pain seems worse now after epidural

Hi Jess

I am so glad that you have made contact. I was really worried that you had been whisked into hospital again. But you haven't and now I can stop worrying!!!

It seems that you are not in a good place right now. Hopefully the consultant will have some answers for you next week. It's still early days Jess and you have been through so much.

I don't dream about losing my legs. But I do dream about being taken back into hospital against my will...dragged, screaming, shouting and fighting. I have dreams about having another fit/seizure. I have dreams about fluid cascading from my back that no-one can stop. But I know that it is driven by fear and trauma and I suspect that is what is happening to you too. I assume you have had no luck tracking down the elusive medical counsellor?? Maybe the consultant can point you in the right direction next week. What your going through is perfectly normal. Not nice, but normal. That's what trauma is....a normal reaction to an abnormal situation. And yes I am scared, no much how much logic I try to apply to the situation. So many facets. But then because I have Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder anyway, I spent half my time blocking it all out and half my time completely overwhelmed by it all.

I don't know if this helps Jess, but you are not alone.

Best wishes

TFU

Hi Sue

Is there another GP at the surgery that you can see?? I think that some GPs see so many people with back pain that they just think we are all whingers and/or malingerers. At my surgery I came across as many different opinions as the number of GPs I saw.

Maybe your Chiropractor could do a letter for your GP? He may not take much notice but at least it will be on his file. Getting into \"the system\" is so difficult. There is so much difference in the level of care that people receive and it is totally unfair. It isn't healthy to do nothing if the symptoms persist. Painkillers just mask the problem they are never going to cure you. As it is, short of a clinical emergency it will likely take you three months to get a referral/MRI. If it does get unbearable I agree you should just turn up at your A&E. That in itself won't necessarily get you very far, but your GP will be sent a report and then afterwards you can go back to see him and say \"see, I told you it was really bad, how much worse does it have to get before you do something!!!\". Keep banging on the doors and don't be fobbed off!!

TFU

Rest assured Jess, I have already started a formal complaint to do with everything concerning my \"care\". I use that word very loosely!!! Having cocked up the first op, they just kept going. They are in deep s**t and they know it!!!

TFU

Hi TFU

I really am great now my 1st op was 10 yrs ago and I had 8 yrs of normality didnt think for a second it would happen again, then bam a major prolapsed 100 times worse than the first and you know the rest! That was 2 yrs ago this month but this time I would say it took a year to recover and I do make adjustments as I know not to push it. I was a keen runner previuolsy and did start doing a bit again last year but had a scare in Jan so have decided to stop all together but I swim, do low impact stuff so its not the end of the world you just work around it. I am a model ex patient now I do my stretches everyday, have a 'special' chair at work and stand up through most train / flight's etc that I need to take.

People think I am slighty mad (which is nothing new ... ha ha) but I dont care I will do anything not to be there again.

I have NO PAIN and live my life pretty much as before but I am just more careful now. The key is dont rush it make sure you heal as well as possible the time taken now will be worth it in te long run!!

Take care and keep me updated with you progress if you have any questions at all ask away xxx

Hey TFU

Go for it. I am too but not to the extent you are going through.

A friend of mine has been going through a claim for ages now as our local hospital kindly operated on her wrist - and did it wrong!!!! Then operated again - and guess what? - did it wrong again. You should see the state of it.

I sometimes wonder how these so called professionals get their qualifications as I am sure I could do a better job half the time hahahahaha.

Really feel for you. Keep on smiling though. At least they cant ruin that.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Jess

Hi everyone

Just wanted to say happy easter to you all. :chick:

Hope you all get lots of chocolate eggs etc. mmmmmmmmmmm.

Always seems to make you fell better doesn't it?

I managed to walk round ASDA yesterday with hubby to do shopping.

