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10 1/2 weeks post op - still hurting

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Nancy

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Hello All. I had both hips replaced 10 1/2 weeks ago and sometimes I think I felt better 6 weeks ago. The thing that bothers me most is my knees can't support me yet to sit on the floor. It's like I get 3/4 of the way down and then ouch!!! Did anyone experience this? Also I get all kinds of shooting pains. I'll just be sitting and I get a pain down the left side of my thigh, or the right side or my groin. Is everything still misfiring? I don't think I overdo my PT which is basically doing the exercises my PT showed me, but now I do them on my own. I do stretches of course, and then leg extensions with 25 lbs., hip abductors with 40 lbs. and leg presses with 100 lbs. then I walk at 3.4 for 20 minutes. I do this 3 x a week. I am not in pain when I do the exercises. And then I walk my dog twice a day for a total of 30 minutes but this is not constant nor fast as he's usually on a sniffing expedition!!!

I so want to feel normal again. For the past two nights I actually had to take a Vicotin (sp??) at 1:00 in the morning. It's been raining here for 2 days, could that have anything to do with it.

I am seeing my surgeon on Monday and I going to asked him for my old hips back (haha)
 
Oh, is that 'all' you do! And surprised you can't sit on the floor!

Well, think on this - about 10 weeks ago you had not one but TWO very major operations and now you're surprised that everything doesn't just click into place and you hit the road running? Sorry, the human body takes a bit longer to recoup than that. I'm not saying you should be an invalid but you are going to get odd aches and pains for a while as the ligaments and msucles readjust to their new state.

What you are describing sounds to me like sciatica down the outside of your thigh and/or psoas tendonitis in your groin. It's very common and means you are overdoing your PT and need to slack off for a while and give it time to settle. In the meantime, take some NSAIDs or other pain killers a couple of times a day and maybe even ice the areas that are hurting.

Also explain it all to your surgeon who will likely repeat all I have just said.

You should also read this post to see what someone else at your stage had to say.
 
Wow Josephine, just beat me up!!! But THANK YOU. I was always a very active person in terms of never sitting down. Food Shopping, cleaning the house, walking the dog, cooking, washing, etc., plus work full time. I really just never expected it to take this long and I thought at this point something was really wrong with me. My husband keeps telling me what my body went through, but I just didn't and still don't look at it as a big deal. I guess I just needed to hear it from another person. My PT routine compared to what I use to do before arthritis is a joke, but I guess that's what got me to where I am today. I just very competitive and feel like I have to push myself. I am seeing my surgeon tomorrow and I guess I won't be surprised if he yells at me. Unfortunately he's not a pill pusher so I doubt he will give me any more pain meds, but I'll ask about the NSAIDS. Advil don't seem to cut it.

As I am writing this I am sitting with two ice packs on my thighs. I went food shopping this morning than walked my dog for 35 minutes and I am very sore right now. I guess I will take it easy this upcoming week and see if that helps. Thanks again!!!
 
Nancy
I know how you feel and how hard it is to slow down. I had my right hip replaced on June 6th. The first 2 weeks I did nothing, except my pt exercises. ONce I started walking outside I overdid it. I had posted a thread here I think at about 4 weeks that walking down the stairs I had the worst pain ever (even those few days after surgery)
My home pt came and didn't think it was anything requiring treatment. After we talked, she told me I was supposed to try the cane outside a few house lengths. I had taken off the first time and gone out for 35-40 minutes.
As soon as I was allowed to swim,I built up to a mile and swam a mile almost every day.
My routine was hike early to the local stream, swim 1 mile and ride my bike a little.

I am trying to calm down, but I can sure feel some muscles, ligaments, tendons protest when I do too much.

