skych
04-09-2008, 12:20 AM
:(Hi all,
Lowered pain levels very short lived!!!!! On to the next thing
Well here we go! :( I have had an elevated pain level again. For the last two days I have refrained from doing much of anything because I did not want to aggrivate things any more than they already were.
I will be calling my PM in the morning and asking to be seen sooner.
Actually, I was looking at the appointment card that they gave me the day of the facet block (last Friday) and I realized that the date was further out than he usually makes it after having a procedure. I then counted the BT meds I have he did not prescribe enough to last that period of time. He usually makes the appointments 2 weeks apart and prescribes for that time frame, but my appoinment was made for 17 out from the procedure and that would ultamatly leave me with not enough medication.
So when I call I will ask if I can be seen sooner or if he wants to call and talk with me thats fine to. I will still need to change the appointment either way.
Yes I am somewhat bummed about the possibility of having to go back up on the Morphine sulfate but if thats what needs to happen than I am all for that. At least when I was on the higher dose I was able to be more active.
I know you all warned me but I just had to try and see how it would play out. I did alright for a while but now the pain levels are back up and I am not willing to stay at these higher levels so I am sure that my PM and I can work it out.
Sometimes I feel like I make a little progress and then before I know it I am back to the same old thing!!! Two steps forwards then 3 steps back.
I have not lost my hope for a better future, all this situation showed me is that it is not time for a decrease yet.
This Friday I will be seeing my Neuro for a check up. It will be interesting to see what he says about my neck and what he thinks is the next step from here.
My attorney has asked him for a narrative of my case and he would like my neuro to include what he feels will be needed in the future as far as all treatments pertaining to my neck. We are waiting for that to come in and when that happens I will post to let you all know.
Anyway, I am somewhat concerned that I still am not feeling better at this point. It will be 90 days post-op tomorrow. I for sure had anticipated to have felt somewhat better than I am by this point in th recovery process.
Right now I really have to remember all the good stuff and not focus on the stuff that is negative. I have a great life and I have accomplished many things since I have been sober. I am gratful to be alive and realistically I do have everything I need.
I am also a firm believer that if God brings me to it then he WILL see me through it!!!
Keep me in your thoughts!!!
Love you all Chrissy
Lowered pain levels very short lived!!!!! On to the next thing
Well here we go! :( I have had an elevated pain level again. For the last two days I have refrained from doing much of anything because I did not want to aggrivate things any more than they already were.
I will be calling my PM in the morning and asking to be seen sooner.
Actually, I was looking at the appointment card that they gave me the day of the facet block (last Friday) and I realized that the date was further out than he usually makes it after having a procedure. I then counted the BT meds I have he did not prescribe enough to last that period of time. He usually makes the appointments 2 weeks apart and prescribes for that time frame, but my appoinment was made for 17 out from the procedure and that would ultamatly leave me with not enough medication.
So when I call I will ask if I can be seen sooner or if he wants to call and talk with me thats fine to. I will still need to change the appointment either way.
Yes I am somewhat bummed about the possibility of having to go back up on the Morphine sulfate but if thats what needs to happen than I am all for that. At least when I was on the higher dose I was able to be more active.
I know you all warned me but I just had to try and see how it would play out. I did alright for a while but now the pain levels are back up and I am not willing to stay at these higher levels so I am sure that my PM and I can work it out.
Sometimes I feel like I make a little progress and then before I know it I am back to the same old thing!!! Two steps forwards then 3 steps back.
I have not lost my hope for a better future, all this situation showed me is that it is not time for a decrease yet.
This Friday I will be seeing my Neuro for a check up. It will be interesting to see what he says about my neck and what he thinks is the next step from here.
My attorney has asked him for a narrative of my case and he would like my neuro to include what he feels will be needed in the future as far as all treatments pertaining to my neck. We are waiting for that to come in and when that happens I will post to let you all know.
Anyway, I am somewhat concerned that I still am not feeling better at this point. It will be 90 days post-op tomorrow. I for sure had anticipated to have felt somewhat better than I am by this point in th recovery process.
Right now I really have to remember all the good stuff and not focus on the stuff that is negative. I have a great life and I have accomplished many things since I have been sober. I am gratful to be alive and realistically I do have everything I need.
I am also a firm believer that if God brings me to it then he WILL see me through it!!!
Keep me in your thoughts!!!
Love you all Chrissy
Sponsor
cmpgirl
04-09-2008, 01:37 AM
Hey Chrissy: Sorry you are not getting the relief you had hoped for, but I am glad that you are OK with going back up on the meds. I know we say it all the time here, but if you need them, you need them. None of us ever asked for the pain and we shouldn't feel guilty that we have it.
I understand the other side of it too. The sobriety, I mean. I know the plan is to never say never and to take it one day at a time, but to me, you have shown such dedication to your sobriety and I believe in you. I believe you have an amazing insight into the old Chrissy vs. the new Chrissy.
God Bless and best of luck on your upcoming exams. I hope you get some relief soon. cmpgirl :angel:
I understand the other side of it too. The sobriety, I mean. I know the plan is to never say never and to take it one day at a time, but to me, you have shown such dedication to your sobriety and I believe in you. I believe you have an amazing insight into the old Chrissy vs. the new Chrissy.
God Bless and best of luck on your upcoming exams. I hope you get some relief soon. cmpgirl :angel:
sammyo1
04-09-2008, 09:29 AM
Aww Chrissy, I am with you my friend. Feel like I may be improving & then boom.
you have been through enough, so use what ever pain control you have to use. We all deserve to be as pain free as we can to live our lives the best we can, & you are a busy lady. I hope all goes well, & I am sorry you are suffering. Sammy
you have been through enough, so use what ever pain control you have to use. We all deserve to be as pain free as we can to live our lives the best we can, & you are a busy lady. I hope all goes well, & I am sorry you are suffering. Sammy
skych
04-09-2008, 09:48 AM
Hi,
This morning I feel a little better, but I am still calling the doctor about the raised levels.
I checked the amount of Morphine that he prescribed and I would not have enough of those either. It was a mistake on calculations of amounts of meds or a mistake making the appoinment that far out. Either way I am calling this morning for those two reasons.
I had a kind of emoitional day yesterday and I know that when that happens it does not help my body any at all. It also got really windy and gusty here. Almost knocked me down on my way to the afternoon class. It was a very cold biting wind.
Today I have a dentist appointment but other than that I am sticking close to home and taking a break from schoolwork and everything else. I feel the need to curl up on the couch and watch TV and read a novel. LOL.
A lazy day and I am entitled...LOL
Thanks for the support
Chrissy
This morning I feel a little better, but I am still calling the doctor about the raised levels.
I checked the amount of Morphine that he prescribed and I would not have enough of those either. It was a mistake on calculations of amounts of meds or a mistake making the appoinment that far out. Either way I am calling this morning for those two reasons.
I had a kind of emoitional day yesterday and I know that when that happens it does not help my body any at all. It also got really windy and gusty here. Almost knocked me down on my way to the afternoon class. It was a very cold biting wind.
Today I have a dentist appointment but other than that I am sticking close to home and taking a break from schoolwork and everything else. I feel the need to curl up on the couch and watch TV and read a novel. LOL.
A lazy day and I am entitled...LOL
Thanks for the support
Chrissy
skych
04-09-2008, 02:42 PM
I just got off the phone with the receptionist at my PM's office, who by the way can be very rude sometimes. She was just so snappy!!! I complained about it once already but I am going to metion it again. That just goes right along with how people in the medical profession right down to the receptionist can just be so rude and uncareing.
Anyway I won't be able to see the PM untill the 17th. I have enough meds untill that day, but with the elevated levels I will be undermedicated for a week.
That is fine I can get through by taking it extra-special easy and remembering to rest myself periodically through out the day. I will still walk if I can but cut the distance down some. I know how to work through the pain as long as I can get it down it is fine but if it goes up and stays up than forget it.
