Pain Management Appointment
[ Thursday November 17th 2022 at 10:40 am ]
I have just finished a pain management appointment. I am pleased with how the appointment went.
I have the direct e-mail address for this doctor. I reached out to him shortly after my right knee buckled again because of the surge in pain combined with broken sleep it was creating for me. Earlier in the week I sent the doctor a diagram showing where the new area of my knee joint that is paining, a list of the medications I am using in an attempt to control the pain I am experiencing and what has changed. There is a topical cream (available over the counter) which is 4% Lidocaine. It has become unreliable since my right knee joint buckled again on September 30th. With my sleep being broken I needed help finding a replacement. With my family doctor office telling me they have reached the limits of what they are able to do for me I contacted the pain management doctor for assistance.
The doctor was happy to help me with a replacement. It is Lidocaine 5% with Ketamine 4%. I am not sure that I will need to use this long term. I can see 2 uses of this that will be beneficial to me. There are times when I am experiencing pain that is made worse from broken sleep. I am wondering if my knee will leave me alone for a few nights if the pain will go down. The other use is for the treatment plan this doctor is setting in motion.
I am needing a new MRI of my right knee joint. It is probable that I have experienced a traumatic knee injury as a result of my right knee joint buckling in December 2021 and again on September 30th. To undergo an MRI I need to be able to endure the travel as well as being tethered to the MRI table during the imaging session. This will require pain management. This topical cream is a very reasonable option.
The doctor wants me to receive a high priority MRI clinic. He prepared a referral for this. There is a specific MRI clinic he wants me to attend with a typical wait time of 2 - 3 days. I need to arrange for travel when I get home. This clinic is 3½ hours from my home. I will work on this later today.
The doctor talked about the photos I sent him of my right knee joint contusions being very much out of the ordinary. He is thinking that the surgeon isn't hearing what I am saying because of other patient complaints watering down what I am trying to describe. He wants to equip me for presenting an overwhelming need for having my right knee joint replaced since my quality of life would drastically improve if this were to occur. He has asked me to get a sample of photographs that represent my knee so it is more than words.
Overall this was a helpful appointment. I am glad to have a doctor that is on my side and has been willing to listen to me. I really wasn't feeling well during the appointment because of being over tired. It is clear this doctor is invested in helping me. I am very grateful for this.