I haven't been back to see her yet, I'm sure she won't agree, I am always getting into trouble for NOT taking relief when needed. Just so very frustrating, the first specialist opinion "is multifactorial with the primary biomedical contributions suggestive of
biomechanical dysfunction of the hip in the context of osteoporotic fractures and surgery. There is
component of central sensitization and secondary deconditioning." Along with the orthos opinion of needing both hips replaced pains not going anywhere, and I walk everyday regardless of the pain.
It sounds like you are getting the same treatment everyone else is getting lately when it comes to medication/drugs. This is very unfortunate when it is so close to any treatment. Yes, it is highly desirable to only use small amounts of drugs to control pain, but there has to be something else to aid with the pain relief and some of that can be found in the information you can get from a Multidisciplinary Pain Clinic. Have you been to one yet?
If I were you I'd go to your GP and speak to them about it and see if they can refer you to one that is in a public hospital nearby and that they will do it under Medicare.
Seriously, this was the best move I ever made. You learn so much about your pain, but the best thing is you also get to spend time with a physio who is trained in this field and they can help you with the right kind of exercises for people who live with ongoing chronic pain. They can also order more tests to see what else might be wrong, but their main goal is your ongoing self-management with the view of keeping the drugs down to a minimum.
Unfortunately today there is nowhere in Australia now where doctors will keep prescribing strong pain killers for chronic pain sufferers. We have unfortunately been wrongly compartmentalised by the govt and health system and we have to do the best we can with what we are prescribed.
Give the pain clinic a try and see how you go. I really do hope you get some relief but more so that you get some permanent ongoing help because you will need it over time.
Keep talking to us, because often times having someplace to just come and spill all the pain you have in your head onto a forum, can sometimes help in the way you feel. And let's be honest, we all need some support from time to time.
Take care!
Peter
I wish the ring (this Chronic Pain) had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened. (Frodo Baggins)
So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide, is what to do with the time that is given to us. (Gandalf the Grey)
