Pain clinic appt

suzygirl
suzygirl Member Posts: 2,005
edited 1. Nov 2012, 13:27 in Living with Arthritis archive
I went to the pain clinic to day for a follow up after my facet joint injections. As I have not experienced enough relief from them I don't qualify for any more and the nurse was going to discharge me.

I explained about my hospital admission and the mri scan showing impingement. As I have other health problems surgery is not viable. I expressed my disappointment :wink: and was offered physio plus a pain management course.

Whilst I am happy to try anything for the pain. ( The injections helped and the pain is now coming back) The nurse felt I would be a valuable addition to the pain course and that I would have a positive impact on those on the course had less to contend with than I did. :lol:

The nurse explained I had chronic back problems which would get worse and that I would have to 'accept' that. I hate that word :cry: I have rather a lot to accept I feel. Really struggling with my menieres after my flu bug. Vertigo nausea, tinnitus etc etc

I just really hope I don't get as desperate with the pain as I did before my referral to pain clinic. I have an open mind re pain course. :wink: I am sure it will help.

Just difficult to live with all these things isn't it? :roll:

Comments

  • tjt6768
    tjt6768 Member Posts: 12,170
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    sure is hun.
    Hope the course helps, even if only a little... Owt's better than nowt eh :wink:
    e050.gifMe-Tony
    n035.gifRa-1996 -2013 RIP...
    k040.gif
    Cleo - 1996 to 2011. RIP
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Ye gods. I hope that nurse goes down with summat painful and long-lasting and some insentive clod tells her to accept it. Silly moo.

    I'm glad you've been given a chance to take part in a pain management course and I hope you find it of some benefit. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • jenles
    jenles Member Posts: 17
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Suzy Girl, so sorry to hear the response you had from the nurse re injections. I used to have a great pain consultant but she has now retired. She was willing to give injections and infusions even though they didn't/don't last that long or provide a huge relief.
    I don't know what your other problems are but I, too, have a lot of different health problems and you're right, it does get you down! I have travelled to and from one of the hospitals I attend (all too often) to see a Dr today. I am always fatigued even without this and we are visiting someone this evening. At least we neither of us has to cook tonight.
    I had to give up work aged 52 (almost 15 years ago now) due to degenerative spinal disease. I have recently been diagnosed with sero-negative inflammatory arthritis as well as osteo arthritis - and I have lots of other problems as well.
    You may or may not find a pain management course useful. It will depend, partly at least, on how knowledgeable you already are about techniques used and how far you would have to travel.
    I wish you well.
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I hope the Pain Course and physio help, Suzygirl. You have the right attitude to make it work. Yes, I can see you would be a valuable person to have in such classes. Keep us updated please.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • salamander
    salamander Member Posts: 1,906
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Suzy, I did a pain management course a number of years ago for a muscular problem that did improve because of what I learnt (it was pre RA days!) What I did on that course has been invaluable to me now I have a chronic condition. I didn't like all aspects of it but am extremely glad I did it. It's knowledge for life so I say take the opportunity. Anything that helps improve day to day living is worth doing.

    I hope you find it helps.
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,280
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Oh Suzy
    I Had a nurse like that at my second pain clinic appointment...if only they had pain they would understand how bad things are,I do hope you get something out of the pain course..please let us know how you get on xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • suzygirl
    suzygirl Member Posts: 2,005
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks all for your replies. It is nice to talk about these things with those who understand.

    Hiding indoors today on sofa, need to get rid of this stupid vertigo and nausea. I would feel much better without it.

    I am sure I will learn something from the pain course,and I would be happy to share. Physio should be interesting also!! :wink:
  • tjt6768
    tjt6768 Member Posts: 12,170
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    It will be interesting to hear how you go on..
    I'm enjoying my hydro therapy at the minute but it's hard going.. I think it's a six week course.. Just being in the water is a workout, then there are the exercises in top lol.

    Best of luck hun
    X
    e050.gifMe-Tony
    n035.gifRa-1996 -2013 RIP...
    k040.gif
    Cleo - 1996 to 2011. RIP
  • frogmella
    frogmella Member Posts: 1,111
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Suzy,

    I have been refered to pain management too, but I had a letter saying there is a long waiting list and they will write to me when I have an appointment! If you get there first I will also be interested to hear how it goes.

    I have had some physio since my injections and I think it has helped me quite a bit. Some of my pain is coming from muscles rather than the spine and so some hands on stuff has helped me. I also had to strengthen muscles that had gone weak - my glutes and quads espescially.

    I have also been doing pilates since my physio allowed me to start, that has helped too.

    That nurse does sound harsh - I think normal people just don't have a clue. It is so hard to accept continual pain and the knock on effects. Grrr. :x

    Hope you can rid yourself of the vertigo soon. ((()))
  • bubbadog
    bubbadog Member Posts: 5,544
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    My G.P keeps going on about going to the pain clinic, but has yet to refer me, not sure if she thinks it proberly woun't help or if she just keeps forgeting not sure!Hope it will help you suzy, There is a lot they can do at the pain clinics so you never know.
    A consultant a long while back said to me this lovely sentence ' your going to have to accept that you will progressively get worse and end up permanently in a wheelchair!' lovely hey! I remember it word for word unbelievably!
    When someone say's something like what the nurse said to you it can fester in your brain and can take over you. But what you need to do is take it and put it away in either the try and forget bin or file it away in your brain. Try and do something to keep your brain busy with something else. Like reading!!
  • GraceB
    GraceB Member Posts: 1,595
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I too have had a similar experience. In the summer the Occupational Health person I saw said 'you do know you have chronic osteo-arthritis don't you? You do know it will only get worse and not better?'

    I too thought - lovely, charming, exactly what I wanted to hear (not!). I probably knew that already - in my heart - but I didn't really need to hear the actual words.

    It's difficult when you are in a spiral downwards as I know only too well. I try to focus on what I can do rather than what I can't. It's not always possible but it's worth a go!

    Try and remain positive. Also hold the thought in your head that one day - just one day possibly - that nurse may well have chronic pain herself and these words may come back to haunt her.

    Take care in the meantime, hold you head up high and congratulate yourself for what you achieve.

    GraceB
    Turn a negative into a positive!
  • suzygirl
    suzygirl Member Posts: 2,005
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks for all your support. I am ok about what she said at the moment. I just hope that I get an appt for physio or pain management before I have my bad days!!

    Part of me is wondering if I have done the wrong thing saying the injections didn't help enough. They did help but between my kidney infection, further disk slipping and flu bug, I had too much going on to tell properly.

    I am not sure the relief I gained was worth all the aggro. I am now wondering if I have made the wrong choice and should have gone for the nerve burning procedure?
  • jenles
    jenles Member Posts: 17
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I don't know anything about the nerve burning procedure first hand. However I do know someone who has had it done and it gave her considerable relief. But her problems are not arthritic as such and I don't know if that makes any difference. If I were to be offered it I would go for it as I am pretty much at the end of my tether with all the pain I am in.
  • ShulaArcher
    ShulaArcher Member Posts: 174
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    Is it the Arthritis Care pain management course that you'd be going on? The one I went on recently has been mega helpful for me.

    Shula