THR Still in pain

[Alice D]

Unfortunately, I am no better...in fact I think I'm worse

Wondering if your surgeon's suggestion of a pain clinic should be a consideration at this point. I'm so sorry you're struggling as you are.

Thank you. Yes, I am going to go to a pain clinic....I just can't stand this pain and it is constant, never stopping.

 

[Layla]

Good to hear you're going, Alice. I certainly hope it helps you. Keep in touch and let us know how you're doing,
@Alice D

 

[Snoopy55]

So sorry you are still struggling @Alice D. I hope you have friends and family supporting you through this ordeal. Its not easy dealing with pain but it is especially difficult when you are alone. Thankfully this forum is full of supportive people who have dealt with exactly what you are struggling with so visit often and vent your frustrations here. Hopefully the pain clinic can work on alleviating the nerve pain you are feeling and give you some peace of mind that this is all temporary. We are here for you.

 

[CricketHip]

I am sorry to read your latest update @Alice D . Hopefully the Pain Relief Doctor/Clinic will have answers and solutions for you.

Edited to add that I'm not certain why the article wouldn't open for you. I just tried it and it worked, will ask our technical people to double check it.

 

[Jamie]

@Alice D .... the link you were trying to access is working. When I viewed the article, it appeared you were able to access it on September 19th and "liked" the post. So, I'm assuming everything is okay. Please let us know if it's not.

 

[Boofit]

Hi @Alice D , I am so sorry to hear that you are feeling discouraged by the pain you are experiencing. It is indeed frustrating when we are in pain and nothing seems to be helping, and especially when we are not even sure what the cause of the pain is!

Did the doctor or therapist measure your leg length? Some people have posted on this forum that after surgery they have a difference in leg length. This could go unnoticed and will result in pain, not just in the hip joint, but also in the Sacro-Iliac joint. And as @Elf1 points out, SI joint problems can cause pain to radiate down the leg (including the hip of course).

Sacroiliac joints can also cause pain down through the feet.

Hopefully, as @Snoopy55 says, this is all temporary, and that you feel better soooon.

 

[Boofit]

By the way, you could also consider a heat pack or sitting/lying with your butt on a hot water bottle for temporary relief of your constant pain. You may find it soothing.

I just can't stand this pain and it is constant, never stopping.

 

[Alice D]

I want to thank all of you who have responded to my posts with suggestions for me. Update: I did go to the Pain Clinic and the doctor gave me an injection; however, other than my butt and leg being numb for hours, the injection didn't do anything to alleviate my pain. I am now almost 5 months out from THR and I still cannot walk without pain or without limping. I have no stamina/strength in my leg and after about 2 blocks of walking, I'm exhausted. I've been going to therapy 3 times per week for 7 weeks now and again, I can't really see any improvement. I still have the swelling and hardness in my left thigh below my surgical scar. I feel like nothing is helping and I'm very discouraged. Is there anyone else on this thread who can relate? Anyone else still having pain and problems walking after so long a time? I'm not wishing this on anyone but just wondered if I really am the only one with continuing problems. As always, thank you all for your responses and I do love this site. Have a blessed day.

 

[MinnieV]

I'm in the same fix as you, almost 5 months post hip replacement and still in too much pain to resume the normal activities I love and had hoped to regain. I've been in PT, but completed the allotted visits. I did accomplish the post-surgery flexibility and strengthening goals but still limited by the pain. There was a point, a couple of months ago, when I felt I was turning the corner and could walk pretty well with minimal discomfort but since then I've been getting worse instead of better. It is a frustrating journey for sure.

 

[Alice D]

I'm in the same fix as you, almost 5 months post hip replacement and still in too much pain to resume the normal activities I love and had hoped to regain. I've been in PT, but completed the allotted visits. I did accomplish the post-surgery flexibility and strengthening goals but still limited by the pain. There was a point, a couple of months ago, when I felt I was turning the corner and could walk pretty well with minimal discomfort but since then I've been getting worse instead of better. It is a frustrating journey for sure.

