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7 weeks post surgery and still have pain

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bionicgirl

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I had a right hip replacement 7 weeks ago and seemed to be doing quite well. I was off the walker after 3 weeks and only used the cane a few days. At my 6 week appointment with my surgeon, I was told I am still limping too much so I need to walk more. I began walking a mile per day around the neighborhood and also running errands. I feel better when I am on my feet but when I sit I am in pain after just a few minutes. At my job I sit at my desk for 6 hours straight and am worried that I won't be able to handle it. I started cutting down on my meds after three weeks, and when I tried no meds during the day, I found I was in too much pain. So I am back to half a pill every 5-6 hours and a whole pill at night with a sleeping pill.
My question is this: Am I in more pain now because i should not be cutting back on my pain meds? I don't want to get addicted to them. I would like to go back to work but am afraid I won't be able to tolerate a whole day of sitting. They have told me at work to take the time I need. Am I better off just waiting? I was under the impression that 6 weeks was the norm for most people and I am a pretty healthy person so I was expecting that I would recuperate faster. :sigh:
 
Hi, Bonicgirl....welcome to BoneSmart! Glad you decided to join our forum.

Everyone heals differently and a lot of what you're experiencing could be related to your physical condition before surgery. When the body has a bad joint, it compensates in a variety of ways. Then the surgeon comes in and instantly puts everything back into normal alignment and now your body has to readjust. It can take some time.

It sounds to me like you could benefit from some gait training. Would your OS authorize some therapy sessions for you? Walking is good, but you must learn how to do it correctly before you can get the maximum benefit. In the meantime, concentrate on putting your heel down first and rolling onto the ball of your foot to push off for the next step.

Don't worry about your pain meds while you are going through this phase of recovery. If you hurt, you need them. You won't get addicted. But without them (as you know), things will be a lot more difficult.

And lastly, there is nothing magic about the 6-week mark. Some people are doing fabulous, others need more time. Don't beat yourself up if you are in the latter group...you have LOTS of company!!! When you must go back to work, be sure you get up and walk around AT LEAST once every hour!
 
Jamie, thanks so much for your quick reply. It has helped me so much to know I am not in the minority. I am getting PT and go there three times per week. I had an in house PT for 2 weeks then waited to see my surgeon for the PT prescription. I started last week and have been 2 times. Glad to know that I won't get addicted to the pills and will continue to take a half pill during the day. the whole pill with a sleeping pill works and I sleep at least 4-5 hours straight. I will remember to walk the way you instructed. My PT told me that but I had forgotten. Thank you!
 
Welcome, Bionicgirl!! Heel,Toe...there you go!!! You DO need more time!!!! And like Jamie said, don't be so tough on yourself!! :thmb:
:wink:
 
Thanks Judi! I am about to go on my walk and will definitely do the Heel, Toe strategy. I will try to be more patient with my recovery! Z
 
Hi there, bionicgirl - why be so stingy with yourself? If you doctor has prescribed a certain dose then you should take it!

What pain pill are you taking anyway?
 
hello and welcome im a knee but i sure hope you feel better soon...............) post anytime dont work to much........
 
Hi Josephine, The doctor prescribed Vicodin Extra Strength. At first I needed it every 4-5 hours and then I started taking a half pill during the day every 5 hours and a whole pill at night. Now I take a half about every 6-7 hours. You are right. I am going to go back to half every 4-5 hours and I should feel better. Thanks for writing! It does help me to know that i need to take more meds and not worry about it. Zita
 
No big deal, i had pain till 3.5 months
now i am almost fine...jst dnt get scared give it some time and be patient
 
Bionicgirl
I took percocet for 4 months after my hip replacement. I had been taking vicodin before it so i could continue to go hiking.
I was on all the restrictions for 3 months.
Having pain at 7 weeks is totally normal. Why not take the whole pill? You won't become addicted because you need it now.
I weaned myself off morphine after taking it for 7 months for back pain from surgery. So it can be done.
judy
 
Well I took everyone's advice and took a whole pill this morning and have definitely felt better. Now how will I know when I will be able to go back to work and actually last the whole day? I sit at a desk all day and I don't have the option of going back part time.
 
Well, make it later rather than sooner! I'd say something like 2 months as a minimum though some people have gone back earlier. Rather depends how well you do. It's very difficult to be precise.
 
