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Post surgical pain. Any suggestions
I was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer in 2019. I went through chemo and radiation and the team decided surgery could be an option. I had surgery in April 2020. Recovery was slow and pain is still an issue. I have tried nerve block several times, and even went to see a neurosurgeon to see if blocking the nerve permanently was a possibility. The surgeon sounded very optimistic. In her note, she even mentioned booking an OR. I have reached out to her every month through the portal and have not heard back. I am not impressed with the neurosurgery department at Dartmoth-, Hitchcock medical center. I refuse to take pain medication. Does anyone have any suggestions?
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I had my esophagectomy 3 months after you in 2020, I was a stage 3 adenocarcinoma (T3N1M0) patient. As a stage 4 getting to esophagectomy... amazing. And the fact that you, like me, are 5 years post-op... and maybe not being monitored any longer... truly amazing as a stage 4.
Ok... pain management, assume from your surgical scars and internal nerve healing... yes, can be all over the place. Do you have the big thoracotomy scar? Abdominal or neck incisions? I was lucky... minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy... my biggest incision is 2 inches... and only one of these. The rest are holes from laparscopic tools.
Not taking any pain meds... hmmm... Both a good thing, and a bad thing. It changes your personality... and greatly affects your QofLife. I host twice-weekly free Zoom calls... maybe come see us. Just two Sundays ago we had a highly credentialed Los Angels Cedars-Sinai anesthesiologist and Pain Management doctor as a guest on our call. We have surgeons and oncologists and others pop in from time to time. Additionally, I know many who suffer from postoperative pain and have sought relief. Would you like me to put you in touch with some? Contact me privately right here inside this Mayo site... and maybe we'll start a dialog and see where this will lead. I have hundreds of my fellow patients' cell numbers stored in my phone... we pass them around like candy... we only want to help our fellow patients and caregivers. You may have to change your attitude a touch in order to achieve a better QofLife. Certain meds are helpful, possibly non-opiod and nonaddictive. But I'm guessing you've tried a few things in past years... so I've much to learn about your situation.
Be well,
Gary