What does this say about the UK??!!

Last week I took my mum in law to a pain management doctor. For many years she has suffered from back pain. She's 85 now and basically her spine is very arthritic, causing extreme pain. She now walks very bent, finds it impossible to straighten any more.

She only moved a few months to near us. She had been seeing a pain doctor in her old home town for a long time. She had been on fentanyl, then transferred to OxyContin. The OxyContin was making her very anxious and confused, with terrible jumpy legs too. The new pain doctor reckons she is suffering from opioid toxicity so said her pain meds had to be reduced. It's very difficult to explain to her that instead of upping her meds to try to reduce her pain, he was in fact reducing the meds.

Anyway I decided this might be the time to discuss a pain pump. From what I have read here, and from my own research, I really thought she could benefit from it. I honestly believe its cruel to have her continue the way she is. The doctors answer was a definite 'no', he told me he'd only use them in palliative care patients who were too sick to be able to swallow medicine. And this was from a professor of anaesthetics and pain management. And the consultation was private, not NHS. And this was a city hospital, attached to a university, not a rural hospital where you might expect ideas to be dated.

I had been thinking once I got mum sorted out, I would make an appointment to see him myself as I am really struggling with pain and not coping too well with the side effects of the meds I am prescribed. What a waste of time that would be, I also mentioned spinal cord stimulation, that was a no as well. He'd never use them for back pain.

I'm totally confused by him. I'm not sure if this is just him, or whether it's a UK thing, I suspect a bit of both. Seems a little cruel when help is available but a doctor isn't even willing to try.

Thanks for letting me rant

Jane

Seems like a pretty severe opinion, even coming from a top doctor like that, I too feel, a second and independent opinion is warranted, assuming you have access to that in your health care system.

david

I have to agree and say get another opinion! That attitude isn't reserved for UK Drs as I have heard it here.

Try to get both of you seen elsewhere.

Prayers for your Mom.

Jane,

Sorry to hear this Dr was a real jerk to your Mother in law and you. I'm going to agree with everyone, you need another opinion from someone else. I think that you both might benefit from pain pumps. Now I have zero experience with them, other when I"m on a PCA in the hospital.

As for his attitude, man that's tough. I will say this, when we were stationed in Italy, my daughter has serious issues with ear infections as a baby. We couldn't keep her off of antibiotics, well the base we were at did not have military specialist, just a clinic. So, we would have to go to the local Italian hospitals. We saw the professor and he refused PE tubes for her, told me to give her vitamins. He wouldn't hear anything that either myself or my hubby had to say about her, period.

My husband, became ill over there and was admitted to the local hospital. The professor came with a large group of Doctors and he questioned what they were giving him. He was told you just take it, after everyone left, another Dr returned to inform my husband that the professor was in charge and HE KNEW what was best for my husband. That while my husband was there he wasn't to ask any questions at all, just do as they say.

That being said, I'm thinking it might be a European Doctor kinda of attitude. I know it stinks, but that seems to be how they are. I'm seeing more and more of this attitude here in the states. It seems now days, Doctor's are becoming less compassionate about their patients, worried more about making money, and sometimes just plain out don't care.

I hope you can find someone there in the UK who will help you both out. I'm truly sorry that you're not doing to well (((((hugs))))). Hang in there and as always you're in my prayers.

Hugs,
Barbara