Shoreline

Hi Oddcouple, Glad you made it back. I'm not sure if your going to notice a drmatic climate change from Minn to Denver bt just out of curiosity I did do a google search of colarado pain management and found 10 pages of docs, clinics and pain management docs.

Yu can also contact medtronics and find docs that are certified in pump and SCS management in the Denver area, then find the practice they are part of which would most likely lead you to a a multi disciplinart clinic or practice. I understand your may have never considered a pump or SCS but it's aback door way of finding a PM doc, most likely an anesthesiologist that's done a surgical residency for implanting pumps and is certified by medtronics to do the implants and mangeent. Pumps are obcvviously a more extreme method than many folks need, but I could ask medtronics for the same info and I would get the name of 2 ofthe docs at the clinic I go to, then it's just a matter of making an apt for a eval and being prepared for the visit with a list of meds your presently on, List of modalities you have tried, when where and who, basic contact info for verification that allows a doc t skip procedures you have already tried unsuccesfully. Te idea is to give them a list of everything you have tried and done so thatey can incorporate this into your medical file and justify their treatment plans with confirmable info that protects the doc from scrutiny of his treatment plan. Many docs simply need to the ability to justify what they are doing and they really can't without the background info of all the other methods and modailities you have already tried and failed or that you have tried and that help. The more tools you have to deal with pain the better ff you will be. A doc or a facility "clinic" that has more to offer than scripts or one or two procedures is what your looking for. A multi faceted aproach to pain management. If you know ahead of time they do pump implants and management you know they do believe in the use of opiates in properly screened patients that have tried and failed to manage pain in other ways. If the Ultram or your present method of management is working, giving them all the contact info will help validate your efforts and allow them to treat you withotut fear of having to explain why they started you at point D, because you have already given them documentation that you have tried A,B and C already, what the results were, and the contact info to confirm that you actually have tried other methods and won't have to repeat failed modalities and jump through the same hoops again.
Good luck and welcome back, Dave
PS. Sorry if you felt my post wasn't apropriate. My basic advice to all CP patients is that compliance with docs instructions is an absolute must , for your own safety and to protect the docs that we need. A doc that doesn't demand compliance and gives early refills, doesn't try other methods to manage pain and takes patients straight from Ultram to LA morphine would have a hard time justifying their own prescribing practices should they ever be audited.

Something as simple as a patient from their practicing getting a ticket for DUI/DWI or whatever they call it in Colorado could start an investigation into a doc they may believe over prescribes, or may simply get the patient booted from the practice. It's very easy to check up on your doc prior to a vist or while looking for a new one.

You can check Colorado's state guidlines as far as finding out their laws to protect docs who properly use opiates and treat pain versus docs that don't follow the guidlines. I've read my own states guidlines and they are incorporated into everyday practice at the clinic I go to. A doc that dosn't follow the guidelines in his or her state is asking fror trouble. One of every CP patients biggest fears is they will show up for the next apt , out of medication and find their doc is being investigated and the practice closed.

Check here for laws and guidlines for PM in any state, cut and paste into your browser.
[url]http://www.medsch.wisc.edu/painpolicy/matrix.htm[/url]

A little research by CP patients in my area would have provided a patient with enough info to avoid the local doc who was arested 2 days ago for his practices. I typed his name into a local search and found every indescretion this guy has ever had and been charged with and the charges that are presently hanging over his head. He continued to except new patients up untill the day they arested him. Any new patient that had the 300 bucks cash for the initial consult could get whatever they wanted from this guy. After that, monthly cash visits would provide anyone with just abut anything they asked for.

A doc breathing booze on you at 11am in the morning would have been enough for me to decide not to see this guy. Although I have lived here so long I 've known about him fr 10 years, since the affair he had with his 17 year old patient who he married after getting out of jail for indecent liberties with a minor. They were married the day after his divorce from his former wife was final. It's really not hard to research any doc.
Welcome back and hopefully someone can give you a more personal recomendation.