THR I am worried, very worried

[Dduck1968]

Hello 53 year old very athletic my whole life. I had an anterior hip replacent on my right hip on June 14. It has been 11 days. I have a pain in my groin area, like I use to have. I also have a right lower back pain. It really hurts at night and morning. I am taking prescription meds. My question is, is it normal to feel groin and lower back pain 11 days after surgery?

 

[Layla]

Hello and Welcome to BoneSmart and recovery. Congrats on your new hip!
Please take a deep breath and relax. You are in such early days of recovery from major surgery. Total Hip Replacement recovery can take a full year, even longer for some.
If you’re not icing, please start. Ice any areas that are causing pain, or discomfort. You can ice as often as you like, always taking care to place fabric between the ice source and bare skin.

If you feel the meds you were prescribed aren’t allowing you to be
comfortably mobile, I suggest you contact your surgeon’s office to let them know.

Read the Recovery Guidelines below as I believe you’ll find the articles beneficial. Pain is normal as your body begins healing and adjusting to the new prosthetic.
Wishing you comfort and a peaceful weekend.

As you begin healing, please keep in mind that each recovery is unique. While the BoneSmart philosophy successfully works for many, there will be exceptions. Between the recommendations found here, your surgeon's recovery protocol and any physical therapy you may engage in, the key is to find what works best for you.

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:

rest​

elevate​

ice​

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

3. Do what you want to do BUT
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

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. Here is a week-by-week guide

Activity progression for THRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

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 a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask the at each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[EllieBelly]

That sounds pretty normal, it’s still so early. I’m just over 2 weeks out from my replacement and have some groin pain as well as lower back pain. Everything in that area is so interconnected and needs to heal from not only the surgery but all the imbalances and issues prior to the surgery. Keep icing, take the meds and the guides above were really helpful to me! It will subside. Good luck and hope it improves quickly for you!

 

[Jaycey]

@Dduck1968 Welcome to the other side of surgery. I am not sure who set your expectations on this recovery but concern about pain and mobility issues only days out of surgery are just unreasonable. Your body has gone through major trauma. You need to allow it to heal and recover. This process can take 12 months or longer.

Sure, you may be one of the lucky ones who sails through recovery. But please allow yourself time to heal. Ice, elevate and take your pain medication around the clock, as prescribed. All this is temporary. But trying to push through will only set your recovery back.

 

[Going4fun]

Call your surgeon's office and report what you report here. They will be able to give you guidance and reassure. You might need an adjustment in your pain meds.

They expect calls from worried patients. And you should feel free to do this multiple times throughout your recovery.

 

[Dduck1968]

My friends thank you so much for your responses. I really appreciate it. The groin pain had me worried because that's where I mainly had pain before surgery. I see my surgeon in 2 days and I will address my concerns. Of course I used Dr. Google and hear some horror stories about how people are actually worse after surgery. My mind starts wondering. But you are all correct 10 days only and I do feel better thank day 1. Thanks.

 

[Elf1]

@Dduck1968 welcome to the healing side. I think we've all visited Dr Google a time or two and usually left with our head swimming. While it can sometimes be a good resource I know from my research prior to THR that it just scared the bejeebers out if me. Thank goodness I found the lovely folks here at Bone Smart! I almost talked myself out of pursuing surgery before coming here.

 

[Boofit]

Hello @Dduck1968 ,

It is a brutal surgery, this THR. And it involves dislocating the most stable joint in the body to do the work.

I guess it is pretty normal for most of us hippies to feel all sorts of weird pains in all sorts of places.
Hang in there! Take your meds as prescribed and ask your doctor if what you have is enough if you are still in great pain, and ICE!!

Wishing you a speedy recovery!

 

[Dduck1968]

Thanks. I will keep everyone posted. I hope all you guys are doing well also.

 

[CricketHip]

I remember getting that familiar groin pain and worrying, too. Then I noticed it usually bothered me when I was a wee bit too active. It's difficult not knowing when to worry and what to worry about, isn't it?
You are doing well. Maybe try to reassess your daily routine and make adjustments from day to day and see if that helps. I know it did for me.

