12 weeks post op and still limping

Hey Colleen

I have had both hips reolaced since december l am 8 weeks post 2nd op and by now l though l would be ready to go back to work.. i can tell you l am know where near ready and have told my work that. I still have a lot of recovery to do. My doctors line for work runs out on may 2nd and l will be getting another 2 month one as l still have trouble walking distances l still am in pain when l wake up. My sleeping pattern has not changed since before my first hip op l still wake in middle of the night and move to the couch as l find it more comfortable to sleep on. I seem better and my recovery has been a textbook recovery. I don't use sticks at all l can drive again but on the inside l still suffer from a lot of pain when l sit to long or l walk to far.

So l would say don't worry about it. My surgeon told me it can take up to 9 months for the body to totally heal. So l think l will be exact same as you at 12 weeks. Or 16 weeks. As my surgeon said your body needs to re adjust to having a new hip you walk diffrent for me its both so l walk taller l don't limp as much but l stiil have a sort of funny walk. My posture is diffrent.

So please do not worry l though by now l would be back at work but l am a long way from sitting at a desk for 7hrs a day when l can barely sit for 2hrs.

My surgeon agreed with me that l should not go back to work until l feel ready myself. He said if this takes months then it takes months just get used to living with your hips 1st before going back to sitting in front of a computer for 7hrs a day in a really stressful job. I am even coonsidering a career change at the moment. Having 2 hip replacements has totally changed my life and how l think about things.

I still have loads of issues relating to the hip replacements even from my 1st done in dec last year

Laura x

Colleen,

I am afraid you definitely need to slow down, put ice on your hip, and call your doctor. So sorry.☹️

Hi Im sorry to hear you are still in pain! Thats AWFUL! I hit 30 days today. iT SEEMS LIKE so many NO MATTER HOW LONG IT IS  12 weeks,19 weeks, 7 mos out -STILL pain! BUT its most likely  the OTHER things your body has going on rather then the same old " be gentle, dont push  ourselves to much, and everybody heals different." From what my surgeon says, and what Ive seen IF your not good by 6 weeks-then thats what you got,so if there is still pain-there is something else going on thats not from the hip.My hip was so bone on bone, it turned squear and was partially hanging out of pelvis. SO I had grinding horrible pain, pain when doing NOTHING sitting,trying to lay down, standing, moving , sleeping, CONSTANT-THATS gone. If you had a bad hip and u have NO PAIN when doing nothing-then your hip is as good as it gets and your otherpain is from other bad parts like your knees or spine , or radiating pain down leg from spine etc.   I have knees that need replaced, greater Trochanteric bursitis, Illopsoas Tendinitis, Spondylolethesis lower Lumbar S1-L5 which also gives radicular leg pain to the foot, Spinal Stenosis - I get depressed that I cant walk more than 2 blocks out doors w a cane ( same as before surgery) and 15mins continuous walking around the halls of my apartment building w the walker 2-3 trimes a day.This is as good as its goinhg to get for me,but its not from the hip. So you need to find out what else you have goingon to know how your going to feel. Good luck to you and all of us! 

Hi Coeen

Im about the same stage as you and stil have back ache but I hunk this is cased by the way I walk.  My foot is still swollen and adds to the limp I have when I put my foot down.

I hope you get on alright back at work. I don't have this added problem because I'm retired.

Let me know how you get on.

Brenda x

 

Hi. I am 12 weeks post op posterior today. A week ago, I turned to go into the kitchen and my foot stayed where it was. let out a huge yell, pain in knee and hip. Since then, although I can walk and bear weight, I am very uncomfortable. Nervy pain in the knee and a throbbing ache in the hip. My incision is painful to press on, although not red or inflamed at all. My back also hurts, so I am assuming I hurt that as well.

This is not a good day.

Myofascial Release ****

I am doing excellent at 12 weeks and i attribute it to M.R. treatment, prior to surgery and since.

I am 72 and had a bad limp and pain prior to surgery. my knee was twisting and a lot of lower back pain and i wondered if fixing my hip would still leave me w these issues. My massage therapist didnt relieve this pain but suggested myofascial release. It felt like a miracle. The treatment addresses:

Tightness of the tissues that restricts motion or pulls the body out of alignment, causing individuals to favor and overuse one hip or shoulder, for example.

It has been a blessing and keeps me flexible.

I recommend Myofascial release for the type of issues discