Re: In pain from the surgery

[Guest guest]

>Christa wrote:

Hi All,

>I had surgery on my right ankle. The doctor did a fusion and put about 7-8

screws in as well.

When I walk I have pain in the back of my leg where the ankle is.  Sometime I

have to take Percocet and it helps some what. 

>I saw my Dr on April 19th and told him the pain I have.  He said " that's

normal "   He says that every time I complain about the pain or when I'm walking.

Hi Christa

It is far to early to give up since your surgery was less than a week ago. You

were no doubt been walking differently prior to the surgery. I think physical

therapy would be helpful. Not to mention not putting too much weight on that

ankle yet.

Please ask your surgeon for more a specific guidelines about your recovery. 

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Kaylene

[Guest guest]

Kaylene wrote:

> Hi Christa

> It is far to early to give up since your surgery was less than a week ago. You

were no doubt been walking differently prior to the surgery. I think physical

therapy would be helpful. Not to mention not putting too much weight on that

ankle yet.

Ditto to what Kaylene has written here. You shouldn't be putting much,

if any, weight on that ankle yet. You should be using crutches or

anything else that will give that ankle time to heal. I'm surprised

they sent you home without instructions to keep the weight at a minimum

for X number of days/weeks.

If it's only been a week since you had the surgery, it should still be

hurting like the dickens. Please talk to the doctor about when it would

be safe to start physical therapy. If he gives you any run around about

weight bearing, physical therapy, etc. I personally think you need a

different doctor to oversee your recovery. What you had done is major

surgery and is going to be painful for quite awhile. If the doctor

you're currently seeing thinks it won't be, than he has a screw loose.

I'm currently taking physical therapy for my leg and ankle. We started

out gently a month and a half ago, and are slowly working me up to

harder exercises.

Lyndi

[Guest guest]

I agree!  You absolutely should do Physical Therapy. It will help you recover

more completely without developing bad habits and reinforce proper body

mechanics.  Do not take no for an answer from your doc.  

Vivien

[Guest guest]

My Mom was non~weightbearing for weeks if not longer after having her ankle

fused. You need a doctor that gives GOOD, EASY TO UNDERSTAND INSTRUCTIONS

and someone - him, his nurse, the nurse at the hospital should have made

sure you and your family understood them before you were released from the

hospital. I would suggest being completely non~weightbearing from now

until you get ahold of someone at the doctor's clinic.

Good Luck and Sorry you are going through this!

Anne

[Guest guest]

I'm sorry you are having such pain.

How long ago was your surgery?  Can you describe the type of pain?  Does it hurt

only when you put weight on it?

I know that in the future you may have trouble with your back because of the

stress of unbalanced walking.

What kind of injury did you have at work?  

Jennette

[Guest guest]

Lyndi,

I had the surgery on February 1st.  It's over 2 months now.  I can't hardly walk

and if I do the ankle will start to hurt.  My doctor tells me " that is normal? "

He doesn't see what I'm going through in my perspective. even if I sit down I

get pain.  I just don't understand how is this normal.

Christa

[Guest guest]

Christa wrote:

> I had the surgery on February 1st. It's over 2 months now. I can't hardly walk

and if I do the ankle will start to hurt. My doctor tells me " that is normal? "

He doesn't see what I'm going through in my perspective. even if I sit down I

get pain. I just don't understand how is this normal.

Christa

Still being in pain from your surgery is normal. But, you need to have

help getting your ankle to heal properly and move properly.

In the middle of January, I broke my leg about an inch and a half above

my ankle. I also messed up my ankle and my foot. Your surgery is going

to hurt just as much as my leg and foot still do and they hurt constantly.

The doctor and the physiotherapists all told me that it would be months

before the pain completely subsided. I wear a brace and have forearm

crutches for when I'm going to go more than a few feet. I'm also

supposed to wear my boot cast if I'm going to be standing or sitting too

long in one place.

My leg and ankle wake me up several times during the night. I sleep

with it elevated on a soft down pillow, but the pain just gets to me.

The physiotherapists are working on making sure my ankle doesn't seize

up and stop working properly.

You had major surgery. They put metal in you. It's gonna hurt. It

will need manipulation to make sure it has a full range of motion and

it's going to be bothering you for quite awhile.

