I'm so bummed.  Ever since my surgery I have been off my NSAIDs for my hip arthritis.  I have degenerative arthritis in my hips and my right hip is bad.  Basically, my hip joints are worn out.  I've been surviving since December on Ultracet (an acetaminophen based pain reliever), but the pain got worse.  It got so bad recently I was having trouble walking.  With ever step I take it feels like a jagged knife jabbing in my hip.  Sometimes if I move a little bit one way or another the pain is so bad I scream.  That happens several times a day now.  My regular doctor said I could try taking the Hydrocodone I had left from my WLS.  After my surgery I hardly used any of it because I had so little pain.  I'm using that stuff now though and I'm afraid I'm going to become addicted to it!!  But even with the Hydrocodone I still have pain, esp. if I move around.  By about 2:00 pm I can hardly walk the pain is so intense.  So, today I went to the orthopedic surgeon to be reassessed.  After looking at my x-rays he told me to get a cane, keep taking the Hydrocodone, and get in a pool and walk around for exercise.  As soon as I get my weight down he said we'd talk about hip replacement, but I still have a lot of weight to lose before then.  He said I'm still way too heavy for a hip replacement to be successful.  Now, here's my dilemma:  how the heck and I gonna continue to exercise and lose all the weight I need to lose if I'm in intense pain every time I move?   Walking around in a pool is not a lot of exercise!  Until about 3 weeks ago I've been working out at least twice a week.  Now I can hardly move.  I'm only 48 years old, but to see me walk right now you'd think I was 100!!!    I'm even afraid I won't be able to work through the rest of the school year I'm in so much pain.  I never dreamed it would get this bad!!! 

Meredith I'm so sorry to hear your in so much pain and hopefully the more weight you lose the better the pain will get. I have arthritis in my left knee and I understand the pain but I swear I'm really in pain when I've not been exercising and you would think that it would make it worse. I've done the pool exercise before and it really does take the weight off your joints and if you do leg lifts and things like that you will see a difference. Hope you start feeling better soon. Hugs!

Meredith, I am sorry you are going through this. Are you taking any glucosamine and chondroitin? I have had some great results over the years with arthritic horses. (is actually where the cross over to human use comes from the horse industry).

I wish there was a magic pill.....the exercise is necessary to keep breaking up the arthritis and that is often where the pain comes from, the free radicals floating around. You may want to consider a wheel chair (there are more "upright" types out there) that you can use thoughout the day. I often have days I need a cane, so don't let that hold you up either.

There are also people that swear (my fil for one) by the soaked in rum raisins.... a few a day.
Hang in there.

 

I can't find a chewable glucosamine.  As soon as I do I'll be all over that!  I have to be careful with any movement now because the more I move the worse that joint is going to get, esp. if I'm bearing any weight.  So the pool is the way to move around without putting weight on that hip joint.  I couldn't follow you on the thing soaked in rum raisins.  What is that?  What thing soaked in rum raisins?

You should be able to crush the glucosamine and take the powder...... I take a few of my vitamins that way.

The soaked in rum raisins are.......ta da! Raisins that you place in a jar of some sort and let them absorb up all that rum goodness! My fil (father in law) swore by them. If you google that, you'll find out more than you would want to know! LOL

The pool it is for you then. I just hear the desperation in your post. The weight coming off will help only so much....maybe use of crutches? Is one side worse than the other?
Prayers your way!

As soon as I got your reply I took out my bottle of Osteo Bi-Flex, crushed a tablet in my crusher, and mixed it with some Crystal Light.  I'll try anything.  I didn't know if it was okay to crush those things or not, so I'll take your word for it.  Yes, my right hip is the worst.  I have very little pain in my left hip.  Since raisins are high in carbs, wouldn't they likely cause dumping, esp. soaked in rum?  Sure sounds good though!

Sorry about all your pain. I have degenerative arthritis in my right hip, lower back and left ankle. I know how painful mine can be so I can sort of relate to your situation, although your's sounds much worse. So sorry. :O(

My doctor prescribed Celebrex for me. He says as long as I take my Prilosec first thing in the morning, wait an hour, then take my Celebrex, my pouch will be coated well enough to handle the medication.

I also take Hydrocodone for the pain 2x a day, when needed. I don't have any problem with being addicted but I can certainly understand your concern. We are all different and it's a legitimate concern.

Ask your doctor if he/she thinks Celebrex might relieve some of the pain. I don't want to be without mine.

Hope you find something to relieve that pain, friend.

Mare

Oh Meredith, I feel for you. I had a hip replacement in 2000 due to degenerative arthritis. I remember before the I had my surgery, they made me stop taking my NSAIDS and stuff. Well, the pain I experienced during that time was horrendous.

I've been where you are but with my knees.  I have had one knee replaced and the other is begging to be replaced.   Water therapy will be your best bet.  I was able to exercise without any stress on the joint by walking in the pool in chest deep water.  I had a few other exercises I did using the pool wall for support-leg lifts, squats, flutter kicks.    I worked out for an hour 3 times a week.  Do you have a Y near you?  If not check with your doctor for a physical therapy center that has an aquacise program for arthritis.  This would be covered by your insurance.   My doctor will not allow me to take NSAIDS of any kind so every 2-3 months I get a shot of cortisone in the butt and that quiets everything down for a while.  Good Luck!

Meredith,

I would suggest that you please contact your surgeon and your orthopedic and asking them to confer to find a workable solution for you. I'm sure that they can find plan that will support your pouch and help with pain management issues.