Sciatica

[Bird]

Bird, besides Valium, I was taking oxycodone, and I had my wife check to see that I'm not screwing that up. It probably doesn't stop eveyone's guts, but it sure did it for me!!!!!!!!!

Different people experience different side effects from medicines.

And I, too, have had a fair amount of experience sleeping in a recliner when health considerations made it unwise to go to bed.:laughing:

 

[retiredmgn]

Can't you take the oxycodone with a prune juice chaser?

 

[RichZ]

Thanks for the suggestion retired, but I tried that.

 

[idaho2]

RichZ,

Call your Dr. and let them know what is going on. They know from your history what you can take and what to avoid. I know the misery that patients go thru with Constipation or Obstipation, (I do the x-ray exams) you don't need that on top of your current pain status. But do call your Dr.
A good recliner will become your best friend. When I had my back surg, the first thing my wife bought was a good recliner. Slept in that thing for a long time. She did the same after her breast ca surg.

 

[retiredmgn]

Thanks for the suggestion retired, but I tried that.

Then you have to go with the big guns - Metamucil.
Breakfast - Metamucil mixed in orange juice.
Lunch - Applesauce with Metamucil added.
Supper - Creamcorn with Matamucil added.

Just don't get too far away from the crapper. :thumbsup:

Aside from our brain we are just a plumbing unit. Fiber and liquid makes a happy camper.:thumbsup:

 

[RichZ]

Thanks Nelson!!!

I'm trying a half dose of the pain pills with several prunes as a chaser and stool softeners. So far, so good.

I actually refused to take the pain meds for over a day, but I actually became delirious with the pain, so that didn't work too well.

 

[deerefan]

Rich,
I was having some digestive issues a while back. My wife bought some fiber one bars and pop tarts. They worked well and taste pretty good.

 

[ajmbonaire]

I feel for ya Rich. I had the same surgery back in '96. Spinal fusion with bone graft and titanium rods and screws. I was on the meds(and out of my mind) for about two months. I could either be standing up straight or lying flat on my back, nothing in between. The back brace was not very comfortable either. After about six months the Dr. wanted to schedule the removal of the titanium appliance. I asked him what it would hurt to leave it in. He said it wouldn't hurt to leave it so, it's still there today. I have had little discomfort since the surgery except for the site on my hip where they took the bone for the graft. It has hurt off and on since the surgery. All in all it was worth it.

 

[RichZ]

Thanks Ajmbonaire. They do things a little differently now. The titanium is designed to be premanent, I guess the design must be somewhat different, now. I really have had enough of surgery for a long time, so I'd like it to be just left alone!!! And there's no back brace anymore. The surgeon told me these new titanium appliances are a lot stronger than they were even 3 years ago. I'm thankful for that!!!!! I'm in enough pain and discomfort, I think a back brace would drive me insane.

Thanks, Deerfan,The fiber bars are a great idea, I just told my wife, and she'll pick some up tomorrow.

 

[deerefan]

Thanks Ajmbonaire. They do things a little differently now. The titanium is designed to be premanent, I guess the design must be somewhat different, now. I really have had enough of surgery for a long time, so I'd like it to be just left alone!!! And there's no back brace anymore. The surgeon told me these new titanium appliances are a lot stronger than they were even 3 years ago. I'm thankful for that!!!!! I'm in enough pain and discomfort, I think a back brace would drive me insane.

Thanks, Deerfan,The fiber bars are a great idea, I just told my wife, and she'll pick some up tomorrow.

You bet anytime. Get well soon.

 

[dmccarty]

For the "obstruction," try to find some beer from a local brewery or a home brewer that still has the yeast in the beer. If you drink that yeast it likely will clear you out. :laughing:

For the pain are you using ice packs? That does wonders for us. The wifey just had shoulder surgery and we got a machine that holds ice water and pumps it into a pad on her shoulder. At the PT office I saw people with the pads on their knees. The cooler and a plain old ice pack has helped us.

