Shoreline

Hey Perigrine, I'm not familiar with this doc but just the word Holistic in the name has me intrigued. I went through 3 different PM clinics over the first 7 years of my CP that didn't use opiates and used relaxation techniques and treated the body as a whole. Counseling, nutrition, education, mind over matter, the mind body conection, lots of PT, etc.

I wouldn't say any of them were a waste of time, but we live in an instant gratification society where if there is a short cut many people would rather just have the pills thinking that's enough if it reduces their pain. When it truly isn't and the price we pay for relief even with meds is much higher than most imagine. From the risk of being mugged for your meds to your own family calling you an addict because they can't differentiate between physical dependence and addiction. All the negative aspects of PM with opiates is certainly cause to look for other means to manage your pain to at least know that you have tried other methods.

In the future that effort is documented and will make another doc more comfortable in treating you with pain meds if the clinics methods don't do the trick and the next doc feels the benefits outweigh the negative aspects of PM with opiates.

Obviously not every doc believes in the use of opiates and not every patient wants to become dependent on opiates. Hopefully you will take something positive away from the experience. If you close your mind to everything except imediate relief with pain meds and they don't use opiates it would be a waste of time. Each clinic I atteneded, whether they used opiates or not, I benefited in some way. I took what I could use with me and what didn't work or didn't help was something I just crossed off the list of the dozens of options available aside from opiates.

I would like to hear about your experience at the holistic clinic. If you do go please let us know how it went.
Good luck, Dave