Hip Bursitis

[Jjohnsonphd]

Hi, Jana. I'm wondering how your days and nights are going now that you are at home?

I still am NOT sleeping. It's almost becoming a joke, except for that I don't find it funny! It is definitely taking a toll on me. This chronic fatigue is not good. I still do my walks, but am less motivated. I feel "agitated" all day long. I'm wondering if it's the weaning of the drugs? I don't know. Last night I did fall asleep for a couple of hours - I woke up drenched in sweat! My tshirt was so wet I had to get up and put a clean one on. My hair was soaked. I think this bedroom is a tad bit warm but I have a ceiling fan and a floor fan going. I don't think a hot room caused that. It was really weird, It may have been a hot flash, I don't know. I wasn't able to get back to sleep after that.

I did go to lunch with my Aunt today. I was gone about one hour and 45 minutes. That was enough. I wasn't in pain and I did fine sitting through lunch, but I had reached my limited and needed to lay down when I got back.

Back to the original topic of this thread, my hip bursitis seems to be settling down. But, I don't walk more than 15 minutes at a time - which is fine for now anyway. I am able to do multiple 10 or 15 minute walks a day w/o much pain, so that's what I've been doing.

My 6-week post op appointment is this Thursday, so only 3 more days! I hope a get a good report and can head for home. I have a 5 hour ride home. I will probably take your advice and lay down in the back for part of the drive.

I hope you are getting along OK.

Kathy

Hi Kathy!

Sorry for the delay, I was somehow logged out and didn't realize you had replied. So, a crazy few days. I got home Friday, Saturday was OK although I couldn't walk much because there was a huge dust storm here and it was so hot and muggy. Saturday night I woke up in the middle night with a bad stomach ache, very sharp pain. I went to the bathroom and just knew I was going to pass out. I called for my husband (thank goodness I was not alone!) and asked him to help me back to bed. The next thing I know, I am laying on the bathroom floor, thinking I was on my bed. It was super scary. The next morning, the stomach flu hit me. I don't think it was food related because I ate everything my family of 5 did and they were all fine. But how did I get that, I haven't left the house! No vomiting but really horrible abdominal cramping and diarrhea. I still had a painful stomach yesterday but today felt really good. I was reading all I could to make sure this wasn't a withdrawal issue but I think it was just a stomach bug. Oddly, I have felt a big shift with the pain since I got home. I am taking maybe 2-3 Dilaudid every 24 hours which is half what I was taking before Saturday. Not to say my back doesn't hurt, it does when I am on my feet too long but overall it is starting to feel better.

So, the interesting thing is I have had those night sweats the last two nights too! I thought the first night it was because if the stomach bug but last night I felt better and I had it again. Like totally drenched, had to change my nightgown. Gross. I think it is from coming down off the meds. I also have been cold during the day with the A/C running. I hope tonight is better for us both.

I have been paying attention more to how I walk. Although my back is straight, one shoulder wants to raise up higher than the other and my legs feel totally unequal. One has always been longer but now u feel totally crooked walking. I am hoping this will adjust to normal. I walk very stiffly.

On the mood front, yesterday was very low. I still was getting over feeling sick on top of feeling fed up from my back recovery ( 7 weeks today and I still feel a world away from normal) and my eye complication since surgery has me totally stressed. I cried so much yesterday I started to worry if I am getting depressed. I look at people on TV walking around, going to dinner and enjoying life and it feels far away. The eye situation requires me to patch and I just feel like avoiding people and the questions. If I knew my vision was going to get better, I could totally deal with this but the unknown is so scary. Today was better and I am trying to just focus on healing, eating well and enjoying my kids.

Good luck on your follow-up this week! It will feel good to get home!

Jana

[Jjohnsonphd]

Hi Kathy and everyone else,

Wow, I can not believe the timing of these posts. I came home Friday and by Saturday I had cut my Dilaudid in half. Just like that. I just didn't feel the need for them. My back still hurts of course, but I can calm it down by laying on ice packs. But geez! The night sweats!!! Horrible!! It has been 3 nights in a row now and last night it woke me up at 3am. I also have been just feeling crummy in general in the morning. The other thing is feeling freezing then hot. I get this all day. I am glad to hear this is normal!

I think my recovery is going ok, but I had really hoped to be feeling up to more. The eye situation is the same which I am worried is pulling me towards depression. It is hard enough to have my back so stiff and awkward but not being able to see right is horrible. I just hope the doctors are right that it will get better. I just want to feel better but that will be some time away.

