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1st on at about 22 years old. Due to polio. 6" prosthesis. 2nd at age 41. Bone grafts to increase femur size and a 18" prosthesis.. GO for it and don't waste time.
When I chose my back doctor it was at the suggestion of the doctor that did my spinal injections. I really did not like his attitude so asked if I could get a second opinion. The insurance allowed that BUT the new one wanted to do the same expensive tests that had been done. Well, of course insurance wouldn't pay for it & I was in such pain that I had to do something & went with the first one.
He fixed some things & maybe no one could have done better. I don't think I'll never know.
At least the pinched nerve was released, but I can't bend, my back still hurts & I too, am on tramadol & aspirin.
I finally got the insurance to approve the KneeHab unit....well, 1/2 of it anyway. They are paying to rent the controller, but refused the "conductive garment" as being not medically necessary. I think I may appeal that because the controller is useless without the thigh wrap (which is what the "garment" is) since the electrodes and pads are an integral part of the wrap and the controller plugs into it. I am using it 3X a day and it does appear it might be strengthening the quad muscle, but I have only been using it for 5 days. Doc is hoping that I will be "off" the walker by the time I go back on 2/11, but I'm not sure. Although I do appear to be getting around easier with it. They are telling me that starting in Feb. I may start seeing faster recovery. I only hope so.
I had to fight with the insurance over the home therapist, though. They told the company that there were only 2 left after the end of the year as I only had 20 visits and I had used 18. I went to my account online and it showed that I had 60 home health visits left! Plus, even if it was only 20, it should have reset on January 1st anyway. So I called them and the woman I spoke with was puzzled as to why they were told that I was out, but did say I had the 60, so the therapist group was able to get more approved...thank goodness! Until such time that I can walk without my walker, and the numbness goes away, there is no use going to outpatient PT as I can't do many of them.
So, it appears that I may be getting better, but very very slowly....but then I was told that. The biggest hassle is that we are in the middle of starting to pack for our move to DE in May as we are putting this house on the market in about 2 weeks and of course have to "stage" this house. It's really annoying that buyers nowadays have absolutely NO imagination.....but don't get me started on that! Unfortunately that means that DH has to do 99% of everything, which really makes me feel bad. I help as much as I can, which is very little, but the lion's share is still on him.
Just got back from the ortho today and am going to have the other side done in a couple weeks. Lets hope and pray it goes as well as the first one as I have big plans to go sightseeing in May in DC. This trip is on my bucket list and am looking forward to it.
Rothbear, thanks for posting, I was worried about you!
It seems the drama never ends with your insurance, what plan/company do you have? (Sorry id asked/answered before)
Barb, please keep posting. I hope you are going the anterior route; supposedly much better.
My prayers are with you both and all that are in need of healing. <3
I am hoping that DH will consider going to an ortho doc to treat the pain. Hopefully the first step towards surgery, but I won't press him. I know he is fearful and doesn't trust focs, and with good reason. After having this sinus infection for sixteen months, and having seen two docs six times, I am losing faith, too.
Just got back from the ortho today and am going to have the other side done in a couple weeks. Lets hope and pray it goes as well as the first one as I have big plans to go sightseeing in May in DC. This trip is on my bucket list and am looking forward to it.
Good luck! Everything should go well with you and I have soaked up the excess bad luck around. Have fun in DC. I had relatives who used to work at the Pentagon and they gave us an "up front and personal" tour. Many, many years ago, though. Last time I went was when DH wanted to take me to the WWII memorial because of my Dad. Sad he never got to see it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CCc girl
Rothbear, thanks for posting, I was worried about you!
It seems the drama never ends with your insurance, what plan/company do you have? (Sorry id asked/answered before)
My prayers are with you both and all that are in need of healing. <3
I am hoping that DH will consider going to an ortho doc to treat the pain. Hopefully the first step towards surgery, but I won't press him. I know he is fearful and doesn't trust focs, and with good reason. After having this sinus infection for sixteen months, and having seen two docs six times, I am losing faith, too.
