Apologies for absence

stickywicket

And also for my continuing absence. I am only half here right now and either dozing, zonked or both most of the time. ie I'm not best placed to give advice to anyone.

It seems one of my THRs has come adrift. Not the elder statesman as one might reasonably expect, but the young 12-13yr old. I spent a couple of weeks in my local hospital while they got the pain relief to a semi-acceptable level, this being one that doesn't result in me waking at 3am and then, despite multiple doses of oromorph, finding no relief whatsoever for the worst pain I've ever been in. (Childbirth? A doddle. Walking on the other hip when it was broken? Much easier.) Now I have slow release, fast release and more. I could set up an extremely dodgy online website for restricted meds.

Anyway, we finally got it sort of sorted. I have entered my zombie period and am now at home awaiting a letter from the big boys in Edinburgh as my local hospital can only do straight replacements not revisions. Meanwhile, Mr SW has worked out my 'Silent Pain Scale'.
1-2 = nothing
3-5 = I am rubbing the affected area
6-8 = I start rocking in my chair
9-10 = I go quiet apart from the odd whimper, rock and – for some strange reason – pull my nose.

All part of arthritic life's rich tapestry. I could happily settle for a poorer one though. :animal_busy:

dibdab

Oh my goodness SW , I really hope they can sort out your revision quickly. Sending very gentle hugs from afar.

Deb t69044

dreamdaisy

Crikey, that is not good news: I am so sorry to read that you are in this pickle. There are times when befuddlement, bemusement and bewilderment caused by pain meds is necessary but it is not a nice experience and most unlikely that to welcome it with open arms. I hope you hear something sooner rather than later but forgive me for not holding my breath . . . . . DD

BettyMac

So sorry to hear this, Sticky.

Sending best wishes for a speedy resolution

[Deleted User]

Oh Dear Stickywicket. This is not nice news to hear, although it is good to see you posting again. Your turn to receive some support I think.

I very much hope you hear from Edinburgh very very soon.

On behalf of the Moderating team

Ellen

daffy2

Just last night I realised I hadn't seen any posts from you Sticky and was hoping nothing had happened....So sorry to hear about the THR and the pain problems. Sending you best wishes and hopes for a speedy slot in hospital.

Dragonfly17

Hope things get sorted soon, pain is so debilitating and most of the time we deal with it but sometimes it is beyond anything anyone can imagine. Sending hugs.xx

mig

Sorry to hear this Sticky hope you don't have to wait too long.Love to both. X X Mig

Maturecheese

Sorry to hear about your very unsatisfactory predicament, puts my woes into perspective. I hope you get sorted soon.

Starburst

Oh Stickster, I’m sorry. You have such a great attitude and I admire you greatly. I really hope you don’t have to wait to get it fixed up. Pleased you’re managing the pain better, hope it continues and improves. I used to joke that I have so many strong drugs, if there was a zombie apocalypse, I’d become a drug lord. You could join me and together, we’d be a force to be reckoned with. Xx

stickywicket

Thank you all for your very kind comments and good wishes. Starburst, I'd be honoured to be a drug lord with you come the zombie apocalyse

I'm getting a little bit more used to things now and managing, on the whole, without the 'top up' pills which has to be a step in the right direction.. But, I'm in this for the long haul so 'meds times' are dictating my life right now. It's annoying but temporarily essential. ****

dreamdaisy

Hello, how are things going? I suspect that you are not enjoying this new meds regimen as a) it is unfamiliar, b) you are not in full control of your faculties and c) it is unfamiliar (which is also reasons d through z). One of the frequent questions on here is how long is a piece of string (disguised as how long before I feel an improvement/get my Xray results/see a doc etc.) but I think I can say with some confidence that you are in the string factory busily making said item . . . . . . DD

stickywicket

DD, as you know, most of my faculties have been out of my control for a long time But you're right. I've kept a slender grip on mental ones by steering clear of strong pain relief. This is a whole new, unwelcome world to me. I got up this morning feeling quite wide awake, had breakfast and fell asleep again :roll: To quote Captain Kirk of Star Trek "It's life, Jim, but not as we know it."

