Severe muscle pain-Please help

[Ron]

Hello everyone,
I had my right hip replaced on July 14th. My OS used the conventional posterior approach. It seems the surgery went well, but since the surgery I have had a SEVERE pain that runs down the side of my right thigh and also around the outside and top of right knee. It is also a very tight feeling.It hurts very much to put weight on my leg and to be in an upright position. Rising from a sitting or laying down position is difficult and painful. I cannot bend my knee very much at all. My OS seems to think I have a hematoma and tissue pain. OS has started physical therapy in hopes of loosing the muscles and relieving some pain, but I have not noticed any relief. Does anyone know anything about what this could be or has experienced something similar?

 

[Josephine]

It's not uncommon, Ron. The line you describe exactly follows the path of the sciatic nerve which will have been bruised or otherwise irritated during the surgery.

Are you taking your pain med often enough - like to the max? What are you taking?

I think you need to rest more in between your activity and PT. Don't be frightened, it will pass eventually.

 

[Texas]

Hi Ron Im a knee. But I sure wish you the best of luck in your recovery. Hang in there it does get better. Listen to Jo please ice and take your medicine. Rest whenever you can. Please keep us posted.

 

[Ron]

Hi,
Thanks for responding.
Josephine-I am taking my pain medication regularly. I am taking Oxycodone-Apap 5-325 mg. It is prerscribed 1 to 2 every 4 to 6 hours as needed. I can feel the sore place running down the side of my thigh to my knee. It is hard and swollen. Could this be a muscle that needs time to heal? At the moment it is very sore and my knee is very hard to bend even slightly. Have you seen soreness and stiffness in these areas before with THR?

 

[Jamie]

Ron, I hope you are taking your pain meds on that schedule - 1 or 2 every 4-6 hours all through the day and night. At this point in your recovery you need good pain management and that can only be achieved by taking the pills regularly.

Have you tried icing and elevating your leg? If not, do it as much as you can for a few days and see if that helps some.

 

[Judles]

Ice, Ron!!! Ice!!!

 

[loggon]

Ron

Have your PT person work on that nerve. I had the problem, even though I am a knee person.

It really helps. You need the pt to massage it a lot. Yes it is going to hurt, but you will be surprised afterwards how good it will fee.

 

[Nancyo]

Ron,
Are you getting any relief from your pain meds? If they are not doing a proper job
of relieving your pain, then you need to call your doctor and talk to him about it. I found that those days when the pain is super intense, my doc told me to add two iubprophen or two tylenol an hour after my original pain med. Either one of those, tylenol or ibuprophen but not both. I say that because one may work better for you than the other. I get greater relief with ibuprophen. Ibuprophen is an anti inflamatory, Tylenol is a pain reliever. They both have excellant pain relief propertys especially if taken along with your original pain script. You say that you are on Oxycontin 5/325.... the 325 part is actually 325 mg of asprin/tylenol so your already getting the size of one asprin, plus the 5 mg of narcotic which you need in order to heal.
Remember my report on Pain in not conducive to Healing? However; do NOT exceed the manafactures daily recomended dosages. Read the package.
As Jo has told you, it does sound like a brusing of the sciatic nerve and this will pass. It just takes time. Remember to use lots of ice in your pain management and REST. If you are not getting relief from your prescription pain med, then Monday morning you put a call in to your doctor and tell them about it. He may want to prescribe something a bit stronger for you until you get over this little hump in the road.
Don't worry, this too will pass... it's just one of those side tracks that happens occasionally. Please let us hear from you soon. We do care very much how it's going for you.
Blessings to you always
Nancyo