Revision THR 'Fractured Neck of Femur/Pinning - Broke hip 5 weeks after replacement'

[Layla]

Hello @Sparkly
Stopping by to wish you a Happy Two Month Anniversary!
Hope you're doing well. Please leave an update next time you stop by we'd love to hear how you're doing.
Have a great Autumn!

 

[Sparkly]

Hi guys, been quite awhile since posting. Had my left hip replacement 3 weeks ago, 6 months since right one in July, still on the walker have a lot of pain mid femur when walking and also feeling of the bone moving/ loose strange feeling I didn’t have that with right hip. Leg Feels not secure like it could go out on me. seem to be way behind in this recovery. Anyone else have this happen?

 

[Celle]

Hello @Sparkly - and back.

Please will you tell us the full date of your left hip replacement, so we can make a signature for you? Knowing the exact date will help us to advise you appropriately in the future.
Thank you.

Have you see your surgeon for your first post-op check up yet? If so, did you mention this feeling of looseness?
It's only early days in recovery, so this feeling could settle down, but if it doesn't, then contact your surgeon again.

Do try not to compare your recoveries, because every one is different, even two hips done by the same surgeon on the same day. Allow this new hip to take the tie it needs.

Here are the recovery guidelines we give to everyone with a new hip:
Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

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rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

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a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​

b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

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BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

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Activity progression for THRs​

6. Access these pages on the website

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Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Care In Hospital​

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
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?

BIG TIP: 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.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.

 

[Layla]

Hi @Sparkly
Congrats on your newest hip!

I'm sorry you're struggling more this time around. I'm wondering if you're exercising or doing any Physical Therapy? If so, you may want to step back from it for several days, resting and icing several times per day and see if you notice any improvement. Also consider calling the office of your OS. I'm sure through conversation a member of your surgeon's care team may be able to offer you some reassurance, or suggest you schedule an appointment.
Wishing you comfort and relief.

 

[Sparkly]

Thanks for the replies, surgery was Jan 25th am doing a little physio. I did contact my surgeon who just got back to me saying only to use the walker and only 50% weight bearing. If pain continues to get worse to call and he will have an X-ray done.

 

[Layla]

I'm glad you spoke with him.
Fingers crossed for you that it gets better.

@Sparkly

 

[CricketHip]

Hi Sparkly! So you got the other hip done also! But I am sorry to read about your thigh pain. Hopefully staying on the walker and limiting the full weight bearing will give you some relief.
I assume this means no PT for now, also?

Please keep us updated.. hoping to hear that things will calm down.

 

[Sparkly]

My pt guy is coming tomorrow I will talk to him and see what he thinks. I did drive myself to the lab to have blood work done today and used the walker. Did ok came straight home. Hip is clicking and still a lot of pain in femur but using the walker does help with not placing all my weight on my leg. Someone mentioned I may have a fracture?? Anyone know anything about that?

 

[Elf1]

Who mentioned you might have a fracture, I must have missed that?! Was it someone at the doctor's office? Sorry you're having pain but hopefully staying on the walker and mild weight bearing will clear up whatever is going on. If it starts to get worse I would definitely call the OS back.

 

[Sparkly]

Hi all, well here i am again. Had left thr on January 24th, hip never felt secure was still using walker 4 weeks into healing had pain mid thigh. Stepped up one step on bad leg and heard a horrible crunching sound. Long story short, had a spiral fracture on my femur at the end of the new hip piece shaft. Had revision surgery next day. New longer shaft put in plus plate and cable ties. 6 weeks non weight bearing. I’m 3.5 weeks post op, and am terrified of getting in the shower or using stairs. See my surgeon on April 17th if healed can start putting weight on leg. I’m terrified of screwing this up. Anyone else been through this? Would love to hear from you. Attaching pic not mine but same thing.

 

[sistersinhim]

You'll notice that I have merged your three threads together as we prefer that members in recovery only have one thread.

This is for three reasons:
1. if you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts others have left you in the old threads
2. it often ends up that information is unnecessarily repeated
3. it's best if we can keep all your recovery story in one place so it's easily accessed if we need to advise you.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. If you would like a new thread title just post what you would like it to be and we'll change it for you

 

[Layla]

Ugh...I’m so sorry!
Member CPH comes to mind.
Following is her thread even though she’s not currently active on the forum -

Revision THR - My RTHR journey and the road back to an active life.

Well, in 24 hours from now I should be going in for my bright shiny new hip. Not sure I will be able to post before I go under. I will see you on the other side with all the gory and glorious details! Thank you all for the support, info and advice!

bonesmart.org

I wish you only the best as you begin healing again.
@Sparkly

 

[Celle]

I'm sorry to read you fractured your femur and had to have a Revision THR, @Sparkly . Please will you tell us the full date of the revision, so we can add that to your signature?

Thank you.

 

[Sparkly]

February 27th 2020

 

[CricketHip]

Good heavens,,I am so sorry to read your recent update. It's also hard to read that you are terrified of stairs and taking a shower.. with good reason! Hopefully you have some sort of shower chair that you can sit on while showering?
Please take care and keep us updated?

 

[Jamie]

@Sparkly ..... I'm so sorry this happened to you. It is fairly rare, but sometimes this will happen. If you can get copies of your actual x-rays to post for us, that would help us to see exactly what was done.

Is the surgeon who did your revision the same one who put the original hip in? What information did he give you about what happened?

Because you had continuing pain in the area where the stem tip was located, I'm wondering if you might have had a small fracture all along. The repair work that was done for you and the longer stem should work just fine going forward, though.

I know it will take some time after this experience to really trust your revised hip, but it will come. The non-weight bearing is very important to allow everything to heal properly, so be sure to adhere to the instructions your surgeon gave you. Did your therapist show you how to enter and exit the shower properly? And do you have a shower seat you can use? You shouldn't be trying to stand in the shower.

Please try not to worry about this. It will heal. I suspect you'll feel better about it once you get confirmation from your surgeon that things are progressing properly. You're halfway through your "wait" period and hopefully you can find things to keep yourself occupied so the time passes faster. The coronavirus restrictions don't help, as one of the things we usually tell people who are in this "wait period" is to connect with friends, have them come visit, or have them bring meals to share. Maybe it would still be possible to arrange a meet-up with one or two friends just so you see some people in person.

I encourage you to spend extra time here with your BoneSmart family too. We're here to listen to your rants if you need to do a little of that. And we'll also just chat about how you're doing each day and try to lift your spirits. You will get through this and resume a normal recovery. Hang in there.

 

[leejaa]

Oh my, I am so sorry that you had to go through all that. Thank goodness they have revised it and provided lots of support for the femur. No wonder you have fears now and it will take a bit of time for you to get comfortable with your new hip.

So many people here for support and a willing ear. Please come here and share especially during this time where so many of us are limited in visiting in person. I do not know which state you are in but stay safe. Sending healing vibes your way.

 

[Sparkly]

Thanks all. Ok let’s see first thing was yes, my surgeon said there Must have been a fracture there all along and me putting full weight on it did it in completely. So break would have happened at some point. Secondly PT had shown me how to get in and out of shower but I’m terrified to go over that 4-5 “ step to get in. I have tried with my husband helping but I freak out and won’t do it, same with steps I know I can go down but can’t get up them with no weight allowed on one leg. My pt wants me to use walker move to move around but then keeps telling me I’m putting to much weight on the leg I’m not supposed too. So I feel like I’m not doing it then. I spend a lot of time going from laying on bed to wheelchair to move around to walker. I can do some computer work for my husband’s business and do my crafts, but when I sit for long my leg aches and pains. Hope you are all doing well.

 

[Elf1]

So sorry you're having to go through all of this. Are you still icing and elevating? You mention your leg has aches and pains when sitting for a while.

Understand that you're leary of the shower and stairs, you may just need a little more time to build your confidence back up. Maybe the PT could give you some pointers on how to use the walker without putting too much weight on your leg.

 

[Sparkly]

Not icing much anymore. PT has given me lots of tips, I just panic and then freeze. I’ve read it’s the bodies way of protecting itself but instead of switching off it goes into overdrive and continues like a loop. So I need to break the cycle. I think I start off good with non weight bearing but then put more on as I move around. After sitting for 20-30 mins leg aches and pain mid thigh.