Im on days 2 after a rather serious spine surgery. Took 3 years of excruciating pain to finally get it. (Herniated cervical discs with foraminal stenosis) more or less out of work this time.

This surgery involves opening ip my neck (through muscles) and drilling away some bone to make room for the root nerves.

My surgeon is good I believe

My experience:

  • woke up in recovery room, they gave 3 morphine shots that didn’t break trough pain. Fentanyl added did the trick. At this point i my right arm is pretty much paralyzed.

  • first 24 hrs at the ICU, got morphine subconsciously every 4 hours. In agony for 24 hours, despite me complaining no change in pain protocol. They followed strict schedule regardless of pain. My arm still not working, nurses very surprised itsnew from the surgery. Im asking to see a surgeon. No one comes

  • get moved to neurology ward, here they switched me to Oxycodone, same dose as i was on when in pain before. Was not enough, they agreed add another small dose of immediate release oxy. That did the trick. However their schedule says every 12 hours, For me the meds wear out after 6-8. They refuse to go outside their schedule. If been fucked if I didn’t bring my own. They woke me up for vitals, pain meds not working (10gr sleep) but was not 8 yet, do only paracetamol.

At this point 2 days after surgery I HAVE NOT SEEN A SINGLE DOCTOR! My arm still paralyzed and im getting sent home today. I keep asking to too a surgeon or neurologist. Then i get a email about a phone appointment with my surgeon 20th November.

Nurses are kind and friendly, but not flexible. No one has still talked to me about my paralyzed arm. 2 days, not a single check ip from a doctor after serious spine surgery

  • Adventurous_Editor97@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    The US has the biggest problem w/ opiate overuse/ addiction/ death in the world and you complain that the Dutch are too cautious in their approach to them…?ok lol

    I hope you get well soon though!

  • imaginable-pan@alien.top
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    1 year ago

    Sadly (Western) Europe’s health care is going down the gutter in the recent years.

    I hope you are getting better. Stuff like this also happens quite often over here in germany.

    However I think the opioid dose would be more effective on you if you would lay down your drug abuse.

  • Sugmanuts001@alien.top
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    1 year ago

    Dude, you post on r/drugs regularly and are somehow surprised that doctors won’t give you all those juicy drugs you crave? Lolwut?

  • Difcar@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    I am glad the dutch healthcare system is very careful when it comes to handing out addictive painkillers.

  • Tardislass@alien.top
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    1 year ago

    Definitely look into another doctor or hospital, it sounds like there were complications that didn’t get addressed. And file a complaint with the hospital.

    Unfortunately some people will refuse to believe that European hospitals can be as bad or worse than American ones. I’ve heard stories such as yours and I hope you get the help that you need.

  • Potential-Theme-4531@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    This is one of the many examples of the Dutch Healthcare system failing. In all seriousness, I am sorry that you’ve been treated so badly. My expat circle is now relaying on proper private systems of our home countries or Turkey for diagnosis and main treatments. Dutch Healthcare would prevent you from dying, but that’s about it…

  • Mysterious_Button_47@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    Yep dutchies always downvote and victimblame. I had horrific experience with nerve disease, extremely painful and impacting. Had to fly abroad bc doctors here are criminals and even refused to give a proper painkiller! So before flying abroad, I posted to ask how others cope, or push to get any sort of treatment and I got downbotedz verbally attacked and of course “bUt aNtiBioTicS” like dudes have no clue themselves but are first to judge

  • PanickyFool@alien.topB
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    1 year ago

    This is why I have money set aside to go back to the states for a few potential issues I might of got from my mother.

    I will not have a major inpatient surgery done in NL.