Guest viewing is limited

THR Did Your Hip Deteriorate Quickly???

Status
Not open for further replies.
Just got a call from my doc: giving me a dose of Vitamin K, and off Coumadin til I get next blood results on Friday...can do regular PT. and stuff, just have to watch for bleeding gums or nose bleeds....and get to eat a big salad for dinner tonight! Thanks everyone!
 
That sounds good, Annie.....I'm glad they are keeping a watch on you. Things will get leveled out and fortunately you only need to take the Coumadin for a short period of time.

Oh, and I have merged both your recovery threads under this title. We like to keep each members updates, questions and concerns in one thread so that we can more easily go back and see what you've experienced. Also, it helps those who come along later to read a continuous recovery story. If you want to change the title at any time, just post what you want here and we'll get it changed for you.
 
Thanks Jamie and Sharonslp - obviously I am confused about how to use this forum - I think I was thinking of it more like
Facebook, but I think I'm getting it now...thanks for everyone's patience. I sent a conversation to Sharonslp earlier today,
again in the FB mode, but I'm pasting it here, and then will get rid of the conversation to make everything easier:

I am getting nervous because the sharp pains in my hip upon standing, referred to my knee, butt, and back do not seem to have abated at all. I am doing well in PT but the pain basically feels the same, only now I have the additional surgical pain, which does seem to be improving. I had severe arthritis with a lot of edema and cysts in the joint. Would this account for the pain? I read so many people say they never felt the arthritis pain again, and I'm starting to feel scared and discouraged. I meet with my surgeon on Tuesday. Thanks, Annie
AnnieAnd according to Sharonslp's advice, here are my meds schedule:7:00 am 2 Percoset (5/325) with 1 zofran 11:00 am 2 hydrocodene (5/325)5:00 pm 2 hydrocodene (5/325)11:00 pm 2 Percoset with 1 zofran (5/325)If this is must a matter of waiting out the pain, I am OK, just really surprised to have this same old pain around...Annie
 
Okay Annie, I'm tagging Josephine for you. Jo, could you comment on Annie's concern about pain (post #23). I asked her to post her pain med schedule to make sure that under-medicating wasn't the problem.

Sharon
 
I can see part of your problem....not enough pain meds for this soon after surgery! If you're in pain, you probably should be taking something every 4 hours....the maximum prescribed dose. You are medicating fine for the first two doses in the morning, but then it's 6 hours in between the next two and you have nothing from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m.....not good. You're never able to get ahead of the pain.

Take a look at your med bottles and see what the dosage says for each. I'm betting it says 1-2 pills ever 4-6 hours for pain. If so, then talk to your doctor's office immediately about making an adjustment so you have meds in your system all day and night for at least a couple of weeks. You need it! The pain meds really only last about 4 hours, so you can see why your schedule is not getting the job done.
 
Jamie, I'm going to call my doctor tomorrow.....they originally gave me the percoset which says 'every 3 hours' and was great for the pain, but got me very nauseous, so then gave me the hydrocodone, which says ' every 6 hours' so I've been trying to combine them using zofran with the percoset, but obviousally something isn't working. Part of the problem is the zofran- they will only give me 8 pills with each prescription, but at this point the nausea seems to be abating, so I may just try using just the percoset again, and see if I can get ahead of this....thanks so much...I really don't want to overdo the meds, but I am getting pretty discouraged with the pain. I will call in the morning and see what I can work out....thank you, thank you, thank you...this site is a life-saver
 
Annie, we see this so often. Everyone tries so hard to get by with the least amount of pain meds possible. By doing that, a person may stay in way more pain than necessary. The little bit that gets taken just doesn't do the job. For someone with a high pain tolerance, it may work out well. I don't know why some people have more pain tolerance than others. Is it physiological or psychological or both? It really doesn't matter why....we are what we are.

Me....I'm a wimp. I tried cutting back too soon after my first THR, and then had to backtrack to get it under control again. This time, I learned my lesson. I gave myself permission to take what I needed to be truly comfortable. After the first few weeks, it didn't take a lot....but I didn't rush to cut it out completely.

There's no point in not taking enough. Yes, I know there are people who end up abusing prescription pain-killers after taking them for legitimate reasons. But the great majority of people who take pain meds after surgery do NOT go on to become dependent on them. Pain is debilitating, and it only slows your recovery. So get your doctor's blessing, and get this pain under control.

Sharon
 
Thank you so much guys...my doc is writing me up a refill for the percoset as we speak and I'm going back to 2 of those every 4 hours until I can get this back to the manageable level it was earlier this week. I think I can handle the nausea by never having an empty stomach as well...again, so many thanks...and Sharon, I need to have my left done within this year, and believe me, I'm writing all this down for next time!
 
Annie, here in mid-Michigan, it's a gorgeous late fall day. Temps are near 50; the sun is shining. Both my hips are fully functional now, and I'm heading out for a blissful long walk in just a few minutes. Tomorrow night I'm going dancing. In the foreseeable future, you will be out and about and enjoying your life too. Keep that in sight. :)

Sharon
 
So pleased you are getting a refill for your pain meds, needed at this stage for you.

Much to look forward to Annie, just as Sharon posted.. Still with us we will help you and share your journey with you :)
 
Thank you, thank you, thank you EVERYONE! What a difference a day makes! After all the advice on here, I talked to my doc today who said I was definitely under medicating and who said, this was NOT the time to use the meds 'as needed' but super consistently, just as you folks said, which I have done today, and the difference is remarkable!! Great PT session this afternoon, and much better spirits...just got so off track this week between the pain, nausea, and constipation...now feel back on track...you folks are the best...just feel so hesitant to complain to anyone else...so Sharon, please dance your heart out tomorrow; I'll be dancing in spirit with you, and everyone have a great weekend knowing you have made mine wonderful!
 
Annie

So glad you are able to tackle the pain monster. I have similar reactions to the meds and it is so frustrating managing the side effects rather than the pain itself. You sound like you have a great team in place to help with these sorts of things so you can concentrate on the healing part.
 
Annie, did you read the articles I left for you in post #3? It doesn't seem to me like you did .....
 
Aach, Josephine, actually I read them all...why did you get that impression? Sorry if I've been confused about a few things...hope I haven't wasted folks' tIme....
 
Hello to all - went to my 2 week check up, staples removed, and generally great progress...but also interesting...have continued to have very sharp pain in knee even with regular pain meds, icing, elevation - turns out its all an inflamed IT band which must have started up pre-op...and while it presents its own challenges, was SO relieved that it was not a problem in the hip or knee joint...so off to PT tomorrow for ultra sound treatment and massage...also had all restrictions removed except 'those imposed by your pain' which my surgeon said would be restriction enough! Thanks again to all on this site for all the encouragement!
 
Welcome to the side that recover happens. Remember Ice, Rest, elevate and Pain Control. Keep us informed about your recover. Tashia
 
sharonslp: Unfortunately not all massages are 'feel good' massages :-( I've had lots of massages prior to surgery and I can only remember one or two feeling good. I have tons of trigger points in my hips/back and none of them can escape my massage therapist. He always finds them : groan: I look forward to the day that I could get a feel good massage!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel

Staff online

Members online

Total: 727 (members: 1, guests: 726)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom