Hi Susie,
To expain a little better I had a patient fall on me while I was transferring him and I now have twisted fact joints in my upper back which is constantly pressing on my nerves. The surgery I had done is called Radiofrequency Neurolysis, which basically means they stick needles in your nerves and inject radiofrequency waves to kill them, it takes 6-8 weeks for the nerves to actually die. My normal back pain is pretty bad, but when the nerves are dying it is a really tough pain on top of the original pain. After the recovery is over my pain should be decreased quite a bit and make it much more tolerable, it is just getting through it. Also, the nerves can grow back so the procedure may have to be done every year if they don't stay dead. This is my second surgery since the injury happened. As far as pain medicine goes my Dr. doesn't like giving it to me, right now he has me on hydrocodone 500/5 and it the pain has been going through them. He is really scared of me being addicted and all the mess that goes along with narcotics. I have told him that I am having the surgery, so I don't need to take them at all after it is done. What drives me crazy is that he knows it is bad and the problem is you build a tolerance. The last perscription was four times daily as needed, then this once when I ran out was 2 daily, which doesn't even touch it and I don't know how to get him to understand without him thinking I am drug seeking. I was so fed up last night I took 1 and 1/2 and that controls the pain to where it is tolerable, but what will happen if I take them this way is I will run out early and not be able to get more. I don't understand why this has to be such a circus. If I was fine I wouldn't ask for anything, but I cannot help that I have a tolerance I have been on and off it for a year and a half. If I take just one I still have to sit on ice every half hour to calm the pain. So this is preventing me from going back to work and doing daily stuff. Well didn't mean to ramble, but the whole situation is just frustrating. I hope that you are doing o.k. I can relate I use to be the one going 500 miles an hour too and I hardly leave the house right now. Keep smiling and try to make the best of things, it was nice chating with you.
Hugs
~Afloat~
Chronic pain/Back Injury T4-T7
2-Radiofrequency Neurolysis Surgeries
(easy explaination:nerve deadening surgeries)
Depression as a result of the chronic pain
Fibromyalgia
"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly."
Buddah