September 9th surgery

[mabeckoff]

Sounds like you're getting the dreaded muscle spasms, Melissa. Debbei is the expert on those. I hope you have some Valium or similar at home.

I have been on Robaxin since July and that has been helping me most of the time. Can I take Valium for break thru muscle spasms or should I ask Dr Bederman if I can take
additional Robaxin at the time of the spasms?

[mabeckoff]

About how long does it take before riding in a car is no longer painful? We ventured out to look at Christmas lights and about 30 min into the ride I was in a lot of pain despite having a lot of pillows around me.

Warmly,
Doreen

Doreen, I am comfortable in the car for up to 30 minutes or so. It is when the trip gets to being over one hour that I start feeling pain.

[JenniferG]

I have been on Robaxin since July and that has been helping me most of the time. Can I take Valium for break thru muscle spasms or should I ask Dr Bederman if I can take
additional Robaxin at the time of the spasms?

I don't really know, but I'm hoping someone here who dealt with the dreaded muscle spasms can give you some advice. Strangely, I didn't get them and I'm sorry that you are, on top of everything else. I hope you're still taking every opportunity to sleep when you can.

[mabeckoff]

I don't really know, but I'm hoping someone here who dealt with the dreaded muscle spasms can give you some advice. Strangely, I didn't get them and I'm sorry that you are, on top of everything else. I hope you're still taking every opportunity to sleep when you can.

Yes, I am back to taking naps at least one a day but some days 2 a day. This scares me some what as my mobility is getting less as is my strength. I am
getting bad pains in different places as well. I am hoping that this is just a blip on my recovery

Thanks for caring

[rohrer01]

Melissa,
Maybe I'm not one to give advice about muscle spasms post surgery, as I have not had any back surgery. But I do suffer from terrible muscle spasms. They can be completely debilitating at times, especially when I get them in my intercostals (betwee the ribs). Then even breathing is difficult. They were just treating the pain from them and that wasn't doing anything except giving me really bad side effects from the strong narcotics. My PCP has prescribed several different muscle relaxants, some of which I had really adverse reactions to. I went to see an anesthesiologist who told me to take my baclofen (I still had it). I told him it didn't work. He said it was because I wasn't taking enough or taking it consistently. Now I'm on 10mg in the morning and afternoon and 20mg at night. I also have klonopin (clonazapam) as it lasts longer than valium and works better for me. I am coming off of a bad spell. I had trigger point injections and am feeling a lot better so I'm weaning down on the klonopin. I have the freedom to up my baclofen to one or two 10mg tabs three times a day, so I was taking 20mg in the afternoon and 0.5mg of klonopin three times a day. Now I've reduced that to twice a day and intend to drop down to once a day, hopefully.

I'm not suggesting you get trigger point injections at all as you are in recovery. But the whole point of my story is that maybe you can ask your doctor how much freedom you have with your medications. I find that muscle relaxers, when they work, do just as much for pain relief if not more than the straight painkillers, unless you take a hefty dose of narcotics. Maybe there is a possibility you need to change medications to keep those spasms under control. I can certainly understand why you are having them, as you have been through a lot. It has been my experience, with the trigger point injections that when I would get one area under control, another area would tighten up and hurt. It could be the same principle with you, when you say you hurt in different places.

With the bad episodes that I have had, which I'm sure pale in comparison to what you are going through, weakness is one thing I know I've had to watch out for. I would check in with your doctor about this. He may suggest keeping yourself under better pain control, whether through muscle relaxants or pain meds, to keep you moving. I have found in the past that taking pain meds during periods of PT helped me get through them until I was strong enough not to need the meds anymore. It can be a vicious cycle, but using the meds to your advantage to keep you moving might not be a bad idea. Of course, always talk to your doc.

Well I've rambled on enough. I certainly hope you start feeling better soon and regaining some of your strength. Take Care.

[JenniferG]

Yes, I am back to taking naps at least one a day but some days 2 a day. This scares me some what as my mobility is getting less as is my strength. I am
getting bad pains in different places as well. I am hoping that this is just a blip on my recovery

Thanks for caring

It's good that you're getting this extra sleep. Keep this up and in a few days or a week, I wouldn't be suprised to see a post from you saying you're feeling better. Fingers crossed. See if you can squeeze a short walk in between the naps, to keep your strength up. I know it's difficult in Winter. Even marching on the spot while you watch tv might be better than nothing. Thinking of you.

[mabeckoff]

Hello,Dr Bederman agreed to let me have 2 750mgs pills of Robaxin 3 times a day. Yea!!! That makes me feel much better

[JenniferG]

That's good Melissa. I believe you need to have the confidence that if you need extra, you can get it and not suffer in agony.

How are you feeling today?

[mabeckoff]

That's good Melissa. I believe you need to have the confidence that if you need extra, you can get it and not suffer in agony.

How are you feeling today?

Well, I went to the Robaxin website and they said that you could take up to 6 pills a day so I asked Dr Bederman if I could take more pills and he said yes. I took a short nap today and I feel ok
Thanks for asking

[rohrer01]

I'm glad you've got something that works for you. I hope you continue to feel "better". I know it will take time, but it's really nice to have flexibility with your meds. Take Care.

[mabeckoff]

I am glad to have the flexibility to choose what drugs I need at any one time

I am so hoping that 2012 is a better year for all of us here

[Doodles]

Melissa--
I so hope that new flexibility will help you manage the pain and help you feel more in control of the whole situation. Yes, 2012 has to be better for you and others here dealing with difficulties. Prayers and positive thoughts!! Janet

[debbei]

Hello,Dr Bederman agreed to let me have 2 750mgs pills of Robaxin 3 times a day. Yea!!! That makes me feel much better

I'm glad you got an answer from the dr. Like Jen said, get as much rest as your body wants.

[mabeckoff]

Well, I slept from Wednesday night at 11pm until this morning at 7:30pm. I have only done that once before which was the day after Thanksgiving. When I do get up . like to get to the bathroom, I feel so strange like I am under water.

[mabeckoff]

Any one have any memory issues?