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THR Just had my hip replacement on Jan 14th.

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Hi luluohio and ByGosh its me Kim 22 I have just read through Luluohios post op thread and it is me who has now accepted that it may take until next summer to get the life that I long for back (but as Bygosh said hopefully not that long ) Like you Lulu My aim is to take pain free walks on the beach as well as in the hills, to comfortably shopping especially with my daughter and care for my grandson who is coming up to 7 months.When I was 6 to 7 weeks I felt great as my pain was minimal and I was on top of the world Unfortunately this caused me to do too much and an awkward twist has left me with Tendonitis.

We all needed new hips to relieve us of the bone on bone pain but its a shame that bursitis and tendinitis have had to rear their ugly heads to slow down our recoveries.I am confident that these are only temporary set backs and it is going to take us a bit longer but we will get there in the end.When I first joined this forum my thread was called Roll on Summer so maybe I will need to add 2014

I am going to try the pool on Monday And feel really excited but will try to take things easy.Also my physio is going to arrange to lend me a bath board so I can have a soak in the bath to ease my aching muscles Yippee !
 
Kim22 Thank you for coming over to chat with luluohio ! I was telling her all of the things we're doing to try to help ourselves get better, from Arnica to the 'this time next year' mantra. Yes, we all did need the surgery, and we do need to get rid of the pain to get on with our lives, too! That's what each and every one of us are working toward. I'm glad you're going to try the pool, Kim - go easy on the leg kicking, though. It caused me to hurt more afterward, so now I put a buoy (it's a barbell type thing for water exercise that is buoyant) and I don't kick. I do bend the knees a little bit and do ankle pumps, but I'm going very slowly with the legs when I paddle around. Have fun with it, and with your new bath bench! Wow, you and Littlejem are taking bubbly baths now. How lucky for you both, don't you think luluohio ? I'll have to get you guys rubber duckies! :rotfl:
 
Hi girls I would like to apologise for all the grammatical errors in my last post I blame my I Pad which seems to have developed a mind of its own and it has nothing to do with the 2 large glasses of white wine I hav just enjoyed. It's now midnight in Old England and time to turn in.Wishing you you both GoodNight x
 
Kim22
ByGosh
Thank You both for your comments and support. My hip almost feels like the ball is too big for my socket. If that is possible. Of course it probably has it's advantages, probably less likely to dislocate. (I would think) I guess I'm just trying to rationalize why I'm having this pain. I guess I should just realize it's the bursitis and I'm probably going to serve my time relaxing. Luckily I haven't put any extra weight on with no exercise. ByGosh, I have plaque in my carotid and that is really why I don't like to take the Meloxicam, I don't like any thing that might possibly raise my blood pressure to reduce the risk of stroke. Of course I'm trying not to think about that right now. I think the benefits outweigh the risk. It does seem to help. I'll pick up some Arnica tomorrow and give it a try.
Kim 22 I had a few glasses of wine tonight too, my sister's birthday, we needed to celebrate a bit. A little wine does help every once in a while.
Kim22 and ByGosh, Do you work and if so how are you dealing with it? I am still having a rough time after a few 8 hour days in a row my hip is really acting up. I take ice to work and sit on a big pad of memory foam. I guess I'm going to need a more stylish cane, considering I'm going to be stuck with one for a while, I'm sick of this old lady brass orthopedic looking one. Vanity!!!, I never thought I'd be saying that.
 
Going back to work full time is tough..

You will suffer from energy drain, stiffness and pain..

I too took ice packs and had a memory foam cushion for work and sat on them. I also found that by 3 PM I was fidgeting heaps and realized it was the start of breakthrough pain, so I made sure I took a couple of Paracetamol (which is the pain med I was on by then, 7 weeks post) around 2:30 PM and they helped me get through the rest of the day..

I also made sure that I stood up every 30 mins and did some simple exercises and even walked around.. It helped :)
 
Hi luluohio,I hope you are having a nice rest this weekend.No I am very lucky I was able to retire early at 55 so as I was in an awful lot of pain at the time with a torn labrum I decided that for me at the time it was the best thing to do.I did consider going back on part time basis when I recovered from the THR but have changed my mind.I would rather do fun things when I get my mobility back rather than get stressed out at work.

I met an older lady today at the church coffee morning who had her hip done a year ago she had bursitis which was painful and held up her recovery but she is now absolutely fine I guess we just need patience and can be comforted that these things will pass given time
 
Lulu, sorry you're still struggling with the bursitis. Soft tissue issues seem to take so much longer to resolve. It was probably 14-16 weeks for me before I really started feeling (really) better, and I didn't have the weight bearing issues that you did. I know you've heard it before, but try not to dwell on how long it is taking. Keep the focus on what you can do at this point and the rest will fall into place. You've had some great advice about taking it easy (heat, ice, or whatever feels best). Of course when things do start feeling a little better, take your time ramping up. Wouldn't want you to have any other things creep up (like my darned foot).

