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Swollen. Very swollen.

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Posted 8/7/2013 11:41 PM (GMT 0)
I had to skip PT today because I had an emergency and had to take my poor pooch to the vets, and they were running so late.  (Kitty emergency).

So I haven't done PT since Friday (last week) and some of yesterday and the whole of today, I am in a lot of pain, my meds aren't working and I've maxed out how much Tylenol I can take in one day, so I'm against the wall even there.  I was doing pretty okay, but the swelling in my right groin/thigh is back up to three inches larger (than baseline) and the swelling even extends, though not as much, down to my mid thigh, and that puffy poofy squishy ball of edema that, like anything else that's been swelling since my surgery, waxes and wanes.  I feel like I'm going to split and pop.

I've been laying on ice the entire day other than my 3 hour excursion of sitting and driving and sitting and more sitting then driving the pooch back home with his "cone of shame" in place.

My back hurts.  I don't want to sit, I don't want to move, I've had a headache that just won't go away (almost every day).

I see my PCP on Tuesday next week at my regular 2 week appointment.  My hip surgeon doesn't expect me to return for a year, and I'm sure when I go for PT on Friday, when I bring this up, I'll get told how some swelling is to be expected.

I had surgery on 6/10 and have more swelling now than I did after surgery.  This is all shades of messed up. I'm so tired.  Sorry guys, had to vent.  I hurt, I'm lopsided, my foot's on fire, and with the incredible amount of water I drink, I can't emphasize enough how painful my right thigh is to sit, much less getting in and out of my hospital bed where my Polar Cube ice pack is.  Whine, whine, whine,.....I guess I do it here so I don't have to whine to my family.

This blows.

Sookie

Posted 8/7/2013 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
So so sorry that you are in such a condition..

You have ever right to 'whine'.. it ain't whining sweetie...

no explanation required however it sounds dangerous as well as painful..

Feel better soonest & if you feel you should have it looked at by medical professional, please do !!

Hope the furbaby is comfortable & heals well.. & behaves !! Mine fought the cone of shame
Posted 8/7/2013 11:54 PM (GMT 0)
Snookie,

I am so sorry you are in so much pain. I know I push my helichrysum blend on here a lot but it really does work. It helps my Mother in laws fibromyalgia pain, RA pain, siatica and a host of others. It helps my spinal injury pain for me it numbs up that ache that I can't seem to get rid of it doesn't take away the sudden acute lightning pain but it makes it bearable/numb for a couple hours.
I make it in a couple different blends and would be more then happy to email the recipes to you.

Also don't feel bad about whining and venting on here. I had to do it yesterday on my thread because of a fall out with my husband so don't worry about it. Thats what we're here for, to listen and support each other when everyone else in our lives doesn't understand.

Email me if you want the recipes. To me when I made them up it was worth a shot at pain relief and OMG they work. 2-3 hours of blissful manageable life is so worth it. Plus its made with essential oils that you topically rub in so it shouldn't interact with anything major. But like I tell everyone test it small area before you use it.

Lots of Love
Morgan
Posted 8/8/2013 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
This is fun...I have the ice pad wrapped around my,....groin and upper thigh. Brrrrr.

I'm open minded about pain relief, (my journey leading to surgeries started with exhausting NP's, MT's, homeopathy, macrobiotics,...the list goes on). So I'm not a newbie to anything alternative. Just curious what some of the ingredients are, if there's an alcohol base, like a tincture would have, even though it's topical. I understand essential oils should be tested as they're quite strong, and I've had a few not like my skin, so yes, I understand.

I have an active "rash" along my spine incision, and that's the only concern I have about putting anything topical there YET. Eventually yes, but as of last week, my PCP and my PT both had concerns over the redness, bumpiness and swelling, and even expressed concern over my seeing a physiatrist at this stage. (At this stage? What stage am I at? What does that even MEAN? I've been pushed to see a physiatrist forever, now that I get an appointment,....? They're more concerned about this swelling and redness over my back). My hip incision looks great (and I'm tired of being told how "if the incision looks good, imagine how well you're healing underneath it!" That's a load of donkey patootie, and we all know better. There's not really a fever because I run 97.4 and I'll wax and wane up to 99 and back down so no one is concerned. No redness or rash over my hip and that seems the primary focus given my back surgery was back on 12/12/12...so it's sort of brushed aside as "long ago"... (and for spines, I know better, but we have to roll with SOME of the punches).

Left flank is swollen and right hip/groin/thigh swollen. I couldn't be more lopsided. I'd be a little nervous about putting essential oils near my groin. Had an unfortunate accident with Tiger Balm once. Evidently I didn't wash my hands well enough after I rubbed it on my calf. That's an eye opener.

Sookie
Posted 8/8/2013 12:07 AM (GMT 0)
Morgan,
I am interested in what you call helichrysum. May I ask what it is? New here and am interested in anything that offers a tad bit of relief. Thanks
Posted 8/8/2013 12:16 AM (GMT 0)
Sookie,
Sorry to hear your having a miserable day. I wonder if the hip swelling is from sitting in your car for a long period of time today. Especially since it can compresses everything in the groin region. Did you have a hip replacement? If you did, maybe you were sitting with your hip flexed beyond 90 degrees, big no no. Does your PT perform lymph edema therapy?
Posted 8/8/2013 12:20 AM (GMT 0)
Helichrysum oil is steam distilled from a flower the grows in Madagascar (the one I use anyway) They also have different strains growing all over the world. The most effective blend for me is the menthol one. Helichrysum oil, menthol crystals, peppermint oil and apricot oil. Blend well and voila I have pain relief. I make and sell these because here in Kentucky there is a huge CP problem and it works for just about any kind of pain out there. It even numbed up my coworkers broken wrist. I am not saying lidocane numb but that numb relief feeling.
Posted 8/8/2013 12:24 AM (GMT 0)
I'm almost 8 weeks post op, but I do my best to still maintain my hip precautions. I have a cushion on my car seat to ensure I don't flex beyond 90. And you're right about the driving because when I drive, I get in pain swiftly and it's worse and lasts....more than just sitting. I don't know if it's all the vibrating?

