Pain managment docs for tmj?

Question by Dyland27: Pain managment docs for tmj?
I am awaiting surgery for tmj disorder, and my surgery keeps being rescheduled because my surgeon hurt her hip. I am now waiting on another doc to see me out of town, but in the mean time my primary care doc (who has had me on narcotic meds for months) wants me to see a pain mgt, doc. I want a good one that does not think I am a drug seeker. I am only 25 and I have real pain, but it seems like no one can really help me. I have been to numerous specialist, dentists, facial pain docs, and surgeons. They all say that I won’t get relief until I have my surgery, and they think I should stay on my meds, but they are afraid I will get addicted. I have never abused my medications and really do have horrible pain that does not let up without meds. I feel like if they are the ones who are rescheduling my surgery, they should keep helping me until the surgery. They have had me on meds for 4-5 months and are now afraid that I will become addicted. I told them that I am worried too, but should’nt we fix the problem first and then worry about that?? I also asked that how am I going to get by without meds, when they thought I needed them for this long? My condition has gotten worse, and now they are worried about addiction. I don’t know what to do. My surgeon thinks I should stay on my meds until surgery, but my primary does not feel comfortable giving me meds anymore. What will the pain mgt. doc do for me? I have tried physical therapy, have been on bedrest for 4 months, ice/heat, excercises, anti inflammatories, muscle relaxers, splint therapy, injections, topical numbing creams, etc. The only thing that helps is a combination of the above and percocet for the pain. The injections make my pain way worse afterwards. I don’t want to do any more injections. I just want to have my surgery. Anyone else have this happen?? Does anyone know of a great pain mgt. doc in North Florida or South Georgia?? The doc they are trying to send me to does not do anything but injections. I was advised by my surgeon not to have any more injections. I hate that I am being labled a “druggie” when I am not. I know that I do not abuse meds and only take them for pain. I have never asked for a prescription early or take more than I need for pain. I am upset and hurt by all of this. The nurse at the primary care docs office said she is sending me to pain mgt. to “help with any addictions”. I was floored!!They are the ones who agreed I needed the meds and gave them to me for months, why are they saying this now? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for listening.
P.S. The surgery I am having is bilateral joint replacement using scar tissue from my previous c-section, as well as jaw repositioning. I have been advised that the joint flushing procedure will not work for my case, as I have a deformed jaw and my joints are dissenigrating (sp?). I have very little tissue left in my right side and it is progressively getting worse. It feels like bone on bone. It locks in place all the time. I can’t eat anything that has to be chewed. I have been on a non chew diet for over 4 months with no improvement. I have not worked or driven in over 4 months. The pain is totally unbearable and seems to worsen each day. I wake up with it, and it gets worse as the day progresses. As soon as night comes, I am crying even with pain meds. Every single day. I am not sure how much more of this I can take. We have tried everything. The percocet is the only thing that has helped, along with the other excercises and anti inflammatories. I was told to just take advil. : (

Best answer:

Answer by Sage
You didn’t say what kind of surgery you were having? Is it an arthrocentesis? Have you seen an oral surgeon in your area? Normally there are more than one in the practice and they would be the best ones to help you with your problem. It sounds like you have been doing everything you can to control your pain. TMJ is still a much misunderstood condition. If surgery is your last resort try to get to a new doctor as soon as possible. Good luck!!

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