Nanner
03-29-2003, 04:14 PM
I am a bit apprehensive about the next few days. Starting tomorrow I'm going to give up the meds for pain, as I have an EMG scheduled for Tuesday morning and my first epidural on Wednesday. Some of the things I've read say you need to be in pain when you go for the epi so you can tell them where it hurts. I wonder where I'll start the list!
The EMG was a late addition, but I wanted to get it done prior to commencing the epidural series. I want it to read my pain at full force.
I just wonder how I'll feel after a couple of days with no Lortab or Elavil. I better warn my son and husband to steer clear come Monday :D
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Nancy D-ACDF C6-7 on 6/7/02. Donor bone with no hardware
The EMG was a late addition, but I wanted to get it done prior to commencing the epidural series. I want it to read my pain at full force.
I just wonder how I'll feel after a couple of days with no Lortab or Elavil. I better warn my son and husband to steer clear come Monday :D
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Nancy D-ACDF C6-7 on 6/7/02. Donor bone with no hardware
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BWL
03-29-2003, 05:34 PM
Hey Nancy,
You sure have a busy week ahead of you and you're quite brave to go cold turkey on the meds. If I was wearing a hat I would take it off to you. It feels great getting the Elavil out of your system. Have you ever had an EMG before? I had one years back, it wasn't that bad and I did have ice cream on the way home. In fact I belive the ice cream is medically required to balance out your body's electronics. Is this your first epi? (I need to start keeping notes).
Just breath deep on Monday and you can always take your meds if you need them.
Bruce :wave:
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ACDF with plating and donor bone C6-7 (1/29/03)
You sure have a busy week ahead of you and you're quite brave to go cold turkey on the meds. If I was wearing a hat I would take it off to you. It feels great getting the Elavil out of your system. Have you ever had an EMG before? I had one years back, it wasn't that bad and I did have ice cream on the way home. In fact I belive the ice cream is medically required to balance out your body's electronics. Is this your first epi? (I need to start keeping notes).
Just breath deep on Monday and you can always take your meds if you need them.
Bruce :wave:
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ACDF with plating and donor bone C6-7 (1/29/03)
winged phantom
03-29-2003, 06:06 PM
Dear Nancy,
I have never heard that about having to be in pain for the EDS; is that what everyone is being told? My doctor pressed a few points around my shoulders and neck and asked if it hurt, but that was for possible trigger point injections. My pain is very diffuse, so I didn't get any of those. As far as the EDS, they will decide where to put it, and it should help up to several levels above and below, as it does not just stay in that one area.
And as far as the EMG is concerned, my physiatrist that I saw for my pricly legs said that sometimes things never show up, even after months and months. So do not be discouraged if it doesn't show anything. I guess that might be good news. But it doesn't mean you are not in pain; darn, wouldn't that be nice if a neg EMG meant you couldn't hurt?
Good luck on the tests. :wave:
wr
I have never heard that about having to be in pain for the EDS; is that what everyone is being told? My doctor pressed a few points around my shoulders and neck and asked if it hurt, but that was for possible trigger point injections. My pain is very diffuse, so I didn't get any of those. As far as the EDS, they will decide where to put it, and it should help up to several levels above and below, as it does not just stay in that one area.
And as far as the EMG is concerned, my physiatrist that I saw for my pricly legs said that sometimes things never show up, even after months and months. So do not be discouraged if it doesn't show anything. I guess that might be good news. But it doesn't mean you are not in pain; darn, wouldn't that be nice if a neg EMG meant you couldn't hurt?
Good luck on the tests. :wave:
wr
Nanner
03-29-2003, 07:09 PM
Just for the record, this will be my third EMG on the right arm. I had one within a month of my initial symptoms (in 01-02) and was told my arm was "as bad as it gets". The NS had me do another pre-surgery in March, the neurologist was shocked that the doc wanted to recheck (he was afraid I was also bad at C5-6), and even more shocked I hadn't had surgery yet. Wait'll he sees me Tuesday!
Now, since the arm symptoms are back again, I get the needles and shocks yet once more. The test isn't that bad, for those of you who haven't had one. I'd take 3 of these over one CT myelogram any day of the week. Less painful and a lot quicker.
The instructions for the epidural said to stop blood thinners (I don't use them), aspirin, steroids and antibiotics prior to the shot. I'm figuring that while Lortab has acetominophen (or however you spell it) I probably should take a break. Have no idea what amytriptiline is (Elavil) or Skelaxin (my muscle relaxant), but I figure the less junk in my system the more I'll know if the epi works, as well as being able to point to where it hurts.
Withdrawal...let's see how strung out I am after a year plus on this s...er, medicine. :) And just how much pain is or isn't being masked. I'm not brave, just tired of the mouthful of pills I swallow several times each day.
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Nancy D-ACDF C6-7 on 6/7/02. Donor bone with no hardware
Now, since the arm symptoms are back again, I get the needles and shocks yet once more. The test isn't that bad, for those of you who haven't had one. I'd take 3 of these over one CT myelogram any day of the week. Less painful and a lot quicker.
The instructions for the epidural said to stop blood thinners (I don't use them), aspirin, steroids and antibiotics prior to the shot. I'm figuring that while Lortab has acetominophen (or however you spell it) I probably should take a break. Have no idea what amytriptiline is (Elavil) or Skelaxin (my muscle relaxant), but I figure the less junk in my system the more I'll know if the epi works, as well as being able to point to where it hurts.
Withdrawal...let's see how strung out I am after a year plus on this s...er, medicine. :) And just how much pain is or isn't being masked. I'm not brave, just tired of the mouthful of pills I swallow several times each day.
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Nancy D-ACDF C6-7 on 6/7/02. Donor bone with no hardware
PsychLea
03-29-2003, 08:37 PM
Nan,
I never had to give up my pain meds for the epi. Have my 3rd and last one this coming Friday. The only instructions I got was no aspirin or Motrin,aleve, etc. They only requested I didn't take any pain meds the MORNING OF the procedure because they gave me IV Versed. Elavil and Amitryptiline shouldn't be a problem either and have no bearing on the outcome of your testing. They do trigger point injections too, and had no problem locating my trigger points of pain. My PM has one mean finger poke :)
I would call your doc and double check.
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God bless,
Lea
I never had to give up my pain meds for the epi. Have my 3rd and last one this coming Friday. The only instructions I got was no aspirin or Motrin,aleve, etc. They only requested I didn't take any pain meds the MORNING OF the procedure because they gave me IV Versed. Elavil and Amitryptiline shouldn't be a problem either and have no bearing on the outcome of your testing. They do trigger point injections too, and had no problem locating my trigger points of pain. My PM has one mean finger poke :)
I would call your doc and double check.
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God bless,
Lea
mel333
03-30-2003, 11:29 AM
Hi Nancy,
Good luck with the EMG and EPI. Especially going off pain meds. Be careful not to get nasty withdrawel. I kept taking pain meds before my facet and nerve blocks and just went off naprosyn. You don't need to get the killer headache. But I did find I took a bit less meds (only on the day)just to see if I had improvement.
Mel
Good luck with the EMG and EPI. Especially going off pain meds. Be careful not to get nasty withdrawel. I kept taking pain meds before my facet and nerve blocks and just went off naprosyn. You don't need to get the killer headache. But I did find I took a bit less meds (only on the day)just to see if I had improvement.
Mel