Hello MM

  • Thread starter Thread starter laf761
  • Start date Start date
L

laf761

Guest
Just thought I'd send a little update..The groin pain post surgery (5 months last week) continues..it comes and goes. I try to work thru it...Today finally heard from the Dr's office, he finally read the film after 3 weeks since the MRI and x-ray...My next appt was scheduled for late Aug. and they suggested I come in next week, which I am relieved about and since I must travel an hr to NYC, happy to get a 1:30 appt instead of his usual 7:30 or 8am.

The nurse reported it doesn't seem to be a problem in need of additional surgery (Thank God) but it is this effusion (fluid buildup) in the hip area...Never there before surgery..I think she said something like when you have DDD and osteoarthritis, changes are sure to happen after surgery.

They put me back on Mobic (said since it is 5 months post surgery) it should be ok to start an anti-inflamatory. Or perhaps they can give me a shot to relieve this discomfort..Not sure what type of shot??:confused:

Appt. is next Thur. the 24th..anxious to get to the bottom of it and hopefully back to PT..

How are you feeling, still problems walking? I'm still getting nurabness while standing and walking ....in my toes...

It would be nice to report all is well....but not sure we'll ever really feel 100%,..... suppose we should be grateful we're standing at all...I keep re-reading my journal from 7 months ago...I couldn't stand for more than a minute due to the sciatica pain.

Have a good evening.

Warm regarRAB,

Laurinda;)
 
Hello Laurinda ~

Sorry I didn't see your post sooner. I'm glad you didn't have something urgent wrong since it took such a long time to hear back from your big city doc!! You will feel much better when you start the mobic again. When they gave me Celebrex I was ever so happy--it didn't help much with my back, but all my other joints were feeling less achy. I will be eager to see what they say next Thursday.

I have my 6 month check up tomorrow. My doc isn't big on x-raying to see if there is fusion, but I am going to ask for it as I am now curious!! I took myself off Lyrica which I'd been given in the hospital right after my surgery. I got tired of having puffy feet and my rings not fitting, and I was curious whether it was doing any good. Turns out it wasn't really helping my one bad pain situation that keeps me from walking very far, but it has been making my feet somewhat nurab, and I've been having a little nurabness in my lower legs and ankles. I cut back on the med Friday and by Sat. it felt like I had my finger in the socket. Weird little electrical sensations were bouncing through my feet and legs. My head has been aching like crazy but I assume that will go away eventually.

I am almost finished with PT. Last week I did a pelvic floor study using biofeedback -- an interesting experience.:eek: I learned that my muscles aren't quite as weak as I'd feared and that I am working the right muscles when I do kegel exercises. We've also been working on stretching the SI joints so I can level out my pelvis when I feel like I am standing "crooked."

I have learned so much from my therapist -- how I hold my back, how I tend to lean to one side... a lot of body mechanics' things that are a result of the nerve compression I had...or perhaps the bad mechanics caused the nerve compression...who really knows?? I hear Linda's voice in my mind whenever I am slouching at the computer, or not using good posture while driving, etc.

I will really miss seeing her. She is having a hip replacement (her 2nd one and she's going to be 50 in August).

As I was flipping over on the bed the other day, I started thinking about all the movements I can do now, with ease, that I could barely do 2 months ago. So even though my thigh still hurts, I am SO much better.

I have made an appointment to see a PM doc -- can't get in until Aug. 7th. I wanted to discuss my case with him to see if he might have some ideas about what's causing the pain I do have...and I guess I'll still go, but I am not eager to have any injections into my back or whatever else he might want to do to me. It seemed the next logical step since the physical therapist feels she can't really progress me any longer, and the surgeon is finished with me.... So that's the plan.

I have started going to my club where I am riding the bike for 16 minutes, doing a couple weight machines and then swimming for awhile. Some days it is so inconvenient though to drive there, get all messed up, get all wet, etc. I am lazy!

So that's an update. I'll let you know how things go tomorrow. I will be devastated if I haven't fused.:(
 
HI LAF ~

I'm not devastated. :D I'm fused!! I really love my doc. I think I told you I went to 8 guys total before deciding to have the surgery with him. I almost went to the big state university hospital spinal clinic, which is 90 miles away, but at the last minute, I decided I required more personal attention than they would give me. I knew when I had a question, I would want an answer right away and at the spinal clinic there was a different nurse every time I called. I never could have waited 3 weeks to get the results of an MRI.

