Update on my back
Hi everyone! I know I have some blog readers who have been wanting the status of my back and what's going on. Last Thursday was my last day at work and today concludes my first week out completely. I spend about 90% of the day lying in bed and the other 10% includes getting up to stretch, do my leg excercises and checking e-mail.
I went to see my Dr again Weds for a "range of motion test" and he was not pleased with how I'm doing at all. I will say this has been an incredibly bad week. It's amazing just how painful this is. Even lying down doesn't take the pain away completely and if I don't get up and move around every so often it's worse, but getting up hurts too so it's a continuous cycle of pain.
I am only taking the pain pills when I absolutely have to. I am on Oxycontin which is a very serious narcotic and with so many people becoming addicted to this stuff I am taking it less than prescribed to hopefully make sure that doesn't happen to me. I go see the surgeon on Monday afternoon and I will probably get a 2nd opinion after that to be sure we are going to correct route.
Several years ago when I hurt my upper back my Dr prescribed me a "Tens Unit" which is one of the best things ever. It's a little machine with wires and you put a "pad" on the end of each wire and position them in places around the pain and it sends electro currents to that area and helps to "numb" the pain. My Dr is looking into possibly getting me one of those so I don't have to depend on pain pills so much.
Other than that, I'm watching TONS of daytime TV (but haven't gotten into any of my old soaps, THANK GOODNESS!) but am completely bored out of my mind! I so want to go back to work and see my friends and co-workers again. Not to mention I really like my job and hope that they don't replace me forever!
Well that's the story from here. I'll post my progess again when I have something to report. Thanks for all the well wishes! They brighten my days!!!!
posted by Donna Lynn @ 7:23 AM
4 Comments:
Hope you feel better soon.
Sharon
Donna, that sounds truly miserable for you. I've had serious permanent back trouble since I was in an accident in 2002. Have you tried alternative therapies such as massage and chiropractic in conjunction with your traditional MD? My chiro give me more relief than any MD I saw, and the heat and ice and ultrasound massage in PT really helped too. I loved my TENS unit, and am thinking of trying to get another one, too.
The pain meds only mask the pain, they do nothing to actually make you FEEL BETTER in this case. If you have inflamation ice is your friend.
Have you talked to a pain management specialist to help you get through this and be able to return to your normal lifestyle or something near to it?
Wow...so sorry to hear all this. My prayers and best wishes are with you...stay strong!
Donna, I came across your blog thru the 'ville. I was reading about your back problems and since you liked the tens unit so much, I want to tell you about what has been done for me. I go to a Pain Management Center and they operated on my back, a simple out-patient procedure, and put in whats called an ANS Stimulator. I have a little device called a programmer that I can control the intensity and what part of my body I want stimulated. I have had it in since Oct 2, 2007 and I just love it. Look into this, it sounds like you would benefit from the kind of stimulator I have. If you have questions, email me.
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