Post Surgery Report

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Good to hear from you and glad you are doing well.

Michele

--- dyel69 <dyel@...> wrote:

> Hello All-

>

> I had my fifth operation for c-toma last Friday, and

> I'm glad to

> report that I'm doing pretty well. My fourth

> surgery was a Radical

> Mastoidectomy so there isn't much left to remove,

> but the doctor did

> find some c-toma hiding behind a scar band that had

> formed in my ear.

> Fortunately, it was not on the balance canals.

> I've hardly been

> dizzy at all. We can hope and have faith that it

> won't come back

> again. Five surgeries is plenty for me.

>

> Best of luck to those of you with upcoming

> surgeries.

>

> -

>

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Congratulations, Trudy. The hard part is over and you don't seem to have

much in the way of side affects.. I know three weeks seems like a very long

time to be totally deaf, but your reward will quickly make you forget that.

Take it easy. There's no reason to rush yourself. This is pamper me time.

Alice

> Hi all:

> Just got back from the hospital today. Dr. Roland

> says the surgery went smoothly and the testing in the

> OR indicated very good responses. He is optimistic

> about the activation.

> COmpared to some reports on post surgery effects, I

> guess I'm doing fairly well. No dizziness, no real

> pain. My throat is sore from the intubation and my

> head feels achy. I was able to get up and go to the

> john and walk the halls just a few hours after

> surgery.

> I have to get through the next three weeks in

> total silence, but hopefully I will begin to hear

> after hookup on March 30.

> Trudi (late deafened)

> Nucleus 24 (3/10/04)

>

[Guest guest]

Congratulations Trudi!!!

[Guest guest]

Had surgery on March the 30th, came home a day early April 2nd mainly because I

was able to sit up on my own and walk reasonably well using a walker.

My surgeon also said that there are all types of bacteria floating around in

hospitals, and going home early would help reduce instance of infection.

During the wee hours of the morning I was able to compile a short outline on

" Pain Basics " gathered from around the web.

April 11, 2009

Pain Basics

Pain involves the interaction between several chemicals in the brain and spinal

cord. These chemicals, called neurotransmitters, transmit nerve impulses from

one nerve cell to another. Neurotransmitters stimulate receptors found on the

surface of nerve and brain cells, which function like gates, allowing messages

to pass from one nerve cell to the next. Many pain-relieving drugs work by

acting on these receptors. For example, opioid drugs block pain by locking onto

opioid receptors in the brain.

Other drugs control pain outside the brain, such as non-steroidal

anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These drugs, including aspirin, ibuprofen, and

naproxen, inhibit hormones called prostaglandins, which stimulate nerves at the

site of injury and cause inflammation and fever. Newer NSAIDs, including

Celebrex (celecoxib) and Vioxx (rofecoxib) for rheumatoid arthritis, primarily

block an enzyme called cyclooxygenase-2. Known as COX-2 inhibitors, these drugs

may be less likely to cause the stomach problems associated with older NSAIDs,

but their long-term effects are still being evaluated.

Pain That Persists

By definition, acute pain after surgery or trauma comes on suddenly and lasts

for a limited time, whereas chronic pain persists. " Acute pain is a direct

response to disease or injury to tissue, and presumably it will subside when you

treat the disease or injury, " says Sharon Hertz, M.D., deputy director in the

Food and Drug Administration's Division of Anti-Inflammatory, Analgesic, and

Ophthalmologic Drug Products. " Chronic pain goes on and on--for months or even

years. "

Common types of chronic pain include back pain, headaches, arthritis, cancer

pain, and neuropathic pain, which results from injury to nerves. In Dearman's

case, her untreated back injury caused her spine to twist out of place, not only

resulting in severe back pain, but also putting intense pressure on the nerves

in her legs. " I often felt pain shooting down my legs, " she says, " like a jolt

of electricity. "

Experts say the first step in treating chronic pain is to identify the source of

the pain, if possible. Many people with chronic pain try to tough it out,

according to research from the American Academy of Pain Medicine. But persistent

pain should never be ignored because it could signal disease or injury that will

worsen if left untreated. Sometimes, it turns out that the cause of pain is

unknown. Fibromyalgia, for example, is characterized by fatigue and widespread

pain in muscles and joints. While scientists have theorized that the condition

may be connected to injury, changes in muscle metabolism, or viruses, the exact

cause is unclear.

