Become an Insider

THR 1 year post-op, Still in pain. Still on cane. So confused!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Hi @ohaya-
Thanks for the message. Since my appointment with my surgeon was on Friday, I have yet to make an appointment with a neurologist, though I do have a couple of good ones recommended to me who take my insurance. I'll be making calls tomorrow and hope to see someone within the next week or so. I will most certainly keep you posted. Until then, I'll keep hobbling along.

Good luck with your appointment tomorrow. Please do let me know how it goes.

Also thanks @bettysgone-Sept-5-2013 and @Jaycey for your support.

And Happy New Year to all! May 2014 be a peaceful and healing year!

-meg
 
meg,

Here's info from my appointment this week.

After examination, the doctor said that the pain that is in my "posterior right thigh" is probably from the "inferior cluneal nerve". However, from the examination (he was quite thorough, at least to me), he said that that spot is quite far from the area where they operated on for the hip replacement, and between that and reviewing my latest lumbar spine MRI, he said that he thinks that the painful spot is probably being caused by some spinal problem, and not from a nerve impingement.

He gave me a referral to get a "cluneal nerve block", which I've since scheduled for mid-January (about 2 weeks from now), to try to rule out nerve impingement more definitively, but also suggested I re-visit with the neurosurgeon that did back surgery 3 years ago, which I've also scheduled.

He said that if the nerve block doesn't eliminate the pain (even short-term) that that would be evidence to him more positively that the pain is not due to cluneal nerve impingement.

I also got a followup email from him yesterday where he reiterated that his opinion was that the pain was not due to nerve impingement.

He also said that if it was due to something with the cluneal nerve that he could surgically remove the nerve, but that would cause the buttock area to go numb :(. I asked why removal would be the only option, rather than releasing the nerve, and he said that normally, there wasn't anything in the area of that particular nerve that would be impinge (like a muscle) on it.

As you can see, he was quite thorough, and I wanted to re-mention that this doctor was not a "normal" neurosurgeon. He's associated with a quite well-known hospital here (in the DC area) and specializes in plastic surgery and neurosurgery, but only with peripheral nerves (not spinal).

Hope that this info helps...

Jim
 
@ohaya-

Thanks for the update. Now that I've seen a neurologist myself, it seems our cases might be different. I hope you're getting clear and useful info from your doctors and you're in good spirits.

So after an consult with a neurologist, a NCV and EMG (not the most fun I've ever had), the doctor tells me I do in fact have nerve damage to the superior gluteal nerve and other nerves in my back as well. She also says there's weakness in my right leg and that the leg, esp the calf is atrophied (though I can't see that just looking at it). She wants me to get an MRI of my back (not a lumbar spine MRI, but one that will take pictures of specific nerves, she says). She also wants me to make an appointment with another neurologist in her practice, one who specializes in pain management.

She is calling my surgeon today to discuss the results of my EMG.

According to her, the nerve damage could have been caused my anything--my arthroscopy last December, the THR this past June, PT. And that nerves take years to regenerate. So that's upsetting.

I'm in more pain today on my right hip than I've been in a while, but I assume that's from the EMG.

She also gave me a prescription for Neurontin for the nerve pain. I have no intention of resigning myself to being on a pill long-term, but I told her I would try it for now.

So the game now is waiting for the docs to talk and to make more appointments and get more tests/imaging done, I suppose. I'm trying not to get too down before I have all of the information and hear from all of the docs involved what the next step is. But it's hard not to feel overwhelmed or even regretful about having the THR in the first place.

So that's the news.

Anyone else having/had a similar experience?

Thanks so much.
Meg
 
I don't have experience with what you are going through. I just wanted to let you know that you are in my prayers.
All the best,
Betty


Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart®
 
Hi Marge. I've been reading on this forum since before my hip surgery but Have never posted a message. I too am 38 and had my left thr done exactly 6 months ago. I'm still in a lot of pain and its right in the front just like yours. I don't really have any advice, but I thought I'd let you know you're not alone. I have my first appointment with the surgeon since 3weeks after surgery on the 20th. Hopefully I get some answers. I've been on Vicodin for 7 months and im so tired of living in pain and on drugs. I'll let you know how it goes.
 
Hi @Marge75 so sorry that your pain is not a quick term fix. I hope you get some answers so as to what can be done

Thinking of you
 
Just wanted to give an update and see if anyone has had any similar experience:

It's been exactly 9 months since my THR (right hip, anterior), and I'm still totally reliant on a cane and in chronic pain. I lurch to the right worse than before my surgery.

-Over the last couple of months:

-I saw a neurologist who said I had nerve damage of the superior gluteal nerve. They told my
the ortho who did the surgery who said once the nerves heal, he'll do my left hip (which is dysplastic and needs to be replaced as well). He said that he won't operate on my left hip until I'm fully recovered on my right.

