Core Decompression Climber ready to climb again

[climbergirl]

Thanks @Josephine, definitely incorporated some of your suggestions into my recovery - especially the overall philosophy of 'just chill out and let yourself recover' Been keeping up with the pain meds and staying put more and it's treating me quite well! Energy/mood is much improved and pain decreased.

Do have a two new symptoms I wanted to run past the group. First, the tenderness I had at my incision site (which I stopped massaging, BTW) has turned into a hard, tender lump with a little swelling (no redness or fever though). Is this normal? Something I should have checked out? I 'think' it might be getting bigger but hard to tell.

Also, for the last week or so I've been getting really bad headaches. I've never really had them regularly before so can only think they're surgery related. Could it be the meds? Maybe this thing in my back (which is still healing - and there is a longer story about I'll post on later) which is still a little tender and swollen?

I plan to call the doc in the morning but wanted to see if anyone else has experienced this. Thanks!!

 

[Josephine]

First, the tenderness I had at my incision site (which I stopped massaging, BTW) has turned into a hard, tender lump with a little swelling (no redness or fever though). Is this normal? Something I should have checked out? I 'think' it might be getting bigger but hard to tell.

How about a photo?

Also, for the last week or so I've been getting really bad headaches. I've never really had them regularly before so can only think they're surgery related. Could it be the meds?

What meds are you taking? Some do cause headaches.

 

[climbergirl]

In terms of meds, just extra strength Tylenol, 2 every 5 hours.

And here's the pic. Looks like it's actually getting a bit redder and there appears to be a bit of a blood blister... grooooss!

 

[Josephine]

Thanks for the picture but can't see anything!

 

[copsham]

I found if the photo is double clicked it gets larger and can be seen!

 

[Josephine]

Yes, I did that - it's been posted as a thumbnail.

 

[climbergirl]

Sorry about the photo confusion! I ended up using a topical antibiotic my son had and the incision improved greatly - with evertthing else going on I think I might be oversensetive and overreacting to things a bit...

I saw the PA today and she thinks the headaches and back pain I've been having are related to my epidural - that there may have been a dura puncture. I see the ortho and have an MRI tomorrow.

So, the story with the epidural is that while the doc was in the process of starting it I had a severe vasovagal response - never had one before so this was out of the blue. I got very nasuated, blacked out, fell over, and started having convulsions (as told to me by my mother who was there). I came to on my back but they had me roll over on my side and I supposed finished the epidural at that point (maybe just finishe taping it down - don't really remember). At some point in there my blood pressure dropped to 60/28 so I was given a shot of epinephrin (sp?). That was actually the freakiest part of the whole process, surgery included! Given that, I can't really blame them if I ended up with 'issues'.

Wish me luck tomorrow! I'd LOVE to get an answer on these headaches, they're killing me!

 

[Josephine]

I saw the PA today and she thinks the headaches and back pain I've been having are related to my epidural - that there may have been a dural puncture

Well, of course there was a dural puncture - that's what an epidural is!

So, the story with the epidural is that while the doc was in the process of starting it I had a severe vasovagal response

I can tell you my niece had such an event during a labour epi many years ago and had to have an emergency c-section as a result. She was told by the doctor that she must have had (her interpretation) an allergic response to the drugs. She also overheard another patient telling her husband "there's that girl that had a cardiac arrest" which scared her witless! So much as they both wanted more kids, for years she was terrified of getting pregnant again. Then she saw a tv documentary about this response and asked her obstetrician if this could have applied to her (the vaso-vagal response). I now know that she was told she must have a 'a reaction' to the drugs which she interpreted as the same thing as an allergy! And of course, though she did have a crisis that required resus, it wasn't a cardiac arrest. Poor girl, if only she told me all those years ago! Needless to say, the next two deliveries, though planned c-sections, went off very smoothly.

 

[copsham]

What a drama during your epidural! It is very scary if you think about it too closely.

Good luck tomorrow for your appointment x

 

[climbergirl]

Thanks @copsham, it is a bit scary!

So, I saw my ortho doc yesterday, who immediately called the anesthesiologist. He does think there was a dural puncture (not just the epidural @Josephine ;) ) so they admitted me to the surgical unit - again - and did a blood patch to see if that would help. Was in recovery a few hours then sent home with strict orders to lay flat for the next 24 hours and fingers crossed this would fix the headaches. Unfortunately, I've woken this morning with the headache still with me :(. I'm supposed to call the anesthesiologist if I still have the headache today... but I feel like such a failure I'm procrastinating... maybe hoping if I ignore it, it will still just go away (does that strategy ever work?!?!). The back/headache drama continues...

