Quote:
Originally Posted by JeffR
The second thing you should know is dealing with the pain will offer significant improvements in the depression department and I can attest to that personally. 
Fourthly I am going do differ from Lillyth here and say you should compartmentalize your depression and your back pain when dealing with Doctors. Telling a Neurosurgeon you are taking drugs and have a history of abuse raises red flags that may make them refer you to counselling BEFORE you have surgery. Stick to the issue that a specific doctor has - if you are dealing with a Neuro or an Ortho talk about chronic pain and how it is ruining your life and about your back - leave the other stuff out of it (or downplay it) or you may not get taken seriously (in that domain).
Fifthly - I highly recommend you seek counselling (if you aren't already) for a few reasons. It will help you feel at least a little better if you get the right combination of meds (not narcos) including some anti-depressants that help with pain. It will also demonstrate to your back doctors that you are taking that aspect seriously and it will prevent them from just dumping you off. Lastly it sounds like you are in crisis if you are talking about wanting to die this is a VERY serious sign that you are in a deep depression and could do something to harm yourself (even if you don't think that you might). |
Oh, no, I am only recommending he be up front about the pot. Walter, whatever you do, do NOT, I repeat do NOT mention your history of abuse. Docs will have their mind made up about you before you finish your sentence! It is sad, but true. That fracture in your tailbone? You slipped on a flight of stairs in the ice when you were 14. It's snowy there. Totally believable. When you talk to the doc, speak ONLY about your back. Nothing else. None of the surgeons I've consulted with here know anything about it. And that is the way it will stay. It is none of their business, and will only cloud their judgment of you.
As for getting rid of the pain helping with the depression - DUH! That's the reason you are depressed! Hell, I KNOW I will be having surgery and there are some days I just can't take it. I totally get that the pain is causing the depression, which is why I think doing anything OTHER than getting rid of the pain is just plain silly. Oh, it hurts all the time and you're sad? Let's fix the sad, shall we. NOT!
Jeff is right Walter. You need some counseling. Someone who specializes in PTSD. In our country it was all over the news last night about the war Vet with PTSD who flipped out, shot a bunch of people, and then killed himself. Like any injury, PTSD needs time to heal. I am doing great now, but there was a time that I wasn't. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but sometimes you have to go through some major darkness to get to that light.
In the meantime, please know that this entire community of people is rooting for you, and we will help you in any way we can. Gotta run now! More later.