Hi,
I'm new here and freaking out. My doctor recently told me he's moving; and only giving me 2 weeks notice! He told me during an appt (which turned out to be my last). He also wrote my prescriptions for MS Contin & Vicodin at that time, 3 weeks ago. My meds run out 1 week from now, so I need to find someone fast. I've been looking on the web, but with no luck. So I turn to your group for any help it can give.
I've been on pain meds for 7+ years for chronic pain, and now have to find a new doc which scares me as I don't (a) have much time and (b) want anyone to think I am doctor shopping. This is my reason to ask for a recommendation of a GP or pain mgmt doc (MD or DO) that is compassionate and not simply looking at a patient suspiciously because he/she has a chronic pain condition that has been treated for the past X years (7+ years in my case) with painkillers. My medical history is:
I herniated 2 disks in my cervical spine, C5-C7 in 1997, due to sports injury. I also had 2 surgeries : I had an anterior diskectomy with bone graft from my hip (illiac crest) to fuse my vertebrae at C5-C6 and C6-C7. Only 1 level fused. I had a 2nd surgery - a posterior laminectomy & foraminotomy with hardware/screws attached to my vertebrae, which is still there. After about 1 year, my 2nd surgery was a success, my other level had also fused. I was very pleased and thought I was on the road to complete recovery.....which was true, until about 5 years later, in the summer 2003, when my worse fear came true:
I was at a stoplight minding my own business when a gentleman, who was looking at his cell phone and not the road or red light, hit my car and rear-ended me at an estimated 45 MPH, w/out warning to brace myself (such as screeching brakes). I had severe whiplash. Fortunately, my airbag did not deploy (it is my understanding that airbags don't go off if you are rear-ended because your first head and body motion from the impact is to move backward, then forward).
After a few seconds, I processed what had happened, and immediately noticed pain in my neck. I also recall a distinct "pop" or other similar sensation in my neck. At that time, my adrenalin was running so fast, my heart racing, that I did not know what was going on. But I did know I had the neck pain. Due to my cervical spine medical history, I went to the hospital, where I had x-rays and an MRI. Fortunately, my fusion and plates/screws stayed intact, so that was a relief (although I am told from time to time that I have a few screws loose)! However, it was determined that I had worsened bulging disk at C3-C4 (based on prior MRIs), and that I had continuing narrowing of nerve canals immediately above and below my surgical site.
As I was getting ready to leave the hospital, I was given a script for a few pain pills, and told to follow up with my doctor. This was August 2003 and prior to the accident, and after my first 2 surgeries, I was not taking ANY medication. I was feeling pretty good prior to the accident; would only have an ocassional headache, muscle spasms in the neck, sporadic arm nerve pain, but nothing I could not deal with on my own. However, since August 2003, that has not been the case.
Since then, I have had a deteriorating and debilitating medical/health situation. Within 2-3 days of the accident, I began to have a severe headache on the right side of my head, near the temple. I have had that headache almost everyday since then....chronically. It becomes so severe at times that it makes me vomit, not be able to see straight, hear any noise and/or have any light in a room (migraine-like). This happens 2-3 times per month and usually lasts 1-2 days. And, when it does leave, it really doesn't; I still have a really bad, painful headache that is manageable with my medication (MS Contin and Vicodin - although I don't think Vicodin works well for my breakthrough pain). In addition to my right-side headache, I also get periodic headaches on the left-side and/or at lower back of my head. Although these headaches can become intense, they are not nearly as debilitating as my right side headaches.
Due to the herniated disks, I am also left with permanent nerve damage, that causes intense burning pain down my arms and pain in my shoulders. Additionally, the pressure on my cervical spine feels like my spine will just snap one day! Among other medications, I have tried Lyrica and Neurontin for the nerve pain - to no avail. Actually, there have also been several others, but I cannot think of them off the top of my head. Anyway, during the past 7+ years, I have had multiple forms of physical therapy, spinal epidural injections, nerve blocks, prednisone, other meds for pain (Topamax - hated it) and muscular relaxation (Skelaxin, flexiril, etc). I only throw that in, so you can understand that I haven't simply been on pain meds. for 7+ years, although I have due to the chronic (and debilitating) nature of my pain. There have been other treatments I have left out, I am sure of that, but don't want to remember 7+ years of trying to make my pain go away. And, to make matters worse, I recently found out in June I have a herniated (not bulging) disk in my lumbar spine. This causes constant pain in my left leg (siatica nerve pain) all the way down to my foot - I literally can't stand stationary for more than 1 minute without feeling like I want to jump out of my skin. I am not sure what I am going to do with that long-term. For now, I am trying PT and hope that will help ease the pain. But, really, even with all the neck, nerve, arm, lower back/leg/foot pain, I can almost deal with all of that, if I did not have the constant daily right side headache!
Well, that is my not-so-brief story. Up until now, I have been able to see a wonderful doctor, one who was (is) caring and listens attentively to his patients. I felt lucky to have him and was (I thought) especially happy because he was about 40 years old, from metro Detroit (where I live), and I thought we would have a long-term patient-doctor relationship. That feeling of luck ran out for me 3 weeks ago (as he moved a week ago - a week prior to this past weekend) Now, I am in a frightening situation and need to find a new doctor who can work with me and my situation.
I hope to (quickly) find a metro Detroit physician that is compassionate and will listen and understand my situation and condition. My medication makes it possible for me to make it through the day. It does not have any effect on my mentally; rather, I am just able to function like a normal human being does without the medication, albeit, in pain, but, for the most part, it becomes manageable pain, unless I have a migraine/migraine-type headache. It has allowed me to work most days and participate in society; I'd be lost without it!
If anyone can offer any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it. I looked around on this board, but could not find anything that was a good match (doesn't mean it isn't out there; I just didn't come across it).
Thank you in advance for any help!!
Petrified and in Pain
P.S. My doctor moved almost 4 hours away from my home. I tried to tell him during that (last) visit that I was more than willing to make the trip to see him, as I know other people do travel some distances to see their physicians. He heavily discouraged that idea. However, if time (and my medication) almost runs out on me, I am thinking of trying to call him and request he see me as a "new patient" at his new practice to have the prescriptions renewed. I personally do not have any issue about getting my prescriptions from a new doctor. I am only afraid of either being told "no", treated like an addict and/or having someone "fill" my scripts partially and tell me to look for yet another doctor - which I think might technically be called "doctor shopping." Any thoughts on this sub-topic?