Pain Clinics

[Mdaisy]

Hello Everyone,

A blog to go with the recent poll.

Many of you have mentioned you have not had a referral to a Pain Clinic and that you didn't know this could be an option available to you. Here is some information about Pain Clinics from NHS Choices:

nhs.uk/Livewell/Pain/Pages/...

Please consider asking your GP to refer you to a pain clinic if you feel your pain experience is not being controlled.

As the link mentions 'Pain clinics vary but usually offer a variety of treatments aimed at relieving long term pain, such as painkilling drugs; injections; hypnotherapy and acupuncture.

You will need to be referred to a pain clinic by your GP or hospital consultant'

Here are some links to the FibroAction Expert Patient Series that may be of help:

Knowing your Diagnosis

fibroaction.org/Articles/Be...

and Dealing with Doctors

fibroaction.org/Articles/Be...

I notice many comments the Pain Clinic attended that people felt it was a waste of time. I personally was immediately referred to our local pain clinic and the Consultant was extremely helpful with medication changes & acupuncture (3 sessions on NHS)

I wondered could you ask to be referred either to another Pain Consultant / Clinic (if there is one locally). I know it's hard but try not to be despondent and think that other Pain Clinics will be the same as they may be different entirely.

Having Fibromyalgia and visiting HealthCare Professionals has it's difficulties and we all are no stranger to that. I understand how upsetting, frustrating and annoying it is but maybe try to use this energy to ask for another GP, change surgeries, ask for referrals and be proactive !

Here's a link to the FibroAction website to the All About Fibro downloadable & printable factsheets that contain all information on Fibro and it's treatments that also may be helpful.

This can be printed and taken into GP Surgeries, Hospital Clinics etc, link below:

fibroaction.org/Pages/A...

Keep being strong !

Emma

[charlii]

Thanks for the advice Emma. I have my first appointment at the pain clinic in march and im very nervous as i dont know what to expect but im quite excitrd to hoping that it will help xx

[fairycazzie]

Hi mdaisy

Well i went pain management i think 2011 and i was told ohh you have in so many areas we cannot give injections all those places.

I got places worse than others.

Plus knowing so many ppl i do know what areas injections can be given.

I think its just the expense of it.

They suggested possibly giving me cervical injection and see if it radiates to shoulders.

It never happened,

It is now at max of lyrica well a step away should i say and then its where do we go.

I was refered before christmas back to pain clinic and i not heard anything.

Well i guess only time will tel maybe 2nd time lucky

Xxxx caroline xxx

[Linz7]

Getting an appointment at a Pain Clinic is not as easy as it sounds. With all the cut-backs in the NHS there is at the moment over 5 year waiting list at our local Pain Clinic. I have just had my appointment after waiting 5 years and 3 months in spite of my GP chasing this up constantly. Now they are not accepting any new patients until further notice. Has anyone else had this problem with their Pain Clinic? I will add that I am still waiting for an appointment for the injections in my spine which they have put me down for. I have now been waiting 3 months with no sign of an appointment yet. Once you get an appointment, if you are lucky enough, the Pain Clinic is brilliant. I have been to two Pain Seminars and had a 2 hour appointment with the Opioid Nurse although I am still waiting to hear the outcome of that. I am hoping to get my medication changed to something stronger that actually works.

[Lucyw]

Hi Linz7

I too am waiting to visit the pain clinic. Only been a couple of months wait so far.

I'm in agony every single day. My husband is brilliant but all he keeps on about is that I must go to work, find a job etc. how, where will I find a job I'm 50 yrs old and walk with aids, so tell me who is going to offer me a job?

I asked my GP for something stronger and eventually has given me diazepam 5 mg not strong enough the pain is unbearable

[deelightful]

Hello

I was referred to the pain clinic back in 2005, I have been attending it since. It was twice a year and now reduced to once a year. I have a top consultant who is involved greatly in research into pain. I am very lucky to have such care. Yes, sometimes it feels a waste of time, but it truly is not. I have had a lot of medication changes, you have to be patient, medication affects each of us differently until we can find the right one to help with the pain.

If it wasn't for the Clinic my pain would be out of control. I was introduced to a really lovely occupational therapist who really helped me to understand myself and showed me how to relax and reduce pain. Without that help I think I would have gone made. She was extremely kind and is always there if I need to see her.

The hospital I attend has been excellent, even though some feel it is not. All I can add is try and think positive, even if you go and chat to the consultant for 15 minutes, tell them everything. Write it down so you don't forget anything. Even type or write a list of all the things that you are going through, so that they have it on record. I have found this so helpful the doctors read it and can then understand me and what problems I have been having.

I wish you all well.

[cowsrock]

I went to the Hospital the other day to see Dr Trimmings about the pain from my Cervical Bulges in my neck.

He had seen me 2 months earlier and given me a Cort ozone injection between my shoulder blades which only lasted 3 weeks!, he said that he can not do any more until things get worse and that I should ask my gp to refer me to pain clinic as they can not do it any more.

I now have to wait till Friday to ask GP mad.

[michphil]

Hi, I had a visit from a OT which my doctor referred me to and she has been a god send. She has sorted out some new handrails for my stairs, a shower stool , a pulley to help me out of bed and measured me for a wheelchair. I was so grateful then she rang to say that she had booked me into the pain clinic which I never knew existed. She has done all this within 1 week of her calling to see me. It is nice to knew that some doctors do listen to me. I am off to the clinic this week so fingers crossed.

I had a new doctor who actually took a interest in my condition and listened to me moaning about my pain and he actually did some thing about it for me. It is nice to know that some doctors listen .

[sharron1 in reply to michphil]

That is wonderful that your doctor did this, please could you tell me what is your condition ie do you have fibro and more??. thank you

[michphil in reply to sharron1]

Hi I suffer from FIBRO oesteoarthiritis, migraines, etc the course was very informative as to helping you deal with your pain etc. I think Wotley explains it better for you. Hope your GP or OT can do the same. Gentle hugs xx

[sharron1 in reply to michphil]

Sorry did mean to ask you how you got on etc as notice that this post was 2 years ago.

[wotley]

I went to a pain clinic and was referred to a pain management group, it was a ten week course where a group of people who have chronic pain conditions attend. Although this was stuff I already understood being a nurse I hadn't been able to put it all together in my head and utilise it. The course involved changing negative thoughts or actions into positives, core exercises, pacing exercise and daily activities so that you don't trigger flare ups, taught everyone about how chronic pain and how a flare up is caused. Practiced meditation, setting reasonable goals, plans for increasing paced exercise, discussed sleep patterns and sleep hygiene, methods for relaxation, alternatives for treatment of pain, what to do when experiencing a flare up and loads of other important aspects of living with pain but most importantly they never once said we will stop the pain for you just giving you the skills to live and hopefully reduce the pain and flare ups. This worked amazingly for me and a few others, although I do still have pain, fatigue and flare ups, I cope better, with pacing I can still do the things I want to, I can work full time, I can exercise and through exercise I can stop a flare up within a week or two, I have reduced my medication and I have a new life after grieving and letting go of my old life.

I'm not sure how many places do the pain management group but if your area does do it give it a go, what have you got to lose, just go in with an open mind as most of us thought it wouldn't help but it did for us all, some of us had a massive improvement, some had only a small improvement, but we all improved.

[wotley]

Oh although it was a ten week course it was only one morning a week with lots of tea breaks in it too. Important thing tea breaks.

[michphil]

I have not been able to go back to doing as I used to I am virtually in a wheelchair now but the techniques they gave me do help me deal with the pain. I used to cry out in the night as the pain is so bad that I would wake my kids up, I can now del with it without crying out.