First Pm Appointment Today/pa Was Not Friendly - Pain Management Message Board

ssmith1018 · 03-08-2007, 02:58 PM

I had my first appointment today. I got the Physicians Assistant. She walked into the room acting like I was faking. I explained to her about my pain & she said the pain I was having contradicted the MRI findings. I told her I agreed. She said that she did not prescribe loratab there. I said good, because I don't like taking it. (Even though that's the only thing that will dull the pain a little bit). But she kept being a sarcastic old sow until she examined me. Then she felt all the places in my back that hurt & moved my leg & hip around until she felt a popping in my hip. Then she knew I wasn't faking. I understand that they have to weed out drug abusers, but give everyone the benefit of doubt, until you prove otherwise. She automatically put me on the defensive and made me feel like a drug seeker. I HATE for people to do that to me. I am just trying to be able to function on a day to day basis.

She did prescribe me loratab, to wean me off of it, and cymbalta. I've heard some horror stories about cymbalta, but I'm going to give it a try. She wanted to do a MRI on my hip, but financially, I can't afford it right now. So for now, I guess I am a drug seeker. Seeking something to let me work & fish without too much pain. When you hurt too bad to go fishing, something is definetly wrong. haha Thanks for listening

Sue

lavenderlily13 · 03-08-2007, 05:17 PM

Hi Sue,

I read your post and I know exactly how you feel about the way so many Doctors and PAs treat you like you are just a drug seeker. I went to a Pain Clinic for almost a year before I found my primary care doctor who would prescribe me pain meds for my endometreosis. It was awful.

I have been seeing my new primary care doctor for about a year and a half now, and now he has recently sent out letters to all of his patients saying that he is under too much scrutiny, and considered unauthorized to manage chronic pain patients, so now he has to stop prescribing any kind of narcotic pain meds. I was so worried that I wouldnt be able to refill my prescriptions anymore, I was cutting my pills in half, and scared I was going to run out. I can't believe I may have to go back to seeing PAs in a pain clinic again. It's so demeaning to be treated like you are trying to do anything besides just cope and fuction with pain, especially when you have had surgeries, and tried everything else possible to manage your condition and get better. Thank God I was able to get a refill today, I'm going to have to find another doctor soon, though, and I would much prefer to not need to pain meds and go back to living a normal life. It doesn't seem right that because a few people have abused the system, now we are all treated this way as a result.

Oh well, I wish you luck in dealing with all of this, thanks for giving me an outlet to vent my own frustration also.

take care,

~lily

kimmer1021 · 03-08-2007, 06:06 PM

Cymbalta was a good med for me except, it made me sweat!