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pain at 10 weeks post op

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metalnikki

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Hi
I am trying to increase my activity, walking, exercise, driving etc.. and hoping to return to my work soon. However as I increase the activity, the pain level is increasing. I am waiting for a date for physio, and had x rays of my hips and spine last week. I have bilateral hip dysplasia and lumbar spine pain.
The pain is in groin and thigh of operated leg, and sometime around knee/ into ankle. I also have very painful back pain, and pain in outer area of other hip and a little in groin.
Overall my pain is better than pre op but I am worried about the increase, especially as I need to return to work soon.
What do you think??
 
Hi Nikki, I'm 13 weeks post-op and am quite active with exercising and bike riding. I do still have some pain sometimes in my groin, and an achy pain in my thigh and knee. It is getting better, though, and I really think it is something that is just going to take time. I think that it probably is your increase in activity that is causing your pain. Hang in there - it will get better! :)
 
I think Karen is correct. The more you push, the more likely you will have some pain. Slack off a little and see if the pain subsides. And when you get pain like that, it's a signal to go back to the old tried and true....ice/elevate/pain meds. This is a cycle that can go on for a while, but as Karen says...it does get better.
 
Hi Karen and Jamie
Thanks for your replies. I feel better that others have experienced similar pain etc.. I see other people who have had THR and they seem to be coping better than me. And they`re older than me!! I am due to see my gp tomorrow about something else so will mention it aswell.
Thanks again.
 
This was major surgery you had. You're being a tad optimistic expecting it all to go away within 10 weeks. Could even hang around for as long as 6 months.
 
Metalnikki,
Having my hip replaced was such a wonderful idea and success that I forget some of the aches and time frames of occurance. But I see you are not even 3 months out from surgery. I remember at 3 months the restrictions I had were all lifted, but I still had some amount of pain and was still taking pain medication.
I increased my activity with the restriction lifting and you do have to be very careful not to overdo. Everything is trying to readjust. it is all normal and one day soon will all be a distant memory.
judy
 
Hi Karen and Jamie
Thanks for your replies. I feel better that others have experienced similar pain etc.. I see other people who have had THR and they seem to be coping better than me. And they`re older than me!! I am due to see my gp tomorrow about something else so will mention it aswell.
Thanks again.
Before I discovered this forum, I was so unhappy with my progress (or lack of). All I had to go by was a person I met that went back to physical labor work his 3rd week post-op. I thought since I had a desk job I would be totally free of pain in 2 weeks. How silly was I! Now I know it's okay..I'm going to have some set-backs and pain during this process. You should not gauge your personal progress on what other people are doing. Afterall, some may be doing worse than you and you're just not hearing it. Hang in there. BTW had a throbbing quad muscle all day today after tripping over a co-worker's cubicle wall yesterday with the op leg. Ow.
 
hi metalnikki, welcome. i'm still preop, but your bilat dysplasia like me and my moms best friend reminded me last week. its not just a hip replacement , i dont know how much reconstruction you had if any but its a totally new way of walking for us. its going to effect everything all the way down. however we compensated has to be retrained. take it easy on yourself. ice your lower back sounds like some sciatica. me i love my chiropractor. every time i change shoes it gives me those symptoms because i walk different and it shifts my spine. we (nurses) hate to be hypocrites we tell everyone else" turn, cough, deep breath, just a few more steps, you can do it. you dont want blood clots or pneumonia.." when its us we dont know when enough is enough. and think people expect more from us because we know it. take care of you first. i'm sure you've worked long shifts back to back and after days of that you know your body needs rest just to get ready, to heal. so give it to yourself. am considering giving it up and getting zcoil shoes for work.
monique
 
I can empathize completely. I am at 10 weeks also and though I recently had a great week, this week is different and I have some pain. Well more like what everyone else describes, a tightness in the groin and thigh area. I also have strange sensation on the side by the incision. Can't pin it on anything in particular, and it's never excruciating, but it is there. I do find I feel better the day after PT (believe it or not!) I think it is important to be as active as possible. From all I have heard (and read) it takes a long time for the body to recover from such an invasive surgery. All in all tho the progress has been steady. Not quite as quick as I'd like but I am not in charge here, lol. So just take it one day at a time and celebrate the little milestones. For me this week it was being able to put lotion on my lower operated leg. I guess it helps to have long arms!!!!!!!
 
Hi Nikki,

Thanks for posting this because I can relate. I am 7 weeks post op and am feeling some pain this week. My PT is more intense and they are really massaging into the hip flexor and my inner thigh area -as it is so weak and sooo tight. I have the same pain spots -groin area, dull pain in thigh, and some pain by my shin. With the added exercises and trying to really stretch and strengthen these muscles, I am really feeling it. I have to say weeks 3-5 were less painful than weeks 6 & 7 when I started outpatient rehab. However, it's a different pain -the "joint" pain is not here. I think it will get better in time!

Melissa
 
hi metalnikki, welcome. i'm still preop, but your bilat dysplasia like me and my moms best friend reminded me last week. its not just a hip replacement , i dont know how much reconstruction you had if any but its a totally new way of walking for us. its going to effect everything all the way down. however we compensated has to be retrained. take it easy on yourself. ice your lower back sounds like some sciatica. me i love my chiropractor. every time i change shoes it gives me those symptoms because i walk different and it shifts my spine. we (nurses) hate to be hypocrites we tell everyone else" turn, cough, deep breath, just a few more steps, you can do it. you dont want blood clots or pneumonia.." when its us we dont know when enough is enough. and think people expect more from us because we know it. take care of you first. i'm sure you've worked long shifts back to back and after days of that you know your body needs rest just to get ready, to heal. so give it to yourself. am considering giving it up and getting zcoil shoes for work.
monique

HI Monique
I had some bone grafting to stabilise the new hip due to the dysplasia and definitely have had to retrain myself to walk differently. In the early days I was till `rolling` my hip when I walked and my physio thought I had some leg length discrepancy. However I do not think now that this is the case. I think my muscles etc were still acting as though my hip was in the old position! I still have a limp, but not sure if this is more from my other hip.
Good luck with your surgery.
Nikki
 
i have even considered hypnosis for after. and scheduled my chiropractor pre and post op. lol this is going to be a whole new world and i'm going to get the most out of it i can. one great thing about a chiro is helping with alot of the pain of body mechanics changing. i still love going in there now. i dont know how he does it but he can temporarily help my hip pain. now it will only get me a night. but i can come home and cook and i feel so good. may just be endorphins but it feels so good. my surgeries are staged one behind the other and i told the os that exact thing. how can i fully recover with limitations on the other leg. you still find yourself guarding. i know this from the past. one leg can feel great and you go to walk and the other says ooops i'm not into this today. can kill a nice stride.
 
Nikki I am a knee but I sure hope you start to get some relief soon. I dont know what a hip is like . Sounds like you went thru alot so I wouldnt be surprised if you were sore at this stage hang in there post anytime..................Mdakota when are your two surgeries. That will be alot but I read your post and you are very strong and will do fine..............Best wishes to both of you.....Kim
 
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