Pain Managment Clinic ??

[Johnch]

OK for my headackes
4 years back I fell 10' onto my forehead at work ......lots of good reasons I can give you to not try it

So I now have almost constant headackes and some migraines
Not able to work ....Workmans Comp and Social Securety both agree I will never be able to go back to work
Headackes , migraines and a mix of several pain pills ( the type you show ID and sign for ) don't make going back to work a good idea right now

After doing some research , there is a doctor in Toledo , that is into treating head trama headackes ....what 25 miles away .....not 150-200 miles LOL
Next month I go to another Doc that is treating some of the headackes
But he isn't into just treating headackes


So what I am wondering is .....Has anyone been to one of these clinics or know someone that has ?

I wonder , as my Doctor can and said he will fill out a C-9 (Workmans Comp form) to help start the process to get into the clinic
He says it might be a good idea and help with the headackes

I was just wondering if it helped ?

Not going to cost me anything but time , so if it helps some
I am all for it , as I hate the idea of taking drugs for the rest of my life

But the not sleeping , 3:15 AM now and I can't sleep ....last night I got 2 hours of sleep
Is a major PITA

Your thought are welcome ....both good and bad
A PM is also OK if you don't feel like putting it out for all to see

John

[Dhammer]

My question would be how? If its meds, surgery etc what are the risks of sides? I have chronic pain from a spine injury. Pain doc did an epidural with a different med, didnt ask me before hand, no discussion of sides etc, but I'm positive what he gave me had a negative effect on my overall health. I didnt feel right afterward and never had an epidural affect me like that before. I've spent the last year plus sicker then a dog and other health issues one that required surgery to sinuses when I never had any of issues before and shook colds pretty quickly before. But everything ended up with me in ER,urgent care etc. Do lots and lots of research is my best advice and good luck.

[1johnlb]

I'm just gonna cut right to the chase. My experience, with pain management clinics are for the soul pupose of getting you off of pain meds, period. Im no doctor but I have been on numerous pain meds, and each one of them regardless if it's a classified narcotic or not has the ability and tendency to cause addiction. The sooner you get off pain meds the better.
From my experience again, the brain has a way of telling the body to hurt when in fact it's the body that's supposed to tell the brain that. If the brain is telling the body to hurt this is a side effect of addictive substances.
The brain (mind), if it has become addicted, when it no longer gets that signal from the pain med can actually be the signal telling the brain that you hurt, when in fact it's just the addiction. Please believe me when I say I'm not making fun or trying to be funny when I say it can be just all in your head.
Get well soon and God bless,
Praying for you.

[Houndog]

John,
Be REAL careful choosing a pain management clinic! Some are no more than legal pill mills, at least that's the way it works here in Tennessee! IF I were in your shoes I'd try somewhere like Cleveland Clinic or other premere hospital to try and find the cause of your problem and fix it instead of just trying to treat the symptoms. Being in pain SUCKS!!! I just don't want to see another good person wind up adicted to some pain medication or another that destroys you. I've seen it happen way too many times.

[Lloyd Smale]

Heres my take on it. If you have REAL pain your not going to get much relief from pain meds unless your taking massive doses and the pain clinic isn't going to do much either. I hate to be a pessimist but after 10 years of back pain ive about had to learn to deal with it. I suffered migraines for many years too. Funny thing with mine is they went away after my first back surgery. the surgeon told me he cant figure why and that surgery shouldn't have did anything for them. He said that with migraines sometimes they just go away and that just happened to be the time it happened for me. I feel for you though because the pain of a real migraine is worse then the back pain. I would hurt so bad that id bury my head in a pillow and puke and just lay in it because I couldn't move! I had to give up the narcotics. they will ruin you in short order so if you take them only take them when you absolutely have to and for me when that time came they didn't help that much anyway.

[LUBEDUDE]

I had concussion with brain damage 40 yrs ago.

For the first 10yrs I had major h/a every single day! If not for my religious belief, I would have put a bullet to the brain. Really!
Obviously, I had no luck running the gamut of doctors. I saw them all! They only thought in lines of "pain" meds. But there was acupuncture and biofeedback, didn't work for me.

I studied pharmacology very intensely and learned about how to cocktail drugs safely, under the supervision and guidance of my doctor. Sort of being a mixologist. I learned that combining certain antidepressants, muscle relaxers, pain relievers, antihistamine, caffeine, and other drugs works BETTER, and allow you function coherently than a huge powerful pain med that would knock your dork in the dirt.

The problem is, this takes time, and I guess SOME docs don't want to hassle with it.
Find a doc who is willing go the long haul with you!

Most of these clinics just give out a stronger pain med if yours did not work, go up the ladder from there.
This works for most pain patients, but head trama is a whole other ball of wax.

[SSGOldfart]

Same here "I had concussion with brain damage 40 yrs ago plus. I was too close to a blast,then came a aneurism, and 4 strokes I live on pain meds changing doctors mean you have to start over being in the VA system I get a new doctor every few years so they try to start over. Good luck hope it works for you

[gtgeorge]

I have been to therapy for back and neck troubles. in the beginning of the therapy 6 weeks they started with many things it did not work. The last 2 weeks lead to traction what was the last resort with did help enormously for me.

I now use an inversion table and neck traction device for most of my relief. I'm not very fond of pain meds so I take as few as I can get by with had some days that means zero but very rare.

I also go to pain management but they are more for prescribing medication and prescribing therapy if needed. A proper pain management clinic will analyze your nerve damage etc and is your base for setting up further help. Main thing is you need to tell them that you do not want to take medicine that you want to seek other avenues.

My wife has been to pain management were they taught her how to cope with pain and things that she can do to help with dealing with the daily stress of being in pain.

So every pain management clinic is different but a lot of them do try to solve your pain without medicine.

[w5pv]

I would find a Dr that will take workers comp and not afraid to tell them to pack sand.I have chronic pain,the best thing I have found for pain is heat and ice and finding a postion where you are not hurting.I have pain medication only take it as the last resort.The perscription I have now was issued in Sept of 14 and then only 30 pills of which I have on had to take 5 since.Hope this may help you some.

[R.M.]

I suffered with a headache for 8 years. It was in the back of the head for the most part. Over that time I saw 27 different health providers, numerous surgeries/injections, and pills. Nothing touched it, till I had a neuro-stimulator implanted. It was like magic. Been pain-free for 2 years now. I have my life back.

[mattw]

My wife is a TBI survivor, she worked with a pain management Dr. that had a private practice doing drug tests and such. But, he had many degrees and specialties that the day work of drug testing funded. He called himself the disaster doc, worked with many vets and such. He was invaluable in treating my wife for a couple of years and getting her recovered to the point that she functions fairly well and understands her limits.

I would suggest that you give it a try, if costs are reasonable and he has a good track record of treating others.

[LUBEDUDE]

i suffered with a headache for 8 years. It was in the back of the head for the most part. Over that time i saw 27 different health providers, numerous surgeries/injections, and pills. Nothing touched it, till i had a neuro-stimulator implanted. It was like magic. Been pain-free for 2 years now. I have my life back.

outstanding!!:goodpost:

[shooter93]

The best pain management I've ever had was at a clinic. I had seen so many other doctors and all to no avail. I stopped by a clinic and asked about pain management there. I told him I just wanted to do my work and to get some sleep with as little pain and side effects as possible. He said there is nothing unreasonable about that. The doctor I saw got all my medical records and was very blunt.....he told me everything that had been done so far was worthless for my condition. He said they made a fortune off you with the surgeries and then booted you out the door. You're broken...simple as that and the pain will never stop.....that being said I will make it manageable for you. You may be taking these meds the rest of your life and I have no problem with that. You will not become addicted....you take them as directed and needed. Best doctor I've ever run into...I have good and bad days but it's manageable which is exactly what he said he would do for me. So....that clinic and doctors are good ones.

[troyboy]

They are the DEVIL.

[GSM]

If they can get it to where you can sleep, that would be a very good start. Your body needs good sleep periods to repair itself. As others have said, if they are true specialists in pain management (not necessarily pain cure) and not a pill-mill, you might have found a keeper. Be aware, sometimes management involves more than chemical blockers - focus and mind stuff that might oook (technical term) some people out.

Hope things will go well for you. Shoot for a good night's sleep most days and work up from there.

[MaryB]

Please have your neck checked, you may have damaged it when your head snapped back. My pain doc was a pill pusher and not interested in anything else. She has since quit to handle her dying husband and my GP took over the pain management and I am getting better treatment because she is willing to work with me and experiment more. She also knows my overall health and can avoid things that are bad for me.

My neck injury is causing migraine like headaches that leave a band of pain over my head and around my forehead then back to my neck, severe light sensitivity and it triggered a chronic sinus condition where they run down my throat constantly. I have backed down on the pain med use, I don't feel it helps that much anymore. Some of my headache may be from bending the door frame out an inch with the top of my skull during the car accident, major concussion on top of everything else.

How do you lay in bed at night? Have you tried elevating your head on a pile of pillows? I sleep with 4 in a pile making a wedge shape. Lessened the headaches some.

[Lloyd Smale]

Im glad it worked out for you. I have a spinal stimulator implanted in my back and it does about nothing to help my pain. It was just a wasted operation for me. I cant say I never use it. When I have to drive a long distance in helps me from having to stop ever 50mile. I can usually make it for a couple hundred with it on but other then that it sure wasn't worth what a guys goes through to have it implanted.
I suffered with a headache for 8 years. It was in the back of the head for the most part. Over that time I saw 27 different health providers, numerous surgeries/injections, and pills. Nothing touched it, till I had a neuro-stimulator implanted. It was like magic. Been pain-free for 2 years now. I have my life back.

