Pain management

SarahMac83

I recently attended my first pain management appointment. I felt like my concerns weren't being acknowledged. I have ankylosing spondylitis, but I also experience pain throughout my neck and upper back.

I am currently waiting for acupuncture, a TENS machine, and new medication.

I feel disappointed that my pain isn't being taken seriously.

I am a 41-year-old female.

Has anyone else experienced feeling unheard during treatment?

I have a cat called Mini

Poppyjane

Welcome @SarahMac83 to the online community

We are glad you found us because one of the reasons we are here is to listen to the concerns of others whose lives are affected by arthritis. You say that your pain management appointment left you feeling unheard because your whole condition was not taken into account. This is so disappointing and frustrating for you.

Meanwhile you are waiting for acupuncture which I hope will be a positive experience for you. I know numbers of members have followed a course of it and have found it beneficial whilst needing patience to measure its effects.

Similarly a TENS machine is frequently mentioned as providing pain relief so I hope it works for you.

I know some of our cat lovers will soon agree with me when I say that Mini your cat will be listening to you as are the community. So we hope that you will feel connected now and will post again soon to let us know how your intervention of medication, acupuncture, and TENS works out.

Best wishes

Poppyjane

Arciere

Hi @SarahMac83

Im sorry to hear about your situation. I found my first Rheumatologist and my “old” GP to both be particularly un empathetic.

I changed GP which was really easy via the NHS website and moved from private medical to the NHS. The new people I then engaged with were extremely helpful, caring and empathetic - seeking to find me a resolution for the pain I was suffering from at the time.

So if you feel like you’re not being heard, perhaps consider changing providers - I believe we are all supposed to have a choice.

Good luck

Baloo

I think the empathy is so important. When I think back over my own choice of pain relief there was none of this, you must do so and so. They were admittedly reluctant to prescribe any wonder drugs, and I kind of knew in myself that the pain didn't seem that bad anyway.

What I did find though was I sure had some strange ideas about how my preferred pain relief should work. I was able to chose some mild pain relief and get on with it, but it was essential to have some proper guidance on how to use it, otherwise I might still be struggling with it today. I'm so glad it went that way as eventually, with care about the hot spots and how to treat them, the pain has wore off to a bearable level. It too a long time, but the pain is near enough gone, and thats a bit of an understatement.

SarahMac83

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/729564#Comment_729564

my doctor isn't the issue the hospital.

Trish9556

Hi @SarahMac83

I have had three referrals to pain management clinics at my local hospital and I have now refused any more. All they wanted to do was drug me up om amitryptiline or similar and that was my only option. As much use as a chocolate penny/teapot and they didn't listen when I told them they didn't work for me.

I had a lovely physio through a msk referral who also did acupuncture and she was brilliant but as usual you only get 4 appointments via that route.

I swear by my tens machine, the only other thing I can digest is making sure you get the right consultant. Or physio. If you don't, change them.

Trish

SarahMac83

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/729575#Comment_729575

dear Trish, I have asked a friend from church to help with a formal complaint against the doctor through Pals and get a second opinion.

Trish9556

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/729583#Comment_729583

Good luck @SarahMac83

Trish