PAIN CLINIC!!

hileena111

Hi,
Remember when I went to the back specialist he said he was going to ask the GP to refer me to a pain clinic.??? I've just received a letter from her today saying
"I've had a letter from the back specialist who suggests we refer you to a pain clinic. Please make an appointment with me so that we can discuss the best way forward."

Possibly I'm being over sensitive after my last GP refused to send me....but what is there to discuss???
Make an appointment for me at the pain clinic and stop wasting time by wanting me to make an appointment to see you to discuss it
Those are her words {above} what do you think?

Love
Hileena

stickywicket

I think it might depend on how well you get on with the GP, Hileena. If it were me, I wouldn't assume anything untoward because I do get on well with mine and I'd just presume they wanted to have a word with me first to check out if it was what I wanted. Yours might feel that, after all these years, you know all there is to know about pain control. Also, I guess some consultants might send such a letter to a GP without ever asking the patient if it was what they wanted. I hope it all happpens quickly for you and then goes well.

hileena111

Hi Sticky
I've booked an appointment with the GP online....earliest was next Wed. I'll find out then. I'm fairly new to that practice....she's OK :roll:
I might know a lot about pain but the consultants thinking was that lots of things can be done under one roof......various treatments etc. I think we know [if not personally} from reading posts that one hospital doesnt always communicate with another hospital.
Oh well....I'll try and go with an open mind. If she says no to a pain clinic not sure where to go from there. My last GP said no. Said he could do anthing a pain clinic would do?????
Thanks for your reply
Love
Eileen

barbara12

Hileena you are not being over sensitive, when you are in pain you just need help, why on earth they haven't just referred you I dont know, I do hope they dont keep you waiting,
Im not sure what they will offer you, mine gave me tramadol , amys and gabapentin, then changed the tramadol for cocodamols ,on the third visit they offered acupuncture, and more back injection but I turned them down, so they put me back under my GP..so I will be interested to see what they do for you...xx

hileena111

Hi
Well I have been to see the GP today regards her letter about the pain clinc. She said that consultants think that pain clinics do everything. They might be supposed to do it but because of lack of funds things are fragmented...not all under one roof.
Specialists/consultants have a view of what a pain clinic should be like not what it is like!!! :roll:
I stuck to my guns and said no one else seemed to be able to do anything so I wanted to give it a try...if it worked it worked....fantastic....if it didnt..hey!! most other things aren't working anyway
So I've got an appointment for the 11th Dec...not as long as I thought it would take.
She questioned me about how I coped with arthritis {not just the pain} generally....mood wise.
I think I'm fairly positive. I have my car, my rollator which i can just about manage to get into the car Hubby, his car and my scooter.....that's too heavy for me to take apart and lift it and it wouldnt fit in my car anyway but it lives in Peters car.
She said thats the first thing that a pain clinic will ask but i seemed to have the right attitude. So....I'll go and find out if it helps.
Love
Hileena

frogmorton

WELL done you

Nicely assertive there Hileena

I hope that it DOES help, but as you say if not, nothing ventured nothing gained.

11th Dec is nice as soon too

I am very pleased for you

Love and ((()))

Toni xxx

stickywicket

hileena111 wrote:

Specialists/consultants have a view of what a pain clinic should be like not what it is like!!! :roll:

I can believe that. I think they work in a much 'higher budget' world and often believe everyone else does too.

However, good for you for sticking to your guns, Hileena. I, too, think you seem to cope very well indeed but, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I'm sure, if there's anything to gain from it, you will make the most of the opportunity.

hileena111

Hi Toni and Sticky
Thanks.
Yes I think i should give it a go...Other things havent worked {eg injections} so if this doesnt work....nothing lost.
Think of Cris.....she raves about the pain clinic she goes to. You never know.
Love
Hileena

constable

Hi there,

Good on you. Standing up for what you wanted. I should take a leaf out of your book. And only December for an appoinment. I really hope they can offer you something. Shall keep fingers crossed for you nearer the time.

barbara12

Good for you Hileena I will be theer on the 11th..its a 3 month waiting list here if I wanted to go back....xx

phoenixoxo

Hi Hileena,

Well done on the feistiness! I'll be happy to provide pocket duties on 11 December

Best wishes,
Phoebe

sheenakt

Don't underestimate what a pain management consultant can do - the man I saw 10 years ago was like a breath of fresh air when I'd spent 5 months off work in agony with back pain, and no one else could even get a firm diagnosis. Sadly that was when I lived 250 miles away, they are very thin on the ground in the north east, apparently.

Good luck,
Sheena x

hileena111

Hi Karen Barbara Phoebe and Sheena,
Thanks for the support.
Sheena where do you live? I was given the choice of the RVI, Durham University hospital and I think the other one was Shotley Bridge.

