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Scottydog
United Kingdom
330 Posts |
 Posted - 11/04/2007 : 20:44:55
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My brother had a hip resurfacing op on July. It didn't seem to improve as quickly as expected. On his follow up with surgeon he was told the cup hadn't quite fitted as well as it ought but hopefully it will sort itself with time. New bone was forming so should heal ok.
Well, he has had physio, tried different crutches, sticks, has trouble driving, sometimes can't sleep at night for the pain, sometimes pain killers work sometimes not etc etc.
Well, he has also had financial problems, is coming up to retirement age with no savings, can only afford to retire if he sells up his beloved house, is still trying to keep his business going (requires heavy physical work), but of course due to not being as fit isn't making as much money as he should so in constant battle with bank, is divorced so has no one to help out when his hip plays up etc etc.
I'm sure it's TMS but what can you do? If only he would sell up his house the pressure to earn enough for the mortgage would be gone and he could work or not and see to getting his hip problem sorted (if he still had one), but it's not happened yet.
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skizzik
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 07:37:04
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quote:
Originally posted by lidge
You miss the point- Michelle said "the tests show.." - she did not say, "the tests show and I am convinced ...She states she is going for other opinions. This is what she needs to do to get some clarity and move forward without doubting herself. This is a place that Michelle has to get to- through gathering evidence and coming to her own conclusion.
sorry, wasn't a shot against you, nor was I disagreeing w/ anything you said, I was just putting quotes up there to hopefully strengthen her conviction or lack thereof and encourage discussion. |
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Michele
249 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 08:39:50
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Well, I'm coming in here late and didn't check this board all weekend. Everyone raises interesting and legitimate ideas and concerns. My biggest concern is that the parts are placed correctly. Yes, I've had the tests. Another surgeon and the Mayo Clinic are now reviewing my file. When my doctor said it MIGHT be tendinitis, he also said it could be that the cup is in the wrong position for me or the bearings need to be changed. So he obviously believes that you can't see everything on film, so yes, doubt continues for me. Until someone can definitely say to me EVERYTHING IS PERFECT, without hesitation, then I believe I could wrap my brain around the fact that TMS is hounding me.
If I had been able to weight bear shortly after surgery, and then went backward with my progress, it would be easier to accept that TMS is working against me. However, weight bearing was never possible. I've had the weight bearing pain since surgery.
playsinpain - I didn't go from running 10Ks one day to having surgery the next. It happened over several years. This wasn't an easy decision on my part, especially knowing what I know about TMS. I rejected it and kept going, walking, running, living with constant pain in that hip. Obviously, that wasn't the answer, my hip collapsed. This was devastating to me and yes, enraging! How unfair! But if I didn't believe in TMS, the rest of my body would also be screaming in pain. It was not, and is not. Sure, right now the hip is a convenient spot for TMS to grab hold, I understand that.
I am in regular physical therapy pushing through the pain (and fear), knowing that if TMS is the culprit, it will figure out it's not going to win and leave. But I admit, I am scared that if the replacement is somehow not set correctly, then I may be causing additional damage by pushing through the pain.
FYI - I am a paralegal in a large law firm. You don't think my doctors are working harder than normal trying to figure this out?? Ha!
I do want to thank everyone for your comments. I will print them out and read them more thoroughly. Many great insights to consider. |
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Michele
249 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 09:43:47
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And let me add . . .
If you don't think I've agonized over whether I made the right decision or not, you'd be wrong. That is TMS thinking, since it's done and there's not a thing I can do about it now. I asked all the right questions, did my research, made my decision on the information I had and only AFTER ruling out TMS.
Yes, Lidge, maybe knowing TMS before makes this harder, I don't know. I've gone over a myriad of things in my life causing rage in addition to the surgery:
- I'm growing older.
- I'd rather be single, but marriage isn't that bad and can't afford to be single. (Pointing the finger at me as cause of unhappiness.)
- Oldest son attending an expensive college on partial football scholarship. College is having financial problems.
- Youngest son a senior in high school with big dreams, lacks motivation, failing classes he doesn't need to graduate, school messed up schedule.
- Youngest son wants to go to expensive college far away, no money, he's not ready.
- Law firm breaking up, no clue where I'll land, just know I'm going with my boss.
- Since surgery, I've gained weight.
- Increasing price of everything.
- No help around the house, it's become a pig pen.
. . . and on and on and on. Just like everyone else. We torture ourselves with the worry, stress, and the emotions that go with all these things. I KNOW that. As my psychotherapist says, "Once you know something, you know it, you never forget it." Even if we say we don't remember, the knowledge is in there.
(Just let me keep rambling, maybe I'll make a breakthrough.  )
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skizzik
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 10:01:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Michele
Until someone can definitely say to me EVERYTHING IS PERFECT, without hesitation
Sounds like us wishing we could go see Sarno and he would say Everything is TMS w/ out hesitation.
You used the words: Perfect, definitely, and "w/out hesitation"
This w/b great. And I hope to God that can be done.
But,
it reminds me of seeing the neuro-surgeon and he interupted me when I was giving him my symptoms and he just wanted to know on a scale of 1-10 where my pain was.
I wanted to discuss stress and emotions playing a role, and he just wanted to classify me as "drugs" or "surgery" and get on to the next patient.
