Va Has A New Pain Management Treatment

[RUREADY]

After raising hell about no treatment for pain in pain-management other than injections

in the bones seems as though or was told a program is started in Tampa for Empower

Veteran or something that last 10 weeks at 3 hours one day a week to help cope with pain

retrain your mind to handle pain and depression suppose to help live a better quality of life.

Only one clinic that takes maybe 100 people will get approve for so far . I was ask would I like to try and my

reply was why not nothing else worked so far. Anyone in Tampa area tried this. Will have the exact

name later for the program but it is just getting started in Atlanta area . I never turn down pain treatments. jmho

[ArNG11]

The acupuncture is different. Those spots on the inner cartilage of the ear are a little uncomfortable at first but no worse than epidural shots. IMO give it a try, the practice has been around for thousands of years and it works for many people. A versatile pain regiment will yield the best results. The thicker needles in the back some are a little uncomfortable as well but bearable.

[ArNG11]

I am going to be referred here shortly for accupunture, and I currently have a TENS unit. Nothing has helped me, and I can not take meds due to Crohns Disease and I had 2 blood transfusions. I kept getting denied SC and now finally will be granted after being diagnosed with DDD, DJD, 2 bulging Discs and I developed a whole in the spine near L3 endplate.

I feel for you I do Navy04, this crap is debilitating. rpowell and 63sierra can attest to this type of injury. Hell those are just of couple of the guys that I chat with and spine injuries do very weird things. AskNod has shared his experience. I recently have had the VA do acupuncture and this past week I had trigger point injections. Those were different. On the private side I have had the facet blocks, steroid shots cold turkey. They hurt a bit and then I started getting sedated for them. The Rhizotomy and medial branch blocks,I all had them while sedated. I still haven't found the right combination of treatments to offer long lasting relief. Chiropractor and physical therapy has somewhat helped. I kind of had it with the drugs as well. A pain pill here a muscle relaxer a few hours later. Mostly demerol, hydrocodone, methocarbamol, and mexalone. Then the ice, the heat, tens, lidocaine patches and creams. I try to switch it up but man it's hard to stay awake and not drowsy zombie like. Now I just have had it with the pain. I'm seeking surgical consults now. I okayed my docs to schedule the disco gram and I'm waiting for the appointments. The private doc that recommended that I do not do the disco gram a couple of years ago is talking to me Tuesday.

Don't get me wrong the VA medical side has tried to keep up but only after me seriously pushing for treatment and going through another Patient Advocate. Quoting regulations and the hippocratic oath helps. I take it they are getting tired of me. They are so reluctant to do what is best for the patient. They changed my VA PCP yesterday and get this, now they actually admit to the centers in Texas that deal with spinal cord injuries. I was actually mistaken on one part though, the center is actually in Houston, not near Dallas. Heck they even admitted that they would fly me and my spouse over there. They have even stated that I could go through the VA choice program, however, this only works if two things happen, your VA PCP puts in the request and two if a private doc accepts the fee arrangement and participates in the new program. The VA system is not an easy thing to get through though. There are so many road blocks, one after another.

My suggestion is for people to be knowledgeable in what the VA medical system offers. Don't take no for an answer. Remind them that they are there to work for you. Take charge of your care and make them work for you. That is the way it should be. JMO

[RUREADY]

This is the thing that I have been dealing with for years with my ex VA primary care doctor. Mind you I don't understand how a seasoned Dr. that I have been treated by since 2008 and has worked for the VA since the 90's does not know about programs and options for veteran's care. She denied knowing anything about the the spine clinic at the hospital. Played dumb every time I mentioned fee based care. Never heard of the choice program, hell only now she started referencing the SCI Hospital that I've been mentioning and asking about for a longer time than necessary. (years) It's crap. You get what you pay for. Which IMO is sad. Patients should not have to go through this. Especially when a doctors role is to take care of their patient one patient at a time. This is just me, but when you get the runaround, or meet resistance, fight back. Don't take that crap. You are entitled to quality, timely, effective care. Compassion and understanding are key ingredients for doctors, at times, I think some forget that and get caught up in the bureaucracy, sadly, it is what it is sometimes. Gotta save a buck.

