THR Ouch's Odyssey the Other Side

[Krista]

You had a rough time initially, @OUCH! It's kind of scary to think that it would take them that long to get you properly medicated for pain. I am happy your THR leg is being "good"! Merry Christmas to you and your loved-ones, and may your knee recovery continue going well.

 

[OUCH!]

Thanks @Krista !
Pain was partly a problem because they stopped giving narcotics and lyrica in hospital because of bp and low heart rate.

then when I got home I called OS and couldn't get past the receptionist. She put me on hold and then came back and told me, "pain is expected after surgery. Ice and elevate and we will see you monday" (5 days away!) I was not happy, but was too out of sorts to advocate for myself.

Merry Christmas to you! I hope you have a bright, healthy and pain free New Year!

 

[Krista]

Glad it all worked out in the end, but it's too bad you didn't have someone else to advocate for you! I wouldn't wish uncontrolled pain post joint replacement on anyone. Take good care! :snowman::candle::santawave:

 

[SwimGirl]

@ouch That is so not right that you were told by receptionist to expect pain. You do need an advocate when you cannot do it on your own for whatever reason. Let this be useful information for anyone who is planning hip or knee replacement! Pain is the reason people avoid any type of surgery! My goodness you are so brave! I would have been calling that office non stop!!! Hope things go so much better for you.

Hope you enjoyed Christmas regardless!

 

[OUCH!]

5 months post op tomorrow. I've been avoiding coming back because I would have just been whining. My knee has been improving slowly, but then my hip started causing a lot of trouble again. I don't really need my cane for my knee anymore and it could probably even go up and down stairs normally, but then my hip started acting up again. Pain in both the front of my thigh right were the leg connects to my body and pain and weakness all down the outside of the thigh. I told PT about it and last time she had me do some stretching that helped the front.

Today I honestly almost didn't go because I was so frustrated and out of sorts. Turns out it was good I went. She really explored the trouble with me. Watched me do stairs, asked where it hurt etc. Then she had me lay on my side and worked on the IT band on the outside of my thigh. She massaged it both with her hands to identify the problem areas and then with a metal tool. It hurt when she was doing it, but it was worth it, because I think it really did help. I have more hope than I have had in a long time.

I was getting really discouraged that I'm two weeks out from knee replacement and still not able to pick up my son at school, walk the dogs etc. I can't even yet imagine going to the grocery store without using one of the electric scooters. Just in the last week, my knee might have let me, but my hip wouldn't. Now I have hope that someday both will be on the mend.

I hope everyone else is doing well. I'm guessing a lot of the people I started the jourey with have moved on from needing bonesmart.

 

[Medfordart]

I am so sorry to hear that you are having trouble. I definitely have to do a lot of stretching during the day. I find that when I am able to be more active, things are better. You are still early with the knee. Wishing you smoother tomorrows.

 

[Horseshoe]

Hi @OUCH! I remember you from last year when I was pre-op. I think it's tough having two major surgeries close together and you've done remarkably well. It feels like you're in recovery for a long time.. you get one done and recover then it's wash, rinse and repeat. I would imagine there is some muscle adjustment going on now that you are aligned correctly. I had side muscle pain in upper legs and used a soft roller (type used for painting) which helped. You can also put a few tennis balls in a sock and roll against a wall.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

 

[OUCH!]

Doing better today. I have hope the PT has figured it out and I will get past it.

I'm out of narcotics. Not happy. I called yesterday for refill. This is probably the last time I will need it. My doc is not back in the office until Monday and his colleague won't write a script. Gonna be a long weekend.

 

[jaymo]

@ouch- I'm still checking in here from time to time and sorry to hear about your hip pain! I'm sure you weren't expecting that while you are trying to recover from your knee- frustrating for sure! I would think that all of your muscles are now trying to adjust to both new joints, proper alignment and new gait. That's a lot of adjustment! At the same time mentally I bet you're ready to be healed and recovered already- it's been a long 5 months for you. Don't worry about whining-I think anyone in your shoes would get discouraged.

I had significant IT band issues as well and still have them off and on. In the early days of my recovery my PT massaged my IT band at every visit and used a muscle roller on it as well. Hurt while she was doing it but really helped to loosen up those muscles. She recommended that I get my own roller for home which I did and it has helped a lot! I still use it almost every day. You can find them on Amazon at reasonable price. For $20 it's worth a shot for you. I focus on the outside of thigh from hip to outside of knee.

I think of you often and hope that your pain level improves, your recovery gets back on track and that you can get back to your normal activities soon.

 

[Clipper]

@OUCH! - Where did you end up having your THR? I remember you asking about HSS pre-op. Did you have your TKR at the same place? How satisfied are you with that hospital?

Here's hoping your hip starts recovering at a faster pace!

 

[OUCH!]

Both my hip and knee were replaced at Morristown Memorial. Great, Great, Great experience. Hospital has a beautiful new orthopedic wing with all private rooms. Proper day bed that my husband could have slept on if we wanted him to stay. Good care from the nurses. I was simply in too much pain to contemplate schlepping into the city. My husband works about a thousand hours a week and we have three school age kids, so I also wanted a doc that would be easier to get to for follow up so that I could ask friends to take me when/if I couldn't drive.

