It's now six weeks since the surgery to replace my right hip and I am finally feeling close to normal. I shook the Vicodin about two weeks ago and went through an uncomfortable week of withdrawal. Then about two days I ago I gave up Tylenol (I had been taking 3g per day). I've had only one 500mg Tylenol in the past 48 hours.
Today is the first day since my surgery that I can say I feel right. I am using a cane to assist the left hip but am quite ambulatory.
Physical therapy is helping quite a bit. Found a great therapist who spends about 15 minutes moving, pressing, etc., after a 45 minute routine of machine and stationary exercises.
So, the good news is I feel good. Looking forward to getting the second hip done and moving on with life.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Shook Off the Vicodin But It Was Not Easy
Last Tuesday night at 3:30 a.m. I took my last Vicodin (5mg Vicodin, 325 mg Tylenol). The last six days I've been feeling pretty poor. When I recognized that I was taking Vicodin to control feelings of malaise, chills, emotional downs -- symptoms of opiate withdrawal -- rather than to control pain, I knew it was time to get off the Vicodin.
Previously I had been trying to wean myself off the drug but successively longer periods of time between doses. But that only caused me to experience the repeated beginnings of withdrawal numerous times without acheiving my goal of Vicodin independence.
So, I stopped taking Vicodin altogether and determined to deal with the withdrawal over a period of days. And it did take several days -- days of feeling pretty crappy, poor temperature control (usually cold), feeling down. But I think I've come through it now, some six days into the process.
I've been dosing with 500mg Tylenol tablets, one every four or so hours. That's 3g per day total, versus a limit of 4g per day of Tylenol.
Previously I had been trying to wean myself off the drug but successively longer periods of time between doses. But that only caused me to experience the repeated beginnings of withdrawal numerous times without acheiving my goal of Vicodin independence.
So, I stopped taking Vicodin altogether and determined to deal with the withdrawal over a period of days. And it did take several days -- days of feeling pretty crappy, poor temperature control (usually cold), feeling down. But I think I've come through it now, some six days into the process.
I've been dosing with 500mg Tylenol tablets, one every four or so hours. That's 3g per day total, versus a limit of 4g per day of Tylenol.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
4 Weeks Post-Surgery and Coming Along
Okay, so it's 4 weeks (today) since surgery to replace my right hip joint and I am more than pleased with my progress. Sure, it's been a bit difficult here and there, but it's not been painful at all (controlled largely by Vicodin 5mg, 4 times per day; needed mostly to deal with the left hip joint which is scheduled to be replaced in a little more than 3 weeks, on January 7, 2010. The difficulties have been diminishing, consisting mostly of limited mobility which, with exercise and time, have been steadily decreasing. And, I've not been able to drive. Getting in and out of our car on the passenger side is becoming easier each day.
A word on Vicodin. The positive is that it does work for me. I was able to cut down the initial dosage from 8 pills to 4 pills per day, about 6 hours apart. I find that anything less (or a longer time period between pills) rather quickly results in chills, malaise, and increased pains and stiffness in my left hip joint. The negative is that after the second surgery I am sure to experience withdrawal symptoms, probably about 6 to 8 weeks post-surgery when I hope to be coming off the pain medication (late February or early March).
Getting dressed is not a problem except for getting compression stockings on my legs. Renee has been diligent about that task each morning.
The surgical scar is healing nicely. The steri-strip covering the dissolvable stitches is coming off piece by piece. The wound looks good, no oozing, no odor. I have my physical therapist check it each time I see him (2 or 3 times per week). There is a slight red portion which the therapist attributes to a "pinch point" where the movement of my hip results in movement of that portion of the surgical site.
Also, keeping my legs elevated whenever possible has been a challenge. A new lift/recliner chair works well for that, particularly when augmented by a large triangular foam pillow under my legs which helps elevate my calves when the chair is moved to reclining position. Highly recommended.
Physical therapy also works well to combat the edema present in my legs following the surgery. That's my primary focus now -- reducing and eliminating the edema.
