THR Just had my hip replacement on Jan 14th.

[nessiepie]

Hang in there and if you are not ready to retire try to stick it out. A four day workweek sounds great . unfortunately retiring is not an option for me just yet. My goal is three years. I am trying to not get discouraged.

The fatigue is very real and I don't do much after I get home from work. My dogs get what is left of my energy Lol ! then Before I know it it's time for bed>

 

[dede62]

Lulu, sorry you're feeling down about the progress, but at the stage you're at, the milestones don't come as fast. Our friend sharonslp taught me a very valuable lesson right about this same time in my recovery. Look at all of the things you can do instead of the things you can't. I have tried to keep that mantra (although sometimes it's hard when life throws you curveballs). It does get better and I'd say look back in a week or two and see how you feel then compared to how you feel today. Your stamina will continue to gain steam and you WILL have up and down days (sometimes several in a row), and then all of a sudden you're past them and on your way again.

Congrats on your "new to you" car! Sometimes you just have to treat yourself to something special

So we've been having a gorgeous stretch of weather this week. Let's hold on to that thought and hopefully it will stick around a little while before the spring waterworks really get going until July!

 

[luluohio]

nessiepie
dede62
Thank You both for the encouraging words. I felt pretty good today but I'm still backing off walking even though today was a beautiful sunny day here. I hated wasting the day in indoors. I think taking off yesterday helped me get back to where I was before I over did it. So back to slowly but surely. I went to PT today and I appreciated that my physical therapist took it easy on me. I just did some gentle stretching and electrical stimulation with ice. I get a massage again tomorrow. My incision area seems to be more painful since all the swelling went down, if that make sense. It just feels like the swelling added some support now it has a squishy feel and seems like there is more deep pain closer to the bone.
dede, I guess I just thought I was ready to take off without my cane and I was expecting to continue up hill from then on. I'm starting to realize this will take a bit more time than I anticipated. Your right i need to keep a positive attitude. How is your foot and ankle problem? Is it improving?
I'm having dinner with a friend tomorrow night, we might go up the casino so that should be fun. I'll probably go out for a short walk with my cane tomorrow. I think I just did too much at once and I have to ease into it. Later!

 

[HappyHippy]

I haven't been on much, as I've been doing pretty well overall, but I pulled a muscle in PT 2 weeks ago in the scar area, and am back to walks and swimming. I'm glad to hear it's normal to still have these difficulties, although I'm sorry to hear all you are having them. It's so tempting to overdo, and I can't tell until it's too late. I get nervous with pains because this was the time my first hip began to fail, but I can feel it's just muscle.

It has been beautiful in the NW this week, and I find myself wishing I could hike a little distance, but it is important to stay focused on what we can do, and not what we can't. It's been kind of a down time for me too, and am glad to know it's normal, but sorry to hear some of us are going through it.

 

[dede62]

Lulu, I hope you enjoy yor dinner out tonight. The foot and ankle are about the same. Saw 1st doc Wed and we added ace wrap and crutches to take a load off. I'm trying to stay very light weight bearing as full non weight bearing kills my hands (don't need a new issue). I see an OS next Wed to get a 2nd opinion.I'll update my thread after that appointment.

HappyHippy hope that muscle pull gets better soon to keep you on track for your hip. Hopefully everything will fall into place and we'll all have great summers!

 

[luluohio]

HappyHippy
dede62
I went for my massage tonight after work. Actually he concentrated on the lymph system again, whether it does any good or not I'm not sure. I just hope it does. My hip feels better than it did a few days ago. I'm just going be be cautious in the future.
It's good to hear from you HH it's been a while, I guess we all have our challenges but as you said it's good to know others are going through some pain too. I would hate to be totally alone in my pain. I guess it's just part of the recovery process.
Dede, I wish you the best and hope this is just a mild temporary set back. Dinner is re-scheduled for tomorrow night but I'm sure it will be fun, something different from hanging around on my couch.

 

[luluohio]

Josephine
I am getting very discouraged. I went to my physiatrist the other day and he said he thought I was overdoing it and to use my cane again for the next 3 weeks. He said he might give me a cortisone injection if my pain doesn't improve in the next few weeks. I am still having pain in my upper thigh over my incision. I'm so tired of this. I thought I would be walking without my cane and be fine by now. I was really looking forward to doing long walks this summer and now I at this stand still. I just can't figure out what is wrong. This is very depressing. Is it normal to be having pain and fatigue 3.5 months after the surgery? I'm using my cane continuously and icing always, even at work. Has anyone else had this problem this long after their surgery?

 

[Josephine]

Lulu, I've read this thread from start to finish and I'm finding it very difficult to get a clear picture of what's going on with you. so I need to start from scratch and ask you some questions

1. what medications are you using, how much are you taking (mgs) and how often?
2. how often are you using ice?
3. what are you doing/receiving in terms of PT and exercises? Or that lymphoedema massage?
4. what is your activity level- what do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc.?
5. is this pain something new, if so when did it start - or have you been experiencing it all along?
6. and exactly where is this pain: can you give me the exact spot using this graph? I need vertical and horizontal numbers and whether red (front) or blue (rear)

 

[luluohio]

Josephine
I'm taking TylenolX3 and AdvilX2 a day and 5mg of Oxy 3 times a day every 8 hours.

I ice constantly I take an ice bag to work and use ice when I get home and when I go to bed.

I was going to PT x2 a week for 6 weeks but my doctor told me to stop all PT for 2-3 weeks last Monday and keep using my cane all the time for the next few weeks.

I went for about 2 lymph massages but I didn't last week. I thought I might ask about getting more massages, but the massage therapist said he didn't want to try anything very intense on my leg yet because he didn't think I was ready for it. He has been pretty gentle with my leg.

I'm going to work at least 4 days a week I'm trying for full time but I never get there, I've had some afternoons that I leave around 2:30 for PT twice week usually Tuesdays and Thursdays but this week I won't be having any appt, which means a full 8 hours. Wednesday seems to be the worst after working 8 hours Monday and Tuesday.

I do short shopping trips for a few items, just enough to get in and out. I do a little house work, dust, load and unload the dish washer, sweep the floor, change my sheets. I don't spend much time cooking just microwave something and that's about it.

I've been experiencing the pain all along but it flares up after activity, PT, walking and being up all day either sitting or walking for 8 hours and commuting a total of about 2 hours a day. After 2 days I'm beat and my outside of my leg behind my incision just feels like it going to fall out, very raw feeling. According to your diagram It's say (blue)R1, C,D and E is the location of the worse pain and (blue)R2, D and E pinching feeling deep in the muscle. It also wraps around the front of my leg (red)E and F R2 feels like a tight tourniquet affect, cramping. The pain is not constant usually worse after activity, sometime immediately, sometimes a day or so after activity. Thanks for your interest in helping me.

 

[Josephine]

I'm taking TylenolX3 and AdvilX2 a day

I did ask for mgs. Otherwise it doesn't really tell me much.

(blue)R1, C,D and E is the location of the worse pain

The most likely cause of pain in this area is Trochanteric bursitis. Check the article and see if it fits.

(blue)R2, D and E pinching feeling deep in the muscle.

And that could possibly be either sciatica or Piriformis syndrome.

It also wraps around the front of my leg (red)E and F R2 feels like a tight tourniquet affect, cramping.

Which would appear to confirm the notion of sciatica. Have you ever suffered from low back pain before?

 

[nessiepie]

Hi Luluohio,
I'm sorry you are still in pain,
I can however relate. I have been having back pain since long before the surgery and thought it was because of my hip. I found out last month I also have Spondylolisthesis (disc has slipped) An altogether different problem. My doc rx PT. I was very depressed at first but, what are you gonna do ? I still over do it unfortuanately ( yesterday) groceries, pharmacy, cooking laundry & my grandson spent the weekend with me which I enjoyed immensely , back at work today exhausted and having fibromyalgia flare. I cannot wait to get home and rest . I'm still dealing with nerve issues from the anterior approach which I feel are worse because of the fibro. My doc feels it will settle down and xrays show all is well with the implant so I am just trying to ride it all out. I have had to come to grips with the fact that my rehab will take longer than some. Hang in there

 

[luluohio]

