11 weeks after revision hip surgery

Wow Maree,

You have been through a lot.  I cannot help with your question but wanted to send healing, healthy thoughts to you.

K

Hi Maree,

You mentioned that you were non weight bearing for 8 weeks and now using crutches.  Everyone heals at a different rate, plus it sounds as though you've had more extensive work that a regular hip replacement.  I'd listen to your physical therapist.  Their job is to help get your muscles strenthened back up so that you are strong enough for you to walk and move around again without without injuring yourself.  Whenever muscles are not used (and it doesn't take long), they tend to atrophy.  It will take a few weeks to get them up and working properly again.  Give it time and you will need to have some patience.  The good thing is that you've been doing physio, so it shouldn't take too much longer before you are back to normal. 

Wishing you the best as you continue to recover

I still use crutches occasionally, not for the hip but for an ankle that needs surgery and is unstable. But, for what it is worth, assuming your surgeon has cleared you for weight bearing, my experience is that you know when and how! It isn't a case of just throwing away the crutches and picking up the sticks. You will find that in some situations you don't feel confident using the sticks, and in others you do. Trust your instincts. Start off with sticks around the house where you are at your most confident. Switch between the two as you feel you need to. Before you know it toy will be doing like I do - playing a game of hunt the stick, because you put it down somewhere, wandered off without thinking, and now you need it you can't recall where you last had it!

Hi,  I hade my left hip revised last May due to mom metallosis and armd.   I only had screws to hold the new hip socket in place.  I was walking without my crutches after three months. Sorry I can only state my own recovery, so its not much help to you.  I am due to have my other depuy hip replaced very soon due to same problem. 

Hi Maree, I seem to have only just got your post, seems like there has been a delay over Easter. sorry to hear of your problems. I will be having revision surgery number 4 very soon, 11th surgery on the same hip. I like you, have had problems with pseudo tumour due to cobalt chromium reacting to the titanium stem. But unlike you I also had a surgeon who put the original stem in at a 45 degree angle [so every step was like a spoon in a pudding bowl] and when the cobalt chrome ball was replaced to ceramic that surgeon used one that was too small. This resulted in it dislocating several times. I now have so much damage to that area the body just dosent want to stop forming pockets of fluid [ currently i'm told its the size of  a melon!] I'm about to have a tummy tuck and they're are attempting to fill it with that fat! as well as revising the metal again. It's never been done before so fingers crossed. I've been trying to track down other people who have had problems with the cobalt chromium and titanium reaction. Its called Galvanic action where 2 reactive metals are put next to one another. My cup was poly...something or other, but the corrosion was at the trunnion. I've been told that everyone who had  a revision has a psuedo tumour of some size, but most don't have problems from theand that they are not really well understood. Mine has been so extreme that I only have about a third of each muscle group left and am very disabled. Do you know the make your original prosethis was and are you in the UK? Good luck with all your rehab, I wish I was 11 weeks post surgery now!

Lots of love Patsy X