Hello, Everyone:
I don't post often but have been a daily reader for several years. Last November I ruptured my L5-S1 disc and ended up needing emergency surgery to remove the piece of disc that was crushing my sciatic nerve. About 60% of the disc material remains.
I'm posting now for two reasons.
1. I'm wondering if anyone else out there has been through this and what kind of activity you were able to return to. (I know everyone's unique, but I'm not getting out much these days, so any communication is much appreciated.) Two months out of surgery I'm still having trouble sitting, which is why I haven't been around here lately. I'm walking up to 90 minutes a day, getting in intervals with hills, but the surgeon won't let me do anything else except light arm exercises while lying in bed with 5 lb. weights.
2. During the five weeks waiting for my surgery I was put on an array of drugs to keep my brain from registering the excruciating pain. I received no real counseling or information about what Vicodin and Ativan do to you, both while you are gtuzzling them just to stay sane, and much worse, while you are trying to get off them. My pain was gone right after surgery, so there was no need to take anything but a little anti-inflammatory to aid with swelling. Someone said something about tapering off, but no one told me how, so, since I had loathed taking the stuff from the beginning, I quit after only a couple days of tapering. The withdrawl was almost unbearable. It reminded me of those films about heroin addicts they used to show us in Junior High. I just want to share with you folks that if you ever are on narcatics for a long time, please get help in getting off them, and make sure your family understands what's going on.
Thanks for taking the trouble to read this. I miss you all. Did Cathe have her baby yet? Honeybunch, I was thinking of trying some of your recipes while I'm laid up, but I've alrerady put on ten pounds so I'll have to wait until I can do it as a reward.
--Ann
I don't post often but have been a daily reader for several years. Last November I ruptured my L5-S1 disc and ended up needing emergency surgery to remove the piece of disc that was crushing my sciatic nerve. About 60% of the disc material remains.
I'm posting now for two reasons.
1. I'm wondering if anyone else out there has been through this and what kind of activity you were able to return to. (I know everyone's unique, but I'm not getting out much these days, so any communication is much appreciated.) Two months out of surgery I'm still having trouble sitting, which is why I haven't been around here lately. I'm walking up to 90 minutes a day, getting in intervals with hills, but the surgeon won't let me do anything else except light arm exercises while lying in bed with 5 lb. weights.
2. During the five weeks waiting for my surgery I was put on an array of drugs to keep my brain from registering the excruciating pain. I received no real counseling or information about what Vicodin and Ativan do to you, both while you are gtuzzling them just to stay sane, and much worse, while you are trying to get off them. My pain was gone right after surgery, so there was no need to take anything but a little anti-inflammatory to aid with swelling. Someone said something about tapering off, but no one told me how, so, since I had loathed taking the stuff from the beginning, I quit after only a couple days of tapering. The withdrawl was almost unbearable. It reminded me of those films about heroin addicts they used to show us in Junior High. I just want to share with you folks that if you ever are on narcatics for a long time, please get help in getting off them, and make sure your family understands what's going on.
Thanks for taking the trouble to read this. I miss you all. Did Cathe have her baby yet? Honeybunch, I was thinking of trying some of your recipes while I'm laid up, but I've alrerady put on ten pounds so I'll have to wait until I can do it as a reward.
--Ann