Experiences the 1st week after CI operation?! Help!!

wow it seems sunnybrook takes patients a lot quicker than here in ottawa ..and welcome there are a few users from toronto and i'm from ottawa and there are a few others from ontario and other provinces on the forum as well:) welcome to AD
 
drphil said:
This is my first reply. My operation was 3 years-July 07. Seems I recovered fairly quickly and don't recall much difficulty re: head pain. Had to wait 4 weeks for the stitches to be removed . The implant that I have is Advanced Bionics Harmony Atria. At this happened at Sunnybrook here in Toronto. I have completed rehab over 2 years and was part of a research project . Just yearly visits now.
It seems that one of activities I have done previously is go to"singles dances". Yeah 3 days after the implant was hooked up. Really sounded weird! Remapped the next day!
The reason: loud music to people speaking at the same time-forces your "brain" to play attention. This was discovered when I related all the activities I did after the Implant was hooked up.
I had sensorineural Hearing Loss over 50 years. Genetic from my father and have passed on my oldest son but not my youngest son-so far. First Hearing aid in the middle 60s. Loss all hearing in right ear in Feb1992 while losing the left ear Dec 2006. Got into the Cochlear Implant-Sunnybrook- section in Feb/07 with the operation by Dr J Chen in July and the processor hooked up in Aug/07.
From 1992 to 2006 have taken many Hearing Help/Speech Reading classes at Canadian Hearing Society- Toronto which is why, it seems, I got through fairly quickly the entire process at Sunnybrook.Yeah I knew about the process to get into Sunnybrook which happened quickly. While waiting in early 06- took my last SpeechReading class at CHS and scored 20% less than before. Not a surprise!
I found about this site from Beverly Biderman-Wired for Sound.
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I HATE Dr. Chen. He told my I would have no quality of life if I didn't get a CI. Even when he knew that I am Deaf. I don't have a CI but I did look into it and decided not to go for it. Just not for me. I am a Torontonian too!
 
JennyB -
I'm also a person living with Chronic Pain ...

To clarify ... you're technically correct that while 6Advil (regular strength) (200mgx6=800mg) may not be toxic over the course of a day - taking that much advil as a single dose is NOT safe (ask any pharmacists, which is where I got my information from) .. the OP suggested that they took 6advils as a single dose when they started their day the implication being that they likely would have added additional medications to this throughout he course of the day ... which WOULD get you to a toxic level quite quickly. (Of course if they took 6 extra strength Advil 6pills would be 400mgx6 = 1200mg). It is important to realize that there is a vast difference between taking 1000mg over the course of 24hours (the maximum recommended my the CPS and other official professional pharmaceutical guides) and taking 1000mg in a single dose - thus putting MASSIVE strain on one's organs for a number of hours ... which if there are any underlaying conditions could end up requiring hospitalization (again, according to a number of pharmacists). In short - Taking 6Advils at once, even if only one time, sets up a situation of improper drug use which can, in short order, lead to major medical problems either short term or long term.

For those panicking about the "Addictiveness" of oxycocet (taken every6-8hours) ... unless you are known to have addiction issues with this family of drugs ... there is VERY little risk in taking them for the duration prescribed for typical post-operative procedures.

Oxycocet is NOT the same medication that is widely advertised on the news ... rather it is a short acting medication that (generally) contains a VERY small about of oxycodone and a typical dose of Tylenol. Taking the prescribed dose of Oxycondone/Oxycocet for 1,2 even 6weeks is HIGHLY UNLIKELY to cause any addition issues (certainly not any more than Tylenol 3 etc would).

The primary way that people become addicted to Oxycontin (the extended release version) is because they INTENTIONALLY MISUSE the drug. Oxycontin is an extended release medication which is taken every 8-12hours round the clock for chronic long term pain ... taken properly it is easy to slowly lower the dose to stop taking it (just like you'd do with many other medications such as antidepressants, blood pressure meds etc). The "problem" arises when addicts CRUSH the extended release medications and then taken them (inhaled, swallowed, injected) all at once - thus flooding the system with 12hours worth of medication in a matter of seconds or mins.

Those who are legally prescribed this medication go through a screening process - including required random urine testing to make sure that the patient is taking the medication following the dr orders ... when taken properly people taking oxycontin do NOT "get high" or "become addicts" - they simply are able to bring their pain level to a manageable level (note: I did NOT say "pain free"). If a doctor sees that a patient is NOT complying with how their medication is prescribed they are slowly withdrawn from that medication and a permanent note is made on their file and with the gov (who follows all those taking narcotic meds) stating they are NOT to be given that family of meds in the future, due to non-compliance. Period.

