I'm new! Surgery, advice and everything in between!

and welcome to our little home on the web!
You have a lot going on. You said that your symptoms are returning in the wrists. It may be that you have some ulnar nerve compression going on if you spend any time leaning on your elbows. The ulnar nerve sits in a little groove ( where your "funny bone" is- it really isn't the bone, but the ulnar nerve). Sometimes if you do a lot of leaning on your elbows, you can compress the nerve and it causes very similar symptoms to carpal tunnel. You also have cervical problems so it may be the numbness is a by product/symptom of the nerve compression going on there. Check out a dermatome of the upper body and you will find that each nerve in the spine effects a different area of the body. If you look at the diagrams , it will show you where each nerve effects what part of the body.

As far as pain meds go, I tend to shy away from making recommendations about what pain meds someone should try for a couple of reasons, I am not a doctor and I feel that the best person to discuss your pain medication options with is your doctor. He knows your medical history, allergies, reactions, etc and we don't.....if you have other medical conditions, some meds may not be good for you to try, and lastly, because every pain medication out there reacts differently for each one of us. Some have gotten terrific relief with oxycodone and others, it hasn't done a thing. You are in a unique situation because of the gastric bypass, and the malabsorption issues that come with that type of surgery, so we really shouldn't make any recommendations because of that factor alone.

I can tell you about the different meds though- fentanyl is a patch worn on the body for typically three days. It does provide consistent pain relief because there is no pill taking involved with it. It is NOT for someone who has not been on opiate pain medications for some time though, and there are dangers involved with it's use. You must avoid hot showers or baths with the patch on. Too much heat means that the medication which is delivered through your skin (transdermally) can be too fast if your body heat rises too much, which can lead to an overdose. If you have an allergy to adhesives, it is probably not the medication for you since it uses an adhesive to stick to your skin. Most of the manufacturers have now gone to a newly designed patch in which the adhesive actually holds the fentanyl, instead of the alcohol/gel base it used to have.

Methadone is a long acting pain medication- in fact, it was first used as a pain medication before any relationship to treating drug addiction came along. It is usually dosed between 1 and 3 times a day. Many people get extraordinary pain relief from it, but there are side effects that some find unpleasant to deal with. It does make you drowsy. It has a long half life, which means that it stays at a higher level in your body for a longer period of time than the other opiate pain meds out there. If it is not titrated very carefully, one can overdose on it. You can not take an extra because you are having more pain that day. Doing that can kill you.

Morphine based medications are good pain relievers as well- they come under several brand names- some are long acting, some short acting which means dosing every 4-6 hours, whatever schedule your doctor provides. Morphine causes sleepiness and nausea in some people but those may go away after being on them for some time.
Anyway, I hope this helps you at least go into your appointment with some ideas about the different types of pain meds out there and the options that you have to choose from, after discussing them with your doctor.
I'm sorry that you are having such pain, you are young to be going through this, but then again, we all are .....
Nice to have you join us,
Sandi

mrsm123 - Just and FYI, I could not get you link to work.

SAHM=stay at home mom? I am a stay at home mom as well! I'm 35 years old and a mom of a 2 year old boy. I don't really have any advice since I am at the very beginning of my pain management. I haven't even seen the PM doctor yet. I just wanted to introduce myself and let you know that you can email me anytime if you just need to talk! LOL Being a SAHM with chronic pain really sucks, and I know we all need support!

Welcome to the family!

Thanks Stella. I edited it and hopefully it will work now, if not here is another link to another dermatome map. http://www.patient.co.uk/diagram/Dermatomes-arm.htm

Welcome to the CP forum! Just a very quick note here, before I take a nap.....you might look into a liquid form of the meds that you are taking. Im sure they make it, because one of my friends here is on it. She has had most of her colon removed. I hope this helps, and make sure to ask your Dr about it on your next visit.

Thank you all for writing me back! I'm still having a great deal of problems with my fingers functioning so this is going to be as short as I possibly can make it.. LOL

mrsm - thank you for the diagram! Wow!! I didn't know those nerves ran like that. That makes so much sense. This is my right middle finger that's doing this. Maybe it's related to my neck - definitely sounds like it could be. Will be sure to mention it to the doctor. I am so grateful to my doctor. He is AMAZING!!!! I feel like I'm his only patient and he talks to me like he's just learned all this stuff and wants to educate me. I always leave there in awe of him.

straydog - as far as my neck goes - they said they will put a cadaver piece in there and some screws. I assume that means some kind of fusing as well. That doctor visit took place back in April so it's hard for me to remember what all we talked about. I'll be asking him again when I see him.