Anyway, they did x-rays before I saw my doc...then we looked at them together, and he dragged out my MRI that I had 3 weeks after surgery and we looked at them, too. We talked quite awhile about the remaining thigh pain (which I developed one day after surgery, at my first PT session in the hospital), and we talked about how I should proceed from here.

If this pain is not residual femoral nerve pain, he suggested it might be foraminal stenosis. He said I no longer had any central canal stenosis, but my foramin were not reamed out and might be causing the nerve pain. Of course the only way to do that would be more surgery...and that might not be the source of my pain....So I am going to see a PM guy that my PT recommended (and my doc approves of too) on Aug. 7th just to see if he has any ideas from looking at my films, etc. And then I'll live with the pain at least for 12-18 months. I'm not in that much pain -- I just can't walk far. But compared to how I was prior to surgery, I am sooooooooo much better.

I'm going to continue to work on my fitness and hopefully, that will help. I took myself off Lyrica so I am not on any meRAB now...so, all in all, a good report.

Have you started back with PT?? How is the groin pain?
 
Happy to hear about your fusion...That's great news....and a good report.

My appt. is next Thurs. and I'll know more...I've been on Mobic 3 days and the groin pain is much better....

Will be back in touch next week...No..no PT until after next weeks visit but I'm walking about a mile or 2 and doing my ownlittle routine every day.

Have a good weekend.;)
 
That's great that you're walking so far. I cannot walk that far -- I can walk almost exactly as far as I could 2 months after surgery and then the thigh pain kicks in. I can deal with it. I would just like to know what "it" is!

Hope you have a nice weekend. I'll be eager to hear what your doc says.
 
Good luck with your appointment tomorrow. I am eager to hear what the doc has to say.

I had my last PT appointment today. It was interesting. Their "traveling orthotic & brace maker" was there...a nice young guy. When I walked into the studio, there was a table saw set up and I wondered what they were remodelling...well, he was fitting 3 teens with braces for scoliosis...all tall, very skinny young teens.

I will really miss my therapist. I've been seeing her for about 15 weeks and have gotten really involved in all her issues. She is having her second hip replacement on Aug. 11 and will turn 50 a week earlier. We worked on some standing tai chi poses today that she feels will help me increase my leg strength and balance, too. And we quickly reviewed all the things she wants me to continue doing...and we had a little talk about what I should say to the PM doc when I see him. She urged me to keep on top of the exercises and continue to build my fitness so I won't have to have a 2nd surgery.

I think I am finally starting to get over my lyrica withdrawal. I was having bad headaches in addition to the nerve pain/sensations, but today is the first day I didn't have a headache. Woo-hoo!!

Good luck tomorrow. Hope you get answers to all your questions.

xx M:wave:M
 
Well spoke with the Dr. today..He says the groin pain is not related to the surgery and everything looks good...The spinal canal has opened up and nothing seems out of line....He showed me where he can really see the bone fusing and said it looks excellent..

The Hip/groin pain is from osteoartristis...He really didn't answer why I didn't feel this before...I feel it was effected by things being shifted during surgery but I;ll never know...

He said to stay w/ the Mobic and go back to PT...Keep it fluid and stay active,,,BUT...in years to come a hip replacement might be in order........At least I know it's nothing serious just old bones for a relatively young ?? gal.


Glad you're off the Lyrica and happy the headaches are now gone too..

Have a good weekend..I'll fill you in after PT resumes.
 
Excellent news. I am delighted things looked so good.

Maybe you were favoring one side prior to surgery. Is this hip on the same side of your pain?

My problem too is one I never had prior to surgery. My right leg hurt down the back all the way into the foot. That pain was gone and I knew it right away. When the PT came in the first day and worked with me a little bit while I was in bed, she instructed me to do what I think they call a "quad set." As soon as I did it, I felt pain like I had never experienced and eventually started crying so hard that my son ran to get the nurse. Next thing I knew, they were adding morphine and valium to my IV. And I've had that same pain, on the front of my thigh, more or less, ever since. Very annoying!!
 
Back
Top