THR Still struggling

[kenneth67]

Thanks, wcgirl, lalo, Granny Di, and Suzette! I appreciate your encouraging and helpful posts!

 

[Elaine F.]

Before surgery, my surgeon said I would be back to work in 3 weeks and 90% recovered in 6 weeks, so I've been desperately wondering what was wrong with me that I did not seem to be progressing anywhere near that fast.

@kenneth67 Your surgeon must be delusional! 90% recovered in 6 weeks is unreasonable. It takes as long as it takes. Going back to work at 3 weeks! You are not unusual. I'm sure your probably doing well and please let your body recover on it's own time schedule. I wish you bright skys to lift the "blues". Your not alone.

 

[donor]

@kenneth67 my surgeon wasn't exactly up front with me about recovery at all. You are among quite a few who thought this recovery would be different. Best....

 

[kenneth67]

I made it through my first full week of work. Very painful at times and couldn't have done it without ice and oxycodone. Next week will be week 10 of my recovery. Sure wish I was making more progress. I'm just about dead by the time I get home from work.

 

[wcgirl]

@kenneth67 sorry to hear that you are still in so much pain. Sitting really is evil early on. Lay flat when you are not at work. I couldn't even sit in the recliner. Do you have someone to help with of your meals etc? Doing the bed exercises were very helpful for me and then lying flat flat for 30 minutes, tho uncomfortable, helped with pain from sitting too long. I can't imagine that sitting would do damage, accept to prolong your recovery. Hope next week goes better for you. You should find the best exercises listed in the OS protocol that you would have received when you were discharged...

 

[nochoice]

@kenneth67 I hope you got lots of rest this weekend! Sure wish you had a recliner at work. I will be sending you healing thoughts as you start another work week. It seems unreasonable that your work place can't make some accommodations for you. Like part time from home where you could take frequent lie down flat breaks. I imagine you have already explored this though. Good luck!

 

[sharonslp]

Kenneth67, I am wondering if you are using your pain meds in the most effective manner. I want to ask @Josephine to comment on this. She will want to know exactly what you are taking....and what dosage, and how frequently. All too often, we may not take enough of a med, or take it frequently enough, to stay ahead of the pain. Instead we end up always short-changed, and always trying to play catch-up. While waiting to hear from Jo, this might be useful reading for you:

How long pain medications take to work and to wear off
Medications: Tylenol/ibuprofen cocktail
Medications: acetaminophen (Tylenol, paracetamol) and NSAIDs, differences and dangers

Sharon

 

[Buddhabear]

Back to work at 3 weeks??? I am exactly 3 weeks and if I had to think about getting up tomorrow AM and going to work I would be panic stricken!! My OS said 2-3 months and I am planning to go back at 9 weeks. But I went back too soon after my knee replacements and it was a teary nightmare. And I swear I have adhesions from pushing so hard back then. I know hip and knee are different recoveries but one thing I am finding the same is the exhaustion. And I agree that sitting is evil early on. So is standing. So wish we could all recover on our own terms.

 

[Sue629]

@kenneth67 I also had posterior over a year ago...and I just took it day by day..although there were days I felt like so good...your hip will tell you different...I sat on a 4 inch cushion for a while...it just helped so much. I was back pretty much back to normal by my 5th/6th month. Started back at school in Sept....you can read my posting. Go slow, it will only help you in the long run. The posterior approach has a longer time healing....But I have to tell you, I have my life back and I have not one regret...well only wish I had not waited 6 years to have it done...best wishes...

 

[lalo]

Hi @kenneth67
I'm real interested in seeing how you are doing?
I'm at 7 weeks post op but really for me this has been 5 mo ordeal (accident followed by surgery to fix femur followed by THR)
I still have trouble with pain in the butt slightly toward inside and below mid cheek
Just started attempting to walk with 1 crutch and after 3 days now have the pain from groin to knee on inside (similar to what you described)
I'm planning on returning to work at 9 weeks and concerned ; also work at desk
If u have time tell me how you are doing
Thanks

 

[kenneth67]

I thought my pain was nearly gone in late September. But then, about a month ago, it started coming back and has gotten progressively worse. It is now as intense as it was a month after surgery - except that my surgery was 5 1/2 months ago! Any ideas why my pain has come back? It's killing me. I see surgeon tomorrow. What questions should I ask him? Help!!!

