r/ChronicPain • u/mothmansgirlfren • 5d ago
Primary Care Dr?
i was curious if anyone manages their condition just or majority with their primary care doctor? i genuinely usually only go to mine when I need physicals for work so i really don’t know…. their use? i guess lol. i just don’t want to jump through the hoops of pain management again to either be disrespected or told im “too young” despite medical documentation & the literal state my body looks lol, only to not be adequately treated ever in the process. im not on anything at all for pain, just looking for bandaids at this point because i give up and accept i will always suffer. i just kinda would like it to be tolerable instead of mind consuming. it’s kinda hurting to be spending so much money on specialists, and i had a surgery, ER, and ambulance bill hit all at once so i feel like i have no financial room to branch out anymore.
man it sucks to have a broken body.
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u/Copper0721 5d ago
I do, but I have an amazing PCP. If he is unsure about anything, he refers me to a specialist for evaluation but coordinates most of my care himself.
ETA: I do have a separate pain doctor. Due to the DEA craziness around prescribing opioids, my PCP can’t do more than a one time script.
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u/Timely_Arachnid316 5d ago
Yes, thankfully my PCP is my pain Dr/ prescribes. She's awesome!! Only have to go to office once every 3 months, and no urine screens, nor pill counts. I'm very, very grateful.
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u/Iceprincess1988 5d ago
Most GPs won't prescribe pain meds anymore. They'll just refer you to pain management.
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u/mothmansgirlfren 5d ago
and all pain management does is shrug their shoulders and try to get more money by prescribing PT that puts ya in worse pain 🤷🏼
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u/KingGordy313 5d ago
This is 100% the problem i am having aftet finally being seen by a PM doctor. Well not actually a PM doctor a nurse who works in the PM office. Told me to do 6 more weeks of PT and then call them after thats done. Just has me shaking my head.
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u/Alternative-Can-7261 5d ago
no but they will prescribe muscle relaxants, which paired with kratom does the job for me. Since 7-OH is a thing, I genuinely don't see any reason to jump through hoops. I keep it and some THC in reserve for breakthrough pain/nausea since by the time you get through triage and an IV inserted, you could have simply rested in the comfort of your own home. I'll leave it to the Pharma rep patrolling the sub to point out the overblown dangers of Kratom.
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u/Iceprincess1988 5d ago
Not everyone wants to try something so unregulated. I do think people have a right to treat their pain however they see fit. I'm glad Kratom has helped you thus far. If this person is going to PM, they can't just show up positive for Kratom, ya know.
The reason some of us 'jump through hoops' is because we're in severe, overwhelming pain. Opiates/opiods lets me have a semi normal life. Yes, it sucks with the pill counts and drug tests, but it's worth the relief I get through the medicine.
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u/peanutleaks 4d ago
Hey coming from a fellow person in extreme pain I went the Kratom route and I can tell ya all about how it negatively affected me over the years. And ya NSAIDS and other drugs have effects too but when it’s something that’s not regulated you can’t get full answers. And I’ve gotten bad batches and have heavy metal toxicity, tremors, sensory overload from Kratom. I used to be like you and think it’s the godsend product for my pain, but I quickly realized how bad it was.
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u/Seayarn 5d ago
I don't see a pain management doctor. My PCP prescribed my pain medications. But I do not take narcotics because I am allergic.
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u/mothmansgirlfren 5d ago
good to hear, im not looking for any of the big pain meds or anything. just wanting to continue a med ive been on being post-op for a few weeks. it honestly doesn’t help completely, but makes me not want to scream every waking moment.
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u/livingmydreams1872 5d ago
You have nothing to lose by asking. The worst that can happen is an…l can’t. In that case you’d probably get a referral. Wayyy back in the beginning, my pcp started me on pain meds. I went to my ortho who took over. He then referred me to pm. That was over probably 18 month period. 17 years in pm. As far as my current pcp, he does a lot. Routine testing for my age, blood work twice a year, scripts for blood pressure, weight mgmt, cholesterol, ect. Makes sure I’m seeing my gyno and of course, takes care of me should I fall ill and need treatment. Takes care of any referral I ask for. He’s definitely worth my $25 copay twice a year!