He did say (i think just to agree w/ me and get me outta there) that "Yes, some pain can be psychosomatic". So I jumped on that, and he put his hands up and said "look, I need to know if your're in pain, are you? I need to know".
I just got bummed, and said I guess I'm dealing w/ it. And he said "if you're dealing w/ it, and it's not ruining your life, then "Stay far away from me"......
At that point I realized, or it confirmed, nothings perfect. He was'nt going by my scans, he was going by my pain.
As long as I continued to say I was in pain, they would find a reason. I was concerned about a fracture. He left the room to look at the scans, came back and said no fracture, "but you do have a big herniation. " Thanx, already knew that .
I get the feeling, as long as you keep saying your in pain, they will look for a nugget of abnormality to justify your pain every time no matter what.
I suppose exploratory surgery is the only way to ensure it's perfect.
Again, these are just my opinions, and "take", For all I know they find something and wallah, Michelle gets on w/ her life. I hope theres more "takes" out there. |
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Michele
249 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 10:26:55
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| You're right, nothing is perfect. It wasn't perfect before, it isn't perfect now. Guess I'll get on with my life. |
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playsinpain
28 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 11:40:54
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| Surgery makes everyone feel at least a little bit "violated". I can't imagine what a new joint feels like. But you are exactly right: what's done is done. It is time to move forward. You need to convince your mind that all is well physically. If it hurts too much right now to move on land, then move in the water. Start swimming laps and get those endorphans moving. If you believe TMS is at work now then follow the model and address those issues you wrote about....that's what you think about while your swimming those boring laps. If the surgeons say all should be well, believe them...start from scratch...new hip, no physical reason for any pain. ....I do believe, along w/ anger, regret plays a big role in TMS. Looking back on mistakes that can't be changed, and their consequences, is something I continually try, and often fail, to resist doing. Look forward. |
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skizzik
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 11:41:26
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I just noticed we posted at the same time Michele, and I did'nt see your last post.
Anyways, you just vented big time and let a lot out. Perhaps you thought I read all that and just posted hey "nothings perfect" and get on w/ it or something right after reading that. I can see where you'd maybe miss what I was saying, or took it wrong, or I'm trying to hard to get a discussion going here .
I read your post b4 mine and see that your'e dealing w/ a ton, I think I'm taking too much time to make too short of a point, and perhaps end up not helping (perfectionist anyone?). I don't know. |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 11:44:33
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Michele,
You've certainly got your share, that's evident.I'm guessing you're under more stress than you're even aware of, though clearly you're aware of a lot...If I were in your place, I'd be in hell over just not being able to run...I talk about this with my partner all the time, that I'm 56 years old and sooner or later I'm going to get some sort of injury that will make it impossible to continue as the work out hound I've been since my mid-20's,...I love running ...no matter what's gone on in my life over the years, which at times has been plenty, I've always been able to go out and do that..It brings me more joy and happiness than anything I can think of...
Pure guess work on my part, but if you were able to rule out TMS pre-surgery, I'm betting on structural causes now as well...These things are fixable...That's the good news. I'll make another bet, that you'll be in far better shape in 6 months or less than you are now...Do people ever get back to running who've had hip replacements?
If you feel like it, shoot me an e-mail...I admire your attitude and toughness, all the more so because your human fragility is all too evident as well...I've no great answers, but I've a willing ear...
Best of luck,
A.
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Edited by - art on 11/05/2007 11:46:04 |
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Scottydog
United Kingdom
330 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2007 : 18:26:29
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quote:
he also said it could be that the cup is in the wrong position for me
Michele,
my brother's surgeon admitted his op wasn't perfectly positioned but that the new bone growing around the cup would mean it would be fine in the long term but my brother dwells on the negative.
I'm an Xray technician and patients can recover fully from all sorts of nasty fractures of pelvis, femurs etc so try to be positive.
....lastly, when you are lying on your death bed will you be regretting that you let your house become a pig pen?
Anne |
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Michele
249 Posts |
Posted - 11/07/2007 : 09:59:20
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I thought some of you may be interested in this. I saw my psychotherapist yesterday, who has read Sarno, and understands TMS. I told her I wanted her to help me figure out any emotions that may be triggering TMS in my hip.
I saw her before the surgery, and now after, and have seen her on a regular basis for about 3 years.
She does not believe this is TMS. Her reasoning is that she knows me and how much work I did before the surgery to uncover many hidden emotions, I worked hard to acknowledge the emotions I was having before the surgery, as well as after, and I didn't run away from any of it then, and I haven't done it since. It helps to have someone like her who really knows you on a different level. She also said that by calling the pain TMS, I am putting the blame back on me and not the surgeon (something we're all good at). She said what she knows of me, and what she knows of TMS, it didn't connect for her.
Anne - I know my house is a pig pen, but honestly, I can look past it. One of my son's friends came to the house the other day when I was just getting home. when I opened the door I said, "Oh look, Marty cleaned the house" and I laughed. He said, "My mom only DREAMS about having a house this clean!" So it's all relative.
Thanks again everyone. Art, I'll be emailing you when I get a little downtime in my work. |
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art
1903 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2007 : 15:23:47
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Hey Michele...
That would be great. Any time. No great words of wisdom, just thought it might be fun to compare notes as runners, plus I've had some intermittent hip stuff of my own...Which I'm trying very, very hard to ignore...
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Hip Replacement Problems
