constant intractable pain

[Jim0709]

In 2005 I was diagnosed with constant intractable pain by my pain management physician. I have had  11 major surgeries, with 4 of them being partial gastrectomies, my gallbladder has been removed(old style surgery, have a scar half way cross my abdomen), my right femur and left wrist were shattered and ground up when somebody pushed me out a third floor window at my barracks at Ft. Knox KY(don't qualify for V.A. benefits was drunk at the time and it was determined in the line of duty investigation that it was due to my own misconduct). Have just received Social Security Disability benefits due to congestive heart failure. I have suffered 5 major heart attacks (was in a V.A. substance abuse housing facility but got kicked out because I suffered a heart attack in August of 2007 -- missed three bed checks in a row due to being in ICU at the local V.A hospital in Houston TX. I was discharged on to the street with all my personal belongings piled around me in front of the Midtown U.S. Vets facility at 4640 Main Street in Houston.(they receive $1800.00 per vet per month in payment but we were expected to pay our own rent), as punishment. The V.A. hospital(Michael E. DeBakey VAMC) subsequentially refused me medication and treatment. I went from August 2007 through July 2008 with no Beta Blockers, no Blood thinners, no Antiarrythmic Drugs; no medication whatsoever! I tried, unsuccessfully to get my medication at this hospital but was ordered to leave. So, in July 2008 after obtaining 'real' insurance and a 'real' doctor(as opposed to a physicians' assistant(said all he could give me for my pain was 325mg of Tylenol), I went to see a 'real' cardiologist. I suffered my second heart attack while in his office and he performed surgery to place the second stent in my coronary artery.
On my birthday, July 9th, I had a Implantable Cardioverting Defibrillator placed in my chest to prevent  SCA(Sudden Cardiac Arrest - due to the arrythmias that were detected during my surgery in 1977 to place an intermedullary rod and two screws in my femur while I was at Ft. Knox). My left wrist developed arthritis and was fused in 1986 after my second ulcer surgery.
So, while standing on the street in August of 2007 after the first major heart attack, I was faced with the problem of, where do I go? What do I do? I had already survived the streets of Houston from Jan. 2007 till August 2007 and was very scared! I could not believe that the V.A would treat me like this, but they do.
I managed to get an apartment at 1901 Richmond Ave. in a drug infested neighborhood,(in fact some poor guy, I knew him as Doug, died downstairs and his body lay there for two weeks really smelling bad before the city came and got him, I remember watching as they removed him in a red body bag from his apartment), but I digress.
Now I'm in Dallas, much nicer apartment thanks to the job I got and subsquentially lost, on disability and want to know, is there a doctor local to the 75238 zip code that accepts medicaid and that would prescribe Fentanyl patches? I was placed on 75 ug/h until I lost my insurance back in 2007. I have had no relief from the pain I suffer and am ready to just give up! I have had enough pain to last several lifetimes and am tired! I know I probably won't live to be 65, I'm only 50 now and my heart condition is worsening. I cannot take morphine because it works to quickly and tends to lower my blood pressure rapidly. I know Fentanyl takes at least 6 hours to metabolise and become clinically effective and that, since it is a transdurmal patch that it will not reduce my blood pressure so quickly if at all. I am sick of the pain, my quality of life is nil and I'm tired!

[Cindee56]

Hi Jim, I'm so sorry for your problems.  I sent you a PM.

[Tuckamore]

Hi Jim,

You certainly have suffered a lifetime and more worth of pain and pain related issues. I am sorry to hear about them. Sometime the hands we are dealt in this life seem so unfair.

I do not know you area at all. I do know we have members from TX. I will try to contact them if they do not respond to your post. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing. Take care, Tuck

[MontanaGurl]

I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PROBLEM.  I AM NOT FROM YOUR AREA AND DO NOT KNOW HOW YOUR HEALTH SYSTEM WORKS.  CAN YOU CONTACT A LOCAL SOCIAL WORKER EITHER WITHIN V.A. OR WITH THE COUNTY / CITY HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND HAVE THEM HELP YOU? LOOK IN THE YELLOW PAGES AND JUST START CALLING CLINICS AND ASK THEM IF THEY TAKE MEDICIAD NEW PATIENTS AND THAN IF YES THAN MAKE AN APPT.  I WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK IN THE WORLD AND IF YOU COME BACK INTO THE CHAT, LET US KNOW AN UPDATE............MONTANAGURL