RE: Feisty Forum] Hypnosis for pain control?

[Guest guest]

Hi

Carol,

I can’t believe how much I can

relate to your experiences. A therapist once told me I had post traumatic

stress from my scoliosis surgery – sounds like she wasn’t the only

one who thought that that was possible.

To answer your questions – my surgeon

said I would be “in a wheelchair” soon if I didn’t have the

revision procedure. He was referring to the extent of my flatback, and also to

the fact that I was going numb in my left leg and foot.

I am generally happy with the outcome,

yes. I’m certainly happy that I had it because I no longer have Flatback,

sciatica, referred pain, etc. By the last couple of months before my revision I

was practically overdosing on Ultram – I was taking over 12 pills a day –

two at a time, with extra-strength Tylenol. I was probably killing my liver! I

had reduced my work hours to 16 per week, but was still needing to get on the

floor several times a day to do deep-breathing (abdominal breathing) for pain

reduction. I cried a lot, but I was so afraid of the surgery that I would have

preferred all the Ultram and pain.

I am now 3 years post-revision. My first

year was actually fine. In my second year I started to develop upper back

(above the fusion) and tailbone (below the fusion) pain. I still take Ultram,

but only one pill twice a day, and occasionally I’ll use Soma or a half

of a Percocet. I also do Pilates at least weekly and stretching daily –

otherwise my muscles seem to shrink and get cramped. I have a lot of ‘charle

horse’ cramps in my legs, for some reason. I have trouble walking for

more than 10 minutes – my hips seem to freeze up and that turns into psoas

(groin) muscle pain. I use a heating pad most nights and like to take hot Epsom

salt baths to loosen me up.

I had to leave my job as a psychotherapist

because I can’t sit for long periods of time. I can’t stand for

long periods, or walk for long periods, so I’m pretty limited in terms of

what I can do for work. I need to get off my back and rest at least once a day.

I’m now getting Disability, thank goodness.

But that’s just me. I’ve never

been a high-energy person. Maybe that’s due to the scoliosis or some

other factor. Now I don’t have to fight it, so it’s a relief…Other

people who belong to this Group have been able to raise kids and/or return to

work, so revision doesn’t necessarily lead to disability.

So the good news is that I no longer have

excruciating pain, I’m not leaning over, and I’ve regained strength

in my left leg. The bad news is that I basically have to manage my health on a

daily basis. I never know if I’ll have a good day or a bad day: on good

days I have no pain and on bad days I have a lot of pain – and then there

are the days in between when my pain is more like discomfort.

Sorry for going on for so long!

About bracing – I was fitted with a

plastic cage-like cast and took it home, but stopped using it after the first

couple of weeks when I started feeling strong enough to go up and down stairs

and prepare light meals for myself. So you might not need to use yours for too

long, either.

I know what you mean about the weight gain

thing. At 18 I weighed 105, too – but not any more, that’s for

sure!

Do you think you want to consider an

anti-depressant? I only bring it up again because Effexor, at certain doses,

can be an anti-depressant and maybe all you would need to do is increase the

dose to get the anti-depressant/anti-anxiety effect. Just a thought!

My butt’s starting to ache so I’d

better get off the computer! Please keep me posted…

Andy

Feisty

Forum] Hypnosis for pain control?

Andy,

I was wondering why Dr Addei said to you not to wait any longer. Did it

have to do with your general health or is their an optimal time to get

the surgery?

Were you generally happy with your outcome? I am banking on the pain

control being better after 33 years. I hope so anyway. And no more

plaster body cast thank God. But I am not looking forward to even the

plastic semi removable one I will have to wear for 3 months after

revision. I so hated that heavy old plaster cast that to this day I

can't even wear turtlenecks that hug the neck. That old plaster body cast

was a doozy for sure.

I know what you mean about being at that " vulnerable " age when we

first

experienced major spinal surgery. Yikes! That was a rough time.

I had mine done in 1974 at the original " Hospital for Joint Disease "

in

Harlem, NYC. It was nightmarish in every sense of the word. It has since

closed down and they built a new one in Manhattan. I heard it is a far

cry from the old one that I spent a month in back in 1974. My bad

memories of it are especially vivid even until today. Ironically, I can

relate to the veterans with post traumatic stress syndrome. It is still

with me after all those years. I am hoping the hypnosis tapes will help

to " Short circuit " some of my bad memories. I really need to do this

soon. I know I can't hold out much longer as I am pretty far in to

flatback syndrome. The funny thing is, that unlike most flatbackers who

are pitched forward; I instead lean to my right. Go figure? I didn't do

the flatback thing right I guess.LOL! I look more like the letter " C' as

I struggle to get around, always in pain and trying to straighten up my

permanently crooked body now.

You would think vanity would get me running to the doctor. ??? My clothes

don't sit on me right at all. But no, not even vanity can override my

post scoliosis traumatic disorder. Part of it is that I have trouble

trusting orthopods in general after they said we were " fixed " for

life

after the first scoliosis surgery. Yeah we were " fixed " alright.

Screwed

for life is more like it. So, I am very skeptical about letting them dig

away in my body again. Not that I have a choice in the matter. Because

if I don't get the revision , then soon enough I won't be able to walk

at all. So that part is non negotiable. I have to do this so that I can

still walk. But even in knowing this it is still hard to surrender to

another major spinal surgery that can have precarious outcomes.

I know it sounds harsh but it is a real tug of war with me.

I know what you mean about the pictures they take. So they still do that

eh? I think this time around I would be more self conscious about my

weight than anything. My first go round I was only about 105 pounds. Now

I am pushing 140 lbs at 50 years old, as I desperately try to fight the

battle of the bulge. LOL! Oh to be young again. (sigh). !

For pain control I take Muscle relaxers as needed, Effexor..which works

great, ibuprophen, and on occasion, some low dose oxycontin. All in all

they work pretty well. I am never pain free. I can't even remember when I

was. But at least the meds tend to take the edge off the pain to some

degree. I often wonder if I will ever again know what it was like to

be pain free. !

Carol