re: More Surgery and Pain Med Addiction

[Guest guest]

Hi Jen:

I've been thinking about you all day today as you have yet another

surgery. I think I kinda know what you are going thru. I've had 3

ankle fusions in four years and one arthroscopic surgery on a knee

during this time. I go back to yet another dr on March 14 for what I

suspect will result in yet another fusion on this d*mn ankle. For

me, it really helped to get on an antidepressant (Cymbalta). I found

that I was sometimes using pain meds to mask the emotional

pain/stress of all the surgeries as well as the actual surgery pain.

My neuro was the one to recommend the Cymbalta. She said it would

help with neuropathic pain as well as help me to deal with the

changes that have happened in my quality of life. Of course, the

Cymbalta doesn't help the bone pain that results from those God awful

screws and bolts. I have found that heat helps with that more than

anything else. I guess I'm lucky in a way because I always have

weird reactions (hives, kidney malfunctions, etc.) to prescription

pain meds so I haven't had a problem with addiction.

Anyway, I'm with you on all your going thru and if you just need a

friend to talk to you can e-mail me at jlfnly@.... I don't

think anyone can really understand this unless you've been there. I

wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.