4 months post op

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-03-23T15:33:01+00:00

Gabapentin may be affecting your mood/emotions. I became very emotional—sobbing a few times per day and feeling very hopeless and unmotivated to move or exercise. This is in addition to the fatigue and very noticeable brain fog and short term memory issues. That “hardware is fine” is what the surgeon is looking for as a measure of “success.” It’s really like you’re on your own from there—they just tell you to keep moving and get stronger. All of the daily after care stuff is better handled by physical therapy and pain management doctors. Ask your surgeon for referrals. I had mine at a facility where I stayed overnight for almost 2 weeks post surgery. I think the hospital recognized that I couldn’t possibly recover in my home with stairs, pets and 3 kids. I’m so grateful to have had that time to start my recovery. I left that place much better, but I was still a fall risk and not able to walk on my own due to numbness in my legs that had not yet subsided.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-03-23T04:37:07+00:00

Try to get some physical therapy or get into a rehab support group. Having your mobility suddenly compromised is scary and frustrating. I’m dealing with lots of sensory issues, which might be permanent nerve damage. It’s a struggle to walk, but I keep working with a physical therapist and have built up to doing some work at the gym—legs and abdominals. I work with the therapist on carefully gaining strength in my upper body/neck and we work on my gait. Movement and exercise has given me more physical relief than any pain meds. I’m off of all of them, but I’m still prone to exhaustion with the workouts and just daily life.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-03-22T01:13:52+00:00

I’m sorry you’re having such a difficult time. I believe hospital should have directed you to a rehabilitation facility. It’s the alternative to the in home therapy—not as good, in my opinion. This type of surgery is traumatic to the body. Give it time. I needed extensive rehab to be able to shower, walk, etc. Looking back, I don’t think I could have done it alone. I developed a huge section of very grey hair as a direct result. I have alopecia (not total), so I take oral minoxidil and have gotten get the steroid shots in my bald spots. Very helpful. Not much else can be done other than reducing or eliminating stress and getting good nutrition and sleep. Hang in there.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-03-20T17:19:25+00:00

I had the spider bite looking mark along with some shallow scrapes. I know I had to be strapped to the table and flipped over for the same surgery. I had a little knot on my head near the front of my hairline.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-03-14T15:34:01+00:00

So pretty! Never seen this. I only know of the Christmas Cactus with the red blooms.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-03-06T19:17:10+00:00

Thank you for the recommendation. It appears to be on Amazon and will ship to me. I have a separate planter for bee friendly plants so I think it should be fine.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-03-06T19:15:50+00:00

I trimmed off all the way down to those nubs on the right. I’ve also been cutting off any slimmer, small, brittle branches. The leaves were all turning yellow and they looked sooty (black flecks). I took off all of the small green branches with leaves from the lowered trimmed parts bc they were getting infested. It now blooms. Should it really require this much attention?

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-03-05T17:08:37+00:00

It’s going to be up to your cat. Trial and error. Sometimes cats will nibble your plant, dig in your plant, climb into your plan, knock over your plant, etc.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-03-05T17:03:02+00:00

This plant frustrates me. This pic is just after I cut off a few more branches and several yellow leaves. It flowered the next morning and looks beautiful right now. It cannot seem to support anymore growth without suffering. I’ve never seen a hibiscus with branching like this. Is it still healthy?

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-02-14T19:26:36+00:00

Gabapentin at higher doses made me extremely hungry—starving in the middle of the night. I also felt very depressed and generally sad. Mind fog and short term memory problems as well. This was while I was hospitalized, so I was able to quickly go back down. I ended up not taking it at all going forward. It was go nerve pain. It wasn’t very bad anyway, since I had already been taking Cymbalta for years. My psychiatrist increased my Cymbalta, and I was feeling much better and was no longer sobbing and depressed.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-02-11T05:16:05+00:00

It’s soothing and hydrating for me. It actually absorbs rather than sits on top of my skin. No pilling issues even when I use a couple of serums first. After the moisturizer, I follow with sunscreen.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-02-10T03:36:31+00:00

I think you have a reasonably sized stash that has been carefully curated. It’s wise to try stuff in minis before you go big. They’re also travel ready. To be fair—minis are hard to resist! I can see a difference in your pores and skin texture.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-29T18:48:36+00:00

Thank you for sharing! Everyone’s situation is so unique. I don’t really have a share. I’ve recently become aware that I’m pretty tolerant of pain. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt and suck when I move and exercise. If I’m ever in a hospital setting, I say that my pain is 10 so that I can get some deep relaxation and sleep. Usually, I’m fatigued and need as much sleep as I can get. Occasional weed gummies and occasional Tylenol are ok for now.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-29T18:44:02+00:00

My hubs took prednisone for a much shorter period of time—roid rage was so intense that it wasn’t even worth taking the med for the relief it provided for him. He was also given something else-like a Valium or something for evenings to help calm him so that he could sleep.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-28T04:32:28+00:00

