Phantom pain/ Real or Not?

[TheDunvilles at aol.com]

Tony Barr,

In my case, you are right about "mentally block psychological phantom pain. 
Within 3 weeks of stopping all post op meds, my phantom pain was next to none, 
if at all.

My big problem as been getting the Rehab Doctor from pushing "phantom pain 
med" on me. While I have told him I have no need for the med, but will ask for 
them only when I need them. He still trys to push them every visit. 

It makes me think that he is getting kick backs from the drug companies, as 
hard as he pushes some times. With the support group I am a part of, I have 
learned that "phantom" pain levels are going to vary from person to person.

Dave Dunville


In a message dated 9/29/2003 3:20:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
darr9715 at bellsouth.net writes:

> Thom,
> 
> No, My experience is that not all phantom pain results from regeneration of
> nerve endings and floating bood vessals and artieries and muscle tissue
> which is not stabilized during the amputation procedure.
> 
> Many amputees claim they are able to mentally block psychological "phantom"
> pain from the once present limb without meds.
> 
> The word "phantom" is a phenomenon that tends to elude to it of not being
> real.
> This makes it possible for many surgeons to reply to complaints of severe
> post op pain with this explanation" phantom"!
> 
> Our experience is that these sensations peak and often occur 3-5 years post
> op.
> 
> But ask any amputee whom has experienced it and it's real enough to them to
> cause stump pulsation, rise in body temperatures, and real sensations of
> having limbs where it is now absent.
> Some resort to thinking the problem is the result of a improper fitting
> prosthesis, or may resort to taking heavy pain medication and on occasion,
> considering suicide as my father did.
> 
> Tony Barr
> Barr Foundation
> www.oandp.com/barr
> 

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