HI Everyone!
I have purchased my own domain. My blog has moved to Deal With Chronic Pain. I hope to see you there soon!!!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Update On My Crazy Week
I wanted to update everyone on the roller coaster I have been riding this week. I only started to feel better yesterday. It has been a real trial to me trying to wait out this last injection. I have really questioned myself and my judgement in not wanting to have any more invasive procedures done such as the SCS or the pain pump.
I am really getting sick and tired of the "band aid" fixes as I call them. It seems by the time they start working, its no time until they are wearing off. I am really tired of all the trial and error things that the pain management specialists want to "try and do" I am going to have to sit down and have a serious talk with my specialist about some long term solutions!
Even though I had relief from my back pain yesterday, I ended up with a stomach virus so I spent most of my day praying to the porcelain throne! If it is not one thing, I swear it is something else these days! It SUCKS to be me sometimes!
Today I am weak but not having to hug the throne at least. My pain is manageable. I had to keep my meds at a minimum yesterday so I could function. I hope by tomorrow I will start to get my energy back!
I am really getting sick and tired of the "band aid" fixes as I call them. It seems by the time they start working, its no time until they are wearing off. I am really tired of all the trial and error things that the pain management specialists want to "try and do" I am going to have to sit down and have a serious talk with my specialist about some long term solutions!
Even though I had relief from my back pain yesterday, I ended up with a stomach virus so I spent most of my day praying to the porcelain throne! If it is not one thing, I swear it is something else these days! It SUCKS to be me sometimes!
Today I am weak but not having to hug the throne at least. My pain is manageable. I had to keep my meds at a minimum yesterday so I could function. I hope by tomorrow I will start to get my energy back!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sulking on Sunday
I very rarely sulk. However, today I am doing that very thing. I am still in a LOT of pain and feel that the pain management physician either did more than he should have or that he did not prepare me for the amount of inflammation that he was going to stir up with the added injecting he did on Wednesday. I had a Girl Scout meeting yesterday. I went to it but by the time I had sat there for an hour I was totally miserable. I came home to spend four hours in bed in severe pain! This is not my idea of having a fun weekend!
I have done a lot of research on both the Spinal Cord Stimulator and the Pain Pump. The results of my research are that I should know pretty much immediately whether the SCS will help me or not. The SCS does seem to work better for the sciatic type pain, or the pain that runs down the hip into the leg and foot. The SCS may or may not relieve all of my pain. In some people, it took away approximately 40-50% of their pain or changed the intensity from sharp, burning, and intolerable to a dull type of ache that was much easier to live with.
The pain pump got really great reviews by those who were using it as well. They were able to use much less pain medication and got much better relief from their pain by using this method. The main issues I found with both products that could cause problems were issues with infection at the site of implantation and also possible migration of the leads into an area that they were not supposed to be in.
To work properly, the leads have to stay in place. To keep them in place, scar tissue needs to form around them. Physical activity is very limited for at least six weeks after surgery in order to allow the scar tissue to form and to keep the leads from migrating.
The SCS and the Pain Pump both require a hospital stay. The trials were mostly done via outpatient surgery. The main implantations were done and hospital stays ranged from overnight to 3 days. The battery packs were different as well. There are new rechargeable batteries available now that do not require later surgeries to remove and replace the batteries. This was one drawback to the earlier SCS implantation. The old batteries wore out after 12-18 months and required further surgeries to replace the battery.
They even have devices that are partially inside and partially on the outside. It is a lot to take in. I have also read that part of the decision will depend on how much energy or stimulation you will need as well. Certain modules provide more amps than others.
So is your head spinning now? I know that mine was when I first read all of this. However, I do feel better about talking to my pain management physician about the different options now. I know that I do not want to be in the hospital more than overnight. I hate being in the darn hospital!!!! I worked in one for over 10 years I know what can happen in those places!!! LOL!
OK, I will update when I learn more!
I have done a lot of research on both the Spinal Cord Stimulator and the Pain Pump. The results of my research are that I should know pretty much immediately whether the SCS will help me or not. The SCS does seem to work better for the sciatic type pain, or the pain that runs down the hip into the leg and foot. The SCS may or may not relieve all of my pain. In some people, it took away approximately 40-50% of their pain or changed the intensity from sharp, burning, and intolerable to a dull type of ache that was much easier to live with.
The pain pump got really great reviews by those who were using it as well. They were able to use much less pain medication and got much better relief from their pain by using this method. The main issues I found with both products that could cause problems were issues with infection at the site of implantation and also possible migration of the leads into an area that they were not supposed to be in.
To work properly, the leads have to stay in place. To keep them in place, scar tissue needs to form around them. Physical activity is very limited for at least six weeks after surgery in order to allow the scar tissue to form and to keep the leads from migrating.
The SCS and the Pain Pump both require a hospital stay. The trials were mostly done via outpatient surgery. The main implantations were done and hospital stays ranged from overnight to 3 days. The battery packs were different as well. There are new rechargeable batteries available now that do not require later surgeries to remove and replace the batteries. This was one drawback to the earlier SCS implantation. The old batteries wore out after 12-18 months and required further surgeries to replace the battery.
They even have devices that are partially inside and partially on the outside. It is a lot to take in. I have also read that part of the decision will depend on how much energy or stimulation you will need as well. Certain modules provide more amps than others.
So is your head spinning now? I know that mine was when I first read all of this. However, I do feel better about talking to my pain management physician about the different options now. I know that I do not want to be in the hospital more than overnight. I hate being in the darn hospital!!!! I worked in one for over 10 years I know what can happen in those places!!! LOL!
OK, I will update when I learn more!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Thursday's Child Has Far To Go!
So yesterday I went for my third Sacroiliac Joint Injection. I was not really sweating it due to the fact that the first two had gone pretty well. I was sore afterwards for three to four days but then I felt much better. Well, yesterday for whatever reason, the pain management doctor decided that I needed some extensive injecting done.
Normally they find the right spot, inject and get out. It takes less than 5 minutes from start to finish. Painful and some pressure, well yes. Unbearable, not hardly. Yesterday he kept prodding and prodding with his catheter. I kept feeling him moving and injecting, moving more and injecting some more.
Me being the poor paranoid soul that I am due to the fact that they had yet AGAIN put the wrong procedure on my consent form and we had to get that all straightened out before I could go back to the surgery area, started panicking, thinking is he doing the other procedure? This should not take that long!
So I piped up and said what is going on? Why is this taking so much longer than before? You are doing the SI injection right? He assured me that he was doing the correct procedure but he wanted to give me some extra coverage that he had not done before. He then proceeded to ask me some questions about my symptoms again. I told him yes that my leg did go numb, yes my leg pain was much worse than my back pain. He asked had I had an EMG done?
I said yes but it had been several years ago before my last surgery. He wanted to see the reports. He then tells me that he feels strongly that the hardware in my back is pressing on the sciatic nerve and the SI joint causing inflammation and irritation and the pain that I am experiencing.
OKIE, ummm DOKIE, ummm so where do we go from here? I talked to him about how long I can expect the SI injection to give me relief. He said maybe weeks maybe months, it is different with each person. He then tells me we may need to go in surgically and remove some of my hardware to stop the pressure especially if there is enough nerve involvement to warrant it.
Needless to say, that was NOT what I wanted to or was ready to hear! He then said we might try a spinal cord stimulator instead as I told him I was not keen on surgery atall. I might do the SCS but still not even sure about it. The last time I researched it, they were averaging about 50% positive results. Not great odds in my book for what you have to go through. They do a trial though so if it did not work, at least I would not have to go through the whole surgery.
I have just joined a yahoo group to hopefully talk to others who have had this done. I hope to be able to find out more about the specifics and what types of experiences other people have had with this.
I was totally miserable with my sciatica yesterday The pain in my hip and leg from the procedure was fierce! I really and truly am not a wimp! That was a very very bad experience! I do feel somewhat better today. I still get some horrible twinges down my leg when I get up and walk or after sitting for any length of time. I am limping pretty badly today. I look like Chester from Gunsmoke! I hope that this goes away soon so I can get some relief.
So if you are reading this, some good thoughts for healing right now and this inflammation getting better soon would be sincerely appreciated!
Normally they find the right spot, inject and get out. It takes less than 5 minutes from start to finish. Painful and some pressure, well yes. Unbearable, not hardly. Yesterday he kept prodding and prodding with his catheter. I kept feeling him moving and injecting, moving more and injecting some more.
Me being the poor paranoid soul that I am due to the fact that they had yet AGAIN put the wrong procedure on my consent form and we had to get that all straightened out before I could go back to the surgery area, started panicking, thinking is he doing the other procedure? This should not take that long!
So I piped up and said what is going on? Why is this taking so much longer than before? You are doing the SI injection right? He assured me that he was doing the correct procedure but he wanted to give me some extra coverage that he had not done before. He then proceeded to ask me some questions about my symptoms again. I told him yes that my leg did go numb, yes my leg pain was much worse than my back pain. He asked had I had an EMG done?