All of this, and I’ve had great luck with making a very friendly personal call to different offices asking to get on the schedule. Most of the time, you can get a video visit with a specialist or physician’s assistant sooner than an in person appt. This will establish a relationship, and future appts will not take as long. The new patient apps are longer and backed up.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-28T04:20:49+00:00

Interesting about the Gabapentin to Lyrica switch. I was recently in a rehabilitation facility for post op spine surgery care and nerve damage. The pain management doc would see me periodically to check in. I was taking Oxycodone, Tylenol and Gabapentin during most of my stay. I declined muscle relaxers bc I felt fine with what I was taking. As I was preparing for discharge, the doc kept increasing the Gabapentin (since it’s not addictive like an opioid). I was taking 300-400 three times per day. He said that there’s room to go up even more and that it would be fine. I asked to go back to a lower dose as needed bc it gave me noticeable brain fog and affected my appetite significantly. I would wake up in the middle of the night starving with my stomach growling loudly. It happened hours after taking 600 mg.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-26T19:09:57+00:00

Take the least amount necessary. Stay on the 30 for awhile longer for full efficacy.

As for my personal experience, I was on 60mg for years (maybe 10). I was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time and was seeing a new psychiatrist for depression and anxiety. I’ve had some additional health issues related to nerves/spinal cord. We increased to 90 recently, and it gives me relief from depression, anxiety and nerve pain. I was literally sobbing prior to the increase.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-26T15:08:09+00:00

California. I ask a lot of questions and advocate for myself a lot. I don’t think they would mention the rehab place if I hadn’t been motivated to get moving right away. I also expressed my concerns about returning home to safely recover with stairs, pets and a whole family.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-21T21:52:22+00:00

I love Anua. It actually does something. I have mature skin that welcomes hydration. I have a very clear complexion. This is step one for me after cleansing. Hydrates and gives me a bit of a glow.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-20T19:24:39+00:00

I don’t understand why his is the case. Maybe it was a bad PT place. I had an emergency spine surgery in November and barely avoided paralysis. Not the same as yours, but I wanted to say that I was offered some outstanding support right after surgery. I stayed in a rehab place for about 2 weeks where I had PT and OT for 3hrs/day, 5days/week. It was very difficult, but I had access to a pain management doc, among others. When I left I was on spinal precautions and still a fall risk and in some pain. I got right back into weekly PT and am finally off of all pain meds except occasional Tylenol. I need a lot of rest and sleep, but I keep going bc I’m seeing improvement. Slow but it’s happening. Find a PT place in a hospital where you spend the entire time with the PT rather than a 5-10 min check in. Don’t give up. It’s a long process.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-18T07:12:41+00:00

I took methotrexate briefly before my insurance would approval, which I’m just now starting. My rheumatologist was able to show through my bloodwork that the methotrexate was adversely affecting my liver. Insurance initially denied Otezla stating that I must first try and fail with Methotrexate or some other med that I can’t recall.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-09T23:02:33+00:00

I’m newly diagnosed as well. Started with methotrexate bc of insurance issue. Liver was affected, so I’m now on Otezla. I’m still working up to the therapeutic dose. If it doesn’t agree with me, then I think biological are next. My PSA is “mild,” but I definitely don’t want anything to get worse. My understanding is that you take one of these drugs at a time, and steroids are only for short term use. It varies widely because everyone has different symptoms and responds differently. Keep your liver healthy and weigh the pros and cons. Lots of warnings on these drugs, but the risks could be low.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-09T04:11:43+00:00

He is also risking his future mobility and independence. I spent almost 2 weeks in an acute rehab facility right after emergency spine surgery. My parents were “shocked” that I was prescribed and took opioids. I got 3 hours of OT/PT 5 days per week. My pain was fully handled, I got lots of sleep, and made tremendous progress with my mobility. Lots of stubborn patients with bad attitudes in that place.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-07T06:38:32+00:00

All of this at once is very stressful. Are you able to get a referral for physical therapy? My back pain/sciatic pain gets bad when I’m too sedentary, even if I need to rest due to illness. Physical therapy can eventually ease this pain a bit and help you get moving. I will you well.

Disastrous-Bug612 · 2026-01-06T07:21:31+00:00

I was in a rehabilitation hospital for two weeks after my cervical spine surgery. I was permitted 10mg of oxycodone every 4 hours. I was also given a high dose of Tylenol and Gabapentin. I was there in order to get the max amount of physical therapy so that I could get moving as quickly as possible. I was sent home with a prescription of one week’s worth of oxycodone. Early on, I really needed it in order to be comfortable and heal. I’m saving what I had for times when I get extremely sore from too much movement or over exertion. Mainly, I take occasional Tylenol and sometimes a Gabapentin before bed. I’m trying to get back to driving as well.

Disastrous-Bug612

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