Is there a Melbournian on site who can help
as long as I wake up alive I'm happy Because it could be worse
I'm Melbournian born and bred!
I had to change Pain Specialists a few years ago, and found it a very daunting process. While I am relatively happy with my current Dr, I think that it's important to remember that the understanding of your pain (and probably of you) will be very different. For me, no-one will understand my pain like my Doctor who did a week-long Ketamine trial with me and saw me with no pain meds and a pain rating of 9¾ and completely unable to speak.
I was referred to a pain clinic which has many doctors with varying specialities. Referrals are sent to the clinic, then the doctors take on the patients they are best suited to. I think this is a good option for someone in our position.
My clinic is Clayton, but I know of a number of good options around Melbourne, so if you let me know your general location I can give you some options.
I can also give you a really good idea of what to expect. (I know that helps me to stay calm!)
Take care,
Bron 🙂
I can share more info and my experience if anyone wants it. I understand that knowing information and others' experience can be reassuring.
(Mods please delete if not allowed)
Metro Pain Clinic
The website very informative and worth exploring for info about their processes, doctors and other services they offer.
Location - Clayton (19km South East of Melb CBD), near Monash Medical Centre.
Bron 🙂
Hi Bron,
im letting this go as you aren’t advertising your telling people of a website that can help
johnno
as long as I wake up alive I'm happy Because it could be worse
I can share more info and my experience if anyone wants it. I understand that knowing information and others' experience can be reassuring.
(Mods please delete if not allowed)
Metro Pain Clinic
The website very informative and worth exploring for info about their processes, doctors and other services they offer.
Location - Clayton (19km South East of Melb CBD), near Monash Medical Centre.
Bron 🙂
I'm having trouble clicking on that link. Is there something wrong with it?
- Hi johnno - thanks for clarifying - very helpful.
In my opinion this clinic has two big advantages over going to just "a" pain specialist. (FYI - I know of other clinics like this one too - so there are likely some in other states of Aus too).
1. Multiple specialists with different interest areas all working in one place. This means the referrer (or patient) can be somewhat reassured that the patient's condition will be familiar to, or of interest to, at least one of the clinicians, and that there is support within the clinic if their Specialist moves or becomes unwell etc.
2. All Specialists are actively engaging in research in latest practices and evaluating the effectiveness of current treatment regimens with a view to providing best care. They publish regularly, with papers posted on their website. The Clinic hosts information sessions for patients on specific pain-related topics that feature overseas clinicians who are pioneering new interventions (not yet available in Australia). Knowing research is occurring and new techniques are being developed gives me hope that our pain is being taken seriously, and that there are people that want to do their best to help us live a life that is as functional as possible while managing chronic pain.
Try this:
You could also try typing in the link:
www [dot] metropain [dot] com [dot] au
Hope that works. Bron 🙂
UPD: I copied this link and pasted it in a new browser page, it opened. The site looks good, but why does it only have the latest news for 2020?
Short answer is "I don't know".
Longer answer is - I just emailed them this:
Subject: Website Inquiry
Hi, Where are any current events? Current research?Your website used to be excellent, but it now looks several years out of date. I'd be grateful if you could let me know. Thanks, [full name]
Will post response here when I get it. (I'm just a person with pain doing my best to help others.)
I can share more info and my experience if anyone wants it. I understand that knowing information and others' experience can be reassuring.
(Mods please delete if not allowed)
Metro Pain Clinic
The website very informative and worth exploring for info about their processes, doctors and other services they offer.
Location - Clayton (19km South East of Melb CBD), near Monash Medical Centre.
Bron 🙂
Hi Bron
i used to go to Metro, my pain Dr retired and the Dr he referred me to hasn't worked out.
I am west of Melbourne, my OT and pain physio have found someone they think will be a good fit. so going to a referral to see her.
Thank you for your reply.
Taking it one step at a time 🙂
Ooh! I feel a little relieved; I've had a couple sessions with Metro and they seem really on it but it's also a relief to hear from others who go there. So far my specialist from there is genuinely one of my more helpful drs as he's done several things to either make it cheaper or somehow check in using methods drs don't normally care to use... he even said to me that he'll relegate things to email/call/etc to avoid billing for a new session. Yay!
Hi Bron,
johnno here as pm (private message) isn’t working well allow naming hopefully we’ll get pm working soon
johnno
as long as I wake up alive I'm happy Because it could be worse