What to expect when seeing a pain specialist/clinic

[HkL1135]

After many years of chemo, radioactive chemo, multiple surgeries, bone marrow/stem cell transplant for non-Hodgkins lymphoma, fibromyalgia, chronic inflammation, hypogammaglobulinemia, and diabetes, I suffer with chronic pain. I have taken hydrocodone/Norco for many years now. I typically take one pill three times a day and on bad days I have taken it four times a day. There are some days that I will only take half a pill three times a day for mild pain days. I never take two Norco pills at the same time. I would rather take a one Norco with two Tylenol for pain flareups and I typically take 800 to 1000 mg of ibuprofen once or twice a day.

My oncologist is who prescribes me 90 Norco 10/325 each month. He has a new nurse practitioner that works for him and I get the impression she does not like prescribing me the Norco every month. I’d don’t mind changing from Norco since it’s becoming very difficult to have it filled regardless if you have a prescription from a cancer office. But I know that I will need help with going through withdrawal symptoms since I’ve taken the Norco for so long.

Is this something a pain doctor/Clinic can assist with or help me transition to different pain coverage. I can’t just go into a rehab center for withdrawals and then not be expected to ever take pain medication’s again due to my conditions with chronic pain issues so that is just not an option for me. I’m a productive working person and because of the Norco, Tylenol, and ibuprofen I’m able to continue to be a productive working person.

What should I expect if I have my oncologist refer me to a pain specialist/clinic to help with my chronic pain and alternate pain treatments?

[backhurtz]

There are two different types pain management clinic- a procedural/interventional clinic- one that offers things like injections, physical therapy, implants, etc- they typically don’t offer medical management. The second is a comprehensive PM clinic- they offer similar procedures and medical management.
Typically they request all your records, imaging from previous drs showing your diagnosis/prognosis, medication/therapeutic history either before or at your first appt unless you bring those records with you.
They will go over previous treatments, options they may offer and typically do not prescribe pain meds on the first visit. Some require urine/compliance testing when prescriptions for opiates are given.