 

[sharonslp]

Hi Kenneth. We all worry about the two biggies...infection, or the implant being loose. But both of these are truly the exception. It's far more likely that there is some kind of soft tissue disturbance going on....often caused by too much activity too soon. You aren't giving much information about your pain....where it is exactly, what level of intensity, what kind of pain, what makes it worse, and so on. Also it would help to know what your activity level is like....at work, and at home....recreational, therapy, etc. If you scroll up to post #30, Jo asked you about all of this back in August.

Depending on where the pain is, there are some articles in the library here that might be useful to you. I'll link to a few for you to look at. But really....we need more info to know how to respond with anything really useful.

Iliopsoas syndrome
ITB (ilio-tibial band) issues and treatments
Pinched nerve following hip replacement
Piriformis syndrome - a pain in the butt!
Trochanteric bursitis with THR

These are all fairly common around here.

Your surgeon will probably take an xray. Then he'll probably tell you that everything looks fine. (I certainly hope so!!) Whatever he says, keep us posted. And if you want more input, let us know more details so we know what you're actually experiencing.

Sharon

 

[Josephine]

I thought my pain was nearly gone in late September. But then, about a month ago, it started coming back and has gotten progressively worse. It is now as intense as it was a month after surgery - except that my surgery was 5½ months ago! Any ideas why my pain has come back?

Well it depends what you've been doing. You've only given us half the story so far!

Any exercises, PT, gym? What?

 

[kenneth67]

Thank you, Sharon and Josephine for your replies. Sitting seems to aggravate the pain, as does prolonged standing and, or bending over. The most strenuous thing I've done is just to walk on the beach a few times. No gym, PT, etc. The pain comes in several forns: 1) sharp and stabbing in the groin, inguinal area, and down the inside of the thigh; 2) an incredibly deep, sharp ache down and across the front of the thigh to just above the knee; 3) a sharp pain in the shin and top of the foot; 4) a dull ache in the trochanter and our buttock, low back. Intensity ranges from 3 to 9. Thank you.

 

[Josephine]

Sorry - more questions!

Can you tell me the exact site of your pain using this chart?
Please note the instructions in the smaller image

 

[kenneth67]

CL5F
AL3B
DL5F, 6F
EL4F, 5F, 6F
FL4F, 5F, 6F
GL4F, 5F, 6F
HL4F, 5F
Thank you.

 

[Josephine]

Oh wow! Is this really your area of pain?

I note way back in June when you first arrived, you said this

I did have PT post-op, but the surgeon told me he felt they were being too aggressive and to take a break from PT.

If you can, would you humour me by listing all the exercises you were doing then?
Like have many sessions a day, how many reps of each and that they were?

 

[kenneth67]

Yes, this is really my area of pain. The nexus of most of it seems to be at CL5F, then radiating down into thigh and out to trochanter-area. Back in late September, the CL5F pain finally seemed to be gone and I thought I was home free. Then, in early October it came back, and has gotten worse and worse since then. My surgeon's PA put me on prednisone tablets today to try to counteract inflammation. Blood work shows no infection, and the x-ray today showed no change (which suggests no loosening, right?). They also want to do an MRI of the low back, which is fine, but I know the CL5F pain has its origin there, not in my back. I asked about iliopsoas burisitis, but only got kind of a condescending "maybe but not likely" from the PA.
Goodness me, I don't remember what all the exercises were per se that PT did with me back in the Summer. I do remember the PT literally laying on top of me, spreading my leg out as wide as he could to stretch my adductors or something like that - I wanted to curl up in the fetal position after that session, it was so brutal.

 

[lalo]

I've been keeping up with your post as I had my THR in June and I'm still dealing with some pain myself.
Mine however is different and based on what I have read on the forum mind is classic piriformis syndrome. Having said that, the OS on my last visit, gave me a referral for a Spine Dr and suggested all my problems were lower back related because they see some arthritis (in the lower back) in the hip x-rays. That may be true but I never had butt pain before my 2 surgeries.
The one thing the OS did that helped a lot is he have me a prescription for muscle relaxants. Have you ever taken them? I felt instant relief after the 1st one.

 

[Josephine]

it was so brutal.

That tells me all I wanted to know. It's outrageous they should have done this to you as hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

So you were forced past this point and now have (in my opinion) got a really angry femoral nerve. I say this because I've seen it before. Read this - it's not pleasant reading but it might be enlightening PT: the seriously grave consequences of doing too much of it.

Have you ever been prescribed gabapentin or paragablin? If not, I think you need to get yourself referred either to a neurologist or a pain management doctor who might actually correctly diagnose your condition. Another possible diagnosis is this Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS or RSD).

I'll also get another hippie who has this problem and see if he can relate to your description. @Legin

#CRPS