Revision THR Constant pain continuing 1 year after THR<^
- Thread starter Marvy
- Start date
Well, I now have a date for surgery - April 3rd.
In the end, I decided to go back to my original surgeon for the revision. I know that everyone says to go to a person who has no relationship with your current surgeon, but here's my reasoning (good or bad, I'm not sure, but it is what my family and I feel most comfortable with):
Original surgeon is going to remove the screws as well as replace the liner and ball - smaller liner and smaller ball. He is also going to replace the neck as well since I do have a LLD and limp. The limp gets worse the farther I try to walk (as well as the pain).
Revisionist #2 wanted to only remove the screws (which then means replacing the liner as well). He was going to use an identical liner.
My gut feeling all along was that "everything" needed to be replaced....and Rev #2, even though he commented on the fact that a smaller liner/cup /ball should have been used in his opinion, to me, just removing the screws is only part of the issue. When I asked about re-sizing everything, he was not interested in discussing that. I left with the impression that he was trying to take the "easy way out"....
I am finally at a comfortable feeling with the plan of surgery. Now just to wait....it seems like April is years away....
In the end, I decided to go back to my original surgeon for the revision. I know that everyone says to go to a person who has no relationship with your current surgeon, but here's my reasoning (good or bad, I'm not sure, but it is what my family and I feel most comfortable with):
Original surgeon is going to remove the screws as well as replace the liner and ball - smaller liner and smaller ball. He is also going to replace the neck as well since I do have a LLD and limp. The limp gets worse the farther I try to walk (as well as the pain).
Revisionist #2 wanted to only remove the screws (which then means replacing the liner as well). He was going to use an identical liner.
My gut feeling all along was that "everything" needed to be replaced....and Rev #2, even though he commented on the fact that a smaller liner/cup /ball should have been used in his opinion, to me, just removing the screws is only part of the issue. When I asked about re-sizing everything, he was not interested in discussing that. I left with the impression that he was trying to take the "easy way out"....
I am finally at a comfortable feeling with the plan of surgery. Now just to wait....it seems like April is years away....
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2011
- Messages
- 29,466
- Location
- United States, West
- Gender
- Female
- Country
United States
Marvy,
All the best with your upcoming revision, thanks for explaining your thought process.
All the best with your upcoming revision, thanks for explaining your thought process.
Krista
post-grad
Glad to hear your plan, Marvy. That all makes sense to me! It's terrific that he will address the LLD which is causing you to limp and difficulty with longer walks. You will be able to prepare yourself and your home for the revision with this time you have to wait. I was SO incredibly prepared for my second hip surgery, and it was very helpful that second time around.
Well, I had my surgery and all went well. I spent 1 night in the hospital and returned home around lunchtime the following day.
The only discomfort I have is from the incision stitches. The hip (or hip joint) feels very good. I can definitely tell a difference between now and this same time frame after the original surgery.
I am walking with 1 crutch outside - walking about a half a block a day. It actually feels good!
As for pain medication, I am on tylenol 2,000mg a day.
I'm really looking forward to continued healing so that I can get back to doing the things I enjoy. (Right now I'm trying to talk my family into planting the garden for me due to my bending restrictions. I keep telling them that they will thank me later when they are eating fresh tomatoes, beans, etc!)
Sending healing thoughts to everyone!
The only discomfort I have is from the incision stitches. The hip (or hip joint) feels very good. I can definitely tell a difference between now and this same time frame after the original surgery.
I am walking with 1 crutch outside - walking about a half a block a day. It actually feels good!
As for pain medication, I am on tylenol 2,000mg a day.
I'm really looking forward to continued healing so that I can get back to doing the things I enjoy. (Right now I'm trying to talk my family into planting the garden for me due to my bending restrictions. I keep telling them that they will thank me later when they are eating fresh tomatoes, beans, etc!)
Sending healing thoughts to everyone!
Jackie222
graduate
Glad to hear that your revision surgery went well. Wishing you well with your continued recovery 
Crisps
junior member
Delighted things feel much better this time Marvy, but don't go over doing things just because it feels so much better this time round. Take it steady . All the best to you.
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2017
- Messages
- 47,934
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United States
gillycat11
member
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2018
- Messages
- 211
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United Kingdom
Glad to see that you have finally had something done. I've read your thread and felt awful for the problems you've endured and the length of time it's taken to have someone take action. Sounds really positive that already, even early on you can feel a difference.
You must be one tough cookie to go through all that and keep your sanity! Hope your "new recovery" continues well.
You must be one tough cookie to go through all that and keep your sanity! Hope your "new recovery" continues well.
Hope your weekend is restful and all continues to go well.
Thank you all for the well wishes! I am continuing to do short walks outside using 1 crutch. The road we live on is flat so I am glad there are no hills to conquer! Depending on the weather, I try to walk 2-3 times a day.
I haven't attempted stairs yet - with the exception of the 2 getting in and out of the house.
At this time I'm not doing any other exercises or therapy. I am going to wait until the 6 week restriction is up before I even begin to think about that! In the back of my mind, in some ways, I am hesitant to do anything more as I do not want to relapse or have any issues come up. I was never able to regain my strength or recover fully from the initial surgery. So this will definitely be a slow, but steady, recovery. As one of my doctors said "this is a marathon, not a sprint"..
Always having been an active person, the last year and a half has definitely been a test of patience. There have definitely been times of frustration, and regret (over having the initial surgery done). But it has allowed me to focus on other things as well, in addition to (trying!) not to "sweat the small stuff" as much as I had in the past. It's all a work in progress....but I think that is life in general!
I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing weekend
Here's to healing and better hip days ahead!
I haven't attempted stairs yet - with the exception of the 2 getting in and out of the house.
At this time I'm not doing any other exercises or therapy. I am going to wait until the 6 week restriction is up before I even begin to think about that! In the back of my mind, in some ways, I am hesitant to do anything more as I do not want to relapse or have any issues come up. I was never able to regain my strength or recover fully from the initial surgery. So this will definitely be a slow, but steady, recovery. As one of my doctors said "this is a marathon, not a sprint"..
Always having been an active person, the last year and a half has definitely been a test of patience. There have definitely been times of frustration, and regret (over having the initial surgery done). But it has allowed me to focus on other things as well, in addition to (trying!) not to "sweat the small stuff" as much as I had in the past. It's all a work in progress....but I think that is life in general!
I hope everyone has a wonderful and relaxing weekend
Here's to healing and better hip days ahead!
Quick update: I'm walking with a cane on my daily walks outside. I try and do 2 walks a day if the weather is nice. Each walk now is just shy of a mile. I can walk short distances with just a small limp, but I feel better using the cane.
Stairs, along with getting in and out of the car (especially in), are the 2 hardest things right now. It seems as lifting the leg uses muscles that are extremely weak (and never had the chance to get strengthened).
So, I just keep on keepin' on....slow and steady.... But, in my mind I am biking and running....
Stairs, along with getting in and out of the car (especially in), are the 2 hardest things right now. It seems as lifting the leg uses muscles that are extremely weak (and never had the chance to get strengthened).
So, I just keep on keepin' on....slow and steady.... But, in my mind I am biking and running....
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2017
- Messages
- 47,934
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United States
Nice update @Marvy.
It will come, keep taking it slow and easy. You're only a little over a month out.
Use the cane as long as you're limping. Try heel toe walking for the limp if you aren't already.
Took some concentration for me. Let your heel hit the ground first, followed by toes.
Best of luck as you move forward. You're doing great!
It will come, keep taking it slow and easy. You're only a little over a month out.
Use the cane as long as you're limping. Try heel toe walking for the limp if you aren't already.
Took some concentration for me. Let your heel hit the ground first, followed by toes.
Best of luck as you move forward. You're doing great!
Well, I still have to walk with a cane. I started physical therapy and they said they haven’t seen a hip replacement patient with such a severe Trendelenburg gait as me.
Even though I’ve only been walking and resting, I think I’m going backwards instead of making progress.
I only hope that nothing else is wrong in my hip. I cannot put full weight on my leg without my hip collapsing.
I’ve shortened the walks that I do as even with the cane my hip starts to give out. Now my right foot is bothering me because my gait is so bad.
It’s so frustrating....
Even though I’ve only been walking and resting, I think I’m going backwards instead of making progress.
I only hope that nothing else is wrong in my hip. I cannot put full weight on my leg without my hip collapsing.
I’ve shortened the walks that I do as even with the cane my hip starts to give out. Now my right foot is bothering me because my gait is so bad.
It’s so frustrating....
Krista
post-grad
@Marvy, so sorry to hear this. I wanted you to know that I had the same symptoms that you are currently having post-THR. I could not balance alone at all, even for a fraction of a second, on my leg. Whenever I tried, that leg collapsed underneath me. I also had a severe Trendelenberg gait. It turned out that I had torn gluteus medius and minimus tendons that did not heal on their own. It was 15 months after my THR that I had surgery to repair those tendons, and in all of that time between surgeries they had not gotten any better. There are a number of muscles in the hip that are involved in holding the hip steady when on one leg. If one or more of them are impaired enough, you will have a limp. I hope a physician will help you get to the bottom of this.
