Nocturnal adventures?

[Barbara L]

I have read that often, as we age, it is not so much a matter of falling down and breaking our hips (women especially), but of our hips breaking because of something like osteoporosis and then we fall down.

 

[Merlot]

I take it Ambien is a sleep aid. I am not fond of mind altering drugs. I took myself of Wellbutrin. I have no idea why I was on it. When I found out it was used as an anti-depressant, I stopped taking it and tossed the rest. I don't think I have ever been depressed. I am more of a fighter and conniver on how to get better on my own, if the medical folks can't help. And I always come out on the winning end.

Coincidentally, I was on Wellbutrin for some generalized anxiety when I did the whole knocking on the painting in my sleep thing. I also took myself off of it. That drug made me batty!

 

[taxlady]

I have read that often, as we age, it is not so much a matter of falling down and breaking our hips (women especially), but of our hips breaking because of something like osteoporosis and then we fall down.

I've heard that too.

 

[Merlot]

I have read that often, as we age, it is not so much a matter of falling down and breaking our hips (women especially), but of our hips breaking because of something like osteoporosis and then we fall down.

This is true, I have treated a lot of patients because of this.

Claire, I'm so sorry. Get well soon!

 

[Addie]

I have read that often, as we age, it is not so much a matter of falling down and breaking our hips (women especially), but of our hips breaking because of something like osteoporosis and then we fall down.

That is why I drink a lot of milk and eat dairy foods. I had a bone density test done once. The doctor told me that I had the bones of a 20 y.o. Osteoporosis can be partially reversed with exercise and intake of calcium medication.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

By-the-way, the painful hip? The day I started this, I was hobbling around OK enough that morning, but it got worse through the day. Around 4 p.m. I realized there was no way my husband could get me in the car (many steps from house to garage uphill in one direction, to the street downhill in the other), the pain had gotten so bad. Called my local doc and was told to call ambulance and get to ER. Very small town, called 911 and immediately said, NO EMERGENCY and explained the situation and that hubby and I would meet them at the top of the front porch steps. No lights or sirens, please. Ironically one of the EMTs was a previous owner of our home and knew exactly where & why I fell (will have those steps fixed). They X-rayed me, next thing I knew I was in ambulance #2 on my way to Dubuque. Fractured hip, do NOT move. By trying to "gut it out" I'd exacerbated the problem. Had emergency surgery that night (10 p.m. Weds P.M.).

Fun, fun. Am home now. The first 48 hours at home were enough to make me feel suicidal, but now I'm doing reasonably well. Was told all around that having tried to keep in good condition all these years (weight lifting, pilates, and zumba in the past year) will stand me well in recovery.

And, yes, I too have night terrors. Have never tried a sleep aid, sometimes am tempted. I seem to have every sleep disorder known to mankind (well, not apnea, so could be worse!).

Oh Claire!!! So sorry! Take care of yourself!! Keep that hip moving.

 

[taxlady]

That is why I drink a lot of milk and eat dairy foods. I had a bone density test done once. The doctor told me that I had the bones of a 20 y.o. Osteoporosis can be partially reversed with exercise and intake of calcium medication.

I have osteoporosis and have been taking medication for it for about three years. I had a bone density scan done a few months ago and it seems to have gotten a bit better. I drink milk and eat cheese. I was taking a calcium supplement, but my doctor reminded me that it is better to get the Ca from food, unless you want expensive urine.

I really should start working with weights.

 

[Barbara L]

By-the-way, the painful hip? The day I started this, I was hobbling around OK enough that morning, but it got worse through the day. Around 4 p.m. I realized there was no way my husband could get me in the car (many steps from house to garage uphill in one direction, to the street downhill in the other), the pain had gotten so bad. Called my local doc and was told to call ambulance and get to ER. Very small town, called 911 and immediately said, NO EMERGENCY and explained the situation and that hubby and I would meet them at the top of the front porch steps. No lights or sirens, please. Ironically one of the EMTs was a previous owner of our home and knew exactly where & why I fell (will have those steps fixed). They X-rayed me, next thing I knew I was in ambulance #2 on my way to Dubuque. Fractured hip, do NOT move. By trying to "gut it out" I'd exacerbated the problem. Had emergency surgery that night (10 p.m. Weds P.M.).

