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GP Appointment

Posted , 6 users are following.

Bluebell21
Bluebell21

Hello all

I have had Fibro plus many other illnesses for over 30 years.

My tolerance to the unrelenting pain is getting much worse and I am already on a cocktail of pain medication.

HOWEVER, my doctor is very skeptical of the amount of pain I am in.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can explain to her just how much the pain is affecting my life?

She has just started me on BruTrans patches and as I already suffer from GAD (Anxiety disorder) and am extremely jumpy already, the patches seem to be making me much much worse and are not helping at all with any pain relief.

I have an appointment tomorrow morning to review how I am doing on the patches.

I guess I am asking 2 questions really. 

1.  How do I tell my doctor how bad my pain is?

2.  Has anyone been on BruTans patches and had side effects in the first couple of weeks.

Many thanks in advance.  Hugs to all

Bluebell xx

 

1 like, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • janet26165
    janet26165 Bluebell21

    Posted

    Hi Bluebell. It is hard to get people to believe how much pain we are in.

    I would write down how it affects you, like cooking causes pain and write down the level of pain it causes. Use 1-10 to score it. I would just lay it out to them. If you can't get anywhere with your GP you could ask to see another doctor.

    I haven't had the patches, so can't really help there.

    Good luck with your appointment. Take care and gentle hugs

    • Bluebell21
      Bluebell21 janet26165

      Posted

      Thank you for taking the time to answer Janet.  I did think about taking my PIP award in to show her.

      She is not very compassionate.  I've tried seeing a different doctor but she was even worse!

      Take care.  Hugs xx

  • JulieBadger
    JulieBadger Bluebell21

    Posted

    hi Bluebell,

    Sorry you are struggling in clear communication with your Gp.  I have had M.E. & Fibro as similar amount of time and unfortunately the pain too seems to be getting to me more these days.

    Medical people often relate pain as a 1-10 rating with 10 you rolling around the hospital floor in agony.

    You mention Fibro but not M.E. in my experience of having both the pain is different.  Have you got M.E./cfs.  I personally think doctors take more notice of cfs than they do of Fibro.  It might be worth u researching M.E./cfs before tomorrow. Godd luck x

    • Bluebell21
      Bluebell21 JulieBadger

      Posted

      Hi

      Thanks for your answer.  Yes, I have CFS and anxiety, depression, IBS etc., etc.

      I don't do myself any favours because I get up and dressed and move around all the time.  Sitting for any length of time is excrutiating.

      I had to list my symptoms for my ESA claim and there were 27!

      I have PTSD too, but my GP just looks bored.  I am so utterly fed up of the pain.  It affects everything I do. 

      Sorry, I'm rambling xx

  • kaz_40
    kaz_40 Bluebell21

    Posted

    Hi Blue bell my gp put me on pain patches, I had a severe reaction to it so had to stop. The affects I had was 3 days of having it on. if its not agreeing with you or having any affect on you then you must tell your dr. their is no point in struggling on if your getting no benefit from it and its making you ill.How I would explain my pain is on a scale of 1-10  1 being good 1o exreme pain.write everything down to help you explain everything thats what I do. To be honest I just come out with it tell my gp exactley how Im feeling I dont hold back. just be honest they are their to help if they dont my advice would be change dr or surjury and find some 1 that will listen.your gp needs to listen they arnt the ones going through the pain. we arnt in this condition for fun.Gps need educating in fibro they simply have no idea. hope all goes well with your appointment let us know how it goes take care gentle hugs xx  
    • Bluebell21
      Bluebell21 kaz_40

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply. 

      I will let you know how I get on. 

      Gentle hugs xx

  • cherl450
    cherl450 Bluebell21

    Posted

    hiya their bluebell

    i totally agree with janet by writing it down but for mei kind of lost my rag and told them we wouldnt see a animal suffer so why are they letting me suffer and they refered me to pain clnic and now i take liduid morphine when pain gets bad tramdol to keep it steady the patches didnt work for me, althoughpain not totally gone its alot more manageable unless i have a big flare up when i overdo things then i need doc out to give me a jab hope this helps

    love cherl xxx

    • Bluebell21
      Bluebell21 cherl450

      Posted

      Thanks cherl. 

      I take Oramorph for break through pain and Tramadol already as well as a couple of other meds. 

      I get the impression my GP simply doesn't believe me. 

      I had an out of hours GP give me a jab before. It was the first time in 30 years I had no pain. It lasted an hour or so and was bliss. 

      Take care

      xx

       

    • bronwyn97278
      bronwyn97278 Bluebell21

      Posted

      Morning Blubell, I have read all the above, and think they have given you some good advice......I just want to add:   Have you researched what pain reliefs others use/what is best for Fibro?  I did this, and then had discussion with my Rhuematologist (as they are the ones who know this condition best......perhaps I should also ask, Have you seen a Rhuematologist?   if not then this is your first step....and INSIST on a referral.....your GP cannot say No....it is your right (even go without a referral, if necesary.....the only problem without a referral is that you will have to pay for the visit, completely, out of pocket, with no refund from medicare/National Health Scheme......it has amazed me how many people who have GPs who think they can handle conditions, without referring them to specialists (this has always been why I have stuck with my family GP for over 30 years, as he never hesitated to refer any of us, if he wasn't sure).....you may find on researching the Fibro site, some other forms of meds that are Specially used to treat Fibro....there are quite a few, and have been Listed as a result from Rhuemy docs attending seminars/conferernces and doing their own research from all of the Clinical trials being done World-wide.  Please do as others have sugested.....list your areas of pain, and to what degree/when they are worse.(keeping a diary, as they say..this too will include what relief works and what doesn't).....take in the names of the drugs that you feel may be of help (one that I cannot do without is Amitriptylline and the other is Gabapentin).....and ask for that referral (if you havn't seen a good one).....good luck........Bron

       

    • Bluebell21
      Bluebell21 bronwyn97278

      Posted

      Hello bronwyn97278

      Many thanks for your reply. 

      Yes I have seen a Rheumatologist. He diagnosed me and referred me back to my GP. 

      I am already on the max dose of Gabapentin and tried Amitrypyline which had absolutely no effect on me at all. 

      That is one of the problems.  I am already on a lot of pain meds which just aren't working. 

      I have researched Fibro a fair bit and have had it for over 30 years. 

      I have told my GP the meds I am on are the best I have had but she is determined to take as many away from me as she can. 

      It is 2am and this is already the 3rd time I've been up since 10pm. The pain in my knees is keeping me awake. 

      I am severely depressed and beyond tired. 

      Thank you for your thoughts 

      xx

       

  • kaz_40
    kaz_40 Bluebell21

    Posted

    Thinking of you hope all goes well with your gp appointment today. sending big hug your way take care xsmile
  • elaine85769
    elaine85769 Bluebell21

    Posted

    Bluebell21,

    You know its very hard to get others to know how awful the pain is,where

    and when-once its diagnosed you have to really find your own ways of acceptance,

    And that in itself is hard-because when u go to Doc u may be on a good Day.

    So,just say this Phantom Pain is sometimes everywhere and today its....

    I have used Patches but not sure of one that I can tell medicine is causing me any noticeable problems except,the pain is better.

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