Learn From My Mistakes...

I stand by my belief that if by opening up about me that it is worth it if it helps just one person. The more I thought about it after the last post, I thought I would share what I have learned along the way to help anyone going through the same thing.

I was too young to be this sick, well I still am too young. I mean I am no spring chicken by any means, but you never expect to be knocked down until a lot later in life. I knew nothing about being sick or medicines for that matter. I wouldn't even take a Tylenol for a headache, I would nap it off. So I have learned the hard way. Hopefully this will save you some grief.

When I first became sick my primary doctor was trying to give me things for the pain. It was complete agony, I could not walk and cried for four months. Nothing he gave me was working. Well... suddenly it is like you are lying to them and they start seeing you with junkie goggles.

The doctor suggested I go to pain management. I did not know what pain management was, all I did know was that I wanted the agony to stop. So I go to pain management, still trying medicine that won't work. I was sent to specialist after specialist until finally the blood disorder doctor they sent me to became my blessing in disguise. She knew by looking at me what was wrong, finally after four long months.

Needless to say, the doctors were treating me wrong. It wasn't me at all. They were giving me medicine after medicine that works for pain yes, but in my condition they did not work because not all medicine works on nerve pain which is what I have.

I have been in the same place monthly for eight years with the same treatment. Nothing has changed since they finally figured it all out, well until now. I missed one appointment this week, one appointment in eight years!! They rescheduled it, called in my refill for me and then HE decides to discharge me with no medicine at all. So I ended up in the hospital because I was in so much pain I couldn't eat or drink anything. I had fell down, blacked out and hit my head. I was treated for chronic pain, withdraw from no medicine after having it for eight years, I was dehydrated and nauseated.

Now, the reason I believe I was discharged for no reason is because we had been butting heads for a few months over a surgical procedure he wanted to perform on me for a cortisone shot in my shoulder. He wanted me to not eat anything the night before, come in at 6 am, they were going to twilight me and do this whole surgical performance, for money of course. But everything in my being said do not do it. I fought myself for three days, so much I had anxiety. I decided to listen to my inner voice and went to see an orthopedic doctor. When I showed him the paper and explained what the other doctor had wanted, he said he had never heard of such a thing. He explained to me what I had, what was going to happen, and gave me a cortisone shot. I was out the door in 15 minutes and ready to play major league baseball!!

Once the other doctor found out what I did, oh he had fire in his eyes. He even had the audacity to say to me, "Well the insurance already approved the procedure and that shot won't last long, so you should still have it done anyways."

So long story short, since I didn't line his pockets because I will not be his crash test dummy and this is not the first time he had tried to rope me into some procedure I didn't need, so he used this as an opportunity to free the space I was taking up so they can give it to someone else he can con into going through all these procedures because I am not lining his pocket. I have lost other doctors too because now they will not see me, it is a conflict of interest because they are all a part of the same network. So all the doctors and specialists I have had for the past eight years, I have none.

So the reason I am telling you all this is so I can tell you what I have learned and hope it helps someone who may be going through it.

1. Avoid pain management at all cost if you can. I did not know this when I started, and once you are there you cannot break free.

2. If you are sick or in a lot of pain and nothing is helping or working... do not go through four months of agony like I did. Make them run a complete blood work up on you. If you don't do it, they won't either. My condition was so rare they didn't know what to treat until the blood specialist did a complete blood panel. Make them check your B12, Iron, Folic Acid, Potassium, Thyroid, etc.

3. If they are treating you for pain and it is not helping, remember not all medicine works on nerve pain. There is a difference.

4. Do not let them rope you into unnecessary procedures, get another opinion!! I mean the guy even tried to make me see his colleague to help line his pockets too, a chiropractor for my back. My issues are not with my back, I have peripheal neurothopy and fibromyalgia from the hips down.

5. You have a right to tell them you want to think about anything they suggest and if you are like me and it just doesn't sit right with you then get a second maybe even third opinion. I have talked to so many people during waiting room sittings that have had procedures they didn't need because they believed what was said and are paying for it now and wishing they hadn't.

6. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Once something is done, it cannot be undone so really do your research.

7. Know that just because there are junkies, well you will be treated like one too. Lord forbid people cannot actually be sick. The doctor I had would make his say and when I tried to ask questions he would jump up swear I was not listening and walk out as if I was to be seen and not heard. MAKE them sit and hear you. I had enough, went off and had a fit, made his ass sit down and hear me. You have a right to be heard and have your questions and concerns answered.

Hopefully this helps even just a little. I know there is probably so much more I can share, it has been a long eight years... but right now off the top of my head this is all I got.

Anyone going through it, or having already gone through it my heart and prayers are with you because I know how completely exhausting and overwhelming this all can be. I know it is easier said than done because I have my bad days... but be strong!!

Much Luv!! xo