Audrey, one last caveat.
I’m glad you’re laying off the nose paint if you’re going to be taking those happy pills. They definitely don’t mix well.
Is it too late to add a “Yikes, I’m sorry to hear that?”
It’s never too late, KCSuze. I’m a sympathy whore right about now. 
I’ve been on the phone with all my friends, bored off my ass–geez, what is with the puns this inspires!–and frightening them all into tripping-over-themselves-sympathy. Nobody at the moment has a better story, so I’m a nine day wonder. 
I posted a link to that website, astro, but I stayed away from that page after reading about two stories…it was far too appalling for me to continue. Like watching a horror movie and finding out I’m the star. Even the caveat at the beginning is alarming…she basically says that people who post this kind of stuff are the people with bad stories to tell, so please remember that “only” 5% of surgeries go south.
Not really what this girl needs to hear right about now.
I like your suggestion, Alice. The thing is, I should be having this surgery in a week or so–depending on the current flare-up and when it dies down–and my birthday is July 19th.
And I have informed everyone I know that Audrey is having a hellacious birthday celebration this year. I’ll be 25–which is a milestone anyway–and I’ll have gone so long without a single drop of vodka that I’m sure I’ll be the cheapest date alive. (This makes me sound like a raging alcoholic, doesn’t it. Not really. I just have a Friday-night-out-with-the-girls routine that this has totally destroyed for the time being, and I’m going to miss it. And want it back, with a bang, by then.)
So yes, I believe I will treat myself to something nice. And all my friends better treat me, too. Thanks for the vibes!
There’s a lot of research that’s being done on pain these days, and some evidence shows that pain relievers work differently in women than men.
When it comes to opiates, different kinds latch on to different receptors in the body. Women seem to respond better to opiates that lock onto the kappa receptors. Here’s a couple articles about that:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/DailyNews/pain_gender_diff_020326.html
and
http://www.ucsf.edu/daybreak/1999/07/23_pain.html
An example of a kappa-opiod would be Nubain:
http://www.nursespdr.com/members/database/ndrhtml/nalbuphinehydrochloride.html
Kappa-opiods are also supposed to be less likely to cause constipation than other opiates such as morphine, which considering what you’ll be going through, is definitely something to consider.
Of course, YMMV, since pain is different from person to person. Talk to your surgeon and see what he/she has to say about it.
A really simple thing you can do to help with this is to stick a pillow under your abdomen while you are on your stomach. It helps ease the curve in your back so it doesn’t get sore as easily. I’m sway-backed and this is the only thing I can do that will allow me to lie on my stomach for more than a few minutes.
Thanks for all the info on pain meds! I do intend to tell my surgeon that Vicodin doesn’t work for me, so I’d like to try something else; I’ll see what he/she suggests.
As far as my back goes…the pillow under the abdomen does help relieve my back, but it also causes stress to my knees/neck, etc., after an extended period of time, particularly if you’re trying to do anything but sleep…this is what bothered me so much during the last flare-up, b/c it was so difficult to compensate for the pain of the PC during movement/lying down/walking around that basically every part of my body was sore from the unusual strain. (Try sitting down on a toilet without using your glutes. You’ll be relying on your arms. Try walking without moving your hips. Your thighs will take all the extra work. Try getting out of bed without touching/using your backside. You’ll rely on every muscle group that isn’t used to that kind of strain.)
Basically after a week of this you’ll end up with a sore back, sore arms, sore legs, a sore neck, etc., to the point that’ll take another week after the problem’s been solved before you’re OK again. I don’t anticipate this much of a problem with the surgery, since it won’t be as painful as a flare-up…but it is difficult to try to read a book/watch a movie/entertain yourself in any way without sitting. You find yourself in funky positions that can only lead to additional strain/soreness on other muscles. :shrug:
I guess I’ll just be happy when it’s all over and won’t come back, eh?
I’m really sorry to hear that, Audrey. I’ll down a drink for my favorite SDMB bartender and wish you a speedy recovery. 
Perhaps dumb suggestion: Can you lie across one of those large exercise balls?
You know, Apricot, I’m willing to try just about anything. Thanks for the suggestion; a friend of mine’s got one of those. I may sneak off with it.
Thanks, Demise. Please have an Absolut and Red Bull for me; that’s my favorite.
[sub]People always expect bartenders to have very high-brow or complicated alcoholic preferences…and the funny thing is, most of us are pretty basic.[/sub]
Sorry to hear about this, Audrey. I’ll be thinking about you. Good luck!
What a bummer.
Best wishes Audrey and I hope it all goes brilliantly well for you. Just keep thinking about the happy-pills.
A friend of mine had a cyst when we were in high school, and I too now feel guilty that I didn’t offer her adequate sympathy. Actually, I think it might have been my fault that she developed it in the first place, because we were mucking around in the school yard playfighting, and I gave her a kick in the rear. But she was too embarrassed to talk about it, so I didn’t take it all that seriously.
I think I’ll go ring her and offer my apologies now, even if it is 26 years too late.
I don’t want to show a lack of sympathy, because I know how these feel. I have had a reoccuring one in the past (crossing fingers).
I had it lanced the first time since I didn’t know what the heck was going on with my ass. The doctor explained the whole PC thing to me.
After that, it did come back, and as soon as it got uncomfortable and on the verge of painful, I would soak in a very hot tub with a drawing salve and the thing would drain on its own. Never seen a doctor for it again, I just use my home remedy. It saves a lot of pain, discomfort, aggravation, and money. Plus, it is a pretty rare occurance for myself (YMMV).
I am jsut really, really, really (3 reallys) surprised about the procedures some of you guys have gone through for this thing. The doc even said mine (the first one) was one of the worst ones he has seen, and I am no brave man when it comes to pain, doctors and surgery…
Good luck!
Pilonidal cysts may suck, but they can be corrected. I’m more worried about Mr. 3 of 25 million.
My best friend must’ve been number 52. He had this same surgery six months ago.
I think he’s still out of work…
Audrey…
My wife had one, and we used the “pack and heal from within” method. I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned the following, so I will. When the gauze is changed, there will be green pus on it. Do not panic. I faithfully cleaned and changed the gauze on my wife twice a day and saw the green stuff nearly every time. Things turned out fine for her.
I didn’t even notice that someone had resurrected this thread! Thanks to all who continued posting, though…I already had the surgery five days ago, and it hasn’t been nearly as bad as I thought it would be post-op. Mr. Levins has been faithfully pulling oozy gauze out of my extra asshole twice a day.
[sub]I can’t believe I just cheerfully said something so disgusting. I have no shame anymore. It’s official.[/sub]
So far no green stuff though, Evil One. I’ll keep an eye out.
Audrey, I’m a total stranger, but I just sent you some good vibes - hope they reach you.
And treat yourself like a queen after this is all said and done.
Oh you poor thing!!! My stepsister had one when she was just a teen. The doctor was SUCH a jerk too. The poor thing was in such pain, he gave her aspirin and told her to quit being a crybaby.
Best wishes for a quick recovery!
quote:
Originally posted by Audrey Levins
My main goal here is good drugs. They gave me Vicodin last time for the lancing/packing and it didn’t do anything at all for me but make me groggy; I still have half the bottle b/c I just stopped taking it. It was pointless. I hear Percoset is pretty good stuff. Anybody have any recommendations? I want to be out of it for several days following the surgery, so if any of these pain meds have that side-effect, I’d love to hear about it.
Percoset IS good, though unfortunately it only lasts for about 3 hours. IMHO Vicoden is useless, it kept me awake, didn’t do a whole lot for the pain, and made me sick to my stomach to boot.
They gave me 30 of each drug right after I had the surgery on my shattered fibula and ?? (the little rounded bone on the ankle on the inside of the leg?). The Percoset was “da bomb”.