Josephine
Sorry Josephine, I knew you asked for mg but the bottles were downstairs and I just didn't feel like going down to get them last night. Tylenol is 650mg and Aleve is 220mg. Yes I believe you are correct in your impressions and that appears to be my doctor's impression too.
I felt like kind of a nut today, started thinking about all kinds of things it could be allergy to metals, I am allergic to nickle. I believe my hip replacement is cobalt and titanium, then I started looking on the internet and it suggested all kinds of terrible things that might happen if you are allergic to cobalt. My OS first told me he was going to use ceramic but my first x-ray post surgery indicated that the ball was cobalt. I better just settle down and take it easy for a few weeks like my physiatrist also suggested to see if it settles down. He mentioned I could let him know if it doesn't improve and he could give me a cortisone injection.
I do have some lower back pain but I don't consider it a problem compared to my other problems.
nessiepie
I guess I'm just having a bad period. I hate having nice sunny weather and not being able to walk around the block. I guess I'm going to just start appreciating sitting in the sun on my back porch for a while, maybe all this summer. It will be my summer of relaxation. I was just having a temporary break down. I'm not feeling like over doing it again for a while. I wonder if I get my shot or cortisone I'll be able to walk more without it bothering me. I just need to snap out of it and start taking a more positive outlook on life. Take care of yourself.

 

[Josephine]

Well, if your doctor thought so too, that pretty much confirms it!

my first x-ray post surgery indicated that the ball was cobalt

And you could tell this from an xray? That's very clever!

 

[luluohio]

Josephine
When a PA the OS right hand person looks at my x-ray and says he thinks it looks like cobalt and not ceramic, I would think he found out something by looking at the x-ray. I'm not a radiologist and am not a radiology technologist. I'm glad you told me you couldn't tell by an x-ray.
I looked at my hip with ultrasound and there is quit a bit of fluid in the area of the bursa. Do you know if that is something that would be normal for me at this stage of my recovery. Yes I have bursitis but I had bursitis before my surgery too. I never had this amount of fluid before my surgery. Is it normal to have more fluid with bursitis post op? I have never looked at a patient post op hip replacement so I don't know whether it is normal or not.

 

[Josephine]

Well, it's not generally normal but if you had issues pre-op then it's likely they could continue into the post-op phase.

 

[ByGosh]

Hi luluohio I just stumbled upon your thread and am reading it with interest. I'm sorry you were having the bursitis problems and wonder if it's any better? How did you have it treated? I had pre-op bursitis, and still have it post-op and am curious how other THR patients deal with it. I hope you feel better by now. Thanks for any info you may post! Take care.

 

[luluohio]

ByGosh
I'm feeling a bit better. I just need to realize I need to rest, ice and need to take extra time to heal. I thought there was something wrong with me. I thought I would be back to walking my regular 3 mile walk soon than later. Now reality is setting in. I'm still on the resting phase, I don't know what to expect once I begin doing PT and trying to walk without my cane. I've only been without my cane for two days around my office building since my surgery. They say bursitis is caused by overdoing it, I don't think I ever really over did much of anything. I had severe arthritis originally, with bursitis, hip dysplasia and I had some bone marrow edema seen on a MRI prior to my surgery. I know my operated hip leg was longer than my other leg and I believe my OS shortened it to be more even with my other leg. My OS was also questioning a fracture right after my surgery, so I was on w/b restriction for the first month. I have faith that he is really the best surgeon in the area for hip replacements. I believe everything combined is causing my bursitis, I just hope I don't have to live with it forever.
As I said I'm doing a bit better, if improvement continues once I start moving I will be very relieved. I am taking Meloxicam 7.5 mg and I had a cortisone injection. I really don't think the cortisone did any good this time. Prior to surgery I had a cortisone injection that seemed to really help. The Meloxicam seems to help but it raises risk of MI and stroke. I don't like taking it but I don't have any other choice
Your thread says you had surgery one week ago, is this accurate? It says you are a graduate. Did you have your other hip done? Thanks, What have you been doing to cope with it?

 

[ByGosh]

Hi luluohio Thanks for responding! I had both my hips done 12 weeks ago. My thread was started when I was 1 week post-op. I'm not recovering very well, truthfully. I have bilateral groin pain that seemed to start after about week 4, when I had multiple MD appointments, lots of walking, driving, etc. First in the left, now both. My OS says it's 'soft tissue inflammation' and advises prednisone. I'm not sure and am still processing the information.

