’ve tried everything that I would prescribe you for FM. Those meds didn’t work or had side effects so the best I can tell you is to try light exercise…”
Me: “How am I supposed to do that when I can barely stand for 5 minutes…blah, bla-blah, bla-blah…”
Then I straight out asked (told) him:
“Listen, I was just hospitalized recently and when I was released they gave me Percocets. It took care of the pain pretty well but it made me very tired. Is there anything that strength that will not make me so tired so I can get some exercise? I think that’s 90% of my problem. I can’t do anything.”
Dr.: “No. Even the top FM organizations tell us not to treat it with opioids, they don’t work and it makes the pain worse after a while.” LIAR !!!!!!!!! * see below
Me: “Thank you for your time.” (translation - you are dismissed you peasant, money grubbing, sheep-hoe).

* When I got home I happened to find this from the NFA (National Fibro Assoc.) - “Fibromyalgia patients can be placed on chronic opioid analgesic therapy- This particular class of drugs effectively treats fibromyalgia syndrome”
Full article - http://www.fmaware.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5307
AND I personally happen to KNOW it works BECAUSE I have personally experienced it.
Here’s one for ya Dr. ‘I know all because I think I’m GOD’ - you read about this stuff - I LIVE IT!!!! Don’t tell me it doesn’t work. This long post is proof. I know exactly what works for me.

Sorry, I digress, back to the subject at hand. This is such a kick in the teeth. I know that all this corruption goes on but it’s quite another thing to have the Dr your supposed to trust with your health come in and not help you because of politics. I’m fantasizing about writing him a letter telling him I heard what he said and he’s scum for letting me suffer. So not only do FM/CP’ers have to battle pain, but also insurance companys, DEA and Dr.’s who are sheep. Then they wonder why we go to the internet or our friendly neighborhood drug dealer.

I’m sorry for my long windedness, but my second to last post was more than a year ago. It’s not for lack of wanting to, it’s because I can’t do it without some “help” which nowadays is very scarce. I’ll stop before this becomes a book.

And the battle goes on…..

Brightest Blessings to All~

Wow, I am so sorry to hear that you couldn't be treated with what works for you......

It is absoulutely ridiculous how doctors do not take care of the patients anymore.....

When the doctor has all your records, sees all the medications you have tried, that did not work, you would think the doctor would try other meds., right??????? but as most of us know, it doesn't happen that way, unfortunately.

I really hope you do find a sincere, caring doctor who will give you additional options, other than "exercise"

I would be so mad, if that happened to me......I am so so sorry that you had to deal with it and to all the others whom have to deal with it.


Take care and I wish you the best! I hope you soon find relief!

I would send a copy of the article to the doc and attach a strong worded letter from you with your name, date of visit, etc. as the cover page. Wait about a week and then call and see if he read it. What a jerk.

Shalamari: Oh my gosh! I feel so bad for you. I don't want to start in on Rhuemys cos it just brings out the worst in me. I have steam coming out of my ears and my face is red with the viens bulging out in my neck with a bolt of lightning over my head. I will hope you find a Dr. that gives you credibility and compassion. Good luck and keep trying!

Hey, are you sure that you were not in Oklahoma when that happened? Because, I swear, that sounds exactly like something my pm doc has said to me.

They DO think they are God. Before my last injection, I requested to speak to the doc before it happened and you would have thought I was trying to get an audience with the pope. One nurse even asked me "haven't you spoken to him once before?" I was, like, yeah-about seven months ago!!!!!!!!

I simply refused the shot until he came into my room to answer some of my questions. Geesh, he was all bent out of shape and made no indication that he was pleased with me at all. In fact, he was so obnoxious I just told him I was ready after about five minutes.

These guys are jerks.

they think they are seeing different tricks and approaches by drug-seekers. just different routes and excuses to get narcotics prescribed. it gets tiresome to them when that is at least 50% of their workday.

really sad for patients with legitimate complaints. seems the docs are on guard and expect to find another round-about drug-seeker as they come into the room. they are more intent on recognizing drug-seeking behavior than they are listening, examining, and considering that a patient may have a real and legitimate problem.

if you are given credibility and get past all that, your insurance coverage and the doctor's greed then decides the treatment you will get. doc are reimbursed for procedures at certain rates. this money factor matters more to them than your proper care.

