Still needing to use pain medicine

[rob]

On Feburary 20,2015 I had cervical spine surgery to remove a benign tumor under C3 and C4 in my neck. I was getting nerve burning and extreme pain in my left bicep. The surgeon removed part of each of those vertebra and did not replace the void with anything. I'm believing that what he did is standard operating procedure (no pun intended). It was a successful operation. Now after two months I'm taking 5mg Vicodin three times a day to help with burning neck pain. It starts to burn after three hours if I do any type of activity. If I stay in a static position I don't need pain meds. Putting a ice pack on my neck helps at times in lieu of Vicodin. I don't need any pain meds while sleeping. 
My question is, will this pain subside over time so I won't have to use pain medication?  And, when might I be completely free from pain?
Thanks, Rob

[dawn]

Hi Rob,
My best wishes for you in your recovery and hope this finds you feeling well today.
From what I understand it is standard op procedure to not replace the lamina on the vertebra in adults.

My best advice is to find a really great pain management clinic. Try to find someone who sees patients who have SCT. None of us want to be experiments for physicians, right? I am very happy with Dr. Mitch Engle at MD Anderson. He is a cancer pain specialist who sees all of the SCT patients at MD Anderson for pain management. From what I understand narcotics are not especially helpful for nerve pain except for Methadone which is supposed to treat nerve pain. There may be other medical or procedural options (nerve block?) out there to better treat the burning pain. Although you had your surgery so recently that I have to wonder if it will get better.

How are you doing beside the neck pain? Since I am in watch and wait mode I am always very curious to see how people are function after their surgeries. So if you don't mind filling us in I'm sure we would all be very interested and invested in your good outcome.

[rob]

Dawn,
Thanks for the reply. My neorsurgeon just set me up for physical therapy starting this Momday. I'm hoping and believing that the pain level will decrease shortly.
I am now able to cope with the pain by using 5mg of Vicodin two times a day instead of 3 per day.
It was what I didn't know about the post-operation conditions to my body that has bothered me the most. Had I known about these following conditions I could have felt less depressed because I would know this was normal and things would soon get better.
I didn't know that within 3 days of my 5 hour surgery I wouldn't even have enough strength to squeeze my hair shampoo bottle.
I'm a war veteran and didn't even know for the first three weeks that in lieu of the anesthesia I would be very emotional about anything. Thank God, that is pretty much all pasted.
I didn't know that I would have to move my head with my hands for the first two weeks because it was too painful if I didn't. Nobody told me that could be possibly normal and things would improve after that.
I didn't know in my case that perhaps I might have to manage the pain with medication up to three times a day for the first two to three months.
The only thing the surgeon said in a casual way and then moved right alone in his conversation was "you'll be a little uncomfortable". Holy Cow, just please tell me the truth!!!!!!!!
The doctor didn't tell me until 6 weeks AFTER the surgery that this type of surgery is the most uncomfortable post-operative surgery that they do.
I didn't know that whenever there is surgery on the spine that everyone experiences their own unique possible unusual symptoms.
I didn't know that there was this Wonderful website that would help answer most all of these preceeding questions.
I am so grateful for the successful operation because had I waited much long I could have been paralyzed.
Because of this web site I have great hope.
Thank you,
Rob

[dawn]

Rob you have given us much insight into how important it is to ask, ask, ask questions!
Please continue to let us know how you are coming along.
It's interesting that you say that everyone experiences their own unique possible unusual symptoms. That seems so true for SCT surgeries. If it were a knee replacement we would have a pretty good idea of what our recoveries would be like. But because of the complicated location of the tumors there is so much unknown. I struggle with unknowns...I find that to be one of the hardest parts.

Is the strength in your hands returning? Do you have new areas of numbness post op that you did not have pre op? How is walking? How is range of motion in your head?
Oh, and I want to thank you for your service to our country. I'm sure it was tough to not know how emotional this would be.
All the best to you!

[rob]

Dawn,
Indeed the burning in my left bicep stopped and the strength in my left hand and arm returned quickly right after the surgery. My walking is normal. I have no new post operation numbness thankfully. The only adverse result of surgery is the area of muscles right above the surgery site which is also at the base of my skull. Those muscles that were pulled apart (not cut) feel very brittle, tight, like in a knot and end up becoming very very uncomfortable after a few hours without pain medicine. Here's hoping that the physical therapy on Monday will in time take take of that problem. The neurosurgeon says that PT will solve that problem.
I would suggest to always be in above physical shape prior to any surgery. It takes discipline and pre planning to get in excellent physical shape. In my case, I've always exercised. Six months prior to my surgery date I was either biking 20 to 30 miles a day or the equivalent on the spin bike with my heart monitor at about 130 BPM. I also did some light weight lifting and was very active. I would consider for a 65-year-old man that I was above average physical condition. Yet, within three days after the surgery I didn't have strength enough to squeeze a hair shampoo bottle. I can't imagine what negative physical shape I'd have been in after the surgery had I not prior exercised.
I had extreme acid indigestion for two weeks right after my surgery. I now know why. It was because I was on oral steroids for swelling. It was so bad that I irrationally thought that I'd need surgery for that issue too. I was because of the steriods! I took a product called Gaviscon which helped considerably take care of the acid indigestion.
Here's hoping and praying the best for you.
Best regards,
Rob

[KateBeth]

Which medicine do you use, guys? I have been looking on Canada Drugs for some solution, and I need help. I need something I can order online...

[mettledmillie]

I hope you get well soon, and completely recover from the pain you are having.

[cargette]

This is actually an old post. xD

[lexbrave]

Exactly.

[cargette]

Yeah