I just read an email from a person (a veteran and senior citizen) who had a negative experience with a doctor in the VA system. The doctor challenged his use of prescription pain medication and questioned whether he was malingering and using these medications to avoid working. Horrible treatment. The saddest part is that this is NOT an isolated incident. It happens regularly (in and out of the VA system) to thousands of people who have chronic pain.
This person wrote: “If only this doctor could spend but a day in my wheelchair, and suffer the pain which I do and have, his attitude would definitely change.” That’s a powerful sentence and probably very true.
I replied: “You are not alone. Thousands of people feel exactly as you do and that’s why the American Pain Foundation is so important. The bottom line is that everyone deserves timely and effective pain management – and that sometimes includes prescription pain medicines.
Let me say that not everyone has to fight to get appropriate pain care. I now have a wonderful doctor and family nurse practitioner and am getting the health care support I need, but no one should have to fight for that kind of support. Every day I believe more strongly in the importance of uniting to take action and raise awareness of the undeserved stigmas and unacceptable treatment of chronic pain. Will you join me? Join with the American Pain Foundation so together, we can make a difference.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Back from Minneapolis
Minneapolis -- the home of Mary Tyler More. Yes, I found her statue just a block from my hotel.
After enjoying (and being overwhelmed) at the American Pain Foundation 2010 Summit in Minneapolis (and taking a day to at least partially recuperate), I’m back. I’ll be writing more (much more) about the conference and all I learned in the future, for now, the trip … in review.
I like Southwest Airlines. Unfortunately, this trip was on Delta Airlines. Nothing bad happened, just not up to Southwest standards. The plane left from a different, busier terminal. Coming home, I was at the furthest possible gate from the entry (walking is not my favorite activity with pain). Plane was crowded and I was forced to sit crooked to give the big (really big) person in the center seat enough room (crooked is not good for my back).
I will totally complement the Minneapolis airport, the light rail transportation system and the Radisson Downtown Hotel. Easy. Nice. Nice people.
One thing I learned about myself is I have spent so much of the recent years in isolation (I sit home alone most of the time because of pain) that when meeting with 150+ other people, it was overwhelming. So many people. So much talking. So much social interaction. It wore me out. Don’t get me wrong. All the people I met were wonderful and supportive and smart and motivated and many were also in pain. Still, whew. I need a rest … in my cave.
Coming soon … stories from the summit and what I am going to do to speak up for the millions in pain!
I like Southwest Airlines. Unfortunately, this trip was on Delta Airlines. Nothing bad happened, just not up to Southwest standards. The plane left from a different, busier terminal. Coming home, I was at the furthest possible gate from the entry (walking is not my favorite activity with pain). Plane was crowded and I was forced to sit crooked to give the big (really big) person in the center seat enough room (crooked is not good for my back).
I will totally complement the Minneapolis airport, the light rail transportation system and the Radisson Downtown Hotel. Easy. Nice. Nice people.
One thing I learned about myself is I have spent so much of the recent years in isolation (I sit home alone most of the time because of pain) that when meeting with 150+ other people, it was overwhelming. So many people. So much talking. So much social interaction. It wore me out. Don’t get me wrong. All the people I met were wonderful and supportive and smart and motivated and many were also in pain. Still, whew. I need a rest … in my cave.
Coming soon … stories from the summit and what I am going to do to speak up for the millions in pain!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Off to Minneapolis for the Pain Summit
I just finished packing. I leave early (really early) in the morning for the American Pain Foundation Pain Summit in Minneapolis.
Years ago, I used to travel regularly for work and learned to pack light – 1 pair of black pants, 1 pair of khaki pants, 1 black shirt, 1 tan shirt and 1 print shirt. That makes 6 outfits – black and black, black and tan, tan and black, tan and tan … you get the idea. I usually fly Southwest and am not used to the checked baggage charges (bags still fly free on Southwest). This trip I’m going Delta. Despite my expenses being reimbursed, I don’t like to pay for a checked bag (it just doesn’t seem right) so I re-learned packing light. No airline is getting an extra $25 to $40 from me!
I’m nervous about arriving in Minneapolis. The best way to the downtown hotel is by light rail. I don’t really know what that is and my back (and the accompanying pain) doesn’t allow me to carry luggage too well. Thank goodness for wheels.
No matter what, I’ll get there and then rest and be raring to go – learning about the APF and what I can do to help myself and others who live with pain!
Years ago, I used to travel regularly for work and learned to pack light – 1 pair of black pants, 1 pair of khaki pants, 1 black shirt, 1 tan shirt and 1 print shirt. That makes 6 outfits – black and black, black and tan, tan and black, tan and tan … you get the idea. I usually fly Southwest and am not used to the checked baggage charges (bags still fly free on Southwest). This trip I’m going Delta. Despite my expenses being reimbursed, I don’t like to pay for a checked bag (it just doesn’t seem right) so I re-learned packing light. No airline is getting an extra $25 to $40 from me!
