Tha Pain Management Office Waiting Room

mmglobal · #1 (**permalink**) 06-16-2007, 11:14 AM

Dear Friends,

As you know, Diane and I are now dealing with her disc protrusion. Today, we went to a local pain management office for her first epidural injection. That went well, but that is not the subject of this post.

It's been almost 5 years since my surgery. As you know, I spend a lot of time with spine patients and a lot of time in spine surgeons' waiting rooms. However, since my surgery in September of 2002, the only time I've spent in a pain management office one visit shortly after my surgery... I just wanted to give the pain doc literally hundreds of Oxycontin that I'd been stockpiling.... "Here... I don't need these any more!!!"

Sometimes it's hard for me to be around patients who remind me of myself... watching them move like I used to move... watching the faces that can't smile a natural smile. It's tough some times, but even with what I do... face to face contact with these people is not all that common.

Yesterday in the pain management waiting room... it was very tough. I saw three waves of people there.... Before 3pm, the rash of 3pm'ers was there.... we were still in the waiting room when all the 3:30 folks showed up. When we came out from the ESI... all the 4:30 folks were there. We must have seen more about patients in this small office.

Sooooo many of them had that look... there was so much pain there. I could not believe how different this group of patients was compared to what I'm used to seeing in the surgeons' offices. Many of them are the the same folks, but it's been 5 years since I'd been immersed in such a concentrated group of them... I never even noticed it before because I was one of them and totally absorbed with my spine. I'm sure that I looked for anyone to tell my story to. As I saw today, once the on-button was pressed for the story, there was not place to get a word in edge-wise. I cringed and hoped that I was not like that, but I know I was.

As we left the office, I remarked to Diane about how bad they all looked and how hard it was for me to be there.

"You were worse than any of them", she said. I sure don't remember myself that way... but I know she's right.

I'm not sure what this thread is about. I just thought I'd relate my experience. I hope that as technology advances and we gain access to it.... fewer of us will wind up as permanent pain management patients. It's no kind of life that anyone should have to endure.

All the best. In a couple of hours, I'm off to Germany again... hopefully I'll be back soon!

Mark

dshobbies · #2 (**permalink**) 06-16-2007, 06:31 PM

Mark,

Some of our stories are quite different. Having never been told of this specialty and never really realizing that it applied to me, I never availed myself of this service. Could I have or should I have are mute questions because I didn't. None of my doctors ever informed me that I could have benefited from seeing these doctors so instead, I paid for physical therapy 3 times weekly for almost 3 years just to stay comfortable in my chair.

I knew no one else with my type or gravity of pain and had no one with whom I could share the loss of my life. If drugs would have restored some of my 'functioning' would I have jumped on that bandwagon? I honestly don't know. Though necessary in my life, I hate taking drugs, or rather the need for them and hope for the day the I too can throw them away, however distant and doubtful.

Though currently in a state of self pity that has little to do with my back, I nevertheless adhor the alarm I have set everyday to remind me to 'take my pills', something that wasn't necessary prior to my surgery. My smile in genuine but I am one of those faces you see, grateful for the miracle of ADRs yet plagued with the thought that I may never be whole.

I pray that these treatments work for Daine and surgery will not be necessary. There is so much hope yet so many unknowns and measures of success. I truly hope that your wife and family don't have to go through this process again but also know that she will be in the absolute best hands possible.

All my best, Dale

Maria · #3 (**permalink**) 06-16-2007, 10:15 PM

I remember going to the PM office here in LB. Met a few people I still know who were/are spineys ~ met some people who had quite a few surgeries looking for relief and not finding it. Met some pretty drugged out people as well~

In Tampa there were 2 waiting rooms full of patients waiting patiently for their scripts or orders for injections of various types..

There was a sign posted not to share medical information but we did, gladly and sadly. People came from all around the state of Fla. as I was told it was very difficult to find a PM that would give pain med scripts. My husband was so patient to have hauled me there one hour back and forth and wait 2 hours for me to be seen each month and in the summer it was so unbearably hot there/sticky/humid he would have to sit in the waiting office as well hearing those mournful stories re pain!

My PM office in San Diego is the best. I'm not in the degree of pain I used to be usually when going there as I only have to go once every 3 months and this doc is worth going down to San Diego for. Something about him even tho he's super busy and treats me like I'm a well person vs. someone with a serious pain prob just really works for me. I like this guy. I like the office (Greg you know the one as it's across from the OSS's office we've been to).

Anyway, there they take me in so quickly I rarely have time to even utter hello to other people. He must know I would blab about my back if given the opportunity.

I remember going to Dr.Regan's office on a squeezed visit Mark got me into and the wait was quite some time. I was lying on the floor with my legs up on a chair and crying right before I was taken in so sitting will really bring out the worst in me with pain! This wasn't a PM visit but that Dr.Apostle was there (the combo PM/shrink) and we won't go into that again but he calmed me down right away as did getting into a room and lying down. Before that I spoke with a number of persons in pain who had been or were being treated by Dr.Regan and another specialty doctor in same office. We commiserated quite a bit. I met Blair and her mother in this office so that was really nice.

Recently when I went for my root canal I met a young man who had numerous spine surgeries with good results actually but he was in pain sitting and it showed on his face. He said I looked really good for chronic pain patient. I didn't feel like a spine patient that day since I was there for a root canal vs. my back and was I ever chicken! Had epinephrine flowing and fight or flight so was feeilng no pain! Ok, that's my PM office experience over the last 7 years or so~

Mark, hope Diane does well and is feeling much better with the ESI! I could imagine someone as tall as yourself being really difficult to physically deal with if you were in so much pain to have mobility difficulties! Whew!!!

At least now when in a medical setting and meeting chronic back or neck pain patients I have something positive to talk about and that's Mark's journey to wellness as well as so many others I've met or read about. Seems to change the flow of conversations in more positive and hopeful way. People actually smile thinking there might be a way....