THR Advice for Pre-op Pain Relief?

[YasmineS]

Hi! I'm new here. I am scheduled for a right hip replacement on November 2nd. Can anyone give any advice on pain relief please?

My surgeon said I have end-stage osteoarthritis and the bones are rubbing together. Everything is agony. I cannot sit, lie down, walk, stand, bend down or move other parts of my body without causing excruciating pain. Can't sleep. The pain extends all down throughout every part of the leg and into the foot and is searing, extreme and constant. I take 8 paracetamol per day, 6 Ibuprofen and have Tramadol. This combination only slightly takes the edge off the pain.

The surgeon said a steroid injection would most likely not help. He was very pessimistic about any pain relief through drugs and said the only answer is the operation. He's an extremely experienced surgeon and hip operations is all that he does.

Prior to this problem I was a very active, fit, slim person who swam, cycled, walked loads and now I have two large, young dogs that I can't take out. My days are spent mostly forcing myself to do what has to be done in life and in between each chore slumping on the sofa. Don't want to wish my life away, but I'd rather hibernate until the operation date because my quality of life is so poor.

If I had the £16000, I'd get this done next week. I've had four babies and I can honestly say that this pain is far worse than childbirth with no pain relief.

 

[Mojo333]

@YasmineS
Welcome to the forum.
I started you this pre-op thread so you can hopefully get some suggestions from some of our members about what helped them pre-op.

I have so much sympathy reading your description of the lack of Sleep, limited range of motion, and chronic pain.

I was also diagnosed with end-stage bone-on-bone osteoarthritis and due to lack of diagnosis, suffered almost 2 years with very little relief.
I was so depressed, and - like you - was ready to get this surgery show on the road so I could get back to a painfree life.
I didn't get much relief from any pain relievers either and my surgeon felt like an injection would not be helpful at the stage I was at either.
Many hippies say they iced, but a heating pad was my constant companion and (like with your over the counter meds) it only took the edge off.
I don't suppose they have you on a list for any cancellation spots?
This is a long wait....and I know I haven't been very helpful...but I think that if someone could come up with the answer to OA pain, they would win the Nobel Prize.

I'm sorry for anyone who has to go through this... but do try to eat well, work on upper body strengthening (very helpful post-op) and use a cane to help baby that hip.
Thankfully, THR is the cure...we just have to get there.

 

[YasmineS]

Thank you @Mojo333
Thanks for welcoming me to this group
I'm glad I am not alone experiencing osteoarthritis. I had no idea about it prior to my own problem. My grandmother had rheumatoid arthritis and I remember her saying that she would not wish it on her worst enemy. I know this is slightly different, but her words make sense now all these years later.There we're no joint replacement operations suitable for her back then sadly and she was in terrible pain all the time I knew her.
You sound as though you went through something very similar. I hope you are feeling better now .The wait for surgery is actually not as long as in some places. It's 12-18 months in the next city to ours. Don't know how anyone could deal with this.
Thanks for the tips. I'll try a heat pad and am going to purchase a stick today. Last night I actually did not know how I would walk the 15 feet between my bedroom and my medication. Every single tiny movement sent me into a cold sweat and made me feel really sick.
Thanks for your words of encouragement.

 

[Mojo333]

You're welcome.

Yes, I was thoroughly miserable.
I also had both hips that were equally horrid, at the ripe old age of 53, and can not think of anyone in my family who has had terrible OA at a fairly early age.
My surgeon's recommendation was double hip replacement

The first weeks after BTHR were definitely challenging, but not near as awful as the wait and pain leading up to the surgery.
I am now 5 years post-op, and do a physical job, play hard, and have two strong pain-free hips!
This is a great forum for whining and getting tips on recovery.
Hang in there, friend.

 

[Mojo333]

I'll try a heat pad and am going to purchase a stick today

I hope this helps a bit... even a bit, at this stage, is welcomed.

 

[YasmineS]

@Mojo333 Oh my goodness, that must have been a nightmare, but it's so good to hear that you are in a completely different place now. It's become clear to me, since I started talking to others, that this is a very common problem. My son's girlfriend's mother had her hip replacement done a few months ago and it's given her a new lease of life. She was in terrible agony and coughed up the cash, because she could not cope any longer There is hope. I shall have a good read of all the contributions here. Thanks once again.

 

[Jaycey]

@YasmineS I had to wait 6 months for LTHR with a collapsed hip. Using any type of walking aid really did help. I used one elbow crutch. You can even try using a walking pole. Position the aid on the side opposite your bad hip.

 

[YasmineS]

@Jaycey Thank you. I have just been to a mobility aid store and bought two sticks. Will practice with them on the patio. I walked to the car literally across the street and that was manageable after being unable to walk even a few feet yesterday..
That sounds awful for you. It must have been excruciating. How are you now?

 

[Jaycey]

@YasmineS Yes, it was not a fun time dealing with a very bad hip. But my first step post LTHR was magic. No more grinding pain.

I've had both hips replaced. The op is life changing! Sorry your wait is SO long!

 

[YasmineS]

@Jaycey This is very encouraging. I am so happy that you are feeling better. I can hear the bones clunking every step I take and even if I turn around whilst standing getting dried from the shower for example..My daughter nearly threw up today when she heard this noise. The wait is actually not too bad compared to some of the hospitals around here. But any wait is awful when you're in pain. Thank you for you kind words.

 

[Jaycey]

Please baby that hip. If you are at the stage where you are hearing the grinding that means every step creates friction in the joint. I ignored all that and paid heavily. Use those sticks and try and limit any excess stress on the joint. What did my hip in was moving house (heavy lifting) and pushing heavy furniture.

 

[YasmineS]

@Jaycey Good advice, and much appreciated. I have a lot of responsibility here with my family and home and I have been trying to ignore the pain. The last few days it has become significantly worse and I can't ignore it. The sticks so far seem to be making it much less painful to move around the house. I would think that moving heavy furniture would have caused problems for you. It's all clear with hindsight.
Thanks for the tips.

 

[beachgal]

@YasmineS, bless your heart, and I know that is a very southern expression but it comes from the most sympathetic part of me. I know the pain you describe SO well and, day after day with no relief, well, it's just the worst.

When I had my left hip replaced eight years ago, I had been in that type of pain for years, literally. My hip problem went misdiagnosed by three or four OS and it finally got to the point that I threatened to sue if an MRI wasn't done. The next day the order came through, I went, and my OS at the time said, "you need that hip replaced." Duh...... Seems that the joint was not properly developed when I was very young and I had gotten through most of my life without pain but it went downhill pretty fast. To say that the surgery was life-changing for me is an understatement. Now, it's time to replace the other one so I am ready!

Regarding your pups, we have a golden retriever that is still young enough to be a handful and with my hubby's back surgery last November, I was the primary handler of that critter for most of a year prior and while he's rehabbing. I think the past two years finished me off. Please have someone you trust able to care for yours while you're recovering because you won't be able to do a thing for them. It was three weeks before I could even let mine on the bed with me. Just be careful of those little things that happen so quickly but are so detrimental to your healing.

I'm taking a different pain med this time called Diclofenac. Mobic didn't work so we're trying this and it seems to help. I take two pills daily, one morning, one night as needed. Some days I only need one, depending on how active I am. With the first hip, my go-to drug was Tramadol, but my diagnosis with this one is bone on bone, arthritis, etc. Maybe that's why the new drug works better. Who knows? I'm just thankful I'm not popping OTC all day long.

Good luck as you prepare and I hope you have someone ready to snap your photo when you stand for the first time with zero pain in that hip! It's a feeling I cannot describe...pain...gone in a flash!

 

[HollyNY]

Hi @YasmineS ,
My hip is bone on bone also.

The only thing that gives any relief is the hot water in the shower or a heating pad.

If my hip is bearing weight it is hurting.

I have been on a strong NSAID called Etodolac.
It only takes the top end off of the pain.

Hopefully one day there will be an injectable cushion for the hip bones like they use hylauranic acid for knees. But nothing so far.

 

[Merrimay]

Hi @YasmineS ,
My surgery (left thr) is scheduled for Oct 19. Your description of your pain could be my own. Like a dunny, I got a cortisone shot in July. It didn't work, but it did postpone my surgery for 3 months. I wish I could share pre-op pain-relief secrets with you...but nothing and I mean nothing works for me. So I hear you and I get it, and you're not alone. Hang in there. We'll get through this!

 

[YasmineS]

@beachgal Thank you for taking the trouble to reply in such detail. It's good to hear that others can really understand what you're experiencing.

The care of the dogs has had to be completely handed over to others. This is extremely upsetting and In sure you'll know what I mean. I struggle to lower their food bowls to the floor.

How uplifting to hear that your surgery has transformed your life for the better I guess that it's not always possible to work out the cause of hip arthritis. I was always extremely flexible as a child and could get myself into a lot if unusual positions that the other kids could not. Whether this out extra strain in the joint, I suppose I'll never know.
I am finding that my knee is now giving a lot if pain, probably because it's taking extra strain. I hope this does not end up with a ruined knee joint.
I expect you're impatient the get your second hip done if you're experiencing bone in bone pain. It's the worst pain ever.
Take good care of yourself and keep us updated.

 

[YasmineS]

@HollyNY
Sorry to hear that you're suffering bone on bone pain too..I tried the heat pad trick, but it's been so warm this summer that you end up overheated and uncomfortable.

You're right that the treatment options are limited to joint replacement or pain killers. It would be nice to think that sone sort of cartilage replacement might become a treatment of the future.
I have a clunking noise in my hip now every time I walk, twist, turn or bend. It's audible to everyone in the room. Horrible.
Look after yourself

 

[YasmineS]

@Merrimay
I bet you can't wait for your operation. I was strongly advised against the steroid injection because it only helps in the earlier stages of osteoarthritis.
Poor you. Know exactly what you mean about the pain. Nothing touches it. Can't remember the last day when I had zero pain. Must be 18 months ago. Very depressing.
Good luck!

 

[Hip4life]

I feel your pain, and HAVE felt your pain. The 18 months rang home for me. That was my time frame as well. I had no clue about OA and was treated for various muscle/tendon pains. It was little consolation but a bit validating when my surgeon said post-op, "It was pretty angry in there. You were putting up with a lot." I was only given Tramadol pre-op. It did little for me. I'm not sure there is much that does besides the ice or heat. I had to use assistive devices like a cane to get around. I even had to use a makeshift walker (a supply cart) at work since you couldn't use any devices and still work. People just thought I was very prepared with supplies. It's funny now but not so then. My point is, you just do whatever you can to get yourself to surgery with the pain relief you will have to motivate you. "For now, not forever" mindset. The wait is daunting but you have many people here who understand and have big shoulders to cry on. If I had found this forum before my surgery, you can bet there would have been a lot of wet shoulders from my corner. Blessings on this journey and may you find comfort wherever you can.

 

[YasmineS]

@Hip4life
Thanks for those reassuring words. All of this resonates with me.It is a gruelling daily challenge and this condition now dominates everything in my life and makes everything worse. Was just trying to work out how to carry my morning cup of tea from kitchen to chair. Firstly, remove stick from right hand, secondly place with other stick in left hand, thirdly pick up hot tea and try not to scald myself when trying to walk in severe pain with two sticks in one hand,, hot tea in the other and unstable clunking hip joint.
I find that shopping trolleys in the supermarket are quite useful walkers, a bit like your office cart.
You're right about trying to focus on this as a short term state of affairs. We're fortunate that this condition can be successfully treated, unlike many diseases. So far the people I've met on here seem to be very kind and able to describe their experiences so clearly.
Thanks once again