1. < Just Want to Talk

WHERE TO START???

Posted by grandmaR @grandmar, Mar 28, 2018

HI!!
I AM WRITING IN CAPITAL LETTERS BECAUSE IT IS EASIER FOR ME. I AM NOT YELLING.

WHERE DO I START? I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I GET EMBARRASSED WHEN I TALK ABOUT ALL THAT I HAVE OR HAVE HAD GO WRONG WITH MY HEALTH ESPECIALLY AFTER READING SOME OF THE POSTS AND WHAT MEMBERS ARE LIVING WITH AND FACING. SO, BEFORE I GO ON, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO THOSE WHO ARE FACING ISSUES MUCH WORSE THAN MINE.

IT IS NOW ALMOST 2am. I GOT UP AT MIDNIGHT AFTER THE PAIN WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO STAY IN BED. I HAVE FIBROMYALGIA. I BELIEVE AFTER YEARS AND YEARS, I'VE DEALT WITH THAT PRETTY WELL. I BELIEVE THE PAIN IMPACTS ME ONLY IF I AM TOUCHED AT THE PAIN POINTS. I HAVE OSTEOARTHRITIS ALL OVER, ESPECIALLY IN MY SPINE. I LIVE WITH CONSTANT PAIN. OTHER THAN OPIOIDS, I CANNOT TAKE ANYTHING ELSE SINCE MOST PAIN RELIEVERS HAVE ASPRIN. I JUST HAD CERVICAL SPINAL SURGERY TO HELP WITH THE PAIN I HAD IN MY NECK, SHOULDERS, ARMS AND FINGERS, AND THE VIOLENT HEADACHES THAT USED TO WAKE ME UP EACH DAY. IT'S BEEN 3 1/2 WEEKS AND THERE IS DEFINATELY AN IMPROVEMENT. NEXT WEEK I'LL GET SHOTS IN MY LUMBAR PAIN. WITH LUCK, IT WILL HELP ME FOR ABOUT 8 WEEKS.

TODAY, RIGHT NOW, I AM STILL RECUPERATING FROM SURGERY AND I AM PAST DUE FOR MY LUMBAR SHOT. I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL SURGERY TO MY CERVICAL SPINE AND POSSIBLY SURGERY ON MY LUMBAR. BUT TODAY, RIGHT NOW, I AM LIVING IN CONSTANT PAIN AND TRYING NOT TO TAKE PAIN MEDS WHICH TAKE OFF THE EDGE BUT REALLY DOESN'T TAKE AWAY THE PAIN. MY PAIN DOC DOESN NOT LIKE TO PRESCRIBE ANYTHING STRONGER THAN OXY. I'VE BEEN HIS PATIENT FOR 3 YEARS AND HE KNOWS I DON'T ABUSE THE MEDS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I CAN TAKE 2 A DAY BUT I ONLY TAKE 1. I FEAR THE POSSIBLE ADDICITION THAT CAN OCCUR.

I USED TO HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES, PRE-DIABETES AND I AM SURE OTHER THINGS AS WELL. I HAD WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY 1 1/2 YEARS AGO AND ALL THOSE AILMENTS HAVE GONE. tHANK GOODNESS.

I ALSO LIVE WITH LUNG NODULES THAT ARE BENIGN. YOU MIGHT THINK, WHY WORRY? MY MOTHER DIED AT 67 FROM LUNG CANCER (NON SMOKER). SO, WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE NODULES, IT SCARED ME TO DEATH. I NOW SEE A PULMONOLOGIST EVERY 6 MONTHS. MY AUNT, WHO ALSO HAD NODULES, SAW HER DOC FOR OVER 15 YEARS. JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO HE TOLD HER ALL WAS FINE AND THERE WERE NO CHANGES SO HE RELEASED HER. WITHIN A COUPLE OF YEARS, THE NODULES TURNED. SHE DIED 6 MONTHS AGO, ONE MONTH BEFORE THE BIRTH OF HER FIRST GREAT-GRANDCHILD.

OH, DID I MENTION I ALSO SUFFER FROM GENERALIZED ANXIETY AND SINCE I HAVEN'T BEEN SLEEPING AND I'VE HAD SO MUCH PAIN, I AM ALSO DEPRESSED. I TAKE MEDS FOR THAT, TOO.

I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE A DEBBIE DOWNER AND I APOLOGIZE, AGAIN, BUT IT DOES FEEL GOOD TO VENT.

THANKS FOR READING.....
GRANDMAr

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Just Want to Talk Support Group.

Parus | @parus | Apr 4, 2018
In reply to @sandytoes14 "@grandmar Are you my twin?! I have cervical issues,--bone spurs, bulging discs, leaking disc, stenosis, osteoarthritis...." + (show)
@sandytoes14

@grandmar
Are you my twin?! I have cervical issues,--bone spurs, bulging discs, leaking disc, stenosis, osteoarthritis.
In my lumbar I have some pain and had a RFA, radio frequency ablation, done years ago. It's time for another. I have lost and kept off 130 lbs with gastric bypass in 2007. I had diabetes, hypertension, yadda yadda yadda. I have Fibromyalgia with anxiety and depression. The depression is in check. Did you know anxiety, depression, IBS and insomnia are part of Fibromyalgia?
There is someone I follow on Facebook called Fibro Girl. She gives some good tips such as taking magnesium. It sounds like your Fibro isn't too bad right now. I take Lyrica, Cymbalta and Baclofen plus Percocet for neck pain.
It's so nice to meet you on here. I'm sorry you are having a difficult time and you are feeling better soon.
Jen

Jump to this post

@sandytoes14 I see the pain specialist again in May. My last visit was discouraging. I need to try and advocate for myself more. If there is nothing more he can do then he needs to refer me somewhere else.
Spent 9 hours with my 3 year old grandson yesterday and he is so willing to put up with grandma needing breaks. I never want him to know how much pain I am in. I do all I can to give him happy memories. I don't let anyone know how much pain I am in. I don't want to appear self-pitying or pathetic. Hope your visit with the pain doctor goes well.

