Posted by ErinBear (216.192.5.42) on September 21, 1999 at 01:33:43:
In Reply to: just plain pain posted by Jamy on September 20, 1999 at 22:28:13:
Hi Jamy,
I'm sorry to hear about your problems with getting an accurate diagnosis. Sometimes it's surprising how long it can take for doctors to figure out what is causing our problems, especially when we're experiencing something rare. My trigeminal neuralgia diagnosis is accurate and I've been dealing with it for almost ten years now. The cluster headaches are a new phenomenon which just appeared this summer, much to my disgust, and I can tell the difference between the two phenomena even when they're happening at the same time. I agree with you - some doctors are getting more open-minded about prescribing pain medications in appropriate cases - but others still are reluctant, and I hope that will change over time. Sometimes the right pain medication can be a real lifesaver. I've taken these medications and they've been a big help to me, and I know so many other people who've had great improvements in their quality of life due to pain meds, all of us 100% free of any addiction problems. Thanks for your supportive message. I sure appreciate it!
--- ErinBear