I have read some of your messages in regarding everyone's concerns. Mine in particular is that I feel that I have been tanted as a person that was faking my pain from a Orthopedic Doctor. So as the pain continues to grow more intense you call the doctor more (only to let them know that the pain medication was not working), then I become a problem patient to them. These doctors have little time or patience to their patient.

How can I convince a medical doctor that all this real and basically breaking my Spirit. All of you know how excruiating it is and without a doubt relentless.

Any supportive ideas will be helpful. Thank you.

Hi Phili, well just my two cents here. Bottom line, you can't unring a bell. This doctor has reached an opinion about you, based in part perhaps in the phone calls you mention. When prescribing pain meds all doctors have their antennas up to watch for possible drug abuse concerns. It is possible that the calling pattern may have inadvertently raised a red flag. The only things you can change is what you have control of, not what he thinks.

If you can, change doctors and change the patterns so the next one doesn't come to same wrong perception. Wait for regularly scheduled appts to update the doctor on what is happening. If you don't think you can abide with waiting then you need to pave a better preface with the next doctor on the first visit to ensure he/she knows your concern about waiting between appts to correct things that aren't working and ASK is it okay if you call to update and change this so you don't have to wait. That way when you call, they know they have had the discussion with you and approved the process. Otherwise, you risk they are going to think you are sneaking in with early calls just to get more pain meds; a big no no in the medical world.

If you can't change doctors, then you need to openly discuss this with him/her at your next appt. and tell them you're concerned that your calls may have inadvertently caused a perceptual problem, if so that you apologize, be it is important for you to have your concerns clearly understood regarding your pain. Then, lay it out, and hope for a good response. And have an understanding with the doctor before you leave about an agreed upon process that is accepatable to him/her regarding feedback, etc.

Just my opinion, hopefully someone can offer something more, hope you find a process that works better than the current situation for you.

Do you have a rheumatologist? I suggest that because they see so many people with fibromyalgia. I have a great rheumy but he goes the tramadol route and that just doesn't cut the pain for me. I see my pain mgmt doc for most of my care. To be honest, I get my percocet filled every week. They send me a paper scrip. Because a few years ago at onset of fibro, I ran out of percocet early. That put up the red flag and so now i get it filled weekly. But she never cut me off. I have myofascial release there with phys ther or trigger point injections. So i go there at least once or twice a month.

I hope you find a caring and understanding doctor and feel better soon.

Thank you so much for responding. Unfortunately it is much broader than 1 doctor, two more after that and an emergency room that all know the first Doctor that thinks I was faking the pain.

I am frightened some times when the pain is so intense, especially in my neck area when the muscles start to pulsate. I have not a doctor or emergency care that believes that I could and have been living in this constant bedridden pain.

I have made another appointment with yet another Doctor that specializes in Fibromyalgia and hopefully I can do this right this time.

Thank you for responding as well. Yes, what has happened with him, just after my first appointment I lost my job and have been without any medical insurance. The Rheumatologist suggested I do a Fibromyalgia study and all the tests and medication would be free. But the one catch is that I had to get off my anti-depressant. The two weeks in trying to get off this was painful and emotional. My next appointment with the Rheumatologist he suggested Pain Management and also to see a Pyschiatrist. I guess it was his way of saying good bye. I have no insurance and unable to see Pain Management Doctor or a psychiatrist at this time.

One of these Fibro attacks will kill me, it is so painful, the other night I cried so hard, that my eye musles hurt from it all and that is quite painful too. I know any over indulgense of activity or in one position will take me down. Then it takes days of just lying still before I can move again.

I feel like I have been given a death sentence from the medical field.