Chrissy
Anyway I won't be able to see the PM untill the 17th. I have enough meds untill that day, but with the elevated levels I will be undermedicated for a week.
That is fine I can get through by taking it extra-special easy and remembering to rest myself periodically through out the day. I will still walk if I can but cut the distance down some. I know how to work through the pain as long as I can get it down it is fine but if it goes up and stays up than forget it.
Chrissy
123dietdrpepper
04-09-2008, 05:24 PM
Why does it always seem 1 step forward 6 steps backward? I hope that you aren't suffering to badly and your meds can get adjusted upward soon. Is it possible to talk to your doctor thru email instead of going thru the receptionist?
skych
04-10-2008, 11:37 AM
Hi
Yes I totally agree with you Brian, and Pepper. I should not have to go through this. The assistant was not there yesterday because my PM was actually at his other office which is about an hour and 15 minutes from here.
I could have had an appointment there at that location on Monday, but I don't want to drive that far and aggrivate my neck and the gas prices here are just insanely high. I only put mid grade gas in my SUV and it is at about $3.60 a gallon. YIKESSSSS!!!! lol
Anyway, I would prefer to see him sooner but it will be fine to wait. My life won't stop or anything...come on now you guys know me...lol...I will take it easy but not over-do!!!
This morning I slept in which is something I usually do not do. Sleeping in is getting up at 6:15 instead of 4:30...lol
All those years of getting up to be at work at 6 am have left my body clock set at 4:30..lol
Anyway the pain was not as bad when I woke up this morning! I do have a make up quiz at school this afternoon. All the people from my Biology class voted to take the lab test today because the Exam that we had on Tuesday was really really hard. It took me 2 hours to take it. It was a hard test. SO I will have an extra hour of school today.
What really gets me, and maybe the Neuro, can explain or inform me, is why at 3 months post-op do I still feel this bad???? I still have all the same symptoms I had before the surgery excet one symptom that was a small one. Why do I actually feel worse? What is really going on in there? What other tests can we do to further diagnos this problem???
I will be seeing the Neuro tomorrow morning. A while back I went to another doctor to have a surgical consult. He is an ortho who specializes in the neck and spine. He specifically said that I should be feeling better by the 3 month post-op mark. He really would not comment on any other treeatments for my neck because he said it was to early after the surgery and he was still not sure that the pain was not left over from the surgery. He said if it was still this bad after 3 months to come back and get evaluated again.
I see the Neuro who did the decompression of the spinal nerves with a foraminotomy tomorrow and it will be interesting to see what he has to say. I will ask him about further testing. At that time I will be considering going back to the Ortho doc and see what his evaluation will tell.
It really sucks that doctors are vague sometimes in what they tell you. I think they do this when they are not sure and need more time for testing and to gather more info etc. or because they don't want to be held liable for anything they may put into our heads about our medical problems and outcomes. What torture it is on us patients.
This neck thing has now been going on for 9 months. The arm injuries before the neck went on for 3 1/2 years.
Yesterday I went to the dentist and found out that I have bone loss surrounding a tooth that has now effected the teeth on either side. I asked the dentist what caused the bone loss. He asked if I had any trauma to those teeth and I said oh yes! I was in an accident many many years ago and my mouth hit th sterring wheel really screwing up my teeth. The top was worse and the bottom sort of healed over time. They were very loose for a long time.
Now one of my front teeth on the bottom has become very loose and hurts sometimes. This is what brought me to the dentist. The solution? Well I now will be spening huge amounts of money on fixing the teeth. I will more than likely opt to go with implants as they will last the longest, but they are more expensive. This is money I don't really have at this time. My Mom said she would help and that I could pay her back with my neck settlement money. Thank God form Moms!!!
Here is the thing my friends. I am tired of filling my life with doctor appoinments and procedures and pain and medications etc...etc...etc....
It seems as though it is never ending. I now will be adding many months of extensive dental and periadontal appointments to my already booked schedual of medical appoinments. I could just cry over it. Well, to be honest I already did that untill my eyes were completly puffed out!!!
