Hello
I need a good pain specialist in Brisbane for established chronic pain, where opiates are the only thing that has helped. I've essentially given up on other treatments, as they haven't helped. With regular medication, I am able to survive, and slowly increase function. My hope is that I will reduce this medication in time, but know from experience, this is best done at my own volition.
I've had chronic pain since 2010. I have been seeing a pain specialist/anaesthetist/psychiatrist in Brisbane, who was for many years a god send. Three years ago I had post-natal anxiety/depression, which given the circumstances, was pretty understandable/predictable. My pain specialist was not good with such matters and I saw an alternate psychiatrist, but my pain specialist kept managing the pain aspect. My relationship with him deteriorated, as he wanted full control of all my medications, and doesn't believe in talk therapy. I went to my long-term GP and for some time the GP managed my pain medications, but with additional diagnoses that caused pain more pain, e.g. multiple broken bones and tumours, I again needed a pain specialist. I went back to my original pain specialist, as I didn't want to go through the palaver of finding a new one. I tried to make it work. It didn't. He was careless in his treatment (e.g. scripts mismatching treatment plan, and high doses of dangerous medications, that frightened me, my family, and other doctors, but it was that or nothing), and he was sexist, rude, condescending, disagreed with every aspect of my life and decision making, was callous, and the list goes on. I tried to address this with him, but he didn't care. Amidst this, he decided I should just think happy thoughts and mysteriously my permanent pain disability would go away. Then he decided I was an addict and doctor shopping. I've gone to the one GP practice for 30 years and the one chemist for a decade. I am ridiculously honest and have always been transparent with treating medical professionals. Basically he sees me as worthless, so I should smile and turn the other cheek to every situation.
Last month, as he'd undersupplied scripts for the agreed four weeks, I ran out of medication after 3.5 weeks. As it happened, this was during the worst week of my life, as I'd just found out that my young child had been sexually assaulted on multiple occasions at kindy. He is severely traumatised. My child needs me, so disability or not, I'm on call 24/7 and as the key safe person for my child I'm cuddling him and carrying 21kg of him constantly. Between stress, lifting, constant follow up with authorities in regards to my child, and my already full schedule my pain has skyrocketed. The pain specialist couldn't have cared less and refused medication, sarcastically telling me to go to my GP. My GP is a responsible doctor and given I'm under specialist care, he won't prescribe additional pain medications. The pain specialist wouldn't consider the fact that he'd under-prescribed what we'd agreed, even though my pharmacy agreed with me. I even spoke to the PBS authorities line and they said there should be no issue.
On the Friday night I was in 10/10 pain and unable to function at all. I tried every non-medication strategy I could and got no relief. I couldn't go to hospital as this would have distressed my child further. I therefore went to my GP practice, but had to see a new doctor. That doctor checked a drug line to see if I was listed as an addict, and I'm not. She then got authority scripts without any issues. She provided enough medication to see me through until I could see my regular GP. I saw my regular GP and he provided a week's worth of medication, and we discussed a referral to a new pain specialist. In the interim, the practice had contacted the pain specialist, who said there were no issues with my management, therefore the GP was surprised they'd been a problem with scripts.
My GP, of a decade, has now decided I need to see him weekly, and collect medication twice weekly from the pharmacy. I must go in person and my husband of 20 years cannot go for me. I cannot have it delivered. Some days I am too unwell to leave the house, and my child is sometimes too traumatised to leave the house also. The GP doesn't care. The pharmacy keeps asking for more direction in writing from the GP, but he says he just writes the scripts, and basically if I complain he'll make it that I need to pick up medication twice a day. As agreed last week with my GP, I'd booked with a new pain specialist for April, but today, my GP has said that he has spoken to my previous pain specialist, and he has advised that the doctor I'm booked with is not suitable and has provided a list of three recommendations. They are all addiction specialists, and don't have positive reviews.
I've ended up wondering if I'm addicted, but a search of the literature doesn't support this in any way. My GP, who I thought understood my complex health, apparently has also decided I'm an addict. I wish I were dead. I cannot suicide because of my beautiful child. My husband is trying to be supportive, but what can he do?
I don't know where else to turn, and I don't know how else to manage this situation. Any suggestions for a good specialist would be great.
Thank you for reading.