Allison, that med you get in Europe I have heard about from my physical therapist. He said it is the best stuff ever. Thanks for reminding me about it!

Better days ahead,
Jana

[KathyInIowa]

Hi Kathy!

Sorry for the delay, I was somehow logged out and didn't realize you had replied. So, a crazy few days. I got home Friday, Saturday was OK although I couldn't walk much because there was a huge dust storm here and it was so hot and muggy. Saturday night I woke up in the middle night with a bad stomach ache, very sharp pain. I went to the bathroom and just knew I was going to pass out. I called for my husband (thank goodness I was not alone!) and asked him to help me back to bed. The next thing I know, I am laying on the bathroom floor, thinking I was on my bed. It was super scary. The next morning, the stomach flu hit me. I don't think it was food related because I ate everything my family of 5 did and they were all fine. But how did I get that, I haven't left the house! No vomiting but really horrible abdominal cramping and diarrhea. I still had a painful stomach yesterday but today felt really good. I was reading all I could to make sure this wasn't a withdrawal issue but I think it was just a stomach bug. Oddly, I have felt a big shift with the pain since I got home. I am taking maybe 2-3 Dilaudid every 24 hours which is half what I was taking before Saturday. Not to say my back doesn't hurt, it does when I am on my feet too long but overall it is starting to feel better.

So, the interesting thing is I have had those night sweats the last two nights too! I thought the first night it was because if the stomach bug but last night I felt better and I had it again. Like totally drenched, had to change my nightgown. Gross. I think it is from coming down off the meds. I also have been cold during the day with the A/C running. I hope tonight is better for us both.

I have been paying attention more to how I walk. Although my back is straight, one shoulder wants to raise up higher than the other and my legs feel totally unequal. One has always been longer but now u feel totally crooked walking. I am hoping this will adjust to normal. I walk very stiffly.

On the mood front, yesterday was very low. I still was getting over feeling sick on top of feeling fed up from my back recovery ( 7 weeks today and I still feel a world away from normal) and my eye complication since surgery has me totally stressed. I cried so much yesterday I started to worry if I am getting depressed. I look at people on TV walking around, going to dinner and enjoying life and it feels far away. The eye situation requires me to patch and I just feel like avoiding people and the questions. If I knew my vision was going to get better, I could totally deal with this but the unknown is so scary. Today was better and I am trying to just focus on healing, eating well and enjoying my kids.

Good luck on your follow-up this week! It will feel good to get home!

Jana

HI, Jana. OK - your bathroom story sounds scary! I can't imagine laying on a floor and actually getting up!

When I had my decompression surgery, I was on Percocet & Valium. I took it for 4 days and was feeling no pain. So, I thought "why should I take these?" Obviously I was feeling no pain because of the drugs! I had never had surgery so I was very unaware of how drugs affect us. The next day, I had the flu like symptoms too. It only lasted a day - but probably because I hadn't been on them long term. So maybe your flu thing was from cutting out a fair amount of Dilaudid.

Last week and most of this week, I am the same was as you. Sweating at night (although it is getting less) but cold in the A/C. When alone and thinking about things, I'd just sit there and cry. And, I don't have an eye issue or really any issues that aren't "normal." I think the drugs mess with my mood, but also I've been cooped up in this apartment for almost 5 weeks. My family will take me anywhere or do anything for me, but I don't really feel like going in public - and a 1-hour event wears me out. Of course, I try to stay positive - I remind myself my recovery is going as expected, I get to go home this weekend (assuming my xrays tomorrow don't show anything abnormal), and overall life is good. I'm really in need of a change of scenery.

I did get some sleep last night. I got a 1.5 hour chunk and then a 3.5 hour chunk. I woke up at 4:30 and could not go back to sleep. So, Like Ed says, I'm just living a cat's life! Lots of naps! I don't really sleep during the day, but I lay down a rest a lot. I listen to Audio Books.

Today my niece stopped by and brought me lunch. I was shifting between sitting & standing for 90 minutes. When she left, I was EXHAUSTED! So frustrating! I guess the talking and being upright just wears me out. My torso was sore - I suppose I was using my low back muscles to be upright, but I was wearing my brace the whole time.

