Is there really relief for chronic pain suffers or is it all a load of crap????

@Loverbear (4918)
United States
July 31, 2007 8:45pm CST
How much relief is a chronic pain sufferer entitled to? I have suffered from chronic pain for the past 33 years. Up until 1983 it was my left knee, and I managed the pain from that with an occasional Tylenol. Then I was injured on the job which left me with my right hand, wrist and arm torn up and discs in my neck severely injured. Then in 1993 I developed digestive problems that left me riddled with intense pain. So, as of today, I have arthritis in my right shoulder, left knee, right hand and wrist, upper and lower spine, and neck. I also have chronic migraines and chronic pancreatitus. After being subjected to my mother's second hand smoke for 17 years, I was diagnosed with asthma. I go to a California University Hospital pain clinic which is a 500 mile round trip from my home. I go there once a month and they are trying some new and more severe methods of controlling my pain. In the mean time my local doctor is handling my pain medication. I am beginning to feel like I am in kindergarten again!!! I haven't ever abused my pain meds, I don't refill before the due date, I don't go to several different doctors to get the same medication prescribed. I space my meds out at proper intervals and don't mix my pills with booze. Right now, I am allowed ONE pain pill a day. My local doctor states that I should take Tylenol in between (Tylenol doesn't help this pain, believe me!!!!) I just called my local doctor's receptionist and told her to cancel my appointment for next week and that I wouldn't be rescheduling. I was in tears since I have been in agony for the past two weeks. When I went to the pain clinic a few weeks ago, they asked the question "Are you contemplating suicide?" the following question was "Do you have a suicide plan in place?" I thought that they were weird questions until now. As bad as the pain is, with no relief in sight, it makes one wonder how many other chronic pain suffers have the same problem with needing something to help control the pain and having the doctor tell them they can have ONE PILL A DAY. I even told the local doctor that I was willing to try something else rather than what I was on... It did clarify not only my father's alcoholism but those others that become alcoholics because they just can't get relief from chronic pain. The funny part is it seems like alcoholics are more understood than those of us that suffer from chronic pain!!! My biggest question is what happened to the patients bill of rights? If I remember right there is a section in there that says that the patient has the right to be free from pain---or something like that. Right now on a scale of one to ten the pain is at a 13!!! Other than booze and smoking pot (because of the asthma smoking pot is out, although it does make a reasonably good tea and it does help a little with the pain) what options are there---other than playing on the freeway in the 18 wheeler lane or something to that effect. It's been a long haul and I am sooooo tired of hurting. There must be an answer out there somewhere...
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