THR Merrimay's on the other side now THR

[Layla]

Best Wishes for your appointment tomorrow and a great week to you! It's nice to read you're doing so well, Merrimay!
@Merrimay

 

[Mojo333]

Hope all went well for your appointment @Merrimay
3 months out I still had annoying niggles and travelling pains but all steadily improved.
Hope your weekend is Sweet

 

[Newhip_Pol]

Excellent news @Merrimay - I think I will adopt your last sentence as my mantra too:
No-one has the right to hurt me.

How did your latest appointment go?

 

[Merrimay]

Hi all, a week ago I developed cramping pain in my operative calf. Therapist did TPT on Wednesday. That helped a few hours, but since then the pain has worsened. Today I can barely walk, even with my poles.
I did an internet search, thinking I might have a blood clot. But I can't feel a lump, there is no discoloration and any swelling I get at night is in both feet and ankles. There's no swelling at all in the calf. Ice does help, but any relief evaporates when I remove the ice.

I don't see my PT again until Wednesday, but, to be honest, PT only seems to solve one problem and lead to another.
Has anyone else experienced crippling calf pain on the operative leg this far along in recovery? (Four months on Feb 19.) Thanks!

 

[Charlie33]

A friend of mine in medical field suggested it could be a circulatory problem versus blot clot. Perhaps a quick check in with primary care physician in addition to or versus OS or PT . Let us know what you learn!

 

[lanstan]

Yep I would say check in with your PCP or OS. Is it warm to touch(after the ice has been off for a while), or red. You cant feel a blood clot. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Charlie33]

It could be a positive sign as well if you are firing muscles in your hip and making demands of calf muscles that have been dormant for a while. The facia in our bodies is connected from top of our head to our feet. Might be that.

Also…new .PT has standing while rolling a tennis ball under each foot for 5 minutes per foot. Put some pressure on it but nothing uncomfortable. This is a trigger point therapy for lower body. Try it and see if that makes you feel better.

 

[Merrimay]

Thanks, everyone! Maybe best to just go to a cardiologist?

@lanstan , it's not red or warm to the touch before or after icing.

@Charlie33 , I have a wooden roller I use to prevent plantar fasciatis. Will try that and a tennis ball to see if either helps. Also, the point about using new hip muscles and the way that might impact? That's what my PT thinks because it only reared its ugly head when I addressed the compensatory limp in the nonoperative leg. And my hip and buttock have pain as well, and that's new.

I have consistently normal blood pressure but my cholesterol levels are high (runs in the family). I can't take statins because they cause unbearable muscle pain.

Spent the morning reading up on the Mediterranean diet, vitamin k2, oolong tea, that kind of thing. I don't have high sugar levels, but evidently sugar is a major culprit in high cholesterol, so I'll minimize sugar.

If it's PAD, they'll want me on statins ... which I cannot do. No point living with the muscle agony they cause me. Sure hope it's not PAD!

Thanks to all of you helpful hippies!

 

[Merrimay]

I'm beyond confused about the 90 degree rule for posterior surgery. I'm a week shy of four months so started bending to the floor (not squatting) to pick up and put down the pet food bowls. A friend saw me do it and freaked out. She said she's on life-time restrictions with regard to crossing her legs, tying her shoes, and never bends to pick up something off the floor. My OS never said when the restrictions ended, just that I could clip my toenails at 3 months -- which violates several rules. My PT insisted that the 90 degree rule ends at 12 weeks.

I read the bonesmart posting about hip precautions, but still don't feel sure if I still need to be using my grabber for eternity, 4 months, six months, or a year. Again, posterior.

I left a message for my OS, but he's out of the office with covid.
Thanks so much!

 

[djklaugh]

@Merrimay Remember everyone's experience with hip replacement is different. I don't know why your friend would have been told those restrictions are life long ... I've been around BoneSmart for nearly 12 years now and have NEVER heard that one before. Most surgeons (if they impose any restrictions and some don't impose any) have them in place for 6-12 weeks after surgery. And those restrictions are a precaution against torquing the hip too much when it is most vulnerable to dislocation. I think you are fine putting the restrictions behind you. Though do try any new movement slowly and with caution just to see how it feels and make sure you can easily get back to standing straight.

I had both hip joints replaced at once - bilateral surgery - and only had the restrictions for 8 weeks. And did just fine with that!

 

[thepuckhead]

I'm a week shy of four months so started bending to the floor (not squatting) to pick up and put down the pet food bowls. A friend saw me do it and freaked out

Oh, man, sometimes hip replacement folks just can't win. Don't recover "fast enough" and people give you **** for using walking aids or whatever. Recover and start to do more things and people lose their minds about your safety. Sorry your friend freaked out - that's never helpful. I have a few friends who definitely stay "on the sidewalk" of life and give extreme concern side eye to anyone who doesn't. It can be tough to deal with.

Did your friend have a hip replacement surgery a long time ago, maybe? When restrictions were more the norm and widely prescribed and surgeons tended to put the fear of dog into people because the surgery hadn't yet made significant advancements?

I'm beginning to think that, if medicine is both art and science, restrictions after hip replacement are definitely the "art" part of the surgery. Each surgeon is going to have h/her own interpretation and each patient will have different circumstances. Definitely confirms the need to, above all out, pick a surgeon you trust, because if you trust the surgeon, you'll trust both the science and art of his/her practice and treatment.