Phili my empathy is with you. You are in a very difficult situation. Its difficult once the medical network labels patients regarding suspected pain med concerns. Back when I was able to work I had to travel in my work for weeks the time which made it difficult regarding the 30 day refill rule. My travel schedule couldn't always be worked around my refill dates. Now that wouldn't be as much of a problem because of nationwide pharmacy options like Walmart where you can get meds refilled anywhere. At that time, 10 years ago, all my RX meds were filled through my local grocery/pharmacy, so not an option. My pain med doc totally understood and worked with me as he knew my boss and knew my work travel obligations etc. However, my pharmacist was a different issue. First time I ever had a pharmacist like this. Regardless of what the doctor said he would hold the RX. When I explained the situation and even had the doctor himself call him the pharmacist stated he didn't care. Stated he had separate reporting responsibilities and he wouldn't do it. I ended up having to change pharmacies. IF I did not have a doctor who knew me and my boss personally, this pharmacist could have easily adversely influenced an unfamiliar doctor about me, without me even knowing a thing was going on back channel wihout my awareness. Fortunately, my doctor called me about it and suggested a change in pharmacist before this guy caused a problem for me. That made me wonder if they don't somehow *blacklist* suspected problems in a shared system somehow, otherwise why would my doctor say change before this guy creates a problem...weird and he wouldn't be clear about that with me so there is *something* we don't know about how they keep records.

Sharing this story so that others know that with pain meds, it is not just the doctor, it is also the pharmacist as well. With pain meds you absolutely must responsibly manage your meds with the knowledge that they do monitor everything to watch for suspicious patterns. Be aware of that when you may think a phone call is just a phone call, and a harmless inquiry, like what happened to Phili. It isn't. Know that if you are on pain meds, that your pharmacist and and your doctor's office is pain med profiling you for patterns. Don't risk becoming unknowingly marked or you may find your meds cut off completely or with limited refills like AStarr with having to do weekly, what a pain that would be! Much value in this post thread to others about this area of risk that we are oblivious to until it happens and then you find yourself like Phili, cut off.

That said, Phili, Fibro pain is a pain that won't actually kill you; it just makes you wish you were dead on some days. My best advice for you is OTC supplements, not as good I know, but sounds like you have no other options. Sam-E will help with your depression, pain, and energy, but only if taken at high levels, 800-1200 mg x2 daily, and SamE is very expensive. You can get Malic Acid aka Magnesium Maelate more reasonable, and it helps with the factors plus very specifically helps with neck and shoulder pain areas. Like Sam-E it must be taken at high levels, 1200 mg X2 daily. In most stores it will be under the label of Magnesium Malate, but if look at the ingredient label you will see the largest ingredient in Magnesium Malate is in fact Malic Acid which is THAT mg level (not the one shown on the front of the bottle which shows mg combination of Mag & MA) is the one on which you will determine your dose (1200mgX2). Phili, these things will not of course be equivalents to RX level things, but they will likely help some. I have pain with or without them, but without the Sam-E & Malic Acid, but with them the pain, depression, and fatigue is MUCH better. For example, without them my depression is so bad that I am weepy a lot of the time. With them, I have only rare moments of weepiness.

As for your doctor telling you to stop anti-depressants so you could participate in study, if you abruptly stopped them that could have made your symptoms much worse. AD should never be abruptly stopped/always taper off. ADs involve WDs just like pain meds. If you abruptly have stopped pain meds your pain level, associated with WDs, WILL dramatically go out of control especially around day 2 or 3 you will in deed feel like you are dieing, but medical folks declare there is NOTHING life threatening happening. It just feels like it. However, WDs will elavate blood pressure and that can't be good. If your blood pressure goes up you can ask for an RX for Clonidine. It is a typical blood pressure med which is also used off label to treat neuropathic pain and for WDs when detoxing off opiates. That would likely help you, but should NOT be taken if you have low blood pressure as it does lower BP. Clonidine is VERY cheap, so not having insurance for it should not be a problem, just the cost of a doctor visit to get it and make sure they include refills. Clonidine might even be part of Walmart's $4 plan, not sure, you'll have to check. Doctors rarely use Clonidine these days because it is so cheap. The big pharmaceuticals like to push their higher priced patented drugs to recover their reserach & devleopment costs. Just insist on Clonidine because it has been clinical studied and determined to help with Neuropathic pain. The doctor who studied it is Stephen M. Macres, M.D. Director of the USC Pain Management Denter in Los Angeles. Another avenue to Clonidine is if you have hot flashes, GYN docs are aware that Clonidine has recently been studied and determined to help hotflashes. So, you may have a couple of non-traditional pain relief option that doesn't involve a pain med doctor. Hope that helps:)

Even though the news was good and bad I apppreciate all your info.