I'm sorry you are also going through pain at almost 5 months post THR. Do you have any other plans for help with your pain? Pain Clinic? I see you and I are almost the same age too....not that that has anything to do with this. My neighbor who is 87 had her THR done 2 weeks before me and she was out doing everything as normal within a few weeks! I know everyone is different but as you said, it is frustrating to be at this stage after 5 months. I guess I just keep praying that God will heal me so I can walk normally again. Thank you for your response to my post and I will be praying for healing for you. Have a blessed day.

 

[MinnieV]

I'm in the same fix as you, almost 5 months post hip replacement and still in too much pain to resume the normal activities I love and had hoped to regain. I've been in PT, but completed the allotted visits. I did accomplish the post-surgery flexibility and strengthening goals but still limited by the pain. There was a point, a couple of months ago, when I felt I was turning the corner and could walk pretty well with minimal discomfort but since then I've been getting worse instead of better. It is a frustrating journey for sure.

I'm sorry you are also going through pain at almost 5 months post THR. Do you have any other plans for help with your pain? Pain Clinic? I see you and I are almost the same age too....not that that has anything to do with this. My neighbor who is 87 had her THR done 2 weeks before me and she was out doing everything as normal within a few weeks! I know everyone is different but as you said, it is frustrating to be at this stage after 5 months. I guess I just keep praying that God will heal me so I can walk normally again. Thank you for your response to my post and I will be praying for healing for you. Have a blessed day.

There is a pain clinic within the orthopedic practice my surgeon is affiliated with. It has crossed my mind to ask for a consult if things keep going downhill. I do think age has something to do with it, but there are other individual factors of our surgery or our own bodies that must play into it. Also luck...

 

[Alice D]

Hello everyone. I have not been on here or posted anything for several months because I've just been too stressed about how things are going for me. I had total hip replacement on the left side last year, May 9th....yes, almost 10 months ago. I'm still having a lot of pain in my thigh...it's not in the hip but down in the thigh by where the scar is. I actually hurt more now and walk far worse now than I did prior to surgery. I really believe there is something wrong in there but my surgeon did an x-ray and said the new hip joint looks good and as far as he's concerned, he's done with me. I don't know what to do.....I want someone to believe me that I can feel a lump in there and it doesn't feel right. I also have constant pain and tingling and it's so tender to touch, it's like a brand new open wound. I've checked with another orthopedic surgeon but he pretty much didn't want to say or do anything because he didn't perform my surgery. I went to my own regular doctor and he referred me to a pain clinic. I went there 3 times but all that doctor wants to do is give me injections to numb the pain. I don't want to numb the pain temporarily, I want it fixed! I'm so depressed about this and it limits so many things I used to do because I don't have the strength and can't stand the pain. I'm sorry to go on and on here but just wanted to put this out there and see if there is anyone else who is having trouble so far post surgery and what, if any, answers you have found. Thank you in advance.

 

[Jaycey]

@Alice D So sorry you are still dealing with this pain. Sounds like you need to find another surgeon who has no connection to your current OS. If you can tell us your location and your current OS we might be able to help you find someone.

 

[Alice D]

@Alice D So sorry you are still dealing with this pain. Sounds like you need to find another surgeon who has no connection to your current OS. If you can tell us your location and your current OS we might be able to help you find someone.

Thank you. The orthopedic surgeon I saw had no affiliation with my original one. I am in Weslaco, TX.

 

[Alice D]

Hello. I haven't posted for a long time because I've been hoping and praying that things would get better for me. Unfortunately, that has not happened. I'm posting this now just to see if anyone else has had this much trouble after THR and if anyone has any suggestions/help for me.
I had THR on my left hip on 5-9-22. I did have a lot of pain after surgery and trouble walking without limping but kept plugging along. Then two months after surgery, I noticed a change in my scar and also was limping more. The bottom part of my scar had 'sunk in'. I have been back to the surgeon multiple times and he just acts like he doesn't really care and, in fact, he told me the prothesis is in place so if I'm having pain, I need to go somewhere else....what he did looks fine! I've tried to get in to see other orthopedic surgeons but no one else will see me because they didn't do the surgery. I was referred to a pain clinic but all that doctor wanted to do was shoot me with injections to cover the pain.....not to find the cause. I also went to my own GP and he referred me to a nerve doctor. I was told I have bursitis in that hip (and they showed it to me on an ultrasound) and that there's not much that can be done for it. Now, last month, I noticed that my entire scar is now sunk in....not just the bottom of it but the entire thing and I am having more and more trouble waling without pain. I cannot walk without a severe limp and I'm sure this crooked walking is going to mess up my back but I just can't walk correctly! I also have no strength in that leg and after walking even just a block, my leg is so tired I have to stop and rest it. I'm just putting this out there to see if anyone else has had anything like this happen after THR. I'm so discouraged and wish I would never have had the surgery. I'm in far worse shape now than I was before surgery. Thank you for any advice/suggestions/help you can give me. Have a blessed day.

