My husband has been diagnosed with osteonacrosis. This is a byproduct of maximum radiation for prostate cancer. We have been back and forth to orthopedic surgeons for 9 weeks. Now that the surgery is scheduled for late July, my husband is left with severe, dibilitating pain and the heavy duty drugs are no longer as effective as they were initially. His pain is in the groin, lower back and leg. And the pain is visible in the respect that it is a stabbing pain. Any suggestions on what may help him till we get to surgery?

Thank you all for your help.

-- barbara lyman (eblyman@comcast.net), June 13, 2004

Answers

The pain meds (celebrex and tylenol) were doubled and I used ice packs or heat packs as needed before surgery. What helped me the most is a modified core decompression (surgery) where the doctor drilled several places deep into the joint. But the recovery time was long since the bone becomes fragile due to the drilled holes. That has been two years since surgery and the AVN is static - still there, but no change in the bone except for less pain. Hope all goes well for you.

-- Jerry Gadberry (jerrylynngadbrry@arkansas.net), July 01, 2004.