Did you they give you a Tens unit? It is a gadget with a 9volt battery that pulses through pads you stick around the area in pain. We had one from earlier injuries and the Duke doctor gives on to every patient for pain control. Dang thing helps. Just be real careful turning it on and up.

Later,
Dan

 

[RichZ]

Thanks, Dan. I do have a tens unit, and it worked well for quite some time before my surgery, But my sciatica got to the point where it didn't do anything. In fact all of the other treatments I was taking stopping working, which is why I had to have the surgery. But I am a firm believer in the benefits of tens units.

As far as the plumbing, my wife, an RN, has found the right combination of prunes, figs and stool softeners, where I haven't had the problem in a while, and I hope to never have that problem again.

I am slowly weaning myself off the oxycodon. As I take less of it, the problem should be less of a threat.

 

[dmccarty]

...

As far as the plumbing, my wife, an RN, has found the right combination of prunes, figs and stool softeners, where I haven't had the problem in a while, and I hope to never have that problem again.
...

If I lived near you I would drop off a few home brews. If one is not careful pouring, the yeast can get stirred up and go into the beer. Works well as a laxative.

I think I would rather drink the beer with yeast than have to eat prunes, figs, and softeners. Well, figs are ok. :laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[RichZ]

Well, I went to my first post operative visit with my surgeon on Monday. He was extremely pleased with my progress, and he said that I was way ahead of schedule. He upped the limit of weight that I can carry to 10 lbs, and said that I could help my wife take care of our livestock, as long as I didn't exceed my 10 lb carrying limit and as long as I am very careful. No bending and no climbing. He prefers that I still walk with a cane when I'm outside, just as a precaution. I've also managed to get my oxycodone (pain pills, very strong pain pills) down to 1/2 pill in the morning and 1/2 at night. He said that I can now swith to hydrocodone pain pills, which are not as strong and don't stop up your plumbing as much. He also gave me my super duper electronic healing belt, that I was waiting for. It's not really a belt, but two one foot square flat pieices that buckle, one over my belly and the other over my back. They are connected to a rechargable battery, and the whole thing creates an electrical field over my back, which increases my blood flow, which should increase my healing. I'm wearing the contraption right now. I've done a lot of research on it, and it's used in all sorts of injuries and major surgery to promote quicker healing. I've been waiting to get it, hoping that it will speed up my healing. My biggest problem right now is that I still can't sleep lying down, I still sleep in a recliner. The surgeon said I could try lying down, and if I could roll over pain free, I could sleep in bed. Well I laid down on my back, but when I rolled over onto my side....YIKES!!!! It hurt!!!!! So I'll continue sleeping on the recliner for a while. Luckily, the pain pills make me sleepy enough to be able to sleep on it, but I REALLY would like to go back to sleeping in a bed.

Oh well, I shouldn't whine, the surgeon said most patients are no where near the recovery I've made so far.

 

[Bird]

Rich, we never recover as fast as we'd like to, but it sounds like you're getting there. Hope it continues to go well.

 

[dmccarty]

My biggest problem right now is that I still can't sleep lying down, I still sleep in a recliner. The surgeon said I could try lying down, and if I could roll over pain free, I could sleep in bed. Well I laid down on my back, but when I rolled over onto my side....YIKES!!!! It hurt!!!!!

When you are laying down and need to roll over, pull your knee up and use your leg to push down when you roll over. If you want to roll to the right, pull up your left leg and then push down with the leg/foot when you roll to the right. The leg can help leverage you over and might take some of the strain off your neck and back.

Course then the problem can be getting OUT of bed.

My back/neck has been so stiff and painful the only way out of bed was to roll on my stomach and crawl backwards out of bed.

Later,
Dan

 

[RichZ]

Thanks, Bird. I can always count on you for encouragement!!!!!

Thanks for the tip in rolling over, Dan!!!!