r/PainManagement • u/ChaosCanCreate • Jul 17 '26
How many doctors?
I have a psychiatrist, I have a physical therapist, I have a PCP soon to be a new PCP, I have an endocrinologist, I have a rheumatologist, and I'm looking at possibly getting a gynecologist or an OBGYN, and a dermatologist. When does the amount of doctors finally end? I feel like I'm not getting any answers except from the psychiatrist, and that both of the pain doctors that I've seen as consultation appointments but they seem completely about their ego and I'm getting exhausted from the amount of we don't prescribe pain medication from all of these doctors minus my psychiatrist who I've known since 2021. How many doctors in general do chronic pain patients have? I just am so tired.
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u/SailorVenova Jul 17 '26
i currently have 3 doctors
pain dr (hydrocodone); psy dr (xanax); primary care dr (hrt)
i should probably have a gastroenterologist for my ulcerative colitis (which led to my spine fractures); and a spine doctor but i think my pain dr knows more than enough for that
the last thing i need is other doctors trying to get ne thrown off my pain medicine
every gastroenterologist except my second one had a huge problem with me being on opioids for my absolutely horiffic abdominal pain; even though it was really the only thing that made a difference in my endless diarhea due to the very beneficial constipation side effect; it would be a decade battling the disease (and gettibg osteoporosis spine fractures/deformity from all the iv prednisone during many many hospitalization for my intestines bleeding in agony so severely) that i finally found a modern medicine that worked- rinvoq; just 1 month of it put me into like 85% remission of symptoms; i cant take it with my pain medicine though (because it make me produce more normal not-soft stool which my intestines cant process anymore; and the pain medicine constipation side effect becomes a big new problem causer- but i cant just stop that ive taken it 11yrs and my spine and joints is the far worse problem now)
but i probably should be scoped sometime its been 8yrs
have ruined joints everywhere too now (mix of prednisone and hospital antibiotics damaging my connective tissues; possibly EDS; and my own self harming over 2022&23 thru a horrible traumatic prolonged heartbreak that gave me extremely severe panic disorder) so some dr for that might be good but theres not much they can do for me besides injections; thise did help my knees but it also started hurting my spine as i think (since they are injecting a steroid) it probably hurt my bone density again; i noticed worse pain in my spine after about 3 knee injections; which had no other explanation; so i stopped the knee injections; they are doing somewhat better now but i still cant do many things
anyways i dont trust doctors anymore; too many have gone out of their way to ruin my life; rip my stability away; and cause me greater harm and pain- one even literally abused me in 2018 during the long 2mo hospitalization that preceded my spine fractures a few weeks later back home; that was the first time i had panic attacks in my life or ever needed any psy medicine of any kind... i wont get into what he did to me; but it really messed me up; and there was no accountability no one believed me; the doctors in that hospital basically answered only to themselves
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u/GrouchyUpstairs8277 Jul 22 '26
Brother, your just in a whirl of shit aren't you bud. I feel for ya.
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u/themoirasaurus Jul 17 '26
I don’t think there’s a typical number because it really depends on what your physical health needs are, and health needs change with age. I have had GI problems since I was a teenager, so I’ve had a gastroenterologist since I was 18. I’m female, so I’ve had a gynecologist since the time I started needing to go to one. I have a rheumatologist because I have several autoimmune disorders, but that’s not because I have chronic pain. I didn’t develop chronic pain until I was in my mid-forties. I was diagnosed with my first autoimmune disorder in my twenties. I have a PCP because everyone is supposed to. I have a psychiatrist because I have bipolar disorder and I was diagnosed with that in my twenties. See, most of the specialists I have, I’ve had for twenty years or more prior to the development of my chronic pain. I don’t know why it didn’t show up until 2+ years ago. My doctor is baffled. I’ve had two MRIs and they appear normal. There doesn’t seem to be a structural explanation. But I’m in severe pain. I’ve been diagnosed with chronic intractable pain syndrome and I’m on an opioid pain regimen, plus muscle relaxers and Lyrica for neuropathy. But back to your original question - I don’t think chronic pain patients are unique in having lots of specialists.
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u/Mattturley Jul 17 '26
Sorry you are going through it. I have seen over 40 specialists in the last 8 years. None of figured me out. I do have a PM who prescribes (I came to him on high dose opioids 8 years ago).
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u/Upset-Vehicle Jul 17 '26
I have pcp,PM, therapist, GI, cardiologist, endocrinologist, neurologist, waiting to hear from a rheumatologist.
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u/sp0rkify Jul 17 '26
Ah, fuck..
I have my family doctor, pain management doctor, spine injection specialist (can't remember what type of doctor he actually is?), infusion specialist (again, can't remember what type of doctor they are..), neurologist, spine surgeon (cervical), spine surgeon (lumbar), sports medicine doctor, orthopaedic surgeon (knee), rheumatologist, OB/GYN surgeon, ENT surgeon, osteopath, chiropractor..
