In pain, confusion and uncertainty after 4 months
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Rohanknitter
post-grad
:agree: praying for some answers at last
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jimbo
graduate
Jo and All, The surgeon advised me to give it a year to see if anything appears but also indicated that he would be willing to refer me for a 3rd opinion in Dallas, TX. Just as I was thinking about getting lunch and about to get up to go he took a look at my left knee, took x-rays and decided to put a steroid shot in it (he thought the knee might be effecting the hip on the same side). I'm supposed to keep a log and check with him in 2 weeks.
I took another fall from the crutches at a convenience store about half way along on the trip before I got to the doctor. Again, I was immediately surrounded by a crowd of people who wanted to pick me up. Again, I wasn't hurt (my hand hurts some where it connected with the ground). I just have to be more cautious as a number of you have recomended. And it looks like I'm just not a very good dance partner right now. Pete welcomed me :dogkiss: home and wondered why I had a bandage on my knee. I tried to explain to him that he didn't miss much by not going with me, but as he loves to see the vet himself, he remains a bit disappointed. Jim
I took another fall from the crutches at a convenience store about half way along on the trip before I got to the doctor. Again, I was immediately surrounded by a crowd of people who wanted to pick me up. Again, I wasn't hurt (my hand hurts some where it connected with the ground). I just have to be more cautious as a number of you have recomended. And it looks like I'm just not a very good dance partner right now. Pete welcomed me :dogkiss: home and wondered why I had a bandage on my knee. I tried to explain to him that he didn't miss much by not going with me, but as he loves to see the vet himself, he remains a bit disappointed. Jim
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jimbo
graduate
Karen, Jo and Jamie, et. all,
It occurs to me that I'm not used to suspecting the thinking of doctors. I have always had an element of passiveness in my system (I had a very demanding, controlling mother), and though I have worked through much of that, I have always wanted to give doctors the benifit of expertise. But yesterday as surgeon #2 solicited a tremor in my my leg and hip by pressing on my knee and put the steroid shot into the knee I heard myself saying to myself "No, no, no, that's not the problem! You're going astray here!"
Now the knee did feel a little better, and I understand that he's trying to look as purposefully as he can to find a cause for my discomfort, but my head and my hip said "No difference!"
At least there is no difference this morning. But I think what I need to do-and I think you all are telling me to press forward with this-is to make my mutterings known-to speak them. It's for doctors to listen (just like its for counselors to be attentive and listen). It's interesting again (and I speak to people about this all the time) how an attitude and a set of behaviors can add to or lesson our consternation-as much or more than physical discomfort). -nothing new here, it's just real interesting when you have to look at your own stuff.
Now I know this isn't a psychotherapy site. Beneath all this-and a point for for sharing-is a felt appreciation for all of you and your encouragement to keep searching, to keep speaking and to keep pressing for answers.
Pete :dogkiss: is happy for my presence this morning after my absence yesterday. I hope that I'm not boring you all or detracting from the purpose of this site.
Thanks again for all your support, Jim :gphg:
It occurs to me that I'm not used to suspecting the thinking of doctors. I have always had an element of passiveness in my system (I had a very demanding, controlling mother), and though I have worked through much of that, I have always wanted to give doctors the benifit of expertise. But yesterday as surgeon #2 solicited a tremor in my my leg and hip by pressing on my knee and put the steroid shot into the knee I heard myself saying to myself "No, no, no, that's not the problem! You're going astray here!"
Now the knee did feel a little better, and I understand that he's trying to look as purposefully as he can to find a cause for my discomfort, but my head and my hip said "No difference!"
At least there is no difference this morning. But I think what I need to do-and I think you all are telling me to press forward with this-is to make my mutterings known-to speak them. It's for doctors to listen (just like its for counselors to be attentive and listen). It's interesting again (and I speak to people about this all the time) how an attitude and a set of behaviors can add to or lesson our consternation-as much or more than physical discomfort). -nothing new here, it's just real interesting when you have to look at your own stuff.
Now I know this isn't a psychotherapy site. Beneath all this-and a point for for sharing-is a felt appreciation for all of you and your encouragement to keep searching, to keep speaking and to keep pressing for answers.
Pete :dogkiss: is happy for my presence this morning after my absence yesterday. I hope that I'm not boring you all or detracting from the purpose of this site.
