Pain Management Clinic

[jessie0054]

If you miss one appointment with the pain management clinic can they refuse you another appointment??

Thanks

Jessie

[jessie0054]

Thanks Halos2

Does he have a Dr or NP for his primary care team there?

He has a Dr for his Primary Care. Who orders his blood work?

A Heme Dr and has his phlebotomies done in Chemo.

Did they specifically write the parameters on his HCT?

The Last Dr he had is now gone and replaced with a much younger Doc. His last Dr was very kind and would answer my emails about his care. He said and i would hope that he wrote the same in his Medical Record about the guideline for my son's HCT levels that he said for his comfort level he would keep his levels the same as his DR before who was not a VA DR.

Sorry i had more to add but i just got a call and need to get to the hospital my brother in law just had a massive heart attack, He's only 49!!

Later,

Jessie

If the P A is worthless go to the next in charge...see if the FOIA person can help you, she tried to assist me...Talk to the assistant administrator, if nothing comes about it go to the administrator. Don't let some N P give you the run a round ever. Don't let anyone ever put him or you on hold. He served and needs the help.

Do you have a VSO rep at that hosp? Tell them to help now. Contact the pain Dr he has seen and tell him he needs a further appt if his clinic seem unwilling to help...

[ruby]

From my understanding you have to get another consultation from your primary, at least that is what the paperwork said when I went to pain management. Also, you can only reschedule once then you have to go through your primary for another consultation.

[john999]

You know I went to a private pain management doctor I used to see. He told me the VA had turned me into a drug addict by prescribing oxycodone for me. His solution is nerve blocks. When I agreed to the shots he prescribed vicodin for me. He thought I was caging him into giving me oxycontin and he got bent out of shape. I feel like a criminal. I am willing to take the painful injections, but they don't work except for a short time. The Pain Clinic at the VA is a disgrace. They decided to cut me off and arrange PT for me. So far they have arranged no PT, but did say to the patient advocate that it was my idea to stop taking the opiates which is a lie. Now I feel that if I walk into any pain clinic, and I don't have a herniated disc and a numb leg, or a broken neck they are going to accuse me of doctor shopping or trying to just get dope. The fact is I want pain relief. I don't care how I get it, but I am not going to have my spine fused. If you live in Florida you are at groud zero on the war on drugs which is a war on people in pain. The private pain docs mostly want to do procedures on you because that is where the money is at. I pity anyone who has chronic pain syndrome. I do think I will withdraw from the opiates on my own because I don't like these people having power over me and kicking me around just because I become dependent on the narcotics they prescribe for me. Oh, by the way, if you are pulled over because you driving is a little bit odd the doctors will swear they told you never to drive while taking the pain meds they tell you to take four times a day. The treatment of chronic pain is a scandal. Ruby gave me a name in the Tampa area of a pain doctor and my shrink gave me a name but I am sick of being called a drug addict so I have not gone to see these doctors. I feel I have to prove somehow that I have a horrible injury to get pain meds. Tell me I am wrong.

Rentalguy, my problems started with the VA when I complained about the side effects of the methadone and morphine they gave me( you know what I am talking about) Then I became a "problem patient" and was kicked out of the pain management program and the opiate program.

[yoggie2]

my problems started with the VA when I complained about the side effects of the methadone and morphine they gave me( you know what I am talking about) Then I became a "problem patient" and was kicked out of the pain management program and the opiate program.

I know what your talking about I cannot take methadone and morphine either and its at the point I drive around with medical records in my car. Without a doubt VA pain clinic is as rentalguy said its all in your mind what a joke. Yup! Florida is ground zero for DR's who run pain clinics and patients who go to then. When I left Naples Fl in 2006 Doctors were being treated like Pabloescobar and patients were treated like addicts. Then your left to get another doctor and bring medical records to that next Doctor when your out of meds "which looks bad on you". All this because you refuse to take hand fulls of methadone and morphine. I've had 3 shots and they are a big fat let down and the next never feels as good as the first now that's chasing the dragon just to feel no pain in my SC broken back, pain in lower back and legs that never ends with a nerve pinched in my neck with a Ti plate and screws that's shoot down my arm that makes you crap your pants when you move or cough or sneeze or go to the rest room they (VA) has no idea what its like to be in constant pain and you are a liar and its fantacy. hOOOOoooH its all in your head hocus pocus crap.......

[ruby]

My primary doctor is the one that referred me to the pain clinic along with my rheumatalogist.

I was given discharge papers from the pain clinic to give to my pcp that I am taking percocet. When I ask for the percocet, they immediately said, OH, you can't take tramdol because you get dizzy but you can take percocet.

Yes, that true, but I am not just dizzy I have ataxia from it. The percocet puts me to sleep, but damn I need something when I just can't take it any longer. You have too much pain and your PCP can order percocet. Problem is I don't think she will. If not I'll find someone to give it to me. The pain clinics are a joke.

Those of us that go to the Tampa VA should get together and write a letter to the IG about how we are treated.

[rentalguy1]

Tell them that different meds have different effects on different folks. Any MD should know that. Hell, even a CNA would know that!