13/04/2026
AVN and Tram Dependency!!!
Our founder shares her story on AVN and Drug dependency, read below š
How my Avascular Necrosis and tram dependency started, I had a severe crisis episode the type that landed me in a government hospital for weeks, I was admitted for malaria , acute Chest syndrome and lower back crisis. I was there for 3 weeks and some days. During the admission the medical team monitored me closely because of ACS and low blood levels, I was on oxygen for a few days, almost a week before the ACS got better.
The team tried all they could to manage my bone crisis, they did all they could do for me, for the 3 weeks plus on admission, the pains started on my lower back, butt and left hips but I didn't take it seriously then because I had to maintain my job as a classroom teacher so whenever it starts I'll just pop in my pain meds and continue teaching because the fear of my employer was the begin of wisdom, each time this pain came up I suppressed it with tram which was the painkiller I was given in the hospital, little did I know that I was getting a relief and also digging a grave.
That was a job I just started and it was a demanding, being a Montessori teacher then was a flex, it was a job I got on merit, a big school then and owner wasn't bothered about my health because I told her during the interview and she really didn't mind especially because I was equal to the task and aced the oral and class interview; so I did everything to make sure my health didn't interfere with my job because I told her I would be able to cope.
So imagine what would happen if I didn't mask the pains and took excuses weekly, definitely I'd have been replaced and so I had to keep up, in Montessori settings, as a classroom teacher your sitting time was minimal and so that's how my long hours of standing and teaching was causing me severe lower back crisis and also left Avascular Necrosis pain, I managed it closely by popping tram pills for almost 3 terms till my body finally broke down and I landed in the hospital for 3 weeks plus, at this point I had no option but to quit the job I was over protective off, even when I was finally discharged from admission the pain on that hip lingered for 2 years up on till I was referred to an orthopedic surgeon who said I was dealing early stages of Avascular Necrosis, because at some point I started limping, I could no longer wear heels, it had to be flats.
The surgeon sent me for physiotherapy, which I was now doing 3 times a week for almost a year and gradually I stopped limping and got back my mobility but in the cause of trying to maintain my job and make a living for myself as a young lady and protecting my job I was putting my own health in jeopardy which graduated into complications and drug dependency.
I became very dependent on tram and was over protective of my job and I stretched my body beyond it's limits which almost caused me my left hip, thankfully I haven't gone too deep on the tram dependency and the AVN got better with each therapy session but it was a lot and my doctor had to change my pain meds and weaned me off tram dependency.
Dear Warriors, Please always listen to your body before it gets too late... A stitch in time saves nine. Reach out to Us Audrey Sickle Cell Foundation via DM if you are dealing with painkiller dependency.
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