[Lloyd Smale]

My doctor kind of told it to me different. He said heres a running percription for narcotics. You need them because the damage is done and its not going to get better. You take them and you will become addicted but who cares. take them and enjoy your life. Problem I ran into was that every couple months I needed more and more to do the same thing. Finally I said enough and just tossed them aside. I might take one or two when it gets so bad that the sweat is running down my face but that's it. Im not about to give in to being a junky.
The best pain management I've ever had was at a clinic. I had seen so many other doctors and all to no avail. I stopped by a clinic and asked about pain management there. I told him I just wanted to do my work and to get some sleep with as little pain and side effects as possible. He said there is nothing unreasonable about that. The doctor I saw got all my medical records and was very blunt.....he told me everything that had been done so far was worthless for my condition. He said they made a fortune off you with the surgeries and then booted you out the door. You're broken...simple as that and the pain will never stop.....that being said I will make it manageable for you. You may be taking these meds the rest of your life and I have no problem with that. You will not become addicted....you take them as directed and needed. Best doctor I've ever run into...I have good and bad days but it's manageable which is exactly what he said he would do for me. So....that clinic and doctors are good ones.

[Johnch]

Thanks

I am not looking for more pain pills ...I throw away more than I take

I am just looking for a Doctor that is willing and able to help
From what I have found out so far , he is only into helping head trama pain
And I have had the head trama ....lots of it

Being able to sleep is a big deal to me
No sleep to 2-3 hours a night is quickly becoming a point where I have to do something

The last good sleep I had , was when I was in the hospital for a migraine and they filled me with pain meds
Not how I want to get a nights sleep

John

[dualsport]

Tried smoking pot? I'm not saying you should or shouldn't. I don't use it and am not advocating for it. But severe pain is serious, the treatment is likely to be the lesser of several evils. I have witnessed pain pill addiction and it is just a form of slavery, from what I can see. Sometimes there is no "good" option.

[BLTsandwedge]

What I found after 3 laminectomies- two on my lumbar spine and one on my cervical spine (in the Army I busted the snot out of my spine...even as an orificer...spelling intended)- is that long-term opioid use will cause your brain to secrete differing amounts of neurotransmitters. Take back those opioids and your brain will starve for a while- withdrawals. What isn't known (google it) is which neurotransmitters will build to 'normal' levels after a sustained period of opioid use. I'm dealing with this now. Even though I'm only taking a tiny amount of a daily opioid (methadone), when I've tried to stop, the pain comes back but so do symptoms of depression- morphing into an introverted behavior (not good in my work!). And the symptoms persist for long periods of time if I stop using the methadone for a long period of time (many months).

This begs the question 'what is addiction?' If you take atenolol for hypertension are you an addict to atenolol? Yes! Without it you will suffer a stroke! I'm 50 years old. I just started a business in which I must employ minds with serious mathematical and analytical capabilities- and be extroverted at the same time. Rare as hen's teeth. I can't afford to be a shrinking violet because I'm on permanent withdrawal. Will I continue taking that small dose of narcotic? I've got to. It does not affect my cognition. I believe my business and the livelihoods of those that I employ depend on it, that I'm certain. Am I a methadone addict? Yes.

The short- it is an individual decision. Do what makes sense for you. Listen to no one except those who you trust with your life.....and yourself. But being an addict? There are millions and millions of us that are addicted to all kinds of things. The question is answered by asking if your addiction is destructive to your life or helpful?


Best of luck!

[MaryB]

I haven't slept more than 4 hours since the car accident 14 months ago. In between the concussion after effects and the neck pain/neck messing up my breathing on the left side sleep is pretty much a dream... trying to fall alseep feeling like you are suffocating on only one side is driving me insane


Thanks

I am not looking for more pain pills ...I throw away more than I take

I am just looking for a Doctor that is willing and able to help
From what I have found out so far , he is only into helping head trama pain
And I have had the head trama ....lots of it

Being able to sleep is a big deal to me
No sleep to 2-3 hours a night is quickly becoming a point where I have to do something

The last good sleep I had , was when I was in the hospital for a migraine and they filled me with pain meds
Not how I want to get a nights sleep

John

[MaryB]

You do what lets you function somewhat and when it quits working you find something else


Tried smoking pot? I'm not saying you should or shouldn't. I don't use it and am not advocating for it. But severe pain is serious, the treatment is likely to be the lesser of several evils. I have witnessed pain pill addiction and it is just a form of slavery, from what I can see. Sometimes there is no "good" option.

[Johnch]

Tried smoking pot? I'm not saying you should or shouldn't. I don't use it and am not advocating for it. But severe pain is serious, the treatment is likely to be the lesser of several evils. I have witnessed pain pill addiction and it is just a form of slavery, from what I can see. Sometimes there is no "good" option.

No I have not
I have seen the dark side of others that smoke it
So as of now, I will not consider it

But on the flip side , a lady friend uses it
So she can eat after cancer treatments
So I know it has it's uses

John