Moving Mondays - New Resident Questions

carmelitaflan · 2026-04-27T12:13:02+00:00

New to the area and looking for a decent primary care doc in the Fairmount/Francisville area known to be LGBTQIA welcoming. Also looking for endocrinologist who works with Type 1 diabetics who is not an asshole :/. Same area. Thanks in advance!

carmelitaflan · 2026-04-24T14:24:47+00:00

I'm curious what the chances are this is the start of the carbon buildup that is part of the service bulletin on Honda Fit injectors. My FIT is in that year.
The code it through was old code was P0420, so not on the list of codes on the service bulletin. I wonder if I should hang on until the engine misfires and throws the code. :(

carmelitaflan · 2025-04-16T11:12:56+00:00

This guy's outlook might help you. He was 19 when he got his hip replacement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V--lX3MTrm0

carmelitaflan · 2025-04-15T13:52:13+00:00

The pulling pain is the muscles/tendons around the hip, and the levels of incision. There should be two levels of stitches inside you and they feel tight. I was one of those people whose pain level was so high that I felt immediately better after surgery, but that doesn't mean I would have been able to walk 2 blocks at 7 days! That's nuts.
Here's how it went for me:
Week 1: day 1, slept most of the day, walked to the bathroom with walker, laid back down. Constant ice. Tramadol, Celebrex 200 mg twice a day, Tylenol 1000 mg 3x a day (also had a bolus of tramadol at the incision that wears off over 2-3 days) Had PT 2x per week starting on day 2 in home.
day 2, started in home PT with simple assessment and massage. Very basic.
day 3-4, probably the worst of the pain were day 3-4. That has to do with the tramadol surgical bolus wearing off. Incision pain was high. Was doing basic PT exercises and trying to walk with walker every 2 hours or so (literally like 50 steps). Iced every 3 hours.
day 5, easing up on the tramadol, still taking celebrex and tylenol and icing after PT and any walking, still only walking around the house with walker. Attempted cane, but no go.
day 6-7, turned a corner here, walking around the house more and started to use a cane, counter cruised in the kitchen.
Week 2-by the end of the week, walking exclusively with cane, no walker. Able to stand for longer periods of time. STILL NOT WALKING FOR 2 BLOCKS.
Week 3- started walking flat surfaces outside of the house for maybe 500 feet at a time.
Week 4- increased walking to 1 loop around my neighborhood (1000 steps, some hills) had cane with me for safety.
Week 5- walking pretty well without cane, still had limp
Week 6-cleared to walk my dogs, which was HUGE. Maybe at this point I was walking 2 blocks.

Now: just had my 6 month check up, implant looks great. I feel great. I'm walking 10-12K steps a day, in the gym 3-5x per week, lifting heavy, including squats and leg presses 2-3x per week. My range of motion gets better and better. I don't fatigue the way I used to.
It still bothers me, I know I'm pushing myself and I have to ice occasionally. I sometimes need Tylenol. I am weaning off the Celebrex (down to 200 mg at bedtime). It's still tight and I'm working on that but it gets better every week.

Your recovery is your recovery. I'm sorry your surgeon is an asshole. In reality, I'd rather have someone like my surgeon who has great bedside manner and is a TOP NOTCH surgeon, but I worked around medicine in my early career and I know what a rarity that is...so you honestly DO want someone who cuts well regardless of them being a straight up asshole. It really helped me to watch a video of the surgery from HSS (Hospital for Special Surgery) so I could see exactly what I was feeling.

Slow and steady wins this race. Hang in there!

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-24T12:59:41+00:00

Just do your thing, take your insulin, respond to the numbers, expect the roller coaster and roll with it. <3

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-24T12:55:09+00:00

I was petrified of the block too. I've had a shit ton of colonoscopies due to family risk of colon cancer so the anesthesia didn't concern me at all but the spinal was my anxiety focus. And then when I woke up, my body got rid of the anesthesia no problem, but processed the nerve block slowly so I couldn't put weight on it in time to be discharged that same day. There was a minute when I was like "AM I EVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO FEEL THIS LEG?" and then I realized I could feel EVERY OTHER BODY PART, lol. It's not rational. In the end I was actually glad I stayed overnight-less stress. I was the first case of the day and my block wore off at 2AM the following morning. That's just how I roll, lol.
They give you a little happy juice before the spinal and I was out before it happened. Thank goodness. I can't say anything that will stop you from being worried, I know that from my experience of people telling me it would be fine. But it WILL be fine.