So you know, I am just a person in life trying to make it, and of course, I feel like this dental stuff is coming at the wrong time. But in all reality what is the right time for anything???!!!!
I just have to keep my chin up, go with the flow, be grateful for what I do have; because I do have a lot to be grateful for, and TRUST GOD!!!!
I know that some are not spiritual or religous, but I am speaking for myself here.
I trust that God will carry me through all this stuff. I believe that I am OKAY right now, because I have put myself in God's hands! I have everything I need. The basics. Home-food-clothing-friends-family-and of course FAITH.
All my life I have been faced with all kinds of adversities. The ones that came into my life while I was drinking and useing drugs and living a "street-life" were more than likely brought on by MY OWN DOING!!!!!
Now, I am sober and clean for 3 years and 7 months yesterday! Yipeee!!! Since I have been in sobriety I have been faced with adversities one after another. I just keep on picking up the pieces and stitching them back together with God's help and the help of my friends here and outside this forum, the people in 12 step groups and of course my endlessly supportive Mom and Dad and my sisters and their families.
I have come to learn that it is what I do with all this "stuff". Life is still going to happen all around me and to me and it is how I deal with the "stuff" that really matters.
So with that being said; I do feel like 1 step forward and 6 back, but this morning I just woke up and said "ok God you got it" I surrendered my day to him. Now I just need to take the day as it comes.
Thanks everyone for being here for me. I know you all warned me. Especially Brian. But I was already prepared for the idea that a medication decrease may not work out. I truly do not know what I would do with out the love and support from all of you.
Thank you all so very much
Much love and God Bless....Christine
Yes I totally agree with you Brian, and Pepper. I should not have to go through this. The assistant was not there yesterday because my PM was actually at his other office which is about an hour and 15 minutes from here.
I could have had an appointment there at that location on Monday, but I don't want to drive that far and aggrivate my neck and the gas prices here are just insanely high. I only put mid grade gas in my SUV and it is at about $3.60 a gallon. YIKESSSSS!!!! lol
Anyway, I would prefer to see him sooner but it will be fine to wait. My life won't stop or anything...come on now you guys know me...lol...I will take it easy but not over-do!!!
This morning I slept in which is something I usually do not do. Sleeping in is getting up at 6:15 instead of 4:30...lol
All those years of getting up to be at work at 6 am have left my body clock set at 4:30..lol
Anyway the pain was not as bad when I woke up this morning! I do have a make up quiz at school this afternoon. All the people from my Biology class voted to take the lab test today because the Exam that we had on Tuesday was really really hard. It took me 2 hours to take it. It was a hard test. SO I will have an extra hour of school today.
What really gets me, and maybe the Neuro, can explain or inform me, is why at 3 months post-op do I still feel this bad???? I still have all the same symptoms I had before the surgery excet one symptom that was a small one. Why do I actually feel worse? What is really going on in there? What other tests can we do to further diagnos this problem???
I will be seeing the Neuro tomorrow morning. A while back I went to another doctor to have a surgical consult. He is an ortho who specializes in the neck and spine. He specifically said that I should be feeling better by the 3 month post-op mark. He really would not comment on any other treeatments for my neck because he said it was to early after the surgery and he was still not sure that the pain was not left over from the surgery. He said if it was still this bad after 3 months to come back and get evaluated again.
I see the Neuro who did the decompression of the spinal nerves with a foraminotomy tomorrow and it will be interesting to see what he has to say. I will ask him about further testing. At that time I will be considering going back to the Ortho doc and see what his evaluation will tell.
It really sucks that doctors are vague sometimes in what they tell you. I think they do this when they are not sure and need more time for testing and to gather more info etc. or because they don't want to be held liable for anything they may put into our heads about our medical problems and outcomes. What torture it is on us patients.
This neck thing has now been going on for 9 months. The arm injuries before the neck went on for 3 1/2 years.
Yesterday I went to the dentist and found out that I have bone loss surrounding a tooth that has now effected the teeth on either side. I asked the dentist what caused the bone loss. He asked if I had any trauma to those teeth and I said oh yes! I was in an accident many many years ago and my mouth hit th sterring wheel really screwing up my teeth. The top was worse and the bottom sort of healed over time. They were very loose for a long time.
Now one of my front teeth on the bottom has become very loose and hurts sometimes. This is what brought me to the dentist. The solution? Well I now will be spening huge amounts of money on fixing the teeth. I will more than likely opt to go with implants as they will last the longest, but they are more expensive. This is money I don't really have at this time. My Mom said she would help and that I could pay her back with my neck settlement money. Thank God form Moms!!!
Here is the thing my friends. I am tired of filling my life with doctor appoinments and procedures and pain and medications etc...etc...etc....
It seems as though it is never ending. I now will be adding many months of extensive dental and periadontal appointments to my already booked schedual of medical appoinments. I could just cry over it. Well, to be honest I already did that untill my eyes were completly puffed out!!!
So you know, I am just a person in life trying to make it, and of course, I feel like this dental stuff is coming at the wrong time. But in all reality what is the right time for anything???!!!!
I just have to keep my chin up, go with the flow, be grateful for what I do have; because I do have a lot to be grateful for, and TRUST GOD!!!!
I know that some are not spiritual or religous, but I am speaking for myself here.
I trust that God will carry me through all this stuff. I believe that I am OKAY right now, because I have put myself in God's hands! I have everything I need. The basics. Home-food-clothing-friends-family-and of course FAITH.
All my life I have been faced with all kinds of adversities. The ones that came into my life while I was drinking and useing drugs and living a "street-life" were more than likely brought on by MY OWN DOING!!!!!
Now, I am sober and clean for 3 years and 7 months yesterday! Yipeee!!! Since I have been in sobriety I have been faced with adversities one after another. I just keep on picking up the pieces and stitching them back together with God's help and the help of my friends here and outside this forum, the people in 12 step groups and of course my endlessly supportive Mom and Dad and my sisters and their families.
I have come to learn that it is what I do with all this "stuff". Life is still going to happen all around me and to me and it is how I deal with the "stuff" that really matters.
So with that being said; I do feel like 1 step forward and 6 back, but this morning I just woke up and said "ok God you got it" I surrendered my day to him. Now I just need to take the day as it comes.
Thanks everyone for being here for me. I know you all warned me. Especially Brian. But I was already prepared for the idea that a medication decrease may not work out. I truly do not know what I would do with out the love and support from all of you.
Thank you all so very much
Much love and God Bless....Christine
skych
04-11-2008, 12:19 AM
OH BRIAN...
Such expectations...lol
I am not having a very good day with the pain today. I did take a walk today because I was feeling pretty good this morning. A slow short walk,but I went to school early to take a quiz and as I was taking it all of a sudden I just started to feel really bad.
My neck always feels as though the nerves are burning but this was bad. I finished the test and had time to relax before the next class and I remembered that I had not taken my BT meds before school. OOPS...No BIG OOOPPPPSSS!!!
As the regualr class lecture was taking place I actually had to get up and leave the room and splash wayer on my face because I felt dizzy and nausiated. Once again thank God for tape recorders. I was gone from the lecture room for 20 minutes.
When I got home I took the break through meds and laid down. That helped a little so I ate dinner (something light) and that was good. But now it is time to take my night dose of Morphine sulfate and I am still at a 8. YUCK.
I can not call the PM because he does procedures on Fridays. It will have to wait til monday.
I will be seeing the Neuro tomorrw morning at 9 am so I am looking forward to hear what he has to say. I would like to have a discogram to see if my discs are the actual cause of my pain. I just do not understand why I still feel this bad at 92 days Post-op.
Brian, I actually took fairly good care of my teeth while drinking and using Methamphetamines, but God sparred me of problems with my teeth from methamphetamine use. He also sparred me of aging past my actual age from drugging and drinking. I got lucky with the teeth and the skin. The problem is that I had a bad car accident many many many years ago. It had been raining for 2 weeks straight and I hit a wash (very large puddle) right before a small stream bridge and my car hydroplaned into a telephone pole. I had my seat belt on but it was only a lap belt and my mouth took the entire force of the accident by hitting the steering wheel. The steering wheel was actually bent over from my mouth hitting it. Nothing else happened to me other thean my teeth beeing smashed. The top worse than the bottom. I had a small bridge to repair it that was later broken when a small toyota P/U hit me while I was crossing the street. I got really messed up in that one and spent 5 days in ICU then went to a physical recovery center because I had broken my pelvis in five places.
Back to your question, I have signifigan Bone loss due to the trauma to my bottom teeth in the first accident. I was sober it those accidents meaning I had not had any drugs or alcohol in me for 24 hours prior to the accident.
HMMMMMM!!!!!!!! You think GOD is taking care of me or WHAT!!!
It is a wonder I have not died yet. I really thought I was past those kinds of adversities but here we are with worse injuries now. I just try to do the best I can..ya know.
I will be thinking of you as you stop the Ultram. I will ask that you be lifted up into the care of Your Higher Power. Let him hold you and take care of you!!:angel::angel::angel::angel::angel:
I gotta go lay down. I have already been up to long and typing is bothering my neck and wrists
good night all....
Christine
G
Such expectations...lol
I am not having a very good day with the pain today. I did take a walk today because I was feeling pretty good this morning. A slow short walk,but I went to school early to take a quiz and as I was taking it all of a sudden I just started to feel really bad.
My neck always feels as though the nerves are burning but this was bad. I finished the test and had time to relax before the next class and I remembered that I had not taken my BT meds before school. OOPS...No BIG OOOPPPPSSS!!!
As the regualr class lecture was taking place I actually had to get up and leave the room and splash wayer on my face because I felt dizzy and nausiated. Once again thank God for tape recorders. I was gone from the lecture room for 20 minutes.
When I got home I took the break through meds and laid down. That helped a little so I ate dinner (something light) and that was good. But now it is time to take my night dose of Morphine sulfate and I am still at a 8. YUCK.
I can not call the PM because he does procedures on Fridays. It will have to wait til monday.
I will be seeing the Neuro tomorrw morning at 9 am so I am looking forward to hear what he has to say. I would like to have a discogram to see if my discs are the actual cause of my pain. I just do not understand why I still feel this bad at 92 days Post-op.
Brian, I actually took fairly good care of my teeth while drinking and using Methamphetamines, but God sparred me of problems with my teeth from methamphetamine use. He also sparred me of aging past my actual age from drugging and drinking. I got lucky with the teeth and the skin. The problem is that I had a bad car accident many many many years ago. It had been raining for 2 weeks straight and I hit a wash (very large puddle) right before a small stream bridge and my car hydroplaned into a telephone pole. I had my seat belt on but it was only a lap belt and my mouth took the entire force of the accident by hitting the steering wheel. The steering wheel was actually bent over from my mouth hitting it. Nothing else happened to me other thean my teeth beeing smashed. The top worse than the bottom. I had a small bridge to repair it that was later broken when a small toyota P/U hit me while I was crossing the street. I got really messed up in that one and spent 5 days in ICU then went to a physical recovery center because I had broken my pelvis in five places.
Back to your question, I have signifigan Bone loss due to the trauma to my bottom teeth in the first accident. I was sober it those accidents meaning I had not had any drugs or alcohol in me for 24 hours prior to the accident.
HMMMMMM!!!!!!!! You think GOD is taking care of me or WHAT!!!
It is a wonder I have not died yet. I really thought I was past those kinds of adversities but here we are with worse injuries now. I just try to do the best I can..ya know.
I will be thinking of you as you stop the Ultram. I will ask that you be lifted up into the care of Your Higher Power. Let him hold you and take care of you!!:angel::angel::angel::angel::angel:
I gotta go lay down. I have already been up to long and typing is bothering my neck and wrists
good night all....
Christine
G