after hip replacement

[Annemarie]

One thing I forgot to mention was the fact that after the left hip surgery I experienced a rather painful left heel (back of heel). I am not certain if the leg was pulled up during the entire 1/1-2 hr surgery thereby placing extra pressure onto the left foot and heel, but this heel pain, feeling like a red hot throbbing blister lasted for four days, being especially painful when trying to sleep at night. Come to think of it, the left foot was actually covered by a padded tea cosy shaped pillow for the first 24 hours after surgery. For the next month I take a daily dose of blood thinner (5mg to prevent those dredded post surgery blood clots) as well as blood building Ferrous Gluconate plus one blood test per week for 4 weeks. My new hip feels wonderful, problem is, the other one does not.

 

[Sonia S.]

Hello Annemarie, Thanks for your reply. You know with this heel pain that you are complaining about God knows what happens on the operating table with all the hammering they do! You should ask your surgeon next time you see him. When you say that you cannot twist, bend etc... is that just for the first few months after the operation or forever? Because when i aked the surgeon, he told me that i could do what ever i want and do thing that i coudn't do before!!! Sonia S.

 

[Annemarie]

Hi Sonia. I was informed before the operation, that once all is healed, almost all normal activities, except ofcourse bungy jumping etc. could be resumed. This morning however I notice some leackage from the lowest/28th stitch, the one closest to the knee. I also had several bouts of extreme freezing last night. Must call the Surgeons office the morning to inquire about it. Otherwise, the movement of this hip has increased wonderfully. all in all, I am glad I had it done. Annemarie

 

[yvette]

What kind type of hip did you receive ie. metal on metal, ceramic or ceramic or a material with polyethylene. Furthermore, would you stick with this decision knowing what you do now? Also, just how far does the incision go down the thigh?

 

[Annemarie]

Greetings Yvette. As far as I know I have a cereamic hip. The 28 staples came out two weeks after to op, the cut was about 9 inches long. There still is some tenderness around the left knee, although the stitches are nowhere near it. To night however, I may just drop by the local Hospital as some of the lower stitches, about 6 of them, appear infected. All seemed fine until the staple removal, stitches were nice and flat, but now most looks hot, red with several bluish and seeping stitches. Other then Euthenasia, hip replacement was the only way to relieve the years of my excruciating hip pain. I don't regret having done it. I just wish I could have avoided it altogether. However I cannot help but wonder about the possible causes for the ever increasing need of such procedures in the first place. Annemarie

 

[Mr.Valery Korobeynyk]

Dear Annemarie,
Thank You ever so much for Your letter to me and very kind advice. Today I wrote to Mississauga and will hope and wait. How are You after operation?
I'll be very glad to have more information about such painful probleme for me as Hip replacement as here it is very often impossible to get as it as any real help.
Except Ukrainian and Russian I know Germany, Polnish, Serbo-Croatian and as You can read - not so bad English language.
Best wishes for You and Your family.
Yours sincerely,
Valery from small Ukrainian town Kobelyaky.

 

[Sonia S.]

Hello Annemarie, I hope the infection is under control, let us know what happened and why so we have an idea of problems arising after a hip replacement. I am a very sensitive person and since you told me that your stitches were not healing properly, all my mind has been on you and even though i do not know you personnaly i feel for you. I wish you well and keep us posted. Sonia S.

 

[Annemarie]

Hi Sonia. All is well with the stitches. Only the bottom two had a small leakage, now healed. One can only marvel at the recuperative power of the body. The stitched area, looking more like a tied up roast only last week is already flat again. Physio is progressing better then anticipated. If a muscle had been cut and not just moved out of place during the surgery, it must have been cut into vertically because I already have far more lifting power in this leg than before.

 

[Sonia S.]

Hello Annemarie, how are you going? Is the stitched area healing nicely?
What kind of excercise do you do at physio and does it hurt? Do you feel you are getting better day by day. When you wake up in the morning, does it feel very stiff? and is this stiffness gone go one day or it will be there for ever?. Are you allowed to sleep on your operated side by now or is it too soon or too painful? I have a friend who just had a complete histerectomy (i'm sure it's not an easy operation) and the next day after her operation she is comforting me saying that she feels fine and that i should have my hips replaced as well! She is trying to comfort me but i still cannot get myself to hospital!!! I need complete re***urance, I am terrible! Best wishes, Sonia S.

 

[Annemarie]

Greetings Sonia. It is now 4 weeks since my hip replacement. The cut is healing just fine, but the area still remains real tender. I sleep mostly on my back with a pillow under the leg. I can not bring myself to sleep on the operated side. I feel stiff and painful after the twice weekly Physio were I am expected to do 3x10 leg leg lifts and all sorts of other 3x10 muscle strengthening routines. I feel they are trying to rush me into "getting stronger". I am still on crutches and my armpits begin to hurt. The only real problem now is the fact that the so called healthy hip is too painful in order to support my "new hip" during the healing process. Since I am not going to seek a second replacement this year I try to persevere until next spring. I waited far too long, I wish I had my hips fixed years ago. Don't make the same mistake, go for it while you have the opportunity.

 

[Sonia S.]

