Doubts about doctors
(continued - page 2)

Almost from the day I left hospital I had a burning pain. I was prescribed anti depressants both for the pain and for the trauma. The problem then was they gave me a migraine and a terribly hangover feeling. They tried other options, but with no success.

I attended rehab for the first few months out of hospital. I was assessed as not being fully recovered and it would be a couple of years before I was recovered so until this happened I was unable to be retrained to go back into the workforce. I never got the retraining due to bungling. I tried going back to work but with no income to retrain and no real experience in the jobs I was able to do. I had no luck in finding work. I was forced to do manual work as I had before the accident, but that made my condition worse. I went to doctor after doctor trying to find out what was wrong with me and was given all the excuses under the sun. I tried to keep working. I was not eligible for a pension, as they could not work out what was wrong with me.

After being in a motor vehicle accident I was entitled to compensation. I got some, but this was before I was diagnosed with the RSD and with the full expectation that I was able to go back to work. I kept going back to work but kept getting sick and having to leave my job. The doctors couldn't tell me what was wrong I just kept going around and around in circles. I tried to get help from the compensation people but no one wanted to know.

Finally a doctor saw me while I was in the middle of an attack (or flair as they are called) and I was diagnosed with RSD. This was 7 years later and too late for intervention. My face, neck, both arms and hands, my lower back and chest area where the tubes were put in are the main areas affected. I have osteoarthritis in my whole spine. The RSD causes muscle spasm affecting my total back area. The spasm in my lower back causes pains in my leg and feet, so severe some days it hurts to stand up. As a result of the bombardment on my body I have developed intolerance to a lot of chemicals. I suffer headaches, nausea, sinus and an asthma type reaction.

I have sensory issues with the burns scars and also with the damage done to the nerves with the burns add the RSD to this and what a mix. Sometimes it hurts sometimes it doesn't, sometimes you can't feel it at all. I was referred to a pain clinic and due to the fact that we live in Outback Queensland, the clinic was 2,000 klms away. I had success with the clinic and benefited from my trip there. The program that I was placed on was a big step forward for me. The information that I received on my condition was a great help. The exercises and medication program, which for me was Mexilitene - Mersyndol Forte & Panamax helped me maintain a relatively pain free or stable state for a few years. I was able to manage my life and get some semblance of order other than feeling like I was spiraling out of control. The clinic worked a program where due to where I lived they would work with my local GP in medication and if my condition did deteriorate I then had to go back to the clinic.

I managed to go back to work and was quite successful with it this time. I enjoyed it. Then the pain came back. We have all heard about the problems getting doctors. in the bush. This is where my life fell apart again! The doctor who diagnosed my condition had moved on but he left behind my medical history, so I should have been right. When my condition deteriorated I went to the new doctor and asked for help. I got a new script, Indocid. When this did not help I went back to the doctor. I asked to be referred to the pain clinic but he said it was not necessary and prescribed me more medication. This went on and on.

I live 120 klms from the next nearest doctor. I tried going to another doctor. I tried visiting the emergency department at the Hospital. I could not eat. I was in so much pain. I was putting on so much weight it wasn't funny. I got depressed. My mood swings were terrible. My blood pressure started to fluctuate and the pain got worse. I had a catscan and went to an Orthopaedic Surgeon. I was 34 years of age. I was told that I had Osteoarthritis in my spine and this was due to old age and to learn to live with it, as there was nothing that could be done. I was sent to a Physio. At the third visit the treatment started and as soon as I was touched I went through the roof. The treatment planned for the day was changed. The next day I went to get out of bed and the pain I could not move. It hurt to stand up. The pain was throughout my body it was excruciating