Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Mississippi
Discogram Over_ Surgery On the Way Posted: 01-13-06 03:55am
Everyone was right, that was severely
painful, but I lived. L4-l5 is shot and
I think l5-s1 has some problems also,
don't remember the pain was so bad.
I go the first week in feb. To get
surgical options. Would be sooner, but
the doc is taking a vacation.
Something of interest about my
transitional vertebrae. He said he has
treated many with this abnormality and it
didn't cause them pain and when he got
near mine, I "went through the roof".
Also said something about 20 psi, whatever
that means.
Not sure if this vertebrae will be
involved in the surgery, or not.
If I knew how to post a pic of the
procedure I would cause I have one, but
can't remember if you can or even know if
you can on this forum.
Heather
|
Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 710 Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
Posted: 01-13-06 07:13am
Yes heather,
it was the worst pain I had ever
experienced in my life! Disabledcoastie
has to be a monster to not have had much
added pain from it, very tough person but
there are many different kinds out there
and not all of us are going to feel the
same about pain.
I had to have 2 of them because I had 2
different surgeries and whe I was ordered
to have the second one I actually cried in
the car on the way home because I was so
devistated that I was going to have to go
through that again. Basically I went in
loaded for bear though, I took 1 of my
pain pills and 1 xanax and had the same in
the car for after the procedure.
When I was done with the disco, they told
my wife to go and make an appointment for
me to see the doc and as luck would have
it, the appt desk closed for lunch and I
had to wait in clearwater (1.5 hours from
home) to make my appointment and get my
prescriptions. I was a total wreck, we
went to have some lunch and I was falling
asleep from the medicine I took in the car
after the procedure but it did help with
the post pain.
Let us know how you do after your follow
up and what choices they offered you.
Almost sounds like they may offer the
pro-disc if you are offered artificial
disc replacement. That is one of the few
adr surgeries that can be done at more
than one level. If that is offered, think
hard about it but it has been an excellent
option for many. Remember I had the
charite and it isn't perfect but at least
I should not have to have follow on
surgery to another level due to fixation
at a level.
Brian
|
heather029
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Mississippi
Posted: 01-13-06 10:20am
Brian,
thanks again,
i will think long and hard about whatever
they offer me.
I asked for stronger meds and he sent me
home with tylox to take a few days after
the procedure, nothing more. Oh well.
Maybe I can hang in there with my lortabs
untl feb. Don't have much choice in the
matter.
What about that transitional vertebrae?
Do you think they may do something about
it too?
Heather
|
Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 710 Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
Posted: 01-13-06 10:31am
Tylox is a much more powerful med than
lortab but arent you also using the
duragesic transdermal fentanyl patch?
If you are, I would question the doctors
motive since if you made it to needing the
patch, why would he not also follow with a
"neet" medicine for breakthrough pain.
Something that does not have tylenol in
it. Also the tylox should help but you
are going to be in pain regardless of meds
given, it is a tough procedure and 20psi
is alot of pressure to put in the disc to
get the results. To put it in laymans
terms, it is about half the pressure you
put in your cars tires so it was definatly
a good test, albiet painful.
Before you enter into surgery with this
guy as your attending physician, you need
to make sure that he/she is not going to
be titrating you off of pain meds before
you are ready. Too many times doctors are
steadfast in their deadlines for healing
and you could be left with a mess on your
hands.
I love the surgeon that did my surgery but
he would not treat pain very effectivly
post surgery, I had to go to my primary
care and get a referal to pain managment
but he was cool with that because he was
no longer writing prescriptions for me and
so all he has to worry about is just
talking to me and ordering tests. Pain
management orders meds and other
treatments.
Make sure you are comfortable with the
answer you are given and if you are not,
go to your family doc and speak to them
about pain management prior to going under
the knife, it could be the difference
between a quick recovery and a really hard
one.
Good luck,
brian
|
disabledcoastie
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 68 Location: West Virginia
Posted: 01-13-06 11:15am
Not a monster tam, just used to alot of
bad pain!!!! :lol: i'm sorry to hear
that you have to have surgery heather, but
i'm glad they found the problem. Good
luck with your surgery and make sure,
really sure that your surgeon is a back
specialist. Good luck
|
heather029
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Mississippi
Posted: 01-14-06 05:58am
Brian,
i had made it up to 75 mcg. Of fentanyl
but due to the horrible flu like symptoms
making me feeling even worse (if that were
possible), I requested to be taken off of
them.
Instead, they put me on fioricet that
dosent really help me.
Like you said, i'm going to be in some
degree of pain no matter what, so I guess
I should have just requested being dropped
down on the patch somewhat. It worked
the best compared to the measely crap i've
been given. I just hated the nausea and
other side effects.
I know I sound stupid but I don't get it
about the psi. Is that the usual amount
of pressure they usually put on/in the
discs to get a response? In other words,
from what it sounds like, does that disc
sound badly damaged?
Answer to my own question: if I need
surgery I suppose it is. :roll:
heather
|
Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 710 Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
Posted: 01-14-06 08:23am
I dont know what the normal pressure is
but to me 20 psi seems like alot of
pressure. Only seeing the report or
looking at the ct of the disc will be an
indicator of the damage.