REPLY
grandmaR | @grandmar | Apr 8, 2018
In reply to @sandytoes14 "@grandmar Are you my twin?! I have cervical issues,--bone spurs, bulging discs, leaking disc, stenosis, osteoarthritis...." + (show)
@sandytoes14

@grandmar
Are you my twin?! I have cervical issues,--bone spurs, bulging discs, leaking disc, stenosis, osteoarthritis.
In my lumbar I have some pain and had a RFA, radio frequency ablation, done years ago. It's time for another. I have lost and kept off 130 lbs with gastric bypass in 2007. I had diabetes, hypertension, yadda yadda yadda. I have Fibromyalgia with anxiety and depression. The depression is in check. Did you know anxiety, depression, IBS and insomnia are part of Fibromyalgia?
There is someone I follow on Facebook called Fibro Girl. She gives some good tips such as taking magnesium. It sounds like your Fibro isn't too bad right now. I take Lyrica, Cymbalta and Baclofen plus Percocet for neck pain.
It's so nice to meet you on here. I'm sorry you are having a difficult time and you are feeling better soon.
Jen

Jump to this post

Hi Jan,
How did your visit to the pain doc go?????
I'm doing pretty well. Lumbar injections are working. Not 100% but much improved. Went outlet shopping yesterday and I was able to do quite a bit of walking (for me), with rests in-between.
Going to the neurosurgeon Tuesday for my 6 week post op for my cervical spine surgery. We will talk about my lumbar. We want to see if her has any suggestions.
Enjoy Sunday!
Ronnie

REPLY
Jen, Alumna Mentor | @sandytoes14 | Apr 8, 2018
In reply to @sandytoes14 "@grandmar Are you my twin?! I have cervical issues,--bone spurs, bulging discs, leaking disc, stenosis, osteoarthritis...." + (show)
@sandytoes14

@grandmar
Are you my twin?! I have cervical issues,--bone spurs, bulging discs, leaking disc, stenosis, osteoarthritis.
In my lumbar I have some pain and had a RFA, radio frequency ablation, done years ago. It's time for another. I have lost and kept off 130 lbs with gastric bypass in 2007. I had diabetes, hypertension, yadda yadda yadda. I have Fibromyalgia with anxiety and depression. The depression is in check. Did you know anxiety, depression, IBS and insomnia are part of Fibromyalgia?
There is someone I follow on Facebook called Fibro Girl. She gives some good tips such as taking magnesium. It sounds like your Fibro isn't too bad right now. I take Lyrica, Cymbalta and Baclofen plus Percocet for neck pain.
It's so nice to meet you on here. I'm sorry you are having a difficult time and you are feeling better soon.
Jen

Jump to this post

@grandmar @parus
Happy Sunday! My appointment to pain management went well. I saw the NP who prescribed a Medrol (prednisone) pak to try to calm the fibromyalgia pain I've been having for a while. I sure hope it helps as the side effects-increased sweating and anxiety- hit like a ton of bricks.
Friday afternoon my husband took me to lunch and Saturday we went to the Spring Fling Garden event in a nearby town.
I hope we all have a good week ahead.
Jen

REPLY
grandmaR | @grandmar | Apr 9, 2018
In reply to @sandytoes14 "@grandmar Are you my twin?! I have cervical issues,--bone spurs, bulging discs, leaking disc, stenosis, osteoarthritis...." + (show)
@sandytoes14

@grandmar
Are you my twin?! I have cervical issues,--bone spurs, bulging discs, leaking disc, stenosis, osteoarthritis.
In my lumbar I have some pain and had a RFA, radio frequency ablation, done years ago. It's time for another. I have lost and kept off 130 lbs with gastric bypass in 2007. I had diabetes, hypertension, yadda yadda yadda. I have Fibromyalgia with anxiety and depression. The depression is in check. Did you know anxiety, depression, IBS and insomnia are part of Fibromyalgia?
There is someone I follow on Facebook called Fibro Girl. She gives some good tips such as taking magnesium. It sounds like your Fibro isn't too bad right now. I take Lyrica, Cymbalta and Baclofen plus Percocet for neck pain.
It's so nice to meet you on here. I'm sorry you are having a difficult time and you are feeling better soon.
Jen

Jump to this post

Hi!
So happy that your appointment to the pain doc went well.
I hope the meds work and you have no or few side effects.
Ronnie

REPLY
grandmaR | @grandmar | Apr 11, 2018

Hi All,
Went for my 6 week post op check up. My healing is actually going ahead of schedule! I have to start PT for 6 weeks and I can go into the pool and ocean. Yipppppeeee!
I go back in another 6 weeks at which time I am sure he will be done with my cervical spine (as long as I am OK). He ordered an MRI of my lumbar spine for the next time. At that time we will discuss my options with that.
Sadly, my lumbar injections did not work. This is the 2nd time. Booooohoooo!
Enjoy your day!
Ronnie

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.