When I got out of that surgery I felt the same as I did before I went in for the first operation. After a few follow up visits with him he said that he took all the disc material out and that I should be O.K and that he couldn't do anything more for me. Then he recommended a pain specialist in Concord. (where I live now) So I went to see him and he started his doing all these different procedures on me. Pain blocks, different types of injections to get rid of the scar tissue, and then he implanted a stimulator in my back which after 6 months ended up not working anymore and the pain was back. All that time I was on Tylenol 3 and then Percocet.
After the stimulator implant he put me on MSIR (morphine) and said there wasn't anything else that he could think of doing and that I would have to learn to live with the pain. He sent me to some physcologist and he tried to tell me how I could live with the pain. How could he know what I was feeling and that I could live with it? After about 6 months of being put on the MSIR the pain specialist said that he couldn't keep giving me the MSIR and that I would have to find a GP that would prescribe it for me. So I went to the local HMO and found a Dr. that would prescribe it for me. I was very lucky and the first Dr. that I saw was great. He was about my age (39) at the time. We got along great and he had no problem with the prescriptions, as a matter of fact he said I wasn't taking enough and told me to take two extra a day. So I went to him for about 3 years and during those 3 years the pain got worse.
I went to see an Orthopedic surgeon and he did a Mielogram and said that he thought he could help me by doing a fusion. I wasn't ready for that and said that when I couldn't walk I would be in contact with him. Since I had joined one of these new plans for people on Medicare. It was just like being on an HMO plan except they wouldn't pay for prescriptions but at least I didn't have to pay the extra 20%!! So I had to find a new Dr.!! My fiance that I met in Concord Hospital while in for one of the injections asked her Dr. if he would take me on because she knew he would prescribe the meds with no problem. He did and in March of 1998 I was at the point where I was ready for the fusion.
I went in and had that done. They went in first from the front and then turned me over and went in through the back. What an operation that was!!! Well, it got me back to where I was when I first went on t he MSIR. Still in quite a bit of pain but I could control or at least put up with it as long as I was on the meds. About 2 years (1993) after the first couple operations I started having what they call "panic attacks" I had no idea what was happening to me. I thought I was having a heart attack and I felt a feeling of impending doom!!! So I went to the emergency room and they hooked up and EKG and said I was O.K and that I was probably just having a panic attack. That was an awful feeling!! From then on I had them with increasing attacks.
No one would treat me for these until I finally met my fiance's Dr. and he put me first on Prozac which I felt like I was trying to jump out of my own skin and the Paxil which I am on today and they seemed to be under control. Thank God!!! So, here I am taking 60 mgs. of the morphine, 2 mgs. of valium for muscle spasms when I need them, 150 mgs. of Ranitidine for my stomach upset and 20 mgs. of the Paxil a day.
That brings me to this group. I am not sure how I came upon Ed,s list but I am so glad I did!! As far as pain goes most of the time on a scale of 1-10 I would say I'm about a 7, sometimes it is as bad as a 10 and sometimes I am feeling pretty good and am at a 5. So I run the scale :-) I have a lot of problems with sleep too. I don't get any!!! LOL This can really bother someone and I think that's when and how the panic attacks started. I used to really beat myself up because I knew I was so exhausted but couldn't get to sleep. After a few thoughts of suicide I finally decided that if I could sleep I would and if I couldn't oh well!! I think that's the attitude you have to take on that subject because it can ruin you.
Well, that's my story kind of shorted a bit (hehehe) if there is something you want to ask me please feel free to e-mail me at jim43@mediaone.net or ICQ # is 39944478 and I am also on AOL's Messenger and u nick is listed below with my home page address. If there is anything I can do for you please feel free to ask because I enjoy helping people especially people that are in the same situation as me.
I want to take a minute and thank Ed for starting this group and for letting me into his family. Thanks Ed your a great guy!!!
Visit my Web Site at: http://people.ne.mediaone.net/jim43 Jim Constantine Concord,NH