Fun, fun. Am home now. The first 48 hours at home were enough to make me feel suicidal, but now I'm doing reasonably well. Was told all around that having tried to keep in good condition all these years (weight lifting, pilates, and zumba in the past year) will stand me well in recovery.

And, yes, I too have night terrors. Have never tried a sleep aid, sometimes am tempted. I seem to have every sleep disorder known to mankind (well, not apnea, so could be worse!).

I'm sorry you had to go through all of this. I hope you recover quickly. I'm glad you have kept in shape--you're right, that will help a lot toward healing.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Well Claire !!

This took a turn that I am sure no one, especially you, for-saw.
I hope you mend very quickly. !!

 

[Claire]

Thanks for all the good wishes. I have a wealth of friends here in town, and ironically, most of them have broken a foot/ankle/leg or had hip replacement in the past few years. We have a pair of crutches we call the "community" crutches that get passed from home to home as we each have our accidents. I'm sure hoping that I'm the last person to try to use them! Enough is enough already.

It's hard in that sometimes you wind up having to call a half dozen times, then waiting for a return call to get some of the simplest recovery questions answered. For example the compression hose I was sent home with .... I thought they were just for when I was being sedentary, which I'm definitely not (it's about 120 ft round trip from the couch I'm living on to the bathroom (laundry room, utility room) & back, a trip I make at least a dozen times a day (and my pt thought such a trip twice a day would be good, haha). Anyway, a half-dozen calls later and I was told, no, its because of the type of fracture and I'll need to wear them for 6 weeks aside from the little time it takes to wash them (dry very quickly). It's been 100 degrees out! The next question is I want to start taking stairs, can remember the how-to of up, but cannot remember whether to lead with bad or good leg going down. How much you want to bet it takes a half dozen calls and a half hour to get a one word answer when I start in tomorrow?

 

[taxlady]

Thanks for all the good wishes. I have a wealth of friends here in town, and ironically, most of them have broken a foot/ankle/leg or had hip replacement in the past few years. We have a pair of crutches we call the "community" crutches that get passed from home to home as we each have our accidents. I'm sure hoping that I'm the last person to try to use them! Enough is enough already.

It's hard in that sometimes you wind up having to call a half dozen times, then waiting for a return call to get some of the simplest recovery questions answered. For example the compression hose I was sent home with .... I thought they were just for when I was being sedentary, which I'm definitely not (it's about 120 ft round trip from the couch I'm living on to the bathroom (laundry room, utility room) & back, a trip I make at least a dozen times a day (and my pt thought such a trip twice a day would be good, haha). Anyway, a half-dozen calls later and I was told, no, its because of the type of fracture and I'll need to wear them for 6 weeks aside from the little time it takes to wash them (dry very quickly). It's been 100 degrees out! The next question is I want to start taking stairs, can remember the how-to of up, but cannot remember whether to lead with bad or good leg going down. How much you want to bet it takes a half dozen calls and a half hour to get a one word answer when I start in tomorrow?

"The good leg goes to heaven, the bad leg goes to hell."

When you are going up the stairs lead with the good leg, when you are going downstairs, lead with the bad one.

In other words, if both feet are not on the same step, then the good one should be on the higher step. The one on the higher step does the knee-bending work.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Good leg going up. You should be putting full weight on your good leg, not on the bad.

 

[blissful]

Good leg going up. You should be putting full weight on your good leg, not on the bad.

Is she supposed to do this in her sleep?

Claire, so sorry to hear of the pain you went through and are going through. I'm keeping you in my thoughts and hoping for a quick recovery. Best wishes.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Hopefully she's awake when she is up and wandering...