I Want A New Drug

[ladysprite]

So at least I have a reason for why I've been feeling sicker and sicker instead of better and better every day. It's a lesson that had to come at the cost of another ER trip, but such is life.

I came home from the hospital feeling, if not great, at least as decent as could be given the situation. And I rested, and I nibbled a little food, and I took all of the meds they prescribed me, just as directed. Including, among other things, dexamethasone and oxycodone.

I knew the dexamethasone could cause some GI upset, but I figured I wasn't going to be on it for too long, and the alternative to taking it was not being able to swallow, so I guessed I'd just tough through it. And when I started losing my appetite and feeling sick, I just stopped eating, and hoped that I'd get better when I finished the dex. And I kept taking my oxy like a good girl.

And I kept getting worse. And worse. Until, by Thursday, I wasn't even able to keep water down. At that point I had given up on most of my meds, but it was too late. And when I called my doctor on Friday morning, he ordered me into the ER...

....where they informed me that one of the main side effects of oxycodone, especially when taken on an empty stomach, is apparently severe and extreme nausea. Go figure. You'd think it should say that on the label somewhere.

Two hours and two liters of IV fluids later I was sent home with orders not to take the darn stuff anymore. I've got some vicodin instead, but to be honest at this point I'm pretty gun-shy about pain meds in general - it seems that no matter what I take, I have the choice of being essentially comatose, puking up my toenails, or both. Thankfully, I'm at least starting to feel a little better. I'm mostly managing the pain today with rest and heating pads, and I've managed my first actual meal since last Thursday (hooray for scrambled eggs and toast!). One step at a time.

This entire situation has certainly been a learning experience....

Comments

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

:( I'm glad you figured out what wasn't helping, and I hope something can (such as the Vicodin). I continue sending you healing vibes!

[z-gryphon.livejournal.com]

Yeah, having been on fairly heavy narcotics for a month or so after the Kidney Adventure last year, I have to say I do not see the appeal. I don't have any philosophical objections to "essentially comatose" in an open-wound situation, but the GI weirdness (at both ends) and the conscious-but-braaaaaiiiiiiinnnnnnnns phase both leave me wondering how in the world this stuff ever became a recreational choice.

Get better! I can't even offer hugs in your present condition. I'd be too afraid of breaking your head off like a Pez dispenser. And then umbran would come in and I'd be trying to put it back on like a kid who's broken a vase, and it would be all Marx Brothers in there for a while... not optimal.

[citabria]

So ... how do you feel about drinking milkshake-like things like Ensure or Boost? Or even Carnation Instant Breakfast? You're not a large person to begin with, and a week since having an actual meal post-op is ... concerning to me. If you think you can tolerate either of those (they come in quite a few flavors) -- or even better, Ensure Plus or Boost Plus -- I'd recommend buying a pack and having at least one a day (two, if it's not the Plus version) for the next week or so. (Or, if you prefer to mix your own, you can use protein powder.)

I don't mean to be -- or even seem -- pushy, but (as you likely already know) surgery puts your body in a hypermetabolic state to begin with. That, coupled with a week of near-fasting has probaly left you with a major protein deficit. While I'm generally a fan of eating real foods, I'm not sure that, right now, you could eat enough regular protein a day to make up for that. {{{{{{hugs}}}}}}

[keshwyn]

Once your tummy calms down a bit, maybe mix them with whole fat greek yogurt? Fat and protein to give your tummy something to grist on...

Hugs! And glad you going the culprit. I strongly dislike opioids, they play hell with my GI tract too.

[grum]

Ilike orgain shakes much better than ensure. for what its worth.

[crash-mccormick.livejournal.com]

some mix of ensure and vicoden ought to work but its a testing thing. different people react differently to different drugs a lot.

[evcelt.livejournal.com]

Glad you figured that one out. Hope that things continue to improve. You have been, are and will be in my prayers.

[ninjarat.livejournal.com]

Looks like Lj ate my first try.

I react poorly to opioids, from moderate nausea to rather severe dizziness. Use the Vicodin. It's not nearly as strong as Oxycodone and it won't leave you mostly comatose. The side effects, when they arise, are less severe.

You don't have to take the whole dose. Sure, the bottle says something like "take 1 every 6 hours for pain" but you can take less than that. This isn't something like antibiotics or ACE inhibitors that require you to take the full dose on a regular basis to be effective. It's pain management. Take it when you need it but only the minimum that you need. Less is better for you in the long run. Take 1/2 tablet and see how that works for the pain and for your GI tract. Adjust accordingly. This is one of those times where you need to figure out what works best for you.