THR LLD Due to Pelvic Tilt

Diane60

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Well I guess that about does it for me, as I am internalizing all my disorders in the subject line.
This is my first post to BoneSmart and I’m finally reaching out for support.
My story is that I’ve had both hips replaced, the first on was in 2018 which was successful operation and recovery.
My second and hopefully final surgery was on May 20 so as you can see I’m only 5 weeks recovery.
I’ve had a lot of problems with my second surgery. After having 7 dislocations and 5 operations, they finally fitted me with a custom hip replacement and that is where I am right now.....healing.
I don’t have to tell you about the excruciating pain that I’ve been through with each dislocation and the multiple hospitals that I ended up going to, etc. I’ve been out of work for almost a year. I just turned 60 and never thought I’d be living with my 88 year old mother having her help take care of me. I live approx 1 hr from her but my townhouse which is all stairs and well she has a rambler type house with basement and I can get around with a wheelchair better. I live by myself too. So this was the only choice I had.
I know I’m still early in recovery but I just need support from folks that have been through this. As of today, I have a leg discrepancy and can’t walk. I still use a wheelchair and walker to get around. I’m trying to use the walker more but with my leg being longer than the other, I’m afraid of falling. I now have glute pain from either sitting or muscle healing. My foot is numb, pins and needles,
And I’m worried about everything. Will I ever have a normal life again? Especially the leg discretion. I was active, hiking and biking and now I’ll stick and lost. I try to stretch each day and work on my home health exercise but I’m still toe touch. I got back to the doctor on Tues. 30 June to have my first post op X-rays. He will probably allow me to put more weight on my foot. I know I’ll need a shoe lift but will PT help stretch my leg out? For such a long time my leg up was higher than before because it had slipped up and didn’t take, hence, a custom hip. So it was cramped up higher and I guess it set that way.
Will this pain in my butt ever go away? I can’t sit long and have to lay on my side to release the pressure and pain.
Will this numbness in my foot go away? All these issues or disorders have to come to surface and I need help. Please anyone out there on this forum that could see some light at the end would be very much appreciated.
 
First of all, welcome to BoneSmart. You’ve come to the right place for answers and support. There are many helpful people here and I’m sure some will be by shortly to give you some input. Unfortunately I can’t really answer your questions as my recovery experience was different from yours. My first thought though was that you should have already reached out to your surgeon’s office for some help and recommendations. Now it is a Sunday so no one there and your appointment is Tuesday so you will see the surgeon then. You should never hesitate to call his/her office though. So often people think they don’t want to bother them but that is what they are there for and why we pay them good money for their services. Most times there is a nurse that can help but when she can’t, she will consult with dr and get back to you.

Since you have the appointment on Tuesday, you need to start a list of questions you want to ask. Add to the list as new questions come to mind and then take that list with you for your appointment on Tuesday. You need to find out just how much you should be moving around. Should you be using wheel chair or should you try to use walker more? If you need to stay in wheel chair, are there exercises you can do while sitting to keep your leg strong? Most people don’t need any PT after a THR but maybe your situation is different? I really don’t know as I’m not a medical person but like you, I’d want some answers. Make sure to write down ALL your questions as none are too small or petty to ask. After all, this is your body and you want to get your life back so ask any questions you might have. I wish you well and I hope you will let us know how the appointment on Tuesday goes.
 
Hello and Welcome to BoneSmart. Thanks for reaching out. I believe you’ll find encouragement, support and comfort through the words of fellow members.

I’m sorry to read of all you’ve been through, my heart goes out to you. It’s been a long five weeks, I’ll bet. A painful time also with seven dislocations, I can’t even imagine! Many of us have read of the excruciating pain of a dislocation...but seven? Awful! Thankfully you’re not alone. I’m sure it’s a comfort to be with your mom who can at least call in help for you if it becomes necessary.

Has the LLD been diagnosed? Only asking because there is apparent LLD, which naturally works itself out and real LLD which can be addressed. Hopefully you’ll find out more about that at your appointment on Tuesday. Here is an article from the BoneSmart Library on LLD -

I can understand why you’re worried and concerned about recapturing life as you knew it, but I believe life will return to normal with time. You’ve been through a lot of trauma, “controlled” with multiple surgeries and uncontrolled with seven dislocations. In addition to the physical trauma, I’m sure it’s been an exhausting time with many emotions coming into play.

The pain in the butt you describe is quite common. I experienced the same for awhile. It felt like I was sitting on a small tennis ball. Sitting in confined spaces, especially a car, had me miserable and wiggly within about 30 minutes. It slowly dissipated over the first few months. Numbness in the foot is another symptom I’ve read of in my time here. I’ll try to remember someone who dealt with the same and link their thread offering you hope that some of these symptoms will resolve over time.

I‘m wishing you the best for your appointment on Tuesday. I hope your surgeon is able to offer the reassurance you’re seeking. We will be here for you, so please stop back whenever you feel the need. Lights never go out here.

