Hi Annie,
You are three weeks post-op, and still experiencing pain? You also say your doctors do not care about the pain, and I am so sorry you are dealing with this!
To get rid of your pain, you need to find a doctor or nurse who DOES care and who WILL take your pain seriously. It is important to rule out any possible infections or other causes to your pain. It is also important to talk with your doctor and advocate for yourself, asking questions regarding their pain management philosophies and their expectations for your recovery. Here are a few questions you can ask:
- I am still experiencing pain [describe type, severity, intensity, duration, location, triggers, etc] 3 weeks post-op, and would like to know what I should be expecting in my recovery at this point.
- Should I not be experiencing pain any longer? Since I am still experiencing pain, what are my options and next steps?
- Have we ruled out possible causes to my pain?
- Are you concerned about possible addiction to pain medication, and if so, what can I do to alleviate pain (after medical reasons are ruled out) without medication? Is there other pain medication that is not addictive (if they think you are just calling to seek out medication; some patients do get this "bad rap")
- I do not feel you are taking my pain seriously, and I do not want to feel like a "high maintenance" patient with you. I am experiencing pain that is unmanageable (explain how it effects your day briefly), and would like a second opinion regarding my pain management.
These are some options for you, as I am not sure how far along in this process you have already been. Does any of this help, or are you more frustrated then ever? How can we help?
Comment Reply
Hi Annie,
You are three weeks post-op, and still experiencing pain? You also say your doctors do not care about the pain, and I am so sorry you are dealing with this!
To get rid of your pain, you need to find a doctor or nurse who DOES care and who WILL take your pain seriously. It is important to rule out any possible infections or other causes to your pain. It is also important to talk with your doctor and advocate for yourself, asking questions regarding their pain management philosophies and their expectations for your recovery. Here are a few questions you can ask:
- I am still experiencing pain [describe type, severity, intensity, duration, location, triggers, etc] 3 weeks post-op, and would like to know what I should be expecting in my recovery at this point.
- Should I not be experiencing pain any longer? Since I am still experiencing pain, what are my options and next steps?
- Have we ruled out possible causes to my pain?
- Are you concerned about possible addiction to pain medication, and if so, what can I do to alleviate pain (after medical reasons are ruled out) without medication? Is there other pain medication that is not addictive (if they think you are just calling to seek out medication; some patients do get this "bad rap")
- I do not feel you are taking my pain seriously, and I do not want to feel like a "high maintenance" patient with you. I am experiencing pain that is unmanageable (explain how it effects your day briefly), and would like a second opinion regarding my pain management.
These are some options for you, as I am not sure how far along in this process you have already been. Does any of this help, or are you more frustrated then ever? How can we help?
March 6, 2011 - 8:17pmThis Comment
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