Really glad your swelling is less now. Please send periodic updates so we know you’re continuing to heal well. 
Good morning all. I am officially at the one week mark! Yesterday was by far my best day and even better today! Still some swelling around my neck and numbness(which still feels really weird), but the pain is no longer debilitating. I did get a refill on my RX pain meds, but have not been needing them every four hours(or less) anymore. Hoping to keep going in the right direction! Than you all for the kind words and encouragement!
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Really pleased to hear that, good that things are going in the right direction
HOORAY!! 
Great news, Hatty11! I hope you feel better & better each day going forward!
Great to hear Hatty that you have crossed over into recovery and pain is lessening. Try not to overdo it when you are feeling better can you can backslide some. Kinda 2 steps forward, 1 step back kinda thing. Every day gets better. I still have some of the neck numbness. I forget about it and yes, I agree it feels weird. 
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Hi everyone. So quick update… I am now about 35 days out from surgery. My scar looks pretty good and have no swelling issues. However, I still have a pretty good bit of discomfort. It’s not like the first week post-op pain that was just completely debilitating, but enough that it has been really bothering me. Because of my Crohn’s issues I am only able to take tylenol which is not helping at all. Has anyone else dealt with pain for this long? And also any recommendations for pain meds? I do not wish to take anymore of the oxycodone or hydrocodone. I did read on here of some people taking tramadol? I guess it is a much weaker opioid?
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@Hatty11 I was prescribed tramadol for my pain before surgery and it did help. It doesn’t have as many of the bad side effects that other opioids have - I had no constipation or stomach issues and i didn’t feel tired on it. Conversely it did seem to make me feel more awake and kind of hyper, so I couldn’t take it close to bed time. That might not be the case for you though everyone’s different. I did take it with Tylenol when the pain was bad so it’s nice in that sense. My dr also prescribed me Celebrex which is a long acting NSAID but is supposed to be less harsh on the stomach, not sure you’d be able to take it with your crohns though. Might be worth asking about it. Sadly it gave me a rash bc it is a sulfa drug so I’m mildly allergic and couldn’t keep taking it.
I’m sorry you’re still having a lot of pain, Hatty11. I recall being uncomfy for about 2 months post op (slept on my wedge pillow for 6-8 weeks because that helped at night) then things started to ease up. If you’re still pretty swollen, a course of Prednisone might make a world of difference.
blossom’s experience w/ Tramadol was a little different than mine. I had it Rxed when I had a head injury from a cycling accident. It helped my pain but caused extreme constipation. I didn’t think about it being an opioid so didn’t do anything to prevent that. I ended up in the ER to fix the problem, but that’s a story for another time. 
If your pain persists beyond a couple of months, you may need to try a nerve pain med for a bit. Sometimes that can be temporary, but we do have some members who’ve found a low dose is necessary for the long term.
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So sorry that you’re still in pain…I hope that the suggestions from the others help you. I have stayed on the Amitriptyline which I was on before surgery- it does help. (The surgery did improve the nerve pain quite a bit, but not completely)
Thank you for sharing your experiences and suggestions. I do still have Amitriptyline which I was prescribed prior to surgery, but am trying to find a solution to get through the day time. I should also not that I have an extremely bad habit of clinching my teeth when i am focusing on any task which i feel makes it worse. I sit in front of a computer all day for work and will just catch myself biting down as hard as I can. I was able to schedule a phone appointment with my surgeon on Friday so hoping to get some answers. Thanks!
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Is your posture good? I know mine is terrible & sitting at a computer for long would always aggravate symptoms…I’m sure clenching your teeth would make things worse, any way you can fins d to break that habit will probably help! Hope your surgeon can suggest something, sending you a hug in the mean time
Hi Hatty11,
Getting a bite guard from a local pharmacy (Walgreen’s, CVS, etc) & wearing it during your stressful periods can help remind you not to clench. I’m also a clencher & have the very expensive version my dentist had made for me. I believe the pharmacy version is a softer plastic which you heat in boiling water then bite into it while it’s soft to make a custom fit. It would be worth looking into anyway.
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Thanks for your suggestions. I use a Veridesk at my office so try and stand as much as possible. I also have a “special” chair that helps with posture when sitting. This is not the first time ive been recommended getting a bite guard so maybe it’s time i actually look into it lol. I will give an update after my appointment tomorrow!
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Good lucky Hatty. I too am quite a clencher…I finally broke down and bought a custom one to the tune of $2200. Unfortunately, I had to have an emergency tooth extraction 2 weeks later and been still struggling to figure out how much it helps. There is an OTC one made by plackers called “No More Grind” that was previously recommended by a specialist that isnt so hard and bulky as many of the other OTC ones.
I was still taking pain meds up to about week 6-8 but had it down to one pain pill a day. I cant take NSAIDS due to stomach bleeds so I stick with straight oxycotin w/no tylenol. I tried to get up and not take one until about 2 to keep my brain straight and get things done. I kept pushing it later into day and eventually didnt need them anymore but occasionally up to 12 weeks out, I did need one occasionally.
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