-I saw another neuro doc who said I DON"T have nerve damage. My primary care doc has tried to call the surgeon to discuss the conflicting reports, but he hasn't called back. I've called him as well and have not heard back from him.

-My physiatrist ruled that PT was deemed no longer effective.

-Seeing a pain mgmt doc who at first thought my issue tendonitis of the psoas. Gave me some injections. No change in pain or limp. He put me on Celebrex and Lyrica.

He now thinks the pain in the front of my hip is being caused my lateral cutaneous femoral nerve being entrapped by scar tissue build up, and the pain in the back of the hip is bursitis caused by my limping. Got injections last week. Some relief for a few days, but not lasting.

Today, he did an EMG today and confirmed that there is no nerve damage. He wants to continue with nerve blocking injections next week.

-Later in the day, I saw a 2nd opinion orthopedic surgeon who thinks that nerve entrapment sounds crazy and thinks that my right hip is in pain b/c it's now the "good hip" having to compensate for he "bad" left hip. He thinks I should get the left one replaced ASAP--which is exactly the opposite of what the doc who did my surgery says. My 2nd opinion doc also says he would have done a minimally invasive posterior approach. He says he has no idea why I'm limping.

Before I left, his PA gave me a steroid injection for the pain. I'm in worse pain after the shot. She said to ice it for a day or two. So now I'm sitting on an ice pack in agony.

I'm so confused. I'm in so much pain. I can't walk without a limp no matter how hard I try.

I got the surgery to improve my life. It's made things so much worse.

Any insight would be very appreciated.

Good thoughts to all.
Meg
 
Oh Meg, I have no input but hope that you get answers soon. You are in my most positive thoughts!!
 
@Marge75 , I used to have steroid injections and was warned that the first day of two the pain might worsen. I am hoping that is the case for you. I hate it that you have had the long road you've had. Just keep fighting for yourself, and I will be keeping you in my thoughts
 
Meg I am so sorry that you are going through this.
 
I am also sorry for this terrible experience that you are going through, just want you to know I have you in my thoughts and hope the issues resolve sooner rather than later.
 
FWIW...I had nasty front pain due to a combination of scar tissue from the 'scope and scar tissue from an anterior, AND PT making psoas tendinosis worse by not watching what she was telling me to do (e.g. NOT 90 of those...only 30...).

Anyhow - I found somebody who specialized in active release therapy (AKA ART). It was incredibly painful - but the guy managed to break up a whole PILE of scar tissue and get some of the tendons sorted out over a period of about 5 or 6 weeks. The first couple sessions where horrible...I had to go home and take pain meds - but the next day I would feel MUCH better. Then I started feeling better after the treatments.

Might be something to look into.
 
@Marge75 so sorry to read that you are in so much pain. I am tagging @Josephine so she will see your posts.hope I am doing it correctly. It's been a while.
 
@tollertwins --I will most certainly look into active release therapy. I've never even heard of it! Did your insurance cover it? And aside from the front pain (which sucks badly enough), did your pain cause you to limp? Thanks for the advice. It sounds like maybe we have similar experience. Hope you're doing well.

And thanks for your thoughts and support @LeeApril26 , @Brave gal , and @calikat !
 
Insurance paid for part of it....it was like they'd pay for the joint, but not the surrounding tissues...Kinda weird.

I heard of ART because HSS recommends it for people who have had scopes.

Fortunately - I don't remember if it made me limp or not...I've blocked a whole lot of that whole bit out!
 
ohaya said:
is probably from the "inferior cluneal nerve"
Click to expand...

@ohaya - you might find this interesting




@Marge75 This is a bit outside my area of expertise but it does seem like your problem is either unrelated to your THR or a side effect which is mostly unrelated. Wish I could help more.
 
Hi Marge,

I stumbled across this website trying to figure out why I'm still having so much pain. I received a total left hip April 2nd 2014. I have been off of my cane for 4 days now and thought I was behind in recovery, but after reading everything here I can see why I am having so much pain. I actually called my Doctor's office this morning asking if I had any more prescriptions left to fill for pain meds. I too was hobbling around for about 4 to 5 years with really bad hips, getting steroid injections every 90 days like clock work. I guess maybe I'm doing ok after reading all of this and what I'm experiencing is normal. I'm sorry your having so much trouble, and I hope your getting stronger and getting well.

Walt
 
@wgmj , glad you found us! Why don't you start your own thread in the post op area so you can get any questions you have answered. Sounds like you are doing very well in your recovery.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel
Corganics CBD

Members online

Total: 1,735 (members: 1, guests: 1,734)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom