Manage pain after surgery in ICU

[jws1217]

I am having surgery Thursday to untether the spinal cord at Jacksonville Memorial in Miami. I swore I would never go through another surgery due to the extreme pain after surgery in the ICU. No matter what they did they couldnt controll my pain with that dumb PCA pump. I was told that Dr Wang was a big fan of the PCA pump and I have yet to resolve this issue or discuss my pain management right after surgery. I was hoping to get some suggestions from others that had pain issues.

The last time I had surgery I was unable to physically push the button with ease so the nurses assured me they would be right there for me if I needed them So one of there solutions was taping the button to my hand so I could find it and try and push it easier, and I was supose to push the button every 5min. It makes no sense to me to try to get rest while in extreme pain and be expected to push a button every 5min. Even after the Pain Doctors came up to see how much pain I was in they would just increase the dose/strength untill I complained again 30min later never once getting my pain under control. I didnt think they got it that it just did not work for me. It was boarderline torture. After a day and a half another Doctor was nice enough to take me onto his service remove the pump and have the nurse give me IV pain meds every 2 hours problem solved.

I was on pain meds prior to the operation so I am not sure if they just did not figure out the right dose or just wanted to see me suffer. Any Sugestions.

Thanks
Mark

[fishin'guy]

pain meds prior can be a problem sometimes. MAJOR problem, is that theyCAN program the pca to automatically deliver the med every 5 min, 10 min, whetever they set it at. They've done that for me for night time sleep, or when I was out. Be your own advocate, or if someone is there with you make sure they know to request that they do this. good luck

[Fragile]

Mark, hope you don't mind my asking, but what kind of symptoms are you trying to relieve with untethering?

[thehipcrip]

I'd like to expand on Fragile's question by asking what kind of tethering you have -- is it the congenital tethering that occurs in the lumbar region, is often associated with spina bifida, and is known as tethered cord syndrome? Or is the tethering from adhesions/scar tissue that's developed post-surgically/following a traumatic injury? If it's the latter, where are your adhesions located?

--THC