8 months since 1st stage revision, thr not happening until Jan 17

Hi steve sorry to hear that your feeling down....its rubbish I'm getting my first hip replacement in 3 weeks 😌....after going from working full time as a nurse for 22 years before being totally floored by severe arthritis 😏 ive gained weight because I can't get about....im only 43 and totally understand how your feeling take care x

Wow steve you have certainly been through the wars, bad enough to have surgery and then find you need to have it again and then get infection, I presume I got that right? Your a baby compared to some at only 40 and can completely understand why your feeling down, are you bed ridden at the moment or in a body cast? or maybe neither, don't know too much about spinal injuries as my spine issues are from years ago.

I hope you have a good support structure round you, as in friends and family and a good OT / Physio, plenty on here who give you good advice and support I'm sure.

You take care and try not to worry as most things are beyond our control.

​Do not get down.. we all go through down turns... once you can have your hip done your will be okay.   Are you getting any physio at the moment if not ask for some...

Good luck

So very sorry to hear all what you been through Steve. That's a lot and I can truly understand how you feel. My story is I decided to have a trhr July 18. I was born with dysplasia but it never really was a problem till about 30 yrs ago. Was mild with pain started taking pain meds and continued on with life. Not until about 3/4 yrs ago pain was getting worse and before I knew it I was having difficulty getting around. Saw dr and put me on a cane, show lift & physical therapy. That was a year ago but hip was already very bad almost to point where if I waited much longer Iit would be very difficult to have replacement. So I went in to get it done. 3 weeks later I go in to for follow up find out I dislocated it. I knew something was off cause my leg had become really shorter. 2 days later dr was going to try to pop back in but couldn't and had to do hip revision. Was 6 weeks non weight bearing. For me it was a big blow. Within 3 weeks I had 2 major surgeries. The non weight bearing was hard. I went two weeks in rehab. First week was hard cause I couldn't get out it bed without help. Second week was ok had a great roommate and was surrounded by ppl but still late at night I would cry. After coming home I fell deeper into depression. I couldn't really do anything. I was either in a wheelchair or hopping on one leg using walker or in bed. I was alone most of day cause hubby had to go to work. I felt alone and frustrated and discouraged. Physical therapy was limited because I was on strict hip precautions. I've now been 3 weeks weight bearing as tolerated. Physical therapy is giving me more to do but still have hip precautions. It's a new chapter as I now can move more but muscles are weak from non use and I've been a little scared to put full weight. Depression is one thing that we all seem to get. But I believe for some of us it can be worse. At this point tho I have decided that I need to stop feeling so sorry for myself. I mean I cried every day sometimes several times a day and really hard! But just recently I've decided it's time to start thinking positive and see, cause I haven't been looking, how far I've come. It's been slower than what I want it to be but I'm getting there. I'm thinking positive although it's hard sometimes but I'm trying to let the good in and be thankful for these accomplishments. This forum had been great cause the folks here encourage you and let you vent and lift you up. We all have had set backs some worse than others but it helps to know that you can let it out and it's ok. I'm sorry my story is long. But hang in there I promise it gets better. It may take longer but patience and a good support team will get you through. I also pray several times a day. I tell you Steve I didn't want to get out of the bed! Im not saying my depression is gone but it's getting a little better. Prayers that you will heal and get better. And come back here anytime to talk. It helps! Hugs, LD

Wow, this is awful. I cannot even imagine what you must be going through physically let alone mentally. You've been blindsided!

I too am struggling mentally with recovery. I am almost 7 weeks post op on left THR. Although I'm doing very well physically, my mental state is a struggle. Boredom, frustration and cabin fever. I can drive and go out a bit so it's really nothing compared to you.

We must take care of our mental health as well as our physical health. People forget this. Our state of mind is crucial to our quality of life.

I take meds for depression, have been for 15 years. They really helped change my life. If I wasn't on these meds now, I would be round the bend. They allow me to push through the bad times and survive another 10 minutes.

You may want to consider some meds to get you through this. You are going through MAJOR physical hardship and recovery from THR will be added to your sentence.

YOU ARE NOT CRAZY. There are chemical imbalances in your brain and all you would be doing is rebalancing them. I can tell you firsthand that once you find the right medications, your world will change. You will feel like there's a warm protective blanket around you. You will not feel drugged or dull or slow. You will feel calm and in control.