I said yes but it had been several years ago before my last surgery. He wanted to see the reports. He then tells me that he feels strongly that the hardware in my back is pressing on the sciatic nerve and the SI joint causing inflammation and irritation and the pain that I am experiencing.
OKIE, ummm DOKIE, ummm so where do we go from here? I talked to him about how long I can expect the SI injection to give me relief. He said maybe weeks maybe months, it is different with each person. He then tells me we may need to go in surgically and remove some of my hardware to stop the pressure especially if there is enough nerve involvement to warrant it.
Needless to say, that was NOT what I wanted to or was ready to hear! He then said we might try a spinal cord stimulator instead as I told him I was not keen on surgery atall. I might do the SCS but still not even sure about it. The last time I researched it, they were averaging about 50% positive results. Not great odds in my book for what you have to go through. They do a trial though so if it did not work, at least I would not have to go through the whole surgery.
I have just joined a yahoo group to hopefully talk to others who have had this done. I hope to be able to find out more about the specifics and what types of experiences other people have had with this.
I was totally miserable with my sciatica yesterday The pain in my hip and leg from the procedure was fierce! I really and truly am not a wimp! That was a very very bad experience! I do feel somewhat better today. I still get some horrible twinges down my leg when I get up and walk or after sitting for any length of time. I am limping pretty badly today. I look like Chester from Gunsmoke! I hope that this goes away soon so I can get some relief.
So if you are reading this, some good thoughts for healing right now and this inflammation getting better soon would be sincerely appreciated!
Monday, September 15, 2008
Moaning On Monday
Well the weekend went pretty well, I have decided to be a co-leader for my daughter's girl scout troop. This is our first year with scouts. I was a girl scout when I was growing up and know what a wonderful experience it was for me. I want that for both of my girls. I just hope that I can manage to make it through and do all that is needed of me. The troop leader is well aware of my limitations and was still glad to have me so I am very excited by the opportunity. As I have said in the past, I refuse to stop living due to the darn chronic back pain! We met this weekend and discussed setting up our Harvest Extravaganza Festival which will be a big fundraiser for our county service unit. I have some wonderful ideas for games and some things that we can auction at our silent auction. I will take pictures and post them here when we have it!
Today, I wake up congested and coughing my head off. My youngest had been battling allergies and some sinus issues over the weekend. I have really bad seasonal allergies and unless I watch myself I get bronchitis every year at this time of year. I have been able to fend it off when I take my MSM regularly but I have been slacking so I am paying for it.
For those who are not aware, MSM helps tremendously with joint pain. It also helps to improve the immune system for those who have allergies and chronic sinusitis or bronchitis. I can say when I was taking it every day I did not have anything more than occasional hay fever which is a vast improvement over what I have now!
So I am down on the couch typing for a few minutes while I can hold my head up and between blowing my poor nose and coughing until my head rings! Geez it seems like if it is not one thing it is something else with my poor body these days!
On the chronic back pain front, I am scheduled for my next injection on Wednesday. I will check in then afterwards to let you know how I fair.
Til then hope you are having a blessed, peaceful, and pain free day!
Image courtesy of stockxpert.com
Friday, September 12, 2008
TGIF
Well after a hard week and some down time with my back pain, I am feeling better now. I can tell that the sacroiliac joint injection is finally working as it should. My sciatic pain is much better. I still have the electric shock type pains in my hips from time to time but the extreme burning, searing, almost pulling type pain down my left leg is much better! I am so excited!
I am scheduled to have the third injection in this set on September 17th. I really hope by doing the set of three injections I will get a cumulative effect and will get some long term relief from this. Every day I can function without severe pain is a big blessing for me or for anyone who suffers from chronic pain.
So til next time! Acknowledge your blessings and be grateful for each and every one!
Image courtesty of shaman 1006 at stockexpert.com
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Hard Week!
This past week has been really hard! In addition to getting over the additional inflammation and scarring the injection causes in the early days, I had family events all last weekend that I could not get out of. I did not want to get out of them to be honest. I had not seen some of these people for years and I really wanted to go. I had to ride in a car for 6 hours round trip. My back was screaming in pain when I got home! I know, I know, I should not have done it! But, darn it! I am not going to stop living because of this darn back pain! I refuse to allow this pain to do that to me. So I gritted my teeth, kept ice packs on my back and Lidoderm patches on when I could.
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