I've Tried to be a Good Pain Patient!

Lately I've been reading "The Pain Chronicles" by Melanie Thernstrom and I've learned a lot about pain.  I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has pain or lives with someone who has pain.  I recently read a chapter about being a good pain patient and I have tried to remember times when I might NOT have been a "good" pain patient.  I couldn't come up with anything unless asking for different procedures or tests to find the cause of this pain constitutes being a BAD pain patient.

Having some medical background (former EMT, nursing student, and lifelong medical freak) I know how difficult it is for a doctor to take pain at face value unless there is some obvious injury.  I think that's what kept me from seeking help in the first few years.  My primary doctor, Dr. D., referred me to a doctor who specializes in rehabilitation and pain, Dr.P. What follows is something that occurred while I was seeing Dr.P for many years.  After this incident I have struggled to find the point where I was a bad pain patient.  Read on and I think you'll see why I say this.

I would see Dr. P, get my assignment for Physical Therapy (PT) or a new medication, increase in dosage, or some other treatment such as a TENS (transcutaneal electrical nerve stimulation) unit.  I would call his office after a specified period of time to report to his nurse and set up an appointment.

At the time when this happened, I had been on opioids for a considerable time (at least a year, probably more like 3,) and I called to report on the dosage increase. I would also get my next appointment date and time, per usual.  His nurse took my information, put me on hold (nothing new) and came back to the phone.

"When is my next appointment?"
"Just a moment..."  she put me on hold again...
Nothing new - really - the lady who ran the appointment calendar could have been busy and she needed to address something else.  I'm used to being put on hold in a doctor's office.
"Dawn?  Dr.P. said he does not want to see you again."

My jaw dropped.  "He what?"

"Dr.P doesn't want to see you again.  He suggests you follow up with your primary doctor."
"Why won't he see me?"
"He didn't say.  He just said he didn't want to see you again."

Now that I look back on this, it's like a junior-high-school boy (who has no balls) using some common female to break up with his girlfriend.  Wow.  I had the ULTIMATE respect for Dr.P until he wouldn't tell me WHY he wouldn't see me any longer.  He didn't tell Dr.D either.

I'm shaking my head, thinking how I have gone NOWHERE since my appointments with Dr.P - - well, except the increase in my opioids that Dr.D won't increase anymore.

Is THIS the way to treat a pain patient?