The Struggles You Just Don't See
Last edited Thu Oct 23, 2014, 08:27 PM - Edit history (1)
I had a thought that many of those who are probably in the health care field did not like that my thread( http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025690586 ) and was offended that I posted these sayings. Some nitpicked that I wrote charts instead of notes, my mistake. But overall they did not like to be lumped in with those who use these saying or terms, and I completely understand.
We in the world of chronic pain also do not like to be lumped in with those who do not do the right thing. We are labeled daily by many who could not ever understand what we go through.
We pay the price for the frauds who game the system, and those who are addicted. Then suffer the attitude of doctors and others in the field that do not want to spend the time or do not want their reputations to be harmed by those of us that have a difficult case.
We are shipped off to pain management when the doctors decide it's not worth spending anymore time on us. Where we are nudged into non FDA approved injections, off label use of drugs and such.
When those drugs do not help the problem or cause horrible side effects we tell PM what is happening and in a snarky tone we are asked which drug do you prefer? Have you ever heard a Cardiologist say this to his heart patient suffering from high blood pressure?
Then as a last resort after failed surgeries, treatments, injections and off label use of drugs, we are put on medications which are by seen by others as the worse thing since the plague.
Many people want them outlawed, even going as far as saying, so some people will suffer no big deal. Funny though some of these people will go home pour themselves a big drink and think nothing of those who have been harmed and killed by alcohol.
Problem with outlawing these drugs is that the abusers will find another source and those patients who are following the rules are going to suffer to the point they may consider suicide.
Some patients may go to the streets and try to find relief there and die of an overdose or some bad smack. They may think the drug they bought is a lower dose or whatever.
The end result is same, the person died in vain. But, in some people's eyes is it only just another dead oxygen thief, good riddance.
Others say MMJ is the answer for all the bad in the world and they even bad mouth these medications (see I can play that game also by using medications instead of opiates) to push their agenda which really bothers me since they say they want to end people's suffering.
We all have a agenda, mine is to end chronic pain and the stigma attached to it.
Allowing doctors and patients to use ALL the tools available without fear.
If those with chronic pain are lucky enough to find a doctor who is willing to use these medications we are forced the additional burden of paying for tests because others abuse the medications ( I just got the bill in the mail another 200 bucks out of my wife's pocket for the urine analysis ) even though many of us are already in financial ruin. Never mind the monthly co-pay which is 40 bucks for a specialist since we are not trusted with refills.
Perhaps the pain management should shoulder the cost of such tests since it is a part of doing business. I'm sure they can afford it and even could write it off at tax time. Employers do it all the time when screening potential employees, why can't pain management?
Never mind being at the pharmacy and dirty looks by customers and pharmacists as we fill our prescriptions if they will allow us to do so. Pharmacist worry about their livelihood. I too worried about my livelihood and tried to be retrained only to be told my back is a train wreck and left to fend for myself. Good thing I did not get a student loan because that would of been just another bill forced on my wife to pay.
Then there those of us who can not work and are looked upon as losers and entitled moochers. I get this even though I do not collect any benefits at all. Around my neighborhood I'm called the babysitter instead of a father because I'm home with my children. Mr Mom was very good for Michael Keaton, not so good for me.
And you want to talk about stress??? Please, I and I'm sure others who are in pain have a very close relationship with unrelenting stress which we can not escape.
Those of you choose to be in the health care field or any profession can leave anytime they like, I and many others do not have that choice, our stress and suffering is never ending.
Just a little insight from this side of the fence, I could of added much more but I need to take a break before my headache gets out of hand. This is how I'm controlling the Hydrocephalus at this point, knowing when to stop before I go over the edge and end up the whole day in bed and throwing up.
you may nitpick my writing or dispute something I wrote, as I never claimed to be a writer, doctor or whatever.
I'm just a crippled carpenter stuck here most of the time alone in a room to wrestle with my thoughts and demons from the past and in fear of new trial and tribulations I will face in the future.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Sounds simple, but it isn't. It's my very front top tooth. Feels like a drill is going through it. The pain is absolutely horrible.
