Question 1

i am having back surgery in 6 days and i may be getting sick. is it safe to take this cold medication, before surgery?

Accepted Answer

Yes but tell surgeon: Best not to be sick prior to any surgery  especially spine surgery. Best if you have a cold to postpone surgery. Speak to your surgeon and the day of surgery the anesthesiologist may advise you to delay surgery till you are healthy.

Question 2

i had back surgery 1 year ago and since being on medication i have no taste buds. losing weight because food does not taste good. what can i do?

Accepted Answer

Taste disturbance: Medications can alter taste (or primarily smell) via effects on the neurologic pathway, by drying out the mouth, or unknown mechanisms. Common meds include several antibiotics (aminoglycosides in particular), migraine meds, muscle relaxers, tricyclics, CNS stimulants, antihypertensives, antiarrhythmics, statins, diuretics, antihistamine, NSAIDS and more. Discuss alternatives with your doc.

Question 3

how can your doctor denie you severely needed pain medication? my wife n i spent 110, 000 dollars on her back surgery last year only to be basically thrown out of the doctors office for haveing a clean urine sample, is this for real, she told the nurse th

Accepted Answer

I : I am so sorry to hear about your wife's difficult situation. My advice is to seek the care of a pain management specialist. This is a doctor that is trained to treat pain using the least amount yet most effective pain medications and/or procedures. Often times doctors are in a rush and don't have adequate time to deal with the complexities of pain management therefore she will be much better under the care of a pain management specialist.
I hope your wife finds help soon.

Question 4

does pain killer and muscle relaxer medications react to anesthesia after 24 hours of back surgery? i took hydrocodine/acetaminophen 5-325 tb & tizanidine on the second day after surgery then after 1 hour i felt dizzy and fainted twice?

Accepted Answer

: The effect of the anesthesia should be fully gone by 24 hrs.  The post-op meds may have exacerbated a blood pressure drop which caused syncope, and the effect of the two is additive.  Discuss this with your doctor, so that meds can be properly adjusted for your needs.

Question 5

i have hiatel hernia, for past 4 months my urine is very dark, and very strong-smelling--could it be the prescription drugs i drink lots of water=just had back surgery a year ago..i do have "coital incontinence" i am 40, and i have had 1 child.urine is ju

Accepted Answer

The : The dark urine should not be related to the hiatal hernia or prescription drugs.  Dark urine for four months should be evaluated.  It could be related to a liver or a kidney issue, so seeing a physician would be a reasonable next step.

Question 6

what is a back surgery like?

Accepted Answer

What kind?: Spine surgery can range from outpatient, minimally invasive surgery done with the patient under a local anesthesia to complex, multi staged reconstructive spine surgery requiring close monitoring intraoperatively and post operatively with placement into a rehabilitation facility after leaving the hospital for several weeks or longer.

Question 7

what does back surgery involve?

Accepted Answer

Varies: Most of the time it is done under general anesthesia (put to sleep with drugs), cleansing the skin, making an incision, moving tissues gently out of the way to get to the problem area. Depending on the problem, abnormal tissue may be removed or a fusion (making part of the spine stiff but stable). Sometimes implants of various kinds are used. The size of the surgery varies tremendously.

Question 8

what are common types of back surgery?

Accepted Answer

Spinal stenosis: The most common back surgery is a laminectomy for lumbar nerve root compression, either from a herniated disc or from arthritic spinal stenosis. Other forms of surgery are more specific to spinal issues including multiple variants of spinal fusion procedures.  Treatment for osteoporoctic fractures, such as kyphoplasty or vertebroplasty, are also quite common.

Question 9

how painful is back surgery typically?

Accepted Answer

Why and what surgery: First question is, do you need surgery?  Seek a second opinnion.  Most times back surgery stabilizes the spne but does not necessarily reduce the pain.  A reputable pain management specialist can help you in that decision.  Do not mask the pain with medications though.  Find the root cause and treat with the least invasive treatment possible.

Question 10

how serious is it to have back surgery?

Accepted Answer

Serious: All surgeries carry some degree of risk. The "seriousness" of the surgery also depends on what type of surgical procedure is being done, i.E minimally invasive vs a fusion. Talk to your surgeon to ascertain the risks involved and consider a second opinion to see if surgery is the best option.

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Doctor answers about:

Medication failed back surgery

A member asked:

I am having back surgery in 6 days and i may be getting sick. is it safe to take this cold medication, before surgery?

A member asked:

I had back surgery 1 year ago and since being on medication i have no taste buds. losing weight because food does not taste good. what can i do?

A member asked:

How can your doctor denie you severely needed pain medication? my wife n i spent 110, 000 dollars on her back surgery last year only to be basically thrown out of the doctors office for haveing a clean urine sample, is this for real, she told the nurse th

A member asked:

Does pain killer and muscle relaxer medications react to anesthesia after 24 hours of back surgery? i took hydrocodine/acetaminophen 5-325 tb & tizanidine on the second day after surgery then after 1 hour i felt dizzy and fainted twice?

A member asked:

I have hiatel hernia, for past 4 months my urine is very dark, and very strong-smelling--could it be the prescription drugs i drink lots of water=just had back surgery a year ago..i do have "coital incontinence" i am 40, and i have had 1 child.urine is ju

A member asked:

What is a back surgery like?

A member asked:

What does back surgery involve?

A member asked:

What are common types of back surgery?

A member asked:

How painful is back surgery typically?

A member asked:

How serious is it to have back surgery?

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