Revision THR Constant pain continuing 1 year after THR<^

[Marvy]

I called three more orthopedic offices today. I was denied getting an appointment with any of them due to the fact that it hasn't been a year since my surgery. I explained (pleaded) to them the pain that I was in and how it is getting worse, but that didn't matter. Their policy is one year. Two of the offices told me to go back to the original surgeon.

Yesterday I faxed my records to the other practice. The office called late this morning and said that the surgeon reviewed my records (radiology and surgery reports). Because everything is documented as being "OK" they would not make an appointment either.

There aren't any more ortho offices I can call as the practices each have many doctors.

In the meantime, it is getting worse. I have a desk job, so I sit all day, then go home and sit until it is time to go to bed. I am taking tylenol, tramadol, gabapentin and hydrocodone to no avail. I honestly do not know where to go next. I am tired.

 

[zauberflöte]

awwww @Marvy I'm sorry this is taking so much out of you. Are you able to go out-of-network? It probably wouldn't cost anything just to call around.

There is a moderator/adviser here who is good at finding surgeons in the US. @Jaycey I can't remember who that is, is it Pumpkin? Maybe get a little brainstorming going here for you, Marvy. Tired is a bad place to get stuck.

 

[Marvy]

@zauberflöte Yes, I could go out of network - at least for a consult. However, where we live there are a handful (3 or 4) of very large practices - each with a number of smaller satellite offices. So, when you call to make an appointment, the same rules apply to the main office and all of their satellite offices (hope this makes sense). So, I guess in the end, there aren't as many choices as one would think.

I have gone to the "Find a clinic" tab and have called and/or researched most of those (in my area). In trying to find a revision specialist, that narrows the list down even further (sigh). I've put in varying zip codes/distances as well and it goes back to contacting a satellite office of a huge corporation....

My family is against the idea of travelling out of state (which to a point I can understand due to the cost). Of course, they did not agree with me getting the surgery in the first place and the surgeon that I chose (even though I know people who have had hip replacements by the same surgeon and have never had the slightest issue). They can't seem to understand that with my situation it is just bad luck.

I really don't want to wait until next year to make an appointment, but it looks like that is what I will have to do.

 

[Josephine]

There is a moderator/adviser here who is good at finding surgeons in the US

Yes, Jamie. But she is on leave until next Monday.

 

[zauberflöte]

Ugh @Marvy it sounds like you have covered all bases, with no runs. I feel your frustration and exhaustion with this. That "mega-health-care" thing is getting out of hand...

 

[Horseshoe]

@Marvy have you considered contacting a university teaching hospital? Maybe you could fudge a bit and say it's been over a year or you've relocated to a new area and need to see an OS. Many BS members had to be firm and self advocate when searching for answers and a revision OS to look at their case.

 

[Marvy]

Well, I have been on the phone more in the last week than I think I have ever been. And, I have finally been able to make an appointment with a revision specialist! The appointment though is not for another month....

In my calling, I have begged and pleaded. Most practices were still "sorry you are having so many issues and in pain, but our policy is one year".

So, I took the first appointment with any revision surgeon that I could get. This particular one, after researching him online, gets an average patient review of 2.7 out of 5. Not great, but at least I can get someone else's opinion on this.

I went to the grocery store with the family on Saturday and by the time I got home my hip ached so badly I couldn't walk too well. Most mornings I wake up with my hip still/already aching. I told the appointment scheduler that each day I keep hoping things will get better, but she said "at this point, it is highly unlikely".

Now the waiting begins....

 

[zauberflöte]

@Marvy your persistence has paid off! I am glad that, even though you have to wait a month, you are at least in line for an appointment.

Here is a cool place to check up on statistics, rather than reviews, of a number of orthopedic surgeons and hospitals. https://projects.propublica.org/surgeons/

 

[Josephine]

Oh wonderful! And well done you!

 

[Marvy]

Thank you @zauberflöte - I had not seen that site. When I looked up that surgeon, for hip replacements, he is at the low end of the "high adjusted rate of complications"...

My thigh/quad pain continues to get worse and I still can't help but think that it is the implant. The pain starts around T/V L2F and goes down to ZL2F. Even doing nothing, the pain is always there. It is affecting my job as it is uncomfortable to sit at my desk for very long.

 

[Jaycey]

So glad you have an appointment @Marvy . Get your list of questions ready and perhaps write down the activities the pain is preventing you from doing. Discuss the quality of life with your surgeon. Your world has narrowed due to this pain. You need your life back.

We are rooting for you!

 

[Marvy]

Thank you @Jaycey Instead of listing what the pain is preventing me from doing, I should list what it will allow me to do as the list would be dramatically shorter Basically I cannot do anything without pain any more. We are supposed to go on vacation soon and I can honestly say I am not looking forward to it due to a potential for alot of walking. I'm trying to decide if I should bring my cane or just go ahead and bring my crutches.

My appointment isn't until the end of September. It was the soonest I could get.

I've had so many tests now and all come back saying everything is fine all I can think to ask is "why am I in so much pain?" Can you, or anyone, suggest what I should ask? I swear my brain has turned to mush in the last few months that I can't even think straight anymore...

 

[Jaycey]

You might want to print the scorecard I am attaching to this post and fill it out. It's a good basis for helping you vocalise your level of pain and inactivity.

I would definitely bring some type of walking aid with you on your vacation. You need to baby that hip until you figure out what is wrong. Are you icing your hip?

 

[Marvy]

Thank you for the scorecard! I will definitely take that with me.

I was icing - mainly at night. I stopped only because it did not seem to be helping at all. After icing, when I would get up out of the chair, It was (and still is) painful to put weight on my operated leg (think an 8-10 pain level depending on the day). The best way I can describe it is that it felt as if the cold wasn't getting down far enough in my thigh to do anything.

 

[Josephine]

My thigh/quad pain continues to get worse and I still can't help but think that it is the implant. The pain starts around T/V L2F and goes down to ZL2F. Even doing nothing, the pain is always there

So the pain is here?

I doubt very much it is anything to do with the implant. Much more like to be muscular.

Tell me, are you doing any exercises right now?

 

[Marvy]

@Josephine - I'm not exercising at all and haven't since surgery. Since right after surgery it has been too painful to walk or do anything. Even walking 2 blocks on flat pavement is so painful that I start limping quite badly. I have never been pain free after surgery and the pain continues to get worse. Prior to surgery I never experienced pain this bad.

In the picture, the pain starts where the darker red is, but the worst pain is actually W-Y L2F (mid thigh). I still have the outer thigh pain (starting around YL1B and continuing down about 6 inches) but the front thigh pain is worse.

I used to be so active with working out, biking and hiking so to not be able to do these things is really tough mentally.

 

[Josephine]

I see - so your pains are here

I think you should read these to see if there are any comparisons Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS or RSD) or Meralgia Paresthetica

 

[Marvy]

Hi @Josephine. Thank you for the information. In reading both articles, my symptoms seem to fit Meralgia Paesthetica more so than CRPS. Although I do not have any numbness, tingling or burning. It is just a deep pain pain-especially on the front of my thigh (one of my friends would call it "bone pain"). Unless someone really squeezes my thigh, there is no pain upon normal touching. In addition, Gabapentin, Tylenol, Tramadol and Hydrocodone do not work.

I cannot thank you enough for taking time to respond.

 

[Josephine]

How much gabapentin have you been taking and how frequent are/were the doses?

 

[Marvy]

@Josephine I have been taking 300mg 3 times a day of gabapentin