Pain clinics?

stephibabe2

Hi everyone,
I have an appointment at a pain clinic on Thursday but have never been to one before. I was just wondering what kind of things they do?
And also anyones experience? Have they been of any help?
I feel quite nervous as have never been to this type of clinic.

Will thank you all in advance
hugs to you all, Steph x x

minky67

Hi Steph,Im currantly under the pain clinic.
My 1st appointment they reviewed all my meds,I got diagnosed with Fibromyalgia at the assessment.(i have OA plus other things) That explained alot of problems i was having at the time.
Then they make a plan of treatment that you agree on.
Mine for example;review meds & try this that n the other.
Read about CBT, over coming cronic pain with behaviour therapy(i maybe corrected as ive not done that bit)
Trail of Tens machine;
Acupuncture(i start this on Friday for 6 wks)
Then finally i see the neck/spine consultant for injections under x-ray.
I was under rhymy but he discharged me saying that he only deals with people with RA,so now ive only got my GP,OT & pain clinic.
Mine is only an example but i hope it gives you some idea of the help they can give you.
Its such a scary time when you dont know whats going to happen to you at each referal & were all here to try to help each other through it all.
Good luck & i hope you get all the help you need. I always write a list of my problems & ask them to send me a copy of letter that goes to my GP ( i never get that :roll: ) Ive also had cortizone injections into thumb & both knees through pain clinic.
If you not sure then write a list of questions & just ask at apppointment.
debs

elnafinn

Hi Steph

I had two injections in my lower back at the pain clinic and since that day 3 December 2009, the sciatica I suffered for over a year has disappeared to date, so I truly rate Dr Evans who performed the injections for me under xray division.

I hope your find your appointments of benefit as I did.

A pain clinic is what it says, to try to alleviate pain, by injections, meds, physio, occupational therapist etc.

Luv
Elna x

frogmorton

Hi Steph

well done for getting the apt.

I havent been but would not hesitate to try one (might just do that as not much is working at the mo )

Hope it helps

Do feedback if you can as I am interested.

love

Toni xx

zechariah

The pain clinic I attended at Southend on sea is amazing, I went on a pain management couse (I wasn't sure at the time what they could do), they gave us coping stratagies and I believe that I would have been a real mess without it!

They are in my view amazing!

dreamdaisy

I am really keen to go to one but they currently do not run them in my area due to lack of funds. I know they teach coping strategies, give advice and, by the sound of it, some offer treatment too. Good luck with it - I hope it works for you. DD

stephibabe2

Hi everyone,
Thanks for all your replys, it really helped reasurre me before I went to the appointment as I was particurly worried as I had never been to a pain clinic before.
As some of you wanted feedback, here it is...

Although the Dr was very nice it was obvious she had never dealt with a patient as young as me who has arthritis (Im 18 years old). So it wasn't off to a good start, she mentioned a few bits about damaged nerves but nothing really concrete. The only thing she offered me was a stronger dose of painkiller that Im already taking and a new drug that is suppose to help the damaged nerves = less pain. So if Im honest I cam away very disheartend. I wasn't really expecting her to look at more medicanes, I have more than enough already. I was hoping maybe to try a TENs or if not that even asked to attend one of the group meetings (just for support) but was offered nothing of the sort. Except, to not come back
However this was just my experience and as Im young it was a little different I hope I don't put anyone off as it may be a help to some people.
Anyway thanks again for all your support, best wishes Steph x x x

minky67

Oh Steph, Im so sorry that it was a bad experience & youve got no help.
You can buy tens machines,i think Lloyds were advertising them for about £20 i paid £40 for mine.
The pain clinic is supposed to help with alternavite treatment,meds & self help.
I dont know what to say apart from im disgusted,I would tell your GP Or Rhymy about how youve been treated & see what they suggest.
Take care
debs

dreamdaisy

Your age isn't relevant, surely. It's the fact that you are in pain that matters. How disappointing for you, I was hoping that it would be of real value and help.

I know doctors are supposed to be good at everything (!) but, unless they have lived with pain themselves for any real length of time (and I don't include common-or-garden toothache) they do not understand how wearing it can be.

My physio department put a TENS on me when I was recovering from my first synovectomy. Personally I found it useless and very uncomfortable, but would it be worth asking your physio dept at your hospital if you could try one? Or your GP? They do give good results to some but it's expensive mistake if it doesn't help.

I am so sorry it didn't work out that well for you. Dreamdaisy

stephibabe2

Yeah I could look into the TENS macheine, although I tried it quite a few years ago and found it didnt help at all. In fact I couldn't feel anything. Im not sure whether it was a faulty macheine :S or just that my pain was so severe as I was having a flare at the time that it didn't work. Therefore Im slightly worried about paying that money if it doesn't work.
As for asking the physio for one ...
I am not actual under a physio as I was discharged when I turned 16. So in my area you can get to see a physio but only for a 6 week period and I doubt in that time they will pay for and supply a TENS. Also I could wait for months just for an appointment, due to where I live.
So it seems a bit of a dead end.. I am going to give my rheumy a ring sometime this week and see if they can be of any help.

Thanks again for all your replies, take care
Steph x x

skezier

Hi Steph,

Sorry you had such a bad experience at the pain clinic, I wonder if you could be sent to a different one or different pain consultant? Its doesn't sound very helpful to you like this one.

I used to find a TENS good but now I have more pain it seems to aggravate it rather than help it which might be why you didn't find it so good if you were in a flare when you tired it?

I so wish I could say what would help you but hopefully your rumo will have some idea when you talk to them. Good luck and let us know please/ Cris x

dreamdaisy

Stephibabe, if you do not ask, you do not get. Contact the physios, you never know, it might just work and you get to try a TENS again. DD

woodbon

I go to one tomorrow and I'm doing a pain managment course at the moment. Last week we did very simple, slow exercise and talked about how pain works and why drugs stop working after a while. This is the last week and we are doing relaxation and visualisation.

They also have a consultant who will give injections and advice on changing medications if needed and quite a few other things i've not discovered yet. Hope you get on well. Interested to know what you think.
Love Sue