I’m nervous about arriving in Minneapolis. The best way to the downtown hotel is by light rail. I don’t really know what that is and my back (and the accompanying pain) doesn’t allow me to carry luggage too well. Thank goodness for wheels.
No matter what, I’ll get there and then rest and be raring to go – learning about the APF and what I can do to help myself and others who live with pain!
Rx Medicine Interactions
On Monday, I went to a doctor appointment with one of my good friends from our pain support group. Sometimes it’s good to have a second person there to take notes and listen – without the pain, ownership and expectations of the patient. And I’m a good listener and note taker.
Because of screwed up thyroid test results, she went to see an endocrinologist. I was impressed that he spent a considerable amount of time with her and gave detailed explanations of his thoughts. His take on her hypo-thyroidism – it’s a result of the prescription medication she is taking to boost the anti-depressant medicine. I don’t know if this is true or not (she is going to get doctor consent, get off the thyroid medicine and get re-tested), but it raises the issue of too many medications and too many different doctors creating more problems.
My neighbor has a multitude of issues – heart, failed surgery, blood pressure, stroke, and who knows what else. He told me about all the different pain medications he is taking and all the side effects he is having. I am all about taking the right medicine to help me feel better, but I try hard to limit the number of different medicines I take. Every medicine has potential side effects and, in my opinion, taking TOO many medicines can’t be good … even if the doctor said everything will be OK.
Doctors, please take the time to review ALL our conditions and medications and get ALL the medical records so you can make informed diagnosis. And patients, don’t just rely on doctors, you need to be your own advocate. YOU are in charge of your health, not some doctor(s).
One thing I do know that works is a twisted Frosty (chocolate with M&Ms) from Wendy’s on the way home from a doctor’s appointment. YUM!
Because of screwed up thyroid test results, she went to see an endocrinologist. I was impressed that he spent a considerable amount of time with her and gave detailed explanations of his thoughts. His take on her hypo-thyroidism – it’s a result of the prescription medication she is taking to boost the anti-depressant medicine. I don’t know if this is true or not (she is going to get doctor consent, get off the thyroid medicine and get re-tested), but it raises the issue of too many medications and too many different doctors creating more problems.
My neighbor has a multitude of issues – heart, failed surgery, blood pressure, stroke, and who knows what else. He told me about all the different pain medications he is taking and all the side effects he is having. I am all about taking the right medicine to help me feel better, but I try hard to limit the number of different medicines I take. Every medicine has potential side effects and, in my opinion, taking TOO many medicines can’t be good … even if the doctor said everything will be OK.
Doctors, please take the time to review ALL our conditions and medications and get ALL the medical records so you can make informed diagnosis. And patients, don’t just rely on doctors, you need to be your own advocate. YOU are in charge of your health, not some doctor(s).
One thing I do know that works is a twisted Frosty (chocolate with M&Ms) from Wendy’s on the way home from a doctor’s appointment. YUM!
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Painting and Paying a Price
I don’t normally talk too much about my pain. I figure that if I focus on it less, maybe it will have less power over me. As I start figuring my way through the American Pain Foundation (what am I going to do, how am I going to make a difference, etc.) I feel I have to be more willing to talk about my pain.
For those of you who don’t know, short story – I broke my back in 2003. Pain still here. Thanks to morphine and a significantly limited lifestyle, I am not bedridden. Sometimes I do things (that I know I shouldn’t do) and then I pay a price. We paid a professional painter to paint our house. He didn’t do a good job and didn’t finish. Yesterday, I decided to paint the garage door to get it finished. Ouch. BIG OUCH! I only did a couple small panels. After that I took my immediate release morphine (for the acute pain) and then reclined for the rest of the day. I took a Zanaflex (muscle relaxant) at bed time. This morning – still OUCH. Guess today I will do nothing and try to recover.
Sometimes I just get the need to DO something … even if I have to pay a price later.
Interesting side note: I didn’t have any hot flashes during the sleeping hours (as I usually do from going through menopause). Could Zanaflex have a side benefit? I don’t take the muscle relaxant very often, but will try it again to test my hypothesis. Has anyone else had this side benefit?
For those of you who don’t know, short story – I broke my back in 2003. Pain still here. Thanks to morphine and a significantly limited lifestyle, I am not bedridden. Sometimes I do things (that I know I shouldn’t do) and then I pay a price. We paid a professional painter to paint our house. He didn’t do a good job and didn’t finish. Yesterday, I decided to paint the garage door to get it finished. Ouch. BIG OUCH! I only did a couple small panels. After that I took my immediate release morphine (for the acute pain) and then reclined for the rest of the day. I took a Zanaflex (muscle relaxant) at bed time. This morning – still OUCH. Guess today I will do nothing and try to recover.
Sometimes I just get the need to DO something … even if I have to pay a price later.
Interesting side note: I didn’t have any hot flashes during the sleeping hours (as I usually do from going through menopause). Could Zanaflex have a side benefit? I don’t take the muscle relaxant very often, but will try it again to test my hypothesis. Has anyone else had this side benefit?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)