Is it Possible to Move on with Your Life After Surgery

[Grreatful]

Hello everyone just wondering if anyone can tell me if or how easy it is to find a doctor to treat patients with post surgical injuries/pain management?
It has been 9 years since my surgery and yes I have been to every know doctor within the hospital system that did the surgery.  The hospital that didn't would not see me, saying go back to the hospital you had your surgery done at.  The problem is my husband would like to move down south or even over seas.  He has been through so much with me,  and I am so scared that I won't find another doctor that will see me.  I've gone to my hospital before on a bad day and they have my records just to be treated like a junkie.  But they did order the tests that day that found out I had cancer (almost in remission) too, so it wasn't a total bust.  The stigma everyone places on you, when they find out, you take pain medication, is like, this is something we want to do, not something we have to do so we can have a semi-normal life. For f sake I can't even grocery shop by myself, or ride a bike , or take long walks on the beach.  This is something I really asked for... Sorry for the rant.
So if anyone knows or has had an easy time of moving around please let me know, I would appreciate it? Thank you.

[Tuckamore]

I appreciate your response. Sometimes I never know if the what I write is ever read. So thank you.

Our stories are similar. I too am from the Midwest - where my PCP wrote my scripts. She was awesome and did an excellent job of diagnosing me and documenting my issues.

Among other things I have a huge abdominal mesh (lumbar hernia repair, no not back) that has failed. I am 1 in only 300 in the world to ever had this condition. I have no core muscles and am not a surgical candidate. The pain can be unbearable.Much of it is nerve pain - but it's also intestinal as my intestines are entangled in this mesh and adhesions.  Long story. I do understand your pain - and my heart goes out to you!

PCP in the Midwest often do act as PMP due to the rural nature of the states. However, even that is changing.

In FL there is not one PCP that I know of that will - or can RX opiates long term. Certainly not in the area of FL that I reside. It's all done by PMP. Of course that's due in large part to the numerous Pill Mills that once populated this state. Many were nothing more than a huge money making enterprise. In 2010 FL cracked down on those clinics and all are closed now. Many were prosecuted - including physicians that lost their licenses. Practitioners are frightened - afraid to buck the DEA - or even test them. There are still PMP that are interested in making big bucks off ppl in Chronic Pain - we call them Shot Jocks. The correct term in Interventional Pain Management Physicians. It sounds like that's the type of PMP that you consulted. They rarely, if ever RX opiates. They exist to preform money making procedures like Spinal Injections or Nerve Blocks - or instill SCS (Spinal Cord Stimulators) - whatever will bring in the big dollars.

Don't get me wrong - there is a portion of chronic pain patients that can be helped with these approaches.  I totally believe that if one does not need opiate therapy they shouldn't be on it. I also believe that we should try anything that is safe for us - and reasonable given the individuals situation. That said - there are some of us that have conditions that either do not respond to procedures - or have conditions that contraindicate certain procedures. Such as a failed mesh that you have. How will spinal injections treat abdominal mesh pain?  It won't. There is no literature or studies that back up that approach.

Given the fact that you are already in PM and have good documentation you may find a PMP in FL that is willing to RX opiates for you. The government dictates that other PM approaches are tried also - at least that's what I have been told. So you may also have to endure a few injections. I'm not certain.

I don't know as much about GA - but I'm told it's fairly similar to FL.

If you have specific questions feel free to ask - or send me a personal message - which is private. Again thanks for responding. I hope you'll keep in touch.

Best of Luck,
~Tuck

[Grreatful]

Yes I'm on PM now I have been on it from the very beginning. It just has changed over time.  Some meds have stayed the same the nerve blockers have stayed the same only the narcotic has changed over time. With them adding different ones every once in a while to see if one is better then the other.  

It was just difficult trying to find someone to fix it even after the two years was up to file a suit.  I couldn't find a hospital to look at me.  

I have damaged nerves from a double inginial hernia repair.  It's actually my primary doctor that does the prescription writing not the pain clinic. When I went to see the pain management clinic they informed me that they do not write prescriptions, and it's their job to do everything in their power to get me off the meds. By back injections and mental therapy, stress relaxation, I guess it's all in my head.  But the back shot didn't work.  And the therapist cried when I talked to her, how professional is that?  So I never went back there.  So my primary care doctor prescribes for me.  

We live in the Midwest and my husband wants to move to GA or FL.  We used to live in FL just wanted to see if we are going to have a difficult time finding a doctor since I'm pretty sure you can't see anything on my MRIs or CAT Scans but everything is well documented.  I'm not really looking for a doctor to take out the mesh or clamps just a PM doctor.

And thank you for your answer it really helped, I really appreciate that you took the time.

[Tuckamore]

Hi Grreatful,

I've moved a bit - but it wasn't until after I had been in good PM for a number of years. I've found that each section of the US - or even state often has a different approach on Pain Management.  Are you in Pain Management now?

It's normal that another surgeon will not see you after another surgeon botched something up. Sad but true. That's often true if you move from state to state. They want to stay out of any possible litigation - or blame.

However if you're asking for treatment of the results of a surgery gone bad - and not for more surgery -  than you should be okay. PMPs want your records and good documentation of why you have pain.It's always best if you are already in Pain Management. Pain usually has to be documented in black and white. If you have fibromyalgia for example, it's extremely difficult to obtain PM in some states, like FL.

Briefly and without going into detail I can tell you that my pain issues cannot be "seen" on conventional scanning or testing. When I sought PM in a other state it was an old lumbar spine MRI that they insisted upon - which does not show anything that produces my chronic pain. I'm told that the government must "see" something before they are comfortable with a practitioner prescribing opiate therapy.

I know,  it's very very strange. I am sure that ppl that have neuropathy for example have extreme pain - and it's difficult to "see" neuropathy. I have it too - but again you can't "see" it.

It's never easy when I "move" and I only move between two states, two towns. It takes many weeks before you can even get a consult. No state that I know of is friendly to chronic pain patients. But it can be done. Thus far I have refused to let the challenge of finding opiate therapy keep me from relocating. I too have an awesome husband that has put up with much due to my condition(s). If he want to enjoy a new area of the country he deserves to do so.

I suggest that you request all you records now. Take a look at them and see what's positive and what's not. You may need some updating of your records or correction(s).  Than I'd call into the area that you wish to relocate. Call some PMP and ask what they require - explain you're relocating. That will tell you a lot. Remember Interventional PMP do not RX opiates. They are better known as Shot Jocks - and they make huge amounts of money in their practices.

If you have a specific question that I have not covered please feel free to ask. I'll do my best to reply. I hope something I have said has been helpful.

You may rant here anytime! We get it. I do it often n it seems to help. :0)  We're here to listen and offer you support and information. I am so very sorry that you have untreated Chronic Pain. I've been there as many of our members have been. My heart goes out to you.

I hope you'll be more active in our community. I'll look forward to hearing from you again soon.

Warm Wishes,
~Tuck