It has been awhile since I have posted but I was very preoccupied by healing from my 5-17-2011 knee replacement. It is about this that I am posting today.
I had a knee replacement due to extreme osteoarthritis and ligament damage. There was no other choice but surgery. Now I did have some experience with this as, before I was disabled, I was an Occupational Therapy Assistant. I knew the surgery would be rough but little did I know ......
The therapists and nurses were fine but had no knowledge of fibromyalgia. The surgeon was only interested in my knee and not my overall additional pain. Even though I was promised pain relief I never found any in the hospital. Oh, the first day was great, Mr. Morphine Pump and I were just fine, thank you! However, after that initial 24 hours.....
Here is what I learned:
1. Really prepare yourself for being out of commission for awhile. I mean cook ahead, have someone lined up to help with the house, all scripts filled, all bills paid, etc. You will NOT be up for any of these tasks.
2. Have a heart-to-heart with the surgeon. Agree ahead of time on a plan for pain control. Believe me it is much harder to do when you are in pain already.
3. Make sure you are comfortable at the hospital. DO NOT worry about bothering the nurses or aides. They are there for you. If you need something ask. Cold? Ask for a warm blanket. Pain, get that pain pill scheduled. Hungry, get something or have someone bring it in for you. I know from experience that if you cannot get comfortable, you will not be able to control that pain.
4. Do not expect to have everything go perfectly because it will not. People drop the ball and you need to be on your toes. Be sure to have someone who can advocate for you.
5. At home, have all the equipment you need. I rented a hospital bed because all our bedrooms are upstairs and I was not sure I wanted to try the stairs at first. This proved to be a godsend.
6. Consider renting an icemaker or have access to ice at all times. You can use gel packs but I found ice to work much better.
7. Follow all instructions as written. Do not mix pills or take extra.
8. If your pain spirals and you have tried everything, call the doctor! You may have to get to the ER to get it under control again.
9. Be honest in therapy on what you can and cannot do. I had to educate the therapists on fibro in order to not bring on a flare.
10. In spite of your best efforts you may still go into a flare. Surgery is hard on someone without fibro, much less with it. Have your bag of tricks ready to go at home.
In the end, I am doing pretty good now that it is months later. However, with what I have learned I hope to have a better beginning with my right knee.
Do you have any other suggestions? I would love to hear them!
Showing posts with label pain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pain. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Supplement Update
I am posting this update to my previous post on supplements that I am currently taking. Here goes:
Non-odorous garlic: still taking
Royal Jelly: ran out but I think it was an energy booster
Cherry juice: too acidic, had to stop
CoEnzymeQ10: too acidic, had to stop
Vitamin D: still taking
Olive Leaf: still taking but not noticing any effects
I am planning on replenishing my supply of Royal Jelly Bee Pollen.
Now, a little more on this subject of supplements, especially vitamin D. I have been reading some comments on facebook that the user states pain relief from taking vitamin D. I have been taking this for years and have never noticed any amount of relief from my pain or muscle cramping. I fear we in the fibro community are in danger of falling for claims on supplements as we are vulnerable to Big Pharma for new drugs. I wish it were as simple as swallowing a handful of meds and vitamins/herbs but it is not. Fibromyalgia is so complicated, so insidious that what works for one does not work for another or stops working altogether. I am becoming more and more convinced that we are just beginning to understand fibro and it will take a commitment from those of us who suffer to guard ourselves from chasing "cures". There are many snake oil salesmen out there plying their claims of cures, relief and pain-free promises. We must not fall for this anymore. We must insist on real studies and real research. Only our community can band together and ignore these con artists and push the medical field to what we all want, a real understanding of the mechanism behind fibromyalgia. Yes, I will continue to try a supplement here and there but only after researching the product for myself. Continue the fight fellow fibromites!
Non-odorous garlic: still taking
Royal Jelly: ran out but I think it was an energy booster
Cherry juice: too acidic, had to stop
CoEnzymeQ10: too acidic, had to stop
Vitamin D: still taking
Olive Leaf: still taking but not noticing any effects
I am planning on replenishing my supply of Royal Jelly Bee Pollen.
Now, a little more on this subject of supplements, especially vitamin D. I have been reading some comments on facebook that the user states pain relief from taking vitamin D. I have been taking this for years and have never noticed any amount of relief from my pain or muscle cramping. I fear we in the fibro community are in danger of falling for claims on supplements as we are vulnerable to Big Pharma for new drugs. I wish it were as simple as swallowing a handful of meds and vitamins/herbs but it is not. Fibromyalgia is so complicated, so insidious that what works for one does not work for another or stops working altogether. I am becoming more and more convinced that we are just beginning to understand fibro and it will take a commitment from those of us who suffer to guard ourselves from chasing "cures". There are many snake oil salesmen out there plying their claims of cures, relief and pain-free promises. We must not fall for this anymore. We must insist on real studies and real research. Only our community can band together and ignore these con artists and push the medical field to what we all want, a real understanding of the mechanism behind fibromyalgia. Yes, I will continue to try a supplement here and there but only after researching the product for myself. Continue the fight fellow fibromites!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Whine, whine, whine. Part II
Well I guess this is going to be part II today. I did not sleep soundly at all. I was slow to wake so I had to take a QUICK shower and fly out the door to my podiatrist's office. I spent 1 1/2 hours in that office, up on an elevated chair, constantly shifting to stay comfortable. If it wasn't my knee it was my back, neck, shoulders or that darn left foot. After consulting with the doctor and describing recent symptoms, he diagnosed me with tarsal-tunnel syndrome. Great, I thought to myself, another diagnosis to add to the ever growing list. Sigh. When does the list stop growing? The doctor and I went over my recent MRI and talked about options. Together we decided on physical therapy and a cortisone shot to a pocket of swelling on the lateral side of the foot near the nerve.
Next, I hobbled to my car and proceeded back to home where I would just make it in time for my hair appointment. I was only having it cut. I stopped having it colored months ago secondary to cost and fatigue from sitting in the chair so long. I also have cut it shorter due to the fatigue in my arms/shoulders when trying to use a blow dryer. On the positive side the chair used to wash my hair is ergonomic. Possibly due to the fact that my hair stylist has fibro? I made it through the appointment. Then . . .
Off to the chiropractor. Dr. Tim is my life line and a shoulder to lean on at times. He does e-stim, heat and a gentle adjustment. It helps. Now . . .
I am back home, ate a late dinner (a can of Slimfast, lol) and have been trying to catch up on some paperwork but my shoulders are killing me again.
I hate having fibro. I HATE it. It limits my life, isolates me at times and causes no small amount of pain. If pain were a food it would be the most disgusting thing ever. It would smell horrible and taste worse. Fibro is like that. It can be horrible and get even worse. I am so angry at times with people who say they think those of us with fibro are faking or lazy. I would love to have a day pain-free.
I want out of Fibroland. I do not like the rides, there are not enough bathrooms (for those of us with IBS), it is either too hot or too cold, too bright or too loud, always too something! The food is gluten free, fat free, low carb, lactose free, and taste free (at least to me). The cost, now the cost is way to high. You have heard of an arm and a leg? Well fibro costs you your life! I so want out.
Well, that is my rant for tonight. I have to be up early tomorrow to see yet another doctor. This doctor will go over my recent left knee MCL repair and discuss a timetable for my need for double knee replacements. Joy!
Next, I hobbled to my car and proceeded back to home where I would just make it in time for my hair appointment. I was only having it cut. I stopped having it colored months ago secondary to cost and fatigue from sitting in the chair so long. I also have cut it shorter due to the fatigue in my arms/shoulders when trying to use a blow dryer. On the positive side the chair used to wash my hair is ergonomic. Possibly due to the fact that my hair stylist has fibro? I made it through the appointment. Then . . .
Off to the chiropractor. Dr. Tim is my life line and a shoulder to lean on at times. He does e-stim, heat and a gentle adjustment. It helps. Now . . .
I am back home, ate a late dinner (a can of Slimfast, lol) and have been trying to catch up on some paperwork but my shoulders are killing me again.
I hate having fibro. I HATE it. It limits my life, isolates me at times and causes no small amount of pain. If pain were a food it would be the most disgusting thing ever. It would smell horrible and taste worse. Fibro is like that. It can be horrible and get even worse. I am so angry at times with people who say they think those of us with fibro are faking or lazy. I would love to have a day pain-free.
I want out of Fibroland. I do not like the rides, there are not enough bathrooms (for those of us with IBS), it is either too hot or too cold, too bright or too loud, always too something! The food is gluten free, fat free, low carb, lactose free, and taste free (at least to me). The cost, now the cost is way to high. You have heard of an arm and a leg? Well fibro costs you your life! I so want out.
Well, that is my rant for tonight. I have to be up early tomorrow to see yet another doctor. This doctor will go over my recent left knee MCL repair and discuss a timetable for my need for double knee replacements. Joy!
Monday, January 24, 2011
I am so cold!
I am so cold. Colder than cold. I hate to leave the house in the winter. The cold makes my muscles cramp as I shiver. The cramping and tightening translate into pain. I run the car heat on full blast and put the seat heater on high. This relieves some of the pain, however, those of us with fibromyalgia know that once the pain sets in there will be a long haul to relief.
I was not always this way. As a child my mother could not get me in the house in the winter. I played with my brothers, built snow forts and followed animal tracks in the snow. I watched the squirrels and birds feed from the food and seeds we left for them. Watching the snow fall around me, I would stick out my tongue and try to catch a snowflake. We made snow ice cream. When time came to finally satisfy my mother and come into the house, she often had home-made hot chocolate. Yum! I can't remember my fingers turning blue . . . . .
As I grew older I would often ride my horse out into the snowy fields of our 80 acre farm. Stormy loved the snow and we would be out for hours trudging in the brush, crossing icy streams and trotting down the dirt road by the farm I did not have fancy fleece, just my denims, a sweatshirt with another jacket and plain old work gloves. Yet I was not cold . . . . .
Fast forward to adulthood. I am now a mom of multiple children. I always took them outside to build snowmen, forts and a few lobs of snowball that always drew giggles. My dog Buster, while not the smartest animal alive, loved the snow and ran around playfully anytime the children or I were outside. I don't remember shivering so hard. . . .
Move along to age 40. Coming down the stairs. Slipping and falling. Pain for days despite pain pills, rest and heat. Days and months go by with new symptoms, more pain and the addition of daily fatigue. Forward to the present day. Now I find I am cold. I dress in layers with fleece, scarves, hats, heavy socks and thick mittens. I can't stand outside or I shiver to the point of pain. Pain that racks my body. My finger and toenails turn blue. They burn with a pain that feels like fire. I do not go outside unless I have to. I am afraid of the pain. . . .
Today I am watching the snow. I am so tired that I had to cancel my physical therapy appointment. I can not get warm. I feel like I am trapped inside the house, held prisoner by the cold and frigid weather. I am watching the snow. It drifts down slowly to the ground. So beautiful yet so painful. I dream about the days when I was outside laughing and playing in the snow and thumbed my nose at old man winter. I smile as I think about it all but now it is only a distant memory. No more snowballs, snowmen or icicles on my nose. I just watch from the other side of the glass with a hot chocolate cupped in my cold fingers. I sip slowly from the steamy concoction and try to stay warm. That is what I will do until old man winter leaves and the green of spring allows me outside again.
I was not always this way. As a child my mother could not get me in the house in the winter. I played with my brothers, built snow forts and followed animal tracks in the snow. I watched the squirrels and birds feed from the food and seeds we left for them. Watching the snow fall around me, I would stick out my tongue and try to catch a snowflake. We made snow ice cream. When time came to finally satisfy my mother and come into the house, she often had home-made hot chocolate. Yum! I can't remember my fingers turning blue . . . . .
As I grew older I would often ride my horse out into the snowy fields of our 80 acre farm. Stormy loved the snow and we would be out for hours trudging in the brush, crossing icy streams and trotting down the dirt road by the farm I did not have fancy fleece, just my denims, a sweatshirt with another jacket and plain old work gloves. Yet I was not cold . . . . .
Fast forward to adulthood. I am now a mom of multiple children. I always took them outside to build snowmen, forts and a few lobs of snowball that always drew giggles. My dog Buster, while not the smartest animal alive, loved the snow and ran around playfully anytime the children or I were outside. I don't remember shivering so hard. . . .
Move along to age 40. Coming down the stairs. Slipping and falling. Pain for days despite pain pills, rest and heat. Days and months go by with new symptoms, more pain and the addition of daily fatigue. Forward to the present day. Now I find I am cold. I dress in layers with fleece, scarves, hats, heavy socks and thick mittens. I can't stand outside or I shiver to the point of pain. Pain that racks my body. My finger and toenails turn blue. They burn with a pain that feels like fire. I do not go outside unless I have to. I am afraid of the pain. . . .
Today I am watching the snow. I am so tired that I had to cancel my physical therapy appointment. I can not get warm. I feel like I am trapped inside the house, held prisoner by the cold and frigid weather. I am watching the snow. It drifts down slowly to the ground. So beautiful yet so painful. I dream about the days when I was outside laughing and playing in the snow and thumbed my nose at old man winter. I smile as I think about it all but now it is only a distant memory. No more snowballs, snowmen or icicles on my nose. I just watch from the other side of the glass with a hot chocolate cupped in my cold fingers. I sip slowly from the steamy concoction and try to stay warm. That is what I will do until old man winter leaves and the green of spring allows me outside again.
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