Have certainly NOT read the 24 pages of comments..............goodness......talk about PAIN........!!
Just FYI, the VA Pain Management Clinic Program is a REAL HOOT!
My PC said he would send me to it IF I truly wanted to be prescribed Hydrocodone (which would relieve 95% of my pain) to increase my Quality of Life. I said "No thanks."
Reason? My Medical Records (for the problems I have been suffering through since March, 2016) are now over 500 pages. At least 7 Doctors, and a dozen or more Therapists, Technicians and such have Documented my situation. There is NO DOUBT what is wrong with me, nor the pain level it creates for me, or that Hydrocodone would be the BEST prescription to give me back my Quality of Life.
But, because of all this hoopla over Opioids from the Government and the CDC and AMA, the VA requires a person to "jump through a bunch of hoops" to receive the prescription they truly need. A Vet has to appear before a Board of 5 or 6 Doctors/Specialists..........from various callings........including Psychologists..........and be interviewed by each, do all the fancy tricks they insist you do to evaluate you, and, in the end............who knows?
500 PAGES OF DOCUMENTATION isn't ENOUGH?
Seriously?
I simply REFUSE to be the clown in their One Ring Circus.......so........I settle for a pain killer that is far less effective, and I suffer.......... Yeah, I know..........but after all this time I am more tired of being their clown/dancing bear than I am of suffering.
The human body is amazing in that, given time, it can adjust itself to a pain level, and that level kinda becomes the new Norm. Still HURTS LIKE THE DICKENS, but one learns ways to cope..........
anyway...........my thoughts