Nurse on Pt end of Pain Mgmt - UPDATE

Nurses General Nursing

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I am soooooo happy!

Okay, before I write.... if you are a pain mgmt person and happy with your narcotics I have bloody no reason to doubt your treatment and I promise you from the bottom of my heart I will not down you for your choice in treatment. However, I certainly expect the same respect.

So for those of you that were following my previous thread that had to be closed by the admins because of TWO people, I want to update you.

I go to the pain mgmt guy and for an epidural and EMG he will pretty well give me anything I want. Well, I refused narcotics and that caused a ****-storm. Repeat repeat blah blah blah...

Yesterday I went to my primary. Now, my primary is this old Mexican guy and I love him to pieces! He is skilled, down to earth, quiet, reasonable, yet respectful of my knowledge, I love him! He's not there, I am told he might or might not be back in August but I am in luck, his mentor is covering for him. Really? His mentor? MY guy is like... 70!

Well, this very spry, extra old guy, with a ton of energy walks in the room and asks what he can do for me. I admit it, I'm wondering what he can do for me. My attitude was quickly shot down with reality. He is nice. Really nice. I pour my heart out to him, far more than planned. Yes, I have MS but I am not end stage and yes, I have pain but not Oxy level pain and I am very educated and I believe there are non narcotic measures to be had before resorting to turning me into an addict like those (every single one of them) other pain mgmt patients. I told him, I'm not going back to that pain mgmt guy, I'm not doing it and nobody can make me! I will quickly become an addict if I do!

He put his hand on mine and said, "Honey, you don't have to do anything you don't want to!" Guys, he's like........90. He can call me anything he wants. He's earned the right. He made me feel better.

Then he informed me that he has had a license in CA to practice medicine since before I was born and nobody has asked him to return his license yet. AND...he's had a DEA license for a long time and nobody has asked for that back, either. At this stage of the game he feels he can treat my pain since we are on the same wavelength.

He doubled my Nortriptyline and said to come back in 2 weeks and think about how that is working. I am 53, he referred to me as a whippersnapper and told me I am pretty smart for someone so young and inexperienced!

I love this man!

I can work with this guy, this... I can do.

My personal opinions... I own these, they are mine. I have done a great deal of research and *I* believe, right or wrong *I* believe most pain mgmt clinics are legal dealers. Not all!!! Most! I further believe we were better off when our primary docs who KNOW us, managed our pain.

I do not down my experiences of the last month, instead it opened my eyes in an overwhelming way! I think every nurse on this planet should experience a pain mgmt clinic just to see where many of their patients are coming from. A nurse turned patient in a pain mgmt clinic is not just eye opening, it is overwhelming. When you get sassy and think (know) that you know it all, this experience is enlightening. Humbling.

I got this one, for the first time in months I believe I am on the right path.

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I *should* be going to pain management. Went once, and it was just like you eluded to here. Very "ucky" vibe. And I'm not even a nurse yet! Picked up awful senses in there. And the guy wanted me to have the port with the junk. I said nah. I ended up coming off of all of my pain meds and am living clean atm. I am worried however, it is a degenerative condition (but like I tell my hubby -- isn't LIFE a degenerative condition??)..lol. I am worried that I will have to find myself back there one day. Which scares the crap out of me. But good for you! Glad you found a doc you jive with. Priceless.

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Specializes in Education.

I too am a chronic painer, but haven't needed to see a pain specialist (yet). I also avoid my PCP sometimes because he is very quick to hand out the narcotics. Ummm, no.

Of course, that means lots of OTC stuff, so...

And yes, I'm looking for a new PCP. My body is falling apart and I can only see it getting worse.

CrunchBerries, so happy that you've found somebody that will listen!

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Just please don't go there, it will never end for the rest of your days.

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Before I had to throw in the towel and have neck surgery, I sought out relief for chronic pain.

I had the absolute opposite experience you had. When I would open by saying "so, I don't like narcotics..." staff would practically leap up to hug me. I never ever got push back when I said I didn't want narcotics. And that was in a time span of about 2 decades.

Glad you are happy with the direction your care is taking...

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Before I had to throw in the towel and have neck surgery, I sought out relief for chronic pain.

I had the absolute opposite experience you had. When I would open by saying "so, I don't like narcotics..." staff would practically leap up to hug me. I never ever got push back when I said I didn't want narcotics. And that was in a time span of about 2 decades.

Glad you are happy with the direction your care is taking...

In my original thread I made the point that the few times I worked ED and someone said, "Oh, nurse... I would prefer Toradol over that Morphine please." I wanted to jump up and hug them!! I got slam dunked by a couple of nurses here. The majority of the folks here totally got my point and I respect them for that.

I guess my point is that I am learning that trends are changing and those of us that do not prefer narcotics... it is no longer appreciated the way it used to be. The new norm is...........narcotics. This entire ordeal has been eye opening, life changing, and quite frankly, overwhelming to me. I do not like where the field of medicine is going in the world of pain management.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I have chronic pain as well and had to switch PCP. The new doesn't "believe" in long term tramadol (I have been on same dose for 6 years. I cannot take any NSAIDS d/t WLS and don't tolerate Celebrex anyway. I have been to physiatrists and they want epidurals and EMGs, etc. I am not comfortable with that. I am an ortho nurse and I see what happens when you start messing with backs. I have OA from many ortho injuries and surgeries, it's not my back. I get relief from yoga, chiro and deep tissue massage, but sometimes the tylenol doesn't cut it. The tramadol works PERFECTLY, I have not needed more. I tried Cymbalta and it was a disaster. Now I have a referral to a pain doctor. Very skeptical. PCP is going to allow me to stay on what I am on until I see pain doc in DECEMBER.

I understand why pain clinics get a bad rap. We get pts that are on 100mg on oxycontin TID. DO have any idea how difficult it is to manage pain on a person like that??

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I have chronic pain as well and had to switch PCP. The new doesn't "believe" in long term tramadol (I have been on same dose for 6 years. I cannot take any NSAIDS d/t WLS and don't tolerate Celebrex anyway. I have been to physiatrists and they want epidurals and EMGs, etc. I am not comfortable with that. I am an ortho nurse and I see what happens when you start messing with backs. I have OA from many ortho injuries and surgeries, it's not my back. I get relief from yoga, chiro and deep tissue massage, but sometimes the tylenol doesn't cut it. The tramadol works PERFECTLY, I have not needed more. I tried Cymbalta and it was a disaster. Now I have a referral to a pain doctor. Very skeptical. PCP is going to allow me to stay on what I am on until I see pain doc in DECEMBER.

I understand why pain clinics get a bad rap. We get pts that are on 100mg on oxycontin TID. DO have any idea how difficult it is to manage pain on a person like that??

Yep, I completely get everything you are writing. I get it.

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IMO Opiates do nothing for chronic neck or back pain. I have lower back pain from DDD and my doc has me on an anti inflammatory and muscle relaxer. It seems to work.

My old neighbor had back pain and years of narcotic pain reliever usage ruined her teeth. She now smokes medical marijuana which is an idea I have been mulling. However, I'm not sure if I want to spend my time stoned just to dull the pain. Pot is a lot stronger than when I used t smoke it back in the day.

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In my original thread I made the point that the few times I worked ED and someone said, "Oh, nurse... I would prefer Toradol over that Morphine please." I wanted to jump up and hug them!! I got slam dunked by a couple of nurses here. The majority of the folks here totally got my point and I respect them for that.

I guess my point is that I am learning that trends are changing and those of us that do not prefer narcotics... it is no longer appreciated the way it used to be. The new norm is...........narcotics. This entire ordeal has been eye opening, life changing, and quite frankly, overwhelming to me. I do not like where the field of medicine is going in the world of pain management.

They always want to prescribe narcs. They did nothing for my pain when I had neck problems. I think they are overrated.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
IMO Opiates do nothing for chronic neck or back pain. I have lower back pain from DDD and my doc has me on an anti inflammatory and muscle relaxer. It seems to work.

My old neighbor had back pain and years of narcotic pain reliever usage ruined her teeth. She now smokes medical marijuana which is an idea I have been mulling. However, I'm not sure if I want to spend my time stoned just to dull the pain. Pot is a lot stronger than when I used t smoke it back in the day.

You might want to check out the possibilities. Perhaps an edible or a topical would help with your discomfort with reduced psychoactive symptoms.

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You might want to check out the possibilities. Perhaps an edible or a topical would help with your discomfort with reduced psychoactive symptoms.

I'm seriously considering it. They want me to do PT but the last time I did it for my neck they made it worse. I have all the documentation to back it up.

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