THR Back pain
- Thread starter julesglass
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United States
jaymo
member
@julesglass- I share your frustration and cabin fever as well. I had my surgery around the same time as you did. I'm just 3 weeks postop. I'm definitely feeling bored and wishing my hip was further along in this recovery, and learning that I need to be patient. I'm a homebody too but this whole "not seeing another person for days" thing can get to you after a while. Only so much tv, reading, and resting that you can do before it gets frustrating.
On top of that, outside of PT visits I haven't been anywhere else outside the house, except to walk down the street for a short walk. No stores, shops or anything. I totally sympathize.
That being said, I know this is temporary and eventually I will get back to my normal life in a couple of months, so I just tell myself to be patient because it all will be worth it. Then the thing that really makes a difference for me is to remember where I was just a month ago- in constant pain and really unable to do anything except work sleep and deal with the limitations that my old hip had left me with. Do I want to back there? Heck no! Am I in a better place now, even with restrictions and cabin fever? Absolutely! Plus, we have every reason to expect that our futures will be so much brighter. In only a few weeks we will be able to do more, move more, and get back to our lives again. That's what keeps me sane through all of this. Just thought I would share my mindset in case it helps you.
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On top of that, outside of PT visits I haven't been anywhere else outside the house, except to walk down the street for a short walk. No stores, shops or anything. I totally sympathize.
That being said, I know this is temporary and eventually I will get back to my normal life in a couple of months, so I just tell myself to be patient because it all will be worth it. Then the thing that really makes a difference for me is to remember where I was just a month ago- in constant pain and really unable to do anything except work sleep and deal with the limitations that my old hip had left me with. Do I want to back there? Heck no! Am I in a better place now, even with restrictions and cabin fever? Absolutely! Plus, we have every reason to expect that our futures will be so much brighter. In only a few weeks we will be able to do more, move more, and get back to our lives again. That's what keeps me sane through all of this. Just thought I would share my mindset in case it helps you.
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julesglass
graduate
Howdy hi @jaymo, too bad we can't navigate as well or very long because it is sooo beautiful outside. Not that we can't get outside at all, however to go for a walk at the park or walk trails. There's a maple tree at the end of my block that reminds me of sponge painting I did in elementary school. You know, sponge speckled leaves on brown stick trunks. This tree is green and orange sponge speckles with a tiny bit of yellow. So I "walk" down the street and fill myself with the beautiful bouquet of colors of out there. Pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks in the yards. Its like burst of color from God. I'm getting a grasp of where I'm at now ad I like it. My children have said they can not remember me walking straight. Not only my gait but also I'm walking not bent over. I have one question that concerns me. The aching pain is across the very low area of my back. Its like a hand's width across the top part of my pelvic. I feel this is rendering me from doing two walks per day. I enjoy my walk down the street along with walking in the backyard I do also. I am looking forward to a quicker step.
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julesglass
graduate
I ran out of pain pills. It being friday, it'll be Monday to get them if I want them. Doing Tylenol every 4 hrs. It's back pain that is the problem. It won't leave me alone. Help.
Oh my.....I'm so sorry about you running out of pain medications. Is there not someone who could go pick up the prescription from your doctor's office tomorrow (Friday) so you could have them now? If your surgeon cannot respond that quickly, how about your GP? Sometimes they are better about these things. If getting a prescription for Oxycontin is difficult, you could ask for a "lesser" pain medication such as Tramadol or even Hydrocodone. Many doctors like to step you down from the more serious narcotics to these other medications.
Taking Tylenol for the pain is fine, but do be sure that you are not taking more than 4000mg in any 24 hour period. The best schedule for pain relief is to take 1000mg every 6 hours.
Are you putting heat on your back? That can help, especially at night. Just be sure to have clothing or a towel in between you and the heating pad so you don't risk a burn. Be sure that you are not trying to do too much here in these early days of recovery. It will take some time for your pelvis to realign itself to its new normal position and that can result in some muscle soreness. Also, be sure you are not limping when you walk. If you are, that means you need to go back to using a walking aid for a while....one that allows you to take good, strong strides when you walk.
You may notice that I merged your latest thread with your original recovery thread. Please keep all your updates, questions and concerns here in this thread so that we have a complete record of your recovery in one place. It makes it so much easier if we have to go back and review your history before giving advice.
Taking Tylenol for the pain is fine, but do be sure that you are not taking more than 4000mg in any 24 hour period. The best schedule for pain relief is to take 1000mg every 6 hours.