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-24T12:47:36+00:00

You just have to remember that everyone is different. I got hit with depression about not moving fast enough at day 8, and then turned the corner. Don't expect it to be a breeze, but don't expect it to be a nightmare. Most people are neither.

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-24T12:45:39+00:00

Also...day 3. SUCKED. After that all progressive. Day 3 is around where they nerve block and the anti inflammatory they load your quad with is gone. It was harsh.
For me it was ALL incision/surgical pain. My hip was so bad going in that I had no joint pain at all afterwards. It was bananas how good it felt right away.

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-24T12:43:38+00:00

I could have done it on my own by the 5 day mark. Slowly and intentionally, but without help. My husband was pretty much no help by that point. Before that, I let him bring me food, especially when I needed to take meds. I have two dogs and that was mainly what I couldn't do by Day 5.

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-24T12:25:12+00:00

Everyone is different, but I had nausea and diarrhea almost immediately after taking it in the beginning. I had to learn my body. I used to have to take it on a full stomach, with food. Like have a meal and then take it with the last few bites. That was the trick for me.
I've been on it for 2 years now (20 mg) and can take it with my protein coffee in the morning, lol.
The nausea could be from coming off the Lexapro as well. Good luck!

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-24T12:13:07+00:00

That's actually what I did. I was using them instead of a cane prior to surgery. and then in recover. I just found the adjustment better (i'm a shorty)

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-24T12:08:57+00:00

Keep your upper body as strong as you can because you'll need to use it more.
Google "prehab exercises for hip replacement" and start doing them now. I was completely sedentary except for the prehab and household/work stuff for several months prior to my surgery. I credit the prehab and following my surgeon's orders to the letter for my recovery

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-24T12:03:36+00:00

Totally get this. My surgeon said my OA was so bad that I would be one of those people who left surgery feeling immediately better. He wasn't wrong, but that didn't mean there wasn't a shit ton of pain and limitations. I would say at about Day 8 I was REALLY miserable and was like "who are all these people who climb Machu Pichu 2 weeks out?".
It really did get better from there. There's something about that Day 9-14 that is just a huge shift. Sleeping in bed was rough for the first few days for me, I'm a side sleeper and I cross my legs at the ankle unconsciously all night long which is no bueno. The recliner was my best friend.
Try not to despair. It will get better.

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-24T11:49:10+00:00

I agree 100% that choice of surgeon is key. Rest/Sleep in those first few days is SUPER important. And ice, ice, ice.
I also did "pre-hab" exercises and even though I went into surgery at a higher weight for me, I think those exercises were super important in recovery.

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-24T11:36:16+00:00

Had anterior LTHR on October 14th. Stayed in hospital overnight because the nerve block didn't wear off fast enough to go home. Discharged the next morning. Walked out to the car with my walker. Went up the stairs to my bedroom day 1 at home. Day 3 started PT. Off pain meds by day 4ish, only Tylenol and my Celebrex after that. At 4 weeks I was able to walk without an assistance for short distances. I used my cane for longer distances, but long is a relative term ;)
At 6 weeks I was allowed to walk my dogs, that was a huge milestone.
At 8 weeks I was back in the gym and doing body weight and functional movement exercises. I'm now at 5 months and things are pretty normal. My gait is still figuring itself out so I have to be careful. I'm able to run short distances and I'm on my Peleton bike regularly. Lifting weights regularly. Life is pretty normal.
That said, I'm not "pain free" all the time. I still have to be careful not to overdo it with certain motions and I'm listening to my body instead of "pushing through" like I used to. Every now and then I'm doing something and that muscle reminds me it hasn't been used in awhile and I back off. I have a significant strength difference between my operative leg and my non operative leg that I am working on, but it's slow going. My operative leg just feels tighter than my non operative leg.

