Managing Pain

Mary
Maryon Saturday, May 31 2025
2 Comments

I had a mild ischemic stroke back in October. I managed at home. (I was a RN for 35 years). The only residual effect is neuropathy on my right side. Some days are worse than others. I asked my doctor for assistance managing the discomfort. Her response was that I am old and I am going to have pain. Duh! I already have fibromyalgia. Managed that for years. I am not pleased with my doctor at all. Jumping through non related hoops to satisfy insurance requirements isn’t working. Are other doctors this dismissive? I finally told her how disrespectful she sounded and if she lives long enough she will be old someday. I just want to know if other doctors other places are so uncaring. (I don’t whine. I don’t ask her for anything unless I am desperate.)

2 Responses
garrylawson avatar
garrylawson

Endure it is more accurate , some pain can't be relieved so learn to live with it , pain is their to remind you some thing isn't working .

StrokeLine avatar
StrokeLine

Hello Mary,

 Thank you for reaching out on EnableMe. I am sorry to hear what you have been going through.

As you may already know, pain can be very common following a stroke and can affect people in different ways. Neuropathic pain is caused by damage to the brain’s pain-processing pathways, rather than because of injury.   

 

To answer your question, not all doctors react the same when talking about pain post stroke.  It is important to find someone who listens to you and helps you explore options that can help you manage what you are experiencing.  Pain does not impact every stroke survivor, nor every person who is over a certain age. It is important to get the medical treatment you need you’re your treating team.

In Australia, doctors sometimes refer patients with chronic pain to a pain management clinic. The pain management clinics have pain specialists and programs developed to help manage chronic pain. 

Would you consider seeking a new doctor, or a second opinion? It is your right to get good healthcare, and it is important to get good advice from your medical team.

 

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