OH and here's alittle reminder about that other thing to do.

 

[hhhooray]

Sounds pretty normal however I didn't have back pain, well... out of the normal anyway.
I had the anterior and while they don't cut muscle, they "muscle it" out of the way.. that stuff in there is not meant to be relocated temporarily or any other way. It's a very invasive surgery! I had pain/discomfort issues prior with groin, hip flexors, TFL and gluteus medius due to the bad hip and I'm at 10 weeks recovery now and I still have soreness, discomfort and stiffness to some degree most all the time. Seems everyone experiences odd and seemingly weird and phantom aches and pains that just come and go randomly too, I know I do. However, I do notice everything is slowly, and I mean slowly, getting better with time and when I really reflect on it... much better. You're still early in recovery, at 6 weeks my OS told me I was still early in recovery.. I see him on Monday for my 12 week and he'll probably tell me the same again....

 

[Dduck1968]

Again thanks all for the replies makes me feel a little better. Yesterday I ran out of all my prescription meds so I was on Tylenol only. Needless to say my hip was on fire. I barely slept. Right now I don't knownhow or what position to get in on lol. I see doc tommorrow. I will definitely ask him to prescribed same or different meds. I don't care which ones as I can be a little ok lol. I have a high threshold for pain with plenty of surgeries in the past but this one is rough one lol. I have to be patient.

 

[Eman85]

Are you icing? Are you doing any PT? If you've been athletic then you should understand muscle pulls and dislocations. Now imagine dislocating so badly your leg twists 90* and the head of the bone pops out of a hole in your thigh. Think it would still hurt 11 days later? That's what has happened and on top of that they chopped the head of the femur off an pounded a railroad spike into it. Just for good measure they reamed our pelvis and inserted a cup. We go through a major injury on an operating table. kind of puts it in perspective and it made me understand why it hurt like it did and why doing any "strength building" in early weeks was just causing pain.

 

[Snoopy55]

Yesterday I ran out of all my prescription meds

ooh no no Tylenol isn't going to do it. Perscription meds ASAP. My favorite was Tramadol as its not so strong. Its basically like a little stronger than tylenol and getting hooked is not really a danger like some opoids like oxy.
I hope you feel better soon!

 

[Dduck1968]

Yes I have had a few sessions of therapy and I do ice. I have therapy tommorrow as well as see the surgeon. I will ask for more meds.

 

[Eman85]

What if you skipped a therapy session or 2?

 

[Dduck1968]

What if you skipped a therapy session or 2?

I will ask my doc tommorrow.

 

[subie2021]

What all are you doing in PT? As early in recovery as you are, pushing for strengthening and big ROM probably isn't a good idea. So if you're working on that maybe backing off for a week or two will help.
In my male dominated world, I've noticed that guys seem prone to pushing and 'getting back to normal' very soon after injury or surgery. Especially the ones into fitness and a specific sport. It's like they get competitive with themselves to outwit, outplay, outlast like Survivor competitors when they ought to be 'wimping out' and letting themselves heal. Sigh. Guys. I just don't know....they are mysterious critters
Anyway, remember for hippies in healing mode, slower is faster and faster is slower. Taking it easier early on will allow for greater gains later.
Good luck to you...I hope you feel better soon.

 

[Dduck1968]

I will take it easier. I am not sure if I really have been pushing much. I have had pt a total of 4 times at hone. They have been very simple and basic. I just have to accept this is going to be a time thing and be patient. My main concern was if it was normal to feel pain after 10 days.

 

[Mojo333]

@Dduck1968
It definitely is normal and you are so right, it is a time thing.
This THR business is major surgery and your body is in hyper healing mode.
Keep that patience muscle toned...
Getting back to healthy and happy will be well worth the time in recovery.
I am 5 years post BTHR and feel 20 years younger than I did pre-op.