Hey I'm Back Again! (: Hi Dave... - Pain Management Message Board

Jtruzman · 05-26-2005, 03:46 AM

Hi all,

Most of you probably don't know me, but I started posting about 4 years ago. I stopped for a long time, but I kept reading on and off, but never posted. I know DAVE remembers me(: Anyways, I herniated a disc at 17 and ended up having 2 surgeries after on the same disc. A year and a half ago I had my last surgery. Fusion at the L4-L5 level in my spine. I lived in Little Rock, Arkansas but I live in Portland,Or now with my parents. I was in school and trying to get my degree in Biology and go to medical school. Things have been extremely rough since I last posted on here a few years ago. I still suffer with the same pain down my legs. Unfortunately instead of having pain in one leg, I have them in both. I started taking pain meds at 16 and now at 22 I can tell you I am fairly dependent on them. Unfortunately I literally almost went to DETOX because my brain could not take all the meds anymore. The day I went in, a doctor happen to look at my chart and she told me that I did not belong in treatment because I was still suffering with pain. Even though I did want to get off all the medication I had to have a game plan to combat the pain before I went into detox. I was already getting checked in when the doctor asked to speak with me before I went in and she told me all of this. I am still thinking that I will probably end up going, ONLY when I am ready to combat the pain without pain meds and that may be never.. who knows.. Unfortunately I have taken EVERYTHING... Vicodin,oxycodone,oxycontin,duragesic patches,morphine and now the greatest drug ever invented.. METHADONE. Unfortunately the docs think I have permanent nerve damage in my spine. So I might live with this forever. I've been a chronic pain patient since my middle teens.. kinda sucks huh?? The methadone is great. I am just getting titrated up at the moment since I just got off of Oxycontin. It was giving my too much trouble so I decided to switch. Methadone helps with the pain so much better than any other med that I have tried. It keeps my head clear all day long. It's soo great. I am going back to school soon to finish my degree.. hopefully in Sept. However, I need to get my pain under control first so I can continue with school without being too disstracted. As well, I am looking into getting a Spinal Cord Stimulator to control my pain. Anyway, I just wanted to say HI to everyone and I will be posting more from now on..

Yall take care,

Joe

Shoreline · 05-26-2005, 05:23 AM

Hey Joe, Sorry to hear things haven't gotten better.Of course I rememeber you and I do hope the SCS is something that will give you some relief too. I had a pump implanted last june and my head has never been clearer, my back is still a twisted train wreck, but Every year seems to ge a liitle better. I'm doing more than ever, but I haven't started my campaign for the presidency yet. LOL

I hope you do get to finish school and can move on with your life, Talk about getting robbed. Gotta get the family up and off to work, talk with ya more leter.
Take care, Dave

PS They have made advancements in the SCS in the last couple years, a multi lead unit so they can zap more than one nerve which you would need with bilateral radiculopothy is now available or will be in a few months. Technology is catching up.

Jtruzman · 05-26-2005, 03:30 PM

Hey thanks for the info bud. Hopefully things will get better with this implant.

Shoreline · 05-26-2005, 09:46 PM

Hey Joe, How soon and did yo u do a trial, is it a multi lead implant, there are sevral on the market and the latest is very new, you might want o put it off a couplemonths. If I had waited 3-4 months on the pump I would have gotten the synchromed2 pump which has a 40ml resevoir vs an 18, which means up to 6 months btween refils vs 28 days with morphine and 85 days with dialuadid now, I also have baclofen in the pump, a low dose that I want to adjust and see if I can make some new chemicals in my brain to fight pain. No kidding. It's for muscle spacticity and is normally used oin pumps fr MS but it has some unique qalites and a microgram a day replaces more than a 1000 mgs and still doesn't make the chemical change I'm hopingfor.

My Bro's a microbiologistImunolgist, he went the reearch side of medicine but he's owned a chemistry set snce he was 4, He's one of the few people really doing what they like. Does that sound Jaded?

I do want to talk more,but give me some details on the SCS, where you are, as far as ready to implant or trial or considering etc. The new one by medtronics is very cool and they stuck with and did fairly well with the old system. Even battery life should be btter now than 4 years ago. LOL
Take care, Dave