Hey Gang... new Pain!

[Sofa King]

Love all your replies, and doing pretty well here. One thing is, I'm having A LOT more pain lately in the L groin area when in a supine, (laying on my back) position, trying to sleep. When I'm walking, awake, moving to and fro, etc, my pain at 8 weeks out is an average of 2, or 2.5ish... but when I try to go to sleep, it feels like someone is sticking 'ice picks' in my groin, putting my knee in a vice, and lighting a fire under my left buttock. The pain goes up to a 5, 6, sometimes a 7, and Alleve, Ibuprophen, and tylenol just isn't cutting it. I was totally off RX pain meds for 2 and a half weeks, doing fine there, then 4 days ago, I called my OS's RN, to ask for something to sleep on. She called in a script of 20 count ~5mg hydrocodone, with 500mg tylenol, and still, it ain't cutting it at all. The Rx says "take one before bedtime", and I've been taking 2-3 pills a night with minor relief. She also made it clear that that would be the last Rx she, and the Doc, (OS) would provide. I thought 3 weeks ago I was done, but it seems my pain level is going back UP! In fact, I'm hurting more the last 14 days than I have since I did in the first 3 weeks after surgery! I'm perplexed, forlorn, and wondering, "why am I in so much pain now! I know I'm not dislocated, but the healing pains are almost too much to bear, especially sleeping. I hate to seem like a crybaby, but what can I do???

~Dalton

 

[AnetMarise]

Dalton:

I would recommend making an appointment to see you doc with these complaints. You seem to be good at identifying the problems so go see him in person so he can examine/diagnos you. And if you have been seen the doc he may decide that you actually need something different for pain.

Just my thoughts. I have always had better results going in to see the doc rather than dealing with his staff on the phone. We can be completely sure that the message you left was taken down correctly or forwarded to the right person.

Annette

 

[Sofa King]

Dalton:
You seem to be good at identifying the problems so go see him in person so he can examine/diagnose you. And if you have been seen the doc he may decide that you actually need something different for pain.
Annette

Thanks Annette,

but my OS and his staff have already stated they will not give me anything else. I'm 8 weeks out from a LTHR. I'm not sure what the psychology there is, because my PT/Physical training room is adjacent to the Ortho office, and I've talked to a lady who's approx. 10 yrs older than me, (I'm 38, Male), who is 12 weeks out of a RTHR, who's still getting percocets. I don't want to seem like a druggie, (I'm also a cop, by the way), but darn! I'm still hurting! Why should I feel bad for asking for more rx pain meds? I went the last 2 weeks cold turkey, but my pain, strangely has increased again. I'm already worn down enough, I shouldn't be stressed about asking for relief, should I? I have a PCP who I've not seen since before the surgery, so maybe I'll go see him. Yet, he's kinda stoic himself, and I know, he's going to say, "well, if your OS isn't giving you anything else, then why should I? This sucks! I did so well recovering, and 7 weeks out, my pain has re-inflamed to an average of 5-6 while trying to sleep. Healing, I guess, but darn! I'm tired of this pain! (See! I'm awake right now, at 3:45am! I wonder why!!)

Grrrrr ~D.

 

[Josephine]

Aww, Dalton. I'm so sorry. There have been two or three people posted in here about groin pain developing just when they thought they were on the home run.

My suggestion is this: go talk with your PCP. Don't second guess what he is going to say. Just start from fresh and tell him the facts. But do NOT put a brave face on it. Let him see how distressed you are and how much you need help. A session with a PT, chiropractor or osteopath might be helpful.

I hope and pray you get what you need.

 

[dharlander]

Hey Dalton! I am going through the same kind of pain. Turns out my OS says it's really coming from my back with nerve irritation. He told me he sees it often and sometimes it doesn't develop until 5-7 weeks out when we are becoming more active. He told me if I could see what they did during surgery I would understand better why this happens. They actually gave me steroid injection near the nerve yesterday (did not hurt at all to get it), in hopes that it will calm down the nerves. I was having the exact same pain you are describing, and last night, following 2 hours in the car, it was horrible.

As far as your pain medication is concerned, I don't quite understand either. I still have about 30 percocets left from my original prescription of 120 nearly 8 weeks ago, but the NP in the office yesterday said that if I run out and I'm still having this pain to just give her a call and she will send a new prescription to my pharmacy. I agree with Josephine, call your PCP and explain everything. My NP also mentioned that if this does not resolve (the nerve pain) in the next 4-6 weeks they will make a referral to a pain specialist. I have to note here that in case you didn't know, I had 3 back surgeries in 1990 including two spinal fusions. We knew going in that nerve irritation was going to be a real issue for me.

Good luck and I sure do hope you find some relief soon.

All the best, Debra

 

[westexas]

Hey KFC,
Hate to hear you are in stress. I am at 6 months and still limping or should I say there is still a length discrepancy going on with my legs but it has gotten better. I got a 1/4 inch pad for my right shoe but only when I wear tennis shoes or closed toed shoes and whoever wears those in West Texas with 99 degree weather....As for the groin, I had that really bad for the first 4 or 5weeks. It finally went away. I know it is scary. You get one thing cleared up and then the pain moves somewhere else. My pain is now in my upper thigh. I am attributing that to the muscle and exercise. I just keep putting Arnicare Gel on it when it is really bad and have had to take Darvocet and a muscle relaxer a few times at night. I will also get pain in my left mid back above the hip which I also attribute to the Scoliosis I have. Sounds like Patty is fallin apart at times.

This hip replacement can be tough on a lot of us because we never know what is next as far as the pain and where it will be. I totally agree that you need to get to the bottom of this and do not let them tell you otherwise and I am so tired of hearing about these docs that will not prescribe meds when people are clearly in pain.

Let us know after your visit. We need our CHEERLEADER back and feeling good again....Patty....By the way, been to KFC lately?? just wonderin......

 

[JudyS]

Hi Dalton,

Sorry this is happening to you, but glad you are not back to work.
Read my thread Really Bad Pain.

I think I wrote it at about 7 weeks. I had felt better at 4 weeks as well.
I made an unscheduled visit to my ortho doc about the quad, side of leg pain . He did give me more percocet at that or at the 6 week apt. I can't remember which one.

Right now my groin area is throbbing. So at least you are not alone. He told me to have pt work on it (soft tissue work, which hurts like hell) then to ice it. So I have been doing that and icing it in the evening as well. And of course taking percocet in the am and when it starts bothering me in late afternoon.

I would definately make an apt to see your ortho . When I called the main apt line and they asked what the apt was for I told them I had had a hip replacement and was now in more pain than after surgery. That got me in the next day.
Maybe your primary could prescribe something specifically for sleep. I have been on trazadone for about 4 years and it works for me .
Good Luck
Let us know how it all works out
Judy

 

[sunshine]

Hey Dalton,
So sorry your hurting especially with that pain! People that need pills don't get them and the ones that don't.. have overloads, Isn't that always how it is. I hope things turn around for you, I worry about all this happening when or after I have my other hip done and really get to use both hips equally. Don't want the groin pain! Good luck