I have come to this conclusion over the years, but it has become very clear to me lately.

He's obviously not heard of the NHS. What a load of tripe.

I'm very fortunate in that I don't have FM, but it gets me mad reading how people who have it are being treated.

The symptoms are so typical of those with it, with pain in various places all over the body, and especially with a very common symptom of many that their skin actually hurts.

I think that it is a travesty to have so many walking around with these, so very similar symptom complexes, only to be shrugged off by the medical profession.

I mean c'mon! We medically have advanced from an era where people with chest pain were told they had "indigestion" and subsequently dropped dead of heart attcks, to finding diagnoses and treatments. Can't the medical profession do any better regarding this disease than to bury it's head in the sand??? It disgusts me.

How do you know that 50% of a Dr's workday is taken up with drug seekers? Is there a study somewhere? Did some Dr share this little bit of wisdom with you?

Have you ever been to PM or seen a PS? By the time somebody is referred to either one,there is no question that pain is a issue. Its not about narcotics at that point its about pain. That not to say that on the 1st visit you will be scripted meds,but not because the Dr thinks your a junkie. First thing they try to do is get your pain under control usully by numbing you up with shots.Theres a lot that can be done depending on what the cause of pain is.After that if needed meds will be scripted.
The thing about narcotics is,as the first attacked on pain they really don't work that well.Unless administered by IV.
Narcotics work best by keeping pain away.Not making it go away.

Example when you have a root canal or oral surgery the DS will tell you take the pain meds before the novociane wears off,ie before you feel pain.

When I had my wisdom teeth pulled the oral surgeon told me to take the pain meds right away. It didn't make sense because I was totally numb. He said it is easier to block pain than to get rid of it once it hits. Makes sense to me. Too bad so many doctors don't want to accept this. If we could get adequate pain management, we would probably need less medication overall since we could keep a steady level in our bloodstream.

Thats so true. No more of the up and down and never really pain free.

On my last shoulder surgery (#4)just before I was put to sleep,they numbed my shoulder,with something that lasted about 3 days. I was told it was part of a study,which was odd,because with me at least there was no follow up.
Anyway I took pain meds as told and when the numbing agent wore off I was really not in much pain. With the 3 other surgeries I was in horrible pain for a couple weeks.

And with most surgery being out patient now,it can be really difficult to get a jump on post opt pain.

Somedays I wish I could numb up my whole right side.

Geeze. My father actually is a doctor, and he used to tell me about how the other doctors would make fun of people with serious illnesses that were used frequently by drug-seekers. This includes FM among other things. I find it tragic that it is nearly impossible to receive adequate pain relief for people that happen to have tangible and painful diseases. I'm new to the site so I'm just browsing, wanted to throw in my two cents on this one for my first post. I really hope you can get some help with your pain, maybe websites like this will be able to help take the power out of the narcissist's hands and remove the hostility from trying to get pain relief.

-Griff

That's not even hard to imagine , at my age I seem to get the raised eye brow anytime I mention the pain. Sorry to hear this , hope you find some relief soon

what does age have to do with pain?
how can one be too young to have pain?

i know people who are toddlers,who have pain already.
does the doctor have the right to discriminate against a innocent child?

only people who have cancer,can get adequate pain releif?\

like another poster said," should i stay in bed for the next 15 years,until you consider me old enough for pain management? "

what kind of life are they offering us?
solitary confinment?

Exactly Rose!! could you please go through med school and teach some of these other doctors who only look {in this box} and I'm not even that young 34 but you'd be surprised after numerous mri's, electrode test, ct's, blood work bla bla I still get the (Hmm this kid only want to sell this or get high look) everytime and ultimately a lack of proper meds and a good dose of pshyco babble

Dont give up It took me 10 years to find help

My first visit in another town, this was after a bad SUV rollover, went about the same.

After the Doc saw my MRI on the second visit he wrote methadone (been taking it 1.5 yrs), and percocet for BT pain and Robaxin with a sleeping aid.

Point is the first visit many docs are "feeling you out" when you go back with films and hospital records most will manage the pain JMO.