Monday, February 16, 2009

My life: Unrelenting Pain and Fear


Everyone in chronic pain can relate to the part about "unrelenting Pain", no matter what is causing it. The same thing day in and day out. It doesn't stop for birthdays or any other day for that matter. Some of us are in pain as a result of a fall, a auto accident or some disease like fibrormyalagia. It really doesn't matter, its all pain. Its hard to believe that a country as advanced as the USA Can have 78 million people that live this way but its true. the Suicide rate is 4-5 times higher than other people and lets face it, there is probably not a single one of us that haven't thought of taking our lives at on time or the other. I certainly have.

Every day I read about some new pain drug coming on the market to fight pain. I ask myself why, because you can't find a doctor to prescribe it to you. What is going on in this country right now with the way chronic pain people are treated is a damn disgrace. I have someone that is helping me now but as always its not enough but it does help. He is my primary care physician.

FEAR the other word I talked about is something we all live with. Fear of what you may ask? Fear that if you have not found a pain doctor, that you never will find one. The other side of it is you have looked and looked and finally found someone to help you, but what would you do if something happened to the doctor you now have, or if he told you he didn't want to help you any more. I live in fear of my doctor saying he is going to stop helping me. I have no idea where I would turn. It took me a year of practically begging but then one day I asked my wife if she would go with me. My wife talked to him for quiet a while and that was the key. He agreed to help me. (That is a tip by the way). Another, tip is always go well dressed and have your spouse do the same. My wife always goes with me on every visit.

I still live in fear and dread every time I have to call for a refill. Such is the life of the chronic pain person