<<<<<<<< HAVING A ROUGH RECOVERY >>>>>>>>>

[brett]

Hi all,

Im on day 13 with a cormet resurface RH from Dr Boyd in Salem OR.Very impressive and experienced team of staff with around 6oo HR under there belt.I did my due diligence before embarking on this resurface by meeting surgeons from OR,WA,CA and Australia.

My recovery seems to be going backwards,Im relying on crutches,couldnt imagine a step without them and oxyconitn and viocodin heavily.I was better when I was in Hospital than I am now.My pains coming from the lower back/butt area and it all feels like nerve sensations shooting all over the hip.The hip feels unstable and meds dont stop the nerve shooting thru the butt lower back.

It's painful to lift my leg and get into bed or on the couch.I went to a PT friday and was in agony by that evening and he only put a electronic impulse and ice on the hip.

Im 47 in great health very active and im surprised im not walking by now.I was told by DR Boyd teds for 3 weeks as well as crutches and coumadin for 30 days post op.

[obxpelican]

Brett,

If you're worse off than you were in the hospital and you are having really sharp pain I would suggest contacting your doctor and maybe get a set of x-rays.   Most (not all) people by post-op day 13 are starting to come around a bit.

It's possible that you may have done something as simple as you tweaked your lower back but why not get an x-ray just to make sure that everything is ok.  Maybe just a problem like a sciatic nerve problem cause by the way you are sitting possibly.

I pray that this is nothing at all and you are just having a slower recovery.


Chuck

[Pat Walter]

Hi Brett

I am sorry to hear about your problems.

Have you talked to Dr. Boyd about your current situation?  You should not be getting worse, but better.  Sometimes you take one step forward, then two backwards.  But you should not keep going backwards.

I definitely think you need to talk to the doctor as soon as possible.  He might need a new x-ray.  Maybe you could have some nerve damage. 

I am not a doctor and can't tell you more except you should gradually be getting better, not worse.  By 12 days post op you should not need a lot of heavy pain meds.  I stopped them right after leaving the hospital. Others take them awhile, but normally not too long.

Please let us know how you are doing.  Give the doctor a call Monday morning.

Pat

[brett]

Hi Pat & Chuck,

Thanks for the reply's.I will give Dr Boyd  a call monday,i was hoping to avoid a visit as he is on the other side of the cascades from me in Salem and im in Bend a 2 hr drive over the pass.I have a scheduled post op follow up on the 4th sep.I think your both right in regards to the sciatic nerve maybe angry from sitting funny or disrupted from surgery.

This is my 2nd surgery in 2 summers with an acl reconstruction knee last may 07 and I think I was expecting to bounce back in a similar fashion but the Hip resurface is Olympics of orthopedic surgery compared to the acl.Pat im going to see if I can stop the oxycontin and maybe just take a vicodin every now and then

Brett

[Pat Walter]

Hi Brett

Please don't stop your meds because I told you I did not need them shortly after surgery.  If you do need them, by all means contiue to take them.  Pain is not fun and if you let it get ahead of you, it is difficult to control it.  Don't let my stories or anyone elses make you do something that you don't think is right for you.

If you have pain, you need pain meds.  The only reason I mentioned what I did was to give you a little input of how some people have recovered.  Very few continued to slide backwards.

I hope this is temporary and you start getting rid of the pain so you can become active again.

Pat

[obxpelican]

I forgot one thing Brett, would it be possible for your doctor to give you a prescription that would allow you to get your x-rays local and then email them to the doctor?

That might save you a trip, especially if you're having that pain.


Just a thought.


Chuck

[brett]

Chuck good thinking!
I will work on a scrip for an xray or mri with my GP and surgeon monday and he can email over to Salem.
Today I will be on absolute rest and see if it helps tomorrow as it did when I lay still all day saturady.

I really want to stop the meds because I think the pain will be manageable with Advil etc if not I will go back to them.

[Buddy]

Dear Brett:

Sounds rough, and I sympathize. I'm two weeks into my 2nd hip (first one July 1, 2nd September 30) and by two weeks each time I've been onto one crutch, then cane at about 3-4 weeks. You should call Dr. Boyd immediately, because at the very least he'll ease your mind. We all recover at different rates. One thing I found very helpful each time was using a belt/sling with a loop on the end to help pull my leg in and out of bed, especially early on. There is a lot of strain on the severed muscles which have been extremely weakened by the trauma of surgery, and you might well be feeling some of that strain. But it seems like this far out, some weight bearing should feel fairly natural. Just remember, don't try to hurry things and let your body tell you what you are able to do. In my estimation there is no benefit for hurrying.