Re: new group member, considering fusion

Posted October 1, 2008 · October 1, 2008

Yeah, but it's different somewhat on an outpatient setting. If you go in to see

your PM doc and say you are at a 5 on the scale but are asking for Percocet, the

answer will be no. My version of a 5 is still enough pain that it makes it hard

to perform the functions of my job, but a doc's version of a 5 may be much

different. Take some Motrin will be the answer. ---

new group member, considering fusion

>

> Hi everyone,

>

> I am new to this group and need your opinions/experience s on fusion.

> A little background: I am a 34 yr old mother of two little ones (2 1/2

> yrs and 7 mos). I have been in chronic pain for almost 10 yrs now as

> a result of degenerative disc disease - I had surgery in 2002

> (disketomy of L5/S1) which helped my sciatica, but not the back pain

> of course. I continued to have back pain, and then in the last year

> or so, the leg pain came back. I almost did not have children because

> of this pain, but decided I would be in pain anyway, so why not try to

> enjoy my life.

>

> I went to see my neurosurgeon last week after having yet another MRI,

> and he showed me 4 bad levels - L5/S1, L4/L5, and then 2 starting to

> go a few levels up. The bottom ones are the ones that are causing all

> the problems. He recommended a fusion and said I could possibly get

> 60% relief.

>

> I have tried most every non-surgical method over the years - you name

> it, I've done it. I am taking Hydrocodone and muscle relaxers, which

> give me some relief, but it's getting harder and harder to take care

> of my kids, my house, and myself even with taking the meds. I am

> breastfeeding my 7 month old, and of course have guilt over the meds I

> am exposing him to. I am having some days where my pain is 8 or 9 or

> even 10 out of 10, and it hasn't always been that way. I am tired of

> being in pain, tired of being " the girl with the crappy back " , tired

> of always thinking about it.. I am ready for some relief, but I have

> mixed feelings about fusion.

>

> I would love to hear anyone's experience with fusion. Did you have the

> fusion and regret it because you're worse? Or did you have it and

> you're better? Or did you consider it but went a different route?

>

> Thanks.

>

> Jenn

>

Posted October 1, 2008 · October 1, 2008

That is true . . . and if we have several pain meds ordered, some my think

less than 6 will get by with Tylenol and over 6 gets something harder. The

staff learns the person IF they come back and the weaker med didn't budge

the number. For some reason, nationality makes a difference too! Germans

and Austrians are much more stoic (they get colonoscopies unmedicated),

while other nationalities don't.

Vickie

On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 5:59 PM, Babbitt <tpowell1977@...> wrote:

> Yeah, but it's different somewhat on an outpatient setting. If you go in

> to see your PM doc and say you are at a 5 on the scale but are asking for

> Percocet, the answer will be no. My version of a 5 is still enough pain

> that it makes it hard to perform the functions of my job, but a doc's

> version of a 5 may be much different. Take some Motrin will be the answer.

> ---

>

> new group member, considering fusion

> >

> > Hi everyone,

> >

> > I am new to this group and need your opinions/experience s on fusion.

> > A little background: I am a 34 yr old mother of two little ones (2 1/2

> > yrs and 7 mos). I have been in chronic pain for almost 10 yrs now as

> > a result of degenerative disc disease - I had surgery in 2002

> > (disketomy of L5/S1) which helped my sciatica, but not the back pain

> > of course. I continued to have back pain, and then in the last year

> > or so, the leg pain came back. I almost did not have children because

> > of this pain, but decided I would be in pain anyway, so why not try to

> > enjoy my life.

> >

> > I went to see my neurosurgeon last week after having yet another MRI,

> > and he showed me 4 bad levels - L5/S1, L4/L5, and then 2 starting to

> > go a few levels up. The bottom ones are the ones that are causing all

> > the problems. He recommended a fusion and said I could possibly get

> > 60% relief.

> >

> > I have tried most every non-surgical method over the years - you name

> > it, I've done it. I am taking Hydrocodone and muscle relaxers, which

> > give me some relief, but it's getting harder and harder to take care

> > of my kids, my house, and myself even with taking the meds. I am

> > breastfeeding my 7 month old, and of course have guilt over the meds I

> > am exposing him to. I am having some days where my pain is 8 or 9 or

> > even 10 out of 10, and it hasn't always been that way. I am tired of

> > being in pain, tired of being " the girl with the crappy back " , tired

> > of always thinking about it.. I am ready for some relief, but I have

> > mixed feelings about fusion.

> >

> > I would love to hear anyone's experience with fusion. Did you have the

> > fusion and regret it because you're worse? Or did you have it and

> > you're better? Or did you consider it but went a different route?

> >

> > Thanks.

> >

> > Jenn

> >

Posted October 1, 2008 · October 1, 2008

ugh...unmedicated colonoscopies??? No thanks!