I went to the first Pain Management Specialist. He spent 10 minutes with me, demanded that I get notes from all my other doctors that only he could prescribe pain meds for me, ordered a MRI for a possible cervical herniated disc. Then, they don't even request the MRI for a month because of the Thanksgiving holiday. And, they were quite rude about stating that. They had no problem with not giving me any pain treatment at all in that time.
In the meantime, completely unsatisfied with his exam, attitude, his staff's attitude, I have requested a new Pain Specialist who I won't get to see until April 3rd. But I know that he spends at least an hour the first visit with patients and has requested copies of my latest bloodwork and MRIs.
Today, the first doctor calls and says the MRI is fine but he'd like to try epidural injections in my neck anyway. I have no objections to epidurals as a pain treatment, but this guy hasn't even done any real investigation as to the problem.
I'm seeing a neurologist and a Ortho surgeon who seem to be a lot more on the ball with what I am experiencing and they bothered to give me an exam and are treating me with medication and PT in the first case and surgery in the second.
Would you trust this man to give you injections in your neck under the circumstances? I'm not. There is some risk to them plus I have a lot of tendonitis in my neck area. Shots could make that worse. But I would like to know what you think as a kind of sanity check.
If I had some interest in trying the cervical epidural I'd go to whatever doctor I have that I trust the most--maybe that's your neurologist?--and say 'I want to run something by you that was prescribed by the pain guy but I don't feel good about it, but I do need to do something, so what do you think, do my fears make sense?' Then I'd have a "makes sense" or not from an expert that I trusted.
I do this fairly often with my docs. I guess it's playing one against the other, but there's no bad intent.
My pcp gave me good advice on some meds my cardio wanted me to try, and helped me get perspective before surgery another specialist wanted. My cardio set me straight about an opthalmological matter (bizarre, huh?) and balances the advice I get from my other doc about asthma. My gastro made sense of what a gyn was saying and set me up to take a better line of negotiating with her.
Whoever is next up on the list to be seen gets cross-examined about whatever I'm unsettled about regarding other docs. Or I schedule an appointment with one I really trust, usually my pcp or cardio, under some other pretense or just directly to discuss what I'm unsure about from another doc. I feel like I keep my ducks lined up this way.
But you sure do need something to intervene before April. That's an awful long time to feel as bad as you do. Pain can do a lot of damage to physical and mental resources in that time.
Deanna- HELL NO. Get that ass away from you. Sorry, but damn hunny. You gotta draw the line somewhere. I know you've heard horror stories of epidurals gone wrong, and that doc. is just the kind that gives them. I don't like that you can't see anyone until April - you NEED something before then. However if it's a choice between Doctor Boob and nothing, I'd take nothing. That's just me personally. Sometimes I wish I could help you out, I can scare the sh*t out of just about anyone, and I've gotten my way with a few of Justin's doctors already...I hate doctors. LoL Keep calling around and trying to get something, you deserve it!
I would not let that doc touch me with a needle at all! Hopefully you can hold out til April. Try and get your meds from another doc. Your PCP, your ortho, whomever.
What is with some of these docs?
Well, I already fired this doc. He just didn't know it yet. I was waiting for the MRI. And, I'm going to pick those up in person including the report so that I can take them to my other docs. Also, I want someon else to look at them. I've had MRIs read wrong before and been told things were fine when they weren't.
I will be seeing the Neurologist on the 9th and will be having knee surgery before seeing the new Pain Specialist. Between those two events, I hope to get some relief. Plus, I'll be seeing the Rheumy middle part of January.
The Primary did up my Vicodin. But he was afraid to do much more than that because he was worried about me having an adverse reaction. I probably could get morphine from him if I wanted to take that step. But I want to wait and talk to the Neurologist first.
No, I wouldn't trust this "Pain Specialist" to trim my nails. But it is scary that he is one of the few Pain Specialist being offered to me. A epidural should never be given as "let's just see if this works." And, none of my other pain is being addressed.
My neck pain I believe is coming from some kind of spine or nerve problem. But it is only one area of pain.
As far as I'm concerned, this guy is a quack of the worst kind. When the Neurologist heard that this guy wanted to put me on Oxycotin and Morphine with the kind of neurological symptoms I was having, he said he didn't think it was a good idea. The Ortho also didn't think most of my problems were caused by FM but by the RA/OA damage in my joints.
But a few years ago, I wouldn't have known to avoid this guy like the plague.