RE: Infections etc

June 2, 2004

Hi Eleanor, Edith and others

I too had excruciating pain when they tried to get me up on day 3 ( on day 2 my

BP was too low for me to be moved out of bed). All I know was that the pain was

in my operated joint and it hurt like ****. The physio was not impressed with me

but I think my responses were such that she realised that I really was in agony.

My advice to anyone is to have a bit of upper body strength to pull up on the

moneky bars - I was not strong enough there and also very apprehensive. I was

very determined though and each day the pain got less - rapidly - and

independence came more quickly. I was off the strong pain killers pretty quickly

and after a week, I had no painkillers at all. Infection didnt cross my mind,

fortunately as I would ahve worried about it.

It's nearly 6 weeks now and I got my " all clear " today which is great!

Freedom!

Good luck

regards

Kay ( Australia)

23 / 4 / 04

eleanor moneyhill@...> wrote:

Dear Edith,

Thanks so much for your considered reply. You are so thoughtful and

good about answering and it is much appreciated.

I find this whole question of infection (or not) baffling. The first

day after the op, when they got me up on my feet, I had acute, strong,

strong pain in my operated joint. From other's postings, I don't think

this is the norm? I don't think that pain was muscular, but of course

memory makes all this a bit fuzzy now, and it is hard to be certain. I

am over 6 months on now. The pain lessened, of course, and then much

was muscular, like everyone else. The second time I had intense pain

post-op was when they took me to be x-rayed at 2 (or was it 3?) days

post-op. Being moved from the bed to the trolley hurt a lot. And then,

being moved from the trolley unto the x-ray table and then lying there

for what seemed like ages while they did the x-ray was excruciating. I

have a high pain threshold, but I was screaming for some pain killers

and was sure that something had happened to my hip. (Kept thinking how

glad I was that I was in a hospital and wondered how war wounded stood

pain over the ages when getting help was impossible.)

Now, in retrospect, wonder if there could have been infection there

then? Or was the pain just the after effects from the op?

I think the OS thinks that if it is an infection, it came from the

op-although it is a good hospital. It is a rare occurrence, but can

happen. I am a pretty healthy person, eat well, etc. and had only

arthritis pre-op-no other major problems. And my OS said my bone was

very strong when he operated. My bone density test was good.

I do get most confused. And more so at present, because my pain has

been a bit better the past week. Good sunny weather? Muscles getting

stronger? Maybe no infection? I even slept one night without a single

pain killer, although needed one the next day. And last night I only

took one ibuprofen. Maybe it is just slow healing, like others, and

yourself, on this board. It is the fluctuations, the changes that make

for the confusion.

So-once again, thanks for listening.

Eleanor

Re: Re: feeling awful... failing BHR or not???

Hi Eleanor,

There are 2 sets of infection risks with the surgery of hip replacement.

Firstly the chances of staf infections which lurk with any encounter

with

surgery of any description from what I can gather......... Thus the

importance of checking out your hospital's history - though good

surgeons

generally refuse to operate in hospitals with high rates of staf

infection

history.

Secondly, the opportunity for infections such as osteomylitis to be

activated by interferring with bones during an operation........ It is

my

understanding from my own situation is that there is far more chance of

that

happening with a THR.......... No OS would even discuss doing a THR on

me

for 30 years........ and basically it was about the large risk of

provoking

my osteomylitis into being again through the radical interference with

the

bone required for a THR..........i.e. the larger the surface left

damaged

the greater the chance........... Because there is less interference

needed

with a Resurface and the all important bone marrow isn't touched, there

is

less chance.

Both these infections can occur simultaneously............

As I understand it once one gets some distance from the operation date

the

infections occuring under the cap would need introduction via other

sources

if one didn't show up with early hassles............. the teeth being

nominated as one possible site.........These come down to maintaining

good

general health, fitness etc and the luck of the draw........

Edith LBHR Dr. L Walter Syd Aust 8/02

>

> In answer to someone else, as I understand it, infection can occur

with

> both BHR and THR, but is very rare in each case. It is just one of

the

> risks of any surgery.

>

> Eleanor

>

June 2, 2004