update

markc1

Just been to specialist,says he will refer me to pain clinic and put me on gabapentin capsules.
He says i have finished with him now as the oa is not that bad,i explained it is and some days i can hardly move.What does this mean?

elnafinn

Hi Mark

I presume what the specialist means is that he is passing you over to the pain clinic for further help. I presume he was the one that did arthroscopies on your knee(s) and presumably he does not feel that your knees are "bad" enough to go down the road of a partial or total knee replacement....... You may feel otherwise ..... Specialists are renowned for having zilch bedside manner.

I hope the pain clinic can help you.

Look after yourself,
Elna x

markc1

elnafinn wrote:

Hi Mark

I presume what the specialist means is that he is passing you over to the pain clinic for further help. I presume he was the one that did arthroscopies on your knee(s) and presumably he does not feel that your knees are "bad" enough to go down the road of a partial or total knee replacement....... You may feel otherwise ..... Specialists are renowned for having zilch bedside manner.

I hope the pain clinic can help you.

Look after yourself,
Elna x

Thats what i thought,but what can i expect the pain clinic to do?i read that these capsules havve side effects.
You are right about the specialist,he is c***!

elnafinn

The pain clinic may suggest steroid injections or different medication to help you. Acupuncture or physio may be discussed. All meds have side effects and have to be listed but it does not necessarily mean that you will have any of them. The specialist presumably noticed that you are in pain as he is referring you. Let's hope you get more joy from this clinic.

Best wishes
Elna x

skezier

Hi Marc,

I see a pain clinic now a days and she really does seem to understand pain. She doesn't work from a text book she works from your symptoms and seems to understand we all react and feel differently. They assess you pain levels, get you to fill in a questionnaire and then have a look at you and seem to then know what to do to try and help you. Sometimes things help and sometimes they don't so they try something else. As Elna said they use a lot of different techniques to control the pain but when it works it works well and they will try something else if the first thing didn't bring the success they were hoping for.

The gabapentin is simular to the pregabalin I take and yep the side effect list is quite long but for me they have worked so well. They have to list a side effect if one person got it on the drug trials so don't worry too much about them. Good luck and I really hope it will all bring you some relief. Cris

markc1

skezier wrote:

Hi Marc,

I see a pain clinic now a days and she really does seem to understand pain. She doesn't work from a text book she works from your symptoms and seems to understand we all react and feel differently. They assess you pain levels, get you to fill in a questionnaire and then have a look at you and seem to then know what to do to try and help you. Sometimes things help and sometimes they don't so they try something else. As Elna said they use a lot of different techniques to control the pain but when it works it works well and they will try something else if the first thing didn't bring the success they were hoping for.

The gabapentin is simular to the pregabalin I take and yep the side effect list is quite long but for me they have worked so well. They have to list a side effect if one person got it on the drug trials so don't worry too much about them. Good luck and I really hope it will all bring you some relief. Cris

Thanks for that...i will give it a go!

joyful164

Hi Mark.
Make a list of all the problems you have. Make sure you get an answer and help for everything. Get a referral to an OT if necessary.
If you do this then you are more likely not to forget anything. Some days, you may not have any problems so that when you see the doctor in the pain clinic, you could miss something important.

Make sure you push for help. If you can take someone with you. I take my OH with me and he can explain what it is like from his point of view as the carer.
Good luck
joy

sharmaine

Hi
Not sure what it means! I have OA and it's been painful since day one. Regrettably you have to give your GPs the worse case scenario before they seem to take notice.

It took me using a walking stick to be referred to the specialist and to have further x rays of my knees. Only to find that I have lost one joint completely and have only a tiny sliver of joint left in the best leg.

Osteo arthritis is a pain in the ar.e. Periods of inactivity means stiffness, soreness and pain. In fact it is always with you.

Go back if things get worse or if you're having trouble sleeping etc. You don't have to be courageous and put up with the pain and discomfort - life is too short.

I'm on the waiting list to have a total knee replacement this year and the other hopefully next year. I haven't been able to bend for nearly 3 years! I'm looking forward to the day when I can hop, skip and bend!

Take care and hopefully someone on the site will be able to answer your question.

Sharmaine