My PT really manually manipulates my hip all over creation, especially abduction. Passive flexion I can go sliiiiightly above 90 but then my groin pinches and my hip pulls. He has me supine and does passive hamstring flex/quad stretch and I have normal ROM, heel to butt....but my back cannot handle laying on my stomach, as I discovered after last visit.

It's tough enough to get me to be passive while he does ROM with me. I'm a control freak with an intense personality and I'm over eager so uhm, yeah, I can push it. But when I hurt like this and in my head I cannot "justify" it,....it bugs me. Hurting after PT, there's a psychological "okay, I get that" feeling. But living on ice all day and taking my max meds, I could take a Xanax, but I figure I'll save it for bedtime....and just try to numb myself with ice.

My left hip was done over a year ago and that's the only part of my body that doesn't hurt and is sooooo flexible it's kind of spooky and wigs out the PT's when they stretch me out. I've never had such good working parts! That's why I'm hoping the back and new right hip (yes total hip replacements for both hips and full cage L1-L5) follow suit.

I don't like not understanding.

Sookie
Posted 8/8/2013 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
That oil sounds magical, both in feeling and it must smell delicious!!
Posted 8/8/2013 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
I love it smell and otherwise because its not an Icy hot smell its just a peppermint rich scent that makes me think of chocolate mint when I used macadamia nut oil as the carrier. The apricot oil blends in just as well and is cheaper. I wanted an oil I could rub in and in 1 minute have it absorbed so I could put my clothing down with out it sticking or me feeling greasy.
Posted 8/8/2013 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
It also has a nice cooling sensation. I also have a blend with Helichrysum and cinnamon bark oil that has a warming sensation. The citrus doesn't do anything special besides numb up but you really have to rub it in.
Posted 8/8/2013 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
I'm definitely going to email you about this when I see my doc and get the clearance to use something (other than hibiclense and water when I lightly wash my areas of pain/incisions). She doesn't even want me putting BenGay on it. Ice has become my best friend.

I'm game to try pretty much anything. Between my back and hip I cannot get comfortable most days. I DO have good days, don't want to imply otherwise, but when my body gets cranky, it sure can put up a tantrum.
Posted 8/8/2013 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
It sounds wonderful. Could you post the recipe? Is that allowed? I would absolutely love to try it, especially with the cinnamon
Posted 8/8/2013 12:52 AM (GMT 0)
Diane,

Thanks for the advice. I'm calling my doc tomorrow. This just doesn't feel right, doesn't feel like that familiar normal course of healing. You know when you just "know something" isn't quite right? Docs hate that we get those feelings.

Thanks for asking after my furball. 70 pounds of dog with a shaved butt and head cone make for giggles so it helps, even if it IS at his expense...

Sookie
Posted 8/8/2013 12:53 AM (GMT 0)
I know how that feels. Cranky bodies are no fun at all. I wouldn't recommend the warming one for you till your scar tissue is fully healed up because it is new skin and the cinnamon bark oil is a skin irritant by itself. But if you can handle bengay and icy hot the menthol one works even better then those with out that greasy feeling. Plus putting clothing over it increases the cooling effect it doesn't "burn" Like icyhot/bengay does when you cover it up. So its great for all over use. The more you rub it in the better the effect is. If you spend 20 seconds rubbing it in expect half an hour relief 5 minutes (hubby rubbed it in) I got about 3 hours of relatively pain free sleep before it started aching again.
Posted 8/8/2013 1:08 AM (GMT 0)
I'm sold already on the cooling one.

I'm calling the doc tomorrow because I can just tell something's gone kooky. I'm going to ask for her clearance to apply topical pain relief, and email you.


Thanks, and it's great you have this wonderful oil creation you can make. Nothing beats "Grandma's recipes!" I still use some myself.

I feel like I'm burning up and itchy but I'm not warm and there's nothing "rashy" going on other than my regular spinal incision that was all bumpy last week too.

Looking forward to this.

Sookie
Posted 8/8/2013 1:11 AM (GMT 0)
I will keep an eye out for your email then. Like I have mentioned before in other threads I sell at cost and if you prefer to make it yourself I am more then happy to give you the recipe so you can make it yourself.
Posted 8/8/2013 2:26 AM (GMT 0)
I'd rather buy it.

No lie,...I burned a pan boiling water.

Then again, I also killed a cactus.

My talents are better suited to helping patients, and animals,....care giver's in my blood.

Just keep me away from living things that are not carbon based.

If there's a way to screw this up, I'd do it, so I'd rather trust you.

Thanks again,

Sookie
Posted 8/8/2013 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
**** okay. Note to self don't let you near my apothecary stuff got it. Who knows you might figure a new way to blow up the dive using essential oils. Now as funny as that may be I don't think it would be wise
Posted 8/8/2013 11:39 AM (GMT 0)
Pandora,

The cinnamon one is really simple.
5 - 10 ml of Helichrysum essential oil
10-20 drops cinnamon bark oil [careful as this is a very skin sensitizing oil start with 10 and work your way up to a warming sensation but not burning flushed red skin if that happens add more carrier oil and dilute it down]
3.5 oz of your choice of carrier oil.
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