Nearly time

hi tfu

i have really bad side effects from diclofenic bad stomach cramps, sickness, diaorriah, so i would say its prob them, the co-codamol usually causes constipation so both are not really good for the insides, and maybe you,ve a touch of nerves going on there as well. with referance to your complaint will it not be overlooked noe as you,ve had your date? or is there a little more to the complaint than the waiting (cant remember lol). any way you,ll be there soon and on your way to recovering just like jules, then me next , all happening eh.all the bestgail

Codeine gives me constipation aswell. I also took Diclofenac for a couple of months but stopped because I thought it was making me tired and fuzzy. A few days after stopping I noticed I was having abdominal cramps when weeing, I went to the GP, he took a wee wee sample and said there was blood in it.

I ended up having an ultrascan which was all clear. By now the cramping had stopped and my next urine test was clear. I'm certain it was a side-effect of the Diclofenac. The cramping pain would have been masked by them initially but became noticeable as soon as I stopped taking them.

My GP wasn't convinced - but what's new!!

The hospital were going to give me Co-drydramol post-op but gave me Tramadol instead when I said they constipated me. I got on really well with the Tramadol but they made me really 'fuzzy'. I couldn't drive while taking them, in fact I could do very little but that was a good thing when I first came out of hospital. Alot of people say they are totally ineffective for them, but I like them, I like them alot!!

Hope your stomach sorts itself soon. You dont want to be suffering with that post-op aswell.

Sandra

Hi guys, this aint gonna help but its either one or the other OR both... I know I got told not to take them both together, take one or the other and I am not sure if either work for me or if they work in my head... I would say take the one that works best for u and stop the other one

Sorry probably a rubbish reply :-)

Do keep us informed how u get on

Russ

hi tfu :cheerup: ,

i am currently on both and i have no probs, but every one different, oh not long now :yikes: , oh i'm so excited for you and gail, x

i rang and postponed my pre-op today, and they gave me 12th jan now, which i'm so happy with, and when i go i'm gonna ask for a april op appointment, whether kings will do that for me i'll have to wait and see,

so sorry but i won't be up there now to pop in and say ''hi'', :roll:

but i will be thinking of you, :ok: and i won't be on here much neither, like i haven't recently, but i do still come on and read peps posts, so i do know how peps are doing, just not been able to talk thats all,

anyway, i'll come on and wish you well before you go ok, and gail will keep me up to date on things :nahnah:

so for now take care,

:rose: mandy :rose: :hug:

as already stated by the others i would blame the diclofenac gave mw twrrible cramps and the runs as well as heart burn hate the stuff i refuse to take it, god knows we have enough trouble with out horrible sides as well

chris

Hi all,

The stomach cramps have settled down at least for now. It really does bother me not knowing the effects these drugs are having on my body. The painkillers are masking God knows what. With the Diclofenac you are supposed to have regular blood checks, but I've been offered.....zip!! I get the meds through the surgery website, no questions asked. I wish they would ask questions!!!! I shouldn't have to go to them box in hand, saying, \"excuse me for bothering you doctor, but this 'ere box says you should be doing regular blood/organ function checks, what do you think?.\" Why is it that nothing gets done unless I push for it?

I had an e-mail from the complaints department at Kings this afternoon, saying that my letter (their second) had been drafted and should be going out early next week. I knew I wouldn't get the letter today. But I do seem to have rattled their cage, or touched on something, because they have been very attentive over the last couple of weeks, ever since the Head of Neurosurgery got involved. Maybe he has given the surgeon and everybody else concerned a b*llocking! It will be interesting to see what the letter says. I'll keep you posted.

I was surprised Mandy that you changed your pre-op date and now plan to have surgery in April, but I guess you've waited this long, you may as well do it at a time to suit you. And maybe those of us that are down for December ops should all come to yours for Christmas dinner, because I cannot see anyway that I will be cooking it this year.

Best wishes

TFU

Hi Sandra,

For many months the Diclofenac and the Co-codamal both made me very drowsy. The worse problem was waking up in the morning, it was more like coming around because my mind and my body weren't connected and so it took ages. Although mid afternoon at work was quite bad too, I'd often have problems keeping my eyes open and would sometimes hold them open. :roll: And my eyes and skin looked awful. I too get the constipation. Lots of bananas and dried apricots are the answer!

Tramadol had a really bad effect on me. Weird mental stuff, loss of balance and co-ordination too. But after about two days, my throat became very swollen and my mouth and nose went completely numb. In a panic I never took it again. All that and it did absolutely nothing for the pain! I have told the hospital NO TRAMADOL - EVER!!! I will be so cross if they say it's that or nothing.

One thing that I have learned is that this whole medication thing is a complete lottery.

Best wishes

TFU

Isn't it weird how everyone is affected differently by different meds.

I'm a bit alarmed about the regular blood tests for Diclofenac. My GP gave me the prescription and said 'off you trot', I had repeat prescriptions for it aswell - no questions asked. When I went to see him about the stomach cramps and he found the blood in my urine, I asked him whether it could be the Diclofenac and he said 'doubt it' and that was that!!

One of the main reasons I waited so long before driving (5 weeks) was because of the medication side effects. My wound was healed but my head wasn't!! :shock:

My GP was anxious for me to come off the Tramadol asap but was quite happy to write out another prescription for 100 - luckily I didn't need them all but I have popped a couple when I've had trouble sleeping, not quite what they are designed for I know but they knock me out.