Thanks again for all your support, Jim :gphg:
rerodriguez
senior
Jim,
I really do encourage you to press on and get a third opinion (or more if needed). You need to know why you are in pain and what can be done about it. I started having pain in my hip when I was 21, and I went to doctor after doctor, some of them the best in the field. But they misdiagnosed and continued to misdiagnose me for years. I tried physical therapy, cortisone shots, massage (which didn't help, but felt good!), etc. I finally gave up after three or four years and figured this pain was something I had to live with. Finally, thirteen years after the pain started, my gp did an x-ray, and, at that point, the loose bodies in my hip had ossified and showed up on x-ray. I had a diagnosis! I had an arthroscopic procedure, which did help things for about six years. My point in this long and rambling story is that if I had really pushed the doctors and insisted on an MRI, I would have had an answer and some relief many years earlier. I know it's hard to advocate for yourself when you are in pain, but you need to. There are no prizes for suffering!
I really do encourage you to press on and get a third opinion (or more if needed). You need to know why you are in pain and what can be done about it. I started having pain in my hip when I was 21, and I went to doctor after doctor, some of them the best in the field. But they misdiagnosed and continued to misdiagnose me for years. I tried physical therapy, cortisone shots, massage (which didn't help, but felt good!), etc. I finally gave up after three or four years and figured this pain was something I had to live with. Finally, thirteen years after the pain started, my gp did an x-ray, and, at that point, the loose bodies in my hip had ossified and showed up on x-ray. I had a diagnosis! I had an arthroscopic procedure, which did help things for about six years. My point in this long and rambling story is that if I had really pushed the doctors and insisted on an MRI, I would have had an answer and some relief many years earlier. I know it's hard to advocate for yourself when you are in pain, but you need to. There are no prizes for suffering!
sunshine
graduate
Oh Jim when I read about you dreaming you were walking and no pain I felt so bad for you. It has to be as disappointing as when I dream about talking with my mom while cooking and then I wake up too!
You certainly are staying with this and I admire your staminia. I do worry your going to break a leg or something with all the falls your taking. My grannie used to always fall when she was walking and never hurt herself. She walked way to fast and just would tumble so relaxed because she missed the step or sidewalk cutting it short. Be careful!
Good luck and hope your knee shot will help some.:dogkiss: Sure Pete keeps you good company!!!
You certainly are staying with this and I admire your staminia. I do worry your going to break a leg or something with all the falls your taking. My grannie used to always fall when she was walking and never hurt herself. She walked way to fast and just would tumble so relaxed because she missed the step or sidewalk cutting it short. Be careful!
Good luck and hope your knee shot will help some.:dogkiss: Sure Pete keeps you good company!!!
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
That's really not good enough, Jim. He should have listened to you better. You should certainly go see yet another chap and this time, be assertive - tell him that you are done waiting and want something done now! I think you've been far too patient already.
And you know what - this is a psychotherapy site! For sure it is!
And you know what - this is a psychotherapy site! For sure it is!
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jimbo
graduate
Rebecca, Yeah, I'd give my two front teeth :D (that's all I can think of right now) for an MRI (my pacemaker ruled that out). Everyone has run out of tests to determine what's going on. But I'll keep talking to them about it, including physician #3 if I get to him. Thanks so much for the enouragement. Jim
Jimbo.....I pray that there is someone out there who can help you. My heart is with you!
At this point I do think maybe you should consider going to a really large city like Dallas for another opinion. It was great of your doctor to recommend that. Go for it!!!
At this point I do think maybe you should consider going to a really large city like Dallas for another opinion. It was great of your doctor to recommend that. Go for it!!!
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jimbo
graduate
Jamie, Yes, I think that's the next step. I don't think my knee (with steroids or not) is effecting my hip. I feel good about surgeon #2 (he's pretty attentive), but I may have something to gain in talking to a #3.
-Interestingly, I got a call from plhysician #1 yesterday. He was inquiring about my status, and I brought him up to date. #1 amd #2 are reluctant to recommend revision without clear indication of the problem. After the testing at this point, I don't know how anyone can get figure out what the problem is.
I may have to see a Shaman (-met one in Hawaii once). -may have to try some cross-cultural diagnostic tools. Who knows? Jim
-Interestingly, I got a call from plhysician #1 yesterday. He was inquiring about my status, and I brought him up to date. #1 amd #2 are reluctant to recommend revision without clear indication of the problem. After the testing at this point, I don't know how anyone can get figure out what the problem is.
I may have to see a Shaman (-met one in Hawaii once). -may have to try some cross-cultural diagnostic tools. Who knows? Jim
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jimbo
graduate
Okay, Jo, I'll keep pushing. As I told Jamie, I'm afraid I'm running out of diagnostic tools. The sugeons, so far, are edgy about doing an exploratory revision without clear purpose. But you're right. It won't hurt to get more heads involved.
Thanks, Jim
Thanks, Jim
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jimbo
graduate
Sunshine, Yeah, I also have dreams about losing jobs. I don't think they're about losing jobs. I think they're about losing ability and being frightened and uncertain about my future. I am able to do my current work, but the quality of my life has definitely shifted down. The few falls I have had have resulted from my tring to keep up my old pace in life.
