THR Reanda on the other side!

[Reanda]

Aw thank you Layla - and thank you and others for all your advice and support over the months. I have so valued having this forum, it has taken the edge off my worries and some despairing moments when I've not been progressing well.
I will still post from time to time, I've been quiet as I've been waiting to see if my progress is real, or whether things would slip back like it's often done. But so far so good..
I'll definitely celebrate on 13th November, my 1 year anniversary.
Good wishes in advance for the holiday season, I'm looking forward to decorating my Xmas tree and the house, which was rather difficult last year on crutches!

 

[Reanda]

Hi fellow hippies! I havnt posted for many months but now find myself wanting some support or advice.
It's been 19 months since my op and the bothersome discomfort I suffered for most of the first year did reduce and things continued to improve after the 12 month mark, although not perfect.

3 and a half weeks ago I tripped and fell over an obstacle in a garden centre, sprawling heavily forward on the floor. I landed on my front using arms to protect myself and in so doing cracked a bone in my shoulder (a proximal humerus fracture) - and hurt my ribs. At first I was relieved that my new hip seemed to be OK although it also received a bang. In the following few days I only noticed mild discomfort in the hip and was able to walk fair distances without undue pain. However the discomfort has increased round the hip and thigh area, and it's aching and feels sore. I am SO worried that the prosthesis has loosened creating these issues. As can't understand why discomfort would increase rather than decrease? Any advice gratefully received.

To make matters worse, I stumbled down a couple of stairs 4 days ago landing on my bottom with a thud (on carpet thank goodness) but broke a small toe of my left foot and wrenched the foot muscles. This means I'm having to put extra weight on the operated right hip which was already not happy, to help take weight off left injured foot.

I've been in touch with my GP who has fast tracked a referral for a hip xray (NHS) - this may take 2 weeks to come through.

So I have manged to fracture my shoulder, break my toe and hurt my new hip all at once!

I'm feeling very sorry for myself and this is the only place I know to vent! So thanks for reading.

Has anyone fallen like I did on their hip? What happened afterwards? Did loosening occur? What remedies were used?

So glad this forum is here!

Thank you

 

[Jaycey]

@Reanda So sorry about all your bad luck with falling. Sounds painful!

am SO worried that the prosthesis has loosened creating these issues.

I doubt very seriously that your fall caused any issues with the implant. These things are very tough. It would take more than a fall to loosen the prosthesis.

What does occur when you fall is a major jarring of the body. In most cases the after effects take a few days to develop. You had a second "jarring" on the stairs so your body is really complaining. I guess elbow crutches aren't an option for you with that shoulder fracture.

Ice that hip and perhaps take some paracetamol to ease the aching.

Please let us know how your x-ray goes.

 

[myglasshalffull]

It's too bad you have to wait 2 weeks for X=Ray, here we have Urgent Care and Emergency Rooms which you have X-Ray immediately. That's a lot to have to think about for 2 weeks.
My guess (and just a guess), is that it's probably a lot of pain from the overall fall. More than likely after a full year the hip is strong and in place but absolutely get that X-Ray and let us know how it goes.
In the meantime, REST!

 

[Eman85]

Recently I had a situation where I though for sure I damaged my implant after 5 years on my left. I saw my OS and had x-rays and the implant was fine. They assured me that I'd have to try a lot harder to actually damage the implant, but I shouldn't. The soft tissue endures a lot of trauma in the operation and it really doesn't take much to re-injure it. I put myself back in a recovery stage with ice and rest and that got me through it. It's like having an old injury that doesn't take much to flare up. I'd say go back into THR recovery mode and do what got you through that, and as my OS told me post op DON'T FALL DOWN!.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Don't you just love when they tell you "Don't fall down." Like who wants to fall, the PA told me same, I mean I'm a grown woman and I really don't want to fall ever again but the reality is pretty easy to trip or stumble over something.
When I walk I'm always looking down at the ground!!! We went hiking Sunday and there were lots of roots going across some of the trails and I never looked up once until we got back on the grass trails.

 

[Reanda]

Hi all, thanks so much for your comments, from what you've said, the fact that I may not have loosened the implant or done major damage is reassuring and I've calmed down a bit. I will do as Eman 85 suggests, treat the hip as I did post op. Maybe it is just disturbed and jarred tissues, which will heal. I utterly hope so. Live alone so need my mobility and can't even bear to think that I've damaged my new hip. Myglasshalffull - yes we have ER (A&E here) which I went to straight after my fall, they Xrayed my arm/shoulder as that's where pain was at that point but not my hip. I could go back there, but
don't feel its an emergency enough at the mo, they are such busy places and you have to wait many, many hours often all night!
So I'll see what the hip does, and hope the XRay comes up soon.
Best wishes to all.

 

[Reanda]

Hi everyone, I've had an XRay of my hip which was viewed by an orthopaedic practitioner (I didn't get to see him/her) and I was told they could not observe any damage. Whilst that is good news in itself, I was told an XRay would not pick up any loosening, and that would only be seen on an MRI. In the meantime my hip has not settled down and is even more uncomfortable, especially after basic household tasks, or walking a mile or so. It's sore all over the hip and thigh area, no sharp pains, just sore.

As suggested, maybe I should revert right back to post op routine, and pretend I'm recovering from the op. I am resting a lot, but maybe not enough but that's hard living alone.

So thought I'd post an update but I did wonder if I should take further action as its been 6 weeks since I fell. Or should I wait it out a bit longer to give the hip longer to settle down?

Thank you.

 

[Eman85]

If you rest and ice does the pain lessen? it's really hard to figure whether its tissue or the implant and we all think the worst. Mine is still acting up if I over do it and it does subside when I rest it. I seem to be able to over do it pretty often especially if I go to the gym. My soreness is down my IT band on the outer thigh but I also get it on the inner thigh groin.
I just had to ask my wife to try and remember when I fell, she remembered when I strained my hip and also the 3 or 4 times I've fallen. These hips are pretty tough!