Burning Pain after Hip Replacement

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Toni05

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Hello,

I am new here and have a question. I am just about 4 weeks out from Total Hip Replacement on my right leg and I have been having a bad Burning, sharp pain below my incision to my knee. I am wondering if this is a normal thing to have. I did talk to my Doctor's office about it when I made my post op appointment. One girl said that it might be soft tissue damage. I have been icing it. I am just very worried that something is wrong inside. Has anyone else had anything like this? My post op appointment is in about 11 days.

I am very glad to have found this forum.
 
Hi, Toni05....welcome to BoneSmart! I'm glad you found us and decided to join our forum.

Our forum nurse, Josephine, will probably check in here soon and respond to the medical aspects of your question. The icing you are doing is good, so I would keep that up.

What are you doing for pain medication...type of medication and frequency?

It's easy to worry about your new implant when you have an unexplained ache or pain, but do try not to be concerned. I believe your doctor's office was correct that this is a soft tissue matter that will be resolved with some time. It is pretty common for pains to crop up during the recovery process....very few actually indicate a problem with the implant.
 
Hi Jamie,

Thanks for responding. I actually am not taking the Lortab Pain medication that was prescribed for me at home. I became so sick on the pain meds in the hospital that I decided not to take any at home.Other than this burning pain, I am really not having much pain. I am taking the 2 Ecotrin Asprin that I was told to take. I did take the 10 days of Celebrex that was prescribed also. Other than that just an occasional 3 tablets of Tylenol. I guess I am just worried as others that I know that have had their hips replaced said that they had no pain at all.
 
Those who aren't having pain are on pain medications and you should be too at this early stage. Contact your doctor tomorrow and ask about something different for pain, saying that the Lortab made you sick. There are MANY choices in pain medications and also drugs that combat the nausea.

You are recovering from major surgery and using pain medication regularly on a schedule will help make your recovery easier. If you are experiencing any "stiffness" that is pain also...just different than a burning, stabbing pain.
 
Yep, that's your problem right there. It's unmanaged surgical pain. I bet you never told the girl at the doctor's office that you weren't taking any pain meds! :doh:
 
Welcome!
Hope you can get some new meds that won't make you ill. I am 2 wks out, and even though I'm not having much pain, I cut back one dose of meds and right away could tell there was more swelling and such. Hopefully you can get some and that will help! Please keep us posted.
 
Hi Toni:
I had very sharp pain just below my incision. It was especially bad going down stairs. I assumed (and it was confirmed by the OS) that it was the pulling of the internal stitches. Sure enough, one day it just went away! Do take the pain meds-- they'll make you more comfortable.
Carol
 
Hi Toni!
I had my LTHP done in November and I have been going through bouts of incision pain up until last week! Dr. says it just the soft tissue stuff but it did have me worried too! Get this...I reached the 1 year anniversary of my RTHP a few days ago, and if I press on that incision area, it's still a bit sore too! Go figure! :pzld:
Take care!
Caroline :catkiss:
 
Hello All,

Thank you all for posting. My mind is relieved, as it sounds that this could be a normal thing. My DH had just told me that other people were probably taking the pain meds, so they don't feel anything either.

Josephine, yes, I did tell both of the ladies that I talked to, his scheduler and his nurse that I did not take the pain meds. The nurse was surprised that I could get along without them, but she did not tell me to get back on them. I told them just how sick I got, even before I left the hospital. She told me that I could take the Tylenol as needed. The Internist that visits you in the hospital and the nurses and the PT lady also knew how sick I was. My surgery was on a Tuesday, and by Thursday, they wanted and needed the rooms for other surgery patients that were waiting downstairs after their surgeries. So they gave me another dose of pain meds for the road. I had an hour and a half drive home, and barely made it. I just got into my bedroom. I knew that it was the pain meds, as I don't take much of anything other than Advil.

Also, I need to be able to drive to my post op visit myself and the nurse said that since I did not take the pain meds, that I would be okay to do that, I will just be in the 5th week then. Since I am 4 weeks tomorrow since my surgery, I really don't want to try to start the meds at home. I am feeling it less frequently and less intense. It mostly happens when I am doing my exercises or move my leg. The nurse did not seem concerned enough to tell me to come in and get checked out right then. It was just making me very worried.

Carolt, When it first happened, I was afraid that something inside ripped also. I still hope that it didn't and I suppose the Doctor will be able to tell. Thanks for your input, it sure helps to know that others have experienced this. I guess I will find out at my post op appointment soon.

Sweet Caroline and Rohanknitter,

Wow, what troopers you and others are having both hips replaced. I am afraid that I am going to need the left hip replaced also. My surgeon said something to my DH about that also. I guess that is something else I will have to discuss with him. I still think that they should have just given me a new body. The big female surgery, Dec 28, have talked to spine surgeon about my back, still don't know what to expect from him, he wouldn't touch me until I had this HR done. Actually he is the one that told me I needed this surgery first.

Thanks everyone and this is a very informative and helpful website.
 
Getting the second hip replaced isn't a "walk in the park" (it's surgery!), but I found it easier because I knew what to expect. I couldn't really enjoy my first new hip because the second one was still rotten!
Here's to feeling good soon!:ch-w:
Take care,
Caroline

 
Toni05,

I too dealt with a bout of horrible nausea with pain meds after the surgeries (LTHR 2/17/09, RTHR 04/14/09) and have now been on the percocet pretty regularly for pain since the second replacement, a year ago today. The nausea I found was because I was on TOO much pain meds and having not really ever taken narcotic pain medicines before the surgeries, it was REALLY hard to tolerate them, so I lived on anti-nausea medication as well, which I'm tellin ya WORKS! It makes you a little sleepy but those pills are like magic! It took the nausea away in minutes! I LOVE them and plan to use them again for my next surgery next month! I've even used them for non-surgery related nausea, when I've had a bout of a stomach ache for one reason or another.... they really are the best. I used Reglan and Compazine and they have been great. You should talk to your doctor about it.

And I agree, those of us that say we have no pain after surgery, are ON some kind of pain management medication. I've got it down to such a science now that I can often control it well enough that sometimes I question if I should even HAVE my next surgery to fix the problem in my hip(long story, and completely not of this subject). Use the medication if you able. No sense in tryin to play superwoman.... it only makes for a long and painful recovery. :) Take care!
 
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