Maybe another injection is needed for the bursitis? It's not a deep injection, so I'm not sure there's a restriction on how often they can be given. Is the pain severe? Bursitis is common with hip OA pre and post-op, I'm told. I wonder if the cane would help take some of the stress off of that leg and help the bursitis?
I also had bone edema on MRI pre-op and an OS said it's from the OA and is not uncommon -it's from the inflammation.

You're resting and icing the hip? I hope that helps and when you start getting more mobile, it feels better. Good luck with it. I wonder what other post-op treatments are tried for that? I should google it tomorrow. If I find out anything, I'll let you know. Talk to you later. Feel better!

 

[luluohio]

ByGosh
I don't know how I would handle bilateral hips. I wish you the best. I believe you can have 3 injections of cortisone a year but I think your doctor would offer better advice. Rest and ice helps. Other than that, I don't think I will ever have my left hip replaced! This is just too painful, especially if I get stuck with bursitis the rest of my life. I don't like the idea of walking with a cane the rest of my life and not regaining my normal pre-surgical life. The thought of this is very disturbing. The cane helps and I know I couldn't get by without one. It makes sense, less weight on the leg, the less pain but my other hip is starting to bother me too.
Truthfully I needed the surgery and I couldn't live without it, my hip was in very bad shape. So in my opinion the pain is different than the bone on bone pain, but it is worse in the outer aspect of my thigh around my incision, post surgery.
All in all, I think it just takes time and for me obviously more time. I think people all heal at different rates and I'm obviously healing slower. I'm not overweight and was in good shape pre-surgery. All I can do is relax and deal with this situation. It might improve eventually, I hope sooner than later. Until then I'll just do what I can do and try not overdo it.
Good Luck!

 

[ByGosh]

Hello luluohio Thanks for the well wishes, I wish you the best, too. It is very discouraging for you to have gotten somewhat recovered and back to work, only to have the nasty bursitis act up and stall your recovery. You're right about the steroid injections being 3/yr, now that you mentioned it. I didn't know if it was any different for bursitis because it's not injected into the joint. Maybe not.

I take Meloxicam, too. I'm on the maximum dose of 15mg/day. I know there are risks, but as you said, there's no other choice right now. The risks are more for people who are on it a long time, I believe. I'm also not overweight, and was very fit pre-op, too. That has to do us some good, at least lower our cardiac risk, and take stress off of the joints.

A few of us BoneSmart members have started using ARNICA cream. Poppet recommended it. I googled it and it has natural healing and anti-inflammatory properties. I apply it 3x/d to my groins and I just started it on the trochanter bursae area, too It may help - it's worth a try. I got mine at RiteAid, but I know Walgreen's, CVS and Walmart carry it. Mine is Arnicare Gel and it's made by a company called Boiron. I couldn't find the cream, but this is the same, except it dries quicker because it has a little alcohol in it. I wonder if that might help you at all?

Another thing I've done is used warm moist heat on the bursae, and it feels soooo good. I alternate that and ice. Josephine posted someplace, maybe in the library, that she uses a wet washcloth in the microwave, then wraps it in a towel, and uses it on her bursitis for instant relief. I got a micorwaveable beaded one @ BedBath and Beyond by Earth Therapeutics. I just pop it in the microwave for 1-2 mins. and it's great. Very comforting.

One OS that I saw last year told me that everytime I move my leg, as in walking or swimming, the bursae rubs across the trochanter and can get irritated. That was disappointing because walking and swimming were two things I loved to do, and can't wait to get back to. I did manage to get to the pool today. I'd been really limiting my activities for 6 or more weeks because of the severe groin pain whenever I did anything. So I walked in the water gently and slowly for 5 mins. then paddled back and forth only using my arms with a buoy between my legs so I wouldn't kick. It felt so good, as I haven't dare talk a walk or anything. Let's see if this causes a setback - I hope not!

Like you, I'm anxious to get better and get on with my life. Enough already! But as one of the other members who has groin pain and a tendonitis and gets very discouraged, too, says "by this time next year...." I try to think that and it helps me to remember that this won't last forever, we will get better and by this time next year, we'll be back to normal! I'm sure it'll be much sooner than that, though. So keep your spirits up. It won't last forever. You'll improve. Take care. Sending best wishes your way..