THR Can't sleep on side 2 years post op

DarwinD

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I've got a long story and I think that may weigh into the effects of how I feel now.

I've had 2 sports hernia/athletic pubalgia surgeries on the left side. It's kind of a rare thing where you tear your stomach muscles from your pubic bone.

2 scopes with cartilage removal.
1 Surgery for Psoas Release

So 5 surgeries on that side of my body since 2007. It was a new surgery every couple of years to try to improve things. In the meantime they thought I was too young for a hip replacement, but they agreed that I needed one. They just kept me on Morphine and Dilauidid for years. At one point I was taking 90mg morphine and 32 mg hydromorphone daily.

I had my replacement done the last week in Feb. I do feel much better than I did before, but I'm still down.

I can't decide if I'm on schedule or completely behind in my recovery.


I have very low stamina and energy level. I could seriously sleep for days if I wanted to. I can walk half a mile and I start limping and hurting. I can walk all day, but the pain is there.

It seems that no matter what activity I do, I end up with really sore muscles. It just never seems to improve. I pulled my bike out after years and rode it around the block 1 day. Then again the next. It caused me to be sore afterwards, so I didn't know if I should continue that?


I'm losing track of what all I've written and am not sure I've gotten all the info I need to post.

I can add more info if anyone needs it.


Do I need to push through and keep exercising? Do I need to just rest it for a while and start exercising again?

Is it normal to feel this way this far out? I have a feeling that I'd slipped so far downhill during the years this has been going on that i've got a long recovery. It just seems no matter what I do, I don't improve. I just need some advice.
 
@DarwinD Welcome to BoneSmart. My goodness you have been through so much and then add THR! I am not surprised this recovery is taking awhile.

Recovery does depend on how long you limped around pre-op. My recovery from LTHR took over one year. Please don't get discouraged.

The trick is to start very slowly and gradually on any activity and work up. Do half as much as what you think you can do and then if that works, add more the next day. If you are tired, rest for a day and try again. Recovery is all about finding your limits and trying again.

I know you are 6 months out but I am going to leave you with our recovery article list. You can still benefit from icing and elevating so do try the mantras. And if you need more information, please ask. We are here to help you through what can be a long journey.
First are the BoneSmart mantras ....
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!
- be active as much as you need to be but not more than is necessary, meaning so much that you end up being in pain, exhausted or desperate to sit down or lay down!

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery
Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Activity progression for THRs
Home physio (PT)
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?
 
I would try to leave the time open and just work gradually. Sometimes we don't see the improvement in ourselves. I think you will improve and get stronger, but it takes a lot of patience and commitment. Little by little...
 
Welcome to BoneSmart, DarwinD. I'm so glad you found us. Yours is definitely an unusual story and, because of what you've been through over all these years, it's quite possible that your recovery from a THR will be a bit longer than the average. Please don't let that possibility get you down, though! Having a new strong hip is wonderful and slowly but surely you will increase your ability to do the things you want to do.

Are you currently on any pain medication? That can contribute to a feeling of being tired.

You ask if you are "on schedule." I'll tell you that you definitely are on YOUR body's schedule. There are no "norms" here and each person's recovery is unique to them and to the situation they find themselves in both prior to and after surgery. In your case, your body is going to have to overcome years of trying to accommodate for the injuries, surgeries and the fact that you probably should have had a THR earlier. These hurdles can be overcome, but the process is a gradual one. Jaycey's advice to you is excellent and I hope it gives you hope that things will improve. You're just going to have to work on it slowly and measure progress month by month. Even in someone without your history it is common for complete recovery to take a year or more.

So put together an activity program for yourself (walking, cycling both are good) that starts very slow, record your progress from week to week and let's see where you are in a month. Remember that the goal in how much you do and how fast you increase distance or time is how you feel afterwards. You don't want to be hurting during the activity or in the day following. That means you've done a bit too much and you should scale it back for a while.

Please keep us up to date on how you're doing. We're here to help you!
 
I think we had surgery about the same time but I also had my other hip done in May. I think I've had a better time of it than you in terms of recovery but then you've gone through so much and had to wait for so long for your THR, it's bound to have an impact. Jamie is right - you're on track for your recovery and, frustrating as the process can be, that's all that matters.
I've followed BoneSmart advice through both recoveries and whenever I had pain, I stopped everything for at least a day, rested and iced and then gradually reintroduced the activity again. One thing I found useful was advice from my physio - just because you can do something one day, doesn't mean you're ready to do it every day! The fatigue is cumulative so if I've had a busy day, I always try and have a more restful day the next.
Lastly, has anyone checked your blood recently? I was complaining of fatigue and it turned out I still have low haemoglobin so now I'm on iron tablets to help with that.
 
@DarwinD, sending all my sympathy to you! I also joined Bonesmart at 6 months out from THR, since I was still limping and suffering pain. It's taken me awhile, and a second opinion, to discover the specific additional problems that I had, and I will be having surgery to repair them.

Have you talked with your surgeon or primary care physician about your continuing problems? Sounds like you may need some professional help to assess your physical situation and help you to regain strength without additional pain. Or, if that isn't possible, then why not, and a diagnosis for what other condition you might have that could be causing this weakness and pain.

I think that most people at 6 months out are not suffering anywhere near as much continued physical depletion or pain as you are. Hope you can get some help.
 
I had a THR on my left hip two years ago in February. Since then I have been sore on that hip. I'm unable to lay on that side for very long at all before it hurts and I've got to turn over.

I understand that the scar is right where I'm laying, but it just seems that it shouldn't be sore like this. I went to ortho and saw a practitioner. She said she thought it was bursitis and gave me an injection which seemed to help.

I went for a check up with my surgeon and he says there was no reason for the soreness The xrays looked normal and he said I didn't need any treatment. He did say that I could try starting to do the post op therapy exercises again.

I'm not sure what to do at this point. It's really nagging at me lately

Thanks for any ideas
 
Hi, I'm sorry you're struggling. I'm tagging the forum Nurse @Josephine to see if she can advise.
She's in the U.K. and with the time difference she won't be around this evening. Please check back periodically in case she has questions. Wishing you comfort and relief.
@DarwinD
 
@DarwinD
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:
  • That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
  • If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
  • Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.
So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.
 
I had the same problem. I started seeing a chiropractor who helped. Massage the scar left & right is what he told me to do. My PT said the same thing. I also was diagnosed with bursitis and was given a steroid anti-inflammatory to take for a week along with increased physical therapy from 2 to 3 x per week for 6 weeks.

The problem will not show up on an X-ray since it’s your tissues & muscles that need to strengthen. I’m at 5.5 months recovery and can roll onto my right side where the incision is. It is still sore but continues to get better.
 
Can you tell me where this pain is using this chart?

aa hip-references-horz.jpg


After that you might read this: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.
 
Here's a screenshot with the area colored in. I was too lazy to type it all!


I can never tell if the pinch I have in my lower back is related to the hip or not.

Yesterday I went out to my shop and cleaned up a bit. After about two hours I had to quit. This morning everything is really sore. Normally I have that constant ache, but it doesn't take much to inflame everything.

Thank you for the help
 

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Hello :wave:
Sorry you're struggling. Hopefully Jo's diagnosis will help you work toward losing the pain and discomfort
you're experiencing. I wish you the best in the New Year.
A great weekend to you!
@DarwinD
 
I've got a long story and I think that may weigh into the effects of how I feel now.

I've had 2 sports hernia/athletic pubalgia surgeries on the left side. It's kind of a rare thing where you tear your stomach muscles from your pubic bone.

2 scopes with cartilage removal.
1 Surgery for Psoas Release

So 5 surgeries on that side of my body since 2007. It was a new surgery every couple of years to try to improve things. In the meantime they thought I was too young for a hip replacement, but they agreed that I needed one. They just kept me on Morphine and Dilauidid for years. At one point I was taking 90mg morphine and 32 mg hydromorphone daily.

I had my replacement done the last week in Feb. I do feel much better than I did before, but I'm still down.

I can't decide if I'm on schedule or completely behind in my recovery.


I have very low stamina and energy level. I could seriously sleep for days if I wanted to. I can walk half a mile and I start limping and hurting. I can walk all day, but the pain is there.

It seems that no matter what activity I do, I end up with really sore muscles. It just never seems to improve. I pulled my bike out after years and rode it around the block 1 day. Then again the next. It caused me to be sore afterwards, so I didn't know if I should continue that?


I'm losing track of what all I've written and am not sure I've gotten all the info I need to post.

I can add more info if anyone needs it.


Do I need to push through and keep exercising? Do I need to just rest it for a while and start exercising again?

Is it normal to feel this way this far out? I have a feeling that I'd slipped so far downhill during the years this has been going on that i've got a long recovery. It just seems no matter what I do, I don't improve. I just need some advice.
who did your sports hernia surgeries and were they a success..???Tx
 
@Jws. Sorry you probably will not get a response to your question here - DarwinD has not been back to BoneSmart since 2019! When viewing threads do please check the dates of last posts - more than 6 months or so since last post often means original poster has gone inactive.
 

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