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42Paul
Guest
Hi. Had an L5-S1 Diskectomy/Laminectomy with Dynamic Stabilization a month ago.
Due to a goof by a nurse's aid, I was allowed to eat a full diet just hours after a 4 hour surgery. This led to an Ileus, followed by abdominal pain worse as bad as the surgical pain, which led to mouth breathing, which resulted in post-op pneumonia.
My hospitalization was only supposed to last 36 hours. Instead, I was an inpatient and immobile I might add, for the better part of 5 days.
When I was discharged I was still in considerable pain. My physical therapist suggested that the 5 days of immobility certainly didn't help as it allowed scar tissue to form and "set" so to speak.
Rehab's been going slower than expected although I am making very steady progress. The first week I was taking percocet 5/325 x2 Q4 hours plus Celebrex 200mg BID.
I have had two 30 pill refills over the past two and a half weeks. I'm down to 5 mg BID, in the AM and before bed (when I actually have pain that Motrin 800 doesn't touch).
Substituted Motrin 800 PRN for the "aches and pains" that are not severe. Works better than Celebrex.
So, there's my background. Some questions:
1. I'm 42 in decent health. How long will the evening-night moderate pain last? Another month? Two?
2. I've been taking percocet now for 3 months. I don't like the side-effects (constipation, chemical stupidity, lucid and unpleasant dreams) but often those side effects are the "lesser of two evils" when compared to the nighttime "aching pain". I'm down to 1-2 per day, at night. What's my physical dependence risk? I often go 12-14 hours without requiring one for pain.
3. Are there any non-pharmacological alternatives to opioRAB to relive this pain until I get this thing rehab'ed?
Thanks.
Due to a goof by a nurse's aid, I was allowed to eat a full diet just hours after a 4 hour surgery. This led to an Ileus, followed by abdominal pain worse as bad as the surgical pain, which led to mouth breathing, which resulted in post-op pneumonia.
My hospitalization was only supposed to last 36 hours. Instead, I was an inpatient and immobile I might add, for the better part of 5 days.
When I was discharged I was still in considerable pain. My physical therapist suggested that the 5 days of immobility certainly didn't help as it allowed scar tissue to form and "set" so to speak.
Rehab's been going slower than expected although I am making very steady progress. The first week I was taking percocet 5/325 x2 Q4 hours plus Celebrex 200mg BID.
I have had two 30 pill refills over the past two and a half weeks. I'm down to 5 mg BID, in the AM and before bed (when I actually have pain that Motrin 800 doesn't touch).
Substituted Motrin 800 PRN for the "aches and pains" that are not severe. Works better than Celebrex.
So, there's my background. Some questions:
1. I'm 42 in decent health. How long will the evening-night moderate pain last? Another month? Two?
2. I've been taking percocet now for 3 months. I don't like the side-effects (constipation, chemical stupidity, lucid and unpleasant dreams) but often those side effects are the "lesser of two evils" when compared to the nighttime "aching pain". I'm down to 1-2 per day, at night. What's my physical dependence risk? I often go 12-14 hours without requiring one for pain.
3. Are there any non-pharmacological alternatives to opioRAB to relive this pain until I get this thing rehab'ed?
Thanks.