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THR Still limping after surgery'

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hi @Mary Jayne
A day or two ago you were saying how you had no experience of Forums and were concerned about your own thread, then within a day or two you are up and running on your own thread. Well done! There is so much to get to know and so many angles on our different concerns that i am very grateful for bonesmart! i am a nearly old timer here - my hip op was in Jan 2015 and I felt pretty much back to normal in April - May 2015. Fortunately i do not need my second hip doing but have had other mishaps along the way. Keep posting and look after yourself.
 
@ Mary Jayne I am at almost 8 weeks recovering from lateral THR and being a fit 40 year old thought I would recover very quickly. I'm still using a crutch and I too want to ditch mine in the ocean but from advice from Bone smart friends and physiotherapist you must keep the walking aid until you loose the limp... Very frustrating I know and feel your pain but work slowly with the physiotherapist to build the muscles back up and continue to walk with the aid of crutch or stick... Take care


Supsurfer1974
2nd July 2015
LRTHR
 
Hi @sandydog I too had so much pain in my thigh, outer thigh and butt....went to hospital twice moaning about it, xrays showed all was good. Was told soft tissue, muscles etc Went to the Dr about it, she hadn't got a clue but decided bursitis, then took my strong pain meds off me.

Basically....the muscles in my thigh have now weakened through me not using them because of the pain. My butt muscles have gone too. Apparently weak atrophied muscles ache. I was told by the surgeon and the chiropractor that my muscles are quite hard and ridged, knotted so to speak. I have had 2 deep muscle/tissue massages and guess what!!!!??? My pain has honestly seriously eased, I am shocked, I never thought it would happen and was getting very depressed.

So maybe you could try deep massage to see if it helps, assuming that's what they mean by soft tissue. The massage is a bit painful but has been worth it.

@Mary Jayne how are you today, did you manage to get some oral pain medication, I still need them but a lot less than last week. Which I hope continues and isn't just fluke of a week! ! It really is depressing to have pain all the time, so please do try some.

Good luck xx
 
Hi @Mary Jayne! I also had my thr on June 23rd. Good luck in your recovery! I limp when I am not paying attention to every step I take! It is like I am learning to walk all over again. Takes time.
My activity level goes up without pain when I allow myself to take one percoset. Funny how that works, right? I shouldn't make light of it but I am one of the people who is so scared of becoming addicted to pain meds that I end up hurting my recovery by not taking it. I read that you have gone without the pain meds though so your os may be different in the approach used for relief.
 
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@Jaycey Do you have any knowledge or experience with transdermal pain meds? Do you know of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide)?
I have successfully used liquid form DMSO as a pain killer for 2 plus years before my surgery, with and without ibuprofen in it. By successfully I mean it took my pain away. I started using it again when I stopped using tramedol at the 4 week point after surgery.
At 7 weeks after surgery I had an X-ray and looked it over with my surgeon and was told all was good and I could now put my full weight on my my hip and get rid of the crutches. But I could not walk without support. So I went way too heavy on the exercises!!! This is when the pain started to get out of control.

I broke my right wrist before surgery. This point has been overlooked in these posts. So I gave it its own line.

Left hip, right wrist not a good combo for recovery of either. I am unable to walk as much as I would like. I live rurally so a walker is out. I used a walker in the house after surgery with a gutter attachment on it for a week. Now it is crutches and I have a way of using them that puts little pressure on my wrist. So walking is not an exercise choice for me.

@Suzette thanks for looking in on me, I haven't had a chance to look in on you. A multitude of stuff going on and I will be heading to the city to give some mummy support to my daughter, who has a recent health issue.
My topical pain med and ice on my hip after exercising is working well. Most important right now, in my situation is to pace myself. I always want to do more.

@Shhh oh I am using pain meds as you can see. I researched and chose to use topical pain relief because of the side affects on the body ( liver, kidneys, stomach and the such) that long term use of medication can have. I just need to remember, as with oral pain meds to take it before the pain starts, or you are always chasing the pain.
We became hipsters on the same day, cool baby ...haha, that's hipster talk.

