Re: About to give up.....Cari, to Stephanie
From: Cari (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Fri May 25 10:57:50 2007
I know, and it just enrages me. That plus the judgement. Wasn't pain
medicine developed to help those who need it? I have learned from my
experience that is for sure, no more do I judge others in pain...
What I really wanted to say is that after my last lap, three weeks ago,
one of my docs came in to my hospital room and talked to me in detail
about the surgery and actually took the time to answer my dad's
questions (my mom passed away and my boyfriend could not be there so my
dad has become my surgery buddy) which was so cool. The jist of what he
said at one point is that our periods are not supposed to be
debilitating at all. Yes, cramping is normal but it should never be
severe and for too long docs wrote it off as part of being a woman. Now
that I know that, I feel better to have someone side with me for a
change. I used to have cramps and often they were pretty bad but a
couple of Advil always did the trick...with endo and adenomyosis, I find
Advil doesn't cut it at all. Doctors on the whole don't get that. A
few that focus on endo get it, but most just don't. Typical thinking is
that women are drama queens.
I just wish the docs knew how humiliating this process can
be...constantly subjected to ultrasounds and exams of our most personal
private body parts, being probed and treated like pariahs for asking for
medicine...and how stigmatized pain meds have become. Where is the
compassion? I have put a career in archaeology on hold because of
pain...
Sorry for the rant ladies, I am just never going to understand it
all...but maybe if we continue to speak up and create awareness, who
knows?
--
Cari
At Thu, 24 May 2007, Stephanie wrote:
>
>Hey Cari, i totally agree that we need to do something to let the
>"world" know what kind of chronic pain we suffer and how much it affects
>our lifes! And its very true that everyone thinks that there just NORMAL
>cramps. It drives me NUTS to hear people tell me that. Like you said,
>only if they would see us at home, and how we spend our evenings crying
>and in bed, only then they would understand, that it isnt just NORMAL
>cramps! Sometimes, i explain to others that the pain is like the pain
>going into labor! Those are the types of cramps we deal with on a daily
>basis! Thanks for the words of encouragement, they mean a lot to me!!
>Steph :)
>
>At Thu, 24 May 2007, Cari wrote:
>>
>>Stehanie,
>>
>>No great advice but words of encouragement, I have been there. What
>>enrages me is that this is a chronic pain condition, no cure etc and we
>>are treated as though we are medication seeking addicts. Docs prescribe
>>ibuprofen like its candy saying that the pain is merely inflammation etc
>>and that makes me mad...once upon a time, a couple of Advil made my
>>cramps melt away. Now with endo and adenomyosis, my ovulation and
>>periods are horrific. Talk candidly with the doc, explain that taking
>>motrin is great but the pain becomes unbearable and incapacitating and
>>you want help.
>>
>>I often wonder, if we had some other "more tragic" (not my words, my
>>ex-doc's) disease that caused pain the doctors would bend over backwards
>>to help but too many doctors assume our cramps are not that hard to live
>>with. They should come to our homes and see us curled up in the fetal
>>position with pain tearing out our insides. I can't even tolerate my
>>boyfriend to touch me just to rub my back because it just sends pain
>>shockwaves thru me...
>>
>>I don't know what it will take to raise awareness...maybe if we keep
>>fighting...
>>
>>At Thu, 24 May 2007, Stephanie wrote:
>>>
>>>Hello everyone...well iv posted a few messages this week, due to this
>>>excrutiating pain episode i had on Monday night. Quick brief..last week
>>>i ovulated and my pelvic/back pain for some reason increased, since then
>>>iv been taking Darvocet every 4 hours, otherwise i cant even work. So,
>>>i called my gyn and asked for something stronger at least until this
>>>pain subsided a little. Well i get a call back on Wednesday from the
>>>nurse telling me that the doc would only prescribe me IBUPROFEN 600 mlg
>>>every 6 hours!! Later on in that day i called back to get a refill on my
>>>darvocet, since i only had about 3 left. Well the doctor DENIED it.
>>>When i asked why, the nurse just said that the doctor would only
>>>prescribe ibuprofen for now. It made me SO MAD! I cant believe she said
>>>that. After i had told her that my pain had INCREASE and not even
>>>Darvocet was helping and now, they wont even give me a refill! Im so
>>>upset, i just cried!! I have an appt next week w/a new gyn (who does
>>>excision on endo) but im just so worried, since i still have to wait
>>>till June 1st and no pain meds. Then i feel that they must think im
>>>some drug freak or something, i cant believe they cant understand how
>>>painful this can be!!! Sorry for the long story once again....I can
>>>totally understand all of the other woman who feel like giving up! I
>>>guess we get to a point we just dnt know what else to do!! Hope everyone
>>>else is having a better day!! :) Steph
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