Hi all,

Oncoming Monday i will have the ONS operation. The anesthetist told me to prepare for a lot of pain after the surgery. That could take week or more.  I am getting a morphine pump in the hospital....no worries there....but i will go home the next day (in the morning) without morphine. Then it's basically over the counter painkillers. Is that good enough or should i ask for a real prescribed painkiller? She's open for my input the morning i leave....but then i am 'high' on  morphine. Is the pain that bad afterwards? How long does it last?

Thanks!

Globi

Wish I could help you here, but never having undergone the surgery I have no idea. I would take my cue from what you were told: you'll have a lot of pain, and they're giving you morphine. So...I'd ask for something stronger than tylenol to have at home. Unless there's a reason they don't want to send you home with something more? Let us know how this works for you. God bless. lance

Hey Globi,

Read through the four pages in the following link and you'll end up knowing more about the ONS surgery than you probably wanted...

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Michael provides a blow-by-blow description of his ONS implant surgery... and what followed...

Four years, a couple "adjustment" surgeries, and a lot of pain later...  Michael is now on the anti-inflammatory regimen at 20 cents a day... and having a better response than the ONS provides...

Take care,

V/R, Batch

After any surgery you will be discharged with self-treatment instructions, including an Rx for pain meds.

These are important questions to raise with the doc before before the admission date so that you are fully informed about what to expect.

wimsey1 wrote on Jan 27^th, 2012 at 8:11am:

Wish I could help you here, but never having undergone the surgery I have no idea. I would take my cue from what you were told: you'll have a lot of pain, and they're giving you morphine. So...I'd ask for something stronger than tylenol to have at home. Unless there's a reason they don't want to send you home with something more? Let us know how this works for you. God bless. lance

It's a bit weird that first she told me the pain would be really bad.....but for sure I will ask for something stonger.  Thanks.

@Batch

I could not find the blow by blow description as you described. But.....one patient with difficulties does not make it all bad for everyone. For me there is not choice left anyway. I've tried most meds and other things out there. Nothing works well. It's deep brain stimulation or ONS at this point. And the dbs operation scares me a lot. And if the ons does not work they simply take it out.

Thanks

@Bob
In The Netherlands they are sometimes a bit weird about prescribed painkillers. But the difference from being on a morphine pump one day to over the counter medicine the next is too big. She (anesthesist) will understand that as well I presume.

Thanks for the comment.

Hey Globi,

The link in my last post works just fine and should take you to four pages of posts by Wildhaus titled: "Occipital Nerve Stimulators (ONS)" started 12 Sept, 2008.  Michael is not alone in his assessment of the efficacy of ONS implant surgery... but that should not carry any sway at this point with you. 

It's clear you've done your homework and are comfortable with your decision.  Please forgive my caution. A good plan and sticking to it beat indecision any day.  I wish you all the best next week.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

@Batch

Thanks anyway. All input is welcome. I hope things changed a bit since 2008.