Rounding up the great advice from Dr. Jill I'd like to stay in the dance hall for a bit... because obviously, we can't do an amazing tango with just anyone... As a chronic pain patient, chances are you'll be seeing the inside of the doctor's office quite regularly, and you want to make sure that you have the right dance partner!
Just because their clinic is conveniently close, or it's the doctor your family always has gone to, doesn't mean it's the right doctor for you. Choose your dance partner with care, don't settle for mediocre communication. If you consistently feel that your doctor misunderstands or does not take your problem seriously, that may be a good enough reason to see if you can find someone that you can work better with. By talking to other patients who have a similar condition as yours you may be able to get names of doctors with expertise and understanding. Last time I had to change doctors I talked to several people, and found out which of them had a doctor that was both understanding, professional and updated, then I contacted that doctor and met him in person before deciding if he was someone I wanted to work with. He was, and I really feel we work well together as a team. I trust him and follow his advice, he listens to me and always takes me seriously.
We could probably do a pretty good tango if we had to :)
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