On a very happy note, my hip is feeling pretty good. I've started some stretching and am even putting some weight on it with no issues at all! THAT is making me feel pretty positive and that maybe I DID actually make the right decision. Yay :D

 

[copsham]

Hi @climbergirl this sounds so unlucky but at least the hip is fast forwarding! Wish you well, hope headaches resolve in next few days. x

 

[climbergirl]

Well, I'm 5 weeks post op now and doing pretty well. Those post-op blues are behind me, thank goodness, which is the best part. Also, ended up having a second blood patch which did the trick on the headaches - SOOOO much better (although the back is still sore - hoping that will just clear up eventually).

As for the hip, things are going well. I'm in PT twice a week which is really helping. We do mainly range of motion work, but also strengthening and stretching - I spend about 10 minutes on the bike at the start of each session for which my body is thrilled!! Biggest pain now is my hip flexor since I've spent so much time with my hip hiked up! Massage helps I'm down to just one crutch for support for most things - still two for longer distances. If I get too enthusiastic and overdo it I do get sore but a little ES Tylenol does the trick - the only time I'm taking any meds now. Yea!

I'm SO excited to be on the mend but NOT looking forward to doing it all again in a few weeks! My next pre-op appt. is Monday where my surgeon will evaluate to make sure I'm good for the next surgery. Assuming so I'm back under the knife on April 21. Now that I know how much better I feel on the other side I am REALLY ready to be done with this whole process!

 

[robstinson]

i'm 28 and had cd in my right hip back in november....feel way better than pre op. i was on a steady diet of advil just to be able to sit and sleep without pain. i still feel the occasional pain when it rains or prolonged laying on my right side but besides that i feel really good. as of right now i use no pain meds which is a relief....the crutches weren't too bad for me luckily, if anything it was mostly pain from the incision.

i was back at work after 2 weeks or so, i stayed on the crutches and felt no extra pain...hopefully it works out for all of us!

 

[climbergirl]

Thanks @robstinson glad to hear things have gone so well for you! Glad to know there are success stories out there.

I saw my ortho this morning and he's happy with my progress. Left is healing well so I'm on for my next surgery next week. Given all the issues I had with the epidural we're going to go with general this time but everything else should be just like last time. Fingers crossed!

 

[Hurting Hip]

@climbergirl glad to hear you're feeling better...I pray for days of feeling better I'm 3.5 months post opp from CD on my left hip and I'm still not working, and have almost just as much pain as I did pre-op, some days are better then others, but certain movements hurt, and I walk with a limp and within the last 2 wks I've started having horrible lower back pain OS says it's probably from the way I'm walking I go back and see him 4/30

 

[jchan412]

Hello and thank you for sharing your story about AVN. I too am an active person. I used to run and exercise and garden. I stumbled on this site because I have AVN in my left femoral head, and I am scheduled for core decompression surgery in two weeks (6/2/2016). Fortunately they discovered my AVN, after having been told that I had sciatica, then IT band, then a torn muscle, sent to PT, but I kept telling the doctors that I have a bone pain, they finally relented and sent me for an MRI which revealed the AVN, on one side. My AVN is at stage 2, so I'm lucky they caught it early. The cause of the AVN appears to be unknown because I am not a drinker, smoker or steroid user. I had a full hematology analysis workup and all tests are in the normal range. I think this condition runs in my family on my mothers side. My maternal grandfather was crippled by a bad hip long before they had MRI, and he was wheelchair bound until he died. My aunt, (my moms sister) had AVN then a successful core decompression, and my cousin, on the same side of the family tree had AVN and needed THR. So it may be in the genes of my moms family.
Anyway, I am a little scared about the long recovery process. I am not used to being inactive, and I am already having trouble dealing with the fact that I can not run, exercise and dig my gardens, or even walk without a cane. Its like I went from being an athlete to disabled in one day, on March 13 this year. The pain started at the end of a 10 mile run, and the pain has gotten worse from that day.
I am longing for recovery from this issue.
Can you please let me know how well you have healed in the past year? If you have been able to get back to some of your normal activities?
I certainly hope you are doing well.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much.

 

[robstinson]

I'm 95 percent pain free....it's a pretty easy surgery it just sucks being on crutches for almost 2 months. Just gotta be patient for the first 6 months to a year while your hip heals I guess.