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polly
127 Posts |
 Posted - 11/07/2004 : 20:21:33
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Two years ago, before I found out about TMS and Dr. Sarno, I had total knee replacement in both legs at the same time. It was excruciating pain and recovery. At 6 mos, when I was still suffering with leg pain, the animal that operated on me sent me for an MRI. I was then told I had a list of back problems. After 6 more mos. of dealing with that nonsense...chiropractors, therapy, surgical possibilities...I found Sarno. I saw him and began the long road to healing. I was doing great for a while. I haven't been posting here in the last few months because the pain has become intolerable and I just kept beating myself up thinking I must be doing something wrong.
A friend of mine in a health related field saw me recently and insisted I call a doctor friend of his. I was told to get some xrays done of my knees. One of the replacements has completely cracked. The other is beginning to show problems. I'm being evaluated this friday. I don't have many options and I will need some more surgery. It looks like I will have to have both of the replacements replaced. I am devastated.
When I saw Sarno, he told me how sorry he was that he didn't see me before I had the replacements. I'm calling him in the morning to see if there is anything that he can offer. It's just a really bad scenario. I never should have had the knee replacements in the first place and this has ruined the past 4 yrs. of my life and I'm in worse shape than ever.
If any of you are ever told to have a joint replacement, please, please, please tread lightly in that dark arena. It is just another money making medical mess. I thought I did everything right in having this surgery. I went to 5 doctors and read and studied everything I could. I didn't take it lightly at all. I went to a top surgeon, the best hospital and the best rehab center. And now this.
I'm afraid I have a question for the good doctor that he can't answer.
Part of this post is a warning to other people. Part of it is just me dumping my misery. Thanks for the indulgence. I read the posts here every day and I was so proud to be part of the healing group for a long time. My best to everyone.
Polly |
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Susie
USA
319 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2004 : 20:41:37
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| Hang on Polly-wait and see what Dr. Sarno says. You are lucky to have a relationship with him. Maybe he can offer an alternative. The anxiety you are going thru is going to make it more difficult but you know that. I was lucky to find Sarno's work before having anything invasive done and I remember your posts when I first found this board. Perhaps you will have some choices. It's very possible that it won't be as bleak as you think. Keep us all posted. |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2004 : 21:31:07
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Dear Polly,
I'm so sorry to hear about your present problem. Hopefully the botched surgeries can be repaired and you can return to normal activity someday soon.
The good thing is that you have Dr. Sarno in your corner and he can help navigate you through the minefield this time. He has been dealing with re-habilitaion his whole career and you probably couldn't have anyone with more expertise with the entire scope of your circumstances.
Thanks for posting the warning to help others. Hopefully they will slow down with the surgical approach and give more time to try the TMS route. I's very easy to get seduced into the surgery approach. Not a day goes by that someone doen't notice my limp and ask when I will go for a hip-replacement. I just grin and bare it.
Keep posting and let us know what's happenig and how you feel emotionaly about what you're going through. Maybe set up some goals for activities that you would like to do after they correct things.
Are you doing any physical things with the parts of your body that are not effected?
My best wishes and prayers go out to you Polly,
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n/a
374 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2004 : 05:42:58
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So sorry to hear that you are having such a bad time, Polly. It's very thoughtful and kind of you to take the trouble to warn others about your experience while you are suffering so badly.
Your advice is so right. I have a neighbour who had a double hip replacement nine years ago and suffers terribly still. I know she regrets having the surgery.
I was more fortunate than you. Before I found out about TMS, I was attending hospital - waiting to be assessed for possible surgery in my lower back. I was also attending a chiropractor. He didn't help my pain at all, but he did do me an enormous favour - when I told him which specialist I was to see, he strongly advised me to see someone else. He described him as 'knife happy'. He recommended someone with a much more conservative approach, who at least did not do any damage.
Can you see Dr Sarno a.s.a.p.? I'm sure he'll be able to support you through this.
very best wishes from Anne |
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polly
127 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2004 : 09:57:33
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Thank all for the replies. I have to be honest since we are all dealing with pain issues. If I read this from someone, I fear that I would cringe and hide from it.
I just called Sarno. Unfortunately, I now live in Florida and he doesn't seem to be responding. I sent him an email last week and have not heard back. Since I did see him last year, I would imagine that he would talk to me. I'll keep trying to reach him.
The good news about being in Florida is that I exercise every day in the water. It's the only place I can move and I strongly believe that it's very important to keep doing that. Since the initial surgery 2 yrs. ago I have also lost a tremendous amount of weight. I was very out of shape and overweight at the time. I'm not anymore. There are a lot of positives in this very negative place I've ended up in.