Take care neighbor! :console2:
 
Hello there, dear luluohio I can hear and feel your discouragement and totally understand how you feel! :console2:It seems so unfair that we have this difficult surgery to rid ourselves of debilitating pain, only to have pain afterwards, either worse of just different. Is there any way that you can cut down your hours each day, even a little bit? It's so hard to work for an 8 hour stretch. You're very smart to bring your ice packs and a comfortable cushion. Are you on your feet much?
I'm presently not working, I haven't returned yet. I wouldn't be able to now, really. I'm a school nurse, and the school year ends for us here on the East Coast June 26th, so rather than go back for 3 weeks, I've extended my leave until end of August. I'm praying that I'll be able to return! This groin pain has stopped my recovery in it's tracks, unfortunately.

Lulu, I saw my OS for my 12 week check up last week, and he told me my xrays were great, my ROM and leg strength is great, my walking is great, I don't need PT anymore. And he thought my pain was 'soft tissue inflammation' and will get better. He gave me prednisone, but I'm holding off on it for now because I'm going to a totally different OS for another opinion first. I'm just not improving much. I've been resting and taking it easy since 6 or 7 weeks post-op. Every time I felt better, I'd do something, maybe too much, I don't know- like a couple of errands, or walk the dogs, or go to lunch, and the pain would be back the next day. So I'm still resting most of the afternoons with ice on. I take tramadol with acetaminophen everyday and if it gets severe, I still have to take a hydrocodone towards late afternoon or evening.
I guess my point of telling you this is that I'm getting another opinion, and I wonder if that is something you've ever considered? Your comment about the ball of your hip feeling too big for the socket is interesting. Maybe a different MD would reassure you? Or offer another treatment? I don't know, it's just a thought. I feel badly for you, being in pain, trying to work, and suffering. I know it's not easy to see a different MD..It's hard to do anything when you're in pain..Maybe you just need more time to heal, and maybe that's all I need, too. I hope so.

I also hope as Kim22 says, you're able to rest this weekend. Keep us posted on how you're feeling. We're all here to support each other, because we're all in this together. Take care.

dede62 Hi there! How's your foot? Is that avatar a picture of you with a koala bear? How cute! Did you visit Australia, or some such place? There are quite a few Aussies around, as well as Kiwis, from New Zealand.
What is your weather like in Washington State at this time of year? We're going into summer, you must be too, although I'm in Conn. near NYC, and you're higher north. Take care!:)
 
luluohio...it is all about balance. I do not have a significant other. I have three young adult children who live with me, but they are all busy with jobs, school, etc. so my pre-surgery, post-surgery, I have had to rely on me to manage. When someone such as myself or you, are used to being on their own, because they have to, it is very difficult to ask for help...I haven't learned that yet. I miss having that "special someone/significant other/spouse", who is a part of ones life, but it is what it is...it has been hard for me to be still, not doing, relax, when I have not been able to do that in my adult life, especially for the past 16 years being on my own. There are so many peaks and valleys inn this whole recovery process...just take ONE DAY AT A TIME...sometimes one hour at a time. Let your body rest and heal
 
Poppet
Have you had any bouts of bursitis? I was just wondering how common it is, being a moderator have you heard many people with this problem. I really believe that is what is holding my recovery up. My hip seems to be settling down this weekend but I'm still resting most of the time. I still use ice all the time, at home and work. I can tell that things will get stirred up when I try to walk without my cane and exercise again, so I'm lying low. I think I will heal up eventually, I just hope it's before I give up or people at work give up on me. I have always worked my entire life since I was 18 years old, I don't want to be forced into retirement. If this is going to be a constant struggle maybe I should just retire but I'm not ready to retire. I don't think my co worker quite understand what this is all about. I guess it shouldn't be my concern but it is.
Kim22
So you sound like you like your retirement? I might just hang it up, I would like to hang in there if possible because I would like to build my savings, I'm single. I have very good health benefits and it's still too early for Medicare. With my luck I would hang it up and then I would start quickly improving. I hate the thought of staying home in misery too. Plus health insurance is going to be very expensive.
ByGosh
The oral prednisone is something I have not heard of before, I would be a little worried about the side effects, ofcourse I'm ready to try anything. I have an doctors appt this Wednesday with my physiatrist, he gave me a cortisone injection but it didn't seem to help. I saw him about 4-5 weeks ago when he told me to quit exercising and trying to walk without my cane for a few weeks. I only tried a few times to exercise and each time I started having pain right afterward. So I'll see what he has to say when I see him.
dede62
How is your foot doing? Yes soft tissue problems really through you off your path to recovery. Just listening to everyone's comments makes me realize if it's not one problem, it's another. It's difficult to try to accept what you can do when you are not up to snuff at your place of employment.
Mamarey
Yes I am on my own too but you sound like you have a lot more responsibility for family than I do. I can imagine it would be very difficult for you. I find myself being so lazy I haven't got my house back in shape since I had my surgery. I don't think it would be a good idea to try to mop my floors or mow my lawn. So things will remain the same for awhile and I don't really care because I just won't invite anyone over that would think I'm a slob.

