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THR 11 weeks since my LTHR

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@Kettlebell queen I have the clunking. It is in the joint. I can hear and feel it. Mine happens when I walk and my operated leg is in the backward position and pushing off to come forward as my pelvis shifts. It is annoying and uncomfortable. I keep hoping it will leave as I continue to work out and tone my muscles. My surgeon told me not to worry about it, but I don't think it's normal. I will most likely be seeking a second opinion if it doesn't resolve by 6 months post op. I hope yours goes away, too.
 
@Kettlebell queen I am glad to read this post. I am 8 weeks out from THR anterior approach and have horrible pain and stiffness when I rise from sitting or from bed. After I walk a bit the pain and stiffness gets better but it never really goes away. I too have been worried that something must be wrong, so I'm glad to read that others have the same discomfort. For sure, the hype we read about miraculous bounce backs after surgery doesn't help.

I have the clicking you mentioned --- when I'm sitting or reclining and pull my knee towards my chest. But it doesn't do it when I am standing and make the same movement. I told my OS about it at 6 week visit and he seems to think it will go away. I have a metal on metal implant.

I'm very ready for normal again but must keep reminding myself that this is a long slow process.

Is there a guide somewhere about what pain is normal by the week post-surgery?
 
@Jean53, bless you, someome who says and feels the same way I do. I am seven weeks out from THR posterior approach and have the same horrible pain and stiffness. Unfortunately, I had to go back to work at five weeks, so am sitting at a desk instead of resting at home. Can you tell me what pain meds you are taking? I take Norco 5 every four hours, and it nips at the pain, but I have yet to have hours of complete relief. By the end of the day, I am swollen and exhausted from bearing up to pain all day. It doesn't help that I am already high-strung and literally work in a political environment, with daily stresses associated with work.
 
@LoyalD I went back to work half days at 4 1/2 weeks, and full time this week. I wasn't able to tolerate the narcotic pain meds I was given --- various reasons. I'm taking tylenol, 2 - 500 mg, two to three times a day. This week I also began taking 1 - 200 mg ibuprofen about mid-morning which has helped a lot. Oh and there is aspirin in there for blood thinning 1 or 2 - 325 mg aspirin in the morning.

Is there any way you can do half or partial days at work, LoyalD? I'm sorry you are struggling with pain and swelling and exhaustion. I tell myself to get through this one day at a time and to appreciate the tiny steps forward I do make. It's a hard process. And it doesn't help to feel like you HAVE TO be at work full time. I hope you can work out some adjusted hours. Or at least give yourself an hour or so of downtime at mid-day.

Be sure to get up and move around every hour or so, LoyalD!
 
Jean, you can take up to 4000mg of Tylenol in a 24 hour period as long as it's at least 4 hours between doses. So a little additional medication right now might help you. You are still very early in the recovery process....despite what some say about the almost "instant" recovery with an anterior approach. It's not that way for everyone as you now know!
 
Hi @Jean53 and @LoyalD I thought you might like to read this article.. It helps to understand the length of time recovery takes. I wish you both well, a very good BS friend wrote to me in the very early days/weeks that "recovery from a THR is a marathon and not a sprint and that slow and steady, was my mantra" :)

The following is a link to an article which provides the current science regarding the healing beneath and around the implant and approximate timeframes for the healing phases and processes and the relevant nutritional information for each phase.

Healing Phases & Nutrition
 
@Jean53, I'm a little curious about your statement that you had a metal on metal hip implanted 8 weeks ago. That would mean a metal ball and metal liner on the cup, which is a bit unusual these days. Is that information you received from your surgeon? Most doctors these days are using a cross linked poly for the cup liner so I'd appreciate it if you could share a bit more information about your surgeon and the implant he used. I'd like to know more about your particular situation if you don't mind sharing.
 
@Jamie I may have misspoken --- I could well be wrong about my hip implant. It was explained to me when I was still in the hospital in a drug and pain fog. I see the surgeon again in October --- I will find out for certain then. Thanks for pointing it out!
 
Ahhhh....good. Let me know what you find out from your surgeon then. Thanks!!!
 
