Ok, so my appointment is next week. I was referred by the pain specialist I'm seeing, all I know is the appointment takes about 2 1/2 hours. And its supposed to help me to learn to deal with my pain.

Has anyone been to see a pain phycologist yet? I'm just wondering what to expect.

Tspauld - I am seeing a psychologist at the pain clinic concerning my "issues" with driving (more with being a nuisance as a passenger really). The first half of the first session dealt with how I viewed the on-going pain from the MVA etc. and how I was handling it. I am only guessing that your appointment would focus more on these issues and possibly some suggestions on relaxation, distraction, maybe building an imaginary happy or safe place to go to when in pain. I know my clinic offers entire courses on relaxation, biofeedback etc. Possibly yours does the same and you would then be referred to specific classes where you could learn different techniques in detail. My best guess only so please let us know about the appointment afterwards. Good Luck!

Wow T.

I went to a pain clinic for eleven weeks and without the clinic , I'm still in pain pain pain .... I cant do it with out them.

two and a half hour on how to control your pain ... ??? HUH

I surely hope this phychologist knows what she or he is doing !!!

Hopefully you will be able to find some kind of relief once it's over . ... or some new pointers or tricks they may have that we are not aware of ... please share with us .. hAving a bad pain day today .

T. ask them about a pain clinic ..... !!!
I find it reaaly difficult , that two and a half hours is enough time ??????

Maybe they have some books for you .. surely they cant expect you to recall every thing said at the appt.

My memory is so bad..


good luck , let us know how you make out
=^..^=

Wish I were of more help !!!

Excuse me for my excitement but they just broke in on the news that Sadam Hussein is dead. He was hung. I don't know if I really support the death penalty in the U.S. but I can tell you I think he deserved to die. He murdered or ordered his sons to destroy entire towns. He deserved to die.

Anyway, why in the world would you go to a psychologist you've never met b4 and try to explain in that time what has happened to you over the years-heck it would take me 2 1/2 hrs just to tell my story. So, what-this psychologist is going to tell you to meditate and try to go to a happy place when you have pain. Try it now. If you are in pain, try doin that. I did and it surely did not help my pain.

I don't know, tspauld. I just think you're goin down the wrong road on this psychologist thing. I'm not against psychologists-heck, I've been seeing mine for over 3 yrs now. My first appt was very awkward bcz I didn't know her but as time passed, I grew to trust her and spilled the beans so to say and told her all I've been going thru. She was so understanding. She never told me to go to a happy place. She put me on an anti-depressant which didn't work forme so she changed it to Prozac and that has worked great for the depression and panic attacks. I haven't had a single panic attack since going on Prozac.

I just hope you have really thought about this. Another thing-do you think the 3rd party ins is going to pay for this? They could dispute the charge which will be pretty hight for 2 1/2 hrs.

Sorry to be so negative. I'm in alot of pain tonight actually for the last few days and like I say, I haven't been able to find a happy place to go when I have pain. I also took yoga. They taught us to meditate. It kinda worked on my pain but only while I was meditating. When I stopped, the pain was still there.

Good luck if you decide to go.

donna

Tspauld,
Is this for Biofeedback? If it is they will want you to take a test that will take up to 2 1/2 to 3 hours. It is a fill in the the dots Phyc test. And that way they can get a idea of your character. It will be hard for you to sit and take this test so you will be standing and sitting trying to keep the pain at bay. And will just want the test to be done with. Everyone I have know who went through this has said they do not even remember what they marked because they were in so much pain after the first 1/2 hour that they just filled in the dots as fast as they could.

Sorry I just reread what I had typed the other day. It's been crazy around here.

I believe this is going to be a more than one visit thing. Because the first visit in the paperwork that they sent me is going to be 2 1/2 hours. Then hourly sessions after that. I'm still going to be seeing the pain specialist at the pain clinic. The phycologist took so long getting me scheduled because she needed to make sure the insurance was going to cover it. Not sure if the third party will but as of right now my Anthem is going to cover a max of 52 visits.

The pain clinic wanted me to learn some ways to deal with the pain, because they have already told me that it is not something that can be fixed and that I'd need to learn how to deal with the pain. The most they said they could do was to control my level of pain. So it may be biofeedback that I'll be getting. Not sure. I keep flipping between depression and being really angry that the whole thing ever happened. Wich they told me is very normal.

I believe that this pain clinic sends everyone to the phycologist along with recieving treatment with them.

I'm just happy that after a year and a half that someone is finally listening to me and not treating me like a loonie.

I really didn't mean to sound so negative on my post to you. I really hope this helps you deal with your pain. I'm just having a hard time dealing with my pain and I received a letter a couple days ago that the state has suspended my cash assistance until I contact them. I tried to call, but of course my case worker is on vacation until next Wednesday.

