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        New Message Board Archives >> 2005 General Board Posts >> Another "back attack"
        
(Message started by: Missy_Donna on May 1^st, 2005, 8:51am)

Title: Another "back attack"
Post by Missy_Donna on May 1^st, 2005, 8:51am

at it's end. Another 14 weeks of bulging discs, a narrowing spinal column and scoliosis doing their thing on my back and left hip, leg and foot.

Saw a new neurosurgeon who says that I need a lamanectomy on a few discs. They need to burr out the spinal column to undo the arthritis growths that are choking my nerves.

I say "it's about time". The date for surgery is May 18th and I can't wait until it's over.

After taking 10 mg. of hydrocodone every 4 hours for 2 months, this new guy finally put me on the Duragesic patch......relief! Don't miss the hydrocodone one bit, and I'm down from a 50 mcg patch to a 25, so I know that the attack is on it's way out. I hope I can dump these drugs without any trouble, but I had no choice but to take them. My son had to put my shoes and sox on me and literally carry me to the car crying, going to to the hospital, the pain was so bad, and you all know what a tough lot we clusterheads are.

Anyway, keep me in your prayers and vibe modes. I'm a sissy when it comes to being put to sleep. Scared to death is more like it. The after surgery pain I can deal with, but not being forced to sleep with anesthesia.

Thanks kids......love to you all.

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by Jonny on May 1^st, 2005, 10:50am

Hang in there Donna........I'll be on the table soon myself :'(

We got your back, Babe!!!! :-*

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by don on May 1^st, 2005, 10:59am

Quote:

I'll be on the table soon myself

Lance's massage table.

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by Kirk on May 1^st, 2005, 6:37pm

Lamenectomies work pretty good. My first three kept me going for several years.
Piece of cake you'll be on yer feet in no time.
Think of it. No more fear of sneezing [smiley=smokin.gif]

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by Sean_C on May 1^st, 2005, 7:13pm

Hang tough Missy, vibes heading your way ;)

Sean.................

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by Grandma_Sweet_Boy on May 1^st, 2005, 7:45pm

Sure don't envy you - and completely understand your fear of anesthetic. I am exactly the same way.

Do you suppose it's because underneath it all, we're control freaks and don't like the idea of someone else being in control whilst we're "sleeping". :-/

Wishing you all the best for your surgery and a speedy recovery to you.
Carol

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by Margi on May 1^st, 2005, 8:10pm

on 05/01/05 at 19:45:56, Grandma_Sweet_Boy wrote:

Do you suppose it's because underneath it all, we're control freaks and don't like the idea of someone else being in control whilst we're "sleeping". :-/

Carol

naw, for me, it's the thought of the puking afterwards. I'll do everything in the world to avoid THAT lovely little activity. I can't even stand that horrible puking smiley! Never had anaethesia, never want it.

Prayers going up for you Missy_D, and for you too, Jonny. Sorry you're both facing surgery. :(

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by cootie on May 1^st, 2005, 10:56pm

Fear of sneezeing....OMG I thought that was just me......I hear a loud pop in my spine everytime I sneeze and sometimes when sneezes are comeing on I BRACE MYSELF and usually end it with a very unlady like SCREAM ! I know what ya mean about the back attacks (flare ups).......I'm sick of the meds to keep the pain under control cuz I think they string you out. I have the patches stashed for NEXT ATTACK which I am dreading even tho I am 24 hours hurting now. Got a new spot where my spine is shifting and scareing me.....you can see and feel it. I am afraid to go the surgery gaunlet yet and the expense.....we can do stuff now and fix things up and I don't want to jepordize that or be a PAIN. Lots of luck to you !!!!! Would be nice to be able to do the twist again Pam

Twisting is a dreaded no no.....anyone have problems if ya accidentally clip furniture or whatever with a hip that puts a TWIST on the spine.....about puts me on my knees. Sumtimes peuking comes from pain or the impulse.

PS: those patches ran me $ 500.00 for 10 of them.....I about fainted (or peuked) but luckily insurence kicked in on most of it. It was on the news some teens took a patch from one of the parents and cut it up and licked the gel inside to get high......the one girl DIED !!!! Scarey !!! Heard if a patch was to break or get poked and leak somehow if you leave it on you can overdose and die.

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by Charlie on May 2^nd, 2005, 4:13am

Here's hoping you get a break. The 18th is right around the bend. Lots of vibes for you.

