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Hip Infection* Sudden pain 2 1/2 years after hip revision

@Layla am home from Hospital finally but now I am having swelling in the leg of the operated side. Have read this is normal but how much swelling is normal? Mine is mostly hip down to just below knee with less down under that. Not painful or hot. Dr just saw incision and said other than some very slight drainage it’s looking good although he put me on Bactrim I’m guessing as a preventative I had experienced this once while I was in hospital w my spacer and asked the nurse if the swelling like that was normal and she said yes. Just makes me nervous. Anyone else experience this. I’m less than two weeks post surgery and my incision this time is much bigger. A nurse who came to change my bNdage said they must have cut off quite a bit of bone from the AVN. Don’t know if that has anything to do w it. Uggggg
 
Hi,
Great to hear you're home from the hospital. I think swelling happens to varying degrees for most. Especially during the early days you're in.
Please try not to be concerned. Take comfort in the fact that the nurse saw it and said it was okay. Wondering if you're icing? If not, please consider icing the swollen areas for 40-60 mins several times daily. Target at least four times daily. That is the amount of time the forum Nurse, Josephine, often recommends. :ice:
I hope your night is a peaceful one.
@Whoknew
 
Thank you for the reassuring words. It’s just an odd feeling to leave fingerprints in your leg. I didn’t ice as much as I had been doing in the hospital so thAt May have something to do with it. Have elevated it today and it wasn’t bad until I got up and was moving around more w the leg down. Always something huh? Will try not to worry but as Someone w a panic disorder it’s not easy!
 
:hi: I'm glad you are home and hopefully able to get more comfortable.
I do think that the swelling is very normal but every little thing is liable to give you cause for pause.
My emotions and nerves were all over the place and I didn't have the revision to add to it.
Wishing you a peaceful Sunday...:friends:
 
A little anxiety is allowed. Who wouldn't feel anxious with a big gash in their leg? :shrug:
You're normal. :yes: Try not to let your anxiety get the best of you. Come here when you're worried and we'll try our best to offer realistic reassurance or comfort. Keep the ice going, I think it will make a difference with the swelling if you're diligent about it. :ice:
I hope you have a nice Sunday!
@Whoknew
 
@Whoknew so pleased you are home, I had this swelling too and i think alot is having had the spacer in, if you imagine how much your soft tissues and muscle have been manhandled, they are just having a groan. As you know i still have the spacer but when i had the last hip i also had lots of swelling and pain in my foot, quite extraordinary how our body reacts!!. Lots of icing and elevating but it will all take time, try and relax it will all come right. Hugsxxx
 
Whoohoooo! Finally bandage is off, just steri-strips and I can take a real shower vs the sink baths I’ve been taking for two weeks. It will be my first standing up shower in literally months! The small things can feel so good.

PT has been kicking my butt but is already showing in increasing muscle and ability to walk more smoothly w the walker. Yay!
 
First shower is the best. :yay:
It's nice to get the bandage off too.
You're on your way. :happydance:
I hope you have a nice weekend!
@Whoknew
 
The shower was wonderful! So much easier than the darn sink baths. Took a wrong step yesterday and wow I’m hurting today between pt exercises and that! No pt for me today, just icing and some short walks. Have text in to OS as running out of pain meds. Tried just Tylenol but pain got out of control so had to take something. Is this normal this far out (17days)?
 
Yes, and good for you for calling as you don't need the pain while you are trying to work through this.
Hope OS for back with you so the long holiday weekend won't be a stressor for you.
Hang in there @Whoknew
It's going to get better!
Hugs:console2:
 
Well am almost 5 weeks post revision with my new hip. Able to walk short distances without aids but darn am I different leg lengths! It puts more of my weight on an ankle that needs an ankle fusion from when I was hit by a car. So literally don’t have a good leg to stand on lol. Does feel nice to be able to cook again although still can’t access upstairs or basement as we don’t have handrails up (house is in middle of huge remodel).