I also (like the dreams about your Mom) have dreams about a dear friend of near 40 years that passed last year. Our dreams sure speak to us, and we sure need to speak about ourselves and the feelings the emerge from them.
Thanks so much for your concern. Best wishes, Jim
I also (like the dreams about your Mom) have dreams about a dear friend of near 40 years that passed last year. Our dreams sure speak to us, and we sure need to speak about ourselves and the feelings the emerge from them.
Thanks so much for your concern. Best wishes, Jim
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Jim, I attended a symposium of hip surgeons last September. There was about 200 surgeons present, most being forerunners in research and development in all aspects of the subject. There was an entire session about idiopathic pain in THR and the general consensus was that even in the absence of anything significant from scans and such, revision would be entirely appropriate.
So I think your chaps are rather over-playing their caution card!
So I think your chaps are rather over-playing their caution card!
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jimbo
graduate
Josephine, Yeah, without any expertise or experience in these matters, I have begun to learn that way too. I'm just not getting any better, and I think I'm getting some "weaker" without being able to be active. -don't know if I mentioned that a colleague of mine says her husband, an operating room R.N., reported that he sees a lot of revisions because a good number of THR's are slightly misplaced or out of line.
I think surgeon #1 would go back in there. #2 is reluctant without a clear reason, and he will give me a referral in Dallas. Do you think I ought to go back to #1 (he did a good job on the 1st one) or take more input at this point?
Thanks for your input, Jim
I think surgeon #1 would go back in there. #2 is reluctant without a clear reason, and he will give me a referral in Dallas. Do you think I ought to go back to #1 (he did a good job on the 1st one) or take more input at this point?
Thanks for your input, Jim
Jim, I feel like this is one time you need the real specialist superstar. This is why I thought you should go on to Dallas. The "best and brightest" sometimes tend to go to the larger hospitals in big cities and your chances of finding the right doctor in a big city like Dallas or Houston increase. I would accept the recommendation, but also interview a couple of revision specialists there before making a final decision. Even though you believe your first surgeon did a great job, I would not go back to him for this procedure. It is critical to get it 100% right this time....you need the super-duper city-slicker specialist.....just my opinion....
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jimbo
graduate
Jamie,
Boy, you gals are reading my mind-at least parts of my mind in relation to all this (I may be D.I.D.). I'm inclined to widen the circle and hopefully hear someone with some experience who can say "Yes, we can do this". I think I'm ready to get on with it. Now when they tell me to "give it a year" I wonder if I'm too impatient. But the disability sure cramps my style (I'm big on style points).
Thanks, Jamie. Jim
Boy, you gals are reading my mind-at least parts of my mind in relation to all this (I may be D.I.D.). I'm inclined to widen the circle and hopefully hear someone with some experience who can say "Yes, we can do this". I think I'm ready to get on with it. Now when they tell me to "give it a year" I wonder if I'm too impatient. But the disability sure cramps my style (I'm big on style points).
Thanks, Jamie. Jim
alexthecat
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Jim, this is just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth. 
I don't think you are being impatient. If you were having minor problems post-op... you know, like a little stiffness or occasional low-level pain... then waiting a year to allow yourself time for further healing might be a good idea.
You are so far out from surgery and the problems you are experiencing are not just a minor inconvenience. From what you've written here, it doesn't sound like your condition is improving at all, so it doesn't make sense to me to keep waiting. They need to find a solution for you and stop brushing you off.
I don't think you are being impatient. If you were having minor problems post-op... you know, like a little stiffness or occasional low-level pain... then waiting a year to allow yourself time for further healing might be a good idea.
You are so far out from surgery and the problems you are experiencing are not just a minor inconvenience. From what you've written here, it doesn't sound like your condition is improving at all, so it doesn't make sense to me to keep waiting. They need to find a solution for you and stop brushing you off.
Rohanknitter
post-grad
Agree, agreee, agreee!!! I would keep pushing ..... go see Dr #3..... get them to refer you to some big-wig in the city...... what you've got going on is jus NOT RIGHT. The better I feel after my 2 THR's, the worse I feel for what you are dealing with. I wouldn't stop till there was no one left to see. :thmb:
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jimbo
graduate
Josephine, thanks for the second. I read your article about revisions this morning, and I'm wondering how often revisions occur at this point. Is it early for a revision (7+ months)? Again, this may speak for my fear of pressing and proceedng towards resolution :sct:(and it is certainly looking more like a revision is in order). But I am up to talking to a #3.
Thanks, Jim
Thanks, Jim
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