Your doctor must be a real piece of work if he thinks otherwise.

Lyndi

[Guest guest]

Jennette,

    I had Surgery on February 1st (the 3rd one), the pain is like sharp pain

where the incisions are and when the Dr did the fusion.  The Dr tell me " that

normal " normal my a@@. Sometime I can't barely walk and I'm limping and the Dr

did tell me I would limp.

    Before the accident some idiots stole my car and put gum in the gear

(neutral, park, drive, etc) I was driving from one client's house to another and

since the gum was there in the gear I ram into the divider on the freeway (Route

17) I have a compound fracture of the right ankle and wrist.

 

> Jennette wrote:

> How long ago was your surgery?  Can you describe the type of pain?  Does it

hurt only when you put weight on it?

[Guest guest]

That must have been a terrifying experience, how are you coping emotionally?  I

had a slight accident compared to yours and ended up with panic attacks and the

inability to drive for almost a year do to fear and anxiety.  That was decades

ago and I still feel the panic sometimes when I drive, always have anxiety

associated with being in a vehicle.

Someone else mentioned physical therapy, have you been able to take advantage of

that?  I can see where there would be advantages plus the pain would be

documented on your record for your doctors to review.

My daughter had surgery on a simple bunion, with a screw inserted to fix the

bones together till it healed.  That thing still gives her pain.  It was so bad

that she couldn't wear a shoe that even slightly pressed on that area.  Swelling

and eventually about a year later the screw started to back out, almost coming

through the skin so the doctor had to remove it.

Some people react badly to foreign matter put in such as screws and plates, even

sutures.  Is there any chance you could have an infection in that area?  If

NSAID medications help reduce swelling and pain, you could be having a reaction

to the hardware or an infection.  

Jennette

>Christa wrote:

> 

>Jennette,

>    I had Surgery on February 1st (the 3rd one), the pain is like sharp pain

where the incisions are and when the Dr did the fusion.  The Dr tell me " that

normal " normal my a@@. Sometime I can't barely walk and I'm limping and the Dr

did tell me I would limp.

>    Before the accident some idiots stole my car and put gum in the gear

(neutral, park, drive, etc) I was driving from one client's house to another and

since the gum was there in the gear I ram into the divider on the freeway (Route

17) I have a compound fracture of the right ankle and wrist.

[Guest guest]

, Lyndi wrote:

> Christa wrote:

>> I had the surgery on February 1st. It's over 2 months now. I can't hardly

walk and if I do the ankle will start to hurt. My doctor tells me " that is

normal? " He doesn't see what I'm going through in my perspective. even if I sit

down I get pain. I just don't understand how is this normal.

>

> Christa

>

> Still being in pain from your surgery is normal. But, you need to have

> help getting your ankle to heal properly and move properly.>

ALL,

I agree, and it takes up to six months or longer for injuries. Please do not

overdo this, it will set you back. Well, put you ankle in a position it doesn't

hurt. Your vessels, tendons, muscles, and nerve endings amoung other things get

cut or harmed and have to heal. When you body says, it hurts, it hurts. I no

pressure is what it needs give it no pressure.

You can concentrate on how to help you what heals, what vitamins, good thoughts,

exercises the other parts of your body. I would see a physical therapist so

she/he could tell you the same thing or how to wrap it dirrerently or something

else that will help in healing.

Lyndi, is right also, keeping it aligned correctly by wearing a brace helps

also. I would ask to see a physical therapist to assist you in your healing.

Yes, it's normal. I had nerve endings I felt come back to life after a year and

half so be patient but do gest assistance. It is no fun sleeping in wierd

positions and not able to walk. I wish I could run with all my heart but it is

not in the cards.

I think seeing a physical therapist will help you prevent you from laying down

excessive scar tissue by doing things wrong. Can't hurt. I am not a Doctor, I am

just sharing my experience.

Good Luck and let us know how you do.

Bennie.

[Guest guest]

Bennie wrote:

> I wish I could run with all my heart, but it is not in the cards.

I used to be a very good track athlete. I would give almost anything to

be able to " run like the wind " one more time.

Lyndi