No pain meds - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

mothmin · 02-01-2003, 11:37 AM

I'm 7 weeks post-op for c-7 fusion, and they WILL NOT give me pain meds. Maybe it was a mistake not to use much of the morphine in recover, and they think I have high pain threshold. The thing that really makes me mad is, at the NS keeps telling me how "major" my surgery was, and that I can't go back to work yet... bla bla... I say I'm having neck pain at night can I get someting? He says " take tylonol?" In the hospital they said I'd get vicodin, then gave me codine? That's like what you get for a bruised knee! I read on here of others getting pain meds, why can't I? I'm up all night sitting in a chair cause my neck hurts!

Nanner · 02-01-2003, 04:59 PM

Geez, Mothmin, this makes no sense at all! I didn't take but one of the stupid morphine patches at home before quitting, as they made my bowels shut down. Ever since I've been using Lortab (same as Vicodin) and I'm now 7 *months* post-op.

If the NS won't give you anything for the pain, I'd say it is time to look to your regular doc for relief, or to a pain specialist. It took me about 4 months post-op to get almost off the meds. So I can certainly understand your frustration, if the NS won't prescribe anything to make you able to sleep comfortably. Go elsewhere, I'm sure you can find relief from some quarter.

------------------
Nancy D-ACDF C6-7 on 6/7/02. Donor bone with no hardware

OLIVER-DOVE · 02-01-2003, 11:12 PM

Hey Mothmin,

It time to go to the emergency room. I would call my doctors office 11pm 3am whatever. Tell the service that you are a patient of Doctor SOSO and you are in agonizing pain. Then if the doctor calls he may get the point that you are in pain. Your medications are up to your Nuerosurgeon and they sometimes lose touch of their patients needs. He will say if you hurt that bad then go to the emergency room. Then go and tell them the same thing. You are in agonizing pain and it is interfering with my sleep. When you hurt you hurt and even with the surgery you may still remain in some type of truely agonizing pain for a long period or forever. Other wise the alternative is hard liquor. Keeping youself is a drunken stupor 24/7 is not my idea of living. My point is there is no reason or need to suffer in this twenty-first century world.

Go sock it to them!!!

Oliver

[This message has been edited by OLIVER-DOVE (edited 02-02-2003).]

scottieK · 02-02-2003, 05:22 AM

DearMM, couldn't help replying to your post. See my post about the numb toe. You should have pain relief, the newer belief is that if you have sufficient pain relief in the beginning you will be able to get on with your life and "forget" you needed relief when you gradually get better. True sufferers will wean off with no problems.
Morphine and all pain relivers have their problems but try to research them well before you put them into a class of not working. Codiene actually truns into morphine after you get it into your body but is much more easy to "get used to" because it leaves your body fast. You see you need to do your hommework.
I would get into contact with a painrelif group/doctor in your area and stay in touch with them. You do not have to belive everything they say. Every doctor has his own way about him. Also know the squeaky wheel gets the oil. You must tell the right people you need relief.
Also just one more bit of advice, the amount of morphine after surgery and the way they affect you is totally different for long term pain management. Good luck to you and I hope you will let us know how you go. scottieK

melanie dawn · 02-03-2003, 06:45 AM

Hi Mothmin,
everyone is correct, you need to address this issue with your family doctor. All of the research in pain management is in agreement that pain needs to be controlled routinely and not allowed to reach unbearable peaks wich requirehigh doses of meds with poor effect. Your recovery and increasing function will be greatly impacted by poor pain control. Give your GP a call, and use the emerg rooms if necessary.
Good luck , Mel