I, too am a chronic pain sufferer who experienced horrible care and treatment if it could even be called treatment. I was humiliated, scorned, told to cope and at one time given 15 short acting dilaudid to last me for 5 weeks...take one a day up to three times a week. When that didn't help........I almost think I was laughed at, not sure.

I have chronic back pain from fractures at T 4, 5, and 7 from 1980, kyphosis from that and over three years ago started with horrible pain in my arm just above the right. elbow. It is the most severe pain I have ever suffered in all my life. I had EMG's that said it was acute radiculaopathy at C-5 compressed nerve. But then there were also some that were negative. To this day I do not really know what is wrong but that it is nerve pain.

I am also a nurse and work for an anesthesiologist at a small PM and find the very words pain management a disgusting untruth. I have seen well over twenty doctors and after three years have found a kind doctor in Ohio Rehab and he started me on oxycontin 10mg twice a day. It actually cut the pain by 50%! We will probably experience some with dosages, but just think........only 20mg a day and I have the pain cut that much. Left for 3 years in horrible pain, almost committed suicide from the pain, placed in a psyc ward due to the pain and doped up with psycotropic drugs and given Tylenol for pain.

Had I not gone through this myself, I would never never have believed it could be a true story. I am interested in your support group and chat. I do find myself in need of support ad I am facing losing my job due to the doctor closing and I work crisis relief in a nursing home and the pain is so severe that I cry when I come home and it takes me I-2 days to recover. So I am facing major changes in my life and feel the need of support here. I frequently find myself with questions. I only work two days a week at the doctors office and it is two days a week so has been ideal for me, but with the big PM's on every corner, it has hurt his business. I also disagree strongly with his principals of PM but stay due to the easiness of the work and the shorter day. I hope to hear from you to know more about the plans for your support group. Thank you, Shellseeker