RE: I'm Really Really Upset!!!

[Guest guest]

Thank you for your understanding and kind words. I felt better

reading your post. Sometime I feel like the people in my life in some

capacities just don't get what I am going through. Everyone has been

wonderful and how could they know not having been through this

themselves. It is just so helful and wonderful to have this

supportive group of people who understand what the outside world

doesn't and in someways just cannot. I'm holding you to your promise

about feeling better this week.... by the way. I didn't think I

would have a breakdown stage! But all of this has been too much! It

must be like you said also having the hunger and exhaustion. Thank

you again, Katja

[Guest guest]

Good analogy.. Plane in holding pattern.. gotta remember that one . Try and

have some humour about the whole thing... my boss told me the other day that I

have such a humourous attitude towards the whole thing that it alone will make

it so much easier.... I guess i just make light of htings that embarrass me,

like my imperfections. I am still working on getting the bumper stickers made

for me and my dads cars... mine will say " The rest of my Jag is in my mouth " and

my dads " My Son and my money goto Dr. Jensen " .

And hey, did you doctor say liquid diet? Beer is a liquid.. right? lol.. JK I

dont think alcohol is recommended with all the drugs but it could provide for

some fun times...lol..again just kidding.

Oh well, any further humour about the situation that pops into my head I'll

forward your way.... I'll be int eh same boat next month and Im sure I will have

everything possible go wrong with mine too... I just know things never go right,

so may as well expect it -

Later

K

katja750 <no_reply > wrote:

Hi Kev,

Thanks for the suggestion. You sound like my Dad. I meet with the

Doctor this Thursday and absolutely intend to communicate my severe

displeasure in his and the resident doctors' oversight at my expense.

I guess I will guage how to proceed from his response. I am in the

US. Thanks for the idea. In response to your posts...I too have felt

very much like my life has been on hold for a very long time.... I am

constantly describing it like a plane in a seemingly interminable

holding pattern over the Airport " Katja's Life " . Thanks again, Katja

>

> I just got off the phone with my doctor and I dont know what to

think

> or how to feel.... I feel deeply upset.... as you may have read in

> earlier posts of mine, I have been having some problems with my

pain

> medication adequately managing my pain. As I was leaving the

> hospital, I made sure to get very explicit instructions from the

> nurse, per the discharge instruction sheet from the doctor she went

> over with me, about what meds to take when and how much. For

> inflammation,I was recommended take something like Motrin and to

> follow the label instructions. I was prescribed hydrocodone. And I

> had cephalexin to take as my antibiotic. I went home and proceeded

to

> take the meds as instructed. They weren't cutting the pain so I

kept

> changing the frequency between the meds and tried a couple

different

> combinations- giving each a day or so to even out and start

helping.

> Nothing did. Finally I could no longer bear it- the pain wasn't

> helped enough for the med to last for the 3 or 4 hour duration

until

> the next dose was due. Forget about sleeping through the night, let

> alone over sleeping by an hour. Sunday morning my mother called and

> spoke to the afterhours resident. First he mentioned that I could

> take a lot more motrin with the present dose of the hydrocodone.

Then

> he prescribed percocet instead of the hydrocodone because I was

> convinced it wasn't helping and needed something better. He never

> mentioned taking more of the motrin with the new pain med. When my

> mom picked up the meds, the pharmacist mentioned that I could take

> more motrin at a time- 2 pills instead of one every 4 hours. So I

> started on my merry way with the new meds and routine. They seemed

to

> help more, but definitely didn't help beyond their 4 hour scope. (I

> have not slept more than three hours together since before my

surgery

> last Weds 3/9.) I am ragged at this point.

>

> Then, Monday evening, after the Doctor's office had already closed,

I

> noticed an itchy rash all over my body. I looked at the

prescription

> information that came with each med. Only the hydrocodone that I

had

> discontinued the day before and the antibiotic listed skin

> rash/itching as adverse/allergic reactions. So, I called the after

> hours number again and spoke with the same resident doctor. He

> advised that I switch back to the original pain medication and

> reitterated that I take the increased dose of motrin as well. So, I

> started that. I mentioned to him that the newer pain medication

> mentioned nothing about skin rash or itching as a side effect, but

> that only the antibiotic I was on did. He said that I was fine

before

> and the only change was with switching the pain med, so I should

> switch back and that he'd call in the morning to check my progress.