If you have been prescribed ANY medication by your doctor which you are uncomfortable taking it is critical that you get in touch with that dr immediately and discuss the situation until either 1) you are put at ease about taking the medication 2) and alternative medication is prescribed to you in lieu of the first medication.
 
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I won't argue with you about advil. I know I have done what you say is toxic and been fine. I am now on mobicox daily, so no advil for me.

To add to he oxycocet thing...it is more or less the same at tylenol 3. T3's don't work for everyone though because it relies on the codeine being metabolized into morphine, which not all of us are able to do. Oxycocet is more widely effective as a result. The "Oxy" part just scares people.
 
Everyone's different - and as a rule pain patients who take meds daily will build up a tolerance for medications ... this means that we need more meds to do the same job - so what may be safe for a pain patient taking meds daily ... is not safe for the person who takes the occasional Tylenol/Advil here or there.

That being said - as a board member of a Fibromyalgia group, I've heard a LOT of stories of people who had been on high doses (800-1200mg) of tylonel or advil daily who now have liver conditions including fatty liver, as well as kidney problems (1 of whom is now on dialysis). The bottom line is that one should ALWAYS consult a pharmacist or doctor before straying from the directions for use on any medication (including OTC, herbs and "natural medications"


P.S. - Yup, count me as one of those who are very aware about how oxycocet, oxycodone and oxycontin work. Due to an accident and related injury as well as FM/CPS, OA and other pain conditions I've been on various doses starting from 5/125mg of oxycocet 4x/daily up to what I am taking now ( under careful supervision of my pain clinic) which is 40mg of oxycontin (extended release) 3 times daily (120mg total per 24hours) ... it's not fun, but at least I can function on a very basic level (bathe & dress myself etc)
 
irishpeacephoto said:
On another note, I'm disappointed as of last Wednesday.. I lost my sense of TASTE!!! I know of one person who lost hers after her 2nd operation (bilateral) and hasn't regained it in the past 2 years. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience in this?!?!?! (and maybe please tell me it'll come back??) :cry:

(oh yeah, and I'm seeing the surgeon on tuesday, but my parents say its nothing to worry about but is it?).
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Ok. I hate to be the bearer of bad news. You likely had a nerved nicked of cut during surgery. When space is tight due to anatomy, surgeons stay away from the facial [muscle] nerve and go closer to the taste nerve. IF damage is caused, they would rather you loose your sense of taste than half the movement of your face.

Surgery has inherent risks.

C1
 
Not to be rude or etc but a thought occurred to me, does having a lost of taste make you not want to eat like before?
 
Hask12 said:
Oxycotene is highly addictive, and you've been using it for at least a week. You need to go see your surgeon about the increase in pain and it would be a good idea to have your prescription change to something a little less addictive like maybe vicodin,
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Vicodin is just as addictive. Both are synthetic opiates. But, as Anj stated, for short term use, there is nothing to worry about. The addictive qualities are overly exaggerated in general opinion.

And re: the loss of taste. Taste and smell are closely correlated. Someone who looses their sense of smell will also loose their sense of taste. If the sinuses are being impinged upon, the loss of taste is a result. With the amount of pain this person is experiencing, infection that is causing internal swelling that could impinge on nerves should be looked into.
 
Well Jenny B- I slightly surprised you made it the Dr J Chen.Sunnybrook before deciding not to have an Implant. Wasn't this discussed with the audiologist extensively? My discussion with Amy Ng,Sunnybrook was over 2 hour using computer screens. I was deaf. What I expected when I triggered the whole process from St Michaels ENT clinic? Her conclusion-I was a suitable candidate in part from what I did dealing with Hearing Loss at Cdn Hearing Society Toronto-Speech Language Pathology" 2nd floor. The ASL class was next door! I was there in various classes from 1992 to 2007. They advised Sunnybrook- I was an "ideal candidate". The X rays/physical tests were done in early June/07 till the visit with Dr Chen in the later June/07. He dealt with possible problems. The only problem that developed was "excess fluid drained from head"- easily handled: body fat. Yeah stayed in the hospital overnight! Could return to daily swimming right away.
To answer you question: does a Cochlear Implant "improves one's life"- depends if implant works with you and does all persons you deal with-wherever- know ASL while existing in a "silent world"? A value judgment every person makes. Assuming the word-deaf to you means what it means to me-silence to all sounds. I now fit ORAL deaf not cultural DEAF.
Seems I had a different experience than you. Cheers Bill SKSKSKSK ( tty STOP KEEPING)
Advanced Bionics Harmony Atria activated Aug/07
 
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