I moved to Shakopee 9 months ago but have been dealing with chronic pain for 7 years. I have been through cortizone shots, as well as a variety of pain meds. At first I was diagnosed with bursitis, then arthritis, and now the doctor I went to here said she doesn't agree with either of those diagnoses. She did a blood test for rheumatoid arthritis and also for thyroid issues. I asked her if what I was experiencing might be fibromyalgia, and she said that isn't even a real disease. She suggested that most of my pain was due to the extra weight I carry around. (I am 5'7" and weigh 220 which is heavier than I want to be, but hard to loose any of it when I hurt all the time. She responded by saying that I could gain the additional weight to qualify for the lap band surgery and that would help with the weight faster than anything else she knew of. She then put me on a medication for nerve pain but offered no indication of cause. Some of the areas that hurt before don't hurt as bad, but other areas hurt now that didn't hurt before. I want to go to another doctor, but don't want to shop around and not get any real treatment. Is there anyone in the area that any of you great mom's would recommend? I really want to stop hurting and be the fun wife & mom that my boys need me to be.
At 5'7" and 220 lbs. your Body Mass index is 34.5 and well over the Obesity level (see http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/). The condition of obesity will make it difficult to determine or address any other possible physical issues you have. Please see another doctor or other practitioner who can assist you in addressing your weight. (For a doctor to suggest gaining weight to qualify for surgery seems unethical to me.)
Hi A.,
You might want to try going to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. If you have an ongoing condition and are having a hard time finding a diagnosis the Mayo Clinic I've heard is the BEST place to go. The doctors are great there and I've heard nothing but good things about them. It can take a while to get in but if you get a referral from your primary doctor you might not have to wait as long to see a doctor there. It's also a ways from the cities and some people end up spending the night at a hotel if there appt takes up most of the day but it is worth the wait and the distance. I don't know of any specific doctors there but if I had an ongoing problem that's where I would go. 7 years is too long to experience pain! Good luck!
This sounds just like what my mother went through. First of all, your doctor is living in the dark ages. It could be fibromyalgia, and it IS a real disease. What is funny is that she prescribed you a nerve pain medication, which is most commonly used to treat fibro. What you need to do is see a rhumetologist, who can help you to diagnose the issues, as they work with them frequently. In Eden Prairie there is a doctor that is really good with chronic pain issues too. Her name is Jane Nolting-Brown and she works out of Fairview Eden Center. There is also Rhumetology Nurse Associates in Edina. They specialize in Fibromyalgia and would be able to tell you if that is the problem. The bottom line here is that you are seeing an irresponsible and reckless doctor. No competent doctor would actually suggest that you should GAIN weight to have an invasive and dangerous surgery should not be practicing. Those are the measures my mother took, and she has seen some relief. If you are interested in something alternative, I am going to school for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Chinese Medicine has been treating chronic pain issues for centuries, while western medicine has only recognized it as a real ailment in the past couple decades. They have many treatments that can seriously improve or even cure chronic pain issues. It is a little pricey, but I promise the results will be worth it. DO NOT SEE A CHIROPRACTOR FOR ACUPUNCTURE! They are wonderful for certain things, but in Minnesota they are only required to have 110 hours of training to practice Acupuncture. That is compared to the 3,500 hours I will need to graduate from my program. Find someone with a Master's or Doctorate in Acupuncture or Oriental Medicine. Any or all of these measures will be better than the care you have been given. I am so sorry you have been suffering for so long.
A. - if you're open to a different type of doctor, I would highly recommend the clinic that I go to, Synapase. In a nutshell, they are chiropractors. However, they go way beyond the normal chiropractor. They are also nuerologists and nutritionists. The term synapse is the point at which a nervous impulse passes from one neuron to another. They do much more than chiropractic. As a matter of fact people fly in from all over the country and all over the world to see these doctors. The best part, they are in our back yard. They are located off of Cedar Ave and Cliff road in Eagan. Their phone number is ###-###-####. If you choose to go, please let them know that I referred you. Please feel free to contact me personally for more information.
D. Goodman
A.- First of all, Fibromyalgia IS a real disease. I work at the United Pain Clinic in St Paul. We have many patients who are suffering. I am not a MD or a RN, I work in the front office. Please do not let anyone tell you this is not real. See if you can get a referral to a pain clinic (ours for instance ;-)) who can help you. Good luck, H.
Hey A. - I appreciate your question/concern and your reaching out to community for ideas. I have recently started to see a person that does Network Spinal Analysis to work out my kinks and stiffness. It has made a world of difference!! The process is pain free and reasonably priced. I highly recommend exploring the possibility or this way of supporting you both physically and emotionally. Her website is http://kimberlyberkus.com/about.asp. Good Luck!!
