THR 3 weeks post RTHR...a few questions

[almostready?]

My doctor prescribed Celebrex for 30 days immediately post-surgery because the inhibiting effects prevent bone hypertrophy.

 

[Sunny girl]

Hmm, I've been using Mobic (meloxicam) quite regularly since my RTHR 4 months ago for my very bad hip in waiting. Mobic is also a NSAID. Looks like that was the wrong move for my lovely new uncemented implant :-(
Thanks for bringing up this very important question @lulu150. No Ibuprofen AND no Mobic for my next hip surgery - though with two new implants finally in place, I'm hoping I won't need NSAIDS anymore.

I hope you find a solution to controlling pain that won't upset your system lulu150! All the best.

 

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

Hydrotherapy really helped me reduce the pain before my bilateral surgery. I also found changing my diet for a while seemed to help. (to an anti-inflamitory diet.) It was boring, but I noticed a difference. Now I can eat normally.

I also was very aware of my implants after the surgery, like you mentioned. People would ask me, "Can you feel them?" "Yes!" I answered. "They feel like two guns." Once the bone growth had happened, and more healing had taken place, they felt invisible. If I over exercised, the pain returned. Now I forget that they are there most of the time. Mine are also uncemented.

Did you have the surgeon in SF who trained with Dr. Matta? I've heard such great things about him. Dr. Matta did my hips, and I love him. Hope you are doing well. It just takes time, patience, and following the Bonesmart mantras. I found the Percoset to be like a miracle drug. It's so important not to be under medicated. That made a huge difference for me. I also was able to use over the counter Motrin later on, after I had gotten off the prescriptions. I took it once in a while, if I had overdone things. Each person is so different.

 

[lulu150]

@Hip Hip Hooray! how long did it take before you were less aware of your implants? my pelvis also appears to be tilted per my PT. i have a long list of questions for my surgeon when i go back next week for 6 week check up. my surgeon was stuart goodman at stanford hospital. my new alignment was a result of the dysplasia and all that had to be fixed. i do worry that things may never be the same. i still need to replace the left one (amazed you did bilateral!) so hoping to find a permitted nsaid to get me through the next ~6-12 months.

 

[Jaycey]

@lulu150 I know they say NSAIDs inhibit bone growth but all I took for pain control post both THRs was a NSAID. I did have a discussion with my surgeon before my second THR and he did not have a problem with me using NSAIDs up to the day of surgery and post op. Discuss this with your surgeon.

 

[lulu150]

@Sunny girl i noticed you are from brisbane - i was born there, raised in melbourne and now live in the US. i am seeing my surgeon next week and will ask him about nsaids and bone growth.

 

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

@Hip Hip Hooray! how long did it take before you were less aware of your implants? my pelvis also appears to be tilted per my PT. i have a long list of questions for my surgeon when i go back next week for 6 week check up. my surgeon was stuart goodman at stanford hospital. my new alignment was a result of the dysplasia and all that had to be fixed. i do worry that things may never be the same. i still need to replace the left one (amazed you did bilateral!) so hoping to find a permitted nsaid to get me through the next ~6-12 months.

I think you'll get better. It really helps once they are both done. My bones had shifted. I also had hip dysplasia from childhood that I didn't know I had. I'm not sure how long it took for me before I was less aware of my implants. It's on my thread somewhere. I'll have to google your surgeon. I hope you find something for the pain. There are many options. I am now pain free and people can't even tell that I had the surgery. I wish the same for you. It's really worth it. Take care...

 

[jaymo]

Interesting discussion on the Celebrex- my surgeon has prescribed Celebrex for me since postop Day 1. I never knew about the issue with bone formation. I've took it every day for 3 months and I healed up well. I still have a few in reserve for days when I overdo it and my thigh starts hurting.

Like you I had an obvious pelvic tilt and my Op leg was visibly longer. Even my pant leg was shorter on the op side. Initially walking seemed strange but the more I walked the more I got used to my new hip and the more my pelvis shifted. I want to say about 3 weeks ago (14 weeks) postop I finally felt my legs were even again. I know the feeling, but be patient and your body will adjust to your new hip.

