Tweetybrd's pre-op saga.

[Tweetybrd]

@Cynthia777 Thanks! It has been a long year and a half or so but I am so happy to be in this frustrating time of waiting for surgery. Even though it feels like it is a long way out, I'm sure it will go faster then I think. I was surprised as well at my OS and that he is going to "follow" me for years to come. As I have read some threads about implants becoming loose and/or infected I am twice as thankful he is.
As to the metal allergy, thank you so much for your advice. That is exactly what I needed to know. It was what I thought but I didn't want to seem like one of those "high maintenance" patients. I will call his assistant and make sure she puts it in my chart and see what implant they are planning to use.
My daughter is allergic to adhesives as well. We always had a tough time with people listening and not using tape or band aids. That stinks that the anesthesiologist didn't listen to you! Just what you needed on top of major surgery. :(

@canoewoman Wow! I'm so sorry that you have had problems with your back while trying to recover from your THR. I hope that they can do something to give you some relief. I am planning on taking it slow and easy with my recovery. I will have lots of help so will only have to worry about healing and resting.
Will you hold off on any more PT until they decide what to do about your fracture? I can understand how having a longer recovery and added problems would make you depressed. I hope you can look forward and know it wont last forever and that someday in the near future you too will be out walking unaided Hang in there! Hugs

 

[Nana2-8]

Hey @Tweetybrd - I just now noticed (call it 'fog brain') that you will be having the SuperPath method!!! That's exactly what I had! And, having read so many other recovery threads....and preparing for a lengthy recovery....at least at this point, 13 days out....it IS the method to which I attribute my so-far-successful rapid recovery. I have two incisions (haven't seen them yet...they are covered, under the 'saran wrap' covering) and I am doing walking around the house....not even using ice in the last two days...Tylenol only near the end of the afternoon occasionally. It's either the method....or my OS superior expertise!!! Either way....there's no complaints from me....and I wish you the same path.

 

[Cynthia777]

You're so welcome @Tweetybrd!

@Nana2-8
I felt the same way about the anterior method. It worked out so well for me. After the first month or two, all the methods end up at the same place. More importantly is getting an excellent surgeon who is very experienced in whichever method he prefers . I read a study by a group of OS's who decided to start doing the anterior method and they said it took about 40 surgeries before they perfected it. I sure wouldn't want to have been one of the 40!

 

[Tweetybrd]

@Nana2-8 Wow!! I had no idea! That is awesome! It is supposed to be a fast recovery I have read. So glad it (or your OS's superior expertise) is working out for you. I hope mine is similar to your recovery. I am doing the same. Preparing myself for a longer recovery.
Trying to remember if you will/have been doing PT? I am going back and forth on it. I will play it by ear I think and am prepared to "decline" it and just walk.

 

[Nana2-8]

At this point (13 days post op) all I have done is walk around the house....at first, very much clinging to that walker, but at this stage, I'm barely touching it.....to get it out of my way! I am one of those who, in my head anyway, will probably decline the PT. I trust my body, and my head, and my OS.....in that order! Stay tuned....I see him next Monday. The tides may turn!

 

[Tweetybrd]

@Nana2-8 Sound like a good plan. I will look for an update in your thread about it. Thanks!

 

[canoewoman]

Thankyou. I am in so much pain and it could be this piriforma syndrome...muscle pushing on sciatic nerve but the longer I sit the worse it gets so have to stay off the computer and have called to ask for an appointment to see the surgeon too. My MD had sciatica for 9 months and said he went nuts but he slept with a pillow between his legs and then one under his knees when he was on his back and it did go away and that was 3 years ago so it is hard when you are trying to recover from THR and then the compress fracture has not helped.

I actually just now make sure my little apt is clean, the dishes are done and the laundry and I walk each day and beyond that I am taking it very easy and resting often with a lie down and just letting the outside world go on without me for a while as I simply have no choice. I guess you cannot rush this or at most realize that the healing is huge and its going to take a long time. My family took me for dinner tonight so in stages I baked a raspberry pie and they came back for pie and coffee and ice cream bars for my grand daughter and watermelon for my 10 month old grandson who with 7 teeth loves it and it cheered me up. I assembled the pie with pre bought crust sitting down so only 2 trips to the oven and the time in between lying down.

I think getting used to not being able to have a regular life and add pain to that is what gets you down. I am seeing the PT tomorrow with a report from my doctor so now we have to change exercises to accomodate the fracture and the sciatic pain and reduce the demands of the Ptherapy. I am actually walking better with a cane but only around my apt and down the hall, noting more ambitious than that but its the pain in my thigh, calf and buttock and lower back that is so bad...about the same as in hospital after surgery and no dilaudid to take now, just tylenol 3 which does not always work.

I am going to rethink the knee surgery very carefully. Even though my knee is bone on bone I cannot see going through this again so I may put up with it and at my age not bother if I can. This is just too much for some of us so those who are rebounding faster that is great news and keep at it.

 

[Tweetybrd]

I decided it was time to update my thread. Mostly so I can look back and see how bad things are when I am second guessing my decision.

My last shot was July 7th. It did not give me as much pain relief as the other ones. I would say probably about 40% less then the others I have had. I did suffer with all the same side effects.
It started " wearing" off at about 7 weeks after I got it. At this point it is totally gone.
I have decided to not get another shot even though I can technically have one more since my surgery is so far out. I just think it is not really going to help and I really, really want the side effects to go away. LOL Also I am on the cancellation list and if I get one and they call to move my surgery up I would not be able too.

