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OVERALL CHRONIC PAIN NORMAL AFTER SPECIFIC SURGERY?

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Posted 6/13/2011 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
Just thinking today, about  all the aches and pains I'm going through and I didn't have all these before my back surgery....is it normal for your entire body to fall apart when there is an area in the body that I'm struggling with?  For example I just had major back surgery a year ago but since them I'm dealing with bursitis, knee pain, and just over all chronic pain...Sometimes I think that the inflammation that my back has created in my body has spread to other weakened areas. My back is better but now I'm dealing with overall stiffness, hip bursitis, knee joint pain, etc....does that all come along with recovering from major surgery?....I'm trying to figure out why all the sudden my entire body is falling apart.   Blessings!   
Posted 6/13/2011 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hey SE Sis:)

I know what you mean when it feels like we are falling apart!...

Some of it I think can be from holding our bodies in different positions before/after surgery to 'protect' our back..or in my case...neck...as well as those with back issues...start to walk differently to modify and help with pain...

I had bursitis in my hips and shoulders for some months after my last surgery...because I was home bound more...so in my bed a lot watching tv..and sleeping on my sides...so the pressure of the bed was causing it...I ended up getting a3 inch bed 'topper' made of tempur pedic material...MUCH cheaper than getting the entire bed which is out of my league...

Within a few weeks the bursitis was gone!...Even my doggy that has hip dysplasia...the vet said it is good for him too since he sleeps with me:)

So...those are my thoughts and experience with some of the similar issues you are having...

Glad that your back is better after the surgery...so that is one blessing!..
Posted 6/13/2011 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
That makes sense....I spent 10 months laying flat in bed before my back surgery....so it was hard on my hips I'm sure.  I have a 3" bed topper made of tempur pedic material as well, and that helps but doesn't cause it to disappear...but my anti-inflammatory diet, if I stick to it w/o cheating at all, my hip pain normally goes away in 6-weeks of sticking to it....now to figure out how to get the knees to feeling better....it's such a battle sometimes. smilewinkgrin
Posted 6/13/2011 7:55 PM (GMT 0)
I should have worded it differently that it was with both the mattress topper as well as getting out and walking more each day so I wasn't as stiff..that is when my bursitis went away...so for me...it was the combination that helped so much...

Hope you can work on the knee issue...my other issues now besides my residual neck pain from surgeries..is a Pituitary brain tumor...and then 7 years ago I had the surgery to remove a Morton's neuroma from my left foot...but over the last months it feels like there is another one....

So I totally can empathize with you on fixing one thing, and another pops up:(...
Posted 6/13/2011 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
I finally was able to get back to work FT after a year absense...and so I'm more active then I was....I get in some walking during work...and I stop work and walk around my building just for some exercise...but I can't walk as much as I would like to.  I think I'll start on my treadmill to see if I can even do 1/2 mile at 2.3 on it.  yeah   It just takes a lot of time to build your muscles back to where they were....like I said before, it's such a battle sometimes. tongue    Thanks for your advice.  smilewinkgrin
Posted 6/13/2011 9:02 PM (GMT 0)
You are doing great!...Keep in mind...you will have more trouble than I do because you have both lumbar hip and knee issues....I have cervical issues...so walking...(besides the foot problem) hasn't been painful or hard on me like it is on you...and that's a good thing because my dog needs that walk daily too!..LOL

I was also lucky that my first fusion when they took bone from my hip to do two levels...I don't have much lingering hip pain in that spot like a lot of people do..

So you are doing an awesome job with all of your issues!!

I have more trouble with things like sitting in a chair and not being able to 'rest' my neck back every so often...or on the computer..watching tv...things like this...or what is so bad for me..but I forget until after I'm in pain..duh!! LOL...is sitting somewhere and having someone next to me and turning my head to speak with them for a long period...that turning is just awful and the next day my pain is very high!

But it's good that we can come on here and have people know what it's like and share stories!
Posted 6/15/2011 12:04 AM (GMT 0)
SE sis, hi, I am Kathy, I hate to be the bearer of not so good news, but I think when you have had particularly a major one, it effects the entire body.

I dont know if there has been any kind of study on this, but it seems to me just looking at different peoples profiles, most all of us have fybromyalgia (I know I spelled that wrong sorry), but it looks like fybro is almost brought on by other areas that have been heavily impacted.

So you might want to express to your dr. next time you see them, the test for fybro is relatively easy.  Its certainly worth looking into.

In the mean time, hope you will be feeling better soon. Many prayers and hopes for you having low pain days.

Posted 6/15/2011 2:51 AM (GMT 0)
SE sis, glad that your able to get back to work...maybe get into your pcp for some
bloodwork, could be a vitamin deficiency..but it's good to get checked out as it's
better to erorr on the side of caution...maybe try putting ice on your knee to see if that can help...
if this has been going on for awhile then make sure to let your doctor know
about the knee pain...
well wishes...
Posted 6/15/2011 2:49 PM (GMT 0)
I so agree NiNi 53!  I was suspecting that was what was going on with me. I just wondered if anyone else experienced it too.  Now I know. Once one area of the body has had such trama, then it tends to spread to other areas for specific reasons, I'm sure. : )  I just got back from my doctor yesterday and I'm excited that he's going to try different medication on me and try to help me feel a little better than I do.  I'm still on meds from recovering...when I think and he does too that I need on long-term type of meds now.  Thank you all.  smilewinkgrin
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