Happy healing
 
Mary Jayne said:
Do you have any knowledge or experience with transdermal pain meds? Do you know of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide)?
Click to expand...
Sorry, I don't have any experience with this. I suggest using the meds that were prescribed for you when you were discharged from hospital. You need meds to get more mobile. It is a cycle.
 
Hi, I had to research DMSO, I know what it is now, but other than what I have just read I know nothing about it but it sounds really interesting stuff. If it works for you that is excellent, but how long does it keep the pain away? Do you think that some oral meds now and then would help the pain so you can get it more under control when needed?
X
 
I don't know where the communication breakdown is. I really thought I was clear in my last post. I have my pain under control. FYI DMSO also helps with soft tissue damage and sore muscles. I am not trying to push my pain relieve choose on anyone else. But I recommend reading up on it for your own information.

@Suzette I put my DMSO on every 4 to 6 hours.
 
I think the pain bit is coming from your original post where the pain was bad, and thats why you are still limping ,but now you have cut down on the exercise it's lots better and the DMSO is controlling it? It was still thought you were still in pain,whereas you have it under control again.. hope I got that right !! X
 
You are a dear @Suzette. If I walk real fast I walk almost straight...probably not a smart idea. I just needed to know I could. I crawled in my garden 6 weeks after surgery. I was so trilled with my agility. My surgeon raised his eyebrows at me when I told him.

Hey I would love to know what other hipsters have done that they probably should not have. I only ask because laughter is such good medicine. It's a long journey we are on. From the first pain, to the first doctors appointment............to our surgery, to working at getting our physical lives back.
 
Mary Jayne said:
Hey I would love to know what other hipsters have done that they probably should not have. I only ask because laughter is such good medicine. It's a long journey we are on. From the first pain, to the first doctors appointment............to our surgery, to working at getting our physical lives back.
Click to expand...

Omg, I would not know where to start @Mary Jayne! Lol. Here is a mini haha for you though..
I was wheeled into the operating room, feeling very relaxed after the first shot of whatever they gave me in the iv. Anyway, I looked at the surgical table (which I did not research before surgery) and as I was trying to get up to move myself from the bed to the table I shouted, "Do you want me to move to THAT surgery table? I can tell you right now, my big butt is not going to fit". Needless to say that between laughter from the surgical nurses and them telling me to just lay back, that they didn't even want me looking at the table, the anesthesiologist quickly put me out!
I am getting my left hip replaced soon and just hope nothing flies out of my mouth like that again!

On a side note. I see where you said your pain is being controlled with a topical pain reliever. That's good. I had only read your first post when replying. I have friends who use transdermal patches found at health stores for pain and it works for them. Everyone is different.
 
@Mary Jayne well..after my bilateral then lying in bed at home for nearly 2 weeks sulking, I made the decision to get up get dressed and get on with it.
I have no idea why I did the next stupid thing, other than it must have been the drugs. I put shoes on , left my sticks but took the hubby... and walked outside for the first time, but not just a few steps about 500 yrds stick free around the block. Bumped into a lady who wondered why I was walking really weird with a pained expression on my face....

I proceded to drop my trousers to show her the scars before going back into the house and going to bed.

She must gave thought I was a mad woman! I didnt do that again...but I had walked:yes!: I was well chuffed and paid the pain price later.....
 
After surgery I had to have oxygen, apparently I kept telling nurses noo its the brain that needs the oxygen and put mask on head this was repeated. I can't remember but the wife did take a photo.

Legin THR Sep 14
 
Hi Mary Jane,
Your recovery after total hip replacement sounds very similar to mine. I had a posterior RTH replacement on 25th June, 2015 and seemed to be going well with recovery while in hospital. I had been given physiotherapy while in hospital and could do all of the exercises except the one where I lie on my back and move my operated leg out to the side (abduction) as my leg would just not move for that. It was like lead.

My surgeon did not want me to go to one of those post surgery recovery places as he said the physiotherapists there think you are twenty when you are not and they give you exercises you should not be doing and that can do more harm than good. I am almost 69.