For what it's worth, some years ago, I consulted with two surgeons about a cervical disc herniation and one was very cavalier and said, eh, cortisone shot if you need it and time. The other had a very serious demeanor and told me that I was risking paralysis or permanent nerve damage if I didn't get a fusion surgery soon. Were they both right? Maybe? Probably? I chose the more cavalier approach, got a shot, and was fine. And felt much much better mentally. Does that mean Dr. Serious was wrong? Nope. But I get it, when you've had surgery, you want concrete answers, not maybes.

I hope you'll post what your surgeon's office says. The more info pooled here, the more helpful for all of us.

And, as a fellow posterior hippie, no way would I have had this surgery had I been expected to never cross my legs again or bend over or take a grabber with me for the rest of my days. I mean, I like my grabber but....

Cheers!

 

[Naps]

Thanks, everyone! Maybe best to just go to a cardiologist?

@lanstan , it's not red or warm to the touch before or after icing.

@Charlie33 , I have a wooden roller I use to prevent plantar fasciatis. Will try that and a tennis ball to see if either helps. Also, the point about using new hip muscles and the way that might impact? That's what my PT thinks because it only reared its ugly head when I addressed the compensatory limp in the nonoperative leg. And my hip and buttock have pain as well, and that's new.

I have consistently normal blood pressure but my cholesterol levels are high (runs in the family). I can't take statins because they cause unbearable muscle pain.

Spent the morning reading up on the Mediterranean diet, vitamin k2, oolong tea, that kind of thing. I don't have high sugar levels, but evidently sugar is a major culprit in high cholesterol, so I'll minimize sugar.

If it's PAD, they'll want me on statins ... which I cannot do. No point living with the muscle agony they cause me. Sure hope it's not PAD!

Thanks to all of you helpful hippies!

Merrimay, I too had sever muscle pain from the statins. Over a year ago, my doctor put me on a relatively new medication, called Nexletol and I have had no side effects at all. I am a person that gets the side effects that only 1% of people have!! There's also a Nexletol combination if the plain Nexletol doesn't help.

 

[Merrimay]

Wow, @Naps , thank you for the information! I will pass it along to my PCP at my next visit. It's amazing to me how many pcps keep insisting that statins do not cause severe muscle pain. The information is right there for them to see on the FDA website! I don't care if it only happens in 1% of cases...for those 1%, the pain is very real.

Thank you for sharing this important information!

 

[Merrimay]

@thepuckhead , I just received a call from my OS's nurse and she reassured me that at 4 months there is no reason on earth that I can't reach down to pick up something off the floor. She said my OS likes the posterior protocols to remain in effect for 12 weeks. From there, do what I want as long as I approach it gently and stop if I feel pain.

Apparently my friend wrote to Dr. Scaredy Cat! Can you imagine spending the rest of your life unable to cross your legs, put on your shoes without Mommy's help, or using a grabber? .

Thanks for offering support!

 

[djklaugh]

@Merrimay Sometimes even professionals get things wrong. When I had my first shoulder replacement ... 2+ years after my hip replacements ... I went to PT for the shoulder. The shoulder gals were wonderful ... for shoulders ... but did NOT know hips at all. First visit I was talking to them about the shoulder and mentioned I'd had the hips done .... while sitting with my legs crossed. PT gal #1 gasped. "Should you be doing that? What about hip precautions?" I just laughed and referred her to my medical record saying "Hip precautions only last for 6-12 weeks. I worked with your colleagues the hip gals for over 9 months to get the muscles to work this well!"

I hope your friend merely misheard what her doctor (or who ever) told her that restrictions are for life (unless she has a very severe and specific problem) ... totally unrealistic to expect one to go a life time with no bending, leg crossing, etc. The whole purpose of joint replacement IMO is to be able to get back to a life of pain free normal functioning.

 

[Merrimay]

Hi Hip Gang! Went to the local medical school to get checked out for a blood clot and Peripheral Artery Disease as both are associated with calf pain. Boy, do those med students love a "live one"! I'm over 65, have a hip replacement and high cholesterol untreated by a statin. Presenting with calf pain. They were tickled to death.

Long story short: no circulatory issue or blood clot. My calf pain is...wait for it: calf pain. They wanted to write up a prescription for PT, and I said, "It happened at PT." You never saw so many disappointed med students.

 

[djklaugh]

@Merrimay Gotta love med students! At least you know they were very thorough trying to impress not only you but also their attending/supervising doctor(s)

 

[Merrimay]

I've never received such devoted attention! Loved those kids!

 

[Elf1]

@Merrimay I actually had a PT state that I would have lifetime restrictions on bending over, crossing legs, etc. This was during my pre surgery joint briefing at the hospital. Luckily I had already met these wonderful folks here at BS and told him that I believed him to be mistaken and behind the times.

I encountered this same PT another time when I was held captive overnight. He showed up the next morning after my procedure and I asked why he was there. He said he was there to make sure I could get in and out of bed safely, blah, blah. I started laughing and said you might have wanted to do that last evening when I was recovering from the anesthesia! As you can see I'm fine, went to the restroom numerous times among other things all by myself. And my procedure had nothing to do with joints, etc. Needless to say, I'm not one if his favorite patients!

 

[Layla]

Just catching up here, Merrimay. I am sorry you had that scare, thankfully you received reassurance and you were able to put the concern over a possible blood clot to rest. Happy Four Month Anniversary! Thanks for the cheer you spread here. Have a wonderful week!
@Merrimay