Amputees Support Group
Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery. Many have undergone amputation or have been living with a missing limb since birth. In either case, life as an amputee can be challenging. This is the place to find others going through the same experiences as an amputee. Share your thoughts, troubles, and solutions with the community.
Hi im Henry a new below knee amputee im just over 2 weeks in having it off on the 27th june 2018. I was riding my motorcycle and a 4x4 pulled out of a side street and side swiped me crushing my left leg between both engine blocks. The kept my my leg "safe" for nearly a week while i came to terms and was able to tell them to take it, which i am grateful for as most dont get that chance. they would try and save it if i asked but the surgeons tell me it wasnt really an option. I also have a broken shoulder and broken ribs all on the left side which makes moving around difficult but im managing. I am very positive on the outside but feeling rather down on the inside, ive spoken to people but it doesnt seem to help as no one really knows what im feeling. I think i would be fine and quite positive if it wasnt for the pain im feeling in my leg, i have constant waves of pins and needles in my stump and shooting nerve pains which double me up and make my leg tense up. this is constant all day, im managing to sleep which is strange as it must relax and subside but as soon as i wake up it starts again and im back to the pain and feeling down. I am on pain killers including gagapentin for the nerve pain but that just seems to be making my head foggy and difficult to think but then i dread to think what it would feel like without taking them.
dont get me wrong i know things will get better over time (i hope) and once my wound is completely healed and the swealing has gone down i can get that new leg and start living my life again but its the uncomfortable constant pain and not knowing if it is normal or not.
I'm Allen, a rbka for a little over a year. The pain you are feeling is "normal", the question is how much is pain from the amputation and how much is phantom pain and only time will tell. Being just 2 weeks post amputation I'd be leaning more toward post op pain. Gabapentin is commonly used form phantom pain with amputees with mixed results and many not really caring for it (noting the side effects you mention).
Over the next couple weeks your pain should diminish and once the incision is healed doing a bit of massage should help a bit and when you start wearing a shrinker for your prosthetic will also help. I would also talk to your doctor about how the medicine makes you feel and either trying something else or maybe even going without it.
So rest assured..it is normal and should steadily get better as time goes on.
Hit me up if you have other questions.
Allen
I'm David a LBKA (1-16) and what you are having is phantom pains. The nerves are trying to find their way to your foot, that is not there. Talk to your doctor, they have medications they can put you on. Some examples are Lyrica (expensive but you can get a copay card), Neurotin (a generic and not very expensive (its what I'm on). Lidocaine 5%patches. They are very expensive without insurance, Of course their are narcotics as well.
Another option is massaging the stump. It trains the nerves to realize the foot is no longer there. There is also mirror therapy(you can google it and see how to do it.) There are also nerve stimulators as well. One company is making a viritual reality system that will help with phantom pains. I sent them an email today to find out more about it. If I can help you in anyway feel free to reach out to me.
First and foremost, this is your journey and you are free and entitled to approach it however you like! Sounds like your attitude and mental state are doing pretty good for 2 weeks post-op. Hang in there, it does get better. The good news is that the phantom pains will likely subside within the first 6-12 months and meds can help you in the interim. I've read good things about mirror therapy, too.
I, too, got t-boned by a 4x4 on my Harley six months ago. I tried to get my leg up and out of the way but didn't quite make it. My foot and ankle were okay inside my boot, and my knee wasn't too bad, but everything in between those two points was either under my tank or in the intersection. Just about bled out, were it not for a passerby that cared enough to put some belt-tourniquets on me.
Anyhoo, now, six months later, I am getting around on my first leg (3 months old, now) and a cane (for now!). It does get better, my friend. Be prepared for fitment issues that come with most prosthesis. Your residual limb will change in size, shape (volume) and will require adjustments. Recognize it as a process and patience is key. Focus on healing, do your best to keep your mind in a good place and look forward to a new future, probably with a few added challenges, but completely doable.
Good luck & all the best to you in your healing and efforts! ~ Roach
Now it is different. I still have phantom pain but I am able to gently massage the stump and my butt and it seems to relax everything. Also, calming my mind helps, too. I think this might work for you as well (or something like it), because you are able to sleep seems to help the sensations. There have been times when the pain has woken me from sleep, but usually I am sleeping on my stump and it is a pins and needles thing (rare). I also did an online program for amputees through Johns Hopkins and it really really worked for me. I talk to a psychologist once in a while, and sometimes I just cry and get pissed off. It is a lot to keep in.
Time does help. Do not give up hope for feeling better or for getting stronger. You have survived and you deserve to be happy.
The pins and needles and shooting pains are much better now, I changed from gabapentin to pregabalin which really helped my mental state, as on gabapentin I couldn't even talk properly. they also put me on amitriptyline which stopped the electrical shooting pains and really helped with sleep. The real hero with helping with the pins and needles was to massage the scar tissue really heavily and get my thumbs right in there and loosen up the tethering from the scar tissue healing. it's still not gone but is a lot more manageable,
I have dropped the meds as much as possible which has really helped my mood. I also have started at the pain clinic at the hospital to try some therapies to help the remaining pins and needles and pains. I am also looking into botox as military personnel get botox in there stumps after they have healed and apparently can come off al the meds and sorts the pains right out. It's very hard to find info about botox treatment for amputations, so I will try and keep people updated on any treatments I have or can find out about.
I am also documenting my experience on my website, mainly to help me vent but also to raise some awareness and hopefully help someone that might be experiencing the same difficulties. www.thefurthestpoint.co.uk
Thank you all again I did dip into a darker place here for a moment.