 

[Clipper]

@OUCH! - Sounds very similar. I initially contemplated traveling to a more renowned medical center. I then discovered the local center had a brand new orthopedic wing with a recovery and PT floor (private rooms). I met the staff, talked to patients, and visited the center pre-op. Also this forum helped convince me staying local was the best choice. I'm now glad I did.

 

[OUCH!]

Six months post op and still in pain. @Josephine and any one else. I would love your input.
The pain is both at TL2F and VLTF. Its kind of in the crease where leg joins body and also above that when I press on the bone there.
And from VL1F to YL1F. Sometimes the pain on the outside of my thigh goes all the way to my knee.

I see my surgeon tomorrow, but I'm wondering if people here might have any ideas.

I have stopped PT. It wasn't really helping and if anything felt like it made it worse. She diagnosed problems with the IT band. Rolling it does help, but now I have pain in the front too. Frankly it all feels very much like what I had before surgery.

I have weaknness too. Still have to take stairs one at a time and usually have to lead with my right leg.

As far as pain meds, I am still taking 1000 mg of acetimenophen 2-3 times per day.

I'm honestly doing very little activity. Just cooking dinner or doing a quick grocery shop leaves me in pain.

Still using the cane whenever I leave the house. I "lurch" without it. From what I read, I think it would be called a Trendelenburg gait.

Thanks to anyone who has any ideas. I'm nervous for the appointment tomorrow. My surgeon is a very skilled "carpenter" but not the most personable guy. Hope he can help me figure this out.

 

[Medfordart]

Hi @OUCH! It is so good to hear from you! I still have trouble sleeping on my new hip but everything else is going so fantastic. I can not believe the difference now that both hips have been replaced. I have not been able to walk up and down the stairs without holding on or going one at a time, for the past 3 - 4 years....now....hands free!
After my first replacement I had the Trendelenburg gait. I think I rushed too quickly to be off the cane....duh, within 4 days. I found that going slow and concentrating on the heel toe eventually worked itself out. Good luck, think of you often. You are still recovering, as am I. You had to undergo two very close together. I am sure the doctor will be happy with your progression. One step at a time.

 

[OUCH!]

Thanks Sheri, I hope you are right. I felt much better than this a few months ago, so I am concerned that maybe I injured something? Or maybe all the favoring of my knee made my hip angry? I was going with out the can for a couple of weeks about 6 weeks ago.

My surgeon has completely released me and said I needed no follow up. I'm going tomorrow just because I am so sick of being in pain.

 

[Horseshoe]

@OUCH! I had similar pain prior to my THR that was determined to be muscular contracture and tendinitis from the hip OA. Don't have a TKR but would guess there's a lot of shifting and realignment going on between left and right sides. Are you wearing new shoes -didn't realize how much the old wear patterns affected my gait and pain levels. Hope you find some answers soon.

 

[Josephine]

I have stopped PT. It wasn't really helping and if anything felt like it made it worse. She diagnosed problems with the IT band. Rolling it does help, but now I have pain in the front too.

The blue areas are almost definitely ITB (ilio-tibial band) issues and maybe even Trochanteric bursitis.

The red area is likely something like Iliopsoas syndrome

Still have to take stairs one at a time and usually have to lead with my right leg.

I wouldn't be surprised if you are unable to do stairs normally with that leg. I remember when I had ITB, piriformis and TB, it was all I could do to get up and down the stairs.

As far as pain meds, I am still taking 1000 mg of acetaminophen 2-3 times per day.

Why only 3 times a day? Why not 4?

 

[Krista]

If your surgeon determines that your bones and prostheses are in good shape, then the focus will turn to soft tissue problems. Since you are still having pain and are limping, I hope your orthopedist can give you a proper diagnosis and treatment plan, or can refer you to someone who can.

You say that your pain feels much like you had before surgery. I still have plenty of soft tissue pain on the side and front of my thigh, much of which I had pre-THR, probably from overwork due to hip weakness. But the bone-on-bone hip joint pain that I had is gone (taken care of by the THR 1 1/2 years ago). And the gluteal pain from the torn tendons is gone, now that they have been repaired (5 months ago) and are mostly healed. What's left is a bunch of angry tissue that was overused for years before the THR and continued to be overused when I was limping around with torn tendons. I hope that pain will eventually stop! Hope yours does, too!

 

[OUCH!]

Thanks @Josephine, all things I was thinking. Also reassuring that stairs are hard. I often have to have someone help me carry up my water bottle or book or whatever so I can use the railing.

I am only taking the tylenol 3 times a day because the fourth time would be in the middle of the night and usually I am blessedly sleeping. I was taking it every 6 hours around the clock for a long time.

I read all the articles. Thank you. They both do sound like what I am dealing with. From what I read it is ok to ride an exercise bike? I feel like my replaced knee on the opposite side getting stiffer and think it would feel good with some gentle cycling.

I really hope there is something short of surgery that the OS can do to help, but I guess I just have to wait and see. Thank you!

 

[OUCH!]

Thank you @krysta I am not sure I really ever had the bone on bone pain. My hip was bone on bone and a total mess, but it has always been these soft tissues that have bothered me. I start regretting the surgery sometimes and then I remind myself that my hip had started buckling under me and I know longer trusted it to hold me up while I walked to school to pick up my little one. At least I no longer have that problem. (Although I am still not walking to school to get him as its too painful)