“Severe Pain After a THR”

I had an anterior THR the 1st of November 2017.  I was up walking in the hallways 6 hours afterwards.  I did quiet well.  It was only painful getting in and out of bed for the most.  The next morning I noticed while in a supine position I didn’t have the strength to raise my right leg.  Not even an inch.  The pain was just too intense.  I was reassured by the nurses and my Dr. that this was normal and only temporary.  I walked the halls alone thereafter many times a day.  In fact, I was up and about so much to the point to where I didn’t even need the pressure stockings that help prevent a DVT, etc.  Two days later I was discharged home.  The coming two weeks, PT came to my home 3 times a week for two weeks.  I did great.  However, I began to notice a different type of pain like none other to the top of my thigh, the buttock, groin and where it wrapped around the thigh and effected the knee.  PT had to alter some of their exercises that irritated the thigh and other areas just described.  After two weeks I would go on to PT on an out patient basis for 2 to 3 weeks.  By that time I was still unable to raise that leg while lying down.  Shortly thereafter I developed a large hematoma to the top of the right thigh.  My Dr. was able to extract 140cc/mls of blood.  I vented my concern of the pain that was still effecting the top of my thigh etc.  He told me to stop going to PT for awhile.  Over the next few weeks, this new pain that made itself known shortly after surgery was worsening.  I kept going back to see the Dr. who performed it, and he would just take a quick X-ray and tell me everything looked good.  During an exam, a tender spot was noted in my lower back.  An MRI showed that I had a protrusion of my L5 and S1 disk.  They felt certain that it was this that was causing me the excruciating pain in my thigh/leg.  Over the coming few months I would go on to have 3 epidurals to the L5 and 1 to the S1.  None of which helped at all.  I was having to use a walker when I awoke in the mornings then as the day progressed, I was either using crutches or a cane to get around.  I was referred to a Neurosurgeon and he ordered an EMG.  The Dr. who performed it told me that he was 100% certain that the L5, S1 or any other disks for that matter was not the cause of this pain.  He said that it was due to something “structural.”  I took this info back to my Orthopedic Dr. for him to review.  He said that it sounded like the Stem of my new device might be slipping in and out.  A CT scan would need to be done to confirm it.  I had one and everything appeared to be normal.  I was praying that it would yield something that needed to be corrected so I would at least have a diagnosis and a solution to resolve this problem.  Even if it meant having to go back in to have it repaired.  But now I’m back at square one.  I have an appointment the 1st of June to see a new Ortho Doc.  I have got to find out what is causing me this pain.  I’m either in bed or laying on the sofa 22/7.  The small and benign activities of daily living that we all take for granted have become major tasks for me to carry out.  I can’t even shower standing up because I can’t bare weight on the effected leg long enough to wash the other.  I can’t even slip on a pair of underwear, and I have to sit on the bed to put on a pair of shorts or pants.  I’m not even able to tie my shoe because it’s too painful to bend the leg and stretch far enough.  All if this has taken a major toll on me with a vengeance.  I’m hoping that some of you may know of additional tests that are available to asses the functioning of a hip device (Zimmer & Fitmore.)  Or, any other conditions that may be causing me the symptoms as I’ve described.  I would love to hear about any similar stories like mine. 

DJ~RN

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