I keeep all that info in my wallet to. Before all doctor appointments I also write notes of questions I have for them and give them to them to answer. Otherwise I forget. All my docs think its a great idea and if I dont give them the list they ask for it. I also do it for my dog at the vet. With my Fibro fog I forget easy. Or maybe its just old age. HA!

Dont say you are at a ten in pain or it is off the charts, that is virtually impossible. They will think you're after drugs. Be honest with them about where and what type of pain you are having, how long it lasts, depression if you have it, sleep problems, pain management is there to help you, and yes give you drugs, but the ones you need.
Most people have a pain med list they can go up, I can't I am stuck at oxycodone/percocet. I am allergic to Demerol and morphine, methadone ect, I use a muscle relaxer, antidepressant and gabopentin. Start small so with age you have somewhere to go.
Luck and hugs.

I have been going to a pain doctor for 22 years. Be truthful. Let him know everything that is going on. Make a list of what you want to talk about. Keep an open mind. He may want to try some new meds if you have been on meds before. Let us know what he says. Good luck and soft hugs.

I think like everything, you need to ask questions before committing to their treatment. There are laws in place that once you start working with that pain clinic, they are the only ones who can treat your pain. Different things I found out were, some pain clinics only offer one type of pain treatment (maybe they only give steroids, or they will only issue a certain drug, where others are committed to offering several types of pain management (injections, pain meds, non narcotic meds only, etc.). What I have found, if the pain clinic is not very responsible, you can have an issue with the medication they gave you, go to the hospital and they will not be able to do anything for your pain (like if you were having a reaction to the med) the hospital can not treat anything to do with pain like take you off a pain med you are having a reaction to and give you something else...it would be against the contract you signed with the pain clinic. I would suggest asking what different options they offer to treat your pain (and for me I like more then one option) and do they seem willing to answer your questions and do you feel comfortable with them. I have found that the pain management with fibro is key...not only with a pain clinic but diet, exercise (even if you only do stretches), reducing stress & caffine. Also, sometimes you may need physical therapy or maybe chiropractor services. I try to get a team of doctors/facilities who are informative, professional, respectful & committed to helping me MANAGE my fibro. It seems like a process I am always tweeking (it's taking less time to tweek my health plans ... and, more time is spent managing now). Stay strong, it may be hard to believe, but, it does get better (managed pain). Hope your day goes well ! Regards, Debe

@A MyFibroTeam Member, My first appointment at the pain clinic was with the PA. She asked my pain level from 1 to 10, and I said sometimes it hits a 15. She was very sympathetic and did not treat me as a drug addict at all. She was very knowledgeable and informative. She said they do prescribe Class IV drugs, but typically start out with other meds and types of treatment first.

This appointment was mostly conversation. She went through all the trigger points, and she hit on a few I didn't know I had. She was very gentle, but it still hurt. She prescribed Zanaflex, a muscle relaxant. When my fibro flares, my back tightens up and I have severe low back pain. The Zanaflex works for me, but it makes me sleepy, so I mainly take it at bedtime. A good night's sleep helps me handle the fatigue and the daytime pain much better.

My second appointment is in a few days. I am scheduled for an epidural to alleviate the excruciating sciatica pain. After we see if the injection helps, the doctor will try other treatments (tens, acupuncture, etc) to relieve pain in other areas of my body.

I would suggest to you that you go in with an open mind. I tried 3 or 4 different doctors and clinics before I found what works for me. Good luck, and tender hugs.

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