Hi Josephine, The doctor prescribed Vicodin Extra Strength. At first I needed it every 4-5 hours and then I started taking a half pill during the day every 5 hours and a whole pill at night. Now I take a half about every 6-7 hours. You are right. I am going to go back to half every 4-5 hours and I should feel better. Thanks for writing! It does help me to know that i need to take more meds and not worry about it. Zita

Has he only prescribed ONE tablet every 4 hours? What an awfully mean dose!

If it is only one, then take it 4hrly regardless for a while. That will be 5 doses per day assuming none during the night, which is quite acceptable.
 
Hope you heed Jo's sage advice! Another example of stingy meds! :shk::shk::shk:
 
All this pain med stuff is so interesting & difficult for me. I was given 10 days worth of slow acting oxycontin and vicodin (Norco) when I left the hospital. I was taking the oxycontin 2x per day as per the instructions. The vicodin bottle said take every 4 hours as needed.

A few days after being home I had some questions and so I called one of the Physician's Assistants. I asked her "should I be taking these vicodin every 4 hours?" and she said "not necessarily, some people don't need that many" This comment made me almost feel like I shouldn't need that many. And why aren't they encouraging us to stay on top of the pain?

I was given the advice pre-surgery to take ibuprofen on a regular basis in order to stay ahead of the pain so it just seems odd to me that she would not, at 4 days post op, suggest I take them regularly. I think I caused myself to suffer unnecessarily during that time.

Also, at the hospital the nurse seemed surprised that I was given "so many" vicodins and told me that the oxycontin should be able to give me the pain relief I needed. But I was only given 10 days worth of oxy!
When I went to see my doc 1 week post op he didn't have any problem with me continuing pain relief as long as I needed. He said he understands that every situation is unique and there is often more to overcome than just the hip pain (all the other damage I did to my back, knee & leg muscles)

When I ran out of the oxycontin I had to call again because I couldn't sleep on the vicodin (wires me up) and they gave me 10 night's more of the oxycontin (different Physician's assistant) Now I am almost out of those. I keep feeling nervous like someone is going to cut me off of the pain relief and it makes me want to hoard them 'just in case' I have a REALLY bad pain day or a night when I can't sleep. I shouldn't have to worry about this at 3 weeks post op.

Last year I started on Vicodin after developing sciatica due to my pelvic twist. My GP hesitantly prescribed vicodin & I took at most 3 per day. When I later saw a neurosurgeon about this same problem he told me "3 a day is nothing" I had the same comment from a nurse at my pre-op but yet my GP was so concerned with me being on these especially long term.

I am just wondering why there is such a difference in the way medical professionals feel and handle the prescribing of these meds.

Thanks for letting me rant a bit,
Sheri
 
I think some doctors and nurses are so ill-informed or inexperienced about pain management that they think anyone taking anything for more than a couple of days are over-indulging themselves!

This is not minor surgery! You need good pain meds in order to recover properly and to allow your body to heal itself - the two are very much inter-linked. I have this chart to explain it

[Bonesmart.org] 7 weeks post surgery and still have pain


You can see by this how poor pain control affects your overall recovery and it's actually quite a simple progression. Rocket science it ain't!

So as I understand it, your OS is sympathetic and willing to prescribed but one of his PAs isn't. Then if you speak to her/him, and get this stupid attitude, demand to speak to the OS instead.

And if that fails, see your GP but if he gets reluctant, as I understand it, you can always self-refer to a pain clinic.

It's all very well her saying "not necessarily, some people don't need that many"but what she was also intimating was that most people do need that many - and more! In other words, you have to stand up for your rights and don't let these careless and unsympathetic attitudes deprive you of necessary care.
 
Thanks Josephine. I was thinking about going to a pain clinic but thought I would need a referral for that.
I liked that chart and have definately noticed those things in my own recovery.

:)Sheri
 
Hi Judy, It helps so much to know that I am not alone. I now have to decide whether to tough it out and go back to work next week. I sit for the whole time so it is not a good position for me to be in for long. I will be off the week of Thanksgiving. I am worried that I'll go back next week and won't be able to last the whole day so am I better off just waiting until after the Thanksgiving week? that gives me 2 1/2 weeks. Hope I am ready by then. My leave is for 12 weeks but that is a long time to be gone. Zita
 
There ya go!!! Keep up the good work,B gIRL!!! :thmb:
:wink:
 
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