post-op pain

[thrice3]

hello everyone! i had decompression surgery dec 13 so im almost 3 weeks post-op. the past week i've been running a low grade fever. the other night it went up to 100.5 but i think thats about as far as its gone.
i went to the doc a few days ago and he ran blood and urine tests. he didn't find anything unusual. no uti or other infections. but the past few nights i've been experiencing HORRIBLE headaches. SO much pressure and pain. i've been experiencing these since surgery but the pain hasn't been nearly as bad as it's gotten over the past week. i havent been able to sleep through a whole night and now i'm at a loss. i wasn't expecting this much pain.
is this normal for post op??
i don't know what to do. i don't like taking the oxycodon that i was prescribed because it constipates me so badly. ibuprofen and advil only go so far. i need to start classes back monday of next week and i'm really starting to worry that i'm going to have to take this semester off....which would completely ruin my plans for future classes. help?!?   :((

[linnielou232]

See your new year is going to be a better one.  You will feel better each day.

[thrice3]

yeah, his assistant had stepped out until jan 3 and was not checking messages or anything....should have been expecting that -_-

oh well...hopefully im all set now and my recovery will be a little easier.

[selmaS]

  If ur NS would have stepped in sooner u would not  have had to go thru that.....

  I wonder do they get the messages or not....most times it is the staff they have working for them....but still, they should know how  much u were made to suffer in that time when he could have given u something....sigh.....


  I pray the steroid works for the swelling

[thrice3]

well, i took my medicine last night around 10 to go to sleep and at 4 i woke up in horrible pain, stood up to go to the restroom, and got TERRIBLE nausea. i was literally running back to my bed to save myself from throwing up. took everything in me NOT to until around 10 this morning when it subsided.

talked to my surgeon finally. he thinks its swelling causing all the pain (duh) so he prescribed me a steroid to start back up. he says i should be feeling much better by tonight or tomorrow morning. he also said i should stop the oxycodone and only take the valium as needed to go to sleep. told me to take tylenol every 4 hours.

crossing my fingers that the steroid will help.

[selmaS]

  I actually had an allergic reaction to oxycodone and had to stop taking it...also had a problem with morphine...

But it could be u r just not eating enuff as these are strong meds.....

  How r u doing now?

[thrice3]

thank you. i always eat something before but the granola bar sounds like it would be easier to eat than a dry cracker lol

[linnielou232]

I've had this issue to.  With any med's or vit's etc make sure you have something in your stomach before taking them.  I alway's worry of other issues such as kidney's, liver etc.  Even a cracker.  I alway's keep cranola bar's on hand so I have something in my stomach before taking any thing.  It's awful to be in this sisuation of being sick feeling & in pain, just don't know what to do for what.  Try the granola bar's though they are good for you, and it also has fiber etc in them.  It helped for me.  Wish you the best

[thrice3]

thanks, i will!

not to keep this thread going too long, but have any of you experienced nausea related to the pain meds? i'm taking oxycodone and valium. they seem to make me nauseated, but maybe i'm just not eating enough?

[linnielou232]

I'm so glad to hear your getting ahead of thing's.  The laxative will help you and taking your med's on a timely manner.  You will start feeling better soon.  Having this surgery take's some recovery time.  Keep us updated on your classes.

[selmaS]

  Keep us posted...good luck : )

[thrice3]

i may talk to my colleges disability services and see what they can do for me...there are a couple classes that i would really have to be present for though...maybe if i get these pain meds in my system again i can manage...
i feel a little better after reading how you went through the same thing with recovery.

selman, thanks i think i'll try a system like that.

wish me luck this week!

[xmelax35]

I remember being where you are, as far as recovery wanting to feel better so fast. I even wrote on here or on another support group about it after ward. it was 3 weeks I believe too. I was frustrated that I still had so much pain. I remember being told I am expecting too much too fast. It was not a small surgery like sinus surgery or getting our tonsils out. It was major brain surgery. So I know you are going to go stir crazy sitting  in your parents home and what it is like. Just wondering if there are any classes you can take at home? Can they do something to accomodate you being off for surgery? yet, if you need to go in for tests and other stuff, so you are not doing too much? You are young and maybe you will feel better faster, I think the older we get the longer the recovery time.

I am sure I will be back at where you are again after my next surgery...I am sure I will be frustrated if I am not recovering fast, even though in my mind and just knowing what everyone says, it can take a good long time...I will still be back posting being upset about the pain. Good luck and I hope things go well for you.

[selmaS]

  It is a fiber, it did not work as a laxitive should for me,we r all different... I did not like taking it.,over time I just had bloating with it...pro biotics and the magnesium work better for me.....u will have bloating with the pro biotics too, in the beginning....

