Sparky A.
Yelp
I've been a patient in the South End office since the last week of 2014. My PCP was a young man named Dr Shi for the 1st year before he moved to SF. I have 7 herniated discs, 3 vertebrae compression fracture, no cartilage in my shoulders, wrists, or thumbs due to degenerative joint disease, and my mobility is extremely limited. Just getting from bed to the bathroom to the living room is a challenge every day. I am disabled, but was turned down for disability multiple times. That is not Fenway's fault. My PCP since has been a Dr named Ethan Brackett.
With my sister's help, I started driving for Uber, then Grubhub, and now Lyft to support myself, but due to such limited mobility, I cannot work full-time. My physical therapy was managed poorly for almost a year and a half before I just stopped going. Getting there was too physically demanding for me and there seemed no chance at receiving help any other way.
My pain has been managed with cyclobenzaprine (flexerall) which does not help me, does not increase mobility either. It only causes me to be too tired to drive, so I don't take it regularly. I was given Gabapentin which made me physically ill and didn't increase my mobility nor did it decrease my pain levels. The third medicine prescribed was Tramadol, which seems to be the lowest level of an opiate.
Tramadol doesn't negate pain, but it does improve my mobility by about 5 to 10%, which is enough for me to get out of the house. My pain level is at a level 10 constantly, in every moment, which numerous shots of adrenaline due to constant shots of pain able to take a normal person to the ground. Doing basics like getting dressed, putting on and taking off clothes, leaving the house, and running even the most basic errands takes energy out of me to the point of not being able to move at some point during the day. Some days, I never make it out of the house.
Also, I cannot sleep as moving at all shoots pain out of my shoulders, and the increased levels of adrenaline make it difficult to relax my mind and body enough to sleep.
I've managed my pain via meditation for years, averaging less than 2 pills per day for over 7 years. However, in the last 6 months or so, I have taken more tramadol to get me to be able to move to sustain even the lowest levels of self-sustainability. I have asked for a stronger medication countless times, and the only answer I get is to take gabapentin, which makes me sick. The only sense I get is a sense of self-preservation and cover their own ass for Dr Brackett, Dr Shi previously, and the recent classless, condescending, combative Dr. Jatinder Gill of the Arnold Warfield Pain Center.
Because of my age and ability to earn in the past, it seems I qualify for nothing that can help me, and despite referring me to an advocate, and a financial services advocate, these people have only emailed lists I could readily find on the internet. Are there any doctors out there who actually care about the patient's best interest instead of just pawning the patient off of on someone else once their pain level reaches an insane level which makes it difficult to live?
About calling and communicating with Doctor's through the patient portal, about making appointments and connecting different people with information throughout my care, Fenway South End has been good. The people there may be overwhelmed, but they take care of me and my past requests as soon as they can. They do so in a pleasant manner. They are really smiley, but I understand the stress they are under, so I am patient and kind and appreciate all of their hard work.
This is why I rated Fenway South End a 3 star review. They are not horrible, but I certainly don't feel I have a doctor who is really ready to help me. I feel like I am getting a big stiff arm as long as I am in pain and as long as I am not completely incapacitated.