Sending a hug and wishes for comfort and brighter days!

Please read the Recovery Guidelines below -
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
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
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
6. Access to these pages on the website

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.
 
One last thing...
Since the foot numbness is most likely related to inflammation, concentrate on icing and elevation which will help with pain and swelling. We recommend icing any / all areas of discomfort for 45-60 minutes, no less, several times per day, making sure there is fabric in between your skin and the ice source. There are articles on both ICE and ELEVATE in the Recovery Guidelines above.
 
Oh, I can’t even start to imagine the agony you’ve been through. No wonder you’re nervous and scared. All that would sure take its toll on you emotionally as well. You’re probably holding your breath wondering when the next awful thing is going to happen. Well, exhale. Take a few breaths and let’s try and sort this out. Like the others, take ALL of this to your OS. They can’t help you if they don’t know what your feeling, physically and emotionally. Healthcare people can be pretty amazing but they’re not mind readers. Lol.
If you filter out the seven dislocations and surgeries, what you’re experiencing is very much what we THRs encounter post-op in our unique permutation of it. You are a perfect example, albeit extreme, of how no two hips are the same even in the same body. You’ve had to be a bit more cautious and deliberate in your mobility but hopefully this Tuesday you’ll get the green light to bear more weight on that hip and start to feel more normal again. Maybe that will help with the leg discrepancy feeling? Being confined is so hard. I’m really hoping you can get mobile enough to get out a little and then build from there. Take heart. Be patient with yourself and your body that has been through so much. Ice, elevate and try and see where you’ll be when the healing takes place. Easier said than done, I know. I had a longer than “normal” recovery (nothing like you or others, of course) and it is was hard to focus beyond the painful issue at hand. You’ll get there, eventually. You’ve got Tuesday as your next stepping stone to an improved healing journey and we’ll be here right along with you. ❤️
 
Hi @Diane60,

I am so very sorry for all your pain, anguish and worry.

I hope that you have a helpful, useful appointment with your OS this week.

Leg length difference is one area where I might be of some help. My LLD was significant (and I get how much it is bothering you because I felt so unbalanced with my operated leg much longer than my other leg), and you have to wait to see what will happen. In the first month after my hip replacement, I had two medical opinions that my LLD was permanent and one opinion that it was temporary.

The one medical opinion that turned out to be correct was from my OS. Her opinion was based on her evaluation of my leg length during my surgery. She told me that she believed it was only an apparent difference (and thus temporary) because of how equal my legs were on the operating table (after she had put in the implant). Despite her reassurance, I was anxious because I felt off balance, and because the other medical opinions disagreed with my OS.

Maybe you can ask your OS about his/her evaluation of your leg length while you were on the operating table?

Just so you know, after 2 months, I started outpatient PT and worked a great deal on regaining the muscular strength around my hip, especially the hip stabilizer gluteus medius. As I became progressively stronger (this took time, effort, and physical therapy), my LLD slowly resolved. For about three months, I used a very small, home made shoe lift in my 'shorter' leg because that helped me feel more balanced and stable and improved my gait. I was given conflicted guidance about using a lift, so I made a very thin one, which I no longer use.

Support made a huge difference to me in my recovery.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hello @Diane60 - and :welome:

My, you have been through a lot with your hips in the last couple of years! No wonder you're feeling depressed, anxious and scared. That's an entirely normal reaction and completely to be expected. After what you've been through, who wouldn't feel like that? :console2:

Of course you're worried about the future and recovery is hard and difficult right now, but there's every chance that things are gong to improve from now on. I hope that your appointment with your surgeon on Tuesday can help to reassure you about that.

As suggested,it's a good idea to write down all the things you want to ask your surgeon. Don't forget, also, to tell him/her how you are feeling emotionally. Sometimes surgeons forget that, along with physical trauma, you also experience emotional trauma. You may need some help to deal with that as well. If your surgeon feels he/she can't help with that, ask your own doctor.

I know you explained pretty fully in your first post, but please can you clarify whether the multiple dislocations of your second hip happened before or after you had it replaced? Which hip is it, by the way?

So we can summarize them in your signature, please will you tell us the full dates of your hip surgeries and which hip it is each time? That way, we'll be able to see what your hips have been through, without having to keep referring back to your first post.
Thank you.:flwrysmile:

Do keep posting and letting us know how you get on. We'll be here to help you through this. :friends:
 
Oh my @Diane60 that's really too much for one person. No wonder your thread title sums it up. I'm just here to add support, really, and a hug if you'd welcome it.

Definitely write that list of questions for your OS. When I'm being smart, I then rewrite the list on a larger piece of paper, with plenty of space between for answers, comments, and more questions. Don't let your OS run away before you get all your answers-- and if you think of another question after, do give them a call! They are used to it, and have staff being paid by our insurance payments to handle these post-op things.

