I can't believe it. All this excitement over having a family doctor. It is a big thing but I am wondering. I can't believe when I talked to him about pain management he looked me straight in the eye and said I shouldn't need any more pain meds...he said at four weeks out from your surgery regular tylenol should do the trick. He also gave me a hard time about lack of activity and my blood sugars being irratic. Ok I just sat there and took it but in my mind I was angry and thought to myself you have this surgery and see how you make out with pain. you deal with diabeties when your eating is irratic to begin with and your pain (which plays with sugar) and lets see activity increases the pain. Don't get me wrong I believe in activity too!! I am getting out but as feeling is returning I am finding it harder to do things. He is very old school. But I am thankful for having a family doctor. (but it dosn't mean I can't still look for another..)

I talked to my oc doctor's secretary and she kinda gave me a bit of an attitude towards pain meds too. In her defence apparently the family doctor is supposed to take care of pain management. Anyway I am getting leary here everyone says to take care of pain and not let it get out of hand but how when your pain meds are limited and won't even let you keep up with even the directions...I had 80 t#3 which sounds like a lot but at 2 every six hours means 6 a day for a week which is 42 and two weeks is 84 and I asked for pain meds almost 4 weeks after I had been released from hospital... This is sending me mixed messages for sure. Well I was relieve that the oc doctor did give me some more but I just don't like that when they decide you should not have any pain you can't get any more meds and they wonder why people drink or other things... I am just venting but am also scared I did this to save my life but I thought I would be covered throughout and that meant recovery too...Mayb others have handled it better than I but I am not every body else...

just wondering how..Dianne

Talk to the doctors at your cancer centre. They no doubt have a pain managment department - ours here does, and they could likely better assess whether you should be in that much pain at this point. Lots of family doctors don't see alot of oral cancer. Take Care.

Donna

Diane, I guess I am lucky in a way due to I see a pain specialist for a chronic problem with my back, but you may ask your medical Dr. to refer you to a pain management specialist. They can be a lot of help in many situations. Good luck, Angel

I wish a pain management specialist was that easy my husband has been on a waiting list for pain management for over three years by then I won't need help... so I guess if the one thing I wish I would have known about this surgery is to make sure you are covered during recovery rather than go into it thinking you will be taken care of only to be abandoned because a doctor doesn't think that you are or should be in pain. Every one is different and when I went to the pre surgery appointment they assured me that I would be ok. That on a scale of 1-10 I shouldn't let it get higher than a 5 or 6 before taking something. Weather you should be in pain or not is irreguardless everyone has different pain tolerances and heal at different rates. It's not that I am a stranger to pain live with it most of my life between chronic back pain (disintegrating disks) fibromyalgia, arthritus just kinda the tip there have been others...They didn't care about that so why should they care now...

Sorry folks I sound angry but I think I am a bit. But you folks aren't the one to sound off at...I appologize...For a little bit I am covered but will take one day at a time...I think I am still having mood swings cause of smoking...and well just feel I am falling apart a bit.. 80% of time am good just having an off nite again I am sorry

Darkeyedlady, You go right ahead and tell us how you feel and we all will listen. Each one of use deserves to honestly say what is affecting us. Someone may have a good idea that will help. Good luck and my thoughts and prayers are with you. Angel