Hi Annemarie, you say that your other hip is painful because you try to support the new hip, if i have both hip replaced at the same time, where am i gonna get the support from! Are you going to see your surgeon again? When you had the infection of the stitches did you see the surgeon of just a G.P.? Does your surgeon know that you had some problems? After 4 weeks do you have pain while walking? Are you able to sit down on a chair or sofa by yourself without help? Do you need help to stand up? Sonia S.

 

[Annemarie]

Greetings Sonia. Physio is the only reason for my painful hip. Too much extreme activity such as 3x10 leg lifts with a 3lb weight, etc. My non operated hip is painful which also adds to the overall problem when walking. Otherwise all is fine with the fixed hip. What I took for infection was nothing but the normal drainage of the incision. I see the actual surgeon on June 12. Sitting down is no problem as long as the chair is not too low, the same goes for the bed. No help is required when standing up. You do need a different toilet seat, one about 6 inches higher. You also need a long shoe horn and a grip extension. Now that the first hip has been fixed and that awful pain has vanished I have been told that I look 20 years younger. Great, I am 45 once again. I have no idea how anyone could go for two hip replacements at the same time. Gawd, I am glad I did not! As it was I had tiny bouts of sadness and tears during the first semi-painful week, which according to the daily visiting surgeon was normal. The incision area is still tender but healing well. All you need is a good surgeon and you are on your way to a better tomorrow.

 

[Sonia S.]

Thanks Annemarie, for enlightening me a little bit. Have you been told when it is that your normal functions comes back again? I mean that when you do not need to sit on higher chairs, raised toilet sit or use a shoe horn anymore. Also about the age, I think that if you have a good sense of humour you can be young for ever and helps the healing process. Thank you for chatting with me.

 

[conarhu]

Hi everybody, my name is Ruth I live in Perth Western Australia, it is by chance I came across this web site, I am recovering from a hip replacement 6wks ago I am still on crutches but hopefully I will be walking with one after I see my specialist nxt week, it is still painfull around the wound and if I try to put full weight on the hip it does hurt slightly I am hopeing that will subside as the hip gets stronger, I still cannot bend to put a sock/shoe on my right side, again I hope I get this movement back

 

[Annemarie]

Greetings Ruth. Welcome to the semi-bionic-hippy club, haha. You are about 10 days ahead of my hip replacement and we are almost identical in progress. Keep the weight of the new hip for a little longer as it takes time to cement or heal, at least that's what I have been advised. How many staples did you have and how did it feel when they were removed? I have heard from various sources that it can take up to a year before all is back to "normal" again. I too require help with socks/shoes etc., either from hubby or that "grabber" stick. The scar is still tender but other than the odd tweek there is no pain from the fixed hip but I do feel muscle spasms. I hope you will be well soon. Annemarie

 

[Sonia S.]

Hello Ruth, I am from Sydney Australia (your neighbour). I think who ever has had a hip replacement is really very brave, well done! And also to everyone else!
I am so scared it's not funny! The pain is becoming worse, the mobility is less week by week. I have a question for you, you say that after now 7 weeks you cannot put full weight on you new hip because it hurts. Do you think that is would be very bad to have two hips operated at the same time? Would it be really to hard to walk even with crutches? I am scared that i will not be able to stand up at all the day after the operation! What do you think? Best wishes, Sonia S.

 

[Annemarie]

Hello Sonia. In regards to your pain getting worse by the day, don't wait too long. I put off my operation for many years all the while spending a small fortune on Chiropractors, herbals, inlay soles, pain medicine and all sorts of devices promissing to ease my pain. Let's face it, the only part of your body that can hurt after the operation is the incision and the surrounding bruised and swollen tissue, the hip can't hurt because "it ain't real no more". The actual hip pain is gone by the time you awake. I now can't wait to have my second hip fixed, anything is better than the present pain.

 

[Bea777]

Annemarie, did you ever find out what causes the heel pain? I have had both hips done this year. After my second one I got pain in my right foot. It is around the back, and on the right outside of my foot. I feel great after getting both hips replaced, but I am dealing with this foot thing. Surely wish I could find out what that is. The DR. knows, but doesn't seem to be concerned. I have to go back and see him May 31, maybe I will find out something then.

 

[Annemarie]

Hello Bea 777. In regards to this heel pain, I see my surgeon on June 12 but I do suspect it is a nerve thing. For years prior to the opertation I did notice tingling sensations at the same area presently interrupted by hours of painful outburts. I shall keep you posted when I find more info. You may require a nerve conduction test in order to determine if there is some nerve damage.

 

[Sonia S.]

Hello Annemarie, today I saw my second opinion. He wasn't a very nice doctor to talk to! I think he was surprise to see someone my age visiting his surgery but when he examined me he told my X-ray looked bad but i looked worse. He then promptly talked about the surgery itself, the good and the bad. He went so fast it came in one ear and come out the other! He didn't like me to interrupt him so when the time came for me to ask questions i had forfotten what i wanted to ask! What the H...! I am sure he is an excellent surgeon but a lousy talker! Anyway, while struggling to ask questions, i asked about this heel pain or foot pain some of you are having. He looked as if he didn't know why someone would have a foot pain. Then he said "the patients that i have operated on do not have foot pain" and then he asked me who said that they have foot pain and i replied i know 2 ladies that have foot pain after the hip replacement. Then he said it might be some nerve problem... He was not sympathetic so i coudn't hask anymore questions, sorry i coudln't be more help to you and Bea777. See Ya... Sonia