Dakmba and Marce

[Mariyah2]

Hello my friends,

I made it through the mylogram :0) Whew!!! I was so scared when I checked in. I have quite the imagination and pictured a needle the size of a baseball part piercing through my spine. I was given a shot of demerol (does nothing for me) and a shot for anti-nausea and a valium 5 mg. Of course I did not tell them I had taken 30 mgs just to get the nerve to go through with this. I was really surprised when I was in the room and the little pin ***** of a shot was given. It was really kind of a piece of cake considering some procedures I have had with my eyes. I felt the pressure and the dye running down my left leg.
When I returned to out-patient they asked me if I was in pain and my leg was hurting a lot. I was given a 5 mg of hydro. I felt lousy yesterday and pretty much stayed down all day. I was so afraid to get a headache. I am going to the doctors on Tues to go over the results. You have both been so kind to me and I appreciate it more than you will ever know.

Dakmba:
You really have gone through so much and still hanging in there. I know how you feel when you say "I am so sick of dealing with this."  It is so discouraging to have back pain and the only outcome is usually surgery. I hope all will turn out for you, I have said prayers for you. I have numerous disc bulges and tears and what really is the problem is the L5 that is competely flat. I was wondering what he will suggest for this. He told me at my first appt that the outcome would decide whether he uses a nerve blocker or surgery. I am not sure this is something that would require a fusion or not. I have been out of work since January and I feel like when you have back problems, you do not get sympathy. I just can't sit for me than 2 1/2 hrs and walking or standing for any length of time really hurts me.

[dakmba]

I am so glad your mylegram is over!  I think I would have rather gone to your clinic since they let you have pain meds.  I was in tears during the whole evolution because I was told not to take any NSAIDS for 48 hours and nothing at all for 8 hours prior.  I got up at 5am that morning and took 2 Norcos which helped but by 1:00pm I was a basket case due to the pain.  I knew you'd find the anxiety over having the procedure was worse than the procedure itself.  I'm glad your contrast flowed successfully.  I was really upset when mine stopped dead at L5.  I thought, "NOW WHAT??"  So I am looking forward to hearing fro my ortho surgeon after he confers with the neurosurgeon.  I am sure they are going to say FUSION but my ortho said there are a few more things that he wants to rule out (bone spurs, etc) and may order 1 more MRI.  So I am grateful that he is taking the time to find an answer to this dreadful leg pain instead of saying a fusion is the answer, take it or leave it.

I have read so many posts by people who had fusions and were worse off for it.  I know I am already behind the eight ball for a fusion being successful because I smoke.  What an idiot!  I have the new pill (Chantrix) which is highly successful for smokers who want to quit.  It works on the nicotine receptors (pleasure receptors I would imagine) in the brain so that when you smoke it is no longer pleasurable because the Chantrix blocks the receptors.  I am afraid to try it as I think it may also block the opiate receptors and then my Norcos wouldn't work and I would really be in a world of hurt!  What a vicious cycle, huh?

I thank you for your prayers! I can't go to sleep at night unless I say my Hail Mary's, Our Father's and an Act of Contrition.  I am a 52 year old Irish Catholic and even tho I don't go to church I still place my life in HIS hands everyday.

Looking forward to hearing from you and what your doc has to say about the results of your mylegram.

DAK