Wish me Luck - Going to GP to talk about Pain Control

[littlemyrn]

I have an appt. today with my gp who is an internist to be frank and ask if he is willing to treat me for the pain control. I printed out the Pain Special report here and am giving it to him to read. Also I want him to find out why I can not gain weight. Thyroid test was normal about 2 months ago. I am at 100 lbs and have been for over a year and I eat. I actually have to eat several times a day because I can't hold much at one time.

So I am going to take Amy's advice and be upfront and in control and she what he says. I am going to him first, because my copay to see specialist is so high, it would save me a ton of money if I could see him once a month rather than my uro or pain specialist. He is affiliated with Vanderbilt University and if he can't or doesn't feel comfortable maybe he can get me in there soon, but like I said my copays will kill me if I have to go to anyone other than my primary.

Wish me luck, my appt. is at 2:45 so if anyone has any advice please post.

[SandyRN]

It sounds like you have a good plan in place. Let us know what he says. Good luck!!! I know how hard it is to talk to ANY doctor about pain meds. I'll be thinking of you today.

Hugs, Sandy

[leelee88]

I am sending you good luck vibes your way.............................

I talked to my doctor and got a referral was going next week but the pain clinic called today and said they has a cancellation so I am going today at 1:15..

Ronda

[RAS6]

When my first Uro wouldn't help me with pain control I went to my GP and she did help. She wasn't willing to do it long term, but she gave me pain pills for several months until I could get in to see the IC specialist. I hope things go well for you. I think what helped for me was the my GP had known me for a long time and she knew I wasn't a drug seeker, so she treated me with respect and compassion, unlike the Uro who had just met me and didn't understand how bad my pain really was.
Let us know what happens!

[blueeyes46]

This is so frustrating with the dr.s and the pain meds issue! My GP won't treat me for the IC pain meds but will prescribe Soma for my neck spasms and he has given me Ambien CR 12.5 for sleep.

I originally asked my URO for some Valium for my IC symptoms and was told by the nurse he only prescribes pain meds. It seems silly that ONE Dr. can't just prescribe the regimen of meds needed for IC. I personally feel like it makes people "look" like they are maybe "drug seekers" if they have to go to more than 1 Dr. for what they need to control their IC. Anyone else feel this way?
I have to drive to 2 different Dr.s that are not close to each other and it drives me nuts. I take pain meds when I need them for my pelvic, bladder and back pain. I don't take them for fun! But I refuse to be treated like I may not really be needing these meds. I have had spinal surgery and have IC. I just get so mad sometimes with the Dr.s I would LOVE to be pain free and not have to take ANY meds. The amount I take right now is hideous, hormone meds, neck meds, allergy meds, asthma meds, ear meds, IC meds. so on and so on. Yes I just "love" having all these problems and taking IC meds, Elmiron, Pyridium, Prelief etc.

Sorry needed to vent today
ARRGGHH!!!!

[GriffsMommy]

I can't wait to hear how both of your appts went, good luck to both of you

[Briza]

That's great, Ronda! let us know how it goes!

[Briza]

Littlemyrn, I hope all goes well! keep us posted!

[littlemyrn]

Ok, I am back from my appointment. We talked for about 35 min. and I did exactly like Amy said, just a frank discussion. He was soooo cool. Like I said my weight has been a big issue for me, losing so much, so he wants me to try Paxil for 6 weeks to see if I will gain weight and will allow me to stay on the IC diet better. Because I have been cheating on the IC diet in order to maintain my 100 lbs and to gain. So hopefully, I will feel better from the IC with sticking to the diet again. If I have gained enough weight at the 6 weeks, I usually weigh 115 to 120, then he will ween me off and see what happens. He did complete physical, had already done blood workup, nothing fishy there. So we will see.

Then I asked about my pain meds. He said he would be willing to write my lortab's each month and in fact when the nurse brought in my script, I noticed he had put 5 refills on it, before my uro would only write for one month. So it worked, thanks to Amy and her great advice, I do not have conserve my pain meds when I am hurting wondering if my uro will write another script for me. I also explained to him my URO has basically said that I have tried all treatments and that I really do not need to come back but every six months, and I thought since he was an internist that I would prefer for him to treat me for everything with me going to URO twice a year. (He was the one who go the Tens unit for me also). He is so great.

It is such a relief, I hope anyone out there that is having the same issues will approach their dr. upfront. I was so nervous, but kept my cool and he listened, didn't judge and hopefully now maybe things will turn around.

Also, I had posted about my arm swelling and hurting from the IV from my Hydro, he looked at it and said it was a small clot, nothing dangerous, warm soaks and it could take months to work itself out.

Thank you all for your support and good advice.:

[GriffsMommy]

I'm so happy that everything with so well with your GP! My GP seems to be a complete idiot about IC. I mentioned when I was in w/ my hubby that I had IC and how painful it was and he said about taking Elmiron! All I could think was that doesn't work for pain you have right now, ugh!

I think from everyone else trying this I am going to work up my nerves to ask my uro for a referral to a pain clinic. He obviously doesn't feel comfortable giving out pain meds, he does but he only gives me 20-30 vicoden at a time and then I have to freak out when I run out about if he will give more or not.

[Briza]

LM
That is so great! That's about how it went with my gyn when I followed Amy's advice. I'm so happy it helped you, too! Can't you just feel the relief?