Heard In Confidence from a Chronic Pain Practitioner

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1

Wooohhh, hold up!

A big light was shone on the mentality of Neurologists, and their predjudice against people who want to get out of pain today.

I was in a very low voice, by someone I highly respect that I must be prescribed Neurontin, even though I feel it is not really doing anything to help my pain and I'm tired of dumping unneeded chemicals in my system.

I was told that other healthcare professionals, especially Neurologists don't like it whenever they see a person sustained only on narcotics. It's the only thing I've ever found that works. Someone show me a a surgery that cures ATN and I'm signing up tomorrow. Until then, I need to function and I thank God I now have some health providers who "get it'.

Well, this professional told me that patients had come in tears after visits with Neurologists, because they weren't taken seriously, because they didn't have some med in their regimen besides a pain pill.

The Chronic Pain Specialist, I was speaking with, and I spoke with several today, seemed to go along with me, that if I had been on Neurontin for a year and it didn't seem to matter too much whether I took it, or not, that it probably wouldn't hurt me to wean off of it. Well, but, of course, there's a catch . . . . . .so glad it was explained to me that I may offend a Neuro for not taking extra medications.

Ok, so I'll continue to be prescribed and take medicine I don't need, and has a negligible effect on my system, just so I can take the medicine that DOES help, just to placate my next Neurologist.

Such non-sense.

What has it come to?

Wow.

Your friend,

Stef

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I couldn't do it. I would accept the little white prescription paper, because that is the only power doctors have, and he needs to feel powerful...but then I'd either not get it filled, or pass it to the pharmacist and tell them to just keep it on file because I have enough. Really you have had enough of that neurontin, right? lol. That prescription is just too toxic and has too severe side affects for me to take it just to please a Dr's ego...so you are certainly stronger than me to be willing to take it!!

If we were in a tornado or something, doctors would be absolutely helpless and useless to help the injured, because they are like glorified pharmacists. They couldn't do much for the injured with only their little white pad. Only surgeons and nurses who actually do all the procedures would be of any help. It does seem insane that we have to play their games. When I was started on pain meds, I was also having a nervous breakdown. The pain Dr. said that talking to a counselor would help me a lot, so I went. About 3 weeks later I saw my open chart on his desk and he was gone. It said "She just cries and repeats the same story each time. I think she only comes here to get in good with the druggie Dr." Ohhh I felt so betrayed! I was spilling my very damaged guts to this guy, and he would not say one word back to me or ask any questions, and I'd even say "I really need some feedback from you or some words, if I have to pay you so much money." He got mad and referred me to a psychiatrist. When he came into the room, he didn't even say hello, he started yelling at me about what a horrible person I was and to get out of his office and never come back! So who knows what the counselor told the psychiatrist? I got constant abuse like that from doctors in this 1 little town for 20 years. I just wanted to die if they were all saying something horrid behind my back and abusing me. After I moved to Canada, I found out that they were mistaking me for a lady with my same last name who lived on my same street, who was a complete junkie and had been to rehab and walked out. So all those years someone had passed on evil things about me, thinking I was that lady! I had to write to the rehab center and tell them the problem, and that I was scared these lies would follow me up here with my medical records, so would they please write a note confirming I had never been a patient there? They did, and I had to carry that letter in my purse for about 8 years and show it to every Dr. who started yelling at me before they even introduced themselves. The medical system is so bad and messed up, it's only 100 years old and ready to collapse from corruption and being burned out and frustrated, but we have to play their abusive games to stay alive. I deal with naturopathic medicine for everything except my TN. They want to help and heal people, not just have the Dr. lifestyle like most doctors.

3

Stef,

Ugghh. Reading this makes me sick! Remember, you do have a choice in what you put in your body!

I was on Carbamezapine and Gabapentin, the combo worked really well (which is why they haven't clearly defined me as Type I or II) but the side effects were ruining my life. I teach second grade, and was out of school for the Month of February because I was a zombie. I couldn't get the words out of my mouth, I couldn't walk a straight line...and it was so hard because everyone kept saying, "but you look so great!" I was over it, and I tapered off my meds on my own. I do not advise this, but it was all I could do before falling down a spiral of depression and insanity. I was miserable.

After I stopped the meds, I saw a naturopath, and that is when I started my B12 injections, Alpha Lyphoic Acid, and Cranial Sacral Massage. The pain was gone for about a month.

When it came back, narcotics are all I would take. I talked to my doctor, and let them know that it was my choice to not ever take either anti-convulsant again. I let them know I was up for trying anything else. Baclofen was next. It did the same thing as the Gabapentin. I started to feel worse, before I felt better, so back to narcotics.

Long story short, you do have a voice. Don't forget that. We have to be advocates for ourselves, because no-one else could ever know how we feel. Just us. Stay Strong.

Tammie