Dazed and Confused

Fandango

You may have noticed that I haven’t been around much (or as much as usual) over the past few days. Most of the posts that I did publish were scheduled in advance, and I haven’t responded to the daily prompt posts as I usually do.

Why? I’m glad you asked. In a bit of a freak accident on New Year’s Day, which I posted about here, I injured my back. My doctor prescribed Tramadol, a strong, opioid pain medication used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain. And it did it’s job. Five days later, I still have some soreness in my back, but the agonizing, disabling spasms are gone. Woo hoo!

That’s the good news. There’s some bad news, too. Tramadol has some unwelcome side effects. There’s the constipation. There’s the slight nausea and loss of appetite. But the worst part is the sleepiness and the lethargy.

All I want to do is hibernate. To draw the curtains in my bedroom and lie in my bed in the dark and sleep. I’ve lost interest in blogging. I do not want to have to think about how to respond to daily prompts, to read other bloggers’ posts, or to create my own posts. My mind just can’t focus.

So today I’ve stopped taking the Tramadol. If my back starts to hurt again, I’ll treat it with Advil. But I hate this feeling of being tired, of being out of it, of being dazed and confused. Hopefully, once this drug works its way out of my system, I’ll be back to normal. My back might start to hurt again, but I’d rather be in physical pain than feel like I’m in a fog.

49 thoughts on “Dazed and Confused”

  1. larry trasciatti January 6, 2023 / 11:05 am

    so sorry about your back problem . I know they can be so nasty. Good luck with it

    Liked by 2 people

  2. slmret January 6, 2023 / 11:30 am

    I hope the Advil works its magic and you soon feel better!

    Liked by 2 people

  3. issababycreates January 6, 2023 / 11:32 am

    I hope you feel better soon. I have scoliosis and back pain is rough.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. newepicauthor January 6, 2023 / 11:34 am

    I hope you get better soon and maybe some Led Zeppelin music would help.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Fandango January 6, 2023 / 11:46 am

      Thanks Jim. I knew you’d get the reference.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Marleen January 6, 2023 / 1:11 pm

        What first came to mind for me was a movie title, so I checked to see if I remembered that title correctly… yes. In the process, I came across this:

        Jake Holmes – Dazed and Confused

        Liked by 2 people

            • Marleen January 6, 2023 / 1:37 pm

              It’s a little bit unfortunate (maybe) that Robert Plant’s face (only) is on the still of the second video I shared, as Jimmy Paige was the “culprit” or druggie who didn’t think things through or whatever. But I’ll probably read or view a little more about their or his ripping stuff off.

              Liked by 2 people

  5. rugby843 January 6, 2023 / 11:42 am

    Exactly.  When I was in the fentanyl patch for years I still don’t remember what all went on.  These strong drugs are helpful if they work but mine didn’t so the dosage was instantly increased- not good. Good luck Fandango!

    Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

    Liked by 2 people

  6. Misky January 6, 2023 / 11:47 am

    I slipped a disk last year, and found a walking stick helped me in and out of chairs, and took some of the strain off my back just walking around. Maybe find a nice sturdy, straight branch in your garden (or off that lovely road leading to your house), and go about whittling and sanding into a lovely walking stick.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Reaseaorg January 6, 2023 / 11:48 am

    I’m sorry about the pain. I know tramadol well. It does work but makes you pretty dozy typically … you’ll get back to it soon and is better to blog when you actually want to rather than making it feel like a chore. Get well soon 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Ron. January 6, 2023 / 12:15 pm

    Welcome back. Slow re-entry is best.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Lou Carreras January 6, 2023 / 12:52 pm

    The artificial opiates are tough stuff. They put me on tramadol after the hip surgery. I dumped it on day three. Unlike you it made me incapable of sleep, but feeling dopey. Advil was just fine!
    I hope you have a speedy and comfortable recovery!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 6, 2023 / 10:06 pm

      I’m back to just Advil. I think Tramadol help me get through the severe spasms, but I didn’t like how they made me feel, so I have stopped. I took my first pill Monday night and my last one Thursday night, so about 3 days for me, too.

      Like

  10. Sadje January 6, 2023 / 6:50 pm

    Tramadol never agreed with me. So I took it only once. Tylanol worked and Advil too. I hope you keep on progressing towards complete recovery

    Liked by 1 person

  11. jilldennison January 6, 2023 / 8:58 pm

    I think I would hate the effects of the meds more than I would hate the pain! I’m so sorry you’ve been under the weather and hope the pain doesn’t return now that you’re off the meds. Take care of yourself, my friend … we need you and miss you!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 6, 2023 / 10:24 pm

      Thanks, Jill. I’m off the strong stuff and I’m doing better.

