son in car accident /alternative health remedies? (relief, natural)

[photobuff42]

When he gets well enough, massage therapy should definitely be added. I had a car accident and was in regular pain until I started getting a massage, usually once a month.

Hope he has a speedy recovery.

[max's mama]

I'm sorry about your son.

I have to agree with other posters. I'm all for alternative medicine, but neither of us at this point can feel confident and comfortable to give an advice as the situation is too complicated.

Please take him to a naturopathic doctor if this is the route you want to take and please keep us posted!!!

[Sgoldie]

This is a quote from a book in my library called Complementary & Alternative Therapies. "Arnica, safety risk when used at the same time as aspirin, heparin, or warfarin (all blood thinners). May increase the risk of bleeding."

I was given narcotics last year after my operation that involved cutting my chest open. One week in the hospital under morphine, and two weeks at home where they prescribed two lesser ones. I only needed to use the combination of the two every four hours for a week and then went down to using one every four hours for the second week after which tylenol took care of it. If I didn't get enough rest or got overtired though I might have to take the rx one time and didn't do that again. I don't believe he'll get addicted if he's in pain but this will give you an idea for a time period.

[Wicked Felina]

Your son will not become addicted to pain medications, and as another poster said, it is very easy to wean one's self off of them.

Have you considered acupuncture? It can be combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine and massage therapy. It has helped me greatly.

In many other countries acupuncturists are considered to be primary care physicians. They can be considered PCPs in California, as well. Their use of Chinese Herbal medicines is highly regulated. You will find none of it in a "health" store or a "nutrition" store.

Please do not underestimate any drug. Be it holistic, naturopathic or traditional western. If you can buy it over the counter, does not make it less dangerous. Mixing modalities without the knowledge of your son's doc is just not safe.

I agree with maxsmom. It's hard to know or advise anyone over the internet. Best of luck and health to your son.

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by Wicked Felina

Your son will not become addicted to pain medications, and as another poster said, it is very easy to wean one's self off of them.

Have you considered acupuncture? It can be combined with Traditional Chinese Medicine and massage therapy. It has helped me greatly.

In many other countries acupuncturists are considered to be primary care physicians. They can be considered PCPs in California, as well. Their use of Chinese Herbal medicines is highly regulated. You will find none of it in a "health" store or a "nutrition" store.

Please do not underestimate any drug. Be it holistic, naturopathic or traditional western. If you can buy it over the counter, does not make it less dangerous. Mixing modalities without the knowledge of your son's doc is just not safe.

I agree with maxsmom. It's hard to know or advise anyone over the internet. Best of luck and health to your son.

I'm with you regarding acupuncture.
However to say that her son won't become addicted to pain medication is a strange perspective since it's my understanding that some of them are highly addictive and if her son is prone to addiction then it's natural that she would be concerned.
And by the way, you most certainly can find Chinese medicine in health food stores / nutrition stores.
I buy them there all the time.
Sgoldie's recommendation for the book "Complementary & Alternative Therapies" gets a thumbs up from me.
A properly educated person / patient need not constantly run to the m.d. to get their input especially when they're generally rather ignorant and dismissive when it comes to alternative approaches.
Also, if one is aware of what herbs, etc. not to combine with whatever pharmaceutical drug is being used, combining alternative modalities with conventional medicine is not problematic.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

My western hospital employer has a licensed massage therapist on Staff on the NeuroRehab floor b/c there is such a huge benefit in pain relief. Patients take far less on-request pain meds after getting a massage. Even on the parts that aren't injured, the benefits seem to carry over.

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

My western hospital employer has a licensed massage therapist on Staff on the NeuroRehab floor b/c there is such a huge benefit in pain relief. Patients take far less on-request pain meds after getting a massage. Even on the parts that aren't injured, the benefits seem to carry over.

It certainly makes sense and also, the less the liver (for one and primarily) has to deal with in terms of pharmaceuticals, the better.
My dad broke his femur bone a few years ago.
The docs had him on so much medication it was scary.
My cousin who is a nurse and aware of alternative approaches and also of the danger of over medicating someone came into the hospital like a tornado and got the m.d. to get my dad off a lot of what she considered unnecessary meds (and some were conflicting with each other and making him nuts btw) and his condition improved noticeably after that.
We were also providing him with various herbs to help support his liver ('cause of all the drugs) and to support his immune system.

[jimboburnsy]

Be extremely careful with any attempt to supplement your son's prescriptions. He's on some very powerful drugs and "herbal" or "all-natural" does not necessarily mean "will not interact with muscle relaxers, blood thinners and extremely powerful opiods." It sounds like your son has sustained very serious injuries and will be in considerable pain and at risk of serious complications for a while. I would be extremely, extremely wary of trying to outdo his physicians. At the very least, consult with a pharmacist before you administer anything on your own. Explain the situation precisely, do not withold any information. If he or she says "don't do it", take his or her advice.

I was fairly heavily medicated after an accident and I hated the way morphine and vicotin made me feel. It was bad enough for me to be willing to experiment with pain levels while un-medicated. I found it wasn't so bad and the improvement in my mood was worth the extra discomfort. The injury I had definitely pails by comparison with your son's, however. He may have a genuine need for the big guns for the time being but he'll probably wean himself off if he doesn't like the way it makes him feel.

[tasmtairy]

I highly doubt they will put him from dilaudid to tylenol!! After the dilaudid, comes the Vicodin or percoset, or Oxycodone, it's a long way from dilaudid to tylenol, not to mention whatever muscle relaxers he is on. Tapering off is the best thing IMO, then cleansing with natural. Blood thinners are dangerous and make sure the doctor knows everything else he is taking.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by ready2move

Hi all,

PLEASE do not make this a eastern vs western medicine issue. I only need/want responses that will help me answer my questions.


My 21Y son was in a car accident on 10/31. He broke his right femur and fractured his left hip along with several fractured ribs. He was just released from inpatient therapy in Tallahassee and is coming to stay with my husband and I in Atlanta while he recovers.

He is on low weight bearing on the left side, but is still in major pain with the ribs. The doctors still have him on blood thinners, dilaudid, and muscle relaxers.

I am trying to go the healthy/alternative route to get him off all this synthetic crap he is on.

I gave him bone strength, arnica, glucosamine and MSM.


Any suggestions for weaning off the dilaudid? I am scared to death about addiction as he does have that personality, and he says he hates the way he feels on it, but I could use some suggestions.

I know he is going to need a major liver cleanse as well.


Thanks!

Lots and lots of leafy greens and vitamin D would be beneficial. Do not overlook stress-reduction in the form of lots of peace and quiet and possibly meditation type CDs. Why is he on blood thinners? A young person like that shouldn't need them. You have such a high risk of brain bleeds and other serious medical issues on blood thinners, I'd get rid of them asap and make sure that he is drinking TONS of water to keep well hydrated.

I'd definitely lose the pain pills. You would be amazed how much plain old aspirin can help. I broke my leg and tore a knee ligament many years ago and would not take anything except aspirin (and not tylenol or ibuprofin). The nurses thought I was nuts. LOL

It sounds like you are doing it right so far. keep up the good work, mom.

20yrsinBranson