Pain meds soon to end, but man am I depressed..!

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Ok, I'm finally nearing the end of pain meds.....I see it in the near future!!!! I've been very positive thru most of this big surgery & recovery but man I feel horrible lately...totally depressed & teary eyed...At least I can blame it on the dwindling p-meds.. The good news is I am going most of the day on one tablet/pain killer which is slowly weaning me off although I still seem to need 1 or 2 times thru the night(max every 4 hrs..) depending on my achiness. My appetite comes & goes, normally I'm ok for dinner but don't eat much for breakfast or lunch....anybody else in a funk from withdrawal???? This seems to be the hardest part of all of this for me!Especially since I always loved to cook & now it's a real chore! Ly
http://lynnebackattack.blogspot.com
fused T-11-L-5 Dr. Boachie/Kim@HSS in NYC

[dawney]

Cant even think about that yet. I am sure you will do fine, look how far you have come. I had my first piece of pizza today and it was soooooooooooo good. I am just gettingregulated on my pain management. I can't wait to go home. Only 2 more days

[lelc2002@yahoo]

I craved chinese food & McDonald's by the time I was in Rehab....finally got chinese the first night I got home!! ....LY

[gerbo]

maybe you actually need to consider whether you could be "properly depressed", chronic condition, chronic pain, major surgery; they are all potential riskfactors for this. Talk to your familydoctor and discus whether you need any specific treatment for this.

[Singer]

Lynne, from what I've read here, depression happens to lots and lots of people at this stage and some people get antidepressants for a short time while they're weaning off pain pills. Remember, the pain pills really do a number on your body and your psyche....plus look at all you've been through....call your pain mangement specialist and talk to him about it. Hang in there!!

[Karen Ocker]

It's opiate withdrawal and common

I had the same thing. This type of depression was not helped by walking because it's really biochemical. Besides I was too depressed to walk or even eat. Needs a doctor's supervision.

My pain doc prescribed a few of months on Paxil which did 2 things: relieved the depression AND helped pain. Antidepressents need tapering too.
I was also on gabapentin(aka Neurontin) which is wonderful for the nerve healing pain.

[lelc2002@yahoo]

perhaps I was trying to wean off the pain killers a little too fast! I did take one tablet for my physical therapy today & I'll see how it goes...My P.T. guy is so sweet & makes me feel better....he makes me realize how far I've come..phyiscally, I'm feeling great, almost like myself!
I really don't want to take an antidepressant unless this 'mental' state continues...just don't want more drugs! All seems better today. Will try to walk/ work out a bit this weekend to help...........Ly

[SandyC]

The pain meds effect your seratonin levels, which is why you are feeling depressed, as you come off the meds. Consider asking your doc for an anti-depressant. This is a very common problem

[sweetness514]

Hi Lynn,

I know what you mean, this last surgery I had post op depression and I didn't take anti depressants, as I really don't like side effects of drugs and for me, I had really good days when I felt positive and some really bad days, but I can say that it's much better and I have gotten through it. That's just how I am though, and of course that's personal and also I can't say it was due to my weaning off pain meds b/c I didn't take much, so it wasn't due to that, it was more being discouraged and being sick of pain on bad days and not being able to do as much as I wanted to. Maybe you need to see how you feel and if it doesn't get better, you can see what your doctor can do, but it's normal, and I understand you not wanting to take more meds.

On a similar note, I read this week that combining sleep aids with anti depressants such as Lexapro can be fatal in the long run, as lungs and the heart can get depressed and it can cause heart failure. If this is true than I'm glad I didn't take Lexapro since I do take a sleep aid. It's also scary to think about

[Shari]

Hi Lynne,

I personally think that the depression comes from a combination of things. At first we are not able to do what we could before, so that, in a way causes emotional pain. Add that to the physical and mental stress that our bodies have just gone through, throw in the medication, and I think that can cause depression!!!

You are not alone!!! You'll have good days and bad days. But eventually the good ones will out weigh the bad ones.

I admire all of you that have been able to get on this forum, and continue your "Blogs"!!! It just proves how much strenght you really have! Just think what you have all been through.

You have basically been emotionally and physically rearranged and have to deal with that mentally.

Just my opinion, and lots of respect,

Shari

[babbs917]

You too, eh?

Hi Lynne,

I had A/P surgery July 20 and 25th and since then had made a steady recovery up until 2 weeks ago. For the past few weeks I have had a similar depression. I thought maybe it was because my mind is "healed", but my body is not. I don't know, all I know is that I am sick of the tears and frustration! I know that my body has gone thru alot of changes and this is probably why I am feeling this way, but when will it end?

Good luck to you Lynne!

Babbs

[lelc2002@yahoo]

thks all,
I think a lot of this has to do(as shari says) with the frustration of not being able to do the things we used to for now.....patience right??!
Yesterday there was our town parade & we had to park further away from it.. I tried to walk with my husband & boys but had to turn back for the car & pick them up later....my left leg was bothering me & then I think I either pulled a muscle when I dropped the keys for the car by going down on my knees to reach them on the pavement or maybe did something to myself by getting in the car too fast & turning... I had bad aches thru my rib area & major numbness again...made me go back to the regular pain killer dosage....I was scared out of my mind that I did somethg to my hardware.....what a week it's been! At least I feel better today & hoping all is ok.....ahhh!!!! Ly

[Marcia]

I am so glad that you are better. Every ache and pain will probably worry us for a long time because we are so afraid that we will have accidentally messed the surgery up. Hopefully a year or two from now we will be celebrating being pain-free or near to it.

[Shari]

Hi Lynne,

It's hard not to panic when we have to deal with yet another new pain!!! But, as I found out through my experience, when I initally started to move in different ways after my surgery, I would get new pains that scared the hell out of me. I can't even recall how many times I thought I had "screwed" something up by what I had just done.

It does go away eventually. You've just been rearranged, literally, and it does take some time to adjust to it, most of all physically but don't forget mentally.

I personally think you're doing great for only being 2 months post-op!!! No one could drag me out of my house for the first few months except to go to my Dr. visits. You're a strong woman and don't think that what you're going through isn't normal!!!

Shari