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.