I went for my post surgery check up on 14th August, 2015 and when asked to walk without the crutches was unable to do so as I had severe cramping in the front of my thigh down to my knee. I was sent to get new x-rays and there has been a minimal amount of subsidence of the stem but not enough to make any difference and my leg lengths are equal. But, as a result I too was told to stay on both crutches and keep my weight off that leg until I saw the surgeon again in a month's time.

Due to my husband being in hospital I changed my next follow up visit to the specialist from 11th August to 20th August but had decided to try to walk without crutches about a week before that check up as I figured the surgeon would once again ask me to walk without them. Like you I waddle like a duck and feel as though my leg is very unstable. I also have a pulling feeling at the top of my leg in the front where the leg meets the torso when I walk. When I first started to walk with crutches I felt as though I was throwing my operated leg outward. I had been limping for many years before the surgery and figured my muscles have become very unbalance and that is possibly a contributing factor. Plus everyone heals at their own rate and muscles do get disturbed during surgery. By the way, I can now do the abduction exercise I could not do before so something must be improving.


I rang my sister-in-law who is a physiotherapist and she agreed with me with me that my previous limping over a long period of time could be part of the reason and that extra physiotherapy may help. She could not assess me over the phone but gave me a few pointers and I am seeing a physiotherapist at the local hospital this coming Wednesday. My GP has given me a referral. He too was surprised that I was not walking without a crutch until I demonstrated how I walk.

I do try to walk around the house from time to time without the crutch but it is very difficult and tiring.

I sometimes overdo the exercises when I am feeling good and then end up sore afterwards but the severe pain I had before the surgery has gone. I had severe arthritis in that hip and the surgeon was surprised I had not had surgery long before I did. The longer you leave it the longer it can take to recover. The only pain killers I am taking now are Panadol Osteo and Lyrica for nerve pain (because I also have a bad back and the Lyrica is for that). I have had previous surgery for severe sciatica 2008 and shoulder Rotator Cuff Repair in 2011. I also had a sciatica flare earlier in 2011 which a cortisone injection fixed.

So, I think personally that some of my muscles have atrophied through lack of use and need to be strengthened again and that is why I am opting to have further physio.

It is almost spring here and I am also thinking of going to my local indoor public pool to walk up and down and from side to side in the water as I can exercise without putting my full weight on the leg.

My sister-in-law said to try going up and down on my toes as well.

My shoulders are very sore from using the crutches over the last nine weeks, especially my left shoulder as I tend to lean over to that side more. As a result I have started to get tension headaches and a stiff sore neck and ribs as well. I also have the start of calluses on the heel of my hands from the crutches. My left hip is also getting a bit sore from constantly putting extra weight on that leg.

I think I will hire a walker instead if I ever need to have the other hip done. We already had the crutches from when my husband had his knee replacement three years ago.

I can negotiate the twelve steps outside my house to get down to the driveway as long as I use my crutches.

I am now allowed to drive and can go for walks. I have been allowed to get rid of the pillow between my legs when sleeping, the raised toilet seat, shower stool etc. I stand when showering anyway but keep the stool handy for something to grab if I need to.

Anyway I hope the extra physiotherapy will help and I will keep on trying and keep you posted on my progress.

It will be interesting to see how we both fare.
 
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Hi again Mary Jayne,

I had been issued with a booklet pre surgery and in it they stated that post surgery pain management was very important otherwise the patient is discouraged from doing the necessary physiotherapy if they hurt.

Are you eating well as this can help your body to repair itself better?
 
Too right about muscle wastage and many of us forget how our pre opp walking style wasted muscles. I would and still do the leg swinging and raising when stood. Oh and clenching of glutes.

Legin THR Sep 14
 
Oh thank you hipsters for the funny tales.....

@Shhh the dreaded truth serum haha.

@Suzette yup I can relate.... I'm just gonna do it, enough of this lying around. And man are we proud of our scars and you get 2 Suzette.

@Legin I with Suzette, I want a picture. Someone should start a coffee table book, "secrets from the operating room"

Thank you again but I gotta go. I am leaving the site. Sorry for not responding to your post @Grannyhippy, our recovery is similar, darn muscle.

Keep pushing on Hipsters, loving your selfs and laughing lots. Big hugs Mary Jayne
 
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