I’ve waited 8 months to try to get answers. 8 months in pain everyday when I do something my joints hurt, all because of a stupid summer job. I am still fighting to get something and I was sent to you, 8 months ago to find out what my problem is. Not even to get treatments yet. You, as a bored to death doctor, just sent me strait home, barely acknowledged me and didn’t even cared about my questions. 8 months of wait to hear you say : “Well your doctor wanted to know if you have that problem and you don’t. Go home he will call you.” I asked questions and you wouldn’t even look at me, too absorbed by your computer. You didn’t even cared about me or my symptoms, only what your assistant gathered as information and what my doctor wanted. Well, your assistant did a better job at explaining me the process and talking to me than you did, maybe you have some basic social skills to learn from him, but I doubt it’s your style. —Still In Pain And Waiting
This article appears in Apr 18-24, 2013.
Hey OP – I hear you. I had a similar situation and knew I wasn’t getting the answers I needed. I came to the realization that I had to trust there was something seriously wrong and pushed and pushed. When that specialist refused to pursue diagnosis, I did my own research and when to a new specialist. It took a year and a half, but I finally got a diagnosis and treatment needed and can now move without crippling pain. Press forward and don’t accept incompetence or lack of care.
yikes, if you can get into the pain clinic at the d’mouth general, they might be able to help
Okay wtf is wrong with these specialists? I had a similar situation with a specialist last summer. He was rude, dismissive and acted like I was wasting his time. Meanwhile, my doc had me in on an emerg referral. I told him what made things worse and he told me to do more of that!!! I did research in medical journals and they backed me up and said he was wrong! I’ve been actually doing better since I’ve done my own research and devised my own treatment plan!
He’s sending me for a procedure. He said the wait list was three months. I’ve been scheduled for this coming Monday — a year after the test was ordered. He said it was uncomfortable and I could get sedated, but it takes five minutes for it to kick in and they’re not waiting for that so I might as well suffer it out.
Like FUCK they aren’t waiting it out.
I hope you go back to your GP OB and tell them the situation! This whole shit about most specialists spending 75% of their time researching is bullshit. We need doctors who are going to see actual patients!!!
hahaha. It took me 10 YEARS.
Doctors can’t help you. Call a taiji master, yogi or physiotherapist.
Doctors in this country don’t know how to manage pain without getting you addicted or threatening you with a wheelchair.
Source: I HAVE BEEN THERE. You have to trust me. There is nothing they can do. Do NOT rely on doctors, even these so-called “pain clinics”. It had to get to a point where my arm felt like it was always being broken and set on fire. I started hallucinating because it got so bad. My weight fell to 85 lbs. I couldn’t pee without help.
You have to listen to me before it gets this bad.
i take martial arts five days a week. I am almost pain free 90% of the time. Before this i was unable to walk about four months out of every year. No appreciable response to any “therapy” western medicine provided. No remission observed.
I’m fine now.
it’s not a *so-called* pain clinic. i get a steroid shot a couple of times a year, it helps and allows me to have an active life
fair enough. That did nothing for me.
It depends on the cause of the pain.
The problem is that with a lot of pain, there is no ‘treatment’ that you don’t learn to do yourself. Martial arts (internal martial arts) was the ONLY thing that actually did anything to help.
it’s a very old injury involving discs, whatever works for you is good. being in constant pain is horrible
Maybe he thought you were faking OP. Are you?
My mom has pretty bad tennis elbow. Nothing has helped in the long run (physio helped for a couple days after the appointment, but the pain came back) until her and I started working out together and she started stretching and lifting weights. She also swims and we sit in the hot tub and she puts her arm over a jet after the work out and her arm is starting to come around. Crayons has a great point!
yeah OB fakin hard to get summa dem oxycottons.
Cool story, crayons. I now avoid doctors too. I went from having trouble walking to running marathons, all under my own research and direction.
I sadly hear this all the time.. I know someone who has been having medical problems for over 2 years and they still don’t know exactly what is going on.. The only thing that works is to keep pushing, asking questions and don’t let them forget you.. I think dr’s see us as a yellow file in their office instead of people sometimes..
I’ve heard great things about nurse practitioners. Doesn’t help the specialist situation but I’m really considering dropping my doctor for one because they have a broader scope than just ‘pop a pill’
I’ve been thinking along the same lines as no_fuel lately. Time for some introspection.
Great call on the Martial Arts thing eats_crayons!! So glad you are feeling better. My arthritis (i have a severe form–bitch of a thing!) and general joint stability improved best with surfing (felt a huge diff in just two weeks), as well as following the direction of my physio–and that was long after medicinal tx was initiated…..but getting the system to believe that involvement in a sport is central to/a major part of your treatment regime is another matter all together (a REAL show of STOOPID, if you ask me)!!
Truthfully, physio and sports have been the biggest components of my recovery….OP, ask your GP about a physio referral–there are lots of great ones in the city, and physios know A LOT about pain management. You may need a few xrays first, but trying a new/different route to dealing with your injury/health issue is better than sitting in pain and waiting for someone to care who doesn’t care. Hope you make out ok.