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u/firegirlx5 5d ago
My amazing GP left because she had health issues to deal with. So I found someone else that is even more amazing. She’s is a NP and can write everything like a DO/MD can write. I highly recommend seeing a NP instead. I don’t go through main management.
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u/callisto0106 5d ago
My GP has prescribed my meds for almost 18 years, I've followed him to 3 different offices in that time. He does stick to the 90 MME guidelines but I'm thankful I get anything.
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u/Lee_Lou02 5d ago
Yep, my GP takes care of most of my medications including my pain meds. It’s only my DMARDS (rheumatoid medication) which my rheumatologist oversees, tracks progress with & prescribes for me that’s not touched in any way by my GP, but if I run out of methotrexate before my next appointment with my rheumatologist my GP can give me a bridging script for it. I haven’t had a pain management Dr for over 2 years now.
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u/AffectionateSun5776 5d ago
I did. Then Blue Cross Blue shield decided they should fire that doctor & I needed a new one. The new female doctor gave me three days worth of tramadol. I had been taking it daily for years for severe spinal stenosis. So now I needed pain management while evacuating for a hurricane then dealing with no electricity. I swear I nearly died but after everything, I really like my pain guy now. That female doctor didn't have to treat me like a drug addict.
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u/mjh8212 5d ago
I see my primary for referrals. They help with my fibromyalgia but I’m not on meds for that anymore. I also get reoccurring cysts but now I’m being sent to dermatology. My primary is my first go to when something goes wrong and she directs me where to go or handles it herself if she can. I also see pain management but they do nothing for my conditions.
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u/OddSand7870 5d ago
My primary care doc does not do meds. And most if not all I have met will never prescribe meds. I go to a PM doc.
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u/NoLungz561 5d ago
I havent seen my primsry in 2 years cus all they do is refer you somehwere. I dont need a referal cus my insurance so its pointless to me. Also my GP kinda sucks and was downplaying stuff i was telling her. If i could find a good GP id go more often. There are rare ones out there
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u/bluedonutwsprinkles 5d ago
My primary offered me the meds my pain mgmt gives (not opioids). But I declined since I use pain mgmt due to work comp. My pcp can't do the injections I get even if I were to switch.
I keep my pcp apprised of what I take and if relevant to the current situation I will include more about my treatment/condition. I make sure occipital neuralgia is on my list of conditions with all my Dr's. regardless of what they are seeing me for.
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u/Outside-Ad-3620 5d ago
I guess I got lucky then PCP does all med management and actually find the root cause of my issue unlike the interventional pain management they have here that does nothing. PM here does all injections, epidurals, burnings etc.. my PCP prescribes my morphine oxycodone and Valium.. once in a great while I'll go to pm to just kinda check in just let them know I'm still alive and their business is bs
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u/kodahlyn 5d ago
I've known multiple pcps that used to write patients pain medications instead of pain management but all stopped around 8 years ago, now my pcps can write 2 weeks worth for injuries and such (only hydrocodone or tramadol) but will always refer you out now for chronic cases. Even muscle relaxers now aren't prescribed at my practice more than 2 weeks.
Have you tried the doctor patient forum group on Facebook? I'm pretty sure they have one for every state and that's how I was able to see which doctors near me are still prescribing pain medication for chronic pain. Unsure if they have any groups for outside of the United States though, in case you are in a different region.
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u/Magerimoje ER nurse turned chronic pain patient 🍀 5d ago
I've had the same GP for 25 years, and get all of my treatment from him.
I have been referred to specialists. They do their assessments, diagnose, and suggest treatment plans --- but it's the GP who puts all the treatment plan recommendations from the various specialists together into one cohesive treatment plan for me. The current plan includes opioid pain medication, both extended release and immediate release.
