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THR Clairebella’s recovery journey

Thanks everyone. I was released essentially from all restrictions at 7 weeks. My joint feels like it could work well in all directions however my major restriction is still ongoing pain at 2.5 months on. I would still need to push myself up from a couch or chair.

My walking gait is usually very good however if I’m in my feet for too long( which isn’t long at all which is my worry) it feels uncomfortable to weight bear and I start to limp badly. I know it’s not the joint itself with zero pain receptors now so it’s all the surrounding structures. I’m just confused to how I still have almost the same pre surgical pain, I’m still doing less than pre op. Nowhere near ready to return to work or walk the dog.
 
Restriction release really just means the area should have healed enough for you to begin moving in all directions with a diminished chance of dislocation. It doesn't mean the healing, or pain is over. We don't want to hear it but 7 weeks is VERY early in recovery and usually when most of us really get a dose of ODIC. Most of us are nowhere near ready to return to work or resume full activities at this point. Yes, it is all of the "surrounding structures" or soft tissue that hurts. Our hip joint was removed from it's socket with all of the tissue still attached so they were stretched like rubber bands in directions they never were ever stretched before. That brings us back to why the restrictions and why the possibility of dislocation. The rubber bands haven't healed or gone back to their original lengths and when we tax them, they don't like it.
 
I’m at 11 weeks now, 11.5 and don’t feel I have progressed much in terms of the level of pain since 7 unfortunately.
 
Sorry I missed the 2.5 mos. part but you're still in recovery. Every person and every hip are different. I had a problems with my right that I didn't have with my left. My right had log leg to start with, then I could not bend at all at the waist while sitting for a long time. When you say pain is it pain while moving or afterwards? Are you icing for the pain?
FWIW 4 years in on my right and the one muscle at the lower part of my butt still hurts if I move a certain way or while exercising. I can do everything I want to but it still is "tender". To me it's an acceptable level of tender as it doesn't stop me from doing anything and my deep terrible joint pain is long gone.
 
It’s a radiating pain from top of thigh and all the area I imagine around the joint, down thigh into knee.
When I’m on my feet for longer than 10 mins I would say it cranks up. It feels acutely painful when I put all my weight on my op leg and the pain on walking and standing starts up with a similar but less acute pain, which continues on rest aching and radiating all down my leg. Resolves eventually after taking paracetamol and half a codeine. Hard to ice as the pain is a grumbling deep ache down my entire thigh into knee. The knee pain bothers me hugely. It feels like it’s my entire femur. I have a cemented stem.

I’m terrified to do anything to much though because it’s not improving. I’m not going out for walks but each day I do something like go to the supermarket or go to a friend for a coffee and aiming to go to the pool once a week which I’ve been doing.
 
The reason I mentioned ice was it kind of gives you a way to figure out if it's soft tissue or something else. The pain killers mask both but the icing only seems to effect it if it is soft tissue. When I would over do, and I have done a lot of overdo's, I would ice, and it would give me relief. That gave me a feel for whether I had muscle pain or if it was something deeper. no medical science here, just my simple idea.
 
Thanks Eman - good idea, I shall ice this week and I shall continue my activity/pain diary that I started last week. I have PT next week so maybe she’ll have some ideas/advice also.
 
I think your pain diary is a great idea especially since it’s very specific. I am not going out to walk or even trying to get to the pool at this point. I am just going about daily duties and that is enough for me right now. I can still manage to overdo just doing that. My recovery still resembles a turtle. I agree with @Eman85 ice theory as it would help you determine if it was a muscular or structural issue. Please keep us updated.
 
Thanks Hippie Chick. Can I ask, do you experience pain at all still now?
 
Yes I still have pain but I believe it to be soft tissue pain. I still am pushing up to stand or have pain. I lead going up stairs with non surgical leg as other side hurts otherwise. I cannot carry over a certain weight or my surgical side complains regardless of which arm is carrying the load or if it is shared. If I walk a bunch, I can feel it. The feeling that I had of sitting on something has left for the most part. I still have swelling on that side and will need to elevate next week when I get home. My energy level is getting better. Is this part of what you are experiencing?