Question for you all: I know I’ve had two major hip surgeries in 2½ months so is it normal that there are times that I have to take a 5/325 Percocet because extra strength Tylenol allows break through pain that’s more than it stops? I get spasms and pain down my entire leg, particularly when the weather is bad.

I don’t think I’m overdoing it with the exercises and walking. My PT said I’m not recovering from the “normal” THR, between having been so sick and weak from the infection I had for months and the resulting being basically wheelchair bound for almost 5 months. She still expects me to have to use my chair for a while during longer jaunts, although I try to walk a little more each day. Any input appreciated! Thanks
 
Hi @Whoknew
It's nice to hear from you. It sounds like you're doing well.
@Josephine is best suited to answer your questions on meds since she's the medical professional.
I've tagged her for you. We'll see how she advises.
Happy to read of your progress, keep up the good work and stay in touch.
A great week to you!
 
I think it would be best if I could offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?
 
I can answer as best I’m able to Josephine.

Thank you Layla by the way. Things are generally good
 
Well the latest is I left a message for my OS asking for a prescription for PT out of my home as my benefits for in the home end mid-month and also mentioned the concern my PT expressed as the leg length discrepancy is affecting the way I walk, stand etc and she’s concerned it will do damage to my spine. So this evening I get a call from Dr’s office asking me to call to set up appt. Never ending hold on the line ensued lol so I texted saying had appt for the 20th and did he want me in sooner.

Meanwhile I’ve been “running” around doing holiday shopping and have been walking more along with doing my exercises so when my PT got here, she could visibly see my leg swollen through my jeans (I’d just gotten home and hadn’t iced/elevated today).

She told me to take a pain pill as my pain level was around a 6 and my BP was a bit higher than usual as a result. Told her I’d been trying to only use one a day and get by with just Tylenol, Flexeril and Meloxicam but she said if my pain was that high I needed to take another. Fortunately she took it easy on me, not pushing as she doesn’t want to aggravate anything. Am icing and elevating now which feels wonderful.
 
Good evening!
Glad you're feeling better tonight with icing and elevation. It's such a crazy busy time of year, it's hard for any of us to rest for long. I hope you'll take the time you need for yourself since you're not even two months post op. Consider some online shopping if you're feeling stretched in too many directions. I hope your pain eases soon and you're able to rest comfortably this evening.
@Whoknew
 
@Josephine, I think your questions for me got lost in cyberspace lol.

I’m about 6 weeks out from my revision and have gone from barely able to walk with a walker for 5 minutes to being able to stay on my legs for an hour or more a day, walking in the house without aids. Problem is since I went from about ½ an hour with PT (half of which was sitting or lying down exercises) to abruptly walking around so long my pain level is such that extra strength Tylenol doesn’t cut it.

Part of the issue is that my legs are different lengths and the leg I’m putting the most weight on is the ankle that got messed up when I was hit by a car crossing the street.

My PT said my pain won't get better until I’m more even as it’s stressing not only my operated hip but my ankle also (shattered calcaneus) which is bone on bone. Pain was so bad I had to take 3 pain pills which I haven’t had to do in weeks.

I also spoke with a nurse assigned to me by my insurance company and she reminded me that although it seems like a long time to me I have been through a lot between the infection that I’d had for months and two major surgeries since August. She also said it was perfectly normal to need a pain pill on occasion still and I shouldn’t feel badly about taking it.

My significant other is not into doctors or medicines and believes that the body is very good at healing itself. He’s also seen his sister’s partner be a drug seeking dependent. It makes me second guess myself, that I’m doing the wrong thing although the PT and nurse say take it if I need it. I guess the fact that I lost my brother this year to an overdose makes it hard as well. He inherited the addictive stuff where fortunately I didn’t.

Uggg time to re-read the pain med stuff on here huh?

Is anyone else six weeks past a revision having pain issues?
 
No I hadn't posted them yet!

Here y'go then!

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are

1. what approach did you have for your surgery? Anterior, posterior, lateral? You can look here to see the various types THR approaches or incisions

2. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).

3. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

4. are you icing your painful area at all? If so, how often and for how long?

5. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

6. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

7. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.
 
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