Revision THR 8wks post op - more pain than before<<

[AMR1879]

@Mojo333 thank you for your input! I think I'm going to start up with 1000mg of Tylenol, can't hurt to try (pun intended).
I am also going to take your advice and focus more on the stretching as well as massaging. I like to use one of those "Pinky" balls to roll around my hip, butt and thigh area with a good amount of pressure behind it. I am going to talk to my PT when I go back and tell him my plan and how I would like him to help me out. Let's hope he is on board!

It is usually better to wean off these meds over several weeks, not several days. But.....if you are still having pain, then your body is healing and you still need pain relief and since you are, maybe you need to rethink this.

I have been doing my wean-off over the last couple of months. I agree with perhaps staying on the meds a little longer because of my pain level, but NY doctors are extremely hesitant to prescribe narcotics due to the large amount of people abusing them, and the strict guidelines NY state has put on prescribing them. Basically, they are afraid of the medication, lol. I too don't like the stigma that comes along with narcotics and look forward to not having to take them just because of that. The question of whether or not they help has gone out the window--my dr actually told me they don't work for pain, and can make pain feel worse if you build a tolerance (??). I think that is when I just gave up on them and decided to wean off.

I know you do but you don't have to. It's a fallacy that our US members seem to buy into with great enthusiasm. Almost like "I have to do something - THIS is something, I will do it"!
Since you already have such prodigious amounts of pain, I would stress that this is entirely the wrong thing for you to do.

You're right! Ok, I will readjust what I do in PT. I say readjust rather than stop because I would like the PT's help with stretching and massaging. Maybe I am yet again falling into the "I have to do something, what can I do?" conundrum but stretching and massaging using the 2.5 inch "Pinky" ball feels so good--in that "it hurst but in a feels good sort of way." @Josephine What do you think about that adjustment in my PT?

And I'm actually astonished at the amount and spread of pain you have!
I think that spread on the right in the yellow box is likely to be Trochanteric bursitis and/or Piriformis syndrome.
But that on the left, I have no idea. It could be referred pain from the TB and Piriformis. Maybe

I am thinking mostly Piriformis Syndrome. Those terrible days when the pain runs right down through the outside of my knee to my ankle, are most likely caused by the sciatic nerve getting squeezed by the contracted Piriformis muscle. Which is why stretching and massage is my plan to hopefully relieve some of my pain.

I think the pain I feel in the front, is mostly referred pain and perhaps tight hip flexors? I also feel either my IT band or more simply just my quad muscles are super tight because it feels sooooo good to roll the Pinky ball up and down my thigh with a decent amount of pressure.

So I have plan ! Incorporate more stretching and massage. I hope that sounds good to you!? Basically I just go by feel in regards to both, if it feels good, great and pain while doing both the stretches and massage isn't a bad thing, right?? I am keeping within my hip precaution's limits..speaking of which, do I still need to be following those precautions? Is that a lifetime thing now that I have had a revision?!


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[Mojo333]

Hope it gives you some relief. Hate you've had such a time of it, but I wouldn't want to stress that new stem in any way since you've already had all those issues. Funny pun. Glad you are trying to stay positive.

 

[Josephine]

Those terrible days when the pain runs right down through the outside of my knee to my ankle, are most likely caused by the sciatic nerve getting squeezed by the contracted Piriformis muscle

Correct. You saw the images in the piriformis article then?

So I have plan ! Incorporate more stretching and massage. I hope that sounds good to you!?

Excellent!

 

[Mojo333]

Going to have to check on Pinky ball? What is that? I have some of those same issues not to the extent you described but never heard of a Pinky ball.
Hope you had a good day.

 

[AMR1879]

Here is what a pinky ball is..... you can use a tennis ball or something similar, but the pinky ball has a nice softness to it.

 

[Mojo333]

Oh yeah. Think I have seen one. Gonna find it. Thank you. I do some massaging with heel of my hand...feels uncomfortably good...as you describe.
Think that would work better.

 

[AMR1879]

@Josephine I am a bit concerned about some knee pain I have been having for the last 3 or 4 days!! It is my right, non THR side knee.

I have been doing more stretching in addition to my walking for my left hip rehab, which definitely seems to be helping, I am pleased to report, but, my walking has come to a halt when I started to have this pain in my knee.

I have now noticed some swelling in the area below and curving up on either side of my knee cap. The most tender areas (to the touch) seem to be on the inside/side and the outside/side of the knee and forget about kneeling on it, which I learned the hard way getting down to play on the floor with my son.

