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Antibiotic Hip spacers

Posted by vmwjbc @vmwjbc, Feb 16, 2023

I have had 9 hip replacement surgeries
In 2022 my hip dislocated several times and ended up being infected with VRE one of three vicious bacteria infections. I was 52 days in hospital trying to get rid of infection
I received a cemented antibiotic spacer on Oct 2022.
Infectious disease Dr wants 2.5 more months of oral antibiotics than 3 months with NO antibiotics. Then will consider hip replacement but with significant risks .
I can put weight on leg but must use walker or wheelchair.
I am 73 but was still active before this fiasco .
It is difficult to go down my steps and have to have someone get groceries
Laundry all that basic stuff
So frustrating
Anyone have a spacer this long ? I do feel muscle soreness a bit when I use only the walker but keep trying.

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jun 2 12:25pm
In reply to @bdionne2 "Painful thigh, Pelvis and feels like something moving.I feel like my rod is moving and not..." + (show)
@bdionne2

Painful thigh, Pelvis and feels like something moving.I feel like my rod is moving and not only hitting my upper thigh but my pelvis also. Some days it is hard to even put any pressure on my leg. I now know I have MRSA on my hardware and don’t know if this could have been causing this for all these years. It is so painful and I just feel confused and lost.My infection markers are going up again and they want to take my hardware out and put an antibiotic spacer in then in 45 days put new hardware. I am 73 and with not being mobile for 45 days then recovery from putting the hardware back in, well I might not ever walk again and it shortens your life span.Has anyone faced this and if so I would love some input.Thank you

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Welcome, @bdionne2. I moved your question about antibiotic hip spaces to this discussion that @vmwjbc started so that you can read previous posts and connect with others.
- Antibiotic Hip Spacers
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/antibiotic-hip-spacers/
You might also find helpful tips and info in this related discussion:
- What kind of mobility can I expect with an antibiotic spacer in my hip https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-kind-of-mobility-can-i-expect-with-an-antibiotic-spacer-in-my-hip/

REPLY
Cindy | @cmarsh | Jun 2 1:26pm
In reply to @bdionne2 "Painful thigh, Pelvis and feels like something moving.I feel like my rod is moving and not..." + (show)
@bdionne2

Painful thigh, Pelvis and feels like something moving.I feel like my rod is moving and not only hitting my upper thigh but my pelvis also. Some days it is hard to even put any pressure on my leg. I now know I have MRSA on my hardware and don’t know if this could have been causing this for all these years. It is so painful and I just feel confused and lost.My infection markers are going up again and they want to take my hardware out and put an antibiotic spacer in then in 45 days put new hardware. I am 73 and with not being mobile for 45 days then recovery from putting the hardware back in, well I might not ever walk again and it shortens your life span.Has anyone faced this and if so I would love some input.Thank you

Jump to this post

Hello bdionne2.....I am sorry to see you are having so much pain. If your infection markers are going up, you definitely need to be seeing your Surgeon and Infectious Disease doctor, especially with MRSA history. I am 72 and currently living a pretty good life with no hip joint at all. At the time of my incident, they were going to put spacer in, then another hip 3 months later, but infection had spread too much to bone and muscles and they couldn't do it. What I had is a "Girdlestone Resection". I have met others with the same thing on this forum as well as the Facebook forum "Hip Replacement Complication Forum" . I'm able to walk with crutches, walker, even one crutch or cane for short distances. I can take 30-40 steps with nothing at all. I ride a tricycle and go camping and boating. I just can't go hiking or walking anymore...but wheelchair or scooter helps with that. Please take care and wishing you all the best.....Cindy Marsh

REPLY
1 reply
bdionne2 | @bdionne2 | Jun 2 9:29pm
In reply to @cmarsh "Hello bdionne2.....I am sorry to see you are having so much pain. If your infection markers..." + (show)
@cmarsh

Hello bdionne2.....I am sorry to see you are having so much pain. If your infection markers are going up, you definitely need to be seeing your Surgeon and Infectious Disease doctor, especially with MRSA history. I am 72 and currently living a pretty good life with no hip joint at all. At the time of my incident, they were going to put spacer in, then another hip 3 months later, but infection had spread too much to bone and muscles and they couldn't do it. What I had is a "Girdlestone Resection". I have met others with the same thing on this forum as well as the Facebook forum "Hip Replacement Complication Forum" . I'm able to walk with crutches, walker, even one crutch or cane for short distances. I can take 30-40 steps with nothing at all. I ride a tricycle and go camping and boating. I just can't go hiking or walking anymore...but wheelchair or scooter helps with that. Please take care and wishing you all the best.....Cindy Marsh

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Thank you so much for this info it has truly touched my heart. I do see both the doctors after my CT Scan Tuesday and I am a nervous wreck for my numbers jumped another 25 points. I will most definitely talk to them about this. How long was your recovery time?

REPLY
1 reply
Cindy | @cmarsh | Jun 3 8:02pm
In reply to @bdionne2 "Thank you so much for this info it has truly touched my heart. I do see..." + (show)
@bdionne2

Thank you so much for this info it has truly touched my heart. I do see both the doctors after my CT Scan Tuesday and I am a nervous wreck for my numbers jumped another 25 points. I will most definitely talk to them about this. How long was your recovery time?

Jump to this post

My surgery was done on an Emergency basis in Feb 2022 while we were in Florida for the winter. I had no idea there was an infection brewing inside me until 4 days before and 3 different hospital ERs. It was a strep infection and I was in hospital for 3 weeks. I started Physical therapy in the hospital and then had another 6 weeks of outpatient therapy and IV antibiotics for 8 weeks. Severe pain was gone pretty much after 6-8 weeks as all the hardware was out of me. 3 months after the surgery, we had to drive our 5th wheel back to Michigan and at that point I could go up and down the 4 steps with a crutch and handrail. We took our time and it took 5 days to get home. I did more PT when we got home to Michigan and continue with daily exercises now. Hard to say how long recovery time was/is as it's still going on and there's things I can do today that I couldn't do 6 months ago. By the summer of 2023, I was boating, riding tricycle, walking/swimming in a pool (that feels amazing). I can drive and tow a boat or trailer. My surgeon in Michigan said he could try to put another hip in me, but he said most likely it would get infected again and I'd be worse off. The surgeon in Florida advised me never to try for another hip due to the extent of my infection and it's in my bone (chronic Osteomyelitis). I'm still on antibiotics and Infectious Disease Dr said probably at least for 5 years or lifetime. I hope this info helps you and good luck with your scan. I'll be praying for you to get good news.....Cindy

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