dbmc

As a nurse and a chronic pain sufferer, this topic is very interesting to me. Ladies and Gentlemen, the way that we treat chronic pain patients is unforgiveable. I have been made to feel like a felon for going to the ER for pain relief, asking my doctor for a stronger analgesic and for not "sucking it (pain) up. It's difficult for those who have never suffered with pain 24/7 to appreciate exactly what chronic pain can do to a patient's life. Family members are compassionate to a degree, but eventually they're worn out and don't want to hear about it anymore. The pain consumes the patient, so it is difficult for the patient to focus on anything other than the pain that they're experiencing. It is our job as nurses to be a strong, level-headed advocates for the patient. It's pathetic that we treat our pets better than we treat our humans, in that we don't let them suffer.

If rose petals appearing from nowhere isn't creepy, I don't know what is!

I hope the man in white comes to get me!

Now THAT"S eerie!

Okay, that's it. Now I'm gagging...

I've never had a child, so obviously I will never help my child give birth. Oh, but how blessed you are! To have had a child and then help deliver her baby! What an awesome experience! Congratulatons!

And that is why I left nursing...

You're exactly right. It would be much better if a drug addict could tell the truth. However, there's such a stigma towards drug abuse that I don't see that happening anytime in the near future. Obviously, the war on drugs is a complete failure. The U.S. is going to have to come up with a better plan on fighting drug abuse. Most heatbreaking to me is that we live in a world that requires an artificial high in order to cope.

Thank you!

I read 10 pages of this thread and then couldn't resist adding my 2 cents worth. If I repeat what someone else has already posted, forgive me. I, too, am a chronic pain sufferer who hasn't worked as an RN in years. When I was nursing, before I started having pain, I routinely saw patients undermedicated. Watching them suffer and not being able to do anything about it broke my heart. Never, ever did I give a placebo nor would I ever. Yes, we had patients who were frequently admitted to the hospital for pain control. Some of them would be sitting up in bed, eating, talking, laughing and at the same time be asking for their pain meds. Never did I pass judgement on that patient because it wasn't my place to decide whether they were having pain or not. It was my place to give them what the doctor thought they needed. I would, however, always chart the behavior of the patient who requested the meds. Anyway, here's what I've learned since having chronic pain: 1) It's not the nurses or doctors place to decide if a patient is having pain. Everyone reacts to pain differently. There are days when I work with a pain level of 7 or 8. The average pain-free person would either be home in bed crying or at a doctor's office or ER begging for relief. I am able to work because my pain has increased gradually over a 4 year period and I have built up a high pain tolerance because of that. 2) Chronic pain changes your quality of life. I can no longer enjoy doing things that I once did. I am depressed because I know that the only thing awaiting me in life is more pain. 3) Those in chronic pain feel helpless and hopeless. We live in the richest country in the world with more advances in technology, medicine, etc. than anywhere else in the world yet we treat our animals with more compassion than we treat our people. 4) 90% of doctors, IMO, are not skilled at treating their patient's pain adequately, especially chronic pain. And the sad part is, they don't care. They would rather the patient remain in pain. I've even had doctors tell me that they know I'm miserable but there's nothing they can do to help me so learn to live with it. 5) I am not an addict but when my pain level is off the charts, you better believe I'm drug seeking. So don't give me that condescending look or act like I'm a piece of dirt if I come to your ER to be treated for pain. I hate going to any ER and would not be there if I didn't have to be. 6) NO ONE can imagine what it's like to be in pain 24/7 unless you've been there/done that. Oh, how I wish I could transfer my pain for just 5 minutes to the doctors who have refused me pain meds. I guarantee they would be screaming for the morphine. 7) No one should have to beg for a medication that would only give them some quality of life. I think that with all of the pain meds available today that it's not too much to ask for something that will at least give me some semblence of a normal life. 8) The medical profession has failed humanity when a person in chronic pain has either suicidal thoughts or has considered finding a drug dealer in order to be relieved of the pain. Sorry for going off on this tangent, but I'm pretty fed up with the whole medical community, nurses included. I'm tired of people stereotyping me if I need something for pain. I don't get high when I take pain meds. I just feel like a regular person who can function with some normalcy. I know I got off topic. There's no need for anyone to be rude to a nurse. However, there are days when my pain is so bad that it takes everything I have to be nice to anyone. If my post does nothing else, I hope it makes everyone who's prejudiced towards chronic pain patients reconsider. I wouldn't wish chronic pain on anyone. Should you ever experience chronic pain you'll know what I'm talking about and feel completely different about this subject. Thanks for taking the time to read this and letting me vent. It's late and not very well written, I know. Please forgive!

Preschool thru 6th. When they are really young, they can come to the office if they need assistance. 99 percent of the time the parents tell us that the child knows how to use it and when. The parents still have to fill out a medication form to keep in the office. We've never had any problems so far with that policy. The problems occur only when the child forgets and leaves the inhaler at home and has an asthma attack.

Templedoll, thanks for the kind words.

In my school, the kids are allowed to keep the inhalers with them at all times.

I graduated from nursing school in 1992 with an Associates degree. I have been out of nursing since 1997 but am thinking about reentering nursing. I have kept my license current and active. What would be required of me in order to go back into nursing? I know there's much that I don't know due to all of the medical advances that have been made and there's probably much that I've forgotten, as well. Would anyone even hire a nurse that has been on leave as long as I have? Thanks in advance for the advice and suggestions!

I remember years and years ago when I was a nurse's aide in a hospital, I had a patient with bladder CA. She had horrible bladder spasms. I remember caring for her and watching the agony that she was in. This may be a stupid question but would a strong muscle relaxant help something like that?

If you are really in pain, you don't experience euphoria from pain medication.

After a friend read my post, she pointed out some info that I should have included: I've been to one of the top neurosurgeons in the U.S. He says my condition is too severe for surgery. I've have 3 series of epidurals, a nerve root block, lots of physical therapy, taken Neurontin, Indomethecin, Dolobid, antidepressants, and many other NSAID's. I've used TENS units and I've seen orthopedic specialists. A few docs that I've seen have said, "I know you're miserable" but none of them seem to want to do anything about it. I don't even discuss my back problems with my PCP because she thinks my back is "not that bad". I've not been to another pain management doc because the nearest one is over 100 miles away and it's very painful for me to travel that far in a car plus I guess I've just run out of faith that any doctor is going to help me. Am I just being a baby with a low pain tolerance? Maybe, but I don't think so. One orthopedic doc told me that I should feel lucky that this is all that's wrong with my back! In my previous post I stated that I had nothing to live for but that was wrong. I truly live in hopes that I will die soon because living life in this condition is not really living at all. Again, thanks for letting me vent and if anyone, anywhere has any suggestions, I'm waiting and watching.

I am 47 years old and have the following things wrong with my lower back: Spondylolisthesis, severe degenerative disc disease, 3 herniated discs, 1 torn disc, several Tarlov cysts, and spinal stenosis. I am in moderate to severe pain 24/7. Here's my experience with pain management: I live in a small rural community that has 1 small hospital and 1 pain management doc. My pain doc gives me Hydrocodone 10mg 60 pills/month. He says that 1 pill q 12 hrs. should control my pain. Last month I began suffering excruciating pain at work that a hydrocodone wouldn't touch and my coworkers insisted on taking me to the ER. After being made to sit in a holding room for 3 hours, a PA finally came in a said, "Okay, what's the problem? A pulled muscle?" I proceeded to tell him all of the things that were wrong with my back. Before I go on, let me tell you that I have not been in this ER for the last 10 years for anything except a case of food poisoning for which I was admitted, so I'm not a frequent flyer. In fact, I've only been to 1 ER ever for my back and the last time was 4 years ago at an ER in Florida. Anyway, the PA says he'll give me something to "calm you down" (I guess because I was crying in pain). 45 minutes later a nurse comes in bearing a syringe. Verbatim she says, "Roll over", jams in the needle, hands me a prescription and walks out. This nurse (if you can call her that) acted as though I was a piece of dirt on the floor. My boss, who was there with me, goes to the desk and asks if we can leave. After we get in the car, he pulls the prescription out of his pocket and it's a script for Phenergan. Phenergan! I'm not sure what they gave me IM but it did ease the pain for about 3 hours. After this episode in the ER, I made up my mind that I would lie at home and die before I ever stepped foot in that hospital again. I've also decided that there are docs and nurses who have no clue how to treat pain and really couldn't care less if they learn. My quality of life is practically nil, I know I have some major depression going on, I can't do anything I used to enjoy and have nothing in life to look forward to. Has the medical profession let me down? You're darned tootin'! Have I lost faith in doctors and nurses? You bet your bottom dollar! I quit nursing because of my back problems and have never regretted it. In the hospital where I used to work, patients were routinely undermedicated and it would kill me to witness the suffering and not be able to do anything about it. That was years ago and obviously nothing has changed in pain management. Thanks for letting me vent and try to remember my story the next time you treat someone in pain.