Pain clinic

[PassMeTheWotsits]

Hi everyone, I suffer with chronic nerve pain. The GP wants to refer me to the pain clinic. I just feel like they are washing their hands of me. Have any of you guys been to one, and did you actually find them useful. I’m feeling quite down at the moment, as I just see the rest of my life being a cycle of pain

Do you know what's causing the pain and have you seen any other specialists? I think it should be a last resort option really. I am under a great pain clinic and I'm really happy with the treatment i get, but I do feel that it means no one is looking for a permanent solution anymore, they are just managing the pain. I'm only 54 and I don't like to think the rest of my life will be like this. However, it could be a chance for you to get your pain better managed - for example to get on a medication regime organised by doctors who understand pain. I take a mix of oral meds and have infusions (initially lidocaine, now ketamine) every three weeks. Part of my issue is back pain so I have steroid injections into my spine. I can see the doctor whenever I like and there is a psychologist on the team too which has been helpful for me. I am not in the U.K. so yours might not be run the same way, but worth a try I think. Good luck.

Pain clinics are not a brush off at all. My husband suffers from chronic, debilitating back pain, has for 40 plus years. He’s had spinal surgery but can have no more because the risks now outweigh the possible benefits.
The consultant led pain clinic have helped to alleviate his pain to sone degree with medicines reviews and regular ultrasound guided injections into his spine.
Don’t write them off, they’re specialists like every other branch of medicine and deal in exactly that, pain management.
Good luck.

Is it neuropathy, OP?

painuk.org/

This may be a helpful resource.

GPs are generalists. If you have chronic pain then seeing a specialist makes sense to get all options

Maybe both.
Pain clinic could be fabulous for you.
but you could also pursue making sure you get referred to the other consultants that you want to see as well.

Yes, they were able to prescribe things my GP couldn't. It didn't help but that's another story! Definitely worth a try, it's not fobbing you off it's referring you to specialists in your condition.

Thanks for all the replies, feeling a little more positive.

I have seen various specialist and have been referred to a very good specialist physio, but don’t feel that it is helping that much. I guess we just haven’t worked out where the root cause of the pain is. She is referring me a musculoskeletal specialist, in the hope that they can help.

I got referred to the pain clinic for lower back pain, trailed there several times & it was always next time we will give you something for your pain, eventually I got to see a consultant & he discharged me because I refused to say the pain was all in my mind.