Jenner06
06-01-2006, 03:47 AM
I was diagnosed w/mm of the right calf in April, and subsequently underwent WLE w/a 2cm margin. Although the incision ended up being almost 8 inches long, my surgeon did a wonderful job. However, it has now been a month and I am still having pain in my leg. Especially when I try to lie down and rest and/or try to sleep, I get this intense/sharp throbbing pain in my leg that doesn't go away. OTC pain relievers, ice & heat, elevation, warm baths, etc. only soothe the pain for a very short time, then I'm right back where I started (uncomfortable and exhausted).
The surgeon did explain to me that it would be normal for me to have pain for awhile, and that how fast you heal depends on your body. I'm just curious if anyone else has had a similar expierence? Surely I can't be the only one right? I'm just so exhuasted, tired of being in pain, and I don't know what to do to make it better. I have reached the point where I dread nighttime, becuase I know I'll be sitting here awake and in pain.
I'm only just beginning my journey w/mm, and I cant afford to crash and burn this early in the game.....So any feedback will be greatly appreciated!
The surgeon did explain to me that it would be normal for me to have pain for awhile, and that how fast you heal depends on your body. I'm just curious if anyone else has had a similar expierence? Surely I can't be the only one right? I'm just so exhuasted, tired of being in pain, and I don't know what to do to make it better. I have reached the point where I dread nighttime, becuase I know I'll be sitting here awake and in pain.
I'm only just beginning my journey w/mm, and I cant afford to crash and burn this early in the game.....So any feedback will be greatly appreciated!
Sponsor
~Kaelie
06-07-2006, 09:56 AM
Hi.
Newbie here myself, but similar situation (sorta).
I do have some very important advice for you. BE PERSISTANT with your doctors. If your surgeon says it will go away soon, find another doctor. You need to be able to rest to heal properly. Post-op pain should be done in 6 weeks.
I have been living in constant pain for over a year now after the surgeon damaged a nerve (or two or three). The surgeon would not say that she did anything wrong and just kept telling me what a lovely looking scar it was (14" long) and said that the pop-can-sized lump was just fluid that would go away eventually. I'm still waiting on "eventually" and taking massive doses of pain pills to be able to function. And I hate every minute of it.
GO TO ANOTHER DOCTOR.
~Kaelie
Newbie here myself, but similar situation (sorta).
I do have some very important advice for you. BE PERSISTANT with your doctors. If your surgeon says it will go away soon, find another doctor. You need to be able to rest to heal properly. Post-op pain should be done in 6 weeks.
I have been living in constant pain for over a year now after the surgeon damaged a nerve (or two or three). The surgeon would not say that she did anything wrong and just kept telling me what a lovely looking scar it was (14" long) and said that the pop-can-sized lump was just fluid that would go away eventually. I'm still waiting on "eventually" and taking massive doses of pain pills to be able to function. And I hate every minute of it.
GO TO ANOTHER DOCTOR.
~Kaelie
Ga Lady
06-10-2006, 05:50 PM
I had a WLE last July, I had pain off n on for months. But mine wasn't unbearable. I never took the pain medications that were prescribed. Just Tylenol or Advil. The problem I had was the "nerve" stings...My operation was on the back of my arm. So from time to time I will feel a stinging sensation. It's the nerves trying to regenerate themselves. Also I would get "achiness" from time to time almost like arthristis. I asked my Dr about htis and he said it was VERY Normal. Good luck~ But always remember if you are in doubt...go get the Dr to check i tout~
tbrooks
06-11-2006, 08:31 AM
Going to another dr. is not going to make the pain go away. You dr. is right. Everyone heals differently. My surgery took place on my forhead as well as from the top of the front of my ear down to my collar bone. It has been 16 months and the numbness is still there but the initial pain took a few months to go away. You will be fine. Ask your dr. for some stronger pain pills.
tbrooks
tbrooks
Jenner06
06-11-2006, 09:16 AM
I did talk to the nurse @ my surgeons office, and they called in some pain pills for me to take at night (which seems to be when I have alot trouble w/it). The nurse also reminded me that the WLE was fairly deep so there could be some nerve damage, or the nerves could be just healing. I guess it's just hard to adjust to constantly being uncomfortable all the time, and being in pain the rest of the time. I'm not going to complain too much though, because it could've been alot worse. I'm especially grateful that I had a great surgeon.
Ga Lady: I don't know how you managed without taking any pain medication...man I can eat a ton of advil, etc. and it does nothing for the pain. Or if it does help it's so minimal that I can't even tell the difference. That's great that you dont have to take prescription pain meds though. Hopefully I'll reach that point soon. I do know what you mean about the "achiness" feeling though, and I sure do hate it.
Anyways, thanks everybody for the feedback.