You can only take so much stress, mental and physical. You are only halfway through your life and been slammed badly. Be kind to your body and brain. Take some temporary help right now. It doesn't make you weak, it makes you smart.

Good luck. My fingers crossed for you.

Steve, you have my utmost sympathy! You have been through hell and are still going through it. No wonder you are down. Keep on posting and venting here, and it should help you feel better. I know I get great support from this and another hip replacement forum.

My situation has some similarities with yours. I had my THR in July 2015. Never got better, but always had a terrible limp and pain, and had to always use walking aids. Original surgeon could not figure out what was wrong, so I went for a second opinion to a different practice, and in February 2016 I got a diagnosis of a torn gluteus medius, bad enough to require surgery to repair. Two surgeons will be doing the operation, one to repair the GM and the other to check out my components and see if anything else is wrong. I tested negative for infection, but it could be there anyway.

My first date was May 9, but they cancelled it. Second date was supposed to be Aug 15, but on July 24 I had a compression fracture of my T-11 vertebra, so it got cancelled again. Got the back fracture diagnosed, had a balloon kyphoplasty on Aug 18 and have been gradually getting better, but the horrible, long spasms and pain and disability from the fracture was far worse what I experienced from my  THR, so horrible. I am just now starting to feel ok, although I am always worried that I will hurt my back again. Had new pain in my back a couple of weeks ago (different place), and though it is feeling better, I am doing everything I can to not stress it.

My revision is scheduled for October 15 and I feel like I have been waiting so long that I can't really believe it will happen. 

But I can't even imagine what you have gone through, with a revision and spacer in for 9 months, and then having it left in for 7 more months! I have read posts from people who have had spacers for 2 or 3 months, but for more than a year is beyond torture. And add to that SIX broken vertebrae. You deserve all the tender loving care that it is possible to get!

How scary that you broke those bones from a seizure. Does the doctor agree that the seizure was caused by going off of meds too soon? As you said, DISASTER!

My fracture was because of garden variety osteoporosis common to us older women. My back had been a bit iffy for a few weeks (no particular reason), when I lifted a bag of 9 ears of corn and immediately dropped it because I felt something go in my back. Cue the spasms.

I wonder why your consultant is waiting so long for the revision? My revision will be 10 weeks after the vertebral kyphoplasty.

At any rate, hang in there, and I hope, as others have said here, that you have support people helping you out through this long wait, with these very difficult problems. 

warm welcome to this wonderful forum of hippies where we share our personal stories and experiences ...

wow, no wonder you feel down - 

when is your surgery scheduled for - would it be in December (counting 6 months from June) ?  

did your doctors know you  were coming off your medication?  that is terrible -

you are not alone anymore ... it is alright to feel down -

come back here anytime, okay 

big hug

renee

Hi Steve,

I think you can see from initial posts how much your incredible story affects us - and how much we want to offer support and encouragement.

I am so sorry (how weak that sounds) for what has happened and what you continue to suffer. To have so much prolonged uncertainty added to your ordeal seems an act of extreme cruelty.

If I understand correctly, your surgeon wants to wait until December for the next step - wow. And ... you are feeling down ... amazing; most people I know would have descended into a black pit of despair long ago.

Several friends have longstanding back injuries or chronic pain and is devastating.

I'm truly glad youve joined this forum - it has been a lifeline for many of us when pain, frustration with events or isolation needed support. I hope you can feel the support reaching out to you and that it will ease some of your troubles.

Nothing I've experienced compares to your situation, so my suggestions will sound very feeble. But my questions are: Have you seen your surgeon since June? Have you let him know how tough things have gotten or are you seeing your local physician to deal with the interim symptoms? How are you managing activities of daily living and has any psychological support been offered?

If not, it is probably past time to push for all of these. I might also add a pain specialist to the mix, as I can't get my head around how you are surviving all this.

Please don't be offended if this is all .. duh, of course this is in place! Im not a fool. But, from my own far more limited experience of prolonged chronic pain, I know that logic sometimes struggles and focus and concentration to follow through on things is often a huge challenge.

I hope with all my heart that you are not completely on your own and that this will soon be a black period in your life from which you can choose to retain a few good lessons or moments and jettison the rest.

With many gentle hugs .

Linda M