A word on Vicodin. The positive is that it does work for me. I was able to cut down the initial dosage from 8 pills to 4 pills per day, about 6 hours apart. I find that anything less (or a longer time period between pills) rather quickly results in chills, malaise, and increased pains and stiffness in my left hip joint. The negative is that after the second surgery I am sure to experience withdrawal symptoms, probably about 6 to 8 weeks post-surgery when I hope to be coming off the pain medication (late February or early March).
Getting dressed is not a problem except for getting compression stockings on my legs. Renee has been diligent about that task each morning.
The surgical scar is healing nicely. The steri-strip covering the dissolvable stitches is coming off piece by piece. The wound looks good, no oozing, no odor. I have my physical therapist check it each time I see him (2 or 3 times per week). There is a slight red portion which the therapist attributes to a "pinch point" where the movement of my hip results in movement of that portion of the surgical site.
Also, keeping my legs elevated whenever possible has been a challenge. A new lift/recliner chair works well for that, particularly when augmented by a large triangular foam pillow under my legs which helps elevate my calves when the chair is moved to reclining position. Highly recommended.
Physical therapy also works well to combat the edema present in my legs following the surgery. That's my primary focus now -- reducing and eliminating the edema.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Home This Week, Physical Therapy
As you've read (below), my surgery was scheduled for 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 17. I spoke with the surgeon around 11:00 a.m. and he said that he had one to do in a few minutes and that it should take an hour and a half; that I should be good to go around 1:30 p.m.
Evidently there were problems and that surgery lasted longer than expected. At 5:00 p.m. the anesthesiologist came to us to say that he had reviewed my medical information and that it would be medically irresponsible to do both hips during one surgery. Complicating factors include weight, history of atrial fib, elevated creatinine. So, they decided to do only one hip, the worst one.
My surgery was uneventful, took 90 minutes and all went well. I had a nice semi-private room overlooking the East River and Roosevelt Island. Also, plenty of beautiful nurses caring for my every need, waiting on me hand and foot, 24/7 -- just like I'm accustomed to receiving at home.
On Friday, I was transferred to Helen Hayes Hospital, a sub-acute rehabilitation facility in Rockland County -- first class. I spent 8 days there and was discharged last Saturday, a couple of days after Thanksgiving. I am getting around with a walker and sometimes with a cane.
I began physical therapy in Rockland this week. And I'm doing exercises to strengthen my legs. Each day brings some improvement in mobility.
Unfortunately, it is now the un-operated hip that is limiting my movement and causing the most discomfort. I have been able to reduce my reliance on Vicodin from 8 pills per day (5 mg each) to 2 or 3 pills per day.
All in all, I feel better than I did pre-surgery. And by February, I hope to feel great.
Evidently there were problems and that surgery lasted longer than expected. At 5:00 p.m. the anesthesiologist came to us to say that he had reviewed my medical information and that it would be medically irresponsible to do both hips during one surgery. Complicating factors include weight, history of atrial fib, elevated creatinine. So, they decided to do only one hip, the worst one.
My surgery was uneventful, took 90 minutes and all went well. I had a nice semi-private room overlooking the East River and Roosevelt Island. Also, plenty of beautiful nurses caring for my every need, waiting on me hand and foot, 24/7 -- just like I'm accustomed to receiving at home.
On Friday, I was transferred to Helen Hayes Hospital, a sub-acute rehabilitation facility in Rockland County -- first class. I spent 8 days there and was discharged last Saturday, a couple of days after Thanksgiving. I am getting around with a walker and sometimes with a cane.
I began physical therapy in Rockland this week. And I'm doing exercises to strengthen my legs. Each day brings some improvement in mobility.
Unfortunately, it is now the un-operated hip that is limiting my movement and causing the most discomfort. I have been able to reduce my reliance on Vicodin from 8 pills per day (5 mg each) to 2 or 3 pills per day.
All in all, I feel better than I did pre-surgery. And by February, I hope to feel great.
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