> Well, as the night progressed, the rash spread and worsened

becoming

> oh so much itchier. (One place where I have the rash is my upper

arms

> and underarms. You can imagine what I look like when I am

scratching

> myself there- banana anyone??) So, I called my doctor's office in

the

> morning. He said it WAS probably the antibiotic and to discontinue

> THAT, and in its place he'd prescribe another. He also asked how

the

> pain meds were going and asked " you've been taking 4 motrin every 4

> hours, right? " WHAT?!?!?! WHAT!?!?!?! I started to melt..... I told

> him only since yesterday, explaining that I had NEVER been

instructed

> to take that many at my discharge- that I was only instructed to

> follow the label directions. He repies that " Oh, no. That wouldn't

> begin to scratch the surface. Furthermore, that motrin is more

> important than the narcotic in regulating your comfort because it

> helps so much with the inflammation. " I am dying at that for the

> amount of pain I have suffered NEEDLESSLY the for past 5 days and

for

> the amount of sleep I have lost and how both have been to the

> detriment of my healing. He proceeds to tell me I should have

called.

> HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW!?!?!!? I kept trying to change things. I

> didn't want to bother them with such a question if I could simply

> tweak what I was doing and resolve it myself. I didn't know how

much

> pain I should reasonably expect to be in. I was following their

> instructions. Simply put, I DIDN'T KNOW. and furthermore, NO ONE

TOLD

> ME. I told him that I was never given those instructions at my

> discharge....

>

> YOu guys!!! I feel SO upset and depressed! I Just can't get over

> what I have gone through and how much I have been hurting and

feeling

> beyond miserable but enduring everything- ALL FOR NOTHING because

no

> one thought my comfort was important enough to ensure I got the

> correct instructions. When I got off of the phone I melted into a

> puddle of sobbing and tears. I just can't believe it. I have felt

so

> Horrible and all for nothing. I have felt so terrible when I didn't

> need to be feeling terrible. I never had to feel that way, I could

> have had such a better time of it. I just am so upset. I can barely

> stop crying and feeling so pathetically sorry for myself.... My

eyes

> tear up everytime I think of what I have been through for no

reason.

> Some else was lazy at my expense. I am just so exhausted and now

> completely emotionally battered as well as physically.

> Thank you for listening to my pity party....

> katja

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Katja,

I haven't made it to the other side, so I have no advice to offer. I hope

the new pain medication helps ease your discomfort.

It is frustrating when we have to be our own best resource when it comes to

doctors. I'm here only because of negligence on my dentist's part in fitting

me for a device that is known to cause open bites. I was never once informed

of this risk nor was I monitored for alignment changes. In fact, it was me

asking about the bite change! Now here I am in braces for 24 hrs (ouch) and

surgery down the road - out about $16,000 to $36,000 w/o insurance.

Please take one hour at a time and try to work through your physical and

emotional pain. I read somehwere on this board there is something called

hitting the wall...sounds like you're there. Breethe deep and try to relax.

There are people all over the world thinking of you and sending well

wishes...you're not in this alone!

Diane

>From: katja750 <no_reply >

>Reply-To: orthognathicsurgerysupport

>To: orthognathicsurgerysupport

>Subject: [Orthognathic Surgery Support ] I'm Really Really Upset!!!

>Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 15:00:23 -0000

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Katja,

I'm sorry you're having such a difficult time with your meds. You

should always contact your doctor if something is bothering you -

don't feel bad about it, it's their job to help you. I guess for

this kind of surgery doctors might not be very vigilant about pain

since many people are not in that much pain from it as much as

discomfort - I took pain meds for maybe 1 or 2 days after getting back

from the hospital and that was it. Sleeping was also difficult - I

was tired, but could not fall asleep, even with Ambien. The first

week sucks - there is no way around it. But it WILL get better. And

Jody is right that this time is very emotional time for many of us.

I don't usually cry a lot (my husband's the one who cries during

movies ), but I've been crying my eyes out this past week. My

2-year-old was staying with her grandparents, and, while I usually had

no problems leaving her for a week of vacation, this time I was

absolutely miserable without her, and crying every time I saw her

picture. I know that even when people are trying to be nice to you,

they still don't understand how difficult it is to go through this

surgery. Try to stay positive, and maybe get out for a walk or do

some shopping - it might make you feel better, and they say activity

helps the swelling to go down. My first trip after the doctor's

office was a shoe store - a very uplifting experience . And you can

always complain to us here - we'll listen and understand.

Just a little bit longer.......

Irene.