X-rays say it's normal.
I'm mulling a root canal but I'm not sure that will fix the problem because the pain itself might be from an adjacent crowned (root canaled) tooth. (I'm procrastinating while I try to figure out the best solution) I don't particularly trust dentists. I'm a former nurse myself, but dental and medical stuff are totally different. (The only way that it's helping me, is that I am getting dental referrals from my trustworthy doctors)
Anyway I can't imagine having to deal with a shunt in my brain. I've seen cases of shunt issues which were alot like my tooth. Kids would come in appearing to be in pain. (These were kids under 2 which couldn't verbalize their pain) Imaging studies would be normal. Kids would be sent home. The next week they would be back etc.
I do hope things improve for you.
I wish I could say something, do something...
tooth. Pain is pain and we all have our own levels which we can handle. I don't want to see anyone suffer needlessly, including myself.
As you probably know, don't let your tooth fester too long as the infection could go to your brain and cause even more harm than just the tooth. I needed to have my crown and my root canal completely removed due to an infection. Now I'm missing a molar and was to have an implant done but my shunt surgery got in the way.
Glad to see you have empathy for those young children. Shunts have been improved but it is no where it needs to be. Image testing is not a good way to see if a shunt is malfunctioning because the ventricles may not change size at all from shunting. It is the first step followed by many others.
I did not have Hydrocephalus when I was young. It happened a few years back when (this is the only way I can explain what happened) my neck exploded into my head and I received the worse headache in my life. The headache settled down but never did leave.
I waited ten months hoping that the headache would go completely away but it did not. A brain scan revealed Hydrocephalus and a MRI of my neck revealed four badly herniated discs and stenosis of the spine in two areas.
The Neurosurgeon said I should have a fusion ASAP which I did. About year after that I had shunt surgery by another Neurosurgeon.
I don't regret the fusion by I'm starting to regret the shunt surgery because I'm suffering worse headaches now and my gait is returning the way it was before the surgery.
People my age rarely get Hydrocephalus, it more the very young or those in their sixties and up.
Now let me tell ya about my lower back 
No, I'll save that for another day, I'm sure DU is just waiting on the edge of their seats. (joking)
the kick 
due ONLY to human intervention (pain medication), then the intervention must stop IMMEDIATELY, and EVERYONE must suffer, as a result. 
what you are saying but if you mean that a Doctor did not monitor his patients and was "doctor shopped" then I agree.
But if a Doctor makes someone who clearly is suffering suffer more just because he is in fear of the DEA then I do not agree at all.
There will always be addicts and those who will provide them with their fix.
IMO it is up to the addict's family and loved one to step in and protect the addicts from themselves.
A doctor can only go so far and will not always be able to spot the addict but there are stop gaps in place to stop such things like doctor shopping and such.
NO ONE SHOULD SUFFER BECAUSE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S WEAKNESS OR THEIR DISEASE LIKE ADDICTION 
NOBODY should ever be in pain when they don't have to be. 
There's an expression how in America, lawmakers fear that someone somewhere is having fun, and we need to put a stop to it, now! I was trying to say something like that ... that is, that the fact that some addicts are feeding their addiction with legitimate pain medication means that as a society we need to take pain medication away from addicts by ANY MEANS NECESSARY, and if that means some members of society live in constant pain even though we could stop it, so be it. And I agree with you that this belief is complete bullshit!
That is, if abuses are occurring, then address those abuses. But do NOT take pain remedy away from ANYONE who needs it (no matter how convenient that avenue seems as a means of stopping addiction).
that is what you meant after I read it a few times, I hope I was not rude in my reply.
It is very hard for me to even understand my own posts at times and I need to even go back a day later and reread what I have written and I say to myself what hell did I write!!! 
For example I wrote nick pick instead of nitpick in this thread when I know damn well it's the latter.
It took two days to realize my mistake and it occurred to me when I was laying down last night. I jumped up and corrected my mistake while SMH 
I was never a good writer and now with this Hydrocephalus and of course my chronic pain it is very hard to read and write and understand both at times.
Thanks for the reply, I hope I did not insult you.