Bilateral THR Put2pasture is now garose2hip in recovery!

[Josephine]

Sally - you got it! Also be assured I have NO problem with the topic of sex being discussed - as I think I said previously and Jamie has concurred. In fact, if you look here Sex talking about sex after hip surgery you will see I generally add links to all threads that have discussed this issue. It's an important one after all and there is NO topic that is barred from BoneSmart!

I am sorry for the length of this, but was trying to address all the issues

Surely you jest! Have you not seen the length of some of my posts!

Are the PM's monitored or are we able to discuss personal things without offending or breaking rules?

They are called "private" messages because that's what they are! As Jamie said, feel free to talk about anything you want in that area.

the top of my leg straight down 6-8 inches where the "shaft" was implanted inside the femur is "sore or achy" to touch

usually when we say shaft we are generally referring to the bone as in the shaft of the femur. When talking about the prosthesis it's called the stem - ergo, the stem of the inplant goes into the shaft of the femur. Just thought you'd like to know!

 

[GaRosehippy]

@Josephine ...Thanks for the medical term of the metal part inserted in my femurs...stems. Do you know why that part would "ache"? As I am in a sitting position with legs stretched out, I can "feel" that "ache", it is at least 4-6 inches from the bottom of my incision. Right leg mostly, but have felt it in both. I can almost feel it like a tooth would throb with your pulse. Just didn't have any pain like that prior to replacement. Same for the pain in the middle of each buttock. I don't think that is the sciatica, is this something related to hip replacement, because again I don't recall that discomfort prior to hips being replaced. I may have missed a response to this, have asked others and some say the have discomfort in the center of the buttock side that the hip was replaced. AND the stiffness upon rising from a sitting position, it takes several steps before I am really moving, is there a general time this will work out, I assume it won't last forever. Thanks for any input.

 

[Vetgirl]

Hi Roseann @GaRosehippy ..... I think we have to remember that this part of our femur was drilled into and the. The stem of the replacement was hammered into this now hollow bit if our femur. I remember that achiness well from my initial surgery and found that was where majority of the pain from surgery came...if you could call it pain...more as you said it was achy. It does go.

As for the buttock pain...I'm not sure....I remember it but once again it goes. I know as I've said before that the PT really focuses on squeezing this area, to rebuild the strength in this muscle.

I'll watch with interest to see what Josephine says

 

[Jamie]

Check out this article on Piriformis Syndrome from the BoneSmart Library......see if it applies to you. Bet it does! Many folks have that pain in the backside. It does go away eventually.

 

[glmrphy]

Oh my, glad I was reading through your thread, @GaRosehippy , as I was able to see about the Piriformis Syndrome link that Jamie posted. It sounds like something I am experiencing and it was starting to worry me. I'm sorry you are dealing with the ache in your thigh. Now that I am back to work, I try to pay attention to any movement during the day that seemed uncomfortable so I can see if, later in the day, I don't have a "new" pain from it. Feel better!

 

[Me2]

Ah, the same pain I had I think from the article pictures, but mine does not go down leg so I assume does not affect the sciatic nerve? Explanation to me was movement of pelvis both before and after to accommodate new walking styles? But the Piniformis seems like good explanation too -- would it be on both sides for me?
@Dmcfad2 and I were just discussing non-surgical side being a bigger problem for both of us too. How does that relate to agitation of Piniformis on one side or two?

 

[Dmcfad2]

I'm glad I haven't had to deal with this pain in the butt yet! Bummer.

 

[MajorHeidi]

Today, my nonoperated hip hurt , too.
That yesterday was first day walking with a cane not a walker, leads me to believe it may be the pelvis
realigning for my new walking style? Might that make sense?
Sounds like many of us have something like this going on?

 

[Jamie]

It's a common thing for the non-operated hip to have increased pain (or even knees sometimes) in the first months after hip surgery. Your body was placed immediately into good alignment when your surgery was done and that means the rest of you has to adjust. It takes time and things will hurt as that process takes place. It's part of the reason we recommend that you continue some type of pain management until all this works itself out. Yes, you could tough it out.....but you'll be a lot more comfortable and it's highly likely that you'll get through the process quicker if you don't allow yourself to be in pain. Pain tenses your muscles up, can make you walk and move unnaturally and that is not good for your recovery.

 

[MajorHeidi]

Thanks @Jamie ; that reassures me

 

[Josephine]

Do you know why that part would "ache"?

To add to Jamie's comment, sometimes people get 'end of stem' pain which is the bone adapting to the stiffness of the stem. You might not realise this but bone is actually quite pliable and can bend and twist during normal funtion. Only in microns but it does. So when a great big metal rod is rammed down it and splints it, it can have a tendency to object for a while. But it will eventually acclimatise to the restrictions of the metal stem.

 

[GaRosehippy]

@Jamie and @Josephine.....thank you both for you most informative posts. Read the link regarding the "piriformis syndrome" will check with the OS to make sure that position is doable and the stem information helps too, as long as it eventually goes away I can wait it out. Also regarding the pain meds. The morphine I take is/has been low dose time released every 12 hours and I also take 2 Aleve mid-morning especially since working full time once more with 2 new hips. I can function much better and pain free when the medication is kept in my system at the same level.

 

[Dmcfad2]

I learn so much on this forum. I never knew bone was pliable!

 

[Josephine]

Gosh yes! It's also a fact that the tibial shaft of a downhill skier can undergo 40 degrees of torsion in the slalem! That's why they get spiral fractures when the bone just can't cope with the twisting and fails!

I also take 2 Aleve mid-morning especially since working full time once more with 2 new hips

Aleve is just an NSAID which has very poor pain releiving properties. I suggest you try Tylenol at 1,000mg up to 4 times a day. Gram for gram it's about 40% stronger than NSAIDs.

 

[GaRosehippy]

@Josephine....I guess that I am so used to using Aleve when my hips were shot, will try the Tylenol, used it for the 3 weeks after surgery while on the Coumadin. So much pain and discomfort then couldn't tell if it helped. Will start the Tylenol tomorrow, should I start off like 500mg at a time then build up?

 

[alexthecat]

500 mg probably won't do much for you. The working dose of Tylenol is 1000 mg. You can take that dosage up to four times per day. If you do that consistently, I bet you will notice an improvement in your pain.

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk

 

[GaRosehippy]

@alexthecat.........thanks for your dosage information, will take 1000 after a bowl oatmeal for breakfast. Will post in a few days regarding what is happening with that dosage.

 

[Poppet]

Sounds like a good plan Roseann, @GaRosehippy - ah oatmeal! music to my ears - well eyes :(

 

[Josephine]

Oh yes - and you don't have to worry about eating before you take it as it doesn't destroy your stomach like NSAIDs do!

 

[GaRosehippy]

@Josephine......I have a question about the incisions. My left one feels warm and they both kind of feel "irritated". I haven't worn jeans or pants just to keep anything from bothering them, just soft pantaloons and maxi-dresses.

Today I wore a little heel and tonight I am in agony with my hips and back, (L3/L4). It was a wedge so no balancing act on spikes, is it normal to "feel" pain after wearing heels, is it a balancing act on the new hips? Also the Tylenol doesn't seem to do much. I tried not doing any morphine, (since Saturday), just 4000mg of Tylenol, but finally gave in as the pain is at the point of tears. Weather has cooled and 4 days of rain expected also. When will it end?