>

> I just got off the phone with my doctor and I dont know what to think

> or how to feel.... I feel deeply upset.... as you may have read in

> earlier posts of mine, I have been having some problems with my pain

> medication adequately managing my pain. As I was leaving the

> hospital, I made sure to get very explicit instructions from the

> nurse, per the discharge instruction sheet from the doctor she went

> over with me, about what meds to take when and how much. For

> inflammation,I was recommended take something like Motrin and to

> follow the label instructions. I was prescribed hydrocodone. And I

> had cephalexin to take as my antibiotic. I went home and proceeded to

> take the meds as instructed. They weren't cutting the pain so I kept

> changing the frequency between the meds and tried a couple different

> combinations- giving each a day or so to even out and start helping.

> Nothing did. Finally I could no longer bear it- the pain wasn't

> helped enough for the med to last for the 3 or 4 hour duration until

> the next dose was due. Forget about sleeping through the night, let

> alone over sleeping by an hour. Sunday morning my mother called and

> spoke to the afterhours resident. First he mentioned that I could

> take a lot more motrin with the present dose of the hydrocodone. Then

> he prescribed percocet instead of the hydrocodone because I was

> convinced it wasn't helping and needed something better. He never

> mentioned taking more of the motrin with the new pain med. When my

> mom picked up the meds, the pharmacist mentioned that I could take

> more motrin at a time- 2 pills instead of one every 4 hours. So I

> started on my merry way with the new meds and routine. They seemed to

> help more, but definitely didn't help beyond their 4 hour scope. (I

> have not slept more than three hours together since before my surgery

> last Weds 3/9.) I am ragged at this point.

>

> Then, Monday evening, after the Doctor's office had already closed, I

> noticed an itchy rash all over my body. I looked at the prescription

> information that came with each med. Only the hydrocodone that I had

> discontinued the day before and the antibiotic listed skin

> rash/itching as adverse/allergic reactions. So, I called the after

> hours number again and spoke with the same resident doctor. He

> advised that I switch back to the original pain medication and

> reitterated that I take the increased dose of motrin as well. So, I

> started that. I mentioned to him that the newer pain medication

> mentioned nothing about skin rash or itching as a side effect, but

> that only the antibiotic I was on did. He said that I was fine before

> and the only change was with switching the pain med, so I should

> switch back and that he'd call in the morning to check my progress.

> Well, as the night progressed, the rash spread and worsened becoming

> oh so much itchier. (One place where I have the rash is my upper arms

> and underarms. You can imagine what I look like when I am scratching

> myself there- banana anyone??) So, I called my doctor's office in the

> morning. He said it WAS probably the antibiotic and to discontinue

> THAT, and in its place he'd prescribe another. He also asked how the

> pain meds were going and asked " you've been taking 4 motrin every 4

> hours, right? " WHAT?!?!?! WHAT!?!?!?! I started to melt..... I told

> him only since yesterday, explaining that I had NEVER been instructed

> to take that many at my discharge- that I was only instructed to

> follow the label directions. He repies that " Oh, no. That wouldn't

> begin to scratch the surface. Furthermore, that motrin is more

> important than the narcotic in regulating your comfort because it

> helps so much with the inflammation. " I am dying at that for the

> amount of pain I have suffered NEEDLESSLY the for past 5 days and for

> the amount of sleep I have lost and how both have been to the

> detriment of my healing. He proceeds to tell me I should have called.

> HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW!?!?!!? I kept trying to change things. I

> didn't want to bother them with such a question if I could simply

> tweak what I was doing and resolve it myself. I didn't know how much

> pain I should reasonably expect to be in. I was following their

> instructions. Simply put, I DIDN'T KNOW. and furthermore, NO ONE TOLD

> ME. I told him that I was never given those instructions at my

> discharge....

>

> YOu guys!!! I feel SO upset and depressed! I Just can't get over

> what I have gone through and how much I have been hurting and feeling

> beyond miserable but enduring everything- ALL FOR NOTHING because no

> one thought my comfort was important enough to ensure I got the

> correct instructions. When I got off of the phone I melted into a

> puddle of sobbing and tears. I just can't believe it. I have felt so

> Horrible and all for nothing. I have felt so terrible when I didn't

> need to be feeling terrible. I never had to feel that way, I could

> have had such a better time of it. I just am so upset. I can barely

> stop crying and feeling so pathetically sorry for myself.... My eyes

> tear up everytime I think of what I have been through for no reason.

> Some else was lazy at my expense. I am just so exhausted and now

> completely emotionally battered as well as physically.

> Thank you for listening to my pity party....

> katja