Charlie

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by hdido on May 2^nd, 2005, 5:07am

Had similar surgery, Missy-was out of the hospital two days later (with a wonderful 6 week no-work recovery period afterward). The new anesthetics work so fast that you don't remember even falling asleep; I had no aftereffects from them, just woke up in the hospital bed. Regarding the fentanyl patches, you won't die if one develops a hole or a tear, so long as you don't rip it open and lick the gel or shoot it up-just don't drink alcohol as the combination can surpress your breathing and that is what causes death (anyone see "Casino" on Discovery Channel-the episode where Michael Tata, the young manager died. The cause of death, though never explained on the show (he was 33) was due to his abuse of lots of vodka combined with a fentanyl "lollipop" (a fast acting med. that looks like a lollipop, gets into the blood very fast). Good luck on your surgery, you'll be amazed how well you feel after it is over, though you'll probably miss the pampering that you'll be getting during your recovery. ;)

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by Renee on May 2^nd, 2005, 9:53am

I am 6 weeks post op from a hemilaminectomy, bone spur removal, discectomy and foraminotomy on c4/5 c5/6 c6/7.

I wear the duragesic patch, 50mcg plus lollipops for b/t.

Warning: detoxing from the patch can be bad and will be for me. It will require methadone or librium.

Something I discovered later than I would have liked.....the pads in the philadelphia collar are attached with velcro and can be removed and washed in washer and dryed in open air. oops...after rereading yours appears to be lumbar....

anesthesia today = no biggie. they give you vercid (sp?) before getting to surgery room and you don't remember anesthesia at all. Next thing you know you'll wake in your room, hooked to morphine drip. Today's anesthesia does not cause nausea, body tremors, chills, etc, at least for me, like the anesthia of years ago.

morphine gave me clusters. i found two narcs that would not cause clusters....oxycontin and fentanyl (duragesic patch and actiq lollipop).

good luck, both of you, and learn to do the log roll.

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by cootie on May 2^nd, 2005, 12:07pm

I'm glad to have this thread to read cuz I have had minor surgeries before where I was sick for WEEKS cuz of the anesthetic....had tendon surgery years ago on my hand and was sick for 3 weeks cuz of the anesthetic. It was bad.....and even the THOUGHT of back surgery has me freaking. I was so sick I couldn't even move for a long time the last one......don't even wanna go there again. But it is comforting to know things HAVE CHANGED. Thanks for the info ! I just sneezeed 2 times......crackle snap pop Pam

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by Missy_Donna on May 2^nd, 2005, 7:00pm

This has been an enlightening thread for a lot of people. Good responses.

I was on the 50mcg patch and started cutting it in half last week as this episode is just about over. The doc said that he couldn't recommend cutting them, but he knew of several patients who did and to just try really hard to measure the sides equally. The cost of the 25mcgs were $124.19 for 10 and the 50's were 175.00. Maybe because the Fentanyl is generic for Duragesic and I have the generic.

My problem is in L3/4 and L4/5 (lumbar spine) with three bulging discs, and a severe narrowing (stenosis) of the spine due to osterarthritis. Two years ago the MRI said moderate.....now it's severe. I have a bit of scoliosis as well.

I believe my fear of anesthetic IS a matter of control. I had my gall bladder removed two years ago and I do know how easy the versed makes it, but I'm still scared of being put to sleep. I didn't have any nausea either, and I don't remember the day after surgery at all. That stuff really hits me. I just need to be in control my what happens to my body.

I do heal quickly for someone my age, tho and I should be back to work in no time. My job at the hospital is over.....my medical leave ran out.....and I didn't have any other time off left as I was out last fall with a 12 week episode. I'm hoping they will rehire me as they can do within a 6 month period...after that, my time has run out.

Thanks for all the good wishes. They really do mean a lot, and Jonny, I'm sorry that you're going under the knife too. Too bad we can't room together.....we'd have the place in hysteria.

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by cootie on May 2^nd, 2005, 9:42pm

I asked the pharmacist if I could cut the patches and she said NO WAY cuz there gel and it would ooz out and no way would that work cuz it would destroy them. I stashed mine when I read some stuff about them.....kind of made me nervous cuz I had problems with nausia for quite a while when I first started on pain management by my doctor.....it was BAD. Took a long time to get past that and I don't ever want to feel that way again. Had been takeing avniza when needed for the year long last flareup I had and I got EXTREMLY ill a few times out of the blue and never tried that stuff again. Morphine makes me extremly sick......can you be allergic to it I wonder ? Good luck with your surgery ! Atacked by my back Pam

Title: Re: Another "back attack"
Post by Renee on May 3^rd, 2005, 6:34am

Duragesic patches are not to be cut in half as they have gel inside them. The generic patches, which do not administer the fentanyl as equally as the duragesic patches, can be cut no matter what the instructions say as there is no gel in them. the generic patches suck tho!

Ask for the versed as soon as you get the IV in and you'll have no more control issues. I'm the same way as you and I've done that in the past and I'll do it again.

Are you using the patch for pre-surgery pain or clusters?

I hope all goes well