 

[benne68]

I'm sorry to read that you are still struggling with pain for so long, @Alice D. You should definitely seek a second opinion -- ideally from a revision specialist. Now that you are more than a year out from your THR, other surgeons should be willing to see you.

Please try using the Surgeon Locator link in the blue tool bar at the top of the page.

You'll notice that I have merged your new post into your original recovery thread. We prefer that you only have one recovery thread for several reasons:

• We have all your information in one place, making it easier for us to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• If you have. multiple threads, you miss posts and advice others have left in the old threads. Also, some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here.


Let us know If you need additional assistance finding a revision surgeon in your area.

 

[CricketHip]

Oh no @Alice D , I am so sorry to read your update. I can't even imagine your frustration. the nerve of a surgeon to just shut you down is well, pretty nervy!!

Since other Ortho Doctors don't want to see you, I am wondering if you have looked for someone who specializes in revisions? I am not saying that you need one but revisionists seem to be better equipped to look for and diagnose issues with an implant. That has been my impression, at least.

 

[Mojo333]

I am so sorry that your surgeon was dismissiveand hope you continue to look into a 2nd opinion.

I was referred to a pain clinic but all that doctor wanted to do was shoot me with injections to cover the pain.....not to find the cause. I also went to my own GP and he referred me to a nerve doctor. I was told I have bursitis in that hip (and they showed it to me on an ultrasound) and that there's not much that can be done for it.

Not true, perhaps your bursitis can be helped (possibly with injection.)
Our library article on Bursitis is here.

 

[SCee]

Hi Alice - I have been through the one leg longer than the other problem and have come out the other side and want to encourage you to find a GOOD Pt who can fix the way you walk. I waited too long with my first THR - yes, I have had two - and developed a walk in which I hitched up one side of my body and swung my leg to lessen the pain. I couldn’t even lay down with my hips level. My first PT told me to use a lift which made my surgeon angry. He advised against it and showed me in my X-ray how my legs we’re actually pretty close in length.

Over time that side of my body seemed to stretch a bit and I began to walk better. My second PT jumped on the problem and has taught me gentle strengthening exercises that seemed impossible at first, but over time made me walk more smoothly. My lesson is it takes months, so enjoy the small victories along the way, and to find a pt who will focus on you and your problem. My first guy put me on a bike for 10 minutes and left me alone to do clamshells and leg lifts.. There are a lot of PT mills out there who treat patients like cattle: herd ‘‘em in herd ‘em out. Find a nice person willing to observe what you’re doing and spend at least 30 minutes each day gently getting stronger. Wishing you the best!

 

[MagsE66]

Hi Alice
I’m so sorry to read all your threads about your constant pain after your hip replacement. Ive come back to this site to see if I can find anyone with the nerve pain I am still suffering 18 months on since my hip replacement op & your posts are the only ones I can find.
Yes I have nerve pain around my scar down the front of my right leg and around my knee. It’s constant & there all the time. It’s like wearing the tightess sock you can imagine , it’s someone sticking pins in me all the time, it tingles & it is really sore. Plus my leg & scar hurt. All the time.
I take gabapentin three times a day & this helps. I pay for physio twice a month & acupuncture twice a month. It helps a bit. My physio has saved my life though helping me build the strength in my leg & helping me rebuild my confidence & life. I feel abandoned by the medical profession as no one can really help & nerve pain is invisible to everyone I know. I’m exhausted with it all .
All I can say Alice is keep going and seek every bit of help you can. Unfortunately hip replacements might be routine ops but they come with risks we rarely hear about.
Anyone else out there with nerve pain please contact me.