THR Unexplained onset of pain 2 years after successful THR

[Layla]

Hello @jean1702
I’m sorry I can’t answer your questions specifically, but hope your surgeon or a member of his care team can enlighten you, I wish you comfort, strength and peace as you search for answers. Hopefully the origin of your symptoms is discovered soon and you’re able to move toward resolution and a return to life without pain. Please keep us posted, we’re here for you.

 

[DancerHips]

@jean1702

I am so sorry you are going through so much pain and stress. I wish I could think of something that might help you feel better, physically or mentally.

I did do a search on your infection and blood test question and found this article https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26130349/ In summary, they said "From our study we estimate around 4% of patients with PJI [joint infection] may present with normal ESR and CRP." The diagnosis was ultimately made after aspiration so this does seem to be a valid next step for you.

Good luck with the aspiration and hope you have at least answers, if not relief, soon.

 

[Dilewis]

@jean1702 I empathize with you because I feel lost in my quest for a diagnosis. Some days I just give up and say I will lean to live with this. Other days I feel this is my last chance to try to figure it out. Following this thread about trochanteric bursitis pain 1+ year after surgery. I had a steroid shot which didn't help, restarting with a new PT because I, too, am at a loss for what to do next. Side of hip always very sore to the touch, can't lay on that side, feel like I have a leg discrepancy when I walk, can't tell if that's related to the bursitis, paradoxically completely numb around surgical area so I suspect some kind of nerve problem as well. I had the anterior approach and this is one of the "complications" but I wonder if this is contributing to the bursitis or if there is more than bursitis going on.

@Stellamac what is a tendon release? Who decided that procedure?

Surgeon says the implant is perfect. I have grow not to like him. He is a man of few words and never says... Let's get to the bottom of this.

 

[Dilewis]

Ritzbell i feel for you i have all the same symptoms as you my op was dec 2020 i was ok for three moths then got diagnosed with bursitis had injection taking nsaid's resting and no i.improvements after six weeks also told i have slight scoliosis and arthritis in my lowrr bach which does not help with walking have you had any luck with your bursitis treatmeny

 

[Hippielife]

I my case the surgeon removed the bursis sacs in both hips during THR . The shots really don’t help sometimes surgeons can remove the fluid build up in the bursis sac causing the pain.

 

[jean1702]

Hi,

I posted earlier this year and sadly am still suffering.

I have throbbing, aching, pulsing pain which moves from my groin, along my outer hip, deep in my glute and wrapped/tightness around the top of my thigh. The ache moves from one place to another (as opposed to hurting in all areas at the same time) but is always present. Sleeping on my THR side is painful. The strength and flexibility of my hip is fine.

Just to recap, I had a brilliant outcome from my operation for two years. I am in my 50s, very active and could enjoy all the sports once again that I had to stop before the operation due to arthritis. Then suddenly last November 2020, I started to get an ache on the boney side of my outer hip. I put it down to overdoing it (long hikes and cycles during lock down). Since then however it has got progressively worse and spread all around my hip region as above.

I have seen my hip consultant, had an MRI, 2 x CT bone scans, ultrasound scan, x-rays, bursitis & psoas injection and even an aspiration of the hip. All are completely normal and show the hip to be fine. All my blood tests are fine. I also saw a back neurologist who says my back looks fine and doubts the pain is from my back given it is so widespread around the hip (e.g. not sciatica which would be in one area predominantly). All this between last November '20 and Sep '21.

I am at my wits end, now having therapy and my quality of life has been ruined. It's the relentless ache all around my hip area and the lack of diagnosis and prospect of living with this forever that is destroying me.

I am reaching out again to ask if anyone has had similar symptoms & successfully had a diagnosis when all the scans, x-rays and tests are clear. Something changed for me after 2 years of a perfect working replaced hip. I am going to go for another opinion from another hip surgeon but it seems to me that if all the imaging is clear then they have no other investigations/answers :-(

Thanks.

 

[djklaugh]

@jean1702 I am so sorry to hear you are having trouble with your hip! It does sound like you and your doctors have looked thoroughly for a cause. With all the x-rays and scans done, did they also take a look at your right hip? I'm not a medical person but when I went to have my hips evaluated before surgery I was experiencing severe pain in my right hip but left one felt OK. However x-rays of both hips showed that both were severely arthritic. Surgeon said it was "entirely possible" that any pain from my left hip was being referred to the right one.

Do get the consult with a different surgeon - one who is not associated with your current surgeon. And do ask for at least an x-ray if right hip has not yet been evaluated.

 

[Jockette]

I’m sorry that yiure still having problems and there seem to be no solutions.

Do get the consult with a different surgeon - one who is not associated with your current surgeon. And do ask for at least an x-ray if right hip has not yet been evaluated.

I agree.

By the way, I merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread, as we prefer that members in recovery have only one thread.

This benefits you because all your information is in one place, easy to find, and maintains a nice journal for you.

This also benefits our staff, as your information is all in one place, and we often go back through your thread for previous details, so we know what you‘ve been through which helps us advise you better.

So, please keep all your posts in this thread. If you’d like a new title, let us know what you want, and we’ll change it for you. You can always bookmark this thread so you can find it easily.

 

[Elf1]

I also agree about getting another opinion, a new set of eyes can be very helpful. You said you had a bursitis/psoas injection, did you get any relief from it? The bad thing with these injections is they sometimes help and sometimes do absolutely nothing. Keep trying to find some answers so you can get back on with your life

 

[jean1702]

Thanks for your replies.

My right hip has been x-rayed and is fine thank goodness (the way I feel now is that I never want surgery ever again).

I will get an independent 2nd opinion as soon as I can. I just hope they can offer a different perspective on things. With all the imaging and the aspiration I've had, it is hard to believe they cannot see anything at all.