hello…i am brand new to this forum. i am having a lot of trouble finding forums with people who are in the same position as me. i will give a brief description of my injury and surgery. i have also posted this message under back problems, and it was suggested to me to try posting here as well.

my story:
i was the passenger in a near-fatal auto accident on 11.21.07. my husband walked away with a few scratches and bruises and my almost 3yr old twins made it through without a scratch! i, on the other hand, literally walked away with a broken back. i had a T5 burst fracture, a broken scapula, and several bruised and fractured ribs.

my surgical procedure consisted of a 7-level thoracic fusion (T2-T8). i am about 8 weeks post op and i am doing surprisingly well, considering my surgeons say i was a miracle…they said i should have either died or been paralyzed UPON IMPACT! i can walk effortlessly and have full use of my arms, with very little loss of range of motion. i still have some numbness in my elbow (from broken scapula) and my back is still slightly numb, generally around the incision site and my shoulder blades. but i feel great other wise and realize how truly blessed i am!!

i have been steadily doing research about my injury and my surgical procedure and i am really having a hard time finding a whole lot of information…apparently, i am a rare case??? so i am subscribing to this forum, b/c i am hoping to find someone who has had thoracic fusion or a thoracic burst fracture. i am really just looking for someone to talk to and exchange stories and progress notes.
CAN ANYONE RELATE???

thanks
rebecca

Any one else here see the similarities that all of us have?

1. I think we all used to be attractive active physically before we started having neck problems.

2. I think a lot of us are smokers.

3. If we aren’t active physically, such as sports, we were still running around trying to get things done.

4. I think a lot of us have a lot of responsibility in our lives.

5. I’m thinking that our jobs may have some play into our injuries as well.

6. And last one….I think many of us think that a wreck we have had in the past plays a part into our neck problems today. Except for those folks who have neck problems due to a wreck.

What do you all think? Did I leave anything out? Anyone curious in a tally? I’ll start it off…..

Smoker
Active in sports or exercise programs
Responsiblilty both on the job & at home
Desk Job

Next…………. http://www.healtheffect.net/ubb/smile.gif Cat

Hi Guys,

Just read a blurb about Endo Pharm. New Hydromorphone extrended-release drug called "Opana".

Anybody heard about this??

I am also on the patch 100 every 48 hrs. I was wondering if anyone else is on this combo? I take them 4 x a day for bt pain. It has helped a bit but does not last long for the bt pain.
Thanks any input would help.
Kari

I went into detox about 2 and a half weeks ago and they put me on suboxone - my choice. I’ve done the whole detox thing before but I relapsed attractive speedily after leaving. The cravings were just too strong and I had easy access to pills. And after I left detox the first time I never did find a psychiatrist who prescribes sub… well, I never found a psych doc at all.

This time around I’ve been seeing a psychiatrist who seems to be really nice and so far attractive helpful. He’s increased my sub dose to be 16 mg a day. We’ve been slowly increasing the doseage b/c he said that when I’m on suboxone I shouldn’t be having any cravings, so that’s why I’m at 16mgs right now. He mentioned that most of his patients are somewhere around that dose.

I’m wondering what doses others have been on? And while on sub did you have any cravings?

And please, I know everyone has different opinions on suboxone and whether or not it’s a good thing, etc…. I don’t want to start any sort of debate, I’m just wondering about dosing…

And I can’t stop crying about it. You can’t really "make a reservation", so I have two places lined up and hopefully one of them will have an opening for the day after Easter (should know for sure which one by Friday, though). I can’t believe I have done this to my kids. It will just be a 7-day detox. Not sure what I am down to now, as I took extra this weekend, being alone with the kids (gives me extra energy, because I get no sleep–dumb excuse, I know, but it’s all I’ve got). Went to a meeting last night after hubby got home from his ride. Keep trying to get in to see endocrinologist before I go in, so I can know what I am up against when I get out. I have an appointment w/ ADD doctor tomorrow. I know Strattera hasn’t helped yet, because it still took me an hour to get a gallon of milk (always have to go down every aisle!).

My sister in law will be here. I can’t imagine having any energy without these darn pills. But at least I won’t be going through w/d and hearing my kids scream for me at the same time.

Anyways, thanks for listening. I miss you guys. Wasn’t able to log on much this weekend. Everytime I would run up to check the computer, I ended up going downstairs to my little one standing on top of a chair with green crayon all over her mouth. At least I did get them to an egg hunt on Saturday and we did lots of finger painting and drawing yesterday.