Ga Lady: I don't know how you managed without taking any pain medication...man I can eat a ton of advil, etc. and it does nothing for the pain. Or if it does help it's so minimal that I can't even tell the difference. That's great that you dont have to take prescription pain meds though. Hopefully I'll reach that point soon. I do know what you mean about the "achiness" feeling though, and I sure do hate it.
Anyways, thanks everybody for the feedback.
~Kaelie
06-11-2006, 12:23 PM
symptomology of nerve damage:
- unaffected by typical pain medications IE: OTC meds, post-op medications like codiene, or oxycodone etc
- typically gets worse in the evening (doesn't usually matter what you do during the day)
Make sure to be getting all the vitamin B-12 you can to aid your nerve regeneration. Some people don't absorb it as well as others, so try and find b-12 methyl for the best absorbtion.
If your doc is giving you bigger and bigger dosages that just don't seem to be working any better, make sure to tell him. Nerve pain responds to an entirely different set of drugs than your standard muscle or any other type of pain.
be persistant!
- unaffected by typical pain medications IE: OTC meds, post-op medications like codiene, or oxycodone etc
- typically gets worse in the evening (doesn't usually matter what you do during the day)
Make sure to be getting all the vitamin B-12 you can to aid your nerve regeneration. Some people don't absorb it as well as others, so try and find b-12 methyl for the best absorbtion.
If your doc is giving you bigger and bigger dosages that just don't seem to be working any better, make sure to tell him. Nerve pain responds to an entirely different set of drugs than your standard muscle or any other type of pain.
be persistant!
Jenner06
06-12-2006, 08:55 AM
:wave: Hey Kaelie.....
Thanks for the info on nerve damage! It was really helpful to me. My pain is definitely worse @ night, but it seems like the pain meds help. It doesn't make it dissapear, but it makes it bearable to where I can sleep at least.
I have heard about B-12, but can you tell me what B-12 methyl is? Is that something that you get from your doctor?
By the way, I was sorry to read that you had such a bad expierence w/your surgeon. What makes it so bad is that you know that the surgery has to be done, but you really have no way of knowing how that surgeon will perform until the surgery is already done (which is too late). My dermatologist sent me to my surgeon the very day that I walked into his office to have my mole checked. I knew absolutely nothing about him or the surgeon that he sent me too that day. All I knew was that he said "that thing has got to come out today",then he called around and talked to several surgeons until he found one that would see me. So off I went just hoping that this guy was really ok.
Anyway, my point was that it's really rotten that as a result of a procedure that HAD to be done, your left with a scar that looks nothing like it should AND your in pain. I was very lucky and my surgeon did end up being a wonderful guy. He could've really butchered my leg during the surgery, but he worked really hard to make it look as good as he could. Not only that, but he knew that I had just been laid off from work & I had chosen not to cobra my ins.....so for the first time in my life I was a cash pay patient, and I really didn't have the money to pay up front. But he took my case anyway, told me don't worry about it-you can just pay me when you can. He also helped me deal w/the financial dept.at the hospital, because they were refusing to do the surgery unless I paid 100% charges up front. Down here in Tx most dr's wouldn't have even considered helping me because of my financial situation, but it made no difference to him and I'll always be grateful for that. Now I'm just trying to figure out how I'm gonna be able to find an oncologist.....
Geez....I just looked up and realized I wrote a novel - Sorry!
Thanks for the info on nerve damage! It was really helpful to me. My pain is definitely worse @ night, but it seems like the pain meds help. It doesn't make it dissapear, but it makes it bearable to where I can sleep at least.
I have heard about B-12, but can you tell me what B-12 methyl is? Is that something that you get from your doctor?
By the way, I was sorry to read that you had such a bad expierence w/your surgeon. What makes it so bad is that you know that the surgery has to be done, but you really have no way of knowing how that surgeon will perform until the surgery is already done (which is too late). My dermatologist sent me to my surgeon the very day that I walked into his office to have my mole checked. I knew absolutely nothing about him or the surgeon that he sent me too that day. All I knew was that he said "that thing has got to come out today",then he called around and talked to several surgeons until he found one that would see me. So off I went just hoping that this guy was really ok.
Anyway, my point was that it's really rotten that as a result of a procedure that HAD to be done, your left with a scar that looks nothing like it should AND your in pain. I was very lucky and my surgeon did end up being a wonderful guy. He could've really butchered my leg during the surgery, but he worked really hard to make it look as good as he could. Not only that, but he knew that I had just been laid off from work & I had chosen not to cobra my ins.....so for the first time in my life I was a cash pay patient, and I really didn't have the money to pay up front. But he took my case anyway, told me don't worry about it-you can just pay me when you can. He also helped me deal w/the financial dept.at the hospital, because they were refusing to do the surgery unless I paid 100% charges up front. Down here in Tx most dr's wouldn't have even considered helping me because of my financial situation, but it made no difference to him and I'll always be grateful for that. Now I'm just trying to figure out how I'm gonna be able to find an oncologist.....
Geez....I just looked up and realized I wrote a novel - Sorry!