Star Thrower (Nancy)

Health Interests

pain,  chronic pain

Drugs I am Taking

Norco,  methadone,  ibuprofen

About Me

This has been an interesting seven years... after three months of treating what they thought was arthritis in my hip, back and leg, my orthopod finally ordered an MRI and discovered a tumor in my spine and squashing all the nerves. Yes, *OUCH* in a very big way! Going into surgery, they believed it was a barbell tumor. Coming out, after discovering it was lymph tissue, the docs decided it was lymphoma. But never getting a positive biopsy, there really was nothing to be done except wait-and-see what happens, and for that I'm grateful. It turned out NOT to be lymphoma, but simply lymph tissue where it shouldn't have been. But still, the damage appears to be permanent. I'm now on methadone for long-action with Norco (hydrocodone) for breakthrough pain, after most of the time on MS-Contin. The dosage needed to be increased but without adequate health insurance, I simply couldn't afford it. Fortunately, methadone seems to be doing a reasonably good job for a whole LOT less money. So... life goes on, and so do I. Over time I've learned what I can and can't do, and what I can do but I'll pay for it later. I am mostly grateful that I haven't had to deal with doctors too scared to properly treat pain. I wouldn't wish that fate on my worst enemy. I retired three years ago and now run a small eBay store. My two cats and two kittens are great company (and great little heating pads) on cold damp nights in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.