assorted updates - my back, my relationship

I had the radiofrequency neurotomy on the left side of my back today.  The nurse that was checking me in seemed really clueless.  She had this consent form for me to sign that said I was having a RIGHT side radiofrequency neurotomy. I said no, I had the right side done last week, today I was having the left side done.  She looked very confused and sad, but see here, it says right side, pointing at the consent form.  I said well, I had the right done last week and don't want to have it done again.  She finally said well, I could wait to sign the consent form until the doctor came in and I could talk to him.  

Like I was going to sign a consent form that listed the wrong procedure.  I kept thinking of that poor person that posted here a while back that when in to have the sleeve and ended up with RNY because her surgeon got mixed up.

My blood pressure always runs low, about 90/60, but when I got into the room for the procedure, it was down to something like 85/45.  So they were afraid to give me too much Versed because they didn't want it to drop any lower.  I got some Versed but I guess less than I got last week, which meant the procedure hurt more.

Afterward, my left leg was kind of numb or something.  It felt wobbly.  It's fine now but for a little while it felt really weird when I walked.  I don't know how to explain it, but it almost felt like it didn't have a bone in there or something.

My ex annoyed me because he took me to the appointment, which was nice, but other than driving the car he was not much help.  Like, when we got home and I got out of the car, he just went right into the house, didn't wait for me or anything, and I was trying not to fall, walking on my leg that I couldn't really feel.  I had a hard time getting up the front steps to my house.

When I was checking in at the hospital, the nurse asked if this was my husband there with me.  I said "friend" at the same time he spoke up and said "Partner."  I was surprised and confused but didn't say anything to him about it at the time because the nurse was busy telling him where to go to wait for me and stuff.  But what on earth is that about?

Hope you keep feeling better.   You did good to insist on the correct procedure for your left side.
And for the ex......men....I don't even try to figure them out!

LOL

Take care,

Leslie

Well, yeah!  Like I was gonna let them do that to the right side when I'd already had that done and then have to go back and go through it all over again to get the left side done?

Seriously, if I ever have to have surgery again where I will be knocked out, I am going to write the procedure I am having done on my body with magic marker.  I'm not kidding.

A different nurse asked me about my gastric bypass today.  She asked if I was "very big" when I had it done.  Like some people have RNY when they aren't very big?  So I said "270" and she said "You're so tiny now, I can't imagine you weighing that much.  You don't look like you used to weigh that much."  

That is awesome! 

It is nice when someone finds out how much weight you've lost and they can't imagine you like that.....that really lets you know that you look "naturally small"...i guess.....

I had a procedure done last year....a lump removed from my breast and one of the nurses asked me about it because she was considering wls!  It was nice to get to talk openly and honestly about it.  She even told me my little saggy boobs didn't look bad :)  LOL

Thank you for sharing. I'd be annoyed if they wanted to do the wrong side. The doctor who does all the injections for my spine specialists requires that his patients write down WHAT they are having done, and WHY they are having it done. He won't do anything if the patient doesn't understand exactly what is being done and why. I really like that about him. Though I did worry when they had me lie on the procedure "bed" with my head turned to the right. When they did the Medial Branch Blocks, they went in through the side of my neck, but the procedure itself went through the back which is why I was confused. When I asked them about it, they touched the trouble spot and reassured me. They also told me that because I use Narcotics in pain management teh Versed/Fentanyl doesn't work as well, which is likely why I thought I remembered the whole thing (but now I can't, it's like a bad memory).

Did you tell them about the "noodle leg"? That would worry me, though likely they use a local as well as the actual procedure, it would seem to me. So likely you'd have a residual effect.

Your ex sounds like he's conflicted. Part of him is still very much your partner, and part of him is trying to cut loose.

I hope that your back pain improves markedly giving you the strength to move on. Right now my neck pain has gone from 3 pain pills on day one and two (which is more than prescribed) to prescription level the next day, and yesterday I didn't even take all prescribed. I'm still in teh same level of pain as before the procedure, but it's early days yet, doc said that it would take 2 weeks to get over the trauma of the shot, and four weeks to feel the impact of the changes.

Thanks again for the update. Perhaps next summer I might see about my lower back pain. Maybe.

They had warned me beforehand that the noodle leg could happen and should get better in a couple hours.  It's all better now.

Kelly, I'm curious how your "noodle leg" is feeling. As I've said before, I've had multiple RF's done. The last time was on my left leg. The pain was horrible during the procedure (no meds given), so the dr put some type of local anesthesia in my back. I know this is strange, but both of my legs were completely numb. I had to leave via wheelchair, and it took me 4 hours to get enough feeling back in my legs, so I could get in the house. My left leg was numb longer than my right. To this day, if I am putting most of my weight on my left leg, it goes numb and I collapse to the floor. It's happened twice this past week (climbing stairs & getting in my car). I have another appt with the dr next week, so I'm going to bring this up again to him. But have you, or anyone else experienced this post RF?

Oh, my noodle leg is all better now.

What does the procedure you had do?

I have had 4 RFA (radio frequency ablations) on my back and think I need another or a epidural. This procedure burns the nerves in L3,4,5. I have also had both hips injected. Now with all the weight loss my tailbone hurts bad all the time! Ugh I' m so tired of hurting all the time I need some relie.

I think those procedures are essentially the same thing.  It burns the nerve endings so they don't transmit pain signals.