refill on meds

For all of you who already know, I am having a lumbar fusion on tuesay.... Very very nervous about surgery and the recovery, but I think I am ready. I have everything set around the house, new bed delivered, new pajamas, hair dyed, toenails done. I know it sounds like non important  things, but they sure have helped me take my mind off of everything.

Today I realized that Iwill be short pain meds sat, sun, and monday. I called my PM Dr's office today (they are closed on weekends, and contract states that refill request must be made mon- thur ) and asked them to call in a script for enough to get me through till surgery day.  The nurse that took my call was so incredibley rude to me.  She told me that I should have enough to make it through a couple more weeks. I explained to her that last time I was at the office to talk to my Dr. about the surgery and pain managent in hospital,  I told him that I was taking one pill every  5 hours and two at night. He did not at that time write a new scipt because I had plenty of pills left.So he said to call when I needed a refill. Well that would be today, (few days early beacuse of weekend, have enough through friday but thought I was just being efficiant and called them today)

 Well she had quiet the attitude, and said the the script was to take one pill every 8 hours. I took the bottle out of my purse and read to her the directions. Take 1  pill every  6 hours for pain. OMG......she then said no.......it is for one every 8 hours. I again had to read it to her, she then asked me if it was written or called in, as to insinuate that I changed it???? I stayed very calm, and asked her to please talk to my Doctor and give me a call back. Well she said that someone made a mistake. I certainally did not want to argue with her , just stated that I was in extreme pain, and Doctor was aware of it, and to please read the notes in my file about change. My scipt certianlly has changed over time, as pain has gone up,.

Long story short (to late) she left a message that she called in a refill. Obviously she read the notes in my file.

Why in the world would a nurse think that she has the right to talk to patients that way.

Expecially one that has never abused asking for refills. By the way.....a nurse called in the script to the pharmacy for one pill every 6 hours for the sript "in question"  I think she is a new nurse, I have never talked to her before and have been a patient since 2005.

Any way.... wow that felt good! Thanks for letting me vent.....on with they surgery!!!

Hello Hydrangea! You and I both will be having a lumbar fusion, but mine is not until March 1st! I wish you the best, and looked at your list, and I have done the same thing as you except for painting my toenails! :) We also just ordered a new bed, as I wanted something more solid, and did not want to take a chance that the old one would mess up my back after surgery. Those PM office people make me so mad, and rally I wish there was a way to file a complaint sometimes against them. They are awful in the way they treat people. I'm a hoping that you will be able to report back to us, or at least have someone from your family do so. I for one am very interested in your progress. I have a friend who just had 5 in a row fused and he is doing very well, and will go back to work in the next few weeks. One thing he told me is to make sure you get a Potty extender, as it really helps in the bathroom. Also if you can find one, get a shower seat. One of the members from this forum was gracious enough to let me barrow hers for a while. I wish I had more advice to give you, but this will be my first time for this type of surgery too! Give me a jingle if you can at [email protected] when you get to feeling better. Again I wish the very best to you, and I'm sure you will come through this with flying colors! :)

Michael

Hydrangea,

Sorry you had to go through that ordeal, but it sounds like things are more or less sorted out now. Is you PM also handling your post-op pain? Have you talked with him about increasing your meds or changing your meds for the post-op pain? If not, you might think of doing so, especially since many pain contracts state that you cannot get pain meds from any other doctor without the PM's knowledge and approval.

Make sure you get your bed & everything set up the night before. Hopefully you have some really loose fitting pants & loose button up shirts . I've never had back surgery, but I have had many shoulder surgeries & I always find those to be the easiest to get on after surgery -- especially since you may not be able (or allowed) to raise your arms for a while after surgery. My mom just had a hysterectomy about a month ago & she wasn't nearly as prepared as she thought she needed to be, so among other things, I taught her the loose-fitting pants - loose fitting button-up shirt trick. I gave her clothes "for her surgery" for Christmas & her birthday & she has been wearing them nonstop. She says that they are the only clothes that she can wear that don't hurt her!

Well, I'm tired & I know I'm rambling, so I'm going to head off to bed. But before I left I just wanted to make sure to wish you the best of luck on your surgery Tuesday! I will keep you in my thoughts & prayers.

hugs,
Skeye

Good Luck with the fusion surgery. Not sure if things have changed but normally you can't wear fingernail polish for a surgery. Not sure of the reasoning but that's what I was always told. Definately get a raised toilet seat and a comfortable hard chair with arms for sitting. Soft chairs where you sink down will definately be a no-no for awhile. Also, have a walker ready and a grabber for picking things up. I'm sure your surgeon has filled you in on all of this but just remember to rest alot and take things very, very slowly after your surgery. Do try to start walking asap to alleviate constipation & promote fusing.

Wow....I did n ot realize how long that post was from last night......Sorry... Guess I was upset. I picked up my refill today, funny thing they change it to take one pill overy 4 hours.Very interesting. I really wish that I would of had the chance to talk to "that" nurse.

Thank you everyone for your support! I moved on from it and am just trying to relax. Next on my list, new sheets for the bed. lol. My husband thinks I am crazy oh well.

Thanks for the suggestion about the shower chair. My mom has one that my dad used (he passed in October from Alzheimers diseas at 75 year old) I wil pick it up from her. I also moved a good chair to my side of the bed that I can sit in.

Screaming eagle.....I did not realize that you will be having a fusion as well. I will let you know how everything goes. Maybe it wont be as bad as we are expecting. You are having a discogram next week correct? Let us know how it goes, I had one last month. We can compare notes about the whole process. This is your first surgery as well so I am sure we both will have some great stories to share with one another. I will give you a "jingle" on your yahoo account. I am so aprehensive about the recovery! I will be at a major hospital in the city, not to close to home, but just blocks from my daughters dorm at college. So at least I know I am close to someone.

Thanks everyone for your good wishes on surgery, I will let you all know how it goes.

Again, this forum is fantastic, don't know what I would do without everyone here.
I wish everyone a painfree night.

Hydrangea........In the landscape industry hence the name.. My favorite hydrangea is the annabelle. It is a beautiful plant with a great flower!!!


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Hydrangea, now the script says 1 every 4 hrs, did they increase the amount of pills by chance since they changed it up? You have really been busy getting everything done, that also helps take your mind off of things too. Take care.

Good luck Hydrangea! I had a spinal fusion on L5/S1 last April so have recently been in a similar place. It sounds silly but if you can buy satin sheets, I highly recommend it! For about a month after surgery changing positions in bed was very difficult and with satin sheets it helps to be able to slide around. I just got a cheap set somewhere. I'd even put the top sheet on the chair or couch I'd sit on in the living room so that I could scoot to the edge to stand up without any friction. Also, if you can put a handheld shower head on your shower and buy a little stool (I bought a plastic step ladder so that I could use it for other things later) then that'll help. I didn't shower standing up for 2 months, for a while I couldn't and then I was too nervous about slipping and falling. Once you learn to adapt your environment things will become easier. I hope everything goes well! What type of procedure are they doing? ALIF, TLIF, PLIF?

Sorry to hear about your PM nurse's attitude. I just began seeing a PM doctor and called around and didn't schedule an appt at a few places b/c I didn't get a good feel from the people who answered the phone. I have enough guilt about needing to take pain meds and I refuse to let people who work for a doctor that is there to help me make me feel like a criminal. I realize that people out there do abuse meds, but I don't want to go to a place where the default way of thinking is to assume that all patients are trying to pull a fast one. Do you really like your PM doc? Maybe you can find a new one after surgery? My surgeon handled my pain med needs for 9 months post-op.