Re: Just one complaint per visit, please!

[Guest guest]

T. wrote: " I think that when patients like us go to a doctor, a

significant reason for poor treatment is the many docs are not prepared to

address more than one or so problems. They seemingly fail to understand

that were complex, multiply severely diagnosed patients, and can have not

only a number of severe active problems, but also a number of degenerative

conditions. In short, there is a tendency of many docs to view virtually

all patients as acute, needing brief treatments. We are chronic, needing

long-term treatments and often multiple kinds. "

What you say is so true! On many occassions docs have said, " And why are

you here today? " after I've just quoted my list of physical woes. Duhh, I'm

here because of all of these things, not just one in particular. And the

doc responds, " Well, I can only take care of one thing at a time. "

Sure, and that's why my MD wife often does three or four surgical procedures

on some of her patients once they are in the operating room. Wouldn't it be

ridiculous to make a surgery patient endure several operations limiting

surgical procedures to only one per day? If I'm going to go in for surgery

and have several problems that need surgical attention, please do all of

them at the same time!

I understand the grief doctors go through after discussing patient issues

with my wife. One thing most docs don't like to admit is that often they

don't have a clue about what to do. My wife has learned to say, " I'm a

Gyn/OB, and don't see patients for that particular problem. Do you have

another doctor who might be able to help you, or shall I have my office

staff call a doctor and get an appointment for you to see someone about this

problem? "

Chronic pain patients are a problem for most docs to treat. Why? Because

they can't make our problems go away with a pill. Take for instance my

esophogitis and GERD: starting Prevacid three years ago was a miracle cure

for reflux disease and calmed down the esophagus most of the time. Same

thing is true for my migraines. Imitrex by pill or nasal spray stops

migraines. I wish I could say the same for my Reiters Syndrome

(spondylitis), or my Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. But a

single prescription, nor several prescriptions can " cure " those problems.

Chronic pain is just that....chronic...never ending...always there...seldom

a cure. The greatest problem I see with modern medicine is doctors fear of

really treating patients for chronic pain. Under prescribing appropriate

medications for pain is a curse most of us have to live with because of the

fear our doctors have that they might be investigated for overprescribing

pain medications, or that they just might be " supplying " a drug addict. I

went to the same doctor for six years and suddenly after having me on pain

medications since last July, he decides that its time for me to be " weaned "

off of them. So, sorry, doc, but that doesn't make my chronic pain

conditions go away. Nor does it make for a very pleasant emotional life at

home for me and my family. Needless to say, I have changed doctors

recently. The new doctor understands chronic pain treatment even though he

is still fearful of being investigated. It's the world we live in whether

we like it or not. I do, however, encourage all of you to check out other

doctors if you are having trouble getting appropriate treatment from your

current physician. There are compassionate doctors out there who do

understand the problems of patients with chronic pain.

Ray in Virginia