Hello all. I have been going through surgeries from a car accident since I was 20 years of age. Iam now 62. I suspect I have had 30 plus surgeries, and a left amputated leg. When a friend of mine came back from Viet Nam, He asked me to go out and eat steak with him since I had not seen him in awhile. He was in some of the most horrific Fighting there.
All of a sudden when we were less than 10 miles from his home, he went into a blank stare out the windshild and pressed the accelerator all the way to the floor. Later I found out he had had a flash back and thought he had seen the enemy, and evidently was going to run them over with the car.
He had a 1970 Nova fixed up powerful. All of a sudden we were going down the road like an indy 500 car. All the screaming I did was to no avail as he didn;t even recognize I was in the car. When we reached a speed near 90 with me screaming my head off he finally came out of whatever he as n, and slammed on the brakes.
The car fistailed and up a bank and into the side of this man's house.
He hit the steering wheel and broke his jaw bone and somehow I broke both legs.
When we hit my right knee went into the dash and was broken at the femur in 3 places, and when we slammed back against the seat, somehow my left leg was under the seat and my left ankle was turned all the way around pointing backwards.
Finally the paramedicas arrived and took him to a vet hospital and took me to a nearby hospital.
Te first time I went I was in traction for 170 days. When I did get to come home it was in a body cast from my armpits to my feet all the way down.
To make a long story short I had multiple surgeries trying to repair my left crushed ankel and they even grafted bone from each hip. I had pins, screws and you name it but nothing worked.
One day my Surgeon gave me 60 days and wanted me to think about having my left leg amputated. On March 9th 1995, I did so.
I have had around 30 plus surgeries in all for everything.
I have also deleloped very severe osteoperosis. Now I have been on Narcotic pain medications most of my life and I have been at a Pain Clinic for 7 years now. I have been on 20 mg of Methadone 3 times a day for chronic pain. I have gotten to the point nothing seems to help me anymore.
The Pain Dr said he would change me from the 20 mg's of methadone 3 times a day and let me try Oxycontin. He hasn't said anything about what strength. Do you think that would help more than the methadone because I don't get any relief from it.
Now as I have also had a cyoxxectomy done several years ago, I have pain starting at my lower spine and runs down my right buttock all the way to my foot and feels like a thousand needles are sticking in the bottom of my foot.
I can't sit, I can't walk, and laying done dosen't do a lot either. Do you think changeing from the methadone to the oxyconin will help? I have grown tolerant to the methadone. I am afraid since the tailbone surgery, I have formed scar tissue that is now pressing on a nerve and causeing the pain to go down my right leg all the way down. I am new so I don't know much. I am in soo much pain now I cannot handle it any longer. The Dr has already said he would not have an issue of changing me to Oxycotin. If I decide to do that would I have withdrawal going off the methadone but straight to the Oxycontin?
I sincerely hope someone here can tell me the best thing to do. I cannot live out the rest f my life with the pain levels I have now.
Thank you sooooo much. My name is Don
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Pain can break through even the toughest opiate meds. But definitely try the Oxy. It may make You itchy though. If you've developed a tolerance to theMethadone it's okay. Oxy is in the same family, but it's a different molecule. So it may be more effective and at a lower dose. Maybe. You may want to try taking your base Methadones with a few Oxys to jazz up the overall effect. Or in the worst possible pain cases. Nitrous Oxide is perfectly legal and surprisingly cheap, and can be ordered easily off the internet. E-bay is my favorite. Plus, if you live in the right state and if your open to it, You could try Medical Marijuana. Alone it's fairly effective, but added to your meds, it will help. Just remember when your first trying something, less is more. I hope I helped even a little and I hope you get relief. Good Luck and Prayers.
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hi Don, Thanks for sharing. I'm experiencing hip pain 5.5 years after a Lisfranc injury and 4 surgeries. I'm not at the point for continuous pain meds but I was seriously thinking about it the night of my son's graduation party when I couldn't walk or stand.
