Pain management & nicotine

crick74

Hi.....I would just like to Get some opinions from others on my pain management physician. I've been in pain management for 8 years following a failed back surgery. I wish this wasn't the truth but since I had to begin the pain management its always been that thing in my life that I simply can't stand.....it is somehow always a negative force in my life and I don't know if that's just how pain management is or if its the doctors I've seen or what it is exactly that makes it this way for me. Dealing with severe pain and discomfort is one of the toughest struggles someone can face but sadly what I have found since my surgery is that the people who have to struggle with this type of pain not only have to go through that but they also have to endure the struggle just to get appropriate treatment and then after they do find someone that will help them, they have to put up w all kind of negative and poor treatment. 

The pain management physician I see now I've been seeing for five years. He is a very legitimate doctor and is fairly conservative but some of the things I've experienced at this place have blown my mind. First of all, he accepts no insurance..... Each appointment is $230 CASH, no other forms of payment accepted. At first I was a bit suspicious about this but after I got to know the doctor I began to realize that its just how he is. One of the things that has bugged me the most is that our appointments,.for the most part, have become a time of talking about my nicotine levels. After about a year of being his patient he tells me my nicotine level needs to be reduced. Bc of this he lowers my medication dosage. I lower my nicotine substantially but my medication dose never returns to normal. Then six months later my nicotine is back up one month and he penalizes me again, so my dose is lowered even more. So, after this happens a couple times I just reduce my nicotine and call it a day. But then it continues to come up. I'm more or less a perfect patient .....this nicotine deal is my only apparent flaw, but I think it's so strange that every time I see this Dr he is only concerned about my nicotine level. Never asks me how I'm doing or how my pain has been....just criticism for nicotine. I get it.....nicotine use increases pain. But I've never asked.for my dose to be raised. What I'm saying is if I was always asking for more medication, I could understand the nicotine coming into play.....maybe suggesting that I stop nicotine so I won't feel like I need more medication, but I've never asked for More. Its just an obsession w this guy.....every time I go in I fear my dose will be lowered once again.....not because I broke some huge pain management rule.....but bc my nicotine is a little higher than he'd prefer. I don't get it. Anyone else deal with this weirdness? I've already more or less neglected myself of all life's once fun pleasures in order to have my pain treated.....is it really necessary to take away my nicotine as well? Thanks for listening.

poppy123456

This is a UK based forum and most of our members are from the UK. We don’t pay for our medical treatment here but if I did pay and had to pay £200 for each appointment and they told me to reduce my nicotine I’d be going elsewhere. (though I’m an ex smoker now) 

lellyann

I feel for you and understand it in a similar way. I agree that some of the professional experts get fixated on one thing and it’s like a dog with a bone! In my case it’s a total obsession about not taking opioids and how bad they are, but what happens if this is all that works? They don’t answer! I agree with poppy too you really don’t need to pay to be so unhappy with a problem you didn’t cause. Find another doctor.