Cheers
Hileena

hileena111

Hi
Once again thanks for all the pocket duties.
Usually Peter comes with me because I'm so busy thinking what I need to ask that what they say doesnt always sink in properly :oops:

Peter has an appt at a different hospital at 9.15am on the same morning and mine is at 11.45am. One is in Northumberland and one is in the center of Newcastle.....so there is always the chance that I wouldnt make the pain clinic on time so I'm going on my own. I need you all in my pocket to listen to what they say :oops: and tell me what I have forgotten

I know pain clinics might be nothing to most of you but never having been to one before I cant even think about a list because I dont know what will happen....give me ortho's/back specialists/eye consultants etc and i can cope but this is the unknown.
Love
Hileena

barbara12

Hileena the first thing the pain clinic did when I got there was give me a form to fill in....pain on one to ten....sleeping...forgot what the others were...then they gave me the meds..and another appointment were they upped the meds...the next one they offered acupuncture..and the facet joint injections....then they put me back under my GP..like you say its all down to funding.
I do hope its is a positive one for you (((())) xx

stickywicket

Don't worry, Hileena. I'll be there to give you a nudge. Not that I've ever been to a Pain Clinic either but at least you won't be on your own. Hope Peter's appt goes well too.

hileena111

Hi Barbara
Thanks......I've got a form to fill in and take to them...sounds like the same thing
Chronic Patient Assessment Service....all about where the pain is etc, difficulty sleeping YES ..I had to laugh at this one....have you had any tests...eg x rays, scans etc....type/where/when...I dont know....if I put hundreds down do you think they would accept that
Then it goes on to loads of questions about emotions...then a true or false load of questions....mostly about physical things and loads in between
love
Hileena

hileena111

Once again everyone....thanks for the support tomorrow.
I feel I need support...dont know why tomorrow more than any other appointment?
I'll post tomorrow evening and let you know what happens...if anything much

Love
Hileena

dreamdaisy

The very best of luck for today, Hileena, I am thinking of you and I hope that the pain clinic can help with some new information or coping strategies. DD

barbara12

Hileena I have been thinking about you most of the day, I do hope it has been an helpful appointment and they can ease that pain for you (((((())) xx

Boris125

I also think you seem to deal very well indeed but, nothing launched, nothing obtained. I'm sure, if there's anything to obtain from it, you will create the most of the chance.

hileena111

Hi
Well I'm not sure todays appointment was brilliant :roll:
I live in Northumberland....just over the border from Tyne and Wear. The hospital that said "pain clinic"...... is in Northumberland, wrote to my GP and asked her to refer me.....after trying to talk me out of it and realising I wasnt going to be talked out of it she gave me 3 hospitals to choses from All Newcastle health authority :? ....fair enough...one is as close as the other.
I got there today and when I saw the doc he said that Northumberland would only allow us to access about 50% of the various things they had to offer??? He has said he wants to do faecet {spelling} injections....so have signed a form for that but there isnt much else he can do. He said we have lots of things, physio, self management courses, acupuncture etc but we can only do these if your GP authorises the funding for it....He then said he would write to her. I said I doubt if you'll get the funding...he said I doubt it as well but you can appeal if its refused.
So those injections sometime within the next 20 weeks and thats about it until he hears back from the GP.
I'm on the PPG {patients participation group} and I doubt very much that they will fund it.
Oh well....here we go again.
Love
Hileena

stickywicket

That sounds rather less than ideal, Hileena, but at least you got a doc who was upfront and didn’t give any flannel. I wonder what the situation would be if you’d gone for one of the other pain clinics. Are they in Northumberland? If so, would be possible to take the jabs this guy has to offer and then ask to go to a different one for physio etc? I guess it's all to do with not paying another Health Authority for treatment that's available in one's own.

hileena111

HI Sticky
My GP tried to put my off going....I wonder is that why I got the hospitals in a different area ...so that they could get out of paying?
All of the hospitals were in the Newcastle authority. So would have been the same anywhere.
The puzzling thing is the consultant that mentioned it to me seemed to think I would go to one in Northumberland???
When she gave me the Newcastle one I queried it and she said thats the only one we can send you to???
If they refuse the funding for the rest of it I'll get back in touch with the back specialist and tell him and see what he says.
I could do with physio or at least a bit of advice about eercises......Newcastle wont send me {without Northumberland funding} and Northumberland physio....well I need a referral.
Love
Hileena

wall1409

Let me know any updates as I too am being sent to pain clinic and also wondering what they can offer as working full time but really struggling.

stickywicket

I don't suppose the back specialist would refer you? Hospital consultants work on a bigger budget than GPs.