Legacy Pain Management Center, Portland OR

I just tried to call to schedule an appointment at the Legacy Pain Center. Someone answered the phone, then put me on hold for 20 minutes before I gave up. They don't tell you where you are in the queue, nothing. Just cheap, repetitive music.

I'm going to try again later in the day, when I can put it on speaker phone. Incredibly frustrating system for making appointments.

Well, I would say that, barring any other reason, I have not received timely calls or emails back at all from Simon Klein, the Social Worker in the clinic. He is nice, but appears to be overwhelmed and it makes me nervous handing my life over to medical professionals who do not embrace the gravity of your situation being life vs.death. Also, being a terminal cancer patient, I'm not sure I should be doing this at all. I was heavily coerced to try this clinic again after a completely monstrous disaster about 10 years ago. That doctor is now the clinic director who supposedly my new doctor here, Dr. Price, is not controlled by in any way. I have come to realize through in person visits lately that my PCP may just be wanted to end his responsibility to my treatment, and with my pain medications, with everything. He writes things that are flowery, because they are in print. In person, he can be very cruel. It puts someone like me in a very hard position. Will I actually be one of the people out there with fibromyalgia, Stage IV Cancer that is terminal (slowly-but still terminal) and very aggressive pain neuropathy throughout my body (especial arms and hands). Will I be someone who is on disability and receives Medicare benefits, and has never, ever not followed my doctors instructions to the letter and point (with urinalysis reports to prove this, if need be) and still end up looking for relief for my pain. The only reason I came here was when my PCP was still being nice to me and begging me to try it. I trusted him, and that is exactly when he became very cold, and truly cruel at in person appointments. He is not able to be judged by what he does in private. His actions are not available to anyone but me. Dr. Price at this clinic seems very nice, but also quite clinical with point by point charts that are complex and I don't get any personal answers about how this change to the new wonder drug Suboxone will work for me, and if it doesn't work is a question that is simply not answered by anyone. When I asked my PCP, who referred me to this clinic if he would treat me, let me receive my original working treatment, if this program didn't work or the new drug didn't work, and he said:
"Absolutely NOT. " I am being turned away in my time of need and asked to begin a program which I have bad communication from it's staff Social Worker who seem to only get connected with if he accidentally answers his phone without looking. (This is after 3 or more voice mails and hand written messages being passed to him through the front desk.) Also, email seems to be the achilles heel for all doctors at Legacy. They encourage the use of it and then are upset when you do use it. It's a strange position to be in and I wanted to make it public because with all of my insurance and being an educated individual who enjoyed a very full life until I had a cycling accident that nearly killed me, left me with a LOT of lifetime pain to deal with and then a terminal Cancer diagnosis and that came with a surgery and chemotherapy, which has forever long reaching side effects that are completely pain inducing. I honestly do not know how much time I have left, and neither does anyone else. Because I have insurance and good attitude people think you are fine and do not need medical care. But, the only reason I have been doing so well is BECAUSE of the good medical care I've received up to this point. Now, I honestly do not know what to do. I am completely uncomfortable being treated by my PCP of 15 years, also a Legacy doctor (I started with him before he was with Legacy.) and while I am okay moving forward with this pain clinic and new drug, I wish the Social Worker and doctor were more communicative. Or communicative at all, sometimes. I truly believe the downturn in my relationship with my PCP came with Legacy wanting to not provide pain medication at all, like so many doctors are doing now. I am hoping that I can find a new PCP within a system that this Pain Clinic will work with as I am very uncomfortable having any more sessions with my current PCP.