Here's the salt on the wound irony. Once you've had joint replacement, it is near impossible to get another surgeon to see you. They don't want to deal with another doctor's errors. Since you don't want to go to the doctor who crippled you, it's a double mess. The doctor I'm seeing on friday is seeing me as a favor and just to do an evaluation. He's not a surgeon. I have the xrays and a 3 yr. old could see the problem. I'm just trying to evaluate my options. The bottom line is that I'm crippled. Don't you just love doctors????
JOINT REPLACEMENT SUCKS UNLESS YOU'RE THE DOCTOR COLLECTING THE CHECKS. That was the one ounce of anger I'm allowing myself so I don't get my TMS in an uproar. Thanks again for letting me vent.
Polly
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2004 : 10:47:23
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Polly, thanks for the insight into modern surgery. So much for the science of medicine. I imagine mal-practice law suits are a large factor in not being able to find a new surgeon. They probably fear getting into a can of worms and taking the fall for their colleague's screw-up. I fear the smart doctors are leaving the field of medicine due to the mal-practice insurance disaster.
Try corresponding with Sarno. He won't answer out of state phone calls. He will reply in writing. Send him a telegram if you need to. It would be worth getting on a plane to see him to get the straight scoop.
Keep posting to educate others. |
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polly
127 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2004 : 16:55:09
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Tom,
Still haven't reached the good doctor. I'll try again in the morning. I keep getting the answering machine.
I would get on a plane and go see him, but I don't think I can travel right now. I'm in a really bad fear zone about doing more damage. Thanks for the encouragement. Deep down, I believe I can fix this. I have to.
Polly |
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mala
Hong Kong
774 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2004 : 22:56:16
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Polly,
I'm really sorry to hear that you are in so much pain and hope that you will soon be pain free. I have a couple of questions if you don't mind. You see my mom who is 72 is thinking of having surgery on her knees next year and I really want her to think about this long and hard before she does.
Why did you have the surgery in the first place ? Was it an injury or arthritis or something else? and how old were you when you had the surgery?
I hope that you can get some help and direction from Sarno. After all if he did see you before, he ought to see you again.
My very best wishes are with you. Thanks
Good Luck & Good Health
Mala |
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polly
127 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2004 : 09:37:46
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Mala,
I'm now 54. I had the surgery 2 yrs. ago. I had injured one knee many years ago and had surgery for torn cartilage. The reason for the replacements was osteoarthritis and I was told there was no cartilage in one knee and very little in the other. According to Sarno, he feels I shouldn't have had the surgery and starting working with his methods instead. I didn't know about Sarno at the time. I was trying to find the best orthopedic surgeon and didn't what I know now.
I would not let my mother have this surgery. It is brutal and done way too much. On a 72 yr. old, they will put her through an incredible amount of pain and assume she won't need to be moving around too much. Hope this helps.
Polly |
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Jim D.
USA
63 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2004 : 11:04:40
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My mother had a knee replacement at age 85. I went to stay with her during the rehab, which went on for many weeks. The pain was so great in the therapy that she could not really bend her leg as much as the PT wanted, and she wasn't able to do the exercises faithfully at home. So she had to go back and the surgeon essentially broke the joint to give more flexibility (I still cringe when I think what that sounded like--the nurse told her to be glad she was more or less unconscious and couldn't hear it). I would have to say that now, about six months later, she is not much better off than before the replacement. And she now thinks her hips are the problem. As board members will guess, I think she has TMS. Some years ago I got her to read Sarno and she said she agreed with the basic premise--but HER problems were different, they were real!
For years I have been assuming knee and hip replacements were obvious necessities when arthritis took its toll, and I know of some cases in which the person was really helped. But looking at life through the TMS lens, these days I tend to be suspicious of practically everything but a broken leg or a major hemorrhage--and, who knows, maybe the brain can cause those too!
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polly
127 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2004 : 20:00:20
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Jim,
To put an 85 yr. old thru that is nothing short of criminal. There is no way she could be any better going thru that kind of surgery or recovery. The ONLY reason that a doctor would do that is because he can get the insurance company to pay. It's really horrible.
I hope she's doing okay.
I still can't reach Sarno. It's the one thing I want to do. Having to talk to surgeons again is really freaking me out. I detest them. The only MD I want to speak to won't call out of state where I am now. I'll keep trying.
Best to all,
Polly
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polly
127 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 15:17:02
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Just wanted to let anyone interested know that I spoke to Sarno this morning. He is a really wonderful man. He called me in Florida after I left a message and sent an email. He made the call to be kind. There is nothing he can do for me. He offered sympathy and told me to stay strong. I have to have more surgery and there's no way around it. The surgery I had, that was probably not necessary, was done wrong.
This board is a great thing. I'm glad most of you found it before you let surgeons cut you up. All I can do now is focus on hope.
Polly |
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Susie
USA
319 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 17:57:58
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| Polly, I'm so sorry that you have to have more surgery. Hopefully, Sarno was able to help you with a surgeon. At least after speaking with him you have no doubt as to what you must do and maybe that confidence will help you move forward and get this over with quickly. Perhaps your recouperation will be smoother now that you are so familiar with Sarno and can possibly use him to alleviate some pain. My best to you and thank you for your warning. Your message might stop others from such drastic action. |
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polly
127 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 20:22:47
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Susie,
Thanks for the kind words. They mean a lot. If I can keep one person from going through this it would mean something to me. I hope I have.
I'm going to be surgeon hunting for the next few weeks. Too bad it's not with a rifle out in the woods. They really are an unscrupulous bunch. On the other hand, Sarno is a kind and caring person. There must be a few more like him someplace. I hope, I hope, I hope.
Polly |
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mala
Hong Kong
774 Posts |
Posted - 11/10/2004 : 20:33:01
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Dear Polly,
There is nothing he can do for me. He offered sympathy and told me to stay strong. I have to have more surgery and there's no way around it.
I'm so sorry to hear that and I think it was jolly decent of him to call you but how did he come to this conclusion without actually seeing you? Wouldn't he need to give you some sort of physical examination to reach his conclusion?
Good Luck & Good Health
Mala |
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polly
127 Posts |
Posted - 11/11/2004 : 08:30:20
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Mala,
I have the xrays here and you can clearly see that the plastic in the replacement has broken. Once I told him that, he explained that I have very few options. There is a slight chance that they can just replace the plastic. However, there is no reason for it to be like this and it's more likely that I will have to have the whole thing replaced again.
And yes, he is a very decent man in a field of very indecent people.
Polly |
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tennis tom
USA
4749 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2004 : 09:13:32
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quote:
Originally posted by polly
Mala,
I have the xrays here and you can clearly see that the plastic in the replacement has broken. Once I told him that, he explained that I have very few options. There is a slight chance that they can just replace the plastic. However, there is no reason for it to be like this and it's more likely that I will have to have the whole thing replaced again.
And yes, he is a very decent man in a field of very indecent people.
Polly
Dear Polly,
It sounds like you will need to have some form of surgery to minimaly fix the broken plastic part in your knee. If my new car has a problem it's under warranty and the manufacturer fixes it free and might give me a loaner. I don't see why it should be any different with your plastic knee parts. From cyberspace, it sounds like a defective part or it was improperly installed. Let the surgeon and the maker of the prosthesis fight over who was at fault. I would think a part like that should last for ten years to life.
Have you had a face to face with your surgeon to discuss what went wrong and how he intends to make you whole again? If he blows you off it may be time to bring in the big guns, the mal-practice attorneys. They have a way of catching a doc's attention. You don't necessarily need to go to court, just ascertain your rights and a settlement to your situation. |
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polly
127 Posts |
Posted - 11/12/2004 : 10:43:35
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Tom,
Thanks for the thoughtful advice. 6 mos. after the surgery I started having problems and went to the surgeon that operated on me. He had me take an MRI and then told me that there was nothing wrong with the knee replacements and that I had 3 herniated discs and spinal stenosis. That's what led me to Sarno a few months later.
I did rid myself of all kinds of "sciatic pain" and "back problems" using Sarno's methods. I always had the knee pain though and in the past few months it's become intolerable. I had xrays done last week and when the tech put them up on the light board, I burst into tears.
I wouldn't go back to the surgeon who operated on me for all the money in the world. I am going to sue him. One of my husbands best friends had the same surgery with the same doctor a few months before I did. He is a very successful business man who has a son-in-law that is an orthopedist. He's donated over 5 million bucks to orthopedic research and that was why I used the same doctor he did. He's had to have 3 surgeries in the last year to correct this monster's work. He's going to sue also.
I'm going for another evaluation this afternoon and then I'll have to start searching for a surgeon. I'm keeping all thoughts of the surgeon who did this to me out of my mind right now so I don't start triggering my TMS. Also, trying to walk on what is essentially broken knees is throwing my back into spasms. I rest it up and know that any prolonged pain is psychological. I am a real mess...a hopeful one that is very glad that I have Sarno and his work to help me through.
Polly |
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catastrophe