As far as pain support, they took you off
fentanyl and put you on a mild analgesia
like fiorecet???
I think you need to go to a pain clinic
and allow them to treat your symptoms
before you allow this doc to work on you.
You may as well be taking tylenol.
There are way too many other meds on the
shelf that the doc could have tried to
titrate you down to minimal dose of the
duragesic and then switched you over to
either morphine tablets like "avinza" (24
hour tablet) or oxycontin (12 hour tablet)
or even just something like roxicodone
which is taken 3 or 4 times daily but does
not have acetamnaphin so you can be on it
long term. This list is just a glimpse of
what is out there to help you deal with
pain a whole lot better than what ou are
being given as of now.
I would really be cautious and try pain
management for at least 4 months before
you go in for surgery, the pain clinic
could possibly prolong or even make it so
you never need surgery by manageing your
pain level to a point you can function.
I dont know but I know I would be
terrified to be undertreated and be going
under the knife.
All the best,
brian
|
heather029
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Mississippi
Posted: 01-17-06 03:38am
Brian,
i did request to be taken off the
fentanyl, but this pm doc who I no longer
see, sut me off cold turkey after he said
he would wean me off of it, then put me on
the fioricet. I asked him if it was an
adequate med for my pain and his reply was
"it's pretty good".
He did say that fentanyl is about the best
there is and that all of them are going to
give me those horrible side effects. I
would rather be treated with meds than be
cut open again and regret it for the rest
of my life if it dosent give me the
results i'm hoping for
however with a two year old I cannot
afford to be in a drug induced haze all of
the time and so far, due to the inept
doctors around mississippi, I have either
been that or in needless pain.
A couple of months ago, they had me so
drugged up (14 different meds, effexor
being one of them which I think was my
problem. Went from 25 mg. To 150 mg.
In under two weeks. Doc's orders), that
I was literally passing out when people
were trying to have a conversation with
me. I can't take care of my son in that
state.
I'm terrified of surgery. I don't want
it and have been avoiding it like the
plague for 13 years. I don't want to be
at the mercy of uncaring doctors anymore
either. Because they don't care.
Basically i'm stuck between a rock and a
hard place. And i'd be willing to bet
that the ns i'm going to see will only be
offering a fusion on me. Never thought
life would turn out like this and I feel
for everyone in my position.
Thanks for listening,
heather
|
Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 710 Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
Posted: 01-17-06 07:04am
Heather,
do you remember the dose they had you on
when you were using the patch? The reason
I am asking is because there are low doses
available that should help you without
makeing you feel all messed up. Duragesic
just released the 12.5 mcg/hr for
titrating down but there is no reason they
could not start there. Like I said in
other posts, I am very fortunate that I
had been prescribed the patch because
without it I was miserable in pain. I
have not had to increase doseage yet and
it has been 7 months that I have been on
the patch. 25 mcg/hr however I am
tollerant and my breakthrough medicine is
very strong but as long as I am careful
and maintain a low impact schedule I can
maintain with the meds as they sit.
My son is now over 18 lbs and only 2 and a
half months old. He is growing like a
weed and his weight is really taking a
toll on me. Also being a stay at home
hubby/dad, doing 2 or more loads of
laundry and the regular duties like
cooking and cleaning are not simple and I
have to pace myself but yesterday was my
floor day and man it put me in a tight
spot.
I do not know if surgery is the best place
for you either but if you have exhausted
all of your resources and there is no pain
clinics availible for you, it may be all
you have. If you can find even one place
that you have not been to and can get in
to see this doc, you might find a better
combination to help you live and be a mom.
At the very bottom of the page on this
message board is a light gray link that
will help you find doctors in your neck of
the woods.
It is a physician directory and I just
noticed it a couple of days ago. I looked
to see if the places I visit were in there
and they are so maybe there will be some
that you have not either been to or don't
know exsist and you can get real care.
Let me know,
brian
|
heather029
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Mississippi
Posted: 01-17-06 23:36pm
Brian,
i was on 75 mcg per hour. And even that
wasn't really helping my pain and it was
giving me those horrible side effects,
like I said before. When I was on a
lower dose I felt great for awhile, I
often had to wonder if the pain was still
there.
I am a stay at home mom and my son weighs
30 pounds and tugging and lifting him just
about kills me. Even though he is 2, I
can't get around it just yet. And I also
know exactly what you mean about laundry,
doing floors, and even the dishes.
I recently was told that there isn't even
one doctor in this state that is able to
prescribe weight loss medication. That's
pretty pathetic. However, if I could
find someone willing to try me on the
patch again at a lower dose with something
for bt pain, or something equal to the
patch as you mentioned earlier, I would
try it one last time before this
surgery.
I just hate the thought of the time i'm
going to miss with my little boy. The
things I won't be able to do for him.
I'm afraid that bond will be broken
somehow and formed with his new primary
caretaker. That breaks my heart. I'd
almost rather hurt.
We're talking months of recovery with a
fusion aren't we?