Are you putting heat on your back? That can help, especially at night. Just be sure to have clothing or a towel in between you and the heating pad so you don't risk a burn. Be sure that you are not trying to do too much here in these early days of recovery. It will take some time for your pelvis to realign itself to its new normal position and that can result in some muscle soreness. Also, be sure you are not limping when you walk. If you are, that means you need to go back to using a walking aid for a while....one that allows you to take good, strong strides when you walk.
You may notice that I merged your latest thread with your original recovery thread. Please keep all your updates, questions and concerns here in this thread so that we have a complete record of your recovery in one place. It makes it so much easier if we have to go back and review your history before giving advice.
Lower back pain may(!) be related do the sacroiliac joint or lumbar spine, since it is very likely that the whole symmetry of your hip, pelvic, spine and muscle tissue has changed since OP. If you had scoliosis prior to OP because of LLD or pelvic obliquity (like I did) the pain may be the result of this state "suddenly" changing.
If it's just a muscular thing, you could try to take a tennis (though that may be too soft) or lacrosse ball (better!), or even a baseball or golfball (that my be too hardcore), or even a doggy-toy rubberball and try to put some pressure on the area for a minute or two, then start massaging in very small movements. You can do this lying down on the ball or start manually while seated, or sit on the ball (but NOT directly on the operated side!). It's difficult to get this 100% right just by texting it out. If it's just a muscular issue, the muscles should react by relaxing when pressure + small movements are applied. It will feel a bit (just a bit!) painful at first, but then the pain must slowly recede. This may take a minute or two. That's when you start making these little movements. If the pain does not recede - it's something else and this small exercise won't acutally help.
I did that with 2 lacrosse balls to soothe muscular pain in that area (lower and upper back) at hospital, while being kept on my back after surgery. (Just stuffed the balls there between matress an back then kept shimmying around a bit with my pelvic or shoulders).
If it's just a muscular thing, you could try to take a tennis (though that may be too soft) or lacrosse ball (better!), or even a baseball or golfball (that my be too hardcore), or even a doggy-toy rubberball and try to put some pressure on the area for a minute or two, then start massaging in very small movements. You can do this lying down on the ball or start manually while seated, or sit on the ball (but NOT directly on the operated side!). It's difficult to get this 100% right just by texting it out. If it's just a muscular issue, the muscles should react by relaxing when pressure + small movements are applied. It will feel a bit (just a bit!) painful at first, but then the pain must slowly recede. This may take a minute or two. That's when you start making these little movements. If the pain does not recede - it's something else and this small exercise won't acutally help.
I did that with 2 lacrosse balls to soothe muscular pain in that area (lower and upper back) at hospital, while being kept on my back after surgery. (Just stuffed the balls there between matress an back then kept shimmying around a bit with my pelvic or shoulders).
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julesglass
graduate
@Jamie thanks for reminding me about hydrocodone. That's what I was on before surgery. My GP will be in Monday. I was given some hydrocodone for the weekend. I hadn't thought of heat, I also have some muscle relaxers also. I do have curvature of the spine @mopster, along with lumbar problems. I was hoping this back pain was part of healing and my body adjusting. I use my cane ever where. Love my bonesmart buddies!
jaymo
member
I have low back pain as well-my OS said that it would be normal to have this pain postop as my pelvis is realigning itself to the correct anatomical position. When this happens muscles and tendons in the lower spine are affected as well. I have days where my low back hurts more than my operated leg too. Since my OS warned me about this I consider this part of the healing process. When this happens I spend more time in bed with my knees slightly elevated and a small pillow under the knees which relieves some of the pressure on my lower back. An hour or two of this, in conjunction with regular round the clock pain meds usually relieves the pain. Ice on lower back helps too. I hope you have gotten your pain controlled by now.
My cabin fever continues but with outdoor walks ( very short) and the passage of time I'm getting through it. I know in a few weeks we'll both be much further along and getting out and about and back to normal so I hold in to that.
Also I've given up on trying to normalize my sleep schedule for now. It's out of control and I'm letting it go. Last night I slept from 3:30 to 6 and then 7:30 to 9:40. I will probably crash at some point this afternoon and need a nap. I did see a beautiful sunrise from the porch tho which I never get to enjoy since I'm always rushing to work so I treasured that.
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My cabin fever continues but with outdoor walks ( very short) and the passage of time I'm getting through it. I know in a few weeks we'll both be much further along and getting out and about and back to normal so I hold in to that.
