Surgery date - May 26

[treefrog]

Hi Michelle, thanks for writing to me on your first post. Yes, the American dollar isn't so great either. Not the best time to be paying for surgery overseas, but my back isn't cooperating. I look forward to reading more about your situation, when you get around to posting about you.

I will try to continue posting here, all through my surgery and recovery. I will start a surgery thread, when the time comes. I am hoping that my boyfriend will get on here and post for me, if I am unable to right after surgery.

A question for anyone that has used the xe.com site for sending funds over to Germany. Is it the XETrade part that you sign up on? It looks like it, they say it is for sending funds around the world, so I think that is the right section.

My boyfriend is working at his second job tonight and tomorrow night, he bar-tends part time for extra cash (which is really coming in handy for this surgery), so we will be arranging our flights and hotel on Sunday.

[Cheryl]

Congrats and best of luck.

Yes it is xetrade





Cheryl

[jessmith07]

Hey Cathy...if I can swing it with United to change my flight plans at this late date (I've had a ticket to Paris in hand for months for a vacation), I'll be joining you in Germany! Dr. Fenk-Meyer just e-mailed me that they've put me on the schedule to check-in on the 25th for surgery on the 26th!

[treefrog]

Oh, very cool Jess. I hope you are able to re-arrange your flights.

After yesterday's feeling of panic at everything that needed to be done, I am feeling strangely calm today. Maybe it's because there isn't much I can do today. And I think I am starting to believe that everything will work out all right.

I had been feeling pretty sick, with the worry of not knowing what was going to happen. Now that I have a date, and have put some things in motion, I am feeling more relaxed. I also started putting together a list of those things I need to get done.

One question I have though, is what should I ask of my PM doc, as far as medications to take with me. I mean, I'm sure that Drs. Bertagnoli and Fenk-Mayer will take care of meds that I need right after surgery, and the 6 days or so that I am in the hospital. But, I also know that some people have said they were glad of bringing whatever meds they brought. But I have been taking Opana-ER, which is not appropriate for after surgery pain. I also have oxycodone that I take occasionally, for breakthrough pain.

I will be asking her for:
lidocaine patches for around the incision
anti-nausea meds in case I need that (there aren't many pain meds that don't make me sick)
muscle relaxer
something for sleep (again, not something I normally need, but in case I need - like on the flight home)
and of course extra pain meds - oxycodone, or Opana (not ER), and I will also ask how soon after surgery I can start the Opana-ER again.

Is there anything I am forgetting? What if she asks, or says that they should be taking care of all my meds following surgery? What should I say to her then?

[Michelle Maree]

Hi Guys,

Thanks Dale and Cathy for the welcome. I will introduce myself shortly (as soon as I figure out how to start a thread hmmmn! )

I was just wondering Cathy.Was anything said by doctor B about your mild facet degeneration? I also have this noted on my MRI report and thought it might preclude me from ADR. I am having a facet nerve block this Friday to see how much pain is stemming from them. If it is significant like 50% or more that would count me out right?????

I am really excited for you Cathy and will be cheering you on the whole way.

Michelle.

[Katie]

Click on the main forum...iSpine...then click on 'new thread'...that will get you a thread of your own

[dshobbies]

Cathy,

Unfortunately, I used a lot of my pain meds while still in the hospital. Plan on taking your own meds once you're off the pump. Their meds don't always translate.

If you can take something with you that you can cut in half, it will take you through some heavy duty and lighter pain, as needed. If not, take both with you. The woman who had surgery the same day I did ran out. I needed stronger and stronger meds and poor Julius ran all over Straubing looking for pharmacies on a Sunday.

Also, you're expected to bring any other required meds from home.

You also didn't ask but I didn't plan on wearing my own clothes while in the hospital, just their lovely gown. Wrong - after the first couple of days, everyone wears things like comfortable sweats, etc. I didn't have enough clothes. You'll probably also wear a brace. I wore mine under my clothes but wore a man's sleeveless tight cotton t-shirt underneath so it wasn't next to my skin. I'm pretty sure there's a thread about what to take with you and good ideas, such a a high toilet seat, a grabber or two and so on.

I wish you such good luck. Pain free days are ahead.

Michelle, Facet degeneration may or may not preclude you from ADRs. You need to discuss this with Dr. B, FM. Good luck, I hope it's not too bad.

Dale

[jessmith07]

Cathy,

Well, we've got it all set up. My husband was able to change my flight and I'll be arriving in Paris on May 23. We'll then be flying to Munich on the 24th and checking in to the hospital on the 25th.

I have been corresponding with one of Dr. B's patients in Moscow, and she advised me that the Gernam doctors can be a bit stingy with pain meds so to be sure to bring plenty with you. Here is a quote from her email to me:

"One thing I will warn you of, the German docs are very stingy with pain meds post-op. Make sure your US doc gives you an rx of MSContin or oxycontin and a complementing instant release med for pain post-op (they expect you to bring meds from the States). You will likely need it for a month or two. They might give you some Palladon in Germany. It is an excellent sustained release pain med that is unavailable in the States. It is SR dilaudid. If they give you enough for a month or so then try to get instant release dilaudid for breakthrough pain from the US. It isn't available in Germany! You might want to stop the arthrotec a week or so pre-op as it can thin the blood like aspirin or ibuprofen. Ask Dr. B. about it. Also, being a woman who has had children, you are more prone to incisional hernia than males or childless women. Be exceptionally careful with your incision for a year or so! Mine herniated 6 months post-op and the hernia repair surgery was worse than the back surgery!"

I began taking the Arthrotec (an anti-inflamitory) about a month ago, but it was after I began coresponding with Dr. B, so at this time, he is unaware that I'm on it. I will update his team ASAP.

Also, I do recall reading somewhere else that you should bring plenty of comfortable clothing from home, as they don't make you wear hospital gowns for more than a day or so. I like your idea of the lidoderm patches...I have 3 boxes of them, so I'll make sure I bring plenty...wink, wink...

Perhaps I'll start a new thread on what to bring and helpful hints so that we can gain from the experience of others here on the site.

Looking forward to seeing you!

[treefrog]

Michelle, I did ask Dr. Fenk-Mayer what they thought of my facets, but I didn't really get an answer. Of course with Dr. B being on vacation right now, it's only Dr. F-M at the helm. I had a facet block, and it did nothing. So, I don't think there is much pain coming from them. I will ask them again, if they think they are a problem, but I would guess that since they want to do the ADR surgery, that they don't think that they are. Although I know there is no guarantee, and they might start to have more problems after the surgery, but of course I am hoping they won't.

Thanks for passing along that information Jess. I am worried now, about what I am going to take. I haven't taken Oxycontin, so I have no idea if it will make me sick or not. I hope my PM doc will have a good idea of how to manage my pain, post-op. And that she won't have a problem giving me enough to manage while I am there. So far she has been fantastic. And she says that I am not one of their patients that they have problems with, so she isn't worried about giving me meds if I need them.

I am getting excited. When my boyfriend wakes up, we will make the flight arrangements. I hope we can get a good deal, like Justin. Though I would guess, the closer to summer it gets, the higher the fares will be.