I am not sure if I am posting this in the correct forum. I joined recently but have browsed the forums for years and they have been invaluable to me.
I had my leg amputated (thankfully below the knee) earlier this week.
One day last week I decided to take a day off from work and as I was getting ready to leave the house that day, I collapsed and I think I had a seizure. I came around about five hours later and could not feel my left leg. My face was swollen and cracked on one side but I have not felt this much throughout the process. As soon as I started to move my leg broke out in uncontrollable pain. My partner was just arriving home at this time and my neighbour helped me to get to her car to take me to A&E.
I have had a frustrating situation with the hospital but will leave the detail on that for now.
The diagnosis was compartment syndrome in my left leg. Which means that the blood supply had been cut off to the muscles and some of the muscles had died. First operation was to cut all the way down both sides of my leg and leave the wound open for a couple of days, to see if that relieved pressure on the muscles in the leg and allowed them to work again. A couple of days later I started to be septic and they removed the dressing to find mostly necrotic tissue. Amputation happened quickly after this.
I have had problems with my spine this year (three slipped discs) and had an operation to remove part of one of the discs in March. In the period of extreme pain in the run up to this and then in recovery. I have used pharmaceuticals (mostly opioids and prescribed) to attempt to manage pain. I have a history of hard drug use but I stopped all of that several years ago.
In the run up to and on the day of this accident, I did not use any heavy drugs and definitely did not feel high in any way.
I’ve tried to be concise but provide relevant information. I am wondering if anyone has heard of something else like this happening?
I have heard of amputations following nodding off on limbs and stopping blood supply (normally shoulders or upper arms I think), and amputations following shooting crazy stuff or too many accesses. But I have not heard this sort of story. Doctors have said that this sort of compartment syndrome is normally from legs being run over by cars or crushed by very heavy weights (not body weight).
I am expecting to use these pages more as I try to manage pain in my leg and my back going forward, and I try to balance that with my ruthless addict that has been locked away for a long time.
I think there are a few threads on here where amputees talk about living with this so I will check them out. I am generally feeling positive and pleased I did not lose anything else (I could have easily died with the necrosis and sepsis). I have narrowly escaped death a few times. Like a lot of people here. And I am pleased to be here with you. No pity please.
Thanks in advance for any help or pointing towards places to read or communicate.
I had my leg amputated (thankfully below the knee) earlier this week.
One day last week I decided to take a day off from work and as I was getting ready to leave the house that day, I collapsed and I think I had a seizure. I came around about five hours later and could not feel my left leg. My face was swollen and cracked on one side but I have not felt this much throughout the process. As soon as I started to move my leg broke out in uncontrollable pain. My partner was just arriving home at this time and my neighbour helped me to get to her car to take me to A&E.
I have had a frustrating situation with the hospital but will leave the detail on that for now.
The diagnosis was compartment syndrome in my left leg. Which means that the blood supply had been cut off to the muscles and some of the muscles had died. First operation was to cut all the way down both sides of my leg and leave the wound open for a couple of days, to see if that relieved pressure on the muscles in the leg and allowed them to work again. A couple of days later I started to be septic and they removed the dressing to find mostly necrotic tissue. Amputation happened quickly after this.
I have had problems with my spine this year (three slipped discs) and had an operation to remove part of one of the discs in March. In the period of extreme pain in the run up to this and then in recovery. I have used pharmaceuticals (mostly opioids and prescribed) to attempt to manage pain. I have a history of hard drug use but I stopped all of that several years ago.
In the run up to and on the day of this accident, I did not use any heavy drugs and definitely did not feel high in any way.
I’ve tried to be concise but provide relevant information. I am wondering if anyone has heard of something else like this happening?
I have heard of amputations following nodding off on limbs and stopping blood supply (normally shoulders or upper arms I think), and amputations following shooting crazy stuff or too many accesses. But I have not heard this sort of story. Doctors have said that this sort of compartment syndrome is normally from legs being run over by cars or crushed by very heavy weights (not body weight).
I am expecting to use these pages more as I try to manage pain in my leg and my back going forward, and I try to balance that with my ruthless addict that has been locked away for a long time.
I think there are a few threads on here where amputees talk about living with this so I will check them out. I am generally feeling positive and pleased I did not lose anything else (I could have easily died with the necrosis and sepsis). I have narrowly escaped death a few times. Like a lot of people here. And I am pleased to be here with you. No pity please.
Thanks in advance for any help or pointing towards places to read or communicate.