Sandra

Hi Truly,

Just wondering how your tum is today? It could be the meds, anxiety or both, but if it continues I'd get it checked out...your are so close to your surgery date now hun...you don't need anything to jeopardise you being admitted. Let us know how you are

Take care,

Jules xx :D :D

Hi Tfu,

I had trouble taking both Co-codamol and Diclofenac they both cause constipation and stomach upset. To be honest I take Tramadol, Indometacin, Fluoxetine, Amitryptlin and Morphine Patches and I suffer with constipation I only go once every 7-10 days, this can't be normal. It does make you worry about the side effects of all these tablets we're taking and what happens when you've had your op and you try to come of the tablets will we have mega withdrawal symptoms.

Hope your Op goes well, lucky you!

Take care.

Angela x

Hi guys,

8 days to go. Have been in quite a lot of pain the last few days. Firstly because my 10 stone dog got the scent of something up the park yesterday morning and decided to hump my bad leg all the way home. So that pulled my back and I spent most of the day laying on the sofa. So much for all the things I was going to get off the \"must do before I go into hospital list\". Then over the weekend my workstation at work was moved, and today I had to move/rearrange/unpack all my files and stuff and I've done my back in again. Which in turn has set off more pain in my foot. I want to just go home, but I can't because I have too much to do. Happy days!! :roll: :roll: :roll:

I was beginning to try to chat myself out of the operation. I was thinking that the pain isn't nearly as bad as it was earlier this year, the op won't do much for the numbness anyway because the wonderful NHS have left it all so long, maybe the op won't work anyway and if it doesn't then I'm still going to be stuck on these tablets whatever. There were definately more reasons not to have it, than to have it. Risk versus reward and all that. But after the last few days I think I'll just give in gracefully. To be honest I feel exhausted even thinking about it all. My energy and fight have both left!

And Angela, your constipation sounds quite dreadful. Has anybody offered to check it out. It can't be doing your insides any good at all.

Best wishes

TFU

hi tfu

i think the jitters are setting in :D you are right though in thinking of the risks involved as its a big op to have, i think when you have your admission date you tend to think is the pain really that bad? and try and talk yourself out of it that way but what you have to ask yourself is could i put up with the pain indefinate. you really do seem to be having it rough with work an all at the moment but in a few months it will all be a distant memory, think positive you,ve not long now, and we,r all behind you and thinking of you.

on a different topic i just had a phone call from the dwp, dla dept asking for me to attend a medical next week to assess my claim!! what can i tell them that my mri and xrays cant????? has anyone had one of these medicals i am a little nervous, cos i dont know what to expect .

chin up ,...........gail

Hi Gail,

I think it is all or nothing with me. Either I don't think about the op at all, to the point when if someone mentions it I take several seconds to even realise what they are talking about. Denial I guess. But then other times I get thinking about it and can't switch it off. I think that for me the biggest issue has been all the problems that I have had with the NHS. That has clouded everything for me. It has completely tainted this whole experience and drained all my energy into the bargain. What should have been one outpatients appointment and then into hospital for the op has instead been an absolute nightmare. My trust level is now virtually zero. So far they have got nothing at all right, not even the name on my file but now from somewhere I have to find the belief that they will get this op right. If they just freely admitted they have got it so wrong and the hell they have put me though then maybe it would help. The next letter from the hospital re. my complaint should arrive in the next few days. I think that will affect how things proceed from there. I know that all the problems have been a bit of a diversion, a smokescreen, but if the NHS has a caring face I sure as hell haven't seen it!

As for \"could I live like this for ever without the op?\" I don't know. The words ....\"better the devil you know\" come to mind. Right now I wouldn't trust any of them to walk my dog! Maybe this is all part of their ploy to get people off the waiting list. Make things so bad that they would rather walk away towards a lifetime of pain than ever let you anywhere near them again!! Will I get over this wall???????? :? :? :? :?

Best wishes

TFU

hi tfu

you will get over the wall, you must have faith in the surgeons ability, and as i have found out through research and by word and mouth the surgeon is usually the last person to know what is going on with admission times and the attitude of some staff. i have pulled the names of my surgeons up on the net and they both have excellent recommenations, so thats what i think of . gail

Hi Gail

Unfortunately for me, the surgeon is the main problem. Her part in what has gone wrong is probably about 80%. I don't suppose I'd be allowed to write here all that has happened, what she tried to do, about her lies, how she has broken NHS regulations, or what I think of her as a result. The Head of Neurosurgery asked me if as part of resolving my complaint I wanted to defer the surgery to see either him or someone else, but I said no. I can see no point. And if I do that then the \"NHS clock\" ticking away gets frozen. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

This is why I want to see the next reply to my complaint, because I have very specifically challenged them on certain points and I want them to admit she was wrong. History has proved she is wrong.

I'm sure she probably is a very good surgeon and I'm equally sure that her private patients get a wonderful service. But for NHS lowlife such as myself it seems that she thinks she can do as she pleases. And as for apologise, heaven forbid, I think she would rather eat her own eyes!

Hopefully the letter will be issued today. They are going to e-mail it and post it to me.

I'll let you know....