I am thinking I may have to go to my ortho surgeon to have it checked . How can this be?!? I have been icing and resting it as much as I can. But now I limp from my left hip AND right knee pain, I am feeling quite upset about this.

When I noticed the swelling, I thought right away, I have to ask Josephine about this! I don't know if you have any insight into what I could have done, hopefully it isn't anything serious. But, I know NOTHING about knees!

 

[Josephine]

Well, my first thought is - have you had this knee xrayed? If not, that would seem the first thing to do. If you di succeed in getting that done, please post a copy of the xray here so I can take a look at it for you.

 

[AMR1879]

Well, my first thought is - have you had this knee xrayed? If not, that would seem the first thing to do. If you di succeed in getting that done, please post a copy of the xray here so I can take a look at it for you.

I am going today... I was hoping it would be improved, but it is not.


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[AMR1879]

Nothing too obvious besides the swelling.

 

[AMR1879]

It has been awhile since my last post. My right knee seems to be better, but my left leg (the THR w/revision leg) is still having issues. Mid thigh, looking at your chart, @Josephine it’s In the area where the four squares, F2L at X and Y and F1L at X and Y. I have a great deal of pain that makes it very painful to walk. It also radiates into my knee and up into my hip joint area. It feels like it is muscle pain bc there is an area on my thigh that is more tender than other areas. I am going to the Orthopedic surgeon Tues morning to have it checked. I’m hoping it isn’t the implant coming loose or something!! I want this whole hip nonsense to end already! I want to be pain free when I walk. I hope everyone who has helped me in the past is doing well and those that shared their personal experiences, thank you!!

 

[Horseshoe]

@AMR1879 Hi! Haven't been on here in awhile and thought I'd pop in and catch up. Sorry to read that you're still experiencing pain in the same leg, how frustrating, you've been quite the trooper and deserve to be pain free! Hopefully Josephine will be able to shed some light for you. Great new pic, he's a little cutie

 

[Marvy]

@AMR1879 I'm sorry to hear that you are still having pain after your revision. I know how frustrating that is. Please let us know what your OS says. After everything you have been through, you deserve to be pain free.

 

[Layla]

Hello @AMR1879
I'm so sorry you are still experiencing pain. You've been through a lot, it's been a long haul.
Hopefully your visit with the OS tomorrow will shed positive light. Prayers for answers and
solutions so you can finally be pain free.
Wishing you comfort.

 

[AMR1879]

@AMR1879 ...you've been quite the trooper and deserve to be pain free! Hopefully Josephine will be able to shed some light for you. Great new pic, he's a little cutie

Thank you @Horseshoe, I'm not sure if I’ll ever be pain free I plan to post any X-rays they take tomorrow (assuming they will) maybe Josephine will see something that they don’t, AGAIN!! Thank you for the comment on my pic. I have to return the compliment, he/she is a real beauty! Seal bay or black? My teenage through adult horse was truly black, with a small white star, and that’s it. My dr told me to wait 1year after my revision to start thinking about riding again [emoji53]. I guess it’s better than never again!


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[AMR1879]

Here are my X-rays from today. @Josephine hoping you can take a look. Bone scan and blood work in the next week or two....here we go again [emoji52]

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[Horseshoe]

Hi @AMR1879 did your ortho say anything about the latest xrays? Think hip pain can be from knee issues and vice versa. I'll tag @Josephine for you, perhaps she'll have an opinion on both your recent knee and hips xrays. Best wishes!

 

[ajr1949]

this is the first time I have heard of a loose stem

I noted some of your pain symptoms were similar to mine. I am currently awaiting revision surgery on a THR carried out in August 2012. My new surgeon has concluded that the stem is loose. He too showed me the gaps on the x-ray. I hope you get some answers soon and a way forward. It wasn't until i sought a second opinion that i began to see a way forward after a series of tests to rule out various complications.

 

[Josephine]

AMR1879 I can't tell anything from those xrays. The resolution is awfully grainy. Did you use your phone to photograph them from the doctor's view screen? Can you get hold of the original films?

In the area where the four squares, F2L at X and Y and F1L at X and Y.

I don't know where you got these references from but they don't make any sense to me.

Can you try again using this image?

 

[AMR1879]

Sorry, the pain is approximately in the center of the square that L2F X and Y and L1F X and Y make.