Hey all,

I hope everyone is having a good night! I was just sitting here thinking about the meds I am still on and wondering if this was about average with what everyone else has gone through. I am about 5 months out of fusion surgery. Everyday I take 3 hydrocodone 7.5 and 1 flexeril. I am just wondering how long it will take to go completely off meds. Thanks for any replies.

Ollie

I just had to say :wave: even though I can't answer your question. Miss seeing you on the board!!

I tried to quit once when I was on 3 hydro 10/325 and tappered over about 10 days. It wasn't that bad. I used Immodium for diarrhea and DM cough syrup with a once daily Ativan. I was quit for 2 1/2 months but then the reason I was taking pain meds in the first place became overbearing and I started back. Oh, it is not uncommon to have RLS too, especially at night.

Hi Olliedoll
I sure miss you on here glad you are better and going on with life.

How are your pain levels? I was hoping I would be off all meds by now but at my last appointment my Dr told me I was too hard on myself and that I have more problems with my back then he fixed. He just fixed the worst and took the pressure off the the nerves.

I am sure glad to see that you are weaning down and I really think that your pain level and you and your Dr would know that best. I bet it won't be long know. Sounds like you are doing good.

Sure missed you.

Hi Olliedoll. That level of meds at your point in healing is quite minimal if you ask me.

I am now just now one year post op.. and I still have to take at least 1 10mg Vicodin and one skelaxin per day. This may be permanent for me, and Im okay with this. I equate it like someone with a heart condition or diabetes. I may have to take some pain medication to function. And so long as I "can" function on them.. Im okay with that.:wave:

Hi, I'm 7 months post op. I take 2 Oxycodone per day. I take 2400mg of Skelaxin. I also take 150mg of Lyrica. I'm still in a lot of pain. There are days I think it is only me but then I see what everyone else says.

I know the feeling. I was off today well maybe half the day. I did not take my meds until bed time We had a nice dinner (I cooked) rare since my surgery. I woke up about a hour ago with the pain really setting in. We have a rain storm has been raining all day yesterday and now all night. Weird for wyoming. I thing the storm makes the pain worse. I went thru the pain is all in my head etc.... anyway could not take it anymore advil did not help so I got up and took the meds and am waiting for them to work. I lost the leg pain thank goodness but the buttock pain on both sides is just awful. The zanax has helped a bunch with the pain this week and I guess I was super women and could get away with no meds. Wrong. Oh well will make it thru. I am off tomorrow to except that my store is a kiosk in the mall and sits under a sky light that leaks so I will go in to see if we have damange in the morning.

I just want to be healed and off the meds.

Ollie, I am 7 months post-op and take 1 Vicodin (hydrocodone) in the morning and another at bedtime. Sometimes I take 2 at bedtime if I'm really hurting. I need to be able to get a good sleep to function well the next day. If I'm hurting, I won't sleep. My nighttime dose was consistently only 1 pill until I hurt my shoulder.

Everyone's different, though. My doctor feels I need to accept that I will probably take Vicodin or something similar for the rest of my life. My case was different from yours, so please don't panic thinking you'll never get off your meds. My girlfriend had a fusion a few days before Christmas and was only on Tylenol from the time she got home from the hospital. She admits that she doesn't take anything stronger because of the constipation and the loopy feeling. She knows she really should have been on something more than Tylenol, but she made it through okay. I think the "norm" is somewhere in between her and me. What you're taking seems very appropriate.

How are you doing back at work full time?

Blessings,
Emily :wave:

olliedoll

thats about were I was a 5 months post double fusion. I stayed around that till month 7 then started a two month taper till off them. Im now fused at one level, half fused at another and have much less pre surgery pain.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I guess I wasn't really clear yesterday - I still have pain and that is the reason I still take what I do. If I miss a dose I start to feel it. I guess I just wanted to know if I was "normal".LOL. And you all gave me a pretty good answer.

Clover - It has been raining here all day and I always hurt a lot worse whenever it rains. I used to love the rain but now it's not my favorite thing.

Emily - Thanks for asking about work. I am doing really well being full time and all. I have a table in front of my classroom with an extra desk chair and I sit when I need to and stand when I need to. I have the students do the things that I don't feel like doing on certain days. They love to pass out books and papers. :) I have some really good coworkers who help me out making copies when I need them to. Everyone has been so understanding. I come home right after school and lay down for a while to rest. I feel guilty sometimes because the softball girls ( I coached last year) ask me all the time to stay and watch their games. But I just can't stay that long. I'm always afraid it's going to make me hurt and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize work or my health anymore. But they are young and don't understand. They think I can work then I can do anything. Oh well :).

My boyfriend made a comment this weekend about how proud he was of me for coming through all of this. He says he can see improvement in me every week although sometimes I forget how much I've come along or just don't see it.

I hope everyone is having pain free days!

Olliedoll
I am also happy that you have come this far. You had a rough start if I remember correctly trying to go back to work and not being able to. I am glad it worked out for you.

You are very lucky to have a BF so understanding and compassionate to help you through all of this.

Glad you are feeling better just remember to take it easy as to not reinjure yourself.

I am doing really well being full time and all.

It sounds like you've really been able to adjust your work around your needs. That's wonderful! I hope it continues so well for you. Not too much longer and you'll get a break for a while over summer. Do you teach summer school? I hope not, at least not this year. You could use the break! My husband always volunteers for summer school. It's so much easier than the regular school year. The same kids for the whole day, only 4 days a week, lets out at 1:00 instead of 3:30... On a really good year, he'll get a bunch of kids who didn't flunk but are trying to graduate early. They're motivated and are so easy to teach.

You're right about the kids not getting it. It would be nice if they understood that you really wish you had the stamina to stay and watch them, but you've gotta do what you need to to get through the rest of the school year. They'll get over it! They may understand more than you think. They may just be hoping that you'll stay anyway if they ask you enough times! At any rate, kids do know when you really care about them, whether you can stay for their games or not. Keep hanging in there! I'm so glad you're doing so well!

Take care,
Emily :wave: