Aching leg muscles & spasms at night

[JudyS]

Cowboypilot
Why did you quit taking pain meds so soon? We all had such major surgery. It takes a long time for your body to heal and it definately needs sleep to get better.
I had my hip replaced in June and did take pain meds for at least 3 months. My doc at one point gave me a prescription when i told him with pain meds I could walk without a limp, without I had a limp. He said it was better to have no limp .
Take care of yourself
Judy
Oh I am also very active and 51

 

[Judles]

And I can vouch for her! Judy's our resident source of inspiration!

 

[Nancy]

Josephine, what's a TENS machine? And were you directing that advice to me?

 

[mvo]

Hello Arla,

I had the leg spasms about 3-6 weeks after my surgery - in the evenings and during the night, and they always happened after I has overdone the exercises a bit, or had done a lot of walking (still on a crutch then) during the day.

I still get the occasional spasm (nearly six months out from a THR).

Hope that helps,
Monica

 

[Josephine]

Josephine, what's a TENS machine? And were you directing that advice to me?

Yes, I was addressing you. I've mentioned TENS so many times in here over the past months, I would have thought everyone knew I was the biggest fan of them! They are a non-invasive, drugless form of pain relief. Read about them here. I have been using them for years, worked my way through four machines so far! I've used them on upper arms, shoulders, upper back, lower back, sciatica (i.e. bum!) and knee.

My current one I got of Ebay for a very reasonable price and can recommend it. Get one with 2 channels, not one, then you can use 2 pairs of electrodes at once for better pain relief. It also has a 30 minute timer which is good if you happen to nod off whilst using it as it's not recommended to sleep with them going.

I was told this afternoon of this forum. I just posted a question regarding the exact same thing, and wish I had read your postings first. I have nearly quit my pain meds, and take only one pill maybe every other day when the pain is too much. Maybe I am quitting too early.

cowboy, obviously you need some education about pain and pain control. When you've had major surgery - and expecially when it involves bone cutting - there are two phases of pain. The first is the acute pain that you get from the incision in the soft tissues, skin and muscle and soforth. This needs intensive medication for pain relief and if you don't do that, then your rehab and PT is hampered.

But secondly, once that first phase is settled, there is the deeper, low grade pain that is the bone healing and getting itself adjusted to having been cut and otherwise refashioned to take the new hip. This is what you are suffering from at the present time and whilst it won't be the kind of pain that makes you limp or brings tears to your eyes, it has a kind of grinding persistance that can drain your energy and effect you in almost every aspect of your life - vitality, appetite, concentration, and sleep! It doesn't need the same intense medication that the first kind does, but it does need something. Don't try to ignore it.