Thank all of you for your support, it's so nice to have people that understand because we are all going through this together. It's just that this is so different because I've always been able to bounce back from situations similar to this, recovering from other types of surgery. I do have medical background also, I've taken care of post op patients several years ago, I worked on a orthopedic floor in my younger years. I guess this gives you a very different perspective from the other side.
 
luluohio hi, yes I have/am having a problem with greater trochanter bursitis, it sure gets sore and irritated. That is one of the reasons, I have stopped my Nordic walking for a few months. Some nights it is hard to lay on that side, and I find I toss and turn. I use a heat mainly and have rested it for months... It is a very frustrating condition. My OS offered me cortisone shots, but I am not a fan of cortisone, but that is a personal decision, so decided to rest and hopefully it will settle. Quite a few members post about having bursitis.

A little information....

Post-surgical
Patients who have had a total hip replacement, may complain of pain over the outside of the hip. The diagnosis of hip bursitis is made most reliably on physical examination.

The most common symptoms of hip bursitis include:
Tenderness over the bony prominence of the upper/outer thigh
Swelling over the bursa

An x-ray is often obtained to ensure there are no bone spurs or calcifications that could be contributing to the problem. Occasionally, your doctor may obtain an MRI if the diagnosis is unclear or if the problem does not resolve with treatment.

I have provided you with a link to the article from the library.. Have a read and tag me if you have any questions. I have also given you the link to cortisone injections, my impression is that they can be a bit 'hit and miss' some members have wonderful long lasting results from just one injection. Other members have to have repeats and for other members they haven't worked.. Ask your OS or GP is my suggestion :)

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/trochanteric-bursitis-with-thr.5389/

https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads...y-safe-and-is-there-a-limit-to-how-many.9752/
 
Poppet
That is not good news. I just walked about a half a block with my cane, from one building to the other at work today and my hip already began aching. I've been trying to rest it for the past month or so. I know it's tender and I feel anything would make it flare. How have you tried to increase muscle strength? I just can't imagine! I don't picture myself walking my normal 3-8 miles a day any time soon. Well all I can say is I hope things settle down for both of us. Thanks for the information. I did try cortisone but it didn't seem to help.
After the hip replacement I don't think there would be chance of calcifications, is that correct?
Of course my other hip is beginning to bother me. Maybe a cortisone injection might help in that side.
Thanks for getting back to me with this information. Good Luck to you, I hope things settle down!

#heterotopicossification
 
Luluohio, I believe calcifications are possible. My dad had both hips replaced many decades ago, and had wonderful relief until pain returned. He was told he had calcium deposits and nothing could be done about it. In the wee hours, I wonder if this is going to be yet another genetic thing I inherit.
Heterotopic ossification in the hip

And the bursitis! Do you suppose it's contagious just by reading about it here? So many of us seem to be feeling that particular pain. Mine comes and goes....lately it's doing more coming and less going. However, Alexthecat put me onto something called gluteus medius tendinitis, which also resonates with me.....and in exploring that, I came upon something called Greater Trochanter Pain Syndrome, which resonates even more. GTPS incorporates the bursa, the glutes, and the iliotibial band all into one interconnected set of dominoes interfering with each other. The information I read makes it clear though that it's easy to diagnose bursitis when in reality it could be the gluteus muscles that are the actual problem. Like Poppet, I am not a fan of cortisone either, so I don't want my doctor to jump to injections as the first line of defense.

Unlike you, I don't have to worry about performing at work. I love the freedom of retirement. I just have to function on a cruise to Alaska a little later this month. (I'll take my celebrex and worry about pain syndromes when I get home.)
See...you don't have to stay home in misery. But I completely understand about benefits/health insurance etc. You do what you have to do....there are pluses and minuses on the retirement issue and your health is a definitely a huge factor on both sides of the scale.

We'll all figure this out sooner or later. Keep sharing information and progress so we all learn from each other. Or share the lack of progress and we'll all commiserate instead. One way or another we get through this.

Sharon
 
Hi sharonslp :) when my OS examined me, there was no doubt he targeted my bursa, his fingers went deep right onto the bone. It was the most painful examination I have ever experienced. I would never let him do that again. It has taken 9 months of stopping my Nordic walking and resting it as much as possible for it to level out and be just a minor irritation some days.. I think when I resume my NW I will have to build up slowly... Sigh...
 
