Thursday, October 13, 2011

Are you listening?

I am simply at the end of my rope, dangling by a thread and unsure of what I will fall into. I am in so much pain, my doctor won't help, my husband doesn't get it, my kids well... are kids. I don't know what to do. I contacted a lawyer who told me that in order to get disability I need to quit my job. I can't quit my job because it would hurt my family. I can't keep working because I am in so much pain and nothing is working!! I have had a kenalog shot, a round of prednisone and I am taking the last of the pain medication I had on hand that was prescribed for my back. The doctor will not give me any pain management and I am self medicating at night with OTC sleeping pills, ibuprofen 800 mg, and the pain pill just to sleep. I keep praying for something to happen and yet it doesn't change, please please pray for me. I hate to ask others to intercede for me but I don't know what else to do.

7 comments:

  1. What kind of doctor do you have? I can't think of ANY reason why a doctor would NOT help an RA person to manage their pain. Why are you not on any of the "power drugs" such as enbrel, humira, plaquenil etc? Why are you not on a better NSAID? I have so many questions for you. Do you have a rheumy as if you don't, get one pronto. If this is your rheumy, fire him and get another. This is ridiculous hearing of this over and over again. I'm so sick of the blase' attitudes of some doctors. Oy. Hugs. Tammy

    ReplyDelete
  2. You have a couple of options here...fire the doc as Tammy suggested. Go to a pain management specialist but before you do, call to make sure they will treat you for your disease...give them the specific name and ask if they treat the pain for it. Alot of pain specialist refused to treat my ra and told me my rhuematologist was suppose to be doing that...yeah...alot don't. Next, check to see if your job has short term disability available. Find out a way to check without having to go to HR...check your employee handbook. You could then (make sure your ra doc is on board ahead of time) go out on short term disability until you get the pain controlled properly. Also check how the short term disability will impact your insurance (will your job continue your healthcare or not). If you are working for a small employer (less then 50 employees) chances are they won't have short term disability. If you work for a large employer, they will probably have both short and longterm disability. You need to call your ra doctor and insist he have a meeting with you on how he plans on helping you to stay employed including pain management. If he/she is not willing to discuss this, find yourself another doc asap while you are making that pain management appointment. (((HUGS)))). Hearing these stories over and over just gets me soooooo angry! And of course I will put you on my prayer list. That is the very least I can do.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for you comments ladies, lots to think about. I am on Enbrel and methotrexate and I do have a rheumatologist. I don't know why she is with holding help for me. I will see soon because my daughter is going to see her next week and I am going to have a LONG discussion with her and get some ANSWERS.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I like that you are bringing your daughter. It could be that this ra doc doesn't believe in pain meds as many do not. And what I am referring to are the narcotic ones. Have you tried pain relievers like Ultram/Tramadol. I have used it for years and it does OK by me but many think it doesn't do any better then Tylenol, etc. But alot of use will need real pain medications even when we are on the tnf's etc. If this ra doc won't work with you, move on. But please explain to this doctor that you need to keep your job and you want pain relief to keep it and that what you are currently doing is not enough. Then ask her/him for a plan. If pain medication is not in that plan ask why. If this doc mentions addiction...it is time to move on. We don't get addicted to narcotic pain medication but we do become dependent but there is a BIG difference between the two. Again, good luck and please post on the results if you don't mind.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I had been taking tramadol for help during flares, I don't really like it. It made me itchy and unable to sleep at night, not a good combo. I can't understand the reasoning behind the no pain medication thing but I will find out soon. I do know it Florida there is a lot of pain pill fraud and sales and maybe they are being more strict with docs?? I dunno. I am taking my daughter because she is 17 and has RA also, newly diagnosed she too is in a lot of pain. :(

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh poor baby! I am sooo sorry to read this about your 17 year old. Now you have double the reason to ensure that you have a great ra doc! Hope things went well or that you are out looking for a better mechanic...um...rather doctor (hope you got a laugh out of that one). Most people spend more time hunting down a great mechanic then a doctor. Good luck and looking forward to reading your next post...hoping things went better for the both of you.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Praying for peace. Peace in the waiting for it to get better. And for it to get better.
    "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope".(Romans 15:13)
    :)

    ReplyDelete