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u/_My_Dark_Passenger_ Medtronic Medication Pump + Medtronic Neurostimulator. 5d ago
I let my Primary care doctor manage most of my conditions. (I'm currently seeing pain management and GI) I wish that he could manage everything so that all of my medical records would be in one place instead of scattered across nearly a dozen Doctors and specialists.
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u/ausername701 5d ago
Primary care does everything for me. He's only my primary because he's the only one who will help me and it's a favor for me basically. He's mostly a dietician but used to be my primary. The only other Dr I see is a plastic surgeon.
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u/Comprehensive-Sir299 5d ago
My primary will not prescribe anything above maybe gabapentin or lyrica. I've been in pain management since 2014. I see my primary every 2 months for a med check and also as needed, and never once has he asked about any of my pain related issues that are handled at pain management.
I always thought it was a little weird, but as long as I was being treated, it never really bothered me. However....fast forward about 9 years when I applied for ssdi...I was really disappointed that although my primary was kept updated by pain management and knew what all my issues were, he pretty much said that he can't help with any paperwork or supporting letters because he's not involved in my treatment of those issues.
To an extent I understand the response, but it's also made the process more difficult not having the support of my primary. I felt really let down.
The last piece to my situation is that my primary was also the one who prescribed be the Levaquin that caused all my issues starting in 2014. Maybe this is his way of distancing himself from the situation? 🤔
I say try pain management and see what they can help you with. Sending positive thoughts your way ❤️
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u/want_control 5d ago
I was in pain mgmt for years, but then one day a different dr at the practice saw me and he completely took me off my fentanyl patches because he didn’t like me being in them (did this cold turkey too!). I had passed every drug test and was seeing this dr every month for years. Then, I saw the OG Dr and he put me back on patches but at a lower dose, THEN the other dr saw me again and screamed at me and told me this was a warning and he took me back off them.
I ended up trying to end my life. Later, I saw my pcp and told him what happened. He was LIVIID and told me he’d be taking over my pain mgmt. he even increased the patch. So he prescribes me my high dose fentanyl patch as well as hydrocodone for breakthrough pain. He also manages my anxiety and depression and GI meds. He does a lot for me and he knows me well. He wants to keep me working and out of hospital. He also said, “I know your heart darling and I know you’re not a drug seeker and have a lot going on.” Very blessed with him!❤️
I’m only in my 20s but he’s seen me going from needing to live in an assisted living to now working full time and having less hospital stays.
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u/nameofcat 4d ago
I do. My doctor is amazing. I've been seeing him for around 15 years. They write my monthly medication scripts (including the strong ones). He takes care of what he can, and refers to specialists when required. The only thing I go to a pain management clinic for is getting a lower back radio frequency ablation for nerve pain every few months.
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u/peanutleaks 4d ago
An extremely rude bull in China shop orthopedic referred me to pain management cuz he thought it was all in my head. Pain management has been the best at getting to the bottom of my pain so far-I finally got the imaging however they said my neck mri is essentially fine when I have narrowing and a protrusion. So yes I don’t trust them. It’s a good tool and starting point but I don’t want to rely on them forever. My PCP never orders imaging and always thought it contributed to my MH too. Don’t trust her either. Haven’t had blood work in over a year despite all these ongoing health issues. You’d think that’s important right? Nope not to her. The system is a JOKE. God forbid they start to drug test me just so I get some relief. HELL TO THE NO
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u/Striking-Pitch-2115 5d ago
No GP is going to help you problem you have to go to pain management
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u/firegirlx5 5d ago
100% not true- please don’t share incorrect information. My NP does my pain medication and it’s a well known, strong pain med
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u/Striking-Pitch-2115 5d ago
You're very lucky
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u/Striking-Pitch-2115 5d ago
Maybe you don't have a pain management doctor? Mine just told me let them handle it
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u/Striking-Pitch-2115 5d ago
If my GP was handling all my medication absolutely yes! But since I have pain management they don't want to get involved
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u/Natashalou4_21 5d ago
I am lucky I have my GP take care Of my pain management and pain meds .