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Posted 3/5/2011 12:32 PM (GMT -5)

Has anyone been to a pain clinic?

What were your results?

Was it worth it? 

My doctor has set up an appointment, but I am so tired...

I don't know if it's worth it.

Posted 3/5/2011 12:59 PM (GMT -5)
My doctor sent me for the pain from my disc between L4 and L5 they did some injections near the disc. They numbed my back first and I had the option of sedation. You have to have someone there to drive you home if you want the sedation. I had my husband there so I could be sedated. I had 3 treatmens over a course of 4 months. The first one didn't help much but the 2nd and 3rd treatments were very effective. Not everyone has the same experience. Allot of people get pain relief right away, some people not at all. It may be a little painfull later that day but after a few days you begin to feel better. My doctor gave me some vicoden for the pain that I had after the treatment. I am not sure about all their treatment options but that was my experience. I found it very helpful. I no longer have insurance. I would like to go back when I get insurance again as I found it helpful. They didn't treat me bad or make me feel like it was all in my head. They ask allot of questions to be able to determine what type of treatment might be most effective for your pain. I hope you get some help for your pain either way you choose to go! :)
Posted 3/22/2011 8:13 AM (GMT -5)
I have been referred to a chronic pain clinic they said waiting list is more than a year and that was in Nov. that was before I was diagnosed with fibro.
Posted 3/22/2011 4:26 PM (GMT -5)
There are many pain clinics out there, but you have to be careful. A lot of them have a history of being "pain clinic" but they are really drug pushers selling to pill poppers under the table for a fee. Make sure you do research on the pain clinic. If your doctor refers you chances are it is a good one. If there is a pain clinic in the same bldg as in a hospital you are also safe. Sometimes they have these pain clinic independently owned and they really are pill pushers. I go to a pain clinic, but they are affiliated with one of the best hospitals in FL. The clinic is actually in the hospital bldg so I know that I won't be arrested for being at the clinic at the wrong time. I find the pain clinic helpful. My physician is awesome. She listens to my complaints, she monitors my medication and it is just great to know that she is there for when I need her. She also communicates w/ my Rheumy if necessary. I make sure I always bring her my blood results so she is aware of what my docs are doing. Hope this helps.
Good Luck. Simplistic007
Posted 3/23/2011 11:27 AM (GMT -5)
Yes, I see a pain specialist on a regular basis but it's because of the combination of dx's. I would only go if you feel there is no other way to get relief. I too see my Rheumatologist and also my family doc for other issues..

Only you know what your pain level is and if it's interfering with your quality of life but I would say proceed cautiously. Just my 2 cents.

Jerrie
Posted 3/24/2011 6:33 AM (GMT -5)
I've been going to PM doctor for over a year. One thing you may want to ask before setting up an appointment is whether they do procedures and prescribe medications. Some pain clinics only do procedures. When going to a pain clinic and they prescribe any narcotic medications you will probably be required to sign a contract regarding urine testing and where you get your scripts filled or receiving scripts from other physicians.
Posted 3/24/2011 7:46 AM (GMT -5)
Funny. I was just going to ask this question. I think there is a difference between a pain clinic and a pain specialist but some of that may depend on the institution & people involved too. I went to a pain clinic where they had a program that combined a doc's exam followed by 2 months of weekly group counseling which was very helpful since it wasn't just fibro people but a mix of all sorts of conditions, massage or some other kind of body therapy - again weekly, and exercise evaluation with advice. If I knew what I know now, I could have taken better advantage of it. Unfortunately, most of the PT people really did not understand fibro at all. It was still worth it, tho, as I learned a lot there.

As for pain specialists, both my h and I have had bad luck with them. One guy who was supposed to be a hotshot was an abusive jerk who wanted to put me on methadone (his drug of choice - Yeah! I've got truck drivers out there on the stuff!) and did not believe in nerve entrapment nor myofascial stuff. I have tons of trigger points and this man wanted to plunge me into his pt dept. You cannot strengthen a muscle with a trigger point in it - all he would have done is have me bedridden and really loaded on the methadone. You have to believe in yourself even though it's hard to think straight. If you think it's not going to be a good thing for you, then go somewhere else. My h had different pain specialist that wanted him to sign a contract and all kinds of weird stuff telling him he'd have him off his pain meds in no time. My h's back is inoperable. He's never going to be off pain meds.

I'm sure there are really good pain specialists out there but we haven't had very good luck so far.

Post Edited (NotSoCrazyAfterall) : 3/24/2011 6:52:40 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/24/2011 8:53 AM (GMT -5)
My GP brings this up occasionally when she is prescribing my pain meds. I say; you are the doc; tell me what you think I should do. Then she generally just writes my scripts and checks my BP (which I am thrilled to say is low normal; it hasn't been anywhere near normal in 30 years. I started taking fish oil supplements; Omega 3 I guess. That's all I can attribute it to. My regular GP can't do much more for my Fibro. Here; no specialists will touch Fibro. I have to emphasize a MVA in which I was the pedestrian target; some 8 yeras ago to get any help at all. I was on cymbalta briefly and never felt better. The pharmacare wouldn't cover it so I cannot afford it. So; we truck onwards with the pain meds. The depression I experience is far more of a problem right now than the pain. I gues one feeds the other. Cheers.
Posted 3/24/2011 10:25 PM (GMT -5)
I used a pain clinic and it really helped. We had a nurse, a psychologist, a PT and a doctor (a DO). We went to treatments and a class to learn how to manage pain and we can go to an aftercare class every week if we want.
Sue
Posted 3/24/2011 10:36 PM (GMT -5)
I had a very bad experience with a pain clinic! Everytime I came in the door , they upped my meds. Some days I was like a zombie! Sometimes the whole day would pass and I never knew it. Wow! I would NOT advise it. Now, the physical therapy part was great when they used the hot packs on my back, but I still can not use a tread mill to this day without falling. I would be very careful and don't let them experment on you. Get out if it doesn't feel right! Just sayin...
Posted 3/25/2011 1:22 AM (GMT -5)
Hi everyone i posted a while back been seeing the pain clinic since december, they haven't done nothing for me, well i guess you can say they are trying guess it's not their fault i am too scared of needles so i say no to the injections, i tried neurotin for a week only to get muscle twitches, dizziness, and trouble breathing, vicodin helps great with the pain but when i ask for it i guess they think i'm a druggie when my local hospital knows darn well that i am not because i almost always turn down pain meds unless i am in severe pain, my pain clinic ordered me an MRI of neck and back i have bulging disks on L4 And L5 on lumbar arthritis in my back and DDD in my back and bulging disks on C4 and C5 of neck, I get constant aching in my legs that is severe, hot baths seem to relieve it for about an hour, also diagnosed fibro from hospital, 2 neurologists, and pain clinic, Does anyone think that the disks in my back that are bulged can be causing the leg pain or the ddd or arthritis in my back or from the fibro, does anyone else get a constant dull ache in both calves? This is so annoying but i really don't even want to be on meds thinking about just living life miserable i have to see a rheaumatoligst soon to discuss the arthritis, also have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis, aw so depressing im only 32 and male i fell apart at age 25 after having mono.
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