Yes it's annoying the clunking , I still get it if I close my knees together quickly , but the overall clicking seems to have subsided , I emailed my surgeon about this but he hasn't replied , it's now 6 months since my THR and I'm doing ok , but I still have pain on getting up from a sitting position , I'm frustrated that I'm still having pain at this stage , I've enlisted the help of a personal trainer who has used a foam roller on my operated side as he says this will help to dissolve scar tissue and help the IT band which should ease pain and give me more mobility , but the foam roller sure does hurt , does anyone have experience with the use of foam rollers and do they help at all ?


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I have used several foam rollers and found them to be very helpful. I have also used a rolling pin for ankle tendons which helped a lot. I would not use a hard foam on my operated side because it seems like it would hurt. As much as I love hard exercise, at this point in my life my goal is to keep going and stay fit, active, and healthy. I am trying not to do anything that would make the foam roller needed!
I am just over 3 months and every so often I have a clicking, too. Much less than earlier and it is usually if I do too much. Be well! You sound great.
 
Thanks for your advice , I've cooled off on the foam rolling now , and I, doing more walking, I'm now almost 8 months post op, but I still have pain after I've been sat down and get yo to walk, it can be quite severe, but then once I'm walking it's fine, I told my physiotherapist about this and he said " maybe this is as good as it's gonna get " I was quite shocked to hear that, as I would expect things to improve with time, is is normal to still have this kind of pain at nearly 8 months ? I've cut back on my excercises and only do twice a week now .


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@Kettlebell queen - go back and read this article, complete and full recovery timeframes are so individual and at 3 years post, I still have days when I sit for too long, then get up stiff.. However,it wears off with the first few steps..

I don't believe the comment from your PT! - it is all about time.. celebrate what you can do honey!

The following is a link to an article which provides the current science regarding the healing beneath and around the implant and approximate timeframes for the healing phases and processes and the relevant nutritional information for each phase.

Healing Phases & Nutrition
 
@Kettlebell queen I had my hip replaced in Dec 31 2013 and I am still daily dealing with pain. My situation is somewhat different because I did not have a degenerative disease but my hip replacement was preceded by a car accident that I broke 24 bones in. For five years after the accident I lived with pins and screws until I could handle it no more. I have been told the same thing that maybe this is a good as it gets. I can honestly say that the pain I am in now while severe at times is minimal compared to what I lived with before the surgery. My hip would spontaneously dislocate prior to the replacement due to some abnormal healing. I hold out hope that it will get better but I am still dealing with arthritis throughout my whole body from the breaks I had. Life is what you make of it. I had a private disability when I had my accident so between it and SSD I make about $47000 a year. Still I am just now 40 and I have no desire to stay at home the rest of my life. I was a paramedic for 19 years and I am only 1-1/2 years away from getting my nursing degree. So you guessed it I am starting back in January with hopes of eventually getting my nurse practitioner. There are tons of nursing jobs out there that are not on their feet all the time and with my medical history I know I will be able to land one of those somewhere. My prayers are with you and I hope with time yours gets better. For now refuse to believe the critics and keep pushing through.
 
Blimey you have been through the mill, and breaking 24 bones that's pretty grim, you seem very positive and that's good, really good, I too am glad I had the surgery as my condition was only going to get far worse if left, now I'm dealing with having to relearn my movements as my alignment was completely twisted for 34 years , my hip flexor practically non existent , I'm seeing an osteopath who is trying to wake up the hip flexor and shorter muscles and tendons on the left hip, I still have pain on getting up from a chair which is quiet intense but lasts only a couple of minutes , I've reduced my weight training to twice a week now, reluctantly ! But domt want to over do it I guess, I just hope this new hip lasts the 20 years it's meant to, do you have uncemented ceramic ?


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At this point I do very little weight lifting but I do a little. December will be 1 year for me. I have found an elliptical machine to be the best low impact workout for me. I usually spend about 20 minutes a night on one. I do it 5 nights a week and take the weekends off. I don't suggest you dive into at that depth but find what works for you best. also remember slow progress is better than no progress.
 
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