 

[Sunny girl]

Hi lulu150.

@Sunny girl i noticed you are from brisbane - i was born there, raised in melbourne and now live in the US. i am seeing my surgeon next week and will ask him about nsaids and bone growth.

Ah, a Brissy girl! Looks like you live in another beautiful part of the world!

Will be interested to hear what your OS says about the NSAIDS.. Was also good to hear @jaymo's experience, plus @almostready?'s surgeon's positive take on NSAIDS re bone hypertrophy (although I don't really know what that is ... can you explain almostready? Bones seizing up or overgrowing or something?)

Lately I've been trying to cope on an off and on basis with the Mobic - one day off, one day on etc. Then stretching it a day longer, but boy that doesn't work too well. The exercise physiologist I saw yesterday said that doctors and OSs are tending away from NSAIDS and just advising ICE as the painkiller of choice - interesting to hear that outside of BS!

 

[leejaa]

My surgeon has no issue with Celebrex post op and in fact they prescribe it even in the hospital. Interesting as to the different practices.

 

[Clipper]

My OS prescribed Celebrex post-op, and they were also giving it to me via IV off and on for the 2 days prior to discharge. I have not had any issues. It's a high dollar NSAID here in the US. I stopped taking it after a couple weeks.

 

[KCDawg34]

Thank you for all of these replies!

I was prescribed Dilaudid, which I took for two weeks, along with Oxycontin. I felt horrendous on these drugs and at times was hallucinating. I called my doctor and we switched to Percocet which I can tolerate. I have to be honest with you that I do not find the oral narcotic drugs truly relieve my pain - they make me tired and perhaps care a little less about the pain (which I know is a form of pain control!) but the pain is still there.

I have tried Tramadol and it gives me terrible headaches so that is not an option for me. I have found ibuprofen very effective at reducing my pain but I am not allowed to take it for the first 6 weeks. I am icing several times a day.

I'm open to suggestions on other drugs to try that do not leave me feeling out of it all of the time. I am 44 and have young kids at home so prefer not to be too high on pain meds, especially when I feel they do not really relieve my symptoms. That's why I love ibuprofen - I am still myself and the pain is managed! But you are right, the brain sure does play tricks, and some good ones, too!

The first week at home I actually had a conversation with my cat. I kept hearing "Look at me," in a strong, male voice. I was the only one home, neither the TV or radio was on, and yet it continued. I looked up and the cat was staring at me...and said it one more time.

Luckily, a nurse from the hospital called to walk me through my medicication again and mentioned that my nerve pills cause many people to "have vivid dreams and maybe even hallucinate." As much as I enjoyed my discusssion with the cat, I'm not real big on the pain pills either (though I continue to take those nerve pills three times a day). No more talks with the cat, so I have to assume it was a combination of pills that caused my mental cat connection, lol.

 

[lulu150]

@KCDawg34 your message made me LOL! incredible what these meds can do. i asked my husband to remove the spider in the bed. he said "what spider?" and I said "it's right there, the black one" and he said "there is no spider!" i think he will have fun teasing me about that for many years to come.

 

[KCDawg34]

@KCDawg34 your message made me LOL! incredible what these meds can do. i asked my husband to remove the spider in the bed. he said "what spider?" and I said "it's right there, the black one" and he said "there is no spider!" i think he will have fun teasing me about that for many years to come.

Haha. That's funny. At least I know my cat. An unknown spider in the bed would have been a bit freaky.

 

[lulu150]

I saw my surgeon today and he was very pleased with my progress to date. I am just shy of 6 weeks out. My gait is terrible, and he prescribed pool therapy but also acknowledged that my hip in waiting is in bad shape and my gait won't truly be sorted until the other hip is done. In a few weeks I will likely shift from using the crutch on my operated side to my non-operated side given how bad the left is, and how much stronger the right is getting every day. I also learned my surgeon runs the largest lab in the country that studies NSAID effect on bone growth and he did approve me for Celebrex but only after 6 weeks out. I am also going back to work next week (office job), will see how I go with a few days a week to begin. I see my surgeon again in 6 weeks. It's hard to be in this hybrid stage of one hip done, one needing to be done, that's for sure.