THR 6 months post-op, still can’t walk unaided without limp'
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Krista
post-grad
@Pumpkln, I could wear the brace/belt that I will be wearing after the gluteus medius repair, but it sticks out on the side and limits my movements more than are needed at this point. The lumbar belt I just got is almost as good. Mostly I just feel some soreness, but I haven't been having new spasms, which are truly excruciating.
@Cynthia777, it appears that there is just one vertebra with a new fracture. I've attached a photo below, with me pointing. My point is to my spinal cord, when I meant to point to T11. It is actually the T11 vertebra below and a little to the left that is the problem. You can see how white T11 looks, showing the abnormality.
I feel a little bit better today, not quite so fragile. Took two hours to write out 9 checks to pay bills and make contributions, and stamp the envelopes and get ready to send. Have to triple check everything. We may go out to eat tonight to a place very close to home where I can use my rollator walker to sit on. I can carefully get in and out of the car pretty well now. No driving, of course, but can do a little bit more of other things. Trying not to. Think it's time to lie my head down for a little nap.
![[Bonesmart.org] 6 months post-op, still can’t walk unaided without limp'](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/img_3871-jpg.52747/ "[Bonesmart.org] 6 months post-op, still can’t walk unaided without limp'")
@Cynthia777, it appears that there is just one vertebra with a new fracture. I've attached a photo below, with me pointing. My point is to my spinal cord, when I meant to point to T11. It is actually the T11 vertebra below and a little to the left that is the problem. You can see how white T11 looks, showing the abnormality.
I feel a little bit better today, not quite so fragile. Took two hours to write out 9 checks to pay bills and make contributions, and stamp the envelopes and get ready to send. Have to triple check everything. We may go out to eat tonight to a place very close to home where I can use my rollator walker to sit on. I can carefully get in and out of the car pretty well now. No driving, of course, but can do a little bit more of other things. Trying not to. Think it's time to lie my head down for a little nap.
Cynthia777
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I can see the difference! I feel so sad for you Krista! I'm praying that everything falls into place so you can move forward with your August 15th surgery. 
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Miss Muffet
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Tweetybrd
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Cynthia777
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Krista
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@Tweetybrd, your wishes came true! I am not in pain, unless I spasm, and it has been days since that happened. I have been getting rest, even though it is still sitting up with my feet down. But today I am actually feeling better enough to sit straight up and have my feet on an ottoman! I am doing that as much as possible, so that maybe some of this swelling will go down. This swelling is way worse than what I had after my THR!
@Cynthia777, thanks for the heads-up, sweetie! Wishing you will have the most wonderful time! Thanks for letting me know that you will be checking in. As of now, I have not yet heard whether or not the kyphoplasty will be this week or not. I am feeling better, have cut back a bit on the pain med and on the muscle relaxant. I even went out to a nearby restaurant on Saturday night, with my sister and hubby aiding me in and out. Felt so good to be going out to do something other than see a doctor or have a procedure!
@Cynthia777, thanks for the heads-up, sweetie! Wishing you will have the most wonderful time! Thanks for letting me know that you will be checking in. As of now, I have not yet heard whether or not the kyphoplasty will be this week or not. I am feeling better, have cut back a bit on the pain med and on the muscle relaxant. I even went out to a nearby restaurant on Saturday night, with my sister and hubby aiding me in and out. Felt so good to be going out to do something other than see a doctor or have a procedure!
Cynthia777
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Bless your sweet heart Krista! It does me good to hear that you're not suffering so much! If for no other reason than you, I will be making sure to check in (or I'll email you). I'm holding your hand sweet friend!
Katiedid2
junior member
So glad to hear that you are not having quite so much pain and that you got to go out the other night!
Any word on when you go for the kyphoplasty? I sure hope to hear it's this week.
Any word on when you go for the kyphoplasty? I sure hope to hear it's this week.
Arlene56
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Krista,
Glad you were able to get out and are feeling better. Hope the kyphoplasty is soon!
Glad you were able to get out and are feeling better. Hope the kyphoplasty is soon!