Also I've given up on trying to normalize my sleep schedule for now. It's out of control and I'm letting it go. Last night I slept from 3:30 to 6 and then 7:30 to 9:40. I will probably crash at some point this afternoon and need a nap. I did see a beautiful sunrise from the porch tho which I never get to enjoy since I'm always rushing to work so I treasured that.
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BusterBeans
senior
@julesglass @jaymo. So glad to be reading your entries and learning from you! My OS didn't warn me about pelvic areas shifting post-surgery and I couldn't figure out why I had such terrible sciatic pain for 4-5 days. That would explain it! I'm 2-1/2 weeks post-op and only have a little hip discomfort at night but have major stabbing pain in the knees I had replaced last year. My OS doesn't want to even look at them for another 6 weeks so maybe they're also shifting around now that the hip/pelvis has been done.
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julesglass
graduate
My surgeon's nurse called me today. She wanted to know how I was doing. Told her I had run out of pain meds and my GP won't give me any. I've been doing Tylenol not helping a lot with the back pain. She suggested mailing me a script. She said she'd talk to doc and get it out tomorrow. I HAD to run errands today. Not something I could have someone do for me. There went my afternoon walk. I got back from errands back hurt so much augh! I'm hoping to have the script Friday. My hip, leg doesn't hurt. I can go down steps normally and found myself going up normally not thinking about. So even with this menacing back pain I'm doing good. Just cuts into my walk, don't like that cause I haven't been able to walk "around" the block yet. Still at go up the street to the next corner and back. Granddaughter loves the walks.
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julesglass
graduate
Oh I forgot, I am going to ask doc about this back pain. I've lived with pain for so many years.
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julesglass
graduate
OS mailed me script. I didn't think they could do that. Silly me, week without pain pills set my walking back to just my yard. Good news, OS might release me to go back to work beginning Nov. That would be sweet however I will probably do part-time at first. Another mile stone coming into view!
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Have you come across this in your time here? Phased return to work
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julesglass
graduate
Thanks @Josephine, I was just thinking about work not the preparing for work day and the work. My profession would be considered between light manual and heavy manual. On my feet standing mainly, some lifting and carrying. I have 15 min break at 10am, up to an hour for lunch and break at 3pm. I'll get a job description to take with me for OS to see. My employer is willing to work with me, I am blessed in that way. Thanks again Josephine for the reality check.
Zelda
graduate
Just as a head's up - when I went back to work I found standing was actually harder than walking. I went back part time at 12 weeks and still struggled a bit. I had to force myself to remember to sit down as much as possible (half hour standing, at least ten minutes sitting) or I'd be trembling by the end of the day. It did improve but I was surprised how hard just standing was.
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julesglass
graduate
I do have a bar stool with arms and padded seat with back I can sit on. I'm just going to take it slow and easy.
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julesglass
graduate
You know I've tried several times to add info on my signature and it's not staying. Can it be done on android or need to be done on tablet?
@julesglass your surgery date is in your signature now. Worry not! If you want additional information there let us know and we can add it for you.
Fuzzie
junior member
My doc would not give me oxycodone .. Said it was a hospital drug and just gave me normal codeine . Yet I know someone in next town who was prescribed it .. Had bad side effects . Seems to differ here in uk ... I think. It's a very strong drug so be careful X
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Fuzzie
junior member
I am beginning to get a bit of cabin fever after 2 weeks here in UK but I think I lost a week somewhere .. It feels like it's been one week but it's two . Where the heck did week one go ? I remember a lot of sleep and a lot of pain ....
I have full set of Game of thrones on the go at the mo as never watched it , boy it's bloody ! Like permenant hip surgery !
Can anyone recommend how far I should try walking now ? Wander round house on Zimmer and garden .. Going to try small alley next to my house today that is only short distance .. Back and forth maybe twice . In crutches ... Worry a bit when people say how far they have walked as I cannot walk unaided at 2 weeks .. Is this normal ? Plus here in UK it is starting to get cold ....
Thanks
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I have full set of Game of thrones on the go at the mo as never watched it , boy it's bloody ! Like permenant hip surgery !
Can anyone recommend how far I should try walking now ? Wander round house on Zimmer and garden .. Going to try small alley next to my house today that is only short distance .. Back and forth maybe twice . In crutches ... Worry a bit when people say how far they have walked as I cannot walk unaided at 2 weeks .. Is this normal ? Plus here in UK it is starting to get cold ....
Thanks
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