Hip Pain advice

[AlaskanTKR]

I am only having a scope done - but I was hoping for some advice - Prior to your hip surgery how the heck did you manage not to want to seriously go insane. I suffered with knee issues for years and I swear this hip thing is gonna make me nuts.

Ok - I have FAI (femeral something impingment). Never had any issues prior to TKR suregery this summer - but since it is getting worse and worse. Like now it is throwing my whole back off (and well we discovered there is a problem there too - I kept telling them they must have mixed up the xrays - I am 42 I am too young to arthritis in my lower back). Each day my knee feels better and I think I am getting back to quasi normal the hip aches and aches. I cant do anything straight on with it anymore. The more I ride the bike at pt the more miserable I am about an hour after I leave. The more I try to walk on my treadmill the more sore i get. The more normal I am at work the worse I feel each night. If I can sit with my leg twisted out to the left I can manage better than sitting straight on. By Friday pm I am toast.

Any suggestions as to ways to help make it through till mid December - If this keeps getting worse I am going to go totally nuts. I am icing when I can - but it is very awkward. Any suggestions for sleep?? He is going to grind the ossified???calcified??? bone off and fix any tears then possibly microfracture if necessary. It has come on very quickly and is getting pro0gressively worse day by day = b4 the tkr I had no pain at all. My other side is also baad - but no pain! go figure

Thanks for listening - Just looking to get through the next few weeks!

Marianne

 

[mvo]

Hi Marianne,

Before my hip replacement (just over 8 weeks ago) I found I got the best (non-drug) pain relief by having a hot water bottle against my hip. I didn't have FAI (don't know what that is) but the "hottie" might be worth a try

Monica

 

[Josephine]

Femoral-acetabular impingement. As in here ... you can see where the femoral head and the acetabulum (socket) are in close contact which we call 'impingement'. Compare it with the normal xray below.

 

[JudyS]

Marianne
I do feel your pain. Whatever goes wrong with me seems to come on after years of annoyance and proceed rapidly.
Well I had my hip scope/microfracture on Feb 1st. Given percocet for the surgery pain, I remember only using it for 3 days. After that I used vicodin on occasion.
When I was allowed freedom to hike (a few months later) I used vicodin on a regular basis . By April I decided on the replacement adn used vicodin all the time.
I remember I couldn't wait to have the surgery as driving hurt too. Bike riding was vvery painful as were using the leg press maching. Of course I have forgotten a lot of it!!!
My reason for the replacement decision was the MRI's had first shown no DJD in Feb "07. In Dec '07 it showed only mild arthritis, even with the arthrogram MRI. When the doc got in there for the scope, there was severe DJD on both the acetabulum and femur ball!! He told me the prognosis was not good.

I used basically pain meds, rest and some ice.
Sorry it is driving you crazy.
Judy

 

[prinny68]

I COMPLETELY understand your pain! I spend most of my days at my desk job in tears because the pain is so horrific. No amount of antiinflammatories or anything is making it any better. I seriously am desperate to make it stop hurting!!! I would do ANYTHING. I am still in the beginning phase of trying to figure out what I am going to do to correct the Congential Hip Dysplasia I have, as I have seen 2 orthopedic specialists and have my third one scheduled for next week. Trying to decide between a hip resurfacing and a replacement, at the wee age of 27, and trying to convince my dr that I am not comfortable with what I have read about the osteotomy procedures I am being recommended for.... Sorry three months non-weight bearing without a guarantee that it's going to fix the problem, are not very good odds to me! But the only dr in my insurance plan that does resurfacing is booked through January! And I hurt so bad right now!!! I would do just about ANYTHING to make it stop hurting!!! I wanted to have surgery in the beginning of January, and now it's looking like that's probably not going to happen! This has got to be the most frustrating thing I've ever been through!

 

[AlaskanTKR]

Again -
Thanks for all the responses. Prinny - 27 is too young - my o my - my biggest worry at 27 was to move north or stay south - I had no health issues. I could not begin to imagine what it must be like at 27 to feel the way I feel at 42 and wish I felt more like I did at 40 after my last scope when all was good with the world. Oddly enough I found the best solution - although the least pratical - has been to SLEEP and veg out. The crud/etc. has kept me home for an extended weekend - and then managed to strike my kiddo (although in a much quicker manner - she had issues last night and has already downed a bowl of cereal and a bagel - ) so I have been just lazing around - totally and using ice on my hip - Big difference. This too shall pass. I will just be lazy for one more month anf then hopefully it will all be ok!!!

Thanks
Marianne

 

[prinny68]

That has probably got to be the most frustrating thing, that I am 27 feeling like I'm 47!!! It's not fair! And I've got three demanding little ones, 8, 7 and 4 that want to go to the park, and go outside and ride their bikes and have me take them shopping.... all things I cannot do right now. I just got my handicap parking placards in the mail on Friday, THANK GOD, because the pain walking just to the car to the inside of a store to grab a cart to have something to lean on, is horrific! Now I don't have AS far to walk, and I'm thankful for my understanding cooperative doctors that filled out the paperwork... I see another specialist this week Wednesday, and I'm praying for a better solution offered to me!

 

[JudyS]

Prinny
I hope you get the solution soon. I had 4 children and know how busy life is when they are little. Let us know what happens at your apt. this week
Judy

 

[prinny68]

Well, I can honestly say now that things are progressing. I have my MRI scheduled and have decided on the resurfacing procedure, which means I am well on my way. I have the appointment scheduled with the resurfacing dr, and I'm going to get this done. No more getting woke up in the middle of the night screaming in pain, I'm done with this! I've made up my mind, I WANT to be better.... I decided against the osteotomy procedure that the first couple of doctors were recommending after they admitted that I have a good chance of not being completely pain free, post-op.... I just cannot take that chance! If I'm going to have a major hip surgery, I better not have pain at ALL afterwards! I will keep everyone posted on the status of when I am able to get this scheduled and all that. Was told yesterday that the cause of the majority of my pain is most likely a laberal tear! Let me tell ya, it about has me in tears today!

I'm so close to being done, THANK GOD!

 

[JudyS]

I am glad the decision making part is over for you. Good choice. I hope it all gets scheduled soon.
I had diagnosed myself with a labral tear when I could not stand the pain!!!It ended up being severe arthritis !!!
Keep us informed
Judy