I keep thinking of excuses not to go to my meeting tonight (my professional one). It’s almost like they look down at me because I am not "clean" and they don’t understand that w/o my husband’s cooperation and planning, I cannot just up and go to a hospital. Actually there is just one die-hard weird-o AA guy who always makes me feel that way, so I’ll just stay away from him.

Gosh I am just a cry-baby today! I am so proud of you guys who have done this "on your own". I have been planning to get off since November, and since I haven’t done it yet, I obviously need to go. Anyway, plans are basically finalized and it’s a go. Wow.

Hello,

My best friend, an addict, who was nearly drug free for many years, recently found a new drug of choice — meth. I know, it’s very scary.

I just talked to her and she is on her way to a meeting (thankfully!) and is considering in-patient treatment to begin her recovery.

She is married and has three kids (18, 12, 8). She knows the kids "know" something is going on with Mommy, but the issue has not been discussed at all and, with her habits and the way she uses, she has somehow managed to keep it enough of a secret that they have not asked or attempted to validate their concerns, fears or curiosity.

She just asked me what I thought about what she should tell the kids, how much she should tell and anything else in that vein. I told her, above all, to not lie to them (i.e. being someplace else when she might be in a treatment center), but that I would see what else I could find out. I tried the two therapists in my life (who work with kids and teens) and they are on vacation.

So, will you please offer your insight on this one issue — how and what to tell the kids about the addiction, the treatment and the recovery. I’d like to be able to forward the thread to her sooner than later.

Thanks so much.

I was told i have ibs but without the bowel issues, just the pain. Well for the past few days i have been feeling light headed and finally i went to the clinic since i am going to be home alone for the next week. Well they told me i was massively dehydrated. WHich i still dont understand, i drink water constantly throughout the day. Well they put 2 bags of fluids in me and sent me home. Yesterday i sill felt off so i went to my regular doc and he thinks i have an infection in my head so i got a shot in the rear of strong atibiotics and some clairatin. Yesterday i spent the rest of the day and night home just relaxing and laying around. I have never had problems with D and now i seem to have a touch of it. Its not really bad and not frequent but its not the right color. Im asuiming since i drank a bottle of orange gatorade thats why it was orange. I know i havent been eating nornally these past few days i just havent had the urge to eat. Im just wondering if that might be the reason i know have a tough of d? SOrry this was so long, im just not sure what it could be from.

I need some supp ort, I had an X-ray showed to spots on left lung . Can it be something besides caner do you know anyone with this that didn’t turn out to be cancer I have been all over the web and it keeps talking of cancer. I AM ONLY 45, CANCER DOES RUN IN MY FAMILY

I was diagnosed with gerd 2 yrs ago along with a hital hernia,migrain syndrom and itteratal bowel syndrom.

now I’m not in denile or anything her but the stuff they call reflux desiease doesn’t seem to fit me it don’t feel like heart burn more like a heart attack I sometimes do have heart burn but I mostly feel a lump in my throat 24-7, I had a endoscopy done and a stricture opened and the lump or bolder as I call it went away for 2 days. I have been on every drug known to man for gerd from pepcid ac down to nexium and nothen seems to stop this.I have maybe 14 days out of the yr I feel good and the 14 are never together. I have changed all my eatting habits, no more coffee or cokes waaaaa for over 2 yrs now at first I couldn’t eat anything lived off gatorade and mashed patatoes for 2 months.I lost 60 lbs during this time, 2yrs later I have gained it all back Nexium seems to have helped some but that bolder never goes away and now everytime I swallow it feels like a rock rolling all the way down my esophus and back up.
I was wondering if any on else feels this rolling feeling ? I do feel hungry at times but my stomach never seems to growl anymore no matter how long I wait to eat
And another ? maybe it is just all the things I have wrong with me put together but it seems to be worse in winter, and when it rains and if I am overly stressed does it seem that way to anyone else.

ALso I have episodes that seem to act like the go through stages it starts off my stomach starts hurting then diarrah then within 30 mintues I will be throwing up, then all the sudden my muscles in my body go to shaking uncontrolable the doctor say that is the migrain syndrom but I won’t have a headache like people say.

It’s so Hard for me to tell which syndrom is kicking in cause they are connected to my stomach problem somehow.
Maybe someone can tell me what’s what with them cause it took 4 doctor’s and 6 months for them to tell what was wrong with me.
Sorry this is so long and thanks