Hi I'm new here I go on the pain management board

[kim32]

Hi Everyone,
I have nerve damage from having gallbladder
surgery (November 19th,2002)
I have noticed tho in the past 2 weeks
that my chronic pain has been diminishing
(I'm still in pain 24/7 tho)
but it's not so severe as it has been for the past
16 months. Does anyone know if nerves regenerate?(Heal?).
I am currently taking Ultram and Atenolol (for headaches
that i get from taking ultram) the doctors won't give
me anything else (narcotic) for pain. Right now I am trying
to wean myself off of ultram, because ultram makes me sick
and gives me headaches. I have tried other pain med's
before but they also make me sick. I have a really sensitive
system. :-(
so I want to be off of pain med's all together and just be
on a anti-depressant or anti-seizure med for my nerve pain.
Is anyone else taking ultram?
And I have read on here that alot of you have nerve pain
from diabetes (My husband also has diabetes and nerve pain
in his feet) but I was wondering if anyone here got nerve
damage from some sort of surgery?
I heard from some doctors that nerves that were damaged
from surgery do heal but it takes up to many months to
many years. Then another doctor told me that damaged
nerves "NEVER" heal, so who's right??
God I hope that damaged nerves do heal, I can't imagine
being in chronic pain 24/7 for the rest of my life (I'm only
33 years old).
Right now I have a sinus infection, the pain is in my
right side of my face going from my cheek to my jaw,
so I saw a dentist and he is giving me antibotics.
Here I'm trying to get off of ultram but it seems that
my body keeps getting more pain so then i can never
get off of it. UGH!! :-(
I tried going cold turkey with the ultram but that was a no no,
I went thru withdrawals, my doctor told me to gradually taper
down, so that's what i'm trying to do now.
He told me that if i can't do it on my own (he's giving me 3 weeks
then i have to see him) then if i can't get off of ultram on my
own then he will give me "clonidine" to help with the withdrawals
(they give this to people who are in drug rehab)
I don't want to end up in rehab, I'm not mentally addicted
to ultram , it's just that i'm physcially addicted to it, if it
wasn't for the withdrawals i could stop taking it just like that.
I remember last May when my doctor prescribed ultram
to me she said that it "wasn't" a narcotic and that i wouldn't
go thru withdrawals while trying to stop taking it YEAH RIGHT!!
If i would of known back then about the withdrawals I
probably wouldn't of started taking it, but then who knows
i was in so much pain at the time i just wanted the pain to
go away.
Nerve damage pain is one of the worst kinds of chronic pain
i think there is, a neurologist told me that nerve pain is one of
the hardest to treat.
they can't do anything like nerve blocks, etc.. to stop my pain,
my pain is in my upper abdomen. so i just pray to God everyday
since the surgery to take away my pain.
I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you, maybe
we could all help each other (emotionally) that is!
Kim

[sunny6]

Hi Kim,

I am so sorry to read that you've had such a tough time with chronic pain. Our bodies are capable of adapting to so many things and it is encouraging to read that your pain seems to be getting less in the last 2 weeks. It's my understanding that nerves can heal and that it does take time, as you indicated. Vitamin B12 ( methylcobalamin) is one of the vitamins that some people use to help to promote nerve regeneration.

When my gall bladdderr was removed several years ago, I too had complications. I had a bile leak and developed adhesions, which created constant abdominal pain. I needed to have surgery to remove the adhesions and that required a search for a surgeon who was skilled in microsurgery. It is distressing to have a relatively simple surgery and then be left with complications. I want to send you my best wishes that you will continue to see improvements and find ways of coping until things get better.

Wishing you good things,
Sunny

[Sharonokay]

Hi Kim,
I am sorry you are having trouble. You asked a question about whether or not anyone had neuropathy as a result of a surgery.
Yes I have neuropathy as result of a left hip revision in June of 2001. I have had excruciating pain ever since. I have fibromyalgia & Rhuematoid Arthritis, but this pain is much worse. My pain runs from my butt to my foot. In addition, it left me with foot drop.
I see many specialists, have tried nerve blocks, cortisone injections, and more recently had a tendon transfer surgery. I take oxecontin and neurontin. My doctors have said they feel that two years after an accident or injury that creates Neurapathy, the improvement a patient gets is as good as it will ever be.
I am going to try to prove them wrong.