diabetes Pain Clinic

[sbrewer]

Hi,

My husband suffers from diabetes with neuropathy among other things.

He contacted the Pain clinic in Tampa, and was referred by his primary care, however the ball has been thrown back in the primary care's lap, due to one of the requirements for the pain clinic is excercise, he would have to be cleared with cardiologist which he would fail due to severe cornary artery disease. Question...does anyone know of a VA facility or perhaps an outside facility that specializes in neuropathy? We've read a little about John Hopkins. Has anyone had any experience with them? He is in severe pain most of teh time.

Thank you,

sbrewer

[john999]

I use the pain clinic in Tampa VAMC. I don't know of any exercise requirement. I think someone is telling you a lie. I have diabetic neuropahty and I get pain treatment and drugs from Tampa VAMC. If you have pain the VA is supposed to treat it. Who did you talk to over there in Tampa? Did you see a doctor in the pain clinic or just one of the nurses who think they are God?

[sbrewer]

Hi John,

He has not gone to the pain clinic yet. He talked(via email) to Dr. Michael E. Clark. He was told that part of the program was exercise and since he has severe CAD, that limits his ability to do a lot of exercise. I think they said stranious walking or running I'm not sure, but he would need to be cleared with a cardiologist before they would except him in the program. We are in SC and I beleive we would have to pay for our own way there and such. The program also requires an 18 day stay in the hospital. He is 100% PTIU.

Sbrewer

[Pete53]

I don't have an answer for pain clinic but as described on Hadit it seems like a big pain in the ass.I use gabapentin with pretty good results.

[JON]

Pete,

May I ask your dosage of Gabapentin? I am on 2700mg a day for urological neuropathy. Are you having luck with it? Any side effects?

[Pete53]

I am on same dosage. So far no side effects that I can notice. Main thing I notice is if I forget to take a dose I really start to hurt.

[sbrewer]

My husband had been on Gabapentin, but it did not work and was replaced by Lyrica. His neuropathy doesn't bother him as much as it use too, however the one toe, we think is not neuropathy. He has seen podiactrist, neurologist, physical therapy, and 3 shots which did not work. He thought maybe he would have better luck with Tampa or John Hopkins. They had an interesting article on the web page, here's the link....

http://hopkinsneuro.org:80/peripheral_nerve/

sbrewer