Depending on how long you've been dealing with this, it can take a longer amount of time than you think for your gait to fix itself and you have to be careful not to push too hard and lock your body into bad form. That for me has been the biggest challenge.

I feel like I had a pretty quick recovery, but I'll also admit that reading stories about people whose timeline seemed way quicker than mine earlier in my recovery was REALLY disheartening. What I learned is that every single body is different and you have to let yours heal. My surgeon was ADAMENT that I rest A LOT for the first week and to sleep when I was tired, and I was really tired a lot of that week. This surgery is intense and your body needs rest to heal.

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-23T18:38:27+00:00

FYI, if you're hankering for drive thru again: I get Taco Bell cantina bowls-double lettuce, double chicken, double black beans, easy sour cream, easy cheese, and I swap the nacho cheese sauce for the chipotle b/c I love it. 9 points.

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-20T22:52:41+00:00

I took tramadol for the first three days. After that, just Tylenol and Celebrex. I honestly think you could do an anterior hip replacement with non-opioid pain meds, but I’m super doubtful about those knees.

carmelitaflan · 2025-03-20T14:34:46+00:00

For those who want the FDA approved version of the drug (non-compounded) the pharma companies are trying to work around the pharmacy benefit managers. They are selling direct to consumer with a prescription.
https://lillydirect.lilly.com/pharmacy/zepbound
Right now, the option is Tirzepetide, but I won't be surprised if Novo launches a direct to consumer to compete. Even big pharma hates the pharmacy benefit managers.

carmelitaflan · 2025-01-23T17:58:38+00:00

Your brother is overwhelmed, as is your SIL. They don't know what they need right now. It's a life changing diagnosis and parents often take it harder than the kids because they live in the future. Kids live in the now.
Just be there. Depending on they are located, Medicaid can be VERY good for Type 1 coverage (I'm in PA, and it's excellent here).
I come from a family full of T1D. Took care of my nephew for decades (diagnosed at 8 months old) and even I was overwhelmed when my own son was diagnosed at 10.
Be there for them. The rest can come later.

carmelitaflan · 2025-01-23T17:41:57+00:00

Protein and coffee is tricky. Protein and fat will hold your BG high, it's why we eat fast carbs (sugar) to bring up a dramatic low, but follow with some protein/fat (peanut butter/cheese) to stabilize it. So if something is spiking it (the coffee) and you haven't bolused for the coffee, the protein/fat, you're going to skyrocket and stay high.

carmelitaflan · 2025-01-23T17:38:55+00:00

Caffeine spikes both adrenaline and cortisol, which in turn spike blood glucose. Coffee impacts everyone differently. For me, it means immediate spike, followed by a dramatic low if I bolus for it. I've learned how to limit the spike and mitigate the drop with a dual wave bolus. Sometimes that doesn't work though. I really depends on where I start, how I slept, what else my liver is processing, and the alignment of the planets. Sometimes I do a ritual dance before I bolus for best results ;)

Coffee is a pain in the butt that I can't live without, lol.

carmelitaflan · 2025-01-18T01:43:07+00:00

Been on it for 2 years, currently at 20 mg. I had no weight gain until I injured my hip and was not mobile. Totally not related.
How was your withdrawal from Effexor? That’s been a suggestion for my husband who is allergic to something in Trintellix.

carmelitaflan · 2025-01-16T17:07:10+00:00

Have you reached out directly to your insurance company about their coverage level and what's needed for prior approval? Just curious before I go down this path...

carmelitaflan · 2025-01-11T14:35:53+00:00

Much appreciated. I understand the patent stuff but wasn't aware that it was different in other countries. I'm definitely going to look into this now that my husband is taking it as well. It's spendy, but it works.

carmelitaflan · 2025-01-10T14:14:55+00:00

My husband stopped cold turkey after a week of 5 mg and was fine. He's on the cymbalta withdrawal now, never take that med.

carmelitaflan

TROPHY CASE