Hi there! I don't know who (if anyone) regularly reads this, but I try to write from my patient's perspective and as a former(and possibly future) patient I should probably address the pharmacological buffet that I was prescribed immediately following the surgery to have the tumor removed. I was prescribed a variety of Narcotics, Hypnotics and Benzodiazapines (and a lot of other stuff) for a host of post-surgical issues. Pain, oceans of pain. Anxiety (MRIs), sleep(or lack thereof), dizziness and no balance. From strongest and most helpful and least invasive on down to the current (I don't take anything and haven't since November of last year). What I can remember is the following:
1. Fentanyl - Patch 50/75/100 - Yes, they were narcotic patches that were supposed to stick to you, and when they stuck, they were pretty effective.
For "breakthrough" pain I was prescribed LOTS O' pills. When you are in true agony, there seems to be NO relief. Pills affect everybody differently and everybody the same: In the end, you need more pills. That seems to be the common sentiment amongst doctors, patients and pharmacists. And they don't fix anything. At all. Having said that, here is a list of all the painkillers I was prescribed in 2011 (that I can remember):
2. Dilaudid - 2 and 4mg
3. Oxycontin - 40mg/x2 a day
4. Morphine (in pill form/what strength ???)
5. Hydrocodone - 10/325, 7.5/500, 5/500 (generic for Vicodin/Acetomenophine)
And those are just the narcotics! When I was going back and forth to the hospital a lot, I was also prescribed everything from Xanax to Lorazepam(the former made me sleepy the latter made me nuts!)
About a year or so ago I had enough. None of these pills in any combination were ever going to repair my eyesight, or restore my balance or remove the dizziness. I'm beginning to understand, all that will have to come from me. Maybe there was a period of time when I needed some medicine to heal and a lot of rest. When you have brain surgery or let's be blunt, any trauma that really and truly messes you up, it's all just medicine, it's not fun or relaxing or anything good. I look back on that time as lost and painful.
Since my husband is very much into health and we are trying to speed up this interminable healing process I go to the gym and practice walking seven days a week. I see the world and everyone in it very differently. I still feel as though I'm under siege, 24/7. I figure the least I can do is keep in shape for the huge challenges thrown my way every day and lighten my carcass as much as possible (so there's less of me for my husband to cart around). My head still hurts a lot of the time. Nothing helps, so I don't take anything. A doctor, when hearing about my desire to stay narcotic-free, remarked, "Pain means you're alive." I hope so, I'd hate to think all this suffering was for nothing...
1. Fentanyl - Patch 50/75/100 - Yes, they were narcotic patches that were supposed to stick to you, and when they stuck, they were pretty effective.
For "breakthrough" pain I was prescribed LOTS O' pills. When you are in true agony, there seems to be NO relief. Pills affect everybody differently and everybody the same: In the end, you need more pills. That seems to be the common sentiment amongst doctors, patients and pharmacists. And they don't fix anything. At all. Having said that, here is a list of all the painkillers I was prescribed in 2011 (that I can remember):
2. Dilaudid - 2 and 4mg
3. Oxycontin - 40mg/x2 a day
4. Morphine (in pill form/what strength ???)
5. Hydrocodone - 10/325, 7.5/500, 5/500 (generic for Vicodin/Acetomenophine)
And those are just the narcotics! When I was going back and forth to the hospital a lot, I was also prescribed everything from Xanax to Lorazepam(the former made me sleepy the latter made me nuts!)
About a year or so ago I had enough. None of these pills in any combination were ever going to repair my eyesight, or restore my balance or remove the dizziness. I'm beginning to understand, all that will have to come from me. Maybe there was a period of time when I needed some medicine to heal and a lot of rest. When you have brain surgery or let's be blunt, any trauma that really and truly messes you up, it's all just medicine, it's not fun or relaxing or anything good. I look back on that time as lost and painful.
Since my husband is very much into health and we are trying to speed up this interminable healing process I go to the gym and practice walking seven days a week. I see the world and everyone in it very differently. I still feel as though I'm under siege, 24/7. I figure the least I can do is keep in shape for the huge challenges thrown my way every day and lighten my carcass as much as possible (so there's less of me for my husband to cart around). My head still hurts a lot of the time. Nothing helps, so I don't take anything. A doctor, when hearing about my desire to stay narcotic-free, remarked, "Pain means you're alive." I hope so, I'd hate to think all this suffering was for nothing...
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