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THR 6 months post-op, still can’t walk unaided without limp'

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@Krista just catching up with your thread and my heart goes out to you. Hope you can break out of the pain-spasm cycle and get some good rest. You're in my thoughts.
 
Oh Krista. I hope the muscle relaxants finally give you relief from the spasms. And that you are soon able to keep food and meds down. I sure wish they could move your surgery date up.

Sending lots of very gentle hugs and hope that you get some much needed rest.
 
Oh Krista, I'm heartbroken for you! You've been through too, too much! I wonder if sleeping in bed after having slept sitting up for so long has something to do with it? Thankfully you had those left over pain meds and that you're seeing the PA tomorrow! If the muscle relaxant doesn't work, I think it would be better to take the pain meds (with PA's okay) than risk falling before your surgery. I'm praying for you my friend! Please let us know how you're doing. xoxoxo
 
Oh @Krista you poor thing, i feel for you! I've had those horrible back spasms and know exactly what you are going through. Sending you lots of (careful) hugs :console2: all I can say is rest and try not to move out of alignment in anyway. Does heat help? I found it did, because I dare not use ice in fear of more spams. What works for me is epidural cortisone ( i have them every 3-4 months, and have had over 30 now)
 
:sad: Thanks for all of the good wishes, everyone! Since my Tuesday post, things have been tough. It even looks like my surgery will be postponed, although that isn't certain yet. Ended up going to the ER last night (at midnight). The muscle relaxant I got from family practice doc just wasn't cutting it, even though they upped it to 10mg 3 times a day. First day it was 5 mg once a day. What a joke! I was spasming right and left with seemingly no aggravation to cause it, just the tiniest movements. Many of the spasms were occuring about 20 minutes before next dose was due, so I definitely did not have enough coverage with that med.

Last night, after I had a number of episodes that felt like The Terminator was slamming his metal fist deep into my lower back over and over again, I had enough. Hubby took me to ER. They took x-rays, and the doctor says he thinks I have a crack in one of my vertebrae, the kind you get when you have osteoporosis. I do have osteoporosis in my lumbar spine, although it is just over the border into it. He gave me Norco 5's, Valium, Zofran for nausea. Told me to take ibuprofen and acetaminophen too, being careful not to overdo the aceta. since there is some in the Norco. So far so good, no nausea yet. I felt so much better that I was able to even get into bed (with great difficulty) and sleep on my side. Only had about 3 ½ hours of sleep, since we got to bed so late, but it was heavenly. Hubby helped me out of bed, and I had no spasms doing it. Have had none yet today. I am doing hardly anything, which helps, too. I am sore, and I know that if I make the slightest wrong move, I'll be being punched again by my own body.

I had both of my pre-op appts this week, which hubby took me to, since I couldn't go alone, got the brace on Tuesday and the PT showed me how to walk with 20 lb weight-bearing on the op leg. Yesterday afternoon, on the way to one of my surgeons for that post-op appt, driving over the slightly bumpy side streets, it triggered more spasms. It took me 15 minutes to get out of my car and into the office. They took hip x-rays, and the way I had to stand was apparently anathema to my back muscles, since I went into spasm again after walking back to the exam room. So my surgeon saw me when I could barely move, could only stand there, hunched over my walker. Bad news. Surgery is "on hold". He says we need to get to the bottom of this back thing before he can proceed. Good news, he got me an appointment in 4 days with the best back doctor/surgeon in their practice. Three weeks ago I tried to get an appointment with him and was told he had no openings until November.

I've had no spasms today, which is a very good thing. I am pretty sure surgery will be cancelled. I tried to take a few steps today with my walker and crutches doing the 20 lb weight bearing thing, and it was a no go. Could do it fine on Wednesday when I tried with the PT, but the damage from yesterday was fairly severe. It is really important for your back to be in good health when you have leg joint replacement surgery, since it will be required to do much extra work.

I'd be crying, if my back didn't hurt too much when I do. :sad:
 
Oh Krista! I am so sorry to hear all this! I cant even imagine all what you have gone through! Know I am thinking about you and praying they find out what is wrong and can get it fixed ASAP. Im so glad your surgeon got you in to see the back guy sooner. Please try to rest and let us know what he says. Hugs!
 
I will, @Tweetybrd, love your comments. Another awful thing that I have to vent about is that I can't sit in the recliner, and it is so hard for me to get in and out of bed, that I can't do unless hubby is around. Plus I am afraid of getting in and out, so limiting to once a day when I go to bed to sleep. I can't ever be comfortable, unless asleep. I have to sit on my rollator walker chair, or on my tub transfer bench, the only furniture that will work for sitting. Today when I was so tired from little sleep last night and the sleepiness factor of the meds that I had to nap sitting up on the tub transfer bench, hunched over a bunch of pillows on the table in front of me. I feel like I just had a THR, I am that limited in movement. Waaaah!
 
This is terrible news Krista! I mean how much more can a person take? I'm praying that you don't have a crack in your vertebrae and that it's just severe muscle spasms and that they resolve quickly. I can't imagine having to sleep on a transfer bench! That's just too much to deal with. Please let us know what the spins doctor says. Sending you a big hug! :-(
 
Krista, so very sorry to hear what a horrible time you are having. I will be hoping that the back doctor can figure out what exactly is going on and then quickly do something to bring you relief.

My son is having back surgery in early August. His problems include among other things muscle spasms and shooting pain from his neck to his fingers. He has been able to sleep only when they put him on fairly heavy pain meds. The surgeon told us that they are able to do so much more now than even a few years ago and that the surgery would likely bring much needed relief. This is my wish for you.

May you get a few more hours of sleep tonight.
 
I so appreciate all of your wonderful words of support! @Katiedid2, I am so sorry for your son with his spasms and shooting pains! Wishing him great success with his surgery. At least I only have the most horrid pain when spasming. When I don't do anything to aggravate whatever is wrong, I am just kind of sore and stiff and afraid to make move, always wondering when the spasm will happen again. Went another day without any and am thrilled about that. It helps when you go nowhere and do nothing. Tried sleeping in the bed two nights ago, and it was a big mistake. Slept rest of that night in chair, and again last night. @Cynthia777, I am really getting the hang of it! Got 7 hours last night, interrupted, but still...But now my legs are swollen from having them down 24/7, so trying to have them propped up some of the time. In so many ways I feel like I am in early recovery from THR.

Feeling so woozy from the meds that it is hard to string coherent thoughts together. Spending all my time trying to put together a timeline of the last month's back symptoms and meds for when I see the spine doc on Tuesday, so that it will be very clear to him what is going on and we won't waste time with me trying to remember. I get all mixed up unless things are written down. You should see my full page chart of what meds to take when. Some are every 8 hours, some every 6, some every 4, some every 12, so confusing. Took a shower today for the first time in 6 days, and was scared, since the worst spasms happened that last time in the shower. Used the tub transfer bench and all was well. I can hardly type, as I really need to have one or both hands supporting me at all times, 24/7. That's why leaning over a pile of pillows on the table is so nice, as it gives my arms a break.

I feel very frustrated that I couldn't have had my hip surgery sooner, as the longer I suffer from not being able to walk without aids, the more messed-up my body has become. I have gone down considerably in health and strength in my whole body over the past year since my THR. I feel so old and fragile. I know intellectually that I am of great comfort and support to my adult daughter and my sister, but other than that, I feel useless.

@Tweetybrd, I am going to doze off again soon, and add to that nice total of hours of sleep I got last night. It's amazing what you can do when you have no alternatives.

I'll check in again after my appointment on Tuesday. I think both my husband and sister are coming, too! I'll need them to remember what the doctor says, as I am kind of out of it. I thank my lucky stars that I have my husband and sister helping me so much.
 
@Krista So glad you were able to rest some. I hope it goes well at the drs on Tues. Hang in there. Sending you big hugs and prayers. :)
 
Gosh, I just feel if you can get those tears (or anything else going on) straightened out, you could get back to recovering. I'm just praying your spine is okay. Wouldn't it be weird if it was the spine giving you all the problems you've been going through and not your hip (although I doubt it from your posts). I read about so many people experiencing "referred" pain. Hopefully it's one OR the other and not both the tears AND spine. At least you've been able to get some relief and a little sleep. I can't wait to hear how your appointment on Tuesday goes. Hugs!
 
@Cynthia777, as of last December there were no problems with my spine. I had x-rays and an MRI of my spine done then and nothing abnormal was seen at that time, and I've been having the hip problem ever since my THR last July. I also had a diagnostic sacro-iliac injection, and it did not relieve my pain or limp at all. A big tear in the gluteus medius can be seen in MRI images, so it is obviously the source of my disability and pain in my hip.

I am resigned to the fact that my spine also has something wrong with it now, a compression fracture or something like that. With luck, it is just soft tissue stuff that will heal well, like it did 6 years ago when I injured it. :sick:
 
I sure hope it will end up being soft tissue issues and not a compression fracture! You've been so strong through this whole ordeal Krista, but one can only take so much! Have you still been able to catch some shuteye? PLEASE give an update once you see the spine doctor tomorrow. xoxoxo!!!
 
I will be thinking of you Tuesday, Krista, and hoping for the best. Glad that you will have your husband and sister with you at the appointment. It sure helps to have more than one set of ears listening to what the doctor has to say.

Also, referring to your update above, I've got to say that you do a better job of putting coherent thoughts in a post even under these very trying circumstances than I could do on a good day. You are amazing. May you soon get all these things resolved so that you are finally on the road to recovery.
 
Oh Krista, I am so sorry! My dad had osteoporosis and compression fractures and I know how horribly painful and debilitating it is. Fingers crossed that they can help you deal with this.
xx
 
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