Thanks for the good wishes. Not sure about saying the insurance name, but it is a large national one with a "color" in it's name! I can totally sympathize with the lack of faith in docs. Although I must admit that the PA last time was correct about me not having an infection. It was just an irritation and the hydrocortisol cream has pretty much cleared it up....thank goodness! I'm trying to stay positive. We stopped at a jewelry store today to get my watch band shortened and I had to sit down in an armless couch. I was concerned about getting back up, but it was easier than I thought, so maybe the KneeHab is working. I have decided to appeal the insurance decision about the "garment" part of the KneeHab. Sending pictures of it to prove that it is necessary for the system to work. We shall see.
We pretty much have the work done to get the house listed, now it's just a matter of getting the photos taken and the agent getting everything on the MLS.........and then bring in those buyers!!
I can understand what you're going through after going through 4 hip surgeries myself. I had both birth hips replaced in 2007 and after blood testing in early 2014 showing extremely high levels of cobalt/chromium in my blood and some pain and noises, had both revised / replaced last year in 2014. I can only hope you feel better soon.
I was fortunate in that I was relatively young in 2007 (age 55) and 2014 (age 62). Also, I was in pretty good condition physically as I worked out at the gym consistently even though it hurt. Also,6 weeks prior to my surgeries the hospital required attendance at a class in which they went over what exercises to do, what medications to take and not take, what to eat and not eat etc. I think the above contributed to my recovery. After my surgeries, I would push myself in therapy until the hurt was very real.
I realize I was fortunate. I hope you feel better soon and I hope neither of us need any more hip surgeries in the future.
Last edited by OChomepro; 01-27-2015 at 08:23 PM..
Oh my. You all have had it much worse than I have. Four hip surgeries. Good grief. I could not take it for sure. Just the laying around part makes me antsy. And sinus for 16 months. Yikes. Again, I have had sinus infections but always recover (knock on wood) within a few weeks.
My doc says this will be exactly like the last time (anterior) but with a different implant (shorter, new material). I asked why? He said there have been complications with the titanium so he thinks this one will be better. I was pleading with him to do it exactly like before, but he said this will be better.
Rothbear: So glad you are better. You must be ecstatic about a new house, new hip and new state. I truly believe surgery can change lives for the better. Otherwise I would just skip it.
RB, it's wonderful to 'hear' the hope in your words. I was really concerned you wouldn't turn around.
OChp, you are fortunate to have such a positive attitude, I would have freaked about the cobalt and chromium. (Immediately 'Erin Brockovich' jumped into my head!)
PhxBarb, please tell me what they put you on for the sinus.
First doc: two weeks Cipro, two weeks Augmentin. Nothing. Second doc: Augmentin for four weeks which I continued myself for another eight weeks. Nothing.
Then I put myself on Azithromycin and I've been on it for about fifty days now. I know a chronic infection can take months of antibiotics to clear, and I do feel it's working b/c the mucus isn't bright neon green and yellow. TMI, I'm sorry.
Thankfully, after all this I signed up for insurance. I see doc number one tomorrow for a physical.
My doc says this will be exactly like the last time (anterior) but with a different implant (shorter, new material). I asked why? He said there have been complications with the titanium so he thinks this one will be better. I was pleading with him to do it exactly like before, but he said this will be better.
Rothbear: So glad you are better. You must be ecstatic about a new house, new hip and new state. I truly believe surgery can change lives for the better. Otherwise I would just skip it.
Ugh......I didn't need to hear that about the titanium. My leg will fall off before I have another surgery. I only hope and pray that you are correct about lives being better. I had so many new things planned for the new house/location and hope that I can at least do some of them. I will have to find a new ortho up there for follow-ups. Plus I have to get my doc to extend my handicapped placard as it will run out before I am back to normal. Plus it is easier to get a DE one if I have a current SC one.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CCc girl
RB, it's wonderful to 'hear' the hope in your words. I was really concerned you wouldn't turn around.
First doc: two weeks Cipro, two weeks Augmentin. Nothing. Second doc: Augmentin for four weeks which I continued myself for another eight weeks. Nothing.
I keep trying. Although every now and then I have a "pity time", but they are getting further apart. It all depends on how useless I feel at the time.
Ugh......Cipro is one of the things I am allergic to. Well, actually it interacts with another med I am taking.
When I had my gall bladder out I told them all the meds that I was taking and apparently they never checked them out. They gave me Cipro during the pre-surgery and I almost immediately started to get hives. They had to give me a huge dose of IV Benadryl. Once I was home checked online and found out that it was contraindicated to take Cipro with my med. Another hospital/surgery screw-up. And that was in PA.
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