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Krista
post-grad
No word yet on when it will be, although I was in the phone with all parties today. I hope I'll hear tomorrow. I'm pretty sure that if I don't hear tomorrow, the hip surgeons will pull out and refuse to do the surgery on Monday. That'd be ok with me, actually. After the kyphoplasty, I want to make sure my back will be strong enough to endure the rigors of post-op with 20 lb weight bearing and all of my non-surgical limbs and back being not as strong as they should be. Not sure if just a couple of days would tell me that or not. I slept sitting up in bed last night for the first time in over a month, in two 3 hour stretches, broken up by meds and the need to move, since I just sit there in one position. That was wonderful! My legs were so happy being up.
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Krista
post-grad
The decision has been made to postpone my hip surgery again, hopefully to some time in October. I am scheduled to have the balloon kyphoplasty on my 11th thoracic vertebra on Thursday, August 18. This way, my back will be able to recover as well as possible for 6 weeks or more before the hip surgery. Most of my weight is in my torso, and I will need a strong back, as well as both arms and my good leg, in order to support my body during the 20 pound weight-bearing restriction after hip surgery. I don't want any sudden back pain or spasms to occur during recovery from hip surgery, and this additional recovery time will help prevent that.
So, don't feel badly for me, my friends. I was uncomfortable with the idea of going forward with my iffy, broken vertebra. The decision was taken out of my hands due to not being able to get insurance approval to schedule the back procedure soon enough. I am at peace!
So, don't feel badly for me, my friends. I was uncomfortable with the idea of going forward with my iffy, broken vertebra. The decision was taken out of my hands due to not being able to get insurance approval to schedule the back procedure soon enough. I am at peace!
Chihuahuan
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Krista
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It is, @Chihuahuan! Right after my last post, I fell asleep for 2 hours. I had no more phone calls to wait for, no more people to call, no more decisions to make, and I hardly slept last night. So Peace in my case equalled much needed, blessed Sleep!
canoewoman
junior member
I am limping 12 weeks post op with physio which is now cut back to very minimal exercises because of the xray on my back last week. I thought I overdid it about 3-4 weeks ago when I tried going out shopping with just my cane and that night was in agony. My hip, buttock, outside thigh and calf were in excrutiating pain, not to mention my lower back and there was numbness in my leg.
I went to emerg and the MD there dismissed it as soft tissue inflammation. This soft tissue is a word I hear too much but after another 10 days went to my own MD who was back from holidays and he had xrays done (which should have been done in emerg) and I have arthritis from top of spine to bottom and the bottom is really bad and he thinks is swollen tissues pressing on the sciatic nerve and also I have a compressed fracture of one of my vertebrae. When that happened I have no idea but there are signs of osteoporosis so he has me booked for a bonscan next week.
I also called my orthos surgeon as I am so concerned on how this impacts on the hip and what is hip pain from general recovery and what is sciatic pain or peri...something muscle pain and left a message and that was two days ago. I asked if I could get an appointment with him and left the message with his secretary's voice mail and there has been no response.
I too am very disappointed with the surgeon because this has made me so depressed and then my son's wife got on my case that I was complaining too much (and this is before the xrays) and said she wants to keep her distance from me. It was my birthday last week and while they wished me good wishes they were going to take me to lunch and that all fell through because she did not want to have lunch with me.
I am so overwhelmed with what she said and some of the other comments she made and in so much pain and so depressed that I feel completely lost. I moved here to be near my son and family and gave up friends and activities 2000 miles away. I love the people here and the ocean and the seafood and the arts community but I feel so lonely and this row with her was enough to break the camels back and literally mine I guess.
I have no idea how this fracture occurred or when but I am of the opinion that we have so much thrown at us pre op with information and preparation for this surgery and yet nothing afterwards.
The physiotherapist has cut back on much of my PT as its too hard on my back right now so we went at it very gently yesterday and I was ok last night but I have to be careful because of this fracture. I do still get out walking with my walker but I cannot understand how anyone could criticize someone who is in pain. I have to keep my mouth shut now and now utter a word about my health and its been hard on my son.
I am sorry about your limp problem and know how it feels but one problem with me is my knee with needs replacement and its bent so naturally I am not walking very straight and I have a very bad knee, bone on bone but am really thinking if its worth having it replaced as I could not go through again what I have been through with this hip and now the back is a concern.
