Feisty Forum] Hypnosis for pain control?

[Guest guest]

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