May is the month when it’s all going down.
Back surgery. The last day of school. (Both on the same day, I might add.) Doctor & dentist appointments. School meetings. End of the year celebrations. Gift buying. Camp registering. Plan making.
It would be a lot to deal with during an ordinary month. But with my back pain factored in…well, it all feels like a bit much.
So my pain. Last time I wrote, I was having some success with an anti-inflammatory called Duexis – a high dose of ibuprofen plus a stomach acid reducer. It seemed to be helping with reducing the pain and improving my mobility. But about a week ago, I got another really terrible stomachache out of nowhere. It felt like the stomachaches I was having earlier in the spring when I was taking OTC ibuprofen, and I can only assume that the medication is once again the culprit. So I stopped taking the Duexis.
I have a prescription for hydrocodone + acetaminophen, but I’m not having much luck with that either. If I take it before bed, it seems to keep me awake. And if I take it during the day, it makes me dizzy and loopy.
So I’m back to taking no pain medication, which pretty much sucks.
We had a garage sale over the weekend, and I must have done too much bending down & standing up – my back has been especially prone to spasms since then. It seems like the only time my pain is a 4 or less is on the days when I do nothing but lay in bed most of the day. And that, of course, is terrible for my mental health.
I guess this sounds like one big long whine, and I guess it is a little. But I’m just really ready to stop being in chronic pain and start the process of healing. I know recovery could be long and difficult, but at least I know I’ll be moving forward – you know?
My pre-op exam is on the 18th, so I’ll fill you in after that. Oh, and I don’t want to forget to mention the one really nice thing that’s happened so far this month – I had a really lovely Mother’s Day with my girls and my husband.
The girls made me several cards and gifts, and my husband bought me roses. We had a nice lunch together, and I got to take a nap. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Until next time…
Kim Dawson says
Hi @mommyrunsit. Sorry that you are not finding relief from your pain meds. Does a hot shower or tub help at all? Have you tried lidocaine patches?. Both of those have helped me at times. I hope your surgery goes as smoothly as possible and you come out feeling sooo much better. I look forward to following your journey.
sharon says
Thank you, Kim! You have been such a wonderful support. Heat does help – I actually had to buy a new heating pad because I burnt ours out. Hot baths are a mixed bag. The heat feels good, but when I’m on my back, the tub presses onto the part of my spine that’s protruding. (You can actually feel the bump where my vertabrae has slipped – it’s gross.) So baths aren’t super comfortable. I think they’ll feel great post-surgery though. I haven’t tried lidocaine patches – that’s something to look into. xo
Kim Dawson says
I found a wonderful mat st BBB.l for the tub with cushions for head and back. I just got out of yoga class and close to there now. I’ll run by and see if I can find it and send you pic. It’s WONDERFUL!