Regardless of the type of chronic pain, the physical and emotional effects can

be devastating.

Finding Relief

Because pain varies from person to person, treatment is individualized. Someone

with arthritis may do well with occasional use of an over-the-counter pain

reliever, whereas someone else with arthritis may need a prescription pain

reliever and regular aerobic exercise to feel good.

Treatment for chronic pain is about much more than medication, It can also

involve stress relief and relaxation, physical therapy, improved sleep and

nutrition habits, and exercise.

Use a multidisciplinary approach to pain management, pace your activities and be

realistic about how much you can do in a certain time period.

People should seek professional help for chronic pain when they feel that pain

is interfering with their quality of life. Start with your primary care

physician, who may refer you to other specialists. Consider asking your doctor

about a pain management specialist if you feel that your pain is just not

getting better over time. Another reason to seek advice from a specialist is if

you are experiencing intolerable side effects from medications.

Concerns About Drug Abuse

It's a common concern for both patients and health providers

Most forms of chronic pain respond to non-opioid drug treatments, examples of

non-opioid pain relievers, which don't have addiction potential, include

aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other non-steroidal

anti-inflammatory drugs. A combination of different types of analgesic

medications at lower doses is often more effective than a single high-dose

medication.

If opioids are prescribed for your pain, you are not abusing drugs if you are

taking the medication as prescribed, taking doses of drugs to relieve pain is

not the same as taking drugs to get high.

Opioids are controlled substances that are potentially addictive. Pain

medications containing opioids include Vicodin (hydrocodone), OxyContin and

Percocet (oxycodone), MS-Contin (morphine), Tylenol #2, #3 and #4 (codeine), and

the Duragesic Patch and Actiq (fentanyl).

There is a difference between addiction to prescription medication, and physical

dependence. Addiction is characterized by craving and compulsive use of drugs.

Physical dependence occurs when a person's body adapts to the drug. If someone

has become physically dependent on a drug and suddenly stops taking it,

withdrawal may occur. These symptoms can include muscle aches, watery nose and

eyes, irritability, sweating, and diarrhea. Physical dependence is a normal

response to repeated use of opioids and is distinct from psychological

addiction.

In prescribing potentially addictive medications, doctors should consider

patients' personal and family histories of addiction, as well as psychological

and social stressors that may affect medication use. Also, some people who begin

taking opioid medications for pain as prescribed may later discover that they

are using the medication for its psychic brain effects. Physicians need to be

aware of this potential adverse effect, and should educate patients and their

families about appropriate use of addictive drugs.

OxyContin

The use of opioids in pain treatment remains controversial for several reasons.

The rate of addiction in the properly treated pain population is unknown. The

media has highlighted problems of addiction to pain medicine among celebrities.

And there has been considerable drug abuse involving OxyContin, which the FDA

approved for moderate-to-severe pain in 1995. The FDA strengthened warnings for

oxycodone in 2001, while continuing to recommend appropriate pain control for

people living with severe pain.

Finding a balance between cracking down on drug abusers and protecting people in

pain is an ongoing struggle. Some doctors fear regulatory scrutiny for

over-prescribing these drugs. There is concern about the small segment of people

who abuse drugs ends up interfering with effective pain management for others.

Support

Support issues that can go along with chronic pain are not having your pain

taken seriously, frustration over not finding relief, how to communicate your

pain to your doctor, and how to maintain relations with your family.

Support systems are important because they give people with pain the coping

skills needed to take an active role in their recovery. Sometimes doctors tell

people they'll have to learn to live with the pain, but too often they stop

short of telling them how to accomplish that.

Finding effective treatment and gaining the skills to live with her pain made

all the difference. It's about being a person first and not letting pain define

who you are. Pain may be unavoidable, but suffering is optional.