Still get lots of rest and let yourself totally heal. I understand!!!
Judy
 
Hi Nancy,
I am similar to you, nearly 9 weeks out from a THA and I can only reiterate what others have said – take things slowly! I know it is difficult, especially when you see weeds in the garden, dust around the house and a “to do” list that never seems to shrink! At this stage my only exercise is walking (about 3km per day) because I know that adding an early morning gym session to an already full work day would not be sensible. It is very tempting and very easy to overdo things, but also unwise.
I hope your surgeon does not yell at you :)
All the best,
Monica
 
Wow Josephine, just beat me up!!! But THANK YOU.

Well, as long as it has the desired effect ....
[Bonesmart.org] 10 1/2 weeks post op - still hurting
 
Hi Nancy,
I had a THA 22 years ago which is still going strong, I’m 44 years old, 6’3” tall, weigh 190lbs, cycle 4000 miles a year and coach my 8 year old boy’s soccer team, it will get better! The reason I say this is that although active I have learnt to live with my hip. I’m usually pain free but I know if I do certain things it will cause me mild to severe discomfort, and it sounds like the sort of discomfort you are talking about now. But it goes away.

The cause is always loosening of the femoral component of the hip and a subsequent inflammation of the bone – the ball part of the joint that’s inserted and the thigh bone. What causes this with me is either impact – prolonged or sustained running – or leverage – leaning over for long periods while kneeling down, gardening usually. With you I guess yours comes from the implant being new and taking time to settle. The discomfort is never felt at the time of the damage but some hours after. Its not associated with weight bearing, usually the opposite. Its when I stop at the end of the day with my feet up that its felt most. Usually as a mild to severe ache in the thigh and calf bones and usually of varying intensity – shooting .

What stops it? Time. It takes time for the inflammation to subside and the femoral part of the joint to settle down. So, while waiting for this to happen what helps ?

1. In the short term, NSAIDs work very well for me (plain off the shelf ibuprofen is good). It seems to act to permanently reduce the symptoms rather than mask the pain. When the pain is severe it may take a number of doses over the time period recommended on the packet before it really starts to work.
2. Movement – a gentle stroll for 10-20 minutes, just to get the hip moving, but not more. No power walking, jumping off the rocks at the beach when walking the dog, never jogging.
3. A cup of tea, drunk as hot as you can, i.e. lots of little sips. Probably more to do with distraction but much better than lying in bed a night cursing because your hip and calf are hurting.
4. Lying very still – difficult as the pain will build up for a while before it drops off.
5. Flirting or even going a bit further! This is again either distraction or natural endorphins working here. Good for the self confidence too esp if you’re feeling a little run down.
6. Sleep – if its for the short term, ask your doctor for some sleeping pills. Things looks much better if you can increase you sleep level.
7. In case of emergency, serious pain killers that work. Mine are all out of date as I haven’t needed them for years, but its good to know there is a bolt hole just in case.

So, just like the others said, it will get better. Try not to do the things that THA don’t like and give the hip a chance.

Good luck with it all. Dan
 
The cause is always loosening of the femoral component of the hip and a subsequent inflammation of the bone

You've been told you have a loosening of the femoral component?

I'm not sure I understand what you've said here. The femoral prosthesis should be stable all the time.
 
Over the years I've been told several times that I have loosening of the femoral component. This is usually associated with me doing something stupid and the THA giving me discomfort. Various x-rays show two darker "V" shapes between the femur and the femoral component but, this comes and goes. I went into be used as test patient for some surgery exams 3 years ago - first time I’ve been x-rayed without a prior doctors visit for pain - and there was no evidence of loosening.
 
Thank you all for you input. Saw my surgeon today. He is a little concerned that I can't tie my shoes or get on the floor and thought that I was still a little tight. Wants me to do more stretching. Gave me some NSAIDS but doesn't want me to stop exercising especially if I'm in no pain while excerising. But I will cut back on the weights and length of time on the treadmill and increase the stretching for a few weeks.

I forgot to ask him if a stationary bike or elipical (sp??) is good for me, as I get bored on the treadmill.

Since he doesn't want to see me until January I guess I'm okay. I do have an inflamed Rotator Cuff. It stinks getting old.
 
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