Mom to 6 - I have a 3 yr old daughter. :) She's alot of work, but wow! 6 boys!!!

Privey - wow! Another RNYer! Thats great that you posted. I'd love to talk to you more about PM and how it's been going for you. I think some doctors don't understand that it's not the same for me with absorption now as it was before. My doc feels like it should work the same, but I don't feel it does. Sure I get some relief from meds, but they tend to wear off after 2-3 hours. Is the Oxy Elixir, Oxycodone?

I'm not sure if my doctor will increase my meds to 30mg of Oxycodone or not.. at this point I'd rather stick with a drug I'm used to. I'm scared to go to Methadone. And my doctor isn't big on breakthrough meds.. but then again, I don't know for sure. My brother was seeing my doctor for a while and he was on 80mg Oxycontin 3x a day. Well he would not give him BT meds.. but my brother was abusing the meds big time. He ran out 9 days early. The doc actually was cool about it and understood & helped him out, but told him not again. Well my brother has a mental problem on top of all of this - an untreated one. And I'm not just saying he's crazy because he's my brother and he acts strange from time to time - he really is crazy. I think he showed some crazy side to the doctor and he realized he was turning into an addict. Well... my brother went mental one day on all of us and canceled his contract with the doctor. All because he couldn't be seen til Weds to get meds. By canceling his contract he was able to go in on Monday and get a full script for a month. By law, you know pharmacies are not allowed to fill Rx before their time - well he shops around and literally pays cash for the meds when he has insurance.. All to get the drugs. By doing this, he ended up having to find a new doctor. This doctor cut his dose in half on him right away and threw him into withdrawals big time.. however, he still apparently kept taking the high dose of the meds and ran out again. He frequents the ERs for meds - they know him by now. He needs serious help! And I tell you - I don't think I'll ever be like him. But I can't help but be scared that I could one day. I at least will know I have options for help. My brother is mentally not capable of understanding that. And there is absolutely no talking to him. He screams and yells at you. You can totally tell when he's running out of medicine. He picks a fight, screams & yells. My mom lives with him - this last time, he kicked her out. On my birthday! I got a call that she was kicked out & needed a place to live. He shakes & cries and just totally loses it.

I've cut ties with my brother as I do not want to be associated with him. He got too extreme and his addiction made itself known. He stole half a bottle of medicine from me 2 months ago and left me high and dry basically to suffer through withdrawals and ultimately having to call my doctor to give me a short script. I am truly grateful that my doctor is so understanding. I am debating on telling the doctor about my brothers issues when I see him - if I tell him he stole from me, he'll want me to file a police report... and honestly - it's ALOT of drama to tell people - it would cause so many problems. I do not want to deal with him. I'm done with him. He's made everyones life a living hell. I know everyone will tell me that I should do it and I should have the police involved etc, but seriously - it's an extreme situation that can not be helped. And I've tried so many times. His wife doesn't care and it's probably more that she doesn't want to deal with him or be yelled at by him. He's not willing to get help. I also want to be sure my doctor understands that there is no relationship between my brother and I and that I am nothing like him at all. I truly have pain and need help. If I didn't, I wouldn't be going in for surgery and be ready to schedule the next. These are major surgeries!! I truly want to come off of these meds ASAP. I do not want to fight an addiction. Yes, I go through withdrawals if I do not have medicine in my system for a period of time.. but it's understandable why it happens. I can't control that. That is one thing I wish I could get my husband to understand. I can't turn this on and off. And when I don't have medicine, I feel terrible!! He seems to think you can give me a sugar pill and the symptoms I go through wouldn't be existent. I've been on pain medicine for several years now and PM for nearly a year.

Anyway! I'm looking forward to this surgery. The last couple days has been pure hell for me. Not being able to walk normal, having my leg feel like it's been shocked continually and on fire - no fun! My husband does understand that part of this - he had back surgery 15 yrs ago for the same thing. But he's healthy and never has pain - this guy has only taken maybe 5 aspirin in the 11 yrs we've been together. I've not been able to use my hand like I'd normally do so when using the computer and I've got stuff I need to take care of. I do some side work at home online and it requires I type. Not too easy to do.

Tonight I'm ready to go to bed, but I know I'll end up being up pretty late.. and sadly if I stay up late, I'll need to take my medicine once more. I don't want to do that - I'm going to be out of my medicine on Weds because they didn't schedule me right. Oh well. I'll manage. :) Always do!!

Well like I said, I'm glad to be here. Once I get my detailed info typed up, I'll post it in my signature. My doctor dictates all his notes and gives a printout so it says exactly what's wrong on it. I'll type that up when I get it.

I look forward to looking around more on here. I'd like to do it now, but I really think I'm going to take the opportunity to go to bed while I can.. and while I'm sleepy!! :)

Thank you all again!!

Looks like Straydog is really driving the point home for you here! :) Really, I think she is having a few computer problems! However, listen to her as there is a lot of truth in what she is saying. It is very hard to find a PM these days, so be extra careful to follow the rules like she says. I hate to say this, but unless your brother is ready to come to terms with his problems, what ever that may be, I would steer clear of him. He will have to hit bottom, before he can start getting some help. I have witnessed first hand, this type of behavior. Generally, those who try to help, especially family members, wind up losing everything, and still have a problem on their hands in the end. He needs professional help, and the trick is getting him there. I wish I had some better advice for you, but I just don't. You are pretty smart in that you recognize your surroundings, and the problems that you are facing. Good luck to you, and please keep us posted on your progress. I also admire your effort in telling all that you can about yourself. It helps us understand where you are coming from, and shows an honest effort on your part to be up front with your concerns and situation. You will not find a better bunch of people to share with than this forum. Take care my friend.

Michael

I totally understand about my brother and my contract. It's just that my brother can make a persons life a living hell. And I know it will all come back to me and in the end it will only hurt me. I suffered through some mild withdrawals and took old medicine that I had from the different meds I was on before that was leftover during my changes. My doctor was understanding because he knew that the medicine I've been on the last few months, was not working enough. I asked him for a weeks worth. He agreed to it just simply because he knew I was having too much pain. I see him Thurs and we're going to discuss this. I'm going to ask him to switch me from Oxycodone 15 to 30. I hope he will. I've had a few days here and there where I needed to take an extra 15mg pill a short time later and it helped so much more than just the 1. The doctor has been aware that the medicine has not been helping enough for me, we just haven't made changes because alot of time we're rushed when there and because I can't afford certain drugs and because I can't afford to see him that often. I've been on a 2 month rotation with him because of that. He's been very understanding of my situation so I think he will listen to me and hopefully understand.

I really don't want to try a new medicine right now, especially right before surgery. I'd rather stick to the same drug at a higher dose for several reasons. I know how it works for me and that it can work if I just had an accurate amount in my system. I don't want to have side effects from a new drug, or feel anxious over a new drug. I've heard a few things about drugs like Methadone and it scares me. I'd really rather just stay with the same medicine.. and since I'm having surgery it would be best not to make too many changes. I don't need my body doing anything funny on me. I already deal with enough from the gastric bypass LOL

We'll see!

I agree completely about my brother needing help. I've told him he needs to go to rehab to get himself back on track. He needs someone to control his meds. We've all had bad days and taken a lil more medicine because we couldn't handle the pain. He's taking them to get high. The massive amount of medicine he's taken could have killed him. He literally was taking 320mg of Oxycontin in a day when only prescribed 240. I've found out through my Mom that he's been dropped to 40mg 3x a day along with Percocet for BT. Hopefully this will help him. But I don't feel it will. I am not speaking to him anymore.. and I have no intention of ever doing so again. I won't go into the drama between him and I, but there's alot more than just this that has made things this way. I do not want my family involved with his. Quite simply he is scum. But part of the reason I hesitate to tell the doctor is because he is capable of sweet talking so many people and he would turn it all around on me. He would try to destroy me and my family in a heartbeat. He has no heart. I have to worry because right now my Mom is living with him.. and she has nowhere to go otherwise. We are all financially at the bottom of the barrel. Well he's better off than the rest of us. But I have no ability to take my Mom or help my Mom. He would put her out on the lawn instantly. Trust me, I've contacted a few people to ask what can be done. And I've got a few things I'm considering. It's always on my mind.

I just want to get through my surgery and live my life and not have to worry about him. I want to forget he even exists.

So Thurs I'm hoping to talk about my pain, my medicine, my surgery & what's next with my neck.. what he thinks I should do with it. Maybe try and get another injection in it through insurance. I've had a rough few days here lately and today was a decent one. But I overdid myself. I've been trying to get my apt cleaned up some since my family is coming to help me after surgery. Plus I want to have it in order so that I won't have to want to do anything! ;) I'm a very picky person and like to do things for myself. Its hard for me to accept that I can't do it. So I guess if there's nothing to do, I won't worry as much LOL

Yes I am a RNYer I've gone from 399.9 to 109.6 as of yesterday. I lost weight over the holidays but I also have an ileostomy that keeps me fairly empty. I'm a shadow of what I used to be. One thing I cannot stress enough to all of you younger kiddos that have had the surgery is DO NOT NEGLECT YOUR PROTEIN!!! You need that to heal so if you are having surgery make sure you drop most of your carbs and eat your meats, eggs, cottage cheese, cheese and anything else with protein in it. I drink Boost also and it has a bunch of protein in it. My daughter is 38 and she has had the open RNY too and she she really focuses on proteins.

I know we don't absorb like others and since the majority of my colon is gone I have a double whammy going on. I use the Oxy elixor usually twice a day in the morning and at bedtime and take Extra Strength Tylenol in between. I have pain the majority of the time even when I take the elixor. If I have a busy day I will take it in the afternoon also but only sometimes. The reason I went to the elixor is because when I was in the hospital the oxy pills were floating around in my ileostomy pouch.....I showed my doc when he made rounds and he said it was just the casing, I had a pencil in my hand and poked it and it was solid so my body had not absorbed any of the pain med I was flushing them down the toilet. The same happened with my Effexor XR all the little balls in the capsule were in the pouch. People without the full digestive process do not absorb XR or CR medications. I never had that trouble until I had my ostomy this summer and I had gastric bypass in 2002. Is the reason you can't take NSAIDS because of the bypass? If so in time you should be able to tolerate them. I didn't take anything for a long time but I do now like Aleve and Tylenol. I also take something for my stomach everyday too Protonix but don't take anything until the doc said it was okay so be sure he/she is good with it. I have a friend that had the RNY and she took ASA and Motrin for her knee and got an ulcer in her pouch and that what worse than the pain in her knee. I would be happy to visit with you anytime. We learn from each other and would probably benefit from your knowledge as well. Take care and welcome to HW...

As soon as I read that you take Oxy IR 15 mg. 6Xdaily I knew we had something in common....Not only that, but I had Spinal Fusion at L4-S1 due to Spinal Stenosis....it didn't help me at all, but only because I already had permanent nerve damage that they didn't know about until they opened me up...That was my second surgery....the first was a Lamenectomy due to ruptured discs....

I also take Oxy IR 30 mg 4Xdaily along with Methadone 120 mg. a day....I think you really need to ask your Dr. about taking a pain med for long term pain relief. The Oxy Ir's are ok, but they don't last long enough.

I know that you feel overwhelmed with all this, but you will get through it...This site is great.

Hi everyone again -

I tried to post last night but it would not go through for some reason... ?!?! So right now instead of writing a huge reply first, only to find out it's not going to work.. I'll test it first.. :)

Hi All,

I just found this website and it seems great, just wanted to introduce myself!  I am at a loss with my pain!  I had a discetomy almost a year ago at L4/L5 and I thought I was better for a whole few days! I'm afraid I'm back at square 1

I thought the surgery would be my answer, but I'm in as much pain now as ever.  I have most of my pain in lower left side and all down left leg to my toes!  I think I need my meds adjusted but don't ever ask as to seem like a drug seeker  because I am not feeling much relief!

I am taking hydrocodone 10/325 4x a day, Kadian 20mg 2x a day and Motrin 800 as needed.  I just don't think this is enough! any suggestions??? TIA

Degenerative disc disease, herniated L4/L5, endometriosis, migraines