lovebug, looks like you'll be teaching your doctor about the injections. ;) I can't express how hopeful I am for you about them. I read (see below) that trigger point injections with Botox are relatively safe, so there are options for us which is good to know.
Thanks to you, lovebug and Azaelea, I just found VITALLY IMPORTANT information on
Invasive Treatments for pain control.
EVERYONE,
Potentially LIFE-SAVING INFORMATION about the good, the bad, and the ugly is given at the above page which is filled with so much important information that a special post-script link will be added to the first post, which I know George would want.
Another link: The author discusses
Opiod Medication and is as upset as I am that opiates aren't used more often,
when appropriate.
True addiction of chronic pain patients is actually rare, I was surprised to learn, and our doctors need to learn this, too. Doctors must also learn that "dependence" is not addiction. There's no difference between being dependent on high blood-pressure medication and being dependent on medically required pain control medication.
Physicians, to be safe from prosecution, need only to perform due diligence in patient selection, keep proper patient documentation and records, see patients regularly, and follow best-practice guidelines and prescribing laws. If physicians can do these steps, there shouldn't be any problems with the regulating authorities. So no more excuses, doctors.
Last, I'm so surprised insurance companies, at least in NYS, aren't pushing more for pills than procedures. An $80,000 morphine pain pump costs considerably more than an $80 yearly supply of morphine pain pills. The first two pain mngt doctors I saw tried to sell me an equally pricey $80,000 electrical SCS device just as if they were trying to sell me a new car. While there is a place for the device to help some patients, I hope Obamacare might help change the overall backward and expensive philosophy of doctors pushing expensive, dangerous procedures before considering inexpensive oral opiates.
Azaelea wrote:Other GPs that I interviewed in the last year
Love your attitude about you interviewing the doctors! My fingers are crossed for you and your new doc to get off to a great start and for him to be an eager student. ;)
And the neuro who Dxd me is toast as well
Also love your sense of humor! But so sorry you had such crappy docs in the past, especially the one who diagnosed you. My 'time of diagnosis' was rocky, and with emotions high, I left my first neurologist and then my second neurologist, too. Seems too many doctors don't listen--actually listen--to their patients.