Edit for clarity
 
Thanks, I am similar! Yes to thinking probably soft tissue also but worried about it. Leg complains as soon as I’ve been on my feet for too long (which isn’t long at all). Complains also when carrying something heavy. Need to walk up stairs good leg leading still toddler style.
Energy levels are still very poor!
 
@Clairebella sorry if I'm touching on things you've already gotten answers on, my brain is going in different directions.

It probably took me a good 6 months before I could sleep comfortably on my op side. And probably just as long if not longer to be able to out my foot on my left knee to put on socks and shoes without pain. @Eman85 is correct about ice, even at this point in the game. Heck, I'm 4 1/2 years out and there are still days I grab one of my ice packs. As I sit here and type I have my right leg (op hip) crossed over my left knee and I'm feeling a pulling sensation along the back of my thigh and a pain in my tush.

Of course I expect these things as I have multiple other things going on with my spine, joints and bones. I would definitely talk to your PT and see if they have any recommendations. Hopefully they can figure something out to get you walking and moving along in recovery.

There's so many things to take in to consideration about your recovery. How long were you trudging along before you had the surgery and trying to act like everything was fine? This didn't happen overnight and unfortunately won't fix overnight, it takes time. Your core may need strengthening, you may be suffering with some bursitis or your sacroiliac joints could be acting up. I would definitely recommend that you continue to work with your occupational health folks, your PT and either your surgical team or general practitioner to get some ideas of what you're dealing with.
 
@Clairebella I just glanced through your thread so forgive me if you answered some of these or mentioned them prior. May I ask what led you to have a hip replacement at the age of 47 (I'm 45)? What approach was used?

I ask because I am now a bionic woman (right was done in June, and left was done this past Thursday). Both recoveries are drastically different, and I never had (to my knowledge) the major joint pain. It was always more muscular because my muscles were working so hard to guard my hips and hold them together (I had dysplasia). I had problems with my muscles from my head all the way down to my feet. My right had a lot more tenderness in the hip flexors going into surgery and I am honestly still recovering from that. It hurt. A lot. My quad hurt a lot. It's stronger and stronger by the day.

My left side however was a web of tight tight tight muscles inside my pelvic bone and on my lower back. Hip wise, my hip flexors on this side feel are fine. Nothing like the right. These muscles are going to take some time because they have been holding me together my whole life. I was super bendy too so I could never stretch them.

I don't use a lot of narcotics because of the constipation side effect. I have pelvic floor dysfunction from those muscles trying to support me so pooing is usually a lot of precautionary effort to begin with. I do have muscle relaxants because of the muscle involvement. When I hurt, I try to ask if it is bc of my muscles or the surgery. Most of the time I start with muscles and if the relaxant does the job (along with ice), then I know it is my muscles.

PT helped get me walking and stronger on my right. We never pushed it and he always listened to me. I don't know if any of this info gets your wheels spinning, but thought maybe it would help as you think through things.

EDIT: Oh, and water walking helped me soooooo much. I still haven't been able to get out for longer walks because of the other hip posing a problem, but I started with 5 minutes in the water just walking and slowly progressed to 45 minutes. It was so gentle, and I believe it did not aggravate my soft tissues like walking outside would.
 
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@Elf1 I was trudging along for over 4 years. I had a grumbling groin pain for a long time and went to the GP - who sent me to PT - who thought I had a labral tear or impingement and I was sent to Ortho where MRI confirmed. This answers your question also @springs12 to why I had total hip replacement at age 47. I had increasing pain and hip stiffness and had a failed hip arthroscopy last year where the labral tear was unrepairable as it was so degraded. I also had global thinning of the cartridge of the head of femur and the surgeon debrided my labrum and tidied it up and after that I lost joint space and pain got worse!

