I’m now 9 days in and it’s been far far harder than I had anticipated!
I’d optimistically thought that the worst would be over after 3-4 days but over a week in and I’m still struggling with the side effects of the morphine withdrawal.
With 24hours of stopping I was suffering the expected symptoms of aches and pains, headaches, flu like symptoms etc but the worst was the agitation and a weird feeling in arms and legs which caused me to shake them continually for hours at a time. A mix of pins and needles, a buzzing feeling etc.
It meant sleep was very difficult and for the first few days I could only sleep when pure exhaustion took over, sometimes grabbing a few hours at most.
Most of these symptoms are now much less severe but the restless legs/arms hasn’t gone, it has subsided a a little which helps but sleep is still difficult albeit I am so tired now that it happens sooner!
A new symptom now is I have little energy and anything I do saps what little I have left. We travelled to Wales last week to visit my folks and within 30mins of setting off I had to hand over driving to MrsG as I was struggling to concentrate.
From all I have read (and once the symptoms kicked in I did the research I ought to have done beforehand!), it seems that the worst should be over anytime soon with symptoms subsiding after 2wks. I hope that this is true as, had I known how bad this would be, I would never have contemplated attempting it!
MrsG discussed options for alleviating some of the many side effects with a local pharmacist and he said I should never have stopped dead even at the low dosage I had reduced to. Instead I should have continued to reduce much more slowly, too late now!
Thankfully, my decision not to leave any Oramorph in the house has meant I can’t cheat, had there been any here I would have given in on day 2/3 without doubt. Indeed I’m not sure I wouldn’t give in now if I could get access to some of the medication. But as it is, I’m not going to go back and ask for a new prescription as I’m sure the worst is behind me.
Wow – hell of a thing you have done there Darren. I am sure the worst is behind you. Hindsight is a wonderful thing though eh?
And ignorance is bliss supposedly 😉
Hi, I’ve just been reading through your blog after spotting it on the Ilizarov discussion forum.. My boyfriend had a TSF attached in september 2009.. He broke his right femur due to a car crash and was left around 2 inches short due to an operation that went wrong! The lenghtening was slow and the bone was so slow to heal. By December there was little sign of growth. The doctors had to abandon the lenghtening and focus on healing his femur. The frame was removed in early June.. and he was told to weight bear, not using any crutches. He was hospitalised 2 weeks ago for an infection in his bone.. and yesterday he was informed that the bone has snapped again. So effectively, we are back to August 2009! He is getting a new frame fitted next Tuesday.
I hope that this experience will go as well as yours did – not taking away from your pain and what you have been through- but I really needed to see that this frame actually can work!
I hope this Blog helps others in the same situation!
Thank you!
Hi Elaine,
That sounds truly awful. Hopefully the second frame will be more successful. The success rates are very high considering the invasive nature of these devices and I’m out the other end and well on the way to full fitness once again after nearly a year.
There is always light at the end of the tunnel, please pass on my best wishes and if you or he ever need to sound off or ask anything I’m happy to help wherever I can.
Thank you so much, its great to hear a success story! There is only one doctor in Ireland that does this type of surgery so hopefully he can fit in his surgery next week. I hope this works, he’s only 21 and has been through so much – this will be his 7th surgery in less than a year!
Best of luck with the recovery and the knee movement!
Elaine