      Like

  12. msjadeli January 6, 2023 / 9:32 pm

    GOOD CHOICE, Fandango. Any opioid is almost instantly physiologically addictive and quickly psychologically addictive. Don’t flush it down the toilet because then it gets into the water system. There are places that you can drop it off and they can get rid of it safely.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 6, 2023 / 10:28 pm

      Yes, I was wary when I found out that it was an opioid, but I was in so much pain with the back spasms that I needed something strong, but after three days it was making me feel tired, listless, and loopy and I didn’t like that one bit, so I stopped. I understand that I can return them to the pharmacy that filled the prescription.

      Liked by 1 person

  13. msjadeli January 6, 2023 / 9:36 pm

    Not sure if you’ve considered going to a massage therapist but they definitely could help you feel better.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 6, 2023 / 10:29 pm

      I might give that a try. Fortunately, the worst of the pain is over.

      Liked by 1 person

      • msjadeli January 7, 2023 / 10:11 am

        Good! Sometimes just getting the muscles to unseize is all you need. Still please take it easy ok?

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Nope, Not Pam January 6, 2023 / 10:39 pm

    I felt like that when I got Covid, I couldn’t focus, I even fell asleep on my keyboard trying to complete the wages for work

    Liked by 1 person

  15. SadiRose January 7, 2023 / 2:55 am

    I’ve had the same side effects with opioids and like you need to be at death’s door in pain to want to take them. I hope the brain fog and lethargy passes soon.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 7, 2023 / 9:55 am

      Thanks. I’m starting to feel back to normal. May take another day or two to be 100%.

      Like

  16. kajmeister26 January 7, 2023 / 9:20 am

    Sorry to hear about your back injury. I had emergency dental surgery on the Friday before New Year’s, so I was also on massive Advil doses and eating only mashed potatoes while everyone else got Brie and Belgian cookies. Wah! I’ve also had that experience with extreme pain meds (Oxycodin, morphine, Gabapentine) where you have the out-of-body feeling. Good to get off that as quickly as you can, although you do need it while your body does emergency healing in those critical first 72 hours. You may be grouchier with discomfort (I hope not pain) but you can open the curtains. I’m back on solid foods! It’s the little things…

    Liked by 3 people

    • Fandango January 7, 2023 / 4:06 pm

      Yes, the Tamadol did a job on me. It did treat the pain better than Advil, but once the agonizing muscle spasms stopped, I stopped and reverted to Advil. Now my head fog has finally cleared up.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. annieasksyou January 7, 2023 / 9:54 am

    I meant to respond when you first wrote about your excruciating spams bc I had just had one that left me in pain for days. Wasn’t as bad as yours—and that’s good bc my stomach hates aspirin and NSAIDs.

    Here’s to pain that moves from manageable to gone! Have you ever tried those adhesive heat patches?

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 7, 2023 / 4:19 pm

      No adhesive heat patches, but an electric heating pad has been my best friend since New Year’s Day.

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Irene January 7, 2023 / 11:22 am

    All the best, Fandango, Advil has been my friend for a few days now (lol).

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 7, 2023 / 4:21 pm

      I’m doing much better, Di. Thanks for asking.

      Like

      • pensitivity101 January 8, 2023 / 9:30 am

        Took my first amitriptyline last night and got a pretty good night’s sleep. No side effects this morning so it looks promising. Hope you;re doing OK.. Tramadol knocks hubby sideways.

        Like

    • Fandango January 7, 2023 / 11:29 pm

      Thanks, Christine. My back is feeling a lot better.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Lolsy's Library January 7, 2023 / 8:54 pm

    I try so hard not take pain killers if at all possible. I always try natural ways first, and then add them if I can’t handle it. Sometimes though, you have too.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 7, 2023 / 11:33 pm

      I was in agonizing pain on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday and helped the Tramadol helped a lot, but as soon as the spasms eased up, I stopped taking anything stronger than Advil.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango January 8, 2023 / 10:11 am

      Thanks, Maria. I think the worst is over.

      Liked by 1 person

  23. leigha66 January 28, 2023 / 1:48 pm

    Side effects can be worse than the original problem sometimes.

    Liked by 1 person

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