So, I'll have to call her next week, then wait for her to set up an appt. then once unsuspended, wait for the cash to be put into my acct. which means my rent is going to be super late. I think it has to do with this program they require everyone to go through. It's called DORS. It's a program to help you find a job. I told my case worker I had reports from 2 doctors saying I was permanently disabled but they said it's a requirement to go thru the program. I did attend the orientation and while there, agreed to sign over my medical records so they could see I couldn't work at this time. But, about a week ago I got a letter from DORS that said that if I was no longer interested in the program to call them or they would assume I was no longer interested in the program (my fault, with the holidays I forgot to call) but I'm not interested in the program. But, I think they count that as not cooperating. Or, it could be that when I was denied on my reconsideration for SSDI I left a copy of the denial (another requirement-any papers from SSDI have to be sent to her). But, I've recently applied for a hearing in front of judge and haven't had a chance to get those papers to her.

Anyway, the system is so crazy. I feel like filing discrimination charges against them. How can they make me participate in a program that trains me to return to work when I am disabled? It's so insane.

Anyway, I really hope the biofeedback works for you and does help you deal with your pain.

Hey T,,,

When I went to the Multidisciplinary Pain Management Clinic

the clinic doctor of this pain management clinic was a PHYCHIATRIST !!!!!

it was his pain clinic ... !

awesome clinic.. just didnt think it was long enough and that was eleven weeks out of town.

good luck

yep the angry and the getting upset and all that good stuff.. oh boy .. can it ever take you by surprise ..

please take your time .. I hope all works out for you ..
take care

=^..^=

Hope you are having a better day today !!!

Red - That must be some great pain clinic you went to. You were really there for 11 weeks? Our pain clinic is purely outpatient only. And the waiting list is a year too.
Did you actually live at the clinic or am I misunderstanding what you did?

Not a problem. I've had crappy weeks like that too.

We're just getting back from up north my MIL finally died on New Years Eve and the last week or so haven't been great around here either.

So sorry to hear about your mother-in-law passing on New Year's Eve. Give your wife our best regards. Hope you're having a good day today, tspauld.

Man O man! learning to live with pain...tell them, "I'm VERY experienced in learning to live with pain!". PAIN IS REAL! I do have moments where I can do things in pain, but the pain is still the sound-track to my day...it's almost insulting to me,when people say I can wish it away. My brother told me, "when you settle and the bills are all gone, you'll start to feel better" I got mad! I said, "my pain is real!". I've know this is real....

tell us, please; how it goes.

SO FAR< what has helped you??????

I think sharing your experiences with treating the pain per se is so so helpful to us here.

Ts, God be with you. Vee

"Pain is not a mental illness!!!"

The appointment ended up only lasting an hour and I go back on I think its the 16th and she's going over the questionere I filled out today.

Anyhow, apparently it is for bio feedback. The pain specialist wants to try to get me off from some of the vicodin, they feel my PCP has put me on an excessive amount. He changed me over, I think it was a month or so ago to 1 1/2 tablets of 5/500 every 3 hours. And upped my Lyrica to 3 times a day.


So I'm gonna give the biofeedback a try and I go back to the pain specialist on the 8th. It's a good thing they called me today because I thought it was for the 9th.

I hope that this works out for you. I try to keep seeing the bright side and think tomorrow is a new day and just maybe a few more answers for our pain

Thanks, I figure at this point I've got nothing to lose.

Blessings,

I just got Vicodin and I'm terribly afraid of what the ramifications are; of course with pain, it's all about NOW!!!
How do you feel about being taking off Vic??? does it help after a while? I take it @night only due to having to drive...

Best and please let us know.

Vee

Any relief in sight???

I never took it myself but I have a friend who swears she got cross eyes from it. Guess everone is diffrunt so you will have to see for yerself.

He is not going OFF vicadon, they are reducing the amount he takes. READ the post

I take it 3 times a day and I drive and cook and walk and talk on it! Geez Vee, just how are you going to get relief and move on if you only take meds at night? You finally get something to give you a chance at a decent day to day life and you take it at night? You might as well as take Nyquil or a PM as it will do the same.

IF the Dr. gave it to just for PM, it is another pat on the head and not any atempt to help you deal. And if he gave it to you for day use and you aren't taking it then, you are a fool and don't even want to have a chance at recovery! Which is it?

Tell me are you still going to continue taking the IBU?

....and somehow this post turned into 'all about vee'

good god.

why are you so afraid of the vicodin? IB is 100 times worse and you had no problem taking that.
i understand you have never taken narcotics before, but since you are in this debilitating pain, wouldnt something that offered relief be welcoming at this point??????

best to just let it go. Don't want her popping up under another name for tips.

i know but it just drives me nuts.


okay - its dropped. LOL

You all just slay me LOL

I understand that for now you only take it at night time and if that works for you, fine-no problem. I know you do have to drive to work so until you find out how they work on you, then you are fine to only take them at night.

I did same thing-I went thru he.. for months bcz it took me some time for my body to adjust to the meds.
After I was on the vicodin (btw did you get generic brand hydrocodone which is vicodin mixed w/aceteminophen=tylenol and much much cheaper than brand name). Anyway, I dealt w/cus all day long and was in pain all day, but let me tell you something, soon's I got home I was ready to take one.

Do what suits you best, hon. Surely don't want you to be DUI (lol).