15 mos post op and pop in groin area

[rebeccaet]

Hi! I'm 15 mos post op with continued thigh pain and some knee pain. My main concern is the feeling that my device is not snug fitting. I can feel muscles popping over the device and on occasion(i never know when)if squat down, something gets caught and it's so painful. When i finally do get unstuck the pain in my groin is aweful for at least a few hours. i had a bone scan 5 months ago because the thigh pain was so bad. All was clear. I'm only 37 but i am active. However, i'm not doing too much! My surgeon must think i'm crazy because i called to ask about the popping and the getting stuck and their response was to get a CT scan. I just wanted to know if i should be concerned-i really don't want another test. All the internet info i could find may suggest i have an impingement but i don't know. Has anyone had these feelings in their device? Also, if i sort of hang my leg off a stair and turn in in and out it is very grainy and crunchy feeling.

Any info would be great!

Thanks,
Rebecca

 

[JudyS]

Rebecca I am so sorry you have this pain . Our nurse, Jo, will be the best to give an opinion on your description.
WElcome
judy

 

[Judles]

Rebecca......going on the internet will drive you crazy! Speaking to your OS is really the only way to go! Let him give you advice! At the very least you should have an Xray if you are so concerned, to ease your mind! :sct:

 

[Jamie]

Rebecca, so sorry you are having this problem. You do need to find the source of the pain. Jo may have some suggestions for you. My recommendation would be to go ahead with the scan to see if your doctor can find anything going on. If not, I would get a second opinion from someone totally outside his practice (that gives you a truly independent set of eyes).

 

[Josephine]

Hi, Rebecca. You really do need to get it investigated to make sure there is nothing amiss.

Having said that, noises in hip joints are not unknown and sometimes they last a while. For some people, they never go away. Have you read the forum for noisy hips in here? Click on the Hip Replacements link at the top of this page and you'll see it.

As for the pain in your groin, have you had someone examine you for muscle or ligament pain? A chiropractor would be a good choice. Ligaments that arise from a point in the groin can be excruciating.

 

[Texas]

Hey Rebecca i had that before my surgery not after..I would def either get the scan or fond someone else if its pain I wouldnt think it was right.....Please keep us posted hope you feel better soon..........

 

[rebeccaet]

Thanks for all the responses. My gut keeps telling me that i should be in less discomfort than i am. My consistent deep thigh and knee pain along with jolts of pain in my groin just don't seem normal. However, I understand that we all heal differently and it could take me longer than some. I feel silly for continually asking my surgeon's nurse about different things. I don't call everyday but i have called every 3 or 4 months to inquire about this pain. I get a sense they just don't care anymore. Do they? I have definitely given this my all. I work out and have even put myself back in physical therapy to be proactive in my recovery. Am i just being insecure about inquiring about my hip?
My CT scan is Tuesday so I'll let you know what turns up. If anything at all.
Thanks for the support. It's nice to talk to someone that understands.
R

 

[Texas]

Dont ever feel silly at ALL...........They understand and if they dont oh well.....Im sure they care maybe get busy sometimes but if you keep calling maybe they will want to figure out whats going on dont feel silly at all.......You go get that scan and please let us know......... DONT YOU FEEL SILLY AT ALL...............YOU ARE PAYING FOR HIS SERVICES BESIDES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I wish the best for ya !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jamie]

Kim is right on target. The doctor and his staff's job is to be there for you when you have concerns or questions. Never ever feel guilty about calling them.

 

[Josephine]

I work out and have even put myself back in physical therapy to be proactive in my recovery. Am i just being insecure about inquiring about my hip?

Well, there's your problem! Why do all you ladies think the answer to healing and recovery is to go 'L' for leather at the gym? Go a bit easier on yourself. My bet is that the scan will show nothing. What you describe is muscle pain from too much workout!

You're bound to feel a tad insecure. It's a new piece inside you and you're not quite sure to trust it yet. I still feel a little uncertain about my knee from time to time.

 

[srikrocks]

Hi rebecca,

Sometimes even i can sense the movement of my hip over my muscles. i used to feel it a lot in initial phase of my recovery. Though i never heard any noises but i can sense the movement sometimes that it is moving across my muscles. i had bilateral replacements and i only feel it on my right hip. its not regular but sometimes i feel.

 

[rebeccaet]

Josephine,

Wanted to follow up with you on my CT scan. It showed heterotrohic(sp?) bone growth on my greater trochanter. The OS said removing it would be too risky and more bone would probably grow back. Said it was not a threat to my muscles or device. I think he said it does cause inflammation around those muscles and probably is the reason for much of my discomfort. I'd love some feedback from you on this. I feel relieved that it is not serious but still would like to learn more about it. Will I have inflammation forever because of this growth?
Thanks,
R

 

[Josephine]

Well, first a mini lecture about HO.

This is an example I got off Google

In case you can't identify the excess bone, I've outlined it here in red

Of course, this is an extreme case but it gives you an idea of how it can develop all around the area of surgery. Usually the ossifications are much, much smaller than this and confined to small protuberances here and there. Only rarely do they reach these proportions.

They develop because quantities of immature bone cells get deposited around the area and then go on to create new but abnormal bone. No-one really knows why this happens. Removal may be necessary in very large ossifications, especially where they are impeding movement but the smaller ones are best left alone as cutting into them could just exacerbate the problem and besides which, cut bone bleeds a lot.

However, problem cases can be treated with drugs or radiation therapy and there is good evidence to show it is pretty successful. So if you're having issues with this HO, ask your surgeon about treating it with NSAIDs like aspirin or radiation.

 

[rebeccaet]

heterotrophic ossification

Hey Joe! I'm posting again because i'm not sure my previous reply went through. My CT scan showed a heterotrophic growth on my greater trochanter. The OS said it was not an issue and not to worry about it. It is the cause of my popping and getting stuck when squatting. Could it also be the cause of my inflammation and continued discomfort? What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Josephine]

Yes, it came through - I merged it into your thread.

Yes, it can be contributing to or even causing the inflammation and discomfort. If only because the muscles are rubbing on it and getting caught. See my previous post.