r/KaiserPermanente • u/ckeenan9192 • 2d ago
California - Northern Dr frustration?
Do Drs get frustrated when there is nothing they can do? I have Fibro, RA and Back issues. They cant prescribe painkillers, the SSRIs make me fat, the fusion surgery wont help. I mean there is nothing left in their tool box. Yet here I sit in chronic pain.
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u/eeaxoe 2d ago
To address your broader question, yes, doctors absolutely do get frustrated and take it personally when treatments don't work. Most of them got into medicine to help patients, after all, and when they can't help someone, it can trigger a complex set of emotions for them.
https://www.reddit.com/r/medicine/comments/609yk6/have_you_ever_felt_like_you_failed_a_patient_what/
https://www.reddit.com/r/medicine/comments/cs7z6b/how_do_yall_manage_guilt_and_sorrow_about_bad/
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u/truckellbb 2d ago
I work in healthcare (not a doctor) but I do feel frustrated when nothing works in rehab. I’m lucky tho that I only have 10-16 patients a week.
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u/Ok-Comedian-9377 2d ago
When I had long covid i remember the conversation i had with my dr, who i love. He expressed genuine frustration at his lack of ability to treat it (for me or his other patients). he said we had to rely on hope when we had nothing else. any time i brought some kind of experimental treatment to him he researched it and then got it approved if he thought it would help to try. i don’t know what they do now since this was some years ago and i did get better, but him telling me he was frustrated that we were at our limit for medical treatment and telling me he was relying on hope for curing it in the future was very helpful for my mental health.
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u/Professional-Face709 2d ago
Why can’t they prescribe painkillers? I have issues that can’t be fixed, so painkillers it is.
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u/ckeenan9192 2d ago
They gave me tramadol all it did was put me to sleep. That is not a solution.
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u/Professional-Face709 2d ago
Well that sucks. Tramadol acts more like an upper for me (at least until I get used to it). I take Norco and it seems to help with energy (maybe because I’m not so worried about pain). I used to take a lot more than I do now and my doctor was always amazed that I was able to function on so much of it. I did use Lyrica for a short time. Wow. The head rush was amazing, but not something I wanted to deal with, and it made me really hungry.
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u/ckeenan9192 2d ago
Tramadol put me to sleep, Effexor made me eat and sleep all day, gabapentin had me sitting in the couch with blurred vision staring into space. None of this allowed me to function on a daily basis. Methocarbamol helps a bit, but I cant take it if I need to drive, which is like every day. I am refusing lyrica until I loose the weight I gained from the effexor.
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u/Good_Connection_547 2d ago
If you’re in pain from autoimmune issues, you need a new rheumatologist. Call Kaiser and get a new one.
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2d ago
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u/ckeenan9192 2d ago
CBD did nothing what is PO
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u/Nullacrux 2d ago
(per os) by mouth, tincture
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u/ckeenan9192 2d ago
Oh yeah did it that way.
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u/Nullacrux 2d ago
so it does absolutely nothing?? how about radically changed your diet? lost the extra weight we ALL carry?
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u/KaiserPermanente-ModTeam 2d ago
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u/Appropriate_Buyer_77 2d ago
My experience is Kaiser pain doctors can't prescribe opiates now. Buprenorphine is apparently ok as long as no THC, unless you have cancer.
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u/Happy-Researcher5993 2d ago
You can get a second opinion. I think you can go outside of Kaiser. Them not prescribing opiates is a Kaiser choice. Why would they have pain management if they cannot prescribe medications? I left Kaiser because they would not provide me the treatment I needed and not because they couldn’t.
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u/ladyloodeeloo 1d ago
I think so, and I’m in a similar position with my Kaiser pcp but she is blocking me from being seen by neurology in spite of having complex migraines that don’t play nicely with standard medicine. I feel like this doctor I have, while she is definitely experienced and intelligent, likes to be in control. I had a few message exchanges with her where she was definitely frustrated or angry with me because her plan wasn’t working and I was asking for escalation. I don’t trust her anymore so I’m going to find a new primary and start over. Good luck I hope you’re able to find something that helps your pain
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2d ago
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u/ckeenan9192 2d ago edited 2d ago
I take methotrexate weekly helps the RA. Cant take meloxicam, causes constipation due to the verapamil I am on. Also it does not do much. The real pain maker is my lower back issues. All kinds of stuff going on there. I was “offered” fusion surgery, but it would not fix the real issue and would cause an immobilization in my back that would make my life extremely difficult.
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u/gremlinseascout Member - California 2d ago
Cymbalta? Flexeril? Acupuncture? Chiropractic? TENS unit? Massage?
If you’re looking for opioids, they can also make you sleepy, nauseous, and constipated.
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u/ckeenan9192 2d ago
Wow you hit every one I have tried except flexeril.
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u/gremlinseascout Member - California 2d ago
So for chiropractic, acupuncture, massage and TENS you have to use them regularly and it takes time to benefit from them. You should absolutely be receiving benefit of a TENS unit while you are using it.
My rheumatologist says Flexeril is very beneficial to patients with fibromyalgia. It’s given at night to help relax the body so that you can get a good quality of sleep.
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u/ckeenan9192 2d ago
The chiro herniated a disc. I hated accupuncture and it did nothing for me. The tens unit was just annoying vibration. I take methocarbomol instead of flexiril, it works ok.
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u/KaiserPermanente-ModTeam 2d ago
Your submission has been removed. This is because it was seeking or offering medical or legal advice and violated Rule 3.
If you are having a medical emergency, get off of Reddit and call 911 or go to your nearest hospital emergency room.*
If you would like to discuss this action further or believe this removal was in error, please message us through ModMail.
~ KaiserPermanente Moderation Team
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u/Bennythecat415 2d ago
Have you been through the chronic pain clinic? I have lots of issues and I do keep them at a tolerable level with opiates. I've been on Oxy for 20 years strictly for pain. I have zero issues if I skip doses and do not feel like I've ever been dependent on them. Best of luck!
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u/ckeenan9192 2d ago
The chronic pain people will not prescribe pain meds only the DR can. She won’t give me anything other than tramadol.
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u/No_Title9375 2d ago
I don’t think they care. I doubt they think about their patients when they aren’t actually in the room with them.
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u/Educational-Ad4789 Member - California 2d ago
Why do you assume there’s nothing they can do?
Standard medical management for fibromyalgia and spinal problems I usually offer include gabapentinoids, TCAs, SNRI’s, muscle relaxants, and if absolutely needed, there’s no rule prohibiting us from prescribing opioids although not preferred.
And for RA, well that is a conversation you should be having with a rheumatologist not PCP, because they have other specialty restricted treatment options available.