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Hip Infection Surviving THR Revision

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@craftdee
Thank you for your recovery advice! I have learned to listen to my body~ my leg begins to swell when it's tired so, yes, I take a rest for an hour or so and then get back to an activity. I am hoping more time will grow between rests.
 
@Cynthia777
Aww thank you for your encouragement! Yes~ a deep faith and wonderful friends and family kept me positive. They were all so worried and scared for me and there is something very intimate about letting them in to your life even at your most vulnerable. Some people want to push loved ones away when they are suffering but I learned it's a special love to let them in.
 
Although I had a TKR, I experienced an infection a month after surgery. While it was worrisome and painful, I learned so much about my faith and my ability to persevere because of my faith.


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@KarriB
So glad you were able to recover. That infection business is very painful and scary. I worry it will return but i have an infectious disease doctor who is caring and willing to check on me and run lab work for hints of infection periodically.
Also~ do you have to take antibiotics as a result of your implant before seeing a dentist? I understand this practice is up for discussion? My ID doc says there isn't evidence to support this practice but my OS wants me to take 4 antibiotic pills before the dental visit. I go next week. Wondered what others have been told?
 
I've read conflicting opinions on the subject, but if I were you, I would most definitely take them. Don't you think?
 
@ cynthia777
Yes~ I pretty much have decided since this whole journey began w an infection it might be prudent to take them. I also worry though that the many strong antibiotics I have taken over this past year could create a resistant germ in my body~ I am in uncharted waters I know! So then I just kick in to prayer mode and realize I am not always in control!
 
When I have to take antibiotics, I take probiotics afterwards. They are meant to replenish the healthy bacteria in the gut. There's no way of telling if they really work but the research is convincing. "probiotics" can be searched on the internet. Good luck!
 
I have stayed away from the dentist this year because of my knee. If your OS says to take the antibiotics I would, rather safe than sorry, but I thought that was only after a certain time period.
I have an excellent Infectious Disease dr and revision OS caring for me. My ID still has me on 100mg of doxycycline once a day. I was on mega antibiotics for 6 weeks, but they killed my white cell count. I had to go off all antibiotics until my body started producing white cells again. This happened last year after my debridement/washout surgery. But my ID pours over my labs twice a year now and everything has been good. I started taking probiotics when I was on two different antibiotics (to stave off C diff) and have continued today.
Lots of prayer got me through the infection and kept me from having to undergo a full revision/spacer. I had to learn He was in control and my Drs. also encouraged us to continue to pray as they saw the healing begin against all odds.


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@KarriB
Thanks for your response~ I was on the antibiotics through a PIC line from January~April along w antibiotic wash and spacer. Don't you know I took probiotics twice a day?! Whew! My labs returned to normal and then in May had the hip put in and took the same antibiotic as you are now for 5 days following surgery. My ID says he will see me twice a year like yours. Yes~ you have beat the odds and I am sure those prayers moved things along for you! I said the same prayers!
I haven't been to the dentist in over a year and finally go next week! I will take the amoxicillin my OS gave me. Thanks @copsham ~ I might have forgotten to take the probiotics!
 
Ok so~ I got up this morning and forgot my cane! I read this would happen but I didn't believe it. I spent the morning making my breakfast without the cane. Now I'm resting!
I also wondered if any of you have/had bones cracking along your spine when you walk? It doesn't hurt and sort of feels like bones are " settling". It kind of worries but I figured since it doesn't hurt its ok? It's been going on for a few days.
 
Wish I could forget my cane! I need it more for my back in the morning than my knee. You are well on your way!
@Sullivand I had a PIC also, but they added oral rafampin along with the IV antibiotics.


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Wow @KarriB ~ IV and oral meds~ that's a lot but necessary if you wanted to keep your implant. Since my infection happened first~ I think it might have been easier to rid the infection on "just" IV !
We are at the other end now and isn't it great to have those " please let the infection heal" prayers answered?! Now it's "please let me walk and get back to life" prayers! We can do it, sister!
 
For sure! I'm thankful everyday! Hope you're feeling well and having an eventless recovery! Yesterday was my last day of school, now for summer, lap swimming along with riding 4 miles a day and lots of reading.
 
@KarriB
I am envious you are doing so much more! After I walked around today w out my cane all proud as a peacock~ I was overcome with fatigue this evening and feeling discouraged. I need to keep reminding myself this is just week 4 and every one heals individually!
 
@Sullivand I was going back into the hospital at week 4. That's when my infection started with a fever and a seeping incision. So although they didn't have to take out the implant, the OS did go down to the implant, replace the plastic spacer, removed a lot of infected soft tissue and did an antibiotic wash out twice. I was in lots of pain at week 4, so you are ahead of where I was. They also put me in an Imbolizer and no bending for what turned out to be over a month. So I had to start all over again with bending a new knee 2 months after the original TKR. An uneventful recovery is what you want, just be patient and enjoy this time as much as you can. Sit outside while icing, find new recipes to try when you're cooking again and know that in the end it'll be worthwhile. My OS said he'd be happy with a ROM of 90 and now I do all those things. Stairs are still hard because of my bad left knee. Next year at this time I'll probably be rehabbing again. Oh, I'm watching your Braves play my Pirates right now!
 
@KarriB
Your post was good for my soul. You have been through the ringer~ I won't be envious but happy and proud for you! I will hang in there!
One of my daughters is at the Braves/Pirates game tonight! How cool! Small and wonderful world! We are Chicago transplants and are switching back and forth between baseball and the Blackhawks Stanley cup playoffs! Our Sarurday night is quite exciting! :)
 
Last day of week 4~Ugh:( still feel the fatigue today. I slept really well~ 12 hours and even slept on my good side for a while. I wonder if part of the fatigue is because I went so long without eating because I kept sleeping! I am still taking tramodal as needed and am skipping some doses~but have finished the aspirin and iron pills my OS prescribed for the past 30 days. It is a gorgeous day~ I hope I can get it together to go out and enjoy it!
 
The fatigue hangs on for a few months. Your body is using so much energy healing and in our case, fighting infection, there isn't energy for much else. Even when I went back to teaching mornings only, I forced myself to leave half day (it's very easy to get caught up in meetings etc) then come home to nap, elevate and ice. I am not a napper either.
 
@KarriB
I know you are right~~but it's hard to accept it in yourself! It's tough to have a good day then the next is not so good! You expect to get better every day! But my PT said to look at a week at a time and not a day at a time.
My plan is to return to school full time at week 12. I pray that this plan is a good plan!
Thank you for your encouragement ~ I managed a trip to the grocery store in a scooter and am sitting in the sun with an energy building milkshake!


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