No doctor really cares

[mrsroscoe]

I'm super new in here so please bare with me.
I was recently diagnosed with FM. I have been in so much various pain for the past 5 years. I was seeing a family doctor who just gave me vicodin and nothing else for 3 years. She would not increase the dose or add new medication with it. I was so miserable. I finally got her to refer me to a pain management dr and he started doing procedures on my back. He diagnosed me with facet joint disease. After 3 attempts of medial blocks and radio frequency ablations, he is now refusing to treat me. I have been to a rheumatologist recently who won't listen to me. I mean really listen to me. I've given him a list of medications and combinations that I have tried and worked and ones that don't. He is still refusing to put me on the ones that work and putting me on the same stuff I've already tried. I feel like at this point I need to beg and plead and throw a fit full some relief. I severely depressed and plain miserable. I am lost and frustrated. I have seen psychiatrists and psychologists as well. They all tell me that I need to see a rheumatologist. Now that I have finally gotten in to see one ( which is like pulling teeth just for an appointment ) he doesn't want to give the medications that make me feel normal. I don't know what to do anymore. :-(

 

[mariposa]

She would not increase the dose or add new medication with it. I was so miserable. I finally got her to refer me to a pain management dr and he started doing procedures on my back. He diagnosed me with facet joint disease. After 3 attempts of medial blocks and radio frequency ablations, he is now refusing to treat me. I have been to a rheumatologist recently who won't listen to me. I mean really listen to me. I've given him a list of medications and combinations that I have tried and worked and ones that don't. He is still refusing to put me on the ones that work and putting me on the same stuff I've already tried. I feel like at this point I need to beg and plead and throw a fit full some relief.

Hi mrsroscoe, and I hope you'll be able to find some of the support you need here on the forum. I'm sorry to hear about the pain you've had to endure for so long.

I don't agree that no doctor really cares because I know some doctors professionally and personally who are totally compassionate and that makes them the very best at what they do.

I don't know why your doctor wouldn't increase the medication, but they are trained to know at which dosage any particular patient may not be able to tolerate it without ending up with an addiction, or side effects, so there's no way a good doctor would prescribe more than they know they should just because a patient asks for a higher dosage.

I think the same goes for that list of medications you gave the new doctor. He'll already know what worked and didn't work from your medical records and... well, when patients beg, plead, and throw fits (as you described it) about not being able to get certain medications or higher dosages, it raises all kinds of red flags with doctors. *That* too, gets put in your medical records for every doctor in the future to see and whether it's fair or accurate or not, it's not the sort of thing you want in your record.

I hope so much that they'll be able to find something to give you some relief!

 

[MercyL]

I'm super new in here so please bare with me.
I was recently diagnosed with FM. I have been in so much various pain for the past 5 years. I was seeing a family doctor who just gave me vicodin and nothing else for 3 years. She would not increase the dose or add new medication with it. I was so miserable. I finally got her to refer me to a pain management dr and he started doing procedures on my back. He diagnosed me with facet joint disease. After 3 attempts of medial blocks and radio frequency ablations, he is now refusing to treat me. I have been to a rheumatologist recently who won't listen to me. I mean really listen to me. I've given him a list of medications and combinations that I have tried and worked and ones that don't. He is still refusing to put me on the ones that work and putting me on the same stuff I've already tried. I feel like at this point I need to beg and plead and throw a fit full some relief. I severely depressed and plain miserable. I am lost and frustrated. I have seen psychiatrists and psychologists as well. They all tell me that I need to see a rheumatologist. Now that I have finally gotten in to see one ( which is like pulling teeth just for an appointment ) he doesn't want to give the medications that make me feel normal. I don't know what to do anymore. :-(

It sounds like your doctors see the diagnosis of fibromyalgia, and shut down after that.

Did the doctor who performed the ablations and injections order any imaging, like an MRI, CT scan, or xray? I ask because your images might show another source of pain unrelated to fibromyalgia. If something shows p on an MRI, arguing for a different treatment plan is easier, as is finding a pain management specialist to take over your pain management.