Sorry too much venting.
I went to emerg and the MD there dismissed it as soft tissue inflammation. This soft tissue is a word I hear too much but after another 10 days went to my own MD who was back from holidays and he had xrays done (which should have been done in emerg) and I have arthritis from top of spine to bottom and the bottom is really bad and he thinks is swollen tissues pressing on the sciatic nerve and also I have a compressed fracture of one of my vertebrae. When that happened I have no idea but there are signs of osteoporosis so he has me booked for a bonscan next week.
I also called my orthos surgeon as I am so concerned on how this impacts on the hip and what is hip pain from general recovery and what is sciatic pain or peri...something muscle pain and left a message and that was two days ago. I asked if I could get an appointment with him and left the message with his secretary's voice mail and there has been no response.
I too am very disappointed with the surgeon because this has made me so depressed and then my son's wife got on my case that I was complaining too much (and this is before the xrays) and said she wants to keep her distance from me. It was my birthday last week and while they wished me good wishes they were going to take me to lunch and that all fell through because she did not want to have lunch with me.
I am so overwhelmed with what she said and some of the other comments she made and in so much pain and so depressed that I feel completely lost. I moved here to be near my son and family and gave up friends and activities 2000 miles away. I love the people here and the ocean and the seafood and the arts community but I feel so lonely and this row with her was enough to break the camels back and literally mine I guess.
I have no idea how this fracture occurred or when but I am of the opinion that we have so much thrown at us pre op with information and preparation for this surgery and yet nothing afterwards.
The physiotherapist has cut back on much of my PT as its too hard on my back right now so we went at it very gently yesterday and I was ok last night but I have to be careful because of this fracture. I do still get out walking with my walker but I cannot understand how anyone could criticize someone who is in pain. I have to keep my mouth shut now and now utter a word about my health and its been hard on my son.
I am sorry about your limp problem and know how it feels but one problem with me is my knee with needs replacement and its bent so naturally I am not walking very straight and I have a very bad knee, bone on bone but am really thinking if its worth having it replaced as I could not go through again what I have been through with this hip and now the back is a concern.
Sorry too much venting.
canoewoman
junior member
Sorry talked about my knee right after telling you how sorry I was about your limp but many of us go through this limp issue. I guess we have the surgery and think we will be arthritis pain free afterwards but never realize we have to face walking again and its very discouraging so I hope your new appointment gives you some hope and let us know.
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Krista
post-grad
@canoewoman, you have so much to vent about! Getting no response from your OS office about legitimate serious concerns and then being treated that way by your daughter-in-law. How thoughtless she is! Especially after you moving so far to live near them. Just heartbreaking.
The issues with your back are very serious and demand attention. Going through a compression fracture has taught me that. It is very important that you see the right kind of doctor, an orthopedist who specializes in the back. The OS who will be doing my second hip surgery (eventually), made sure I got in quickly to see their best back doctor. He referred me to an even more specialized doctor, an interventional radiologist, who can do the types of procedures like I am going to have on my thoracic vertebra, the balloon kypophlasty. I am now trying to get a referral to a doctor who can help me with my osteoporosis and osteopenia.
Keep on advocating for yourself to get the consultations, diagnoses and treatments that your conditions require. It isn't easy, but we need to do it so we can have quality of life for our remaining years. Wishing you the best in your THR recovery and getting to the bottom of your new painful issues.
The issues with your back are very serious and demand attention. Going through a compression fracture has taught me that. It is very important that you see the right kind of doctor, an orthopedist who specializes in the back. The OS who will be doing my second hip surgery (eventually), made sure I got in quickly to see their best back doctor. He referred me to an even more specialized doctor, an interventional radiologist, who can do the types of procedures like I am going to have on my thoracic vertebra, the balloon kypophlasty. I am now trying to get a referral to a doctor who can help me with my osteoporosis and osteopenia.
Keep on advocating for yourself to get the consultations, diagnoses and treatments that your conditions require. It isn't easy, but we need to do it so we can have quality of life for our remaining years. Wishing you the best in your THR recovery and getting to the bottom of your new painful issues.
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