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I have an appointment with my pain management specialist tomorrow, and I'm so worried that I can't eat.  I've never experienced doctors as a barrier to medical care before.  

They diagnosed me with fibromyalgia, and it's ruining my life.  This doctor has sent me to physical therapy and done a few things that helped a little, but mostly we just keep switching muscle relaxants that either don't do anything or make me sick.  I just want to not be in pain anymore.

I also have horrible menstrual cramps.  For three years, I took percocet for them.  That was never a problem until I couldn't see my old doctor anymore, and now everyone else says that the pain specialist should be prescribing them.  

Last week, I saw him, but my gynecologist's office screwed up and hadn't forwarded my records, so he couldn't do anything.  He made some comment that I can't remember exactly, which I interpreted as meaning that he would prescribe something once he had the records, but my husband interpreted as meaning that he might prescribe something if a permanent measure was on the horizon and wasn't going to otherwise.

That's what tomorrow is about.  

Everyone keeps telling me that I'm too young for painkillers.  I don't know how much of my life I'm supposed to spend in pain before I'm old enough to get help.

My parents keep saying that they can't believe this/can't understand this/wouldn't put up with this.  But this guy isn't the first doctor I've tried.  It seems like I'm just too young and I don't have cancer or a back injury, so my pain doesn't matter.  

What do I say?  Should I limit the conversation to treating my cramps, or ask about what his treatment plan for me is and why it doesn't include anything that relieves pain?  Does he not believe me, or just not believe that fibromyalgia needs treatment, or... I don't even know.  What do I not say?  This is ruining my life.
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356518 tn?1322263642
Hi,
  How are you doing, did the appointment go well? I really do hope you got some much needed relief.
I know it is very upsetting and I may sound critical here but unprofessional treatment for pain management in these times is inexcusable. They have the technology to know the disease of chronic pain is real as well as Fybro. I hear so many sad stories of people who can't get help for their pain and it angers me and saddens me.
We as a community as fellow CP sufferers need to do our part and stand up and say no more it is unfair.
The people who abuse the system to get narcotics to divert or abuse are the enemies here. They cause the untreated to continue with no treatment and cause the treated to have to jump thru hoops to get the help the need and deserve.

I am sorry for the rant. I hope you will continue to fight for fair treatment. Your age should not matter, your in pain therefore you need help. Some Doctor's think of Fybro as a catch all DX that some Doctor's use when they can't find the real source of pain.
Fybro is a disease that causes pain  and I personally deal with the pain each day so I know.
Please keep looking for treatment, there are some  great Doctor's out there.
Let us know how things go today. We are here for you and will help any way we can:)
Helpful - 0
1310633 tn?1430224091
I read your Blogspot.

I can't say that I "feel your pain", as pain is a very personal thing, but I can relate to the difficulties of finding a PM that'll give you adequate treatment. Seems pretty obvious that if you go into a PM, that you want to be treated for the pain, and not just blown off as it seems you've been.

It took me a while to find a PM that would treat my chronic kidney-stone pain and chronic pain associated with PKD, but after searching for a month or 2 and toughing it out (which blew chota, by the way) I found a decent PM.

The only words of encouragement I can offer are, hang in there and keep your chin up. It sounds like you're a feisty-fighter of a woman, so doing battle with the odd PM until you find the right one shouldn't be a problem for you.

Good luck to you, and welcome to the PM-Forum!

LMNO
Helpful - 0
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