Hi all hope everyone is having a relaxing pain free day.

I had an important meeting in Denver yesterday. A 100 mile drive. I was so tired when I got home last night. :yawn: :yawn: I went to bed at 8:30. I slept all night (amazing for me). I woke in alot of pain. I just took it easy and napped this afternoon. This evening the pain is pretty bad. Not to the point I can't take it just annoying. I guess the sitting and driving yesterday was more than I should have done. Gosh how this back thing puts limits on our life.:eek:

I go to the Dr on Tuesday to discuss my surgery. I really am ready. Thanks to all of you for all your help and support.

Hi Clover,
So sorry to hear about your pain increase. It was probably the 100 mile drive:D It is oh so very true how our backs literally rule our lives. At least you had a good nights zzzz. I hope your dr's appointment goes well. Make sure your doc listens to all of your concerns. Seems like they are all in a hurry. I hope your doc isn't like that. Deciding when and if to have surgery is so a huge decision. Please let us know how your appointment goes. Will be thinking and praying for you to make the right decision.
I have "discovered" something that finally helps tremendously with my butt pain:blob_fire - ypiee. I am not sure what the posting rules are, so I don't know if I can type out the name of the product. I have used this product before but in a different type of base for cold sore. Here it was sitting in my medicine cabinet - I forgot about it. So I can now stretch out the Vicodin to about 7 hrs. Hopefully, I will be able to get by with Tylenol eventually. I always like to think positive.
Take care and God bless
Kay

Kay
I am not sure of the posting rules either however if this is something common give me some hints. I am eager for any relief. I get so tired of having to take the pills every 4 hours. I was sitting here with my laptop and complaining. My hubby said I think it is time for your meds you are grouchy. I knew it was I just didn't want to get up an take them.

My Dr. is really good he takes alot of time. I don't mind having to wait in the waiting room because I know he is taking his time with other patients. He told me in Dec when I was sick of the pain and everything to let him know and we would do the surgery. That is what this appointment is for to tell him I am sick of it and ready. We will see what he says.

The good night sleep was great except then the pain is worse in the morning.

I will post after my appointment to let everyone know what the Dr said

This is a theraputic mineral gel. It has tea tree oil and a host of other products that I have found through the years, to be of great help when our bodies are stressed, be it through pain and dysfunction. I have always tried to follow the natural route to healing. I do believe, however, that pain pills are necessary and we should not have to suffer needlessly. I don't like narcotics because of effect they have on cognitive skills. For example, my typos and my oversight when I did my proof reading. (lol) I do medical transcription and will have to be able to type when I assume my position. So, perhaps someone can fill us in on the details of posting a product name that a fellow back pain sufferer finds helpful.
I hope you find relief and are able to sleep tonight. :angel:
God bless
Kay

Clover, I'm sorry you're hurting so much, but I'm glad you've reached the point of decision about the surgery. Do you have a list of questions for your doctor? If you're like me, you'll have a million questions but will only remember about three of them when you're in front of the doctor if you don't have them written down. There's always some tension when you're dealing with something this serious, and it's easy to get overwhelmed with your doctor's answers and forget to ask some things. I kept a running list as I thought of things, just kept adding to it right up to the appt. In fact, I still do that. Every appt I show up with my list and he just smiles and lets me go down each item and answers them all so patiently.

Do let us know how the appt on Tuesday goes. I'll keep you in my prayers.

As far as posting the name of a product, I don't think there's any rule against that as long as you're not posting it as an advertisement. If it's just information about something that worked for you, that seems to be allowed. You aren't allowed to post any website where it can be bought, though.

I hope you don't have any more major driving you have to do for a while, and I hope you have a chance to just rest so your muscles can get back to normal and your pain subsides. It's so frustrating that one part of our bodies can dictate so much of our lives to us!

Wishing you another good night's sleep and less pain tomorrow,
Emily

Riding or driving in a car was a killer for me before surgery. I can't wait to be far enough out from surgery and ride in a car just to see how it will feel.

Clover, I will be thinking on you on Tuesday and I pray that you are at peace with your decision to move ahead, that your doctor will be understanding and take the time to explain everything, and that your wait to surgery is very short. Please post and let us know how the appt went.

Hi Clover,

Good luck at your appt. on Tuesday and please let us know, what you decide. I am so sorry for you being in so much pain. Before and even know 2 years post op, driving is one of the hardest things. Some days, I can be having a low pain day, and then I get in my vehicle to drive and bam.... the pain is there for the duration. I've tried the back pilows, can't do them they only make it worse. The lumbar thingy in my seat, everyone else loves, it inflates and feels great to them, me no way, it about makes me want to jump out.

Honestly, the only real relief that I have been able to get on these days, is to take my meds, take a hot bath, and then to bed. The warmth from the bath is so relaxing and I'm about passing out by the time I hit my pillow.

I do hope that you can get some rest tonight and have a painless day tomorrow. Take care,

Bernie

Emily
Thank you so much for caring. I feel that I have found so many friends here on this forum.:)

Yes I have started a list of questions. I discussed surgery with him in Dec and he told me that he wanted to put the rods to stabilize the spine and if that fails then we can do the fusion. My goal is to try to work as long as I can because my hubby is disabled and I am the soal income. He gets ssi but it really is not that much. :rolleyes:

My hubby was kind of against the surgery at first but now is so tired of seeing me in pain that tonight he asked me when my appointment was again. He even said that he thinks I should go for this as it may work. :yawn:

The Dr. only gives me a 50-50 chance that this will work to help the pain. :yawn: At this point I am willing to take that chance as it is getting harder and harder to have a normal life. I realize that normal will never be the same but I do need to get some kind of relief as the nerve pain has returned. I had a rhizotomy (nerve burning) last Sept that did help a little. It actually helped the buttock and leg pain. When I went to the ER last week they told me that the nerves were regenerating and flared up. At least that really bad pain is gone.

I do have to go back to Denver next Sunday for 3 days. :rolleyes: At least that won't be a fast trip. My corp home office is in Denver. They have a big training center with a motel and resturant all in one. The rooms are nice and the beds are firm not bad . I will take my pillows and heating pad and should be ok. I will also be able to stand periodlically if I need to.

Thanks again for listening and I will let everyone know what the Dr. says on Tues.

Sandy :wave:

Hi Sandy,
Good Luck!!!! God Bless!!!!!

Carol:D

Hi Sandy,
I'm very curious about putting in rods but not doing a fusion. Wouldn't the rods make you not able to bend anyway? Why wouldn't the doctor just go ahead and do the fusion at the same time? is there a benefit to having the rods without fusion? Have you gotten a second opinion? I'm just curious, as I've never heard of doing this before. But, of course, I'm no expert. Just because I haven't heard of it doesn't mean it's not the best thing for you.

I'm glad your husband is supportive of going ahead with the surgery. That makes a huge difference, having support at home! And it sounds like you've got a good system to minimize your pain when you have to take these long trips. Hope everything goes well on Tuesday.

Blessings,
Emily

Emily
That really is a good question. I thought the same thing. I did ask him about this in Dec. He stated the rods will allow a little more flexablity than a fusion and the instability is because of the pars defect on both sides. He wants to do 2 levels to help protect the next level from going out.

If this does not work then a fusion will be in order.

I plan on asking more questions on tuesday.

Sandy