Need advice on this

[yannat]

I'm 48 and  go to pain management for fibro and lower back pain for arthritis.  My NP is sending me to their physiologist , I'm wandering why?  Has anyone had to do this before? I've been in PM for 7 months now my pain is really bad right now..should I take my MRI to my pain Dr. ?    Help I need my med.s to cope with the pain.

[shinty]

As trixy71 stated: the nurse practitioner may be just trying to find different ways to help you, and may not be trying to take away your pain medications at all. Some doctors, etc. will see how you react toward having to see a physiologist or whatever (read your body language, etc.), to see if it brings up any "red flags" pointing toward an opiate problem. I understand it's great to have your pain treated, just be careful you don't seem "overly protective" of them, and be open to any and all treatments offered. I think any "normal" person would be open to anything that would help with their pain. I think this "reading of the body language thing", and other things like it, are some of the newer ways the medical profession is "weeding out" the "bad apples" who abuse and/or divert their medications. Even your message posted here could be construed as someone who is "overly protective" of their medications. I'm not saying your in that category by any means. I think the medical professionals should realize that some of us have been in pain for a long time, our pain has been under treated in a lot of cases, and it is a godsend to finally have someone actually help us by prescribing much needed medication. Under the circumstances most of us are/were in, wouldn't any "normal" patient be overly protective of them now wouldn't they? Sorry for the rant. Just go with the flow, and i'm sure you will be fine. The physiologist might be able to help you in ways you would never have thought of. good luck.
         shinty

[yannat]

Fibro is horrific.....feels like ya got hit by a train and lived then caught a bad case of flu.....I just hope the PM doctor looks over the NP and I do we'll with the physiologist.  Maybe then I can go back to my regular dosage of my med.s. I sure hope so.   Just this is stressful for me... A car accident brought all this on... I was healthy and all then this happen. It sure changed my whole life. TY yannat

[NIB350]

People who do not experience any type of chronic pain just don't get it. My wife try's her best to help but she knows that she can not understand how bad it really is. I do not have fibro, but I do know that it is very real, and very miserable. The worst thing you can do though, is isolate yourself, I know it's hard but you need to start talking to someone.

[yannat]

Yes I do agree with that. I don't mind going to have someone to talk to the pain is depressing.  I've kinda isolated just my hubby understands. I don't hang out with family/friends because ppl don't get fibro unless they experience it.

[NIB350]

I have been going to a pm clinic, and seeing the same pa, since 2008, and I have been seeing a psychologist off and on. I am currently seeing her right now, I'm struggling with depression really bad right now, so no it's not strange, and I would take advantage of it.

[trixy71]

I'm sorry, the post above was supposed to be addressed to yannat, not Gizmo. Sorry about that. TGIF!

[trixy71]

Hi there Gizmo, yes I also had to do it. Many PM office's require this. Basically when I went in it was to make sure there were no addiction tendencies, they wanted to know how you cope with your pain other than medications, what your life is like, do you have hobbies, work, are you depressed, that sort of thing. When I did mine, they told me that I had "passed" so-to-speak (because I'm not depressed and I cope pretty well - for the most part anyway, but everyone will have bad days), but if I ever wanted to, I could come back and talk at any time. Then they will send a report to your PM doctor. Its pretty standard, and if you've been depressed, they can help you with coping mechanisms as well. Good luck to you!

[Gizmo1972]

Yes, but I asked to go, my pain was very bad, and I was very depressed about it, having a very bad flair up, I was glad I did, made me feel much better, he was very down to earth. But he had nothing to do with my meds, they didn't change anything.  This was for my benefit not theirs. Did you ask why they want you to go?