Paying for it now BIG style. My right leg feels like 2500 volts of electricity are coursing through it, and it wont stop!!!!!! My back aches, but weirdly it aches the most on the spine near the middle of my back which I haven't had a problem with. Oh well. Back to the chocolate. (better not eat much more or I wont be able to eat Sunday roast at mothers!!)

Smiles, kisses and hugs to all. :D :lol:

Jess

hi tfu

well that just about sums up the \"care\" that you,ve recieved, pathetic! you should have finished your physio now not just starting grrrrr makes me mad. will you go? as for hospital appointments i had mine for the ent clinic that my surgeon asked for as priority days after my surgery, due to the problem with my throat (voice and the permanant lump) well i cancelled whats the point now! ive got used to it. and ive still not recieved my post-op appointment what a joke eh.gail

hi jess

every day counts, every day you,ll find something that you couldnt do the day before, there are peps out there that heal (me lol) but with this type of injury it does take a LONG time my surgeon said anything up to a year , ive still got post op symptoms of a kind , as i supposed most of us post op people , you sound like a positive kind of gal , and i know what its like to look at 4 walls every day or should i say a ceiling lol (on my back for a month)but one day you will post saying you feel better im sure. chin up thank god for the internet eh, gail

happy easter all

no eggs for me ill be working from 7-12 then again from 6-9 tonight, so having a sleep this afternoon, lol but enjoy your chocs all. gail

Hi girls

And happy easter to all!!!

Pathetic, yep that about sums it up. And all this from the hospital that allegedly has the best neurosurgery unit in the country. But I have learned so much. Taught myself so much, which is just as well bcause the information that I have received from the so called professionals is inadequate at best and down right lies at worse. I really never thought it would be like this. My left leg has been really messed up the last few days and it is finally starting to sink in that it is highly unlikely that it will ever improve. But to the Consultant I am just a name on a file, albeit now a rather chunky file!!! I don't want to see loads of Consultants. I just want to be better. I'm not even seeing a normal physiotherapist, but a Consultant.....so my current list of Consultants I'm seeing/being lined up to see are the Neurosurgeon, Neurologist, Urologist and Physio & Muscular/skeletal Specialist. And nothing moves quickly, this is going to drag on for months. I want to think about changing my job, but that can't happen with all this uncertainty and if I end up back in hospital for another op then nobody else would employ me anyway. Once the complaints procedure really kicks off it would probably be in my interest to change hospitals.

Sounds Gail like you should have seen this ENT man weeks ago and what is their excuse for not giving you a post op appointment yet??? The whole system sux!! Did I tell you that after the second surgery the Consultant forgot to send my GP a discharge letter. Bearing in mind I had been admitted three times in short succession it is disgraceful. I brought it up at the last appointment...she has done it now and he got it three months after I was discharged!!! In view of all the residual problems I think it is quite shameful, I really do!!! She didn't even apologise to me!! Actually I think that all these doctors have had intensive hypnotherapy and the word \"sorry\" has been completely irradicated from their memory and understanding. And in it's place has been put an extra helping of arrogance!! Oh don't we love the good ship NHS and all the doctors who sail in her!!!

And now to more important things.....easter eggs!! Of which I need to eat many as I am still losing weight but not dieting!! So far over three stones in six months...all to do with my back but i can't get a straight answer from anybody as to why!!!!

Best wishes for a healthy and pain free Easter. Cheers!!!

TFU

Hi All,

I'm still unable to do very much without getting pain in my back and it's 12 weeks tomorrow since my Op . I've only been to 1 Physio appointment as they've cancelled a couple and so have I, to be honest I think it's a waste of time, I think I'll be better going swimming a couple of times a week instead. Last week I had some shopping delivered from Tesco, I bent down to pick up a bag and put my back out for a couple of days, the pain was bad. It was my left leg and foot that was the problem, but over the last few days, when I pee I'm getting pins and needles in my right foot :? . What on earths going on now? Has anyone else had this problem. I'm going to see the Consultant on the 1st April (what a day to go) so, I'll ask him about it then.