On my first hip, I experienced two of the things you mention-- the "pain in the butt", and I had a LLD which was small but irking in the early days. The LLD mostly either went away or I got used to it. The sitting pain I strongly believe to have been piriformis syndrome, and it had started more than 10 years before the first THR. Blessedly, the second hip fixed both issues. The LLD must have been real, as alot of the pain which had accompanied me for the 4 intervening years between hips vanished as the second hip healed, and my pelvis felt more balanced. I was a lucky one on that.

I hope that with the help of an excellent PT, you can return to all your former activities! Right now, you are indeed following the recovery path so many of us have walked. 5 weeks is early days, even in an uncomplicated recovery without all that you've had to deal with for the past year. It will take a while for your body to realize that this one is for keeps, so it (your body) can comfortably move on with the healing.
 
:wave: @Diane60 just wanted to welcome you to the healing side. You've been given some great advice so far from everyone above and don't really have anything new to add. Just wanted to say Hi and hope you'll keep us posted after your visit with the surgeon.
 
Just want to say hello and I am glad that you are here. Some great advice already provided. I just want to add that with all you have gone through maybe talking to a therapist would help. I know some are now doing phone or video support. Also, have you spoken to your PC regarding the depression and anxiety which is normal for someone who has gone through all those dislocations and procedures. Maybe they could help with medication to get you a bit of help to deal during this time. Sending healing vibes and hugs.
 
Hello again,
Just to be clear on a couple dates for your signature -
Which hip was replaced in 2018? Right, or left?

What was the original date of your most recent THR? The one that dislocated seven times?

I guess I’m looking for how much time was between the original surgery, after which all the dislocations occurred, and the latest surgery on May 20, 2020.
@Diane60
 
My first surgery was March 4, 2018.
 
Sorry, didn’t mean to post that last response.
My hip dislocation timeline:
Left hip replacement: 1/2018 (successful)
Right hip dislocation: 03/2018
Right hip dislocation: 09/29/2019
Right hip dislocation: 09/30/2019
Right hip dislocation:10/01/2019
Right hip dislocation:10/08/2019
Right hip dislocation:10/16/2019
Right hip dislocation:11/06/2019
Admitted to UVA ON 11/11/2019-discharged 11/26/2019
12/17/2019 hip slipped. Partial dislocation. Request for custom hip to be made for replacement.
Need time to heal before next surgery on May 20 2020.
Right hip custom hip replacement 5/20/20.
Follow up @ UVA on Tues May 30.
 
Thank you so much, Diane.
That must have taken some work for you to record here and I apologize for requesting the info after, Celle. I wasn’t reading back as thoroughly as I should and just realized we both asked pretty much the same of you.

Seeing your history typed out makes an even stronger impression of all you endured in a very short period of time. Thankfully that is now behind you and hopefully you can confidently move forward without incident. Prayers for perfect healing.
@Diane60
 
Wow, so sorry to hear of your worry and pain and agony and about all those dislocations.

I can be slow, but let me make sure I got you right. Usually here when people say "dislocation" on this board they mean dislocation of the artificial hip device, usually shortly after surgery.

On your right side (the recently operated side with the custom device) was there an earlier hip replacement surgery? Or did the dislocations occur with your "original/natural" hip? Again, apologies if you've already answered this.
 
I had hip replacement due to arthritis. They replaced the old joint with an artificial joint which dislocated 7 times. At that time the OS couldn’t do anything other than fabricate a custom hip. I had surgery on May 20. I go back for my follow-up tomorrow. So far and by the grace of god, I haven’t had a dislocation with my new hip.
 
This new hip feels good, unlike the feeling I had before each dislocation

I plan to continue with an update tomorrow after seeing my doctor to all you amazing folks from the BoneSmart forum that have reached out and given me so much support and confidence to continue on with this journey. I just can’t say enough. God bless you all and thank you. I couldn’t do this without you.
 
Hello and Happy Tuesday @Diane60
BoneSmart is such a great resource. We’re happy you joined us here. Stick with us for support and encouragement from those who‘ve “been there, done that”. :wink:
I felt it a blessing to find the site before my surgery. I was a long time lurker, terrified at the prospect of surgery and losing my natural hip for a prosthetic. It took me a long while to come to terms with the fact that THR was necessary if I wanted to regain quality of life, which was lackluster at the time. Reading other‘s stories here finally gave me the courage to schedule surgery.

Sweetie, please forgive, don’t want to belabor this subject, but feel like I’m missing something in your signature...

They replaced the old joint with an artificial joint which dislocated 7 times.

Which date of those listed in your signature was for the original RTHR, before the dislocations began? I believe that’s what Going4Fun was trying to clarify above also. I’m a tad confused. If you could provide that we’ll edit your signature to reflect the original right hip replacement.

It’s such wonderful news you haven’t suffered any dislocations since May 20th. Wishing you all the best at your appointment today and will look forward to your update.
A blessed day to you!
 
Hi again Diane,
Your signature was edited. Please verify that all is correct. If not, leave clarifications and we will adjust accordingly. Thanks! :)
 

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