THR left hip replacement painful, still 4½ weeks in<

[Josephine]

I need more information on these points please

2 Right this minute it is a 2. When I walk triggers pain mainly this week in my left so joint area. I can actually press the spot and it spreads the pain across the back of my low back/buttocks. It aches also front of thigh. A deep ache.

3 meds are Tramadol but I am not taking regularly as I have on going digestive problems.

4 I do ice fairly regularly

6.My activity level is 10,000 steps a day

walk forwards as above
walk backwards as above

 

[bestfoot]

2 Pain is usually a 2 at rest. Right now it is a 2 as I have just woken. When I walk it can go up to an 8 after about twenty minutes.
3 Tramadol I take if pain gets very bad. I can't take anti inflammatories as I had a gastric bleed a couple of years ago. I am presently being treated for severe heartburn whuch is giving me trouble at night and after eating.
4 I ice any area that hurts, so joint, buttock area for 20 minutes and then I move it to the next area for the same amount of time so right and left sides will get treated with ice. I only ice when it flares up. This might be two or three gimes a day.
6 My activity is measured by the number of steps recorded by my fitbit. I wanted to know how far I was walking so I do the recommended amount for general health and I have been working up to 10,000 which I do achieve over a day with lots of short walks and generally trying not to sit for too long.
The walking is in water in the hydro pool which us waist deep backwards and forwards 10 times during a hydro session.

 

[Josephine]

2 Right this minute it is a 2. When I walk it can go up to an 8 after about twenty minutes.

Gosh - that's awful!

3 Tramadol 50mg tablets usually twice a day. In the morning and before bed.

I think you're being a bit sparse with these. Why don't you try taking 2 paracetamol with each dose and another couple of doses during the day? I think you'll find it much better.

4 I ice any area that hurts, so joint, buttock area for 20 minutes and then I move it to the next area for the same amount of time so right and left sides will get treated with ice. I only ice when it flares up. This might be two or three gimes a day.

You accomplish little or nothing in 20 minutes. Ice for at least 40-60mins and more than 4 times a day.

5 I elevate for a couple of hours a day when I am sitting.

But are you elevating "toes above nose" or just putting your foot on a foot stool?

It should be similar to these

6. My activity level is 10,000 steps a day over the day. I invested in a fitbit. I most definitely do little and often. I don't walk for more than half an hour but find pain kicks in anyway.

I suggest you leave the Fitbit in a drawer and time your walks instead! 10,000 steps a day is far too much anyway at 10 weeks. Do you know it's over 5 miles? The guidelines state. And that's without the hydrotherapy!

7. On land I am only walking and general housework. I can't stand for too long. I go to hydrotherapy twice a week and do the exercises I was given to do on dry land in the water.

hmm - do less!

Exercises are
leg to side standing up x10 - 5 would be plenty
leg push backwards tightening buttocks x10 - okay
marching on the spot x100 steps - NO marching on the spot. Very hard on the quads!
slight squat hold stomach and buttocks to keep balance while doing figure of 8 one hand over the other in front of you just under the water x 50 each direction - no idea what this is but squats are not good for you
slight squat pass 5lb weight around your body engaging buttocks and core again - never use weights or squats
walk sideways in water up and down pool x3 - three times what?
walk forwards as above
walk backwards as above

You need to read this again
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.

 

[Josephine]

3 Tramadol I take if pain gets very bad.

Yes, but how much? 50mg, 100mg? And how often? Once a day, once a week?

 

[bestfoot]

Tramadol 50mg tablets usually twice a day. In the morning and before bed.

 

[Mojo333]

@bestfoot
Wondering how you were doing.
Have you seen in any improvement or been back for follow up?
Been thinking of you and wishing that all had eased!
This recovery thing can certainly be an up and down journey.
Hang in there and let us know how you are doing!
Hope today is a Good Day!

 

[bestfoot]

Thanks. I have started back at work. Not full time for a while yet. It's ok but standing an issue and usual so joint pain walking but it does vary in severity so I am hopeful. Today is not so good. I used my arms to pull myself up the bed and the left side of my mid back round the waist area pinged and I am now assuming I have torn something. Horrible pain so icing and tramadol and lots of wishful thinking this will go soon as it is so painful to move. Honestly! There are days when you think what now?!!! I am guessing g I just have slept awkwardly. How are things with you?

 

[Josephine]

Tramadol 50mg tablets usually twice a day. In the morning and before bed.

I thought so. The normal working dose of paracetamol is 2 tablets or 1,000mg. This you should also take more than twice a day. You see, what people often don't realise it that most drugs are only effective in the system for about 4-5 hours. If you only take a dose every 12 hours, you're spending up to 7 hours with no pain med cover at all. Thus when you get around to taking the next dose, your pain is so much that it can take a long time before it gets to be effective. So that's why it's best that paracetamol is taken regularly every 6 hours.

 

[Mojo333]

Oh my stars....maybe you just strained something.
Heating pad on back maybe...and Ice on leg?
Try Josephine's refining and see if it works better.
I'm doing super great... but if I look back on my recovery thread for little over 2 months out, still alot of healing (and whining) and traveling new pains and aches.
Do take care, and keep the faith!

 

[bestfoot]

Thank you to both of you. Advice noted and acted upon. For anyone else reading this, it was three months post op for me yesterday. The hip pain really is much improved. The other aches and pains can probably be put down to things getting used to their new positions. I was told by a surgeon that if your scar is still hot to touch then that his an indicator of soft tissue damage inside also. My scar is healing very well but it is still a hot line. I found this info very helpful as it made me understand how long internally things could take and I have this external indicator. When my scar is cool and silvery I will see how my pain is then and if not satisfactory then may be I need to have some back assistance. Until then I will wait for everything to cool down.

 

[rheerios]

@bestfoot love your thread. I had similar feelings too thinking I would never feel better. Something about that 5-6 week point that things start doing well. Glad to hear things are going well.

 

[Josephine]

When my scar is cool and silvery

Silvery? What's that?

 

[bestfoot]

Other scars I have go a silvery white once they have fully healed.

 

[Mojo333]

Mine do too.
Coming up on three months!
Keep the faith...I felt like month four was my big turnaround!

 

[Mojo333]

Hi @bestfoot
Wondering if you are doing better and getting back to life?
4 months out hipversary!
Hoping all is well.
Pop in when you are able and let us know how things are going!

 

[EricNH]

I am also at the 4.5 week point and I can concur that doing PT type exercises do tend to make things a bit tender for a few days. It sounds like good advice if you are having pain you might be overdoing it and just resting and walking might be very helpful. I find elevating and icing still very helpful at the 4.5 week mark. I still have a fair amount of numbness down the front of my leg but I have been assured this will go away over time. Best wishes to you for a speedy recovery. It takes time and it's a real process for sure.

 

[Alitm]

So thrilled to hear your good turning the corner news! If only we allow our bodies time to heal! It is helpful to know your time frame for feeling the change. I’m having bilateral surgery so I’m sure it will be a little slower for me, but I’ll take what comes!

 

[rheerios]

You are doing great. I have some back pain a little too and had a microdiscectomy in 2014. Sometimes when I walk too far it triggers. I started yoga at 8 weeks and it's been helpful. Now at 11 weeks I feel human again. I went back to work much earlier than the 15 week recommendation and I stand a lot (event planner). The key for me was getting some additional help and I have to pop a Tylenol or two onsite, but don't take anything for pain daily anymore. This is a longer recovery than I thought, but it does beat ore-surgery pain. As for sleep I was lucky to have anterior with very little restrictions. At three weeks I was sleeping on my side with a pillow between my knees. Keep up the great healing.