I appreciate all the reminders everyone here sends me: Baby steps. It was a BIG surgery. Recovery is long. It's only been 6 weeks. My aches and pains are very normal. I'm doing a good job. I'm not alone. Keep the reminders coming - because I, too, am reaching a state of feeling down. I, too, want to be "normal" and move & feel like a "normal" person. I've been wanting that for many years!

The only bad thing about going home is I won't get to see my oldest son every day! He is a ray of sunshine for me! He works with keeping me positive and motivated. He has been a blessing and a great roommate!

Kathy

[KathyInIowa]

I was proud of me!

On a more positive note, this week I figured out how to put on my own socks, running shoes (I leave them tied) AND I shaved my legs without any help today! And, the outcome was not too bad! For the shoes & socks I use the gripper & shoe horn. I have to use the gripper to put on my pants too.

There are little things that bring happiness to every day!

Kathy

[LindaRacine]

Hi Kathy!

Sorry for the delay, I was somehow logged out and didn't realize you had replied. So, a crazy few days. I got home Friday, Saturday was OK although I couldn't walk much because there was a huge dust storm here and it was so hot and muggy. Saturday night I woke up in the middle night with a bad stomach ache, very sharp pain. I went to the bathroom and just knew I was going to pass out. I called for my husband (thank goodness I was not alone!) and asked him to help me back to bed. The next thing I know, I am laying on the bathroom floor, thinking I was on my bed. It was super scary. The next morning, the stomach flu hit me. I don't think it was food related because I ate everything my family of 5 did and they were all fine. But how did I get that, I haven't left the house! No vomiting but really horrible abdominal cramping and diarrhea. I still had a painful stomach yesterday but today felt really good. I was reading all I could to make sure this wasn't a withdrawal issue but I think it was just a stomach bug. Oddly, I have felt a big shift with the pain since I got home. I am taking maybe 2-3 Dilaudid every 24 hours which is half what I was taking before Saturday. Not to say my back doesn't hurt, it does when I am on my feet too long but overall it is starting to feel better.

So, the interesting thing is I have had those night sweats the last two nights too! I thought the first night it was because if the stomach bug but last night I felt better and I had it again. Like totally drenched, had to change my nightgown. Gross. I think it is from coming down off the meds. I also have been cold during the day with the A/C running. I hope tonight is better for us both.

I have been paying attention more to how I walk. Although my back is straight, one shoulder wants to raise up higher than the other and my legs feel totally unequal. One has always been longer but now u feel totally crooked walking. I am hoping this will adjust to normal. I walk very stiffly.

On the mood front, yesterday was very low. I still was getting over feeling sick on top of feeling fed up from my back recovery ( 7 weeks today and I still feel a world away from normal) and my eye complication since surgery has me totally stressed. I cried so much yesterday I started to worry if I am getting depressed. I look at people on TV walking around, going to dinner and enjoying life and it feels far away. The eye situation requires me to patch and I just feel like avoiding people and the questions. If I knew my vision was going to get better, I could totally deal with this but the unknown is so scary. Today was better and I am trying to just focus on healing, eating well and enjoying my kids.

Good luck on your follow-up this week! It will feel good to get home!

Jana

Jana...

It wouldn't surprise me if you have started being depressed. I had never been one to be depressed, but did get very depressed sometime within the first two months postop. Please mention the problem to your surgeon or primary care doctor.

--Linda

[Prfbones]

Trochanteric Bursitis

Hi Linda and everyone:-)

OK, NOW I have Trochanteric Bursitis. It's very uncomfortable. Especially during this road construction season. It's keeping me from working eight hours a day; after six hours and the commute, it gets exquisitely painful. I'm waiting for my insurance to cover the steroid injection and hopefully that will be that.

Trochanteric bursitis AND sciatica. This is not a good combination at all. It's very hard to sleep at night now.

Doesn't it seem like no matter how fast you want your recovery to go, there is always something there to make you slow down?

[susancook]

I had trochanteric bursitis about 8 years ago when I took a 5 hour car trip to a remote area in India with terrible roads. I did not get out of the car to stretch because there were not any bathrooms and I was certain that stretching would prompt a need to urinate. The 2 Indian men that traveled with me used the agricultural fields ;+}. As soon as I exited the car, I knew what the problem was, but we had plans to tour the remote village and their health/nutritional resources. A steroid inj was great relief when I finally returned to the US 2 weeks of hobbling and NSAIDs later.

Long background story to my suggestion. Buy one of those blowup seat cushions for people with hemorrhoids might do the trick. I'm taking one to India with me next visit!

Hope that you are better!

Susan