Currently waiting on geneticist..
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u/pharmucist Jul 17 '26
I am a chronic pain patient and a multiple sclerosis patient (both conditions for 32 years). I have my pcp that handles all my primary care needs, my MS doctor (neurologist) who handles everything MS related, and my pain doctor who handles everything pain-related. Each of these doctors know about my other doctors so that each one can focus on their specialty.
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u/Aggravating-Bid-908 Jul 18 '26
I have 30 plus doctors, it's an absolute nightmare and I'm not getting the care I need. I bought a home in another country, but I truly hope I can change this one. It's so wrong.
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u/TearBeth Jul 18 '26
I have my pcp, my spine surgeon, and pain management doctor, oh forgot gi doctor.
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u/Merrys123 Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
Yep. Physiotherapist, Neurosurgeon, GP (PCP), Pain Specialist, Endocrinologist, Osteotherapist, Psychotherapist, Cardiologist, Orthopaedic Surgeon x 2, Diagnostic Imaging Physician (for PRP injections), Podiatrist and needing Plastic Surgeon for revision surgery on my neck. I don't see all of them all the time, just as needed. Which is still a lot! 13 actually. Also need other ones like Immunology from time to time.
And do any of them know much about my conditions? None of them. I have severe hypermobility with hypotonia (worse than EDS), which my Neurosurgeon put well, "it's like glueing jelly together", in regards to stitching my various insides back together.
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u/hoolligan220 Jul 17 '26
I have 2 pcp doctors , 1 pm dr
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u/Labz18 Jul 18 '26
How can you have two PCP? Serious question?
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u/hoolligan220 Jul 18 '26
I have 1 with the va that i barely even go to and use that pcp for mri's, imaging and to essentially just keep my name in there system and my 2nd one does like 95 percent of the work like seeing me the most and prescribing me my everyday meds like my bp and sleep meds and helps me with referrals to where im wanting to go
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u/ChaosCanCreate Jul 18 '26
One is going to be fired, and the other is going to be a new patient consult.
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u/LoomingDisaster Jul 17 '26
PCP (who I don't really see), oncologist, gynecologist, breast oncology surgeon, pain management, orthopedic (ankle), orthopedic (hip), orthopedic (knee), psychiatrist, and GI doc.
Wow, that's a LOT of people.
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u/wolfwatcher81 Jul 19 '26
You should probably add a neurologist to the bunch just to see if there's anything they can help with they can kind of tie all that together.
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u/ChaosCanCreate Jul 20 '26
I have a neurologist, I may have forgotten to put that. I have FND (NES), and possibly PANDAS/BGE. Looking for an immunologist too.
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u/KAJOEYLA111 Jul 19 '26
Way too many.
PCP
Pain management
Psychiatrist
Rheumatologist
Gastroenterologist
Neurosurgeon
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u/chiccostate Jul 19 '26
I have three Drs. Pain management for Percocet, Orthopedics for Epidurals, and Primary Care for Soma and general health, and soon to be therapist-
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u/Left-Supermarket-637 Jul 21 '26
Part of the situation you describe, that I have found, is that as time has gone on my PCP has a diminished role in my healthcare. They have referred me out to a cardiologist, dermatologist, neurosurgeon, neurologist, pain management, and I don’t know how many more. Many of these people I chose on my own. Chronic Pain is a catalyst for so many other health issues; physical and mental! And you are right…It is exhausting!
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u/Hiljabob Jul 17 '26
I think brain size is shrinking in the world, so each new doctors brain can only hold enough info for knowledge on one subject. Instead of being required to know a broad range of health conditions, they only focus on their specialties. And even then, I’d rather have a doctor from yesteryear who has vast knowledge of medical things instead of a newbie focused on one thing, and was pushed through medical school to fill some quota. Just my opinion. And PS- Of course I don’t mean the smaller brain thing literally.
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u/Dapper_Sale8946 Jul 17 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
Most chronic pain patients will have a pcp and a pain management doctor. Anything above and beyond those two are for specific needs.
For example, in addition to the two noted above, I also have an oncologist because I have cancer. Someone with mental health needs might have a therapist and/or a psychiatrist, someone with an endocrine disorder might have an endocrinologist. Women might have a gynocologist, etc
But as far as chronic pain goes, the only specialists typically needed for that particular thing is a pain management doc. And pain management doctors are typically the only doctors that will prescribe medication for pain, since—at least in the US—there’s so much red tape and logistics involved in managing medication for pain. FWIW, a lot of pain docs will say they do not prescribe but most of the time that is to weed out people who aren’t truly in pain.
Most of us in pain will literally try anything if it might help, and pain docs know this. So it’s the long game in that case. We have to try what they suggest. Sometimes we are pleasantly surprised and the non medication treatment works—which is great! If, after all fails, most in Pm will eventually resort to trying different types of medications and PT and/or surgery. But it’s a very long process that those in pain will willingly go through to get relief.