Answers.....thus far
Today was another headache from hell day so I hurried and took some Tylenol at the first sign. Nothing. I then grabbed the ice pack and had it on my head for a good hour. Still nothing. Got so bad that my tummy was queasy and I was running to the bathroom many times. Also messed with the vision in my right eye. I contemplated cancelling my appt at Stanford many times but knew that the only way to resolve the issues were to get to my appt. I prayed to God for the strength to make it there. Amazingly I did. The doctor was an hour late seeing me and honestly sitting there in the waiting room with the most horrendous headache was not easy.
Finally got in to see him and gave him the rundown on the headaches, the stabbing face pains and the inability to eat much. They are all caused by nerve damage which is apparently only temporary and is fixable. He gave me a prescription for Amitryptiline for the pain which I am to take each night at bedtime. He also gave me a referral to a pain management clinic. My blood pressure was way up which is not good. He said the stabbing pain when eating or drinking is called First Bite Syndrome which is where basically the brain is sending a signal to salivate but the nerve decides to send pain instead. He said in both conditions I just need to have to nerves re-set which will be done. I broke down in his office crying and told him that this is so hard to deal with that it has me to the point of contemplating driving my car into a brick wall and ending it all. He agreed that I do need professional help and reminded me that the recovery is not only physically hard, its also emotionally hard too. He kept apologizing and handing me kleenex. He told me that my incision looks great and is healing very well. Said that within a year it will be a very thin line since I have really good skin. Honestly I didnt care about that. I just want the pain gone. He said it will be. I am grateful I am healing well on the outside but the inside is very important to me too.
I am afraid of the medicine and dont like meds at all but I will find a way to take it. Its only once a day. I just dont like the feeling of being "sedated" and apparently thats what each night will be like. However its for 30 days so I need to do this. Please send me positive thoughts and strength, it would be so appreciated! It was a choice of 2 meds and the other one was Neurontin which I know because its a seizure med that my son used to take. It would be much harder on me and I would have to take it 5 times a day so no. I dont like all the pills I pop right now, which really isnt that bad...I guess. I take allergy pills once a day, birth control pills once a day, and 2 tummy meds twice a day which isnt much but for a person who doesnt like meds, its not fun.
I am happy to say that my asthma has been eons betters. I havent had an attack since before the surgery and the doc agreed that the tumor was definitely pressing on the nerve to my diaphragm. My hearing is better and the vertigo doesnt exist.
I have to work on my ability to be patient which isnt easy for me. I have had my life upside down for so long and was looking forward to having it back. It will be though....some day.
I know I need to be grateful that the tumor is out and was not cancerous. I am glad that it didnt cause any permanent damage either. I am glad that I didnt have to undergo any bypasses, etc.
Ok then, vent off.
Finally got in to see him and gave him the rundown on the headaches, the stabbing face pains and the inability to eat much. They are all caused by nerve damage which is apparently only temporary and is fixable. He gave me a prescription for Amitryptiline for the pain which I am to take each night at bedtime. He also gave me a referral to a pain management clinic. My blood pressure was way up which is not good. He said the stabbing pain when eating or drinking is called First Bite Syndrome which is where basically the brain is sending a signal to salivate but the nerve decides to send pain instead. He said in both conditions I just need to have to nerves re-set which will be done. I broke down in his office crying and told him that this is so hard to deal with that it has me to the point of contemplating driving my car into a brick wall and ending it all. He agreed that I do need professional help and reminded me that the recovery is not only physically hard, its also emotionally hard too. He kept apologizing and handing me kleenex. He told me that my incision looks great and is healing very well. Said that within a year it will be a very thin line since I have really good skin. Honestly I didnt care about that. I just want the pain gone. He said it will be. I am grateful I am healing well on the outside but the inside is very important to me too.
I am afraid of the medicine and dont like meds at all but I will find a way to take it. Its only once a day. I just dont like the feeling of being "sedated" and apparently thats what each night will be like. However its for 30 days so I need to do this. Please send me positive thoughts and strength, it would be so appreciated! It was a choice of 2 meds and the other one was Neurontin which I know because its a seizure med that my son used to take. It would be much harder on me and I would have to take it 5 times a day so no. I dont like all the pills I pop right now, which really isnt that bad...I guess. I take allergy pills once a day, birth control pills once a day, and 2 tummy meds twice a day which isnt much but for a person who doesnt like meds, its not fun.
I am happy to say that my asthma has been eons betters. I havent had an attack since before the surgery and the doc agreed that the tumor was definitely pressing on the nerve to my diaphragm. My hearing is better and the vertigo doesnt exist.
I have to work on my ability to be patient which isnt easy for me. I have had my life upside down for so long and was looking forward to having it back. It will be though....some day.
I know I need to be grateful that the tumor is out and was not cancerous. I am glad that it didnt cause any permanent damage either. I am glad that I didnt have to undergo any bypasses, etc.
Ok then, vent off.