Chronic Pain

Honours Thesis Daniel Gingras Introduction to Survey

I am Daniel Gingras, an Honors Psychology Student, doing thesis research on chronic pain management under the supervision of Dr. Paul T. P. Wong. The purpose of the study is to discover how personal meaning is related to the intensity of pain and quality in life so that we learn how to better manage chronic pain.
We need you to help us in this research. Please complete this survey if you are currently experiencing pain either constantly or frequently (at least 4 times a month) for at least 6 months. You need to be over the age of 18 to fill out the survey. It will take between 10 to 15 minutes to complete. The survey is anonymous, confidential, and encrypted. Your participation is voluntary; you can refuse to answer any question and leave at any time.
There is no deception involved and no expected adverse reactions in completing the survey.

As a token of our appreciation, we will send you a summary of our findings upon request. If you have any questions, please email me at daniel_gingras@live.com.
If you willingly consent to do the survey, please click here.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DanielGI,

Hello, my name is Sheila Fetherman, and I am more than willing to answer questions on survey to help others.
I have had 2 Intrathecal Narcotic Pumps (Medtronic) that has had to be taken out due to severe infection. I have also had 4 other lower back surgeries, plus have taken pain medicine off and on for years.
I have been coping physically, mentally and spiritually for nearly 12 years and I think that I have been through it ALL emotionally. In my opinion, a patient who suffers from SEVERE pain on a daily basis should have one on one counseling sessions ALONG with any medications at all prescribed for the control of chronic pain. I have found that it is more important to deal with chronic pain on a mental level rather than medicine, although I believe that medicine is also VERY important, but I believe that there needs to be some changes with Pain Management as a whole concerning counseling along with Pain Medicine.
If you would like for me to fill out a survey, I am more than willing to do so.
Feel free to contact me.
By the way, thank you to this department for acknowledging that the emotional well being and mental well being is actually just as important, if not more important than the physical pain. I myself know from past experience that if a person suffering with chronic pain isn't well emotionally and mentally, then there isn't much a Pain Management Specialist can do for them. I also think that with Neurosurgery, it is very important that a patient in severe pain be seen in a clinic by a Psychologist PRIOR to the surgery, because if the patient is depressed or isn't coping well with everything that comes along with pain, especially chronic pain, I truly believe that the patient has less chances of a successful surgery. Please send me the survery and I will attach my own personal experiences.
Sincerely,
Sheila Fetherman

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Karen Lee Richards,

Hi Sheila,
This is an online survey. If you'll click on the blue "here" at the end of Daniel's post, it will take you to the survey.

(Also, I deleted your personal information from your post for your protection.)

You make some excellent points concerning the importance of counseling in a pain management plan. I'm sure Daniel will appreciate your willingness to take the survey.

Karen

Hello Karen,
I know from experience that I suffered so horribly from depression that I was in, that I truly, honestly believe that this was MORE important, than all of the other things that was going on with the pain. I AM NOT SAYING THAT PAIN IS JUST IN SOMEONE'S HEAD,no that isn't true, but if depression isn't treated, then almost anything they tried to do for me didn't work. I literally tried to kill myself once....and I am a Christian. It is a miracle that I survived.
I also believe that Pain Management as a whole needs to change. There honestly needs to be trained counselors or Phychiatrists, concerning those who suffer horribly with chronic pain, to become a part of pain mangagement. This is so very needed so that doctors will STOP THE MADNESS OF TREATING PEOPLE WITH TRUE CHRONIC PAIN, LIKE WE ARE PAIN MED SEEKERS. This needs to stop and that is all that there is to it Karen. I beleive, that if a new set up is put into play concerning trained counselors and psychiatrists, that hopefully this will eliminate all of those demeaning questions about our characters. But there needs to be a new system.
Thanks Karen, and God Bless,
Sheila Fetherman

Hello again Karen,
I would actually like to speak with this gentleman concerning Chronic Pain, and hopefully with this research, will bring about new development for people who suffer from Chronic Pain. Karen, I truly hope that this doesn't offend anyone at all out there, but Psychiatrists truly do need to intervene in Chronic Pain treatment, and I believe this for many different reasons. Karen, something does need to change for those of us who suffer horribly with Chronic Pain, and yet, we are treated as all of those who have abused the system concerning pain medicine.
I understand that you are very involved in the movement of change in the treatment of Chronic Pain, and how those of us are treated as "pain med seekers" who truly need the medicine and who do not abuse the medicine.
If there is anything that I can do to help, please contact me, you do have my personal information which I appreciate you doing. I am giving you permission to contact me.
God Bless
Sheila Fetheman

Hello Sheila,
While I would love to be able to contact you personally to learn more about your experience with chronic pain and use that information, I am unfortunately unable to do so. The Research Ethics Board at my institution only approved for my supervisor and me to collect anonymous survey data, we don't have permission to do personal interviews with participants. Thank you so much for your willingness to help out, if we are ever performing a study on this topic that involves interviewing participants I'll remember to look you up here.
-Daniel Gingras

Hello Daniel,
If, indeed, you ever do need to interview anyone, I would be more than willing. I do understand the need for this survey to be kept anonomous (just excuse my poor spelling).
I am praying that there will be change in Pain Management as a whole. For those of us who suffer horribly with physical pain, along comes depression and also anxiety. I can only speak for myself, but I can tell you that if I wouldn't have dealt with all of my emotional pain, because of the physical pain and how it did interfere in my life, there is nothing that a pain management doctor could have done for me. I feel very strongly about this because I know what happened to me.
I am praying that someday, pain management will also include counseling to help individuals whose lives are being disrupted by ongoing chronic pain.
By the way, thank you to you and to your department, to do this survey. I hope that it will pave the way to change for those who are depressed and are in need of spiritual and emotional help ALONG with medicine.
Sincerely,
Sheila