I have my good days and my bad days. The good days are usually because I don't do much but watch netflix or read. On my bad days the pain is mostly in my low back on the left side and in my hip close to the groin. With more pain running off and on down my leg. It is pretty bad at night and wakes me up a lot. I bought myself a diffuser and use lavender oil in it at night to help my relax and I have really enjoyed it. I use ice everyday multiple times.(Thanks @Nana2-8 for the thread on making your own )
I take 1 Tylenol pm and 1 regular Tylenol at night to help with sleep but it doesn't seem to do much. I might take 2 regular Tylenol in the middle of the afternoon if I have done a few things around the house but try not too. On my good days I would say my pain level is around a constant 3 with spikes up to a 6 if I step, shift or turn wrong. On my bad days it is more like a constant 6 with spikes up to 8 if the nerve pain in my leg gets going. :(

My knee is bothering me a lot and seems to keep getting swelled up. I use ice and bought a knee brace and I think that is helping. One thing that is bothering me and I have questions on is, I have a varicose vein on the back of the bad side knee. It is really bumped up and going more up the inside of my thigh and down the outside of my calf. I have had it for many years (since my son was born) and it has never been like this. I am thinking the swelling in the knee is the cause. Do you think that is the case or could it be something else and should I see someone about it prior to surgery? I have a call in to my OS's medical assistant about a couple of things and plan on asking her about the vein as well.

At this point I am only leaving the house if I absolutely have to. Chiropractor appts, baby shower last week or once a month I play bunco with my girlfriends. I order groceries from Safeway and my husband helps me go to Sam's club and some days I ride the silly scooter. Other wise I am just at home. LOL

Trying very hard to stay positive and distracted from the pain. I am looking forward to getting the surgery and then take all of next year to heal and build up my muscles again. And get the weight I have put on during the last year and a half of not being very mobile off!

I want to say Thank you to the people would put up this site and all the wonderful moderators and contributors. It has been a great resource in learning and researching about my surgery and how to have a successful recovery.

 

[gullimac]

@Tweetybrd so sorry about your string of rough days. I made the same decision about the cortisone injections after my second. I went the last 4 months leading to surgery without one, however I did have to eventually up the Hydrocodone+acetemenophin I was taking up to 2 times a day to go along with meloxicam once a day. I did not like taking that much medicine, but due to work demands I had to keep plugging along.

The good news is you will get passed this, and relatively soon (in the grand scheme of things) you will be in a much better place.

 

[froggymom]

Tweetybrd I was just reading your thread and oh my goodness you have been threw some painful things and your in on going pain way longer then me. And you are so upbeat and seem very happy . You are really one strong women. I've really been helped by your kind words. I guess I need to reach out more. I just get in a dark place and sometimes struggle getting back.kinda embarrassed I can't do this once again on my own. I also wanted to tell you that the cortisone shot messed me up I couldn't sleep for days and had several period's that where bad from a once a month cycle it was not nice. I can't find your surgery date. Once thank you for your kind words and support I really needed it
Take care and have a blessed night.
(Sorry for the long post)take care

 

[Tweetybrd]

@gullimac Thanks for the encouraging words. It makes me nervous to not have that last cortisone shot but I'm fairly certain it wont do much anyway. So far I have not had anything stronger then the meloxicam. I have been on it once a day for a year and a half or so. It is the nights that get me otherwise I can handle it for the most part. Thinking about getting a recliner like you to sleep in. haha

@froggymom Oh I don't know, some days I don't feel so strong but Thanks! Sounds like you have been through a ton. I cant even imagine having to get through all the surgeries you have had.
My surgery is not until January 20th. Maybe sooner as I am on the cancellation list but I am not holding my breath. What your describe is exactly what the cortisone shots did to me also, along with some hot flashes. :(

Don't be embarrassed, we all have our dark moments. Hang in there and you can always come here to BS and talk. I find it easier to talk on here because everyone here has been through kind of what I am going through.
I'm glad my post help you.

 

[Misslucky]

I have terrible side effects from the steriods but they work so well for me (approx 6 months) that a few days of sweating dizziness and nausea is worth the no pain ! Saying that when I have my head over a bowl I'm saying never again !! Ha ha Hope your next one is plain sailing and you get more then a few weeks. It sucks when it quits on you

 

[Tweetybrd]

@Misslucky Thanks I have 2 and a half week to get my last one if I change my mind. (can't have one for 90 days prior to surgery)
ATM I am thinking I will just skip it and not have the side effects but you never know. LOL

 

[gullimac]

Hoping you have smooth sailing through the gauntlet that is Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Years. Last year I just wanted a normal experience with my family for the Holidays during my wait for surgery.

 

[Misslucky]

Did you make a decision about the steriod ? What date is your surgery in Jan? It will be a happy new year for you what a wonderful gift

 

[Tweetybrd]

I am not going to do the injection. It is just not worth the side effects at this point as it doesn't do much for pain relief any more.

My surgery is scheduled for January 20th , my birthday is the 26th, so it will be a Happy New Year and a Happy Birthday all at once!

 

[Misslucky]

How wonderful for you ! Least you have some time after Christmas to get yourself prepared. Hope things go well for you in the days leading up to it.

 

[Tweetybrd]

@Misslucky Thanks! Hopefully you can get some answers soon.

 

[leejaa]

Tweetybird, I too am waiting for a L THR in Jan,2017. I am scheduled right now for 1/25/17 unless a miracle happens and there is a cancellation. My OS is busy and his schedule is full but I trust him as he did both my knee replacements.

 

[Tweetybrd]

@leejaa Hey there! We will be hip surgery buddies. LOL I too am hoping to get in sooner but am not holding my breath. How are you doing with the long wait?