However, it is temporary. I'm busy string-making as I type Thanks for the thought - and the image

mig

Hi Sticky,Hope things are now under your control and not the meds.Hubby has had a second lot of x-rays (first lot 18 months ago ) and is waiting for an appointment with a view to having a right hip replacement.

stickywicket

I'm getting there, thanks mig. I no longer seem to need the top-up pill in the night and can drop a dose or two of paracetamol during the day. I seem OK with the slow release oxycodone in the morning but, after lunch, I just crash :roll:

Best wishes to Mr Mig. I hope all goes smoothly for him - and you.

Slosh

Sticky, I logged on for the first time in a while and found this! How are you doing now? So sorry to hear your THR is causing you aggro. I really hope that they are able to find a treatment plan that works for you soon.
Look after yourself...please! t69044

Starburst

Sticky, I was told that regular paracetamol works really well to take the edge off both acute and chronic pain. It also adds something to morphine but I can’t remember the technical term. I was sceptical but I don’t miss doses of paracetamol and find it helpful for pain relief and did when I was post jaw op. Thinking of you still.

stickywicket

You are right. I know it does work alongside stronger meds. I've never had so much respect for the humble paracetamol as I do now. In my worst nights in hospital I was waking at 3am or 4am and multiple doses of oramorph made no impression. It wasn't until I got paracetamol at around 8am. It didn't make a big difference but it made more than the oramorph did.

GraceB

Sticky,

I'm sorry to read that you are struggling like this and need a TKR revision. Pain is an awful thing to have to live with but sadly all of us here understand that.

I've been AWOL myself although I've been reading but not posting. Initially life just got in the way - sorry everyone. Then I had an awful chest infection which nearly put me into Hospital. As it was I had to take over a week off work and ended up on strong antibiotics.

I hope that you soon get your surgery date and you manage to keep smiling in the interim.

Take care,
GraceB

barbara12

Hi SW
So sorry to hear you are suffering like this..I dont get in this section to often , my eyes are letting me down...I dont ever remember you mentioning pain..gosh it must have been awful
Now the morphine I agree its not always good at sporting pain, like you say the paracetamol can help ...I hope that somehow you can keep on top of it..x

dreamdaisy

Morning Sticky, how's life in the string factory? DD

stickywicket

Thank you, Grace, Barbara and DD.

It's not so much a string factory currently as an elasticated string factory. Following a visit to ENT last week I'm now on a couple of week's worth of 25mgs pred for an ear problem Bless him, he looked solemnly at me and said "It's rheumatoid, isn't it?"

I nodded.

"So you'll know all about prednisolone and won't want it?"

I had to smile.

"The thing is, you don't have to have it but the drops are much more successful with it."

At this point Mr SW chipped in "I think it'd be good. She's run down. She needs a bit of a pick-me-up"

(Oh Gawd! he thinks, after all these years, that they're anabolic steroids and he'll get a wife with a six pack.) I could have clattered him one on the spot but, after all, he had a very rough time too nattering about me so I agreed, reluctantly, just for a fortnight.

So, here I am, feeling invincible during my waking hours then comatose for most of the afternoon. It's a brave new, synthetic world which I'll be glad to be out of asap.

Claudette

Dear Sticky,
I only just read your post. I am so sorry you have been in rotten pain. I really hope it is not too long before you are sorted and stabilised. Thanks for answering my recent post whilst feeling as you do!

stickywicket

You're welcome, Claudette. If we waited until we felt OK before contributing here the forum wouldn't exist I appreciate the thoughts, though.

Well, thanks to pred I have already, this morning, showered, dressed, got breakfast, washed up, swiffered, vacced and dusted. Last week I'd have been asleep again. A timely warning of the seductive nature of pred. It feels great but I know it's doing harm while doing good. However, i might as well make the most of the good bits.

Starburst

I love that your husband has the mental image of you being a body builder. I suppose it’s better than the reality of pred- grumpy with water retention.

You can do this, Stickster. Keep on keeping on. x

Claudette

Hi Sticky,
What is the Pred? I looked it up on google. Is is a rheumatoid A drug? I hope you are able to balance out soon. Sounds as if you have had a dreadful time. I know what you mean about being conscious of the damage drugs are doing but sometimes I suppose you just have to "go for it" and hope that it isn't too long term. I dread ever getting a toothache again or an abscess as I don't take ibuprofen due to one kidney and significantly lowered kidney function. I can't remember anything that worked on toothache except ibuprofen.
Anyway, hope you are picking up a little more, even as I write this.