Heather
|
Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 710 Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
Posted: 01-18-06 06:42am
With any of the surgical options you are
looking at some serious time for recovery.
You are going to need a serious support
team around you.
You are also going to want to talk to you
doc about there being a weight lifting
limit after this. Because my step-dads
fusion failed miserably, he cannot lift
anything over 25 lbs and it is actually a
real limit. His body makes sure he knows
his limit.
The good thing for him is that my mom and
he moved to fl. In november and his new
pain management doc put him on the 25/mcg
patch and he is getting the "mylan"
generic and is having an excellent life
with it. He is not opioid tollerant at
all and had been on oxycontin 20 mg twice
a day for several years with 5 mg
roxicodone for bt. Although the patch
dose is the equivalent of the 25 patch, it
is a 24 hour a day doseage and you do not
have the peak and valley affect that you
get with tablets.
Anyway, you will need to have someone to
help you and your son for the first month
or 6 weeks for cooking, cleaning and
taking care of the young'un.
Let me know how the dac appt goes today
and try that link at the bottom of the
forum if you get the chance.
Brian
hey heather:
www.Novartis.Com has
the prescribing info for fioracet. You
may be surprised to see that it is a
headache med with the active ingreident
being a mild barbituate.
|
heather029
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Mississippi
Posted: 01-18-06 10:21am
Brian,
i see what you are talking about with the
fioricet. That's one reason I have over
a half a bottle left. They do nothing
for my back pain and I just read the side
effects of getting off them are horrible
also. This is why I don't go to this doc
anymore either. I don't like his
attitude and he took me off of something
that was for severe pain and I wound up on
this.
So i'm taking what tylox I have left and
my lortabs. My surgical evaluation is
on feb. 6. I could go to his brother
who is also in the business and see if I
could get some more lortabs or vicodin.
He's already said that hte can't give out
heavy duty stuff. Don't know why.
Maybe the ns will before he cuts on me.
He's already seen my mri reports and said
with my age that the radial tear should
heal. Well guess what? It didn't. Or
he supposedly looked at the results.
I've never laid eyes on the man except in
pictures on his website.
I do have some family willing to help me
out with my not so little boy. And my
hubby said he is going to take a medical
leave from work for al long as he can.
My son (connor) is so rough, i'm afraid he
may hurt me in my recuperative phase. He
loves to jump all over mama. And it jsut
about kills me. I can only imagine what
it will be like after that kind of
surgery.
Heather
|
Tamadrummer
Active User, Really EHEALTHy
Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 710 Location: Zephyrhills,Fl
Posted: 01-18-06 10:42am
You "little" guy might feel less apt to
jump on you once you have had your surgery
because he will sense that there is
something up with mama and she needs
gentle love. ( I hope anyway)
as far as the tylox/percocet is concerned,
if they help that is what you should be
taking but since you are a long term pain
patient you should not be taking meds with
tylenol in them. You should be on a long
acting madicine like oxycontin or avinza
or methadone because of the risks
associated with liver and kidney damage
with extended use of tylenol.
Http://www.Drhurwi
tz.Com/html_files/otfaq.Htm
this is a website that will help you to
understand the way your meds are working
and maybe answer some questions as far as
long term effectiveness of the meds.
I am really getting angry about the way
that are treating you and it just doesnt
seem fair. If you have health insurance,
you should call the company and lodge a
formal complaint due to the doctor's
refusal to properly treat your pain. You
have rights as long as you excersise them!
As far as the other doc not being able to
go above lortab/vicodan, it may be because
he was investigated for fraudulent
prescription practices founded or not it
is terrifying to these doctors and the dea
is more than happy to ruin a doctors
practice because of prescrribing the
necessary meds to a patient in pain. He
probably is just gun shy now.
Keep in touch and let me know how the
insurance company reacts if they react at
all.
Brian
|
heather029
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Dec 2005 Posts: 27 Location: Mississippi
Posted: 01-19-06 04:51am
Brian,
i'm angry with them too. I had an appt.
Today with my psychiatrist and can you
believe that she has had a fusion also?
She was telling me how the doctor that did
her surgery gave her lumbar lordosis, she
still has pain, (although she aadvises the
surgery for me), says i'll be back on my
feet in three weeks.
I just went in there and told her that I
was very irritated with the medical
profession for allowing me to hurt and
suffer needlessly. She agreed. She
said when you return to them on a regular
basis they will refer you to a psych.
And she said that she knows alot of back
pain sufferers and doctors automatically
classify them as drug seekers. That
makes me so angry I could spit in their
eyes. If this was their mother, wife,
etc... They wouldn't allow them to be in
pain for one minute.
I told her that I needed something longer
acting and better than lortabs and they
won't give it to me. And that there's
no way anyone can accuse me of being a
drug addict.
I just had to tell you about that. And
had to vent some more I guess. Glad I
have someone to listen and understand this
whole unfair mess.
Heather
|
IMShirl
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 30 Mar 2005 Posts: 204 Location: Wisconsin, USA
Thanks: 1
Thanked:0
Please Check Your Pm Posted: 01-21-06 09:45am
Hi heather ~
I sent you a private message. Please
check it out.
