Goint to Pain Management doc Wed.

[Dale18]

After 3 years of suffering with chronic facial pain, going to every doc known to man, I am finally making an appt. What can I expect at the first appt? I have to fill out a bunch of forms downloaded from the internet- one is an agreement about taking opiates. Do all pain management docs do this? It kind of creeped me out- I am not an abuser. Do they usually rx narcotics right away? I'm not going to lie, the Vicoprofen is the only thing that helps me. I 'm not going to go in there and suggest that but it is the truth. I've been to accupunctre, physical therapy, jaw massage-- etc... I just want my life back.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Tuckamore]

I' m hopeful that the PMP will offer you some releif and return your life to as normal as it can be.

Molly is correct. Contracts are normal with PMP. They protect the clinic and the physicians, not us the PM patients. As she said follow the directives to a T. There are members that have had drug screens that were not accurate and they were dismissed. So be very cautious.

You should not feel like an addict. Addiction and dependancy are two very different things. I take narcotics daily, without them I would not function. I take them as prescribed and I am not an addict. I think most of our members would say the same.

Each clinic operates a bit differently. Some clinics will not prescribe opiates, others will, under strict monitoring. I'm in the same state as Mollyrae. Here our PCP prescribe our narcotics. In our state PMP only do treatments and sometimes diagnosing.

It is important to build a trusting patient, doctor relationship with your new PMP. There are some good ones out there and I am hoping that you have found one. Please share with us our experience with the clinic.

I wish you the very best and we will look forward to your updates.

Peace,
~Tuck~

[Mollyrae]

Hi:

I'm glad that you've finally found Pain Management. The forms are a very normal part of the process. I get my meds from my PCP but it's basically the same. I filled out the agreements ect...

Depending on the type of pain clinic it is, they will most likely prescribe you meds on that day but...there are pain clinics that only do injections and I don't know what one your affiliated with. I assume that if you're filling out all of the paperwork and signing a contract, you'll be prescribed pain medication.

The contracts are to protect the clinic. If you should fail a drug screen, they have the right to end services. Please follow the Doctors orders to the tee. Only take your medication as prescribed and use nothing else.

Many members here have lost their pain management because the drug screen was either negative for the drug prescribed or positive for something else not prescribed. So follow orders and you'll have no problem.

Yes, you may feel like an addict but don't....everyone goes through the same process.
I hope this helps.
Take care,
Mollyrae