Guest guest Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 Hi All, Sandi, does your RSD Doctor makes house calls to Florida? I went to see this pain management doctor that was in a local magazine article on doctors. Not one of my doctors new of him but I am getting desperate for a doctor to look at this foot, to look at me, do a physical exam maybe? Anyway, When I got there and gave the receptionist my medical cards I also gave her the ANS card with my SPS registration and information. She looked at it like it was a foreign object and said she had never heard of a SCS and wouldn't know what to do with the card. This gave me a little bit of a bad feeling but then a big yellow lab trotted out of a door and I thought how wonderful, he must be an animal lover too and therefore can't be all bad. I filled out a bunch of paperwork and then the nurse took me back. My blood pressure was way up I guess from the incredible amount of pain I was in. At this point I can't barely walk with the foot on the ground I am practically walking on the ankle and along with the stabbing pains and swelling I no longer have any feeling on the heel and most of the bottom of the foot including the toes but I do feel pain inside the bottom if that makes any sense. Anyway, the nurse had me put on a gown and this I thought was encouraging, that at least I was going to get examined, And the doctor came in and didn't bother with introductions I had put out my hand to shake his thinking he was coming toward me and he looked at it and turned to my file and I said oh well, and put my hand down. Then it started. He immediately went to my medications and wanted to know who put me on the Fentanyl and that no way I should be on it and it wasn't right that my doctor didn't know what he was doing. When I tried to explain that I wasn't here for narcotics but for treatment he got louder and said I knew there was no treatment and that he would never give me the pain meds I was on and no pain doctor would. He was demanding the name of my pain doctor and I finally gave him his last name and he said he never heard of him and I said that was OK he never heard of you either that I was the one who asked to see him. Anyway, he said he had studied with DR Kirkpatrick in Tampa and he knew RSD and that DR Kirkpatrick would never give me narcotics for RSD either. That it was obvious that the narcotics weren't working as I had put down I was in ten plus pain and very limited activity. I tried to explain that I was that way because of the foot and if I didn't take the meds and that I had just started on the Fentanyl had not been on for a long time and they did better than what I had been using for breakthrough pain. I tried to explain about the Topamax and the foot starting up in October and he said that if it happened in October it was no longer acute but chronic and there was nothing to do about it. That RSD was on of those generic diagnosis like Fibromyalgia and nothing can be done to treat it and he wouldn't treat me and neither would any doctor in town and of course he is right about that but seemed rather proud that he was just like the other pain management doctor in town who is known by the other doctors as a big jerk, but a necessary jerk as he is the only game in town in pain management. Anyway, he never bothered to examine me, just dismissed me after treating me and making me feel like dirt. Felice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 Hello Felice, This is Mark out on the other side of the country, and I am sorry that you had to go through that experience. I had a similar occurrence this past Friday with a "consulting physician" in determining whether I should get Short Term Disability until I have my SCS placed in April. I always thought that the doctors were supposed to treat people based upon the "Pain Sufferers Bill of Rights until I spoke with this jerk. I was in tears for hours, and I finally got to a point where I am just angry, and will no longer deal with idiots like this. I saw my pain doctor today and let him know that he said there was no such thing as CRPS and that an SCS was worthless. He also said that some doctors put fancy titles after their name and think that this makes them special. My pain doctor just shook his head and said that once some people get into a corporate position as a consultant that some people just don't think that they need to continue learning once they have the corporate position. I am still furious and I know that there has to be an organization that these doctors can be reported to so that they can be investigated by the state or feds. In reading Barbara's post I have been wishing that her doctor's traveled the country to help others like her throughout the country. I guess we just have to keep on looking and fighting for our rights. I hope the fentanyl is helping, and hopefully you will find someone that will actually help you. Take Care... Mark B Anyway, he never bothered to examine me, just dismissed me after treating me and making me feel like dirt. Felice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 Mark - While some docs have "fancy titles after their names" some just have the title of "jerk" added on as an scholarly embellishment. Your pain doc sounds level-headed and on top of things. I just hope that he'she can be a strong advocate for you. I'd be glad to send my doctors your way, but only with an ironclad return policy in force. They are treasures....competent, compassionate, and genuine. I keep wondering what the heck I stepped in to get so lucky. While I trust that my doctors would treat me well even if I didn't have "traditional" health insurance, I can't help but observe that many of the folks here in our little group are covered by WC or state insurance. I have to say that there appears to be an inequity in how folks that have state insurance or workman's comp are treated/covered. My best to you - Barbara Mark D Boone wrote: I saw my pain doctor today and let him know that he said there was no such thing as CRPS and that an SCS was worthless. He also said that some doctors put fancy titles after their name and think that this makes them special. My pain doctor just shook his head and said that once some people get into a corporate position as a consultant that some people just don't think that they need to continue learning once they have the corporate position. I am still furious and I know that there has to be an organization that these doctors can be reported to so that they can be investigated by the state or feds. In reading Barbara's post I have been wishing that her doctor's traveled the country to help others like her throughout the country. I guess we just have to keep on looking and fighting for our rights. I hope the fentanyl is helping, and hopefully you will find someone that will actually help you. Take Care... Mark B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 16, 2004 Report Share Posted March 16, 2004 Felice just reading this message and I am just so confused. Is it the state of Florida, the area your in, I just do not understand how you can have such horrible swelling, pain etc. and not have a doctor that cares or willing to help you. This is absolutley nuts. Is there a way that you could call the State HealthAgency, Federal one, anything and get some help. Is there an ACLU group that would help. They are not my favorite group but if they could help would be good. How about going on television about no help and showing your foot? They have those programs on the regular tv stations around here and in Texas and Iowa for that matter. Heck thought they had them in most all states. Point being just seems you need the public to know what you are going through and get someone that has some power to help you. How about NIH could they help? Think those are correct letters........Some hospitals are willing to help you if teaching hospitals and are really interested in rsd and will pay your way to them and all or almost all expenses. WIsh I had more ideas for you this morning but that is it for now. Just so sorry Felice, this is just making me so sick for you. Do you mind if I look into what might be available for you. Most likely you have done all that work already and would just be going over same work you have done just can hardly stand doing nothing. If correct you live on east coast of Florida? Could you give me the name of town if okay to help. And if not I really understand. It is hard for me to see people mistreated, very hard for me. I will keep you in my prayers and please know I so want you to find help. Maybe my son in law would know of television station that could help, if he does, would you be willing to go to one? Gee another novel. SOrry..... s Momma JoAnn To: RSD-CRPSofAmerica Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 10:10 AM Subject: Re: RSD Doctor/from FELICE .. That RSD was on of those generic diagnosis like Fibromyalgia and nothing can be done to treat it and he wouldn't treat me and neither would any doctor in town Anyway, he never bothered to examine me, just dismissed me after treating me and making me feel like dirt. Felice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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