Yes u have to stay ahead of the pain other wise the meds do not help.....then after a couple weeks (2)  try taking 1 dose during the day of tylenol or some other OTC med in place of ur RX meds...and slowly do that until u r only using them to sleep...then cut them out and use as needed.....like if u know u r going out to the store take something b4 u go so u do not end up in pain later....etc...

[thrice3]

okay..so i sucked it up, took my opiate, valium, and colace (stool softener) a few hours ago and am feeling much better.
now i need to "stay ahead of the pain" as my dad says.
does the miralax give you gas or anything selma? is it like a laxative? i don't want any surprises after taking it lol

[selmaS]

  Hi....no I have 250 mg of magnesium....but I did take stool softeners post op....I also took something else  called Miralax, and all that did was make me feel bloated.....most things even a pro biotic will make u feel bloated in the beginning, but that should go away.....

My Drs told me for the first few weeks to take my meds on schedule and slowly back off them...which I did....I kept them for sleeping and began to use OTC meds for during the day.....

  But if u r having pain, u need to manage it with meds until u heal a bit more, so take it at reg intervals to prevent the pain from getting too bad....

In a few weeks, take OTC meds in place of ur day time dose and go from there see how it goes, and slowly replace the meds...until u do not need the OTC meds either....

U may think u will be devastated...but u r still here, and in time u will get back on track, take the time u need to get back in top shape...and look at it as just another part of ur journey.

[thrice3]

oh, and about the pain meds....
my doc never told me how i should step off of them.
they simply told me to take as needed....

[thrice3]

thanks for your responses.
if classes were starting back this week, i would not be able to go. i have no appetite and can barely look at my computer screen as it hurts my head.

did you take milk of magnesia as a daily thing? how much did you take and what pain meds were you on?

if i end up starting back next week then i think rather than a rolling book bag i might just talk to my professors and tell them i can't take my books to class. i have never had a class where it was absolutely necessary anyway.

hopefully i can start back....if not i will be devastated, but if that is what i need to do then i will.

[linnielou232]

I know how discouraging it is to be in pain.  As my doc told me when I told him I tried to get off pain med's so soon.  You have to keep your pain med in your symtem as directed otherwise it takes the med twice as long to work.  I had the same issue as you and I did take the milk of magnesia.  It helped a lot.  You don't want to strain at all.  I also worry about you and your book's.  That's a lot of weight.  Selma alway's has good ideas.  The luggage book carrier sound's good, and yes for me also light flous. is awful for me also.  So please step back to the school slowly, you don't want to take a step back.   Good luck.

[selmaS]

  The problem is ur NS never had the surgery done to him....he has no idea how u will feel...we are all diff and regardless how his other patients have recovered, there is no way he can give u a time line....it is a wait and see thing....be advised, most schools have florescent lights, see ur eye Dr about rose colored glasses to help with the glare that gets to so many of us......and get a rolling book bag, like a piece of luggage.....

[thrice3]

i think i'm going to try the probiotics and talk to my doctor about other pain meds that i could take.
the online courses is a good thought. as of now, i'm signed up for one class on mondays, and four every tuesday and thursday... im just worried about carrying books and sitting in those chairs.
i think i'll start back and see how it goes. hopefully i don't break myself. my neurosurgeon made it sound like i would be feeling great at this point in my recovery so i was not expecting this..

[selmaS]

Well I am older than u, and I am still at home....never went back to work.....but I do all types of crafting, crocheting and painting, etc....sewing....

I understand u want to get back to ur life.....but, take it slow, u can cause set backs going too fast.

What about a magnesium supplement...a low dose...taken every other day should help...talk to ur Dr about 250 mg......or a probiotic...either should help the bowel issue.

  I keep a bottle of magnesium citrate in my fridge...cherry flavor as it does work when all else fails....but, since taking the magnesium, I have not had a need for it.

  U may want to look at on line courses so u can work at a slower pace and see how it goes b4 jumping back in full force......just a thought......

    "selma"

[thrice3]

im not on a stool softener anymore. they gave them to me in the hospital but they did NOT work. maybe i should start them up again. i'm scared to go through what i did though. had to drink a whole bottle of magnesium citrate as a last resort. that was not a fun experience :p
what did you do while recovering? If i don't take classes i don't know what i would do. i'm afraid sitting around at my parents homes for months will make me go crazy. i am barely making it through winter break.

[selmaS]

  Hi, I was wondering how u were doing......

R u on a stool softener...all the drugs  and meds used  for surgery will have affected ur bowel, so u want to avoid straining....

U need pain meds and should still be taking them when needed and slowly step off them.

I think plans for classes is premature....we all heal at diff rates, but from everyone I have talked to post op over the yrs, this is just too soon to return to  ne type of activity....

  U need to rest to  have the ultimate recovery.....

     "selma"