Back on track. Sorry. Try every pain management option you have before you make a decision on surgery. Lifestyle changes, meditation, acupuncture, chiropractic care, etc, exhaust all options before even considering surgery or more aggressive solutions to health problems. JMO

Try every pain management option you have before you make a decision on surgery. Lifestyle changes, meditation, acupuncture, chiropractic care, etc, exhaust all options before even considering surgery or more aggressive solutions to health problems.

I pretty much have run out of options ,spine fusion, nerve stimulator, fentanyl patches oxy's

morphine, injection, hydrocodone, 10 years of that shit is enough for me a walking zombie.

Acupuncture is a lot better than those injections big a$$ needles they use and keep doing them

in the same spot ant no joke. These doctors at VA will tell you anything I don't trust them. I just

glad they are not my only medical provider. I tell you another thing be careful at your appointments

check behind them to see just what was written in your visit always. jmho

[ArNG11]

RUREADY I do watch my back and I have been a bad boy. I record every visit I have with VA providers. I have recorded the last 3 C&P examinations and have them on file. I save every secure message as that is how a paper trail is made, electronic of course, but still a paper trail. I've grown tired of the lies and insults from most agencies. In this case the VA. But the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Army and the Department of the Air Force, all have done it. Obstruction of justice is what comes to mine. Defamation of character is another thing I think about. I've grown tired of agencies stating that things didn't happen, or that I wasn't exposed to this and that, that I don't have the right job to cause claimed injuries and diseases. That I wasn't exposed to what I am claiming. All the while I get angrier and angrier because my illnesses and injuries have been taking a serious toll on me both in the physical sense and the mental. Perseverance, tenacity, boldness, and unwillingness to surrender. Thats what I try to focus on. I will not lie, at times I just wish that rocket/mortar had just finished me when I was overseas, but alas, I am here, and I will fight. I will fight till my last breath. Not trying to sound overzealous or overdramatic. This is where I am now.

Anyways off on a tangent again. Pain management. Yes that is important. Living with constant pain and not managing it well is self defeating. Try as many treatments and psychological approaches as you can. A well balance treatment plan with multi faceted approaches yields the best results. As well as a personal support group via family, friends and especially fellow Veteran bloggers. We all can share in our experiences and successes and give that extra push for when someone else is having a hard time. JMHO.

"Fight till your last breath"

[RUREADY]

Finally got fee base approve for acupuncture treatments after several calls to fee base

and finding the right person to get the proper paper work filled out it got approve. VA this

is new just give it a chance but stay on top of them they will forget and a lot of them don't know it

exist. After getting the proper paper work and finding the right person to talk to it went pretty smooth

after that. My problem was finding where or who fee base was or where they were located at in VAMC

Still don't know where they are at or located just numbers and extensions too call. Hope it get better for all.!!

just to add got approve today and a appointment in 3 days for acupuncture treatments. I find my own doctor

summited it to VA and they approve treatments also the doctor have to approve VA payments. No appointment

in 30 days regardless to how far you are from a VAMC I stay 12 miles away, you should get some type of treatment

but some say you have to be at least 50% comp or more to get fee base approve but I just not sure on this. Its possible

Edited February 27, 2015 by RUREADY

[ArNG11]

Im not positive on the whole 50 % thing to get fee based. It fall into similar constraints of the Choice program sort of. It you can't get timely care then they can and there are programs available to use providers in the local community. However, like always, most VA personnel play dumb, at least in my case they have. I call them out on everything now. I am just tired of the BS. They are there to work for me and take care of my medical needs. Don't forget that. They have a responsibility to meet your health care needs. Sometimes you just really have to be informed and do some legwork but it is possible.