I'd almost forgotten about this blog! It's been six months and I'm doing okay. I've struggled with several infections, which knock me down hard, but once on the right antibiotics I bounce back in two or three days. I'm keeping up with the Amitriptyline and Gabapentin for pain, multivitamins to stop me feeling so tired and cranberry tablets which help with preventing infections. I'm not doing as many saline flushes as I should as I'm terrified of getting an infection. I think the last once was because I went in the sea, despite all my precautions of water proof dressings and rinsing the stoma before catheterising. I did get a telling of for not flushing out the pouch from my consultant.
My main problem now is back pain. Now I don't have the Tramadol and Morpine masking it, I realise how bad it had gotten. I saw a Chiropractor two weeks ago who turned out to be a quack and made it worse, charging me £55 for the privilege. So I'm going to ask my GP to refer me to a physiotherapist.
The other problem is fatigue. Some days I fine, and others I'm shattered. I can sleep all afternoon sometimes. People keep telling me it's still early days, but I feel like a bit of a pansy for it. I just want to get on with my life now. We moved house two months ago, which I never would have though possible for me four months after the operation! It was quite stressful, and I did sleep a lot after.
Pain wise, I've been so much better. Occasionally, usually when I've been sleeping on my back I find, I get phantom pain where my urethra and trigone used to be, but if I get up and have a walk around it goes quickly. Other than that my bladder pain has gone. I still get some pelvic pain, but with Amitriptyline and Gabapentin, it's not a major issue. Compared to what it was like before it's nothing! I suspect once my back is put right and I get stronger, the pain will lessen.
That's all I have for now. I'm going to have to go lie down as my back is killing me, and I'm waiting for the GP to phone back. Just taken a Tramadol from my dwindling supply so hopefully it will ease up soon.
