Just came here to blow some steam off. I just put in a three day stretch with a chronic pain patient assigned to me that was a royal pain in the behind to take care of. This patient was on our floor for a ORIF of her knee. She also had a hx of fibermyalgia and was on all kinds of pain meds and narcs and junk to keep her zoned out most of the time. I tried my best for the three days I had her as my patient to take very good care of her and meet her needs, but for the most time she was very rude and nasty to me. It did not matter what I did, I could never do enough nor could I do it right.
Here is the question I would like to put out there: Why do these docs keep ordering all of these highly addictive substances for these folks? I know that when I go see my doc he is very conservative about pain killers and does not want folks to become addicted to them. He will give you something for pain, but he won't keep ordering it over and over again for you. He also looks for alternative medicines to give to you that will do the same thing but are not addictive.
Another question to throw out there: Why are most chronic pain patients "nasty" to deal with? They always have "attitudes" with the nursing staff. Most are downright rude to everyone who takes care of them. Many do not know the words "thank you" and are very demanding and critical of your care to them.
Sorry if I sound like I am not compassionate. I really am. I just came here because this is a safe place to sound off about these issues. If anyone out there has some answers, please, please post them.
I just want to understand better why these people act the way they do. Thanks.
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
Ahhhh, but which came first--the pain or the obesity? For a lot of patients, pain decreased their activity level, and then the weight was gained. From there, the vicious circle was in effect.
And lest we forget, antidepressants and muscle relaxers do tend to pile on the pounds as well.
Actually, there are quite a few medications that put on the pounds. I am an asthmatic and have to take prednisone, which of course puts on the pounds. I also take soma, again one of the side effects is weight gain. I have watched my weight go up and down. And until I suffer multiple fractures in 1989, I never knew what chronic pain was all about. And I watched my level of activity drop as well. But what hurts the most is the assumption by my peers that I and others are faking our pain to gain medication. Most of us hate going to the hospital. We hate being judged. And most of us, we are difficult to discern of we are suffering from our chronic pain. We have learned to hide it. And we have learned it very well.
woody62, RN
928 Posts
Actually, there are quite a few medications that put on the pounds. I am an asthmatic and have to take prednisone, which of course puts on the pounds. I also take soma, again one of the side effects is weight gain. I have watched my weight go up and down. And until I suffer multiple fractures in 1989, I never knew what chronic pain was all about. And I watched my level of activity drop as well. But what hurts the most is the assumption by my peers that I and others are faking our pain to gain medication. Most of us hate going to the hospital. We hate being judged. And most of us, we are difficult to discern of we are suffering from our chronic pain. We have learned to hide it. And we have learned it very well.
Woody