Angela

Hi Angela

I'm sorry to hear that you are still having a lot of pain, hopefully the Consultant can give you some answers next week. I think that we all know instinctively when the body isn't repairing itself as quickly as it should. Make sure he listens to you.

I was going to start going swimming as part of my recovery programme but to be honest I hate being cold, so I haven't. You have nothing to lose by giving it a whirl!!!

The pins and needles in your right foot thing going on when you pee, suggests that there is some nerve interference there, but why now I don't know. For months I have had a really bad pain in my left foot when I go to the toilet (no2's). It is like my foot is about to give birth. I mentioned it again recently to the Consultant. I thought it all made perfect sense to her. But she is totally puzzled. I didn't find that very encouraging, bearing in mind the number of people that she must have seen over the years. She did say it was referred pain. Maybe that is what you are experiencing too?? It's all a bit weird isn't it??

Have you managed to sort out something about your mortgage repayments?? I know how stressful that can be.

Today took a huge step and wrote to tell the hospital that I want to change surgeons. I should have done it ages ago, after all that has happened. I think the final straw was the last appointment I had and finding out the I need to be referred now to 3 other Consultants, as well as needing an MRI etc in case I need a further operation. Actually the final straw was hearing that the reason for my ongoing back/leg problems may be that when stitching up the dural tear she could have sewn in a nerve ending!! So now I am in uncharterd waters as I have no idea who I will see or how long it will take. But as I have an ongoing complaint now they can hardly be surprised by my actions. For some reason though it does make me really nervous. Have you had the same Consultant all the way through??

Best wishes

TFU

Has my subject says i'm new to this :D

I've suffered with back problems for about 15 years but had real bad problems for about 3yrs I had a micro disectomy the end of september that has now made me even worse i have constance pain down both of my legs and in the past 3 weeks have been put on morphine patches it's that bad i have 2 pre school sons that i can't do the things a mother should be able to do with them :cry:

It's killing me to loss my life this way and i just need to know that their are other people out there that understands, i have people around me that try to understand but if they're not in the same position it's impossible for them, i feel like i'm loosing my sanity.

many thanks for listening to me ranting but i really need to let off steam :x

Hi Vicky

Welcome.

I'm sorry to hear that you are in so much pain now post your microdiscectomy. I guess that you went into it with such high expectations. I don't envy you going through all of this with two pre-school children to look after. Mine are in their twenties now, but the two still at home still rely on me to do absolutely everything!! I know what you mean about the family not really understanding what you are going through. I think that people do genuinely try to understand, but without that experience themselves, they are never going to get there. Rest assured you are in a good place here!!!

Are you still seeing your Consultant?? What has he got to say??

I'm sort of lucky because the meds tend to keep the pain under control so I was able to go back to work recently. In fact the numbness in my leg/foot has always been more of a worry to me. It is extensive and has never got better. That said I have so many problems still post the first surgery in December. I think what I really hate is the uncertainty of knowing my final prognosis. Will I get better or won't I?? At least then I could make some concrete plans and would know where I stood!! I think that applies to quite a few of us here.

Best wishes

TFU

Feeling miserable.

I cant talk to anyone here about how I feel. I'm really miserable. I know you are supposed to think of the positives and what you CAN do, but all I think about is \"I cant do this\" or \"I used to do that and now I cant\" etc. My headfeels like it is going to explode. I'm sorry, but I hate the way I am now. I cant do anything.

The consultant said yesterday that we are looking at 6 months before my movements are anywhere near normal - same as the physion said. Then he said I may need a fourth operation later on in the year. I hate all this.

My tablets have been upped to 600mg of pregabalin and 50 mg amatryptaline, plus the pain relief ones. I am soooo dopped up. Its like I'm drunlk all the time and worse!!!!!!!!

He told me I'd have to put up with it for now. Great one.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Sorry. Going now.

Jessica