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  • Questions about recovery

    Hello everyone. Hope all are doing well. I will be 3 weeks our tomorrow, and have my first follow up. However, I have some concerns that I thought you guys might be able to either help me with or help mephrase better.

    First, I am, of course, in a lot of pain, but I am on Oxyontin (not a type-o) 40 mg, and my husband is complaining that I am not the same person on it. To be honest, it makes me sleepy and very fuzzy headed. So, can you make it through this without any pain meds? Or perhapse pain meds for strong breakthrough pain? Perhapse go back down to Norco10/325?

    Second, at least on the weekends, my husband does not let me sleep...we have a daughter with CP that he says only I can feed. He wakes me up every morning to help. I am so tired. He just seems to think that "OK now you've had your surgery, let's get back to normal now."

    Any suggestions??? Thanks,

    Ann
    44 year old female
    Surgery on Nov. 1, 2010
    Dr. Darrell Hanson, Methodist Hospital
    Posterior Only, 9 hours
    Presurgical: T 61 Degrees, L 58 degrees, with 15 degrees of thoracolumbar rotation
    Postsurgical: T 26, L 25

  • #2
    Instead of trying to explain it to him, I would have a nurse or someone from your surgeon's office speak to him. It is really critical that you get your rest, as you obviously know.

    As for the pain meds I would also bring that up to your surgeon's office. Maybe they can switch your meds to something else. I wasn't myself on my pain meds either, but maybe there is an alternative option for you.

    Best of luck and hang in there!

    Comment


    • #3
      I agree with JamieAnn about your husband's attitude. He just doesn't understand, and maybe feels overwhelmed with responsibility, and is hoping you can do more than you actually can. He needs to understand that you need more time to heal ... Maybe in the meantime you can have someone come in to help with your daughter and other things around the house, just for a few hours a day?

      Oxycontin made me feel over-medicated, too. I'm taking Percoset (which is basically the non-codeine version of Norco). It works fine for me, but everyone is different ... you can try the Norco and see how you do, and then increase the time between doses as your pain becomes less. Best to talk to your surgeon and get a pain management routine ironed out so you don't have to worry about it - stress can actually increase your pain level. I found out that after I didn't have to worry about it, a lot of the pain simply went away.

      I let the medication wear off once to see how bad the pain actually would be, and it was bad enough that I could barely walk at all, since I feel the pain mostly as aching stiffness and spasm. I need the meds for a while so I can do the walking routine and keep moving and not have discomfort rule my life. Looking forward to no more pain pills!
      Juliet, age 57
      37˚ lumbar and 35˚ thoracic with rotation
      Diagnosed at age 11 and untreated.
      Total degeneration of disc at L4-5, spondylolisthesis at L4, L5 sacralized.
      Surgery on 10/26/10
      Dr. Matthew Geck, Seton Spine & Scoliosis, Center, Austin, TX.
      University Medical Center @ Brackenridge Hospital.
      Posterior fusion of T11-S1, part minimally invasive; TLIF at L4-5.

      Comment


      • #4
        I agree with JamieAnn about your husband's attitude. He just doesn't understand, and maybe feels overwhelmed with responsibility, and is hoping you can do more than you actually can. I took norco for a month after my surgery. don't over done it
        Kara
        25
        Brace 4-15-05-5-25-06
        Posterior Spinal Fusion 3-10-10
        T4-L2
        Before 50T
        After 20T

        Comment


        • #5
          What a shame your husband didn't realise that this surgery has a very long recovery and how important it is for you to take it easy and get as much sleep as possible. I'm hoping your doctor can explain it to him without offending him and that you can get help with your daughter. You're still very early out and I feel for you not being able to relax and just heal.
          Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
          Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
          T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
          Osteotomies and Laminectomies
          Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

          Comment

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