This is a very painful condition, I can hardly type with my left hand now. I have a constant tingling (think whacked 'funny bone' tingle) running from my elbow to the tips of my little finger and the one next to it.
Apparently it is called Cervical radiculopathy as it affects the nerve running from my spine down my left arm.
I went to the doctor on Monday and he prescribed me hydrocodone-acetaminophen, one taken every six hours. They are 5 mg hydrocodone and 325 mg acetaminophen. More than 4,000 mg acetaminophen in 24 hours starts to damage your liver.
I got home with the 'scrips and I took the first dose. OVER AN HOUR before the pain lessened somewhat. Somewhat. Evidently my body feels like 5 mg of hydrocodone ain't shit. The 'reduction' in the arm pain lasted about three and a half hours. The hell with that six hour stuff, I took two more at four hours. Again OVER AN HOUR before the pain reduced, but this time I felt relief. So I calculated every four hours, two pills, would be12 pills a day at 325 mg of acetaminophen per pill which brings that to 3,900 mg of acetaminophen! So I skipped the every four hours schedule. I took two pills when the pain became unbearable and brought it down to six pills a day. That made my life half livable.
Then the side effect of taking hydrocodone started up — constipation.
Now I'm a regular bowl movement person, every morning after I get up, but this stuff clogged me up for four days!
My only relief was stopping the meds for 36 hours and taking a laxative (I had to go buy it, none at home) — WHEW!
Appointment on Wednesday for an X-ray. Then schedule whatever process, then three to six months to fully recover.
Meanwhile I have a choice between constant irritating pain or constipation. — what a drag it is to get old.
Anyone else gone thru this? What do I have to look forward to here?
Bottom Feeder
Apparently it is called Cervical radiculopathy as it affects the nerve running from my spine down my left arm.
I went to the doctor on Monday and he prescribed me hydrocodone-acetaminophen, one taken every six hours. They are 5 mg hydrocodone and 325 mg acetaminophen. More than 4,000 mg acetaminophen in 24 hours starts to damage your liver.
I got home with the 'scrips and I took the first dose. OVER AN HOUR before the pain lessened somewhat. Somewhat. Evidently my body feels like 5 mg of hydrocodone ain't shit. The 'reduction' in the arm pain lasted about three and a half hours. The hell with that six hour stuff, I took two more at four hours. Again OVER AN HOUR before the pain reduced, but this time I felt relief. So I calculated every four hours, two pills, would be12 pills a day at 325 mg of acetaminophen per pill which brings that to 3,900 mg of acetaminophen! So I skipped the every four hours schedule. I took two pills when the pain became unbearable and brought it down to six pills a day. That made my life half livable.
Then the side effect of taking hydrocodone started up — constipation.
Now I'm a regular bowl movement person, every morning after I get up, but this stuff clogged me up for four days!
My only relief was stopping the meds for 36 hours and taking a laxative (I had to go buy it, none at home) — WHEW!
Appointment on Wednesday for an X-ray. Then schedule whatever process, then three to six months to fully recover.
Meanwhile I have a choice between constant irritating pain or constipation. — what a drag it is to get old.
Anyone else gone thru this? What do I have to look forward to here?
Bottom Feeder