 

[1sweed]

I would agree with mariposa, that when you complain and fuss about certain medications doctors think your addicted to them and will not risk giving you more of them. Vicodin is a highly addictive medication and often people requirer higher and higher doses to relieve pain. I hope you will consider advice given above and seek someone in pain management. Also try getting massages. Often just reducing the amount of stress in your life will ease the pain in muscles. If you have other forms of joint problems maybe you should try any medication the doctor is willing to give you and if he sees your trying then he may change his mind and offer something stronger.
Doctors don't refuse medication to make you feel bad or get angry, they do so to protect you from serious problems that can result from addictive medications. I hope you get the help you need.

 

[GingerSnaps614]

Agreed with 1sweed and mariposa about the vocoder; that's dangerous to take on a long term basis. Not just because of addiction, but it can decalcify your bones and they will literally crumble. My step aunt, who also has fibromyalgia, recently had that happen. Scary scary stuff. That and before my FM showed up, this January I broke my foot. They gave me vicoden and it didn't even do anything. I had better luck with 2 Aleve twice a day. I know it sounds silly, but have you tried that? Just makes sure you take it with food if you do so you don't mess up your insides!

However, what were the other medications that did and did not work for you, if I may ask? I'm curious to see if the ones that did work for you have the potential for addiction or not.... if they are non-addictive medications, I see no reason whatsoever why your doctor would not put you back on them. That's absurd. If they are addictive, I get why you fussing over it wouldn't look good, but I see your point of view as well. Are there other medications that you haven't tried yet that could work? Maybe you should approach it like that.... you know, "this medication that you want me to try I have tried in the past and it did not work. Are there medications that I haven't tried yet that may help?" It's worth a shot.

Also, I've had several people suggest that I look into transfer factor and mucinex. I know people who have had good results with transfer factor for fibro. Definitely do your own research; just be patient with it because you have to sift through a lot of testimonial "OMG I'M CURED" bullshit to get to the real research and facts. As for mucinex, someone mentioned that I should look into it and apparently it is used to treat fibro! The mucus expulsion was just a side effect - that's not what the medication was originally designed for. Hehe, on a side note, as someone who chronically gets sinus infections and bronchitis, I am THRILLED that it gets all the mucus out!

If the aquatic PT and home exercise I'm doing don't help me enough, my next bet is to try either the TF or the mucinex. If I do, I'll post on here how it goes.

 

[MercyL]

I would agree with mariposa, that when you complain and fuss about certain medications doctors think your addicted to them and will not risk giving you more of them. Vicodin is a highly addictive medication and often people requirer higher and higher doses to relieve pain. I hope you will consider advice given above and seek someone in pain management. Also try getting massages. Often just reducing the amount of stress in your life will ease the pain in muscles. If you have other forms of joint problems maybe you should try any medication the doctor is willing to give you and if he sees your trying then he may change his mind and offer something stronger.
Doctors don't refuse medication to make you feel bad or get angry, they do so to protect you from serious problems that can result from addictive medications. I hope you get the help you need.

My pain specialists says that people require high doses of opioids when they are looking for the "high", and that makes a lot of sense to me.

We must develop a tolerance for opioids so that we can function while using them, and that is what pain control is about - regaining function through easing the pain, so that your life doesn't completely fall apart. Once you develop a good tolerance, you do not get the side effects of the medications that the drug addict/recreational user seeks. When those side effects go away, the drug addict wants a higher does to reestablish those side effects.

If you aren't looking for a high, but experience effective pain relief at a certain dose, you can stay at that same, therapeutic dose for years.

It really doesn't matter why a doctor refuses to raise your dose. It is the refusal that is the concern when your pain is poorly controlled. Your doctor should still be willing to order MRI's, CT Scans, or x-rays, so consider asking for either an MRI or a CT Scan, and you will need these in the medical records you take to a pain specialist, if you decide to try finding one.