4 mo. post-surgery pain?

[Guest DeeHee]

It seems my back pain is worse now than 2 mo. ago. Burning pain and general back pain. All my doctors say is "It takes a long time and take pain pills." Help ! How much longer might this go on? Only thing that seems to help is leaning back in my recliner. Any physical therapy anyone has tried? I'm handling the chemo pretty good, but this surgery pain is a PAIN.

DeeHee

[mhutch1366]

Dee,

What kind of pain meds are you taking?

I take Vioxx for the inflammation and bone pain,

and neurontin for the burning/fuzzy pain from nerves.

I also still take ms contin for the pain.

I had a rather large surgical incision, and there was a

rather large piece missing when they put me back together.

Some people can come right off the pain meds.

Some cannot. I couldn't, and two years out I had to start neurontin.

What ever it takes to get up and functioning, we're all different.

My oncologist isn't upset; he has some people 12 years out still on pain meds, and guessed I'd probably be long term too.

This was after 15 months of PT to get the left arm range of motion back, the surgery and radiation had it pretty well limp... Got most of it back.

Keep up the good work, 4 months is a relatively short amount of time!!

XOXOXOXOX

Prayers, always,

MaryAnn

[Frank Lamb]

Dee,I'm a little over 1 year out from surgery and still have a little pain.It takes a pretty long time for pain to go away.(4 to 6 mos).This is a very painful operation and they brake ribs etc. so give it some more time.

[David A]

Almost 2 years out of surgery here and still have pain,not sure it is from surgery though although very like it, still take oxycontin 2omg 3 x daily and vicodin for breakthough pain, I'm not famous for being a hero when it comes to pain. I wish you luck, I think they cut alot of nerves when we get this surgery and it takes a while to heal(adjust to it). David A

[Snowflake]

Oh Dee, can we talk?

My surgery was 02/03. I STILL have pains and days where a "harness" is out of the question. My incision site is on my right side, my pains mostly on the same side...

The scar itself has some numb areas and some that can only be described as "electric" to the touch. These areas travel, or so it seems...

I was off pain meds within three weeks of getting home, but I HAD to be, I was starting to have an allergic reaction AND Advil was doing a better job at controlling the pain...

Currently, I have Vioxx for the deep pain of joints (my left shoulder specifically). IF THE PAIN DOES NOT "EASE" AT ALL, BE SURE YOUR DOCTOR IS AWARE OF IT! For my shoulder pain, my doctor felt it was "nothing" but recently did a bone scan to be sure. Aleve contains naproxsyn, an over-the-counter strength of Naprosyn - this could help, as well...

I vaguely remember back pain, I attributed it to walking and sitting "haunched over" to compensate for SHOULDER pain, but then again, it could just be that I HURT!

I will admit to my wimpiness - I spent nine days in the hospital after surgery because my pain could not be managed...I didn't think it would EVER stop burning - it did. THEN, it began to itch...but the nerves were scrambled and where I felt the itch had nothing to do with where I needed to scratch...(still suffer from that)... It DOES get better, but it takes time. This is no skinned knee...time is measured in weeks, not days.

Your body is going through a lot at this time. Be sure that your doctor is aware of how uncomfortable you are and that s/he is on top of it with giving you some medication that WORKS. There's no reason for you to be in pain.

Take care,

Becky

[Hebbie]

THEN, it began to itch...but the nerves were scrambled and where

I felt the itch had nothing to do with where I needed to scratch...(still suffer from that)...

Is THAT what the problem is????? I get those itchies and they drive me CRAZY!!!! So it has to do with the scrambled nerve endings???? Well, this is quite an "Ah-HA" moment for me!!!

Dee -- I concur with everything Becky said -- I had surgery in Feb. of 2003 and I still have some numbness, some stiffness and some zinging pains now and again. It really does just take time! Lung surgery is major stuff!!!

[chloesmom]

Dee,

I'm one year out from lung surgery and still have pains once in a while, but it's so much better than it was at 2months and 4 months. Could be from compensating for not moving that area that your back is in pain? Mention it to your docs, but believe us, this doesn't just go away quickly.

[Connie B]

Hi Dee,

Have your doctor's run any kind of tests to see if you may be having other problems other then it being the surgery? CT scan, X-ray, Altra-sound, what ever it takes to get to the bottom of this? Maybe that would be an option? The burning pain is what sounds different to me. I would push for an answer other then take pain pills. If your in THAT much pain, then the pain pills aren't doing the trick, or you need a different MG.

Please let us know how it goes for you. We like to hear how people are doing. I hope your pain will be better real soon.

[Tami]

and I still have pain. I had two thoracotomys and then a pneumonectomy. All on the left side. Then shortly after that I broke one of my ribs-everything in there still hurts and I've got some very strange numbness going on. I start to panic every once in a while especially when I get the armpit sensations but hey, the ole body has been through a lot. 3 chest surgeries, chemo and rads-it really is amazing how much we can put our bodies through. The surgeon who did my last surgery told me about all the strange positions they put you in during surgery-they even dislocated my shoulder during surgery to do some work. I think it takes a long time to heal -- 2 months is nothing! As some have said you may have aches and pains for years afterwards.