Posted on 01/17/2014 6:14:56 AM PST by trussell
I have faith that the implant is going to help me...when they took the trial away it was like taking candy from a baby...it was cruel! And waiting so long for the permanent one is cruel too. I am praying I am making the right decision in getting this done. It’s a huge step and one that I struggled with at first. I remember the few days I had the temporary unit in my spine, my legs didn’t hurt, I could lay on my sides and they didn’t hurt! My right hip still hurt like crazy and my back was horrible and my stomach hated me from the buzzing, it would make me sick when I ate! But when the tech messed with the unit before it was removed, she got the buzzing out of my tummy and all the way up my back to the middle of my back! It felt so good, I hated when they took it away!!
Went to the doctor on Wednesday...he asked me how long have I been having the increased pain...I told him that I had complained to his Nurse Practitioner for a few months now and that she has told me “He’s not going to give you anything stronger, period”. He said “I’ll have to have a talk with her, I don’t like to see you in the much pain”. He asked if the percocet was working at all anymore and I said not so much...even when I take 2 of them at once. He said “quit taking those, I’m going to give you dilaudid instead, and give you a numbing PATCH to put on your back...leave it on for 12 hours then replace it with another” He wants to see me in 2 weeks to make sure my pain is being manage. I started the dilaudid a few days ago (as soon as I got through the pharmacy drive through) and so far it only helps at night when I take 2 of them with my nerve medicine and my sleeping medicine. I get the idea that the Nurse Practicianer could be losing her job for not talking to the doctor when I said I was in pain and she said I wasn’t getting anything stronger. She didn’t even TALK to the doctor, and I told him she said that and he confirmed that he didn’t know!
Just found out one of the meds the doc wants me on is not covered by my insurance and it is $275 for a one month supply....no way I will be getting that one. :( The medicine the doc wanted me using is a lidocaine patch, 12 hours each patch then replace it. They say since my insurance won’t cover the patch, they will do the cream instead...but I can’t reach my back to rub a cream on and I’m not comfortable asking my teenage son to rub a cream on my nude back (I am really fat). I am on gabapentin for nerve pain. I’m on amitriptiline 50 mg to help me sleep. As for the new medicine...one 2 mg dilaudid doesn’t do it. I take my middle of the night dose at bedtime...so I take 2 at bedtime as well as taking the gabapentin and amitriptiline. I manage to sleep with that cocktail but the rest of the day is still stiff and sore. I’m hoping I can get the patches so I can get some relief! They talk it up like it’s a miracle drug. Maybe I can find out the name of the manufacturer and see if they can help me get them.
Also, my procedure to implant the spinal cord stimulator is set for January 27th...same day surgery, will be home that night. Really look forward to it, though I’m still scared about having the unit in my spine.
Please, keep up the prayers. I appreciate them so much!
prayers up.
Prayers continuing, t!
I’m prayerfully hopeful soon, the medical folks will be able to
perform those procedures that just might eliminate a lot of the pain you are having to go through as well as mobility.
I pray that you start feeling better and get some relief!
My pain was nothing compared to what you’re going through, but I attempted to step over our cat and fell down our stairs, tweaking my back. We were on our way out the door so I just told my husband and our kids to go without me. I took a pain killer and a nap.
Later, they showed up with KFC! Maybe it has healing powers, I am feeling better! I hadn’t had it in so long I actually enjoyed it. But I didn’t get any cake. :( !
Last year, I was extremely ill in ICU for a long while prior to receiving the overwhelming gift of a kidney/liver transplant. I do know itching, and it will drive you nuts! I used to manage to scratch myself on my back in areas I could not logically even reach. I’m sure they didn’t let me have any sharp things anywhere within reach, and my family and the docs could not believe the scratches just from fingernails.
Glad you are using the applicator, sounds like a great help! I hadn’t read far enough into the thread to see if you got one or not.
BTTT
BTTT
And I will continue in prayer for you, dear FRiend.
Oh my goodness, my friend! I will pray for your healing. I don’t ever compare my pain with that of others. Your pain is YOUR PAIN and could be life changing, the most excruciating thing you have ever felt. People have different pain threshholds...I feel bad for what you are going through and hope and pray you heal from your fall. Please watch carefully for a burning feeling in your legs...that could show “sciatica”, which is what started my most recent back issues and led to a collapse of my disc and back surgery. They let me suffer for too long with the sciatica and that caused the pain in my nerves to become permanent.
I’m so sorry to read that you suffered such an experience. I pray you are better and healed/recovered from the transplant...and I thank God that the transplant was available for you!
I sure wish I could reach these areas that itch...my face itched so bad the other day that I grabbed at my face in frustration and scratched above my eye with my glasses. I have a long scratch there now. My back is my problem spot. The right shoulder blade is the worst! It itches all the time and so I grab what I can and SCRATCH. I knew when I cut myself... it was blessed relief, knowing I had scratched to that point, the itch was relieved for a short bit and now the scratch contributes to more of an itch. I’ll have to remember to tell my doctors about the itch, I haven’t done that yet.
I sure hate how long it takes to type up these comments. I use to type 65 words a minute, it’s hard to see that skill degrade.
Prayers sent.
Thank you for the update. Prayers continue.
Praying here.
Could the itching be a reaction to one of your meds? Maybe an anti-histamine like Benadryl would help.
Quick cure for itching:
Dissolve a level teaspoon of lye in a pint of water.
Use scraps of paper towel to wipe it on the itching area.
It will tingle for a minute, and then the itch will be gone for several hours.
.
How much is Lye? I will have to try to come up with whatever it takes to get that...funds are nil to none at this time. I’ll try just about ANYTHING at this point...though I’m not sure how to use that in my hair or on my face near my eyes.
About $3 or so for a small jar.
Ask a neighbor, they might have some for drain cleaning.
Lye won’t harm your face, or eyes. Just don’t over-do it by saturating the towel too much because it has a drying effect on skin.
Let the towel drip for a moment before using it.
Will pray. Hang in there!
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