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Hi Don and others
Ive shared my story to youngsters who drive cars badly but not put it on the internet as yet! i do feel for everybody in pain whatever level..I am sitting typing in bed as the warmth keeps my legs happy along with the meds i have taken..but my left hip pain is quite harsh and torturous trying to take my concentration..I believe i am now up to operation no 84 next...yes unbelievable..but then with the complications i sustained plus the realities thats what it is..i got hit by a drink driver in 1996 April 5th Holiday wknd..A young driver 2 and a half times over the limit hitting myself and my partner who was further behind me and then pushing 3 vehicles down the road and yet STILL not stopping so a hit and run...luckily his friend saw the state of the car and his nerves when he returned and made him travel back to the site..we were left for dead on the road..myself very seriously injured and i stopped breathing to be started again..i remember hearing crying but i was blind and could not see..asking them not to cut my jacket etc but in shock as to what had happened as we were on a double road with plenty of space..no reason for the guy to hit us..anyways..another stop breathing on the table at the hospital..i was in and out of surgery daily and in hospital for 6 months..not knowing even the room i went into or where it was..i caught mrsa..the treatment Twice was very harsh along with the symptoms..i had double pneumonia and thought my time had come..i had a pulminory embolism, again how did i survive?...but i did...i was told my left leg will be amputated as my two sons were waiting to visit outside...but i took the risk of one more operation with MYself taking off the bandages to see if the graft held to keep my leg..and it did,just about..i had multiple breaks both legs below knees and my right pelvis smashed..my right ulna broken and plated with 5 screws, one of which used to pop out to trouble me when i had lifted anything of weight..my left muscle from under my shoulder blade was taken out to put in my left leg?..which failed..so i gained 2 painful scars one on the inside of my upper left 7 inches long and the back shoulder 6 inches long that took 5 yrs to subside on top of. i lost near 2 inches of bone off my left lower leg due to mrsa after left for 7 months in an illysarov frame and it had not healed so another one after the shortening and treatment for Mrsa...my right ankle arched due to trauma and to reposition it they took out my ankle bone and fused it together so no movement now..my right toes are arched, just the one that hurts on every step as it hits the ground at the wrong angle..i hope i might get just the tip removed oneday..my right shoulder has never bn the same..So i was left with one leg near 2 inches longer than the other and one ankle fused and arched..i have recently undergone a lower right leg break to re position my right foot and another frame, rods thro my foot to crank 4 times a day to stretch the bones back into flat position..it is now done and settled down thank god!..happy with the results but because of the leg discrepancy still hard to walk strongly forward coping with back pain and toe..so i am having another surgery once i can manage it to grow my left lower leg back to my previous height and to even me out again 18 yrs later!...inbetween i have trained as a Counsellor, Teacher, Foster Carer..i train horses with more patience and understanding..i would recommend anyone with pain to keep animals or access to them as the feelings they give promotes healing and good well being..horses and dogs are wonderful to spend time with and my cats i could never be without one..life is a daily struggle but i live it and i am lucky enough to enjoy enough more than let the pain take over..living with hope is all i have :-)
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Don i missed the point! i have bn on oxycontin for 5 yrs now..i have reduced from 70mg twice a day to 20mg at present and hopeful i might get down more..i take Gabapentin 1200mg am 600mg 2pm and 1200mg 8pm onwards..it stops the drop feeling between oxycontin doses..backed up with paracetamol 4 times a day..i used to take diclofenac which the docs took me off before the ops..i was terrified i cud not cope but it passed with a little acceptance..i had bn on it for 16yrs! i also broke my left femur 2011 Aug and had a pin put thro my hip down thro the bone to the knee..no one told me why my knee hurt so badly!? i already had the damage around it so it was unbearable for a good while..but again time it subsides..i started back to my spin class when i cud not even get the pedals to go all the way around...i kept going until i am now beating over half the class..i do have a competative streak..lol..i have recently added a fitness class tho it hurts my back, pain is now a part of life and doesnt stop me..i just try something else..i only last wk attended a le roc dance class which i have dreamed of for over 3 yrs..with two odd shoes one a 2 inch heel and one a low i manage to look near normal..it doesnt matter how u do it..it is just being there, to do it if possible..go watch the things u love to..dont shut urself off from anything that will make u smile or cry..Best wishes
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