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        New Message Board Archives >> 2002 Posts >> Question for anyone who can answer..
        
(Message started by: catlind on Sep 20^th, 2002, 12:33pm)

Title: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by catlind on Sep 20^th, 2002, 12:33pm

I'm sure this has been addressed in other threads and in the OUCH library but my search didn't bring up anything, so if you don't mind, I'm going to ask on the board.

How do you deal with Dr's and medical personnel that believe you are only drug seeking and don't take the pain seriously?
(I am asking this in seriousness, because I am getting nowhere with the medical community at the moment and I need to know how to deal with them without making matters worse)

Cat

Title: Re: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by Drk^Angel on Sep 20^th, 2002, 12:37pm

Get a new doc... Unfortunately, it's about the only way I know to get away from the BS that a worthless doc gives...

PFDAN................................ Drk^Angel

Title: Re: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by echo on Sep 20^th, 2002, 12:41pm

It's a double edged sword. A new doctor may have the opinion that you have changed doctors in an attempt to obtain drugs that another doctor has justifiably denied. My tac when confronted by this was to challenge the doctor face to face. Find out the concerns and deal directly with them, the doc may just need a little prompting and education. My 2 cents. Good luck

Title: Re: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by don on Sep 20^th, 2002, 1:14pm

Well first are the people in that medical community CH literate.

If not, start downloading and printing.

Another avanue is to contact JACHO, The Joint Accreditation Commitee for Healthcare Organizations.

Title: Re: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by Jim R on Sep 20^th, 2002, 1:31pm

It is an issue, Cat. At the hospital where I work, there is an ER doc that is very very quick to accuse patients of being drug seeking - so much so that I think HE might have a drug problem. And these docs call around and inform other docs and facilities that a certain patient is drug seeking....

I've also been paranoid myself when I tell an ER doc or my own docs that I'm almost out of percocet, etc. or when I told them that percocet worked better for me that stadol...I know they're just being careful, but they HAVE to understand the level of frequency of pain we all deal with and to that end, I think Don's right - print out the stuff and hand it to them and tell 'em you're not leaving until they've read it and understand that you're not drug seeking but pain relief by narcotics or other drugs ios what they were developed for and that without them and in constant pain, other more self destructive options become more viable.... Jim R

Title: Re: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by LTBullitt on Sep 20^th, 2002, 1:48pm

My g/f is going to video tape my doctor as soon as my cycle is over and I will send anyone a copy who wants to see just how do deal with a doctor.
Promise :)

Title: Re: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by catlind on Sep 20^th, 2002, 2:05pm

All great answers, thanks much. Problem is my regular GP is great with this stuff, and willing to learn. As soon as we learned it was CH she got me on O2 ASAP. She's currently deployed though, and the Dr she told me to see while she was gone, and to follow up with after my neuro appt, has no appts open, and won't return phone consults. Went to ER last night and got the run around from them...and it was a doc that I have seen regularly there and knows my situation well. With the military it's hard to change docs...unless I wanna pay for it, which I'm ready to do, except upstate NY doesn't have a very good selection :-/

If I could just get in to see a damn doctor I could show them the literature and educate them...just can't get in to see one.

Ah well, I'll just have to wait til the 30th and see my regular doc when she gets back. This whole medical run around is extremely frustrating. Why is it that they make all of us go through this shit....isn't it enough that we deal with the pain and fallout of clusters, do they have to add the medical beaurocracy (sp) to it as well?

can we have a convention at a Dr's office next time? I'll gladly educate them.... ;D I have a hammer that would work very well ;)

Cat

Don, I think I may have a look at the accreditation aspect. Thanks

Title: Re: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by dentedgirl on Sep 20^th, 2002, 2:50pm

Hello people. This doc I got now is very liberal with his scrips. This is a small town and he is known as "Dr. Feelgood" to the community. My wife works at a pharmacy in town and got me an appt. to see him.
See, all the docs I have seen before, ER to Neuroligical, always look at me with a stupid grin, tell me I have migranes, give me some shit like becanose then send me a HUGE bill in the mail. I don't have the luxury of health care so I have to make sure the trip is worth my time.
So my wife gets me to see Dr. Feelgood. She gives me a list of stuff to tell him I want to try, (all of these are SIC), Propanaol, Imitrex, Cafergot and a few others.
Now get this one, I am sitting in his office and start to get a headache. He wheels in some Oxygen, (his idea) and it does no good. Then he gives me a shot of imitrex and "poof", headache gone. He gives me some literature about cluster headaches and starts me of on Verapamil and Cafergot.
Long story short, this guy is learning about clusters and doesn't just give me a bunch of dope. Bad news is I can't afford to just drop by and see him or to get my scrips filled half the time.
Look around if your doc is ignorant and won't work with you. There are some out there.
Mike

Title: Re: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by Charlie on Sep 20^th, 2002, 6:16pm

I have had good luck with doctors, I think because of my seizures as they know I have lots of experience with drugs and neurologists. They treat me better because epilepsy is a "real" disease and they no doubt thought the two were connected or some such.

Also, I never asked for painkillers nor gone to the ER for Ch. The attack would dissipate before I could get someone to take me. I've been to many doctors and all but one treated me well.

I really think my not asking for painkillers is what helped. I know that's easier said than done

Charlie

Title: Re: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by catlind on Sep 20^th, 2002, 6:25pm

Charlie I would gladly use anything but painkillers, but at this point it's the only thing I have available to me that won't either gimme a heart attack or make me pass out because of low b/p. I was hoping with everything that I could use the Frova...unfortunately that was a shortlived hope. Hell I saw in the drugstore tonight a capzacin rub for arthritis, and I know they are testing the capascacin or however ya spell it, and I almost bought it thinking if I rubbed it on my head it would help. Think it's worth a try?

I am truly beside myself with what to do...my attacks seemed to have taken to 7:30 p.m. the last 4 days, and I have no means of battling them...I ran out of O2 today with the portable tank and can't call to get my big tank filled til tomorrow. Although the O2 hasn't been aborting the attack that has hit at this time. No idea why it changed from 8:30-9:30 to 7:30 and no idea why it changed it's intensity. I'm ready to give up completely on the medical community and just go it alone with beating my head against hard objects.

Sorry for whining, I know it's not liked.

Cat

Title: Re: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by NancyMcFree on Sep 20^th, 2002, 6:43pm

Cat, you whine away. I don't mind. How about writing all the doctors in your area with a survey on what they know about "cluster headaches" and how they would treat them. See what you get back, and go from there. You might be able to find a new doc like that. Just a thought. It won't cost you an office visit ... and might give you a lead.

Title: Re: Question for anyone who can answer..
Post by pjbgravely on Sep 20^th, 2002, 8:20pm

Cat, I am going to try a natural abortive. If you are interested then instant message or E-mail me. I can not give any information here becouse I will be accused of being a salesman preying on peaples pain. I will be getting it on tues. but I think my cycle may be ending.