Hi luluohio Just checking in with you. I'm sorry it was so difficult for you to walk even a little bit. That's very discouraging. Although you've gotten some good information from our forum moderator and advisor. I know how hard it is for you, and all of us who continue to have pain and limitations. Keep doing the best that you can with managing your symptoms, and icing and resting when possible. I feel it has to get better. I hope your visit tomorrow sheds some light on it for you. Try and keep your spirits up, lulu!
By the way, if you need some fun and laughs, check out zauberflöte thread and join in with us. She's a riot, right zauberflote? :heehee: And we all act like we're in 4th grade, or something. It's called zauberflotes magic new hips. Please come and visit - Big Party zauberflöte 's!
 
sharonslp
Thanks for the information, very interesting, but what a horror story about the heterotopic ossifications, I was just reading an article about microscopic heterotopic ossifications in amputees having problems with prosthetics fittings but I had no idea that something like this could happen. What our bodies do to us! I only can hope nothing like that happens, it must have been so painful for your dad.
Poppet
Guess what I just got some NW walking sticks for my birthday from my sister last month. I don't think I will be using them soon. Maybe next year. How many miles were you walking? I think I'm going to have to be very cautious when I start out walking in the beginning. I just loved my long walks and envisioned doing a lot of that in my retirement. I guess I better start looking for other hobbies.
ByGosh
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check out the thread you mentioned. I know many of these threads can be quite entertaining. I'm too serious for my own good most of the time.
 
luluohio No you're not too serious. We can all be serious, especially when we're in pain. I'm just trying to use humor as a remedy for myself a little bit. I'm feeling pretty discouraged, too, and try to take my mind off of it.
You're getting alot of good information from the moderators, though. I hope you feel better and today's visit helped you.
 
Poppet
Yes I read your article a while ago, it was very informative and I started looking into Nordic poles at that time. What was odd is I didn't even mention it to my sister and that's what she decided to get me for my birthday present. It's all meant to be I guess. I think it was because she knew how much I loved to walk and she misses a walking partner. She bought herself herself a pair too. I don't think I'm going to be ready to pick them up and go out for a walk, for quite a while. I can't believe I was so clueless to how long it would take to recover from this surgery. I was walking more a few months ago than I can walk now but that might have contributed to my present problems with bursitis. I had bursitis before I had my surgery though, I just don't remember it hurting this bad.
It was easy to fix then with a little PT and strengthening of my outer leg muscles.

ByGosh
I'm icing and resting today. My appt is this afternoon, I'm interested to see whether he is going to tell me to rest a bit longer or start PT slowly again. I have so many up and down days I don't know if I'm coming or going. Every time I say my hip is feeling better the next day it feels worse, so I'm at the point I just don't want to say anything. I do think I'm starting to see a trend though, I'm at least having a few better than usual days in between the bad days. I think I learned my lesson about overdoing, it's so easy to overdo when you get that "I'm going to throw my cane away and be normal again feeling" I wish I was one of those people post hip replacement that just get up and go after 6 weeks.
I remember asking a physiatrist at a specialty clinic in NY before my surgery "How often do you see patients after hip replacement that need cortisone injections or have problems" He told me "Rarely, I never see patients post hip replacement" His specialty was pain management for hip patients . That was one of my determining factors to have my hip replacement. Now back to real life........ Really, I didn't have much choice, I needed the surgery but I wish the early outcome was better. Hopefully I'll be able to look back at this in a few years and say, "I'm glad that's behind me. "
 
luluohio said:
I'm starting to see a trend though, I'm at least having a few better than usual days in between the bad
Click to expand...
luluohio That's good news! I'm glad there are a few good days, it's encouraging. Now, hopefully, there will be longer and longer times before any bad days show up.
I understand how you feel about up and down days and not wanting to say anything. Everyone on the forum will be happy for us when we feel better, and then the next day, it's so hard to be disappointing again. I had a few days last week where I actually went to the pool and paddled around, then on Sunday, I was in terrible pain again.
I really got depressed because I'm 13 weeks from surgery and I'm not recovering. Simple as that. I can't do much of anything. I putter around the house, I attempted going to the pool, but as far as being able to actually take a walk - no. I can't go shopping, nothing that requires much weight bearing, walking or flexion. I can really understand why you're so frustrated with your limitations now, I feel exactly the same. I used to love to exercise, swim, walk everyday - very active, just like you.
I bought 2 walking poles pre-op when my PT recommended them because I was in so much pain. What are Nordic poles? Are they a specific brand or type? These look like ski poles without the points or the circles on the bottoms, just flat black rubber. They help take the stress off of my hips when I go up and down the driveway with the dogs. Are yours different?
You know lulu, reading threads on this forum, it seems that quite a few people have something or another after their replacements. We're not the only ones. I'm just keeping my hopes up, like you - "this time next year..." I hope it'll all behind us! Take care. Keep me posted on your visit today.
 
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