So I’ve not been overly active in big 1 hr walks or gym sessions for a long time. I’ve worked short hours and swam as my only exercise.

I iced again today - I don’t know if my ice pack is almost too cold. That sounds weird I know. I have a layer of clothing between skin and ice and I attempted to cover the area that feels the most pain ( top of thigh out to side ) but it almost made it more painful when I stood up, sharp within the incision area(posterior approach). I realise I’m maybe a catastrophist but it feels like my femur hates the implant!

At this point, because I’ve not been able to do much in the way of my PT strengthening exercises, nor increase my walking, have I set myself back and lack of strength exercises ??

Good luck @springs12 in this new recovery for you, very early days for you!
 
@Clairebella I don't know that you've set yourself back, not sure that you could even do that except by overdoing. The fact that you were trudging along for 4 years and had another invasive hip surgery in the last year probably plays a major role in your recovery. A lot of soft tissue damage has been done.

I did water walking after my surgery and loved it! It was one of the few times I could feel absolutely no aches and pains, it was like heaven. Unfortunately they closed down the pools at the gym we went to and don't plan to reopen them. If you have access to a pool I would definitely try using it when you can. You have to be careful at first that you don't overdo, and its really easy to do as it just takes all the weight and stress off. They actually had me do exercises in a tank of water at a physical therapy clinics I went to years ago. It was a way for them to build me up without causing anymore damage. Once they built me up then they moved me onto land for PT.

Maybe try using a heating pad since the cold seems to be making it hurt worse. You're far enough out that you could try it. And you could even try alternating heat and cold. Probably wouldn't hurt to play around with it and see if it works. I know pre surgery I constantly did heat. It didn't necessarily take the pain away but it was at least comforting. Plus it might help with the stiffness. Hoping we can get you feeling better. :friends:
 
I had a hot shower after the ice which took away the sharpness of the pain so I shall alternate again tomorrow and play about with that!
I went to the pool last week and I loved it, the energy drain was pretty big. But I shall go again this week and want to build up to twice a week. Maybe I’m just impatient, I just wish I was further on! I wouldn’t worry so much if I was only 6 weeks out but now at nearly 12 and I do need to get better and strong and fit for returning to work! Thanks for all the kind words @Elf1
 
Thanks for all your input everyone. I spoke to my PT and she suggested I email the surgeon to check in with him. She had suggested I had a repeat check up with him as she thought I’d be further along by now. I had a quick reply however he was quite dismissive I felt and clearly does not want to see me any time soon! Here are some of his points.

Studies show that some can take 18 months to get to the same level as the "average" patient and that hip replacements scores and outcomes keep improving for even the first 5 years. Also - not every single patient is eventually satisfied with the outcome of a THR - 96% are at 12 months, but this means that for whatever reason (ongoing pain or a complication) 4% are not - that's 1 in every 25 THRs. And it's very annoying for that one patient as they meet the other 24 who are delighted with the outcome

So - you're nowhere near the final result yet, and in fact being too ginger and protective of the leg and wary of the pain is known to slow your recovery. Please just keep going as best you can and let time pass and things should improve

Just to note - I am certainly not being too ginger and protective of my leg. The pain is certainly slowing my recovery however.
 
@Clairebella - Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that your surgeon didn't answer your concerns in a more helpful way. Although his reply might be quite factual, it doesn't help you not to worry at this stage of your recovery. Please don't be too down-hearted, which I know is easy enough for me to say as I'm not in pain like you, but after reading your previous posts, you've had a long period of pre-op pain and disability (double the time I had) plus a previous recent operation on your hip and these things are bound to contribute to a slower recovery. Hopefully the pain will soon subside and you will find that you are turning that recovery corner. Sending positive thoughts your way :console2:
 
We hippies are here for you! I am sorry your surgeon was dismissive- that is never a good feeling. Continue to write in your journal and you may be surprised to see more recovery than previously thought. You were right to advocate for your self. Try to put this on the back burner, put on a favorite movie, and don’t let this get you down.
 
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