Pain clinic Very Important Information, PLEASE READ.

[lyndia]

Hi all. You might remember, that a few weeks ago I wrote about a pain clinic I attended in Liverpool in 1995, and said I would try and find out if this clinic was still running as a NHS clinic that took people in on a monthly basis - WELL IT IS STILL GOING STRONG. I found the number, and rang them this morning, AND if you have been to a pain clinic before, but there is little more help they can give you, you then get a referral from your own doctor, and with any luck she/he will write to them [ I think actually the doc., has to go through to the health authority in your location first, because it is funded by them, and they have to agree ] If you are selected, you are put into bed and breakfast near the hospital, and then you attend from 9o`clock in the morning, until about 4/5 in the evening [ over the years this might have changed a bit, but I don`t think it has]this is a fabulous clinic,and but for it, I would probably have been bed ridden by now, BUT you have to go in with a VERY POSITIVE ATTITUDE, their motto is: IT IS ONLY PAIN AND IT WON`T KILL YOU, BUT IS ONLY A NUISANCE. I live by this more or less every day, and when I am really bad [ or really at most times ]I chant this to myself, and then find something positive to do to distract myself, not easy I know, but it works most times. I know they have a pretty full intake at the moment, but if you don`t ask and don`t try, you`ll never know. Anyway, enough of my blathering on, here is the phone number and address

THE WALTON CENTRE

Rice Lane, Liverpool

L9 1AE

Telephone: [phone]

Fax [phone]

Best of luck to any of you that might try this, it really is worth while. If you have any questions you think I might be able to answer, please ask me lots ofhugs to everyone

Lyndia x

[Ginsing]

This is a brilliant alternative thank you for posting xgins I may have a GO

[lyndia in reply to Ginsing]

Hi Gins. I made a real effort this morning to find the papers, and Hey Presto I could`nt believe it when I found them, it was obviously meant, so, have a go, and see what happens, I am so glad I was able to have the experience. By the way, I think I wrote that my wrist was playing up,, and I had to go to see the specialist,WELL I go into hospital on the 30th July for another op., for a replacement joint on my index finger. I hate it it, because it takes 9 months before I am able to use it, and then time after that to really get it working, never mind, it is getting so painful now, I can`t use it anyway. All the best to you Gins if you go for the pain clinic, if you get selected, you won`t regret it. hugs

Lyndia x

[Hidden]

I am going there at the moment very good so far x

[lyndia in reply to Hidden]

Hi. So pleased you found this place, I found it brilliant, and I hope that it works as much for you as it has for me over the last 20 yrs. If you can find time to write about your experience there, please do, it just might help someone else. Very best wishes to you, and hope you are feeling better already. hugs

Lyndia x

[gailmarie57]

I went to my first pain clinic appointment at Bolton one yesterday, and to me it was a complete waste of time the effort of going, (hips playing up yesterday) and inconvenience of parking (no blue badge) third floor multi story, then walking about 500yds in the rain, that a normal pain free person would have covered in a couple of minutes took me 15, as being deaf as well had to go to the pelican crossing at the busy junction, (don't hear what direction traffic is coming from) sat waiting in a very uncomfortable chair for 15 mins, not long I know but when hips are hurting the feeling of pressure is excruciating.

Went to see the practitioner/doctors who asked about pain and sensations I experience, How do you get through to these people that the pain isn't localised, some days worse than others, try to explain mood swings etc, the fact that sleep is very near impossible due to the nightly ritual of a very annoying floral dance my legs go through along with the feeling of pressure on various points on my body. So don't sleep, maybe get to sleep one night in three, and this is broken sleep. Only to be told that the meds I am on are the right ones.

All they did after this uncomfortable interview was to ask me to bend and stretch, again a painful exercise, they tested reflexes, at which point they came to the conclusion that my limbs where quite twitchy when they tried various things, Of course they twitched, being tapped with a rubber drum stick like instrument hurt like hell. then to cap it off put the fear of god into me, when they said because of the twitching would write their report for the GP and that I should go back to her and asked to be referred to a Neurologist to check for any underlying problems, and go back and see them again in six months time.

So here I am in pain with all kinds of thoughts running through my head with a sense of panic, with no idea of what pain management clinic was all about as it helped me in no way what so ever, in fact made me worse, Go back in six months I don't think so.

OK rant over thank you for reading, may ask about this clinic though.

[lyndia in reply to gailmarie57]

Hi. Sorry you had such a bad time, but that`s pain clinics for you, I`ve been to a few of them in my time, and then I found the Walton centre , this is a different kettle of fish, in as much as, you actually stay there if you accepted for a month, and it is brilliant. I t is about 20 yrs since I went, but, as I said in my blog, I actually rang them the other day to see if they are still doing the same thing and they are. You would have to ask your doc.,to write to them for an appointent, saying that you had tried all other options of pain clinics etc., that had not worked for you, and she/he consdiered this to be your best option if they thought you suitable, if you then got an appointment with they then assess you to see if you would be the right sort of person to go on the scheme. I can only say my month there was the best, they can`t cure you, they can only give you the wherewithall to be able to learn how to control the pain without drugs if possible, and to have a better life, it has worked for me, especially when the pain gets beyond a joke sometimes, and you are able to put positivity and distracting action into place, I know it sounds daft, but it works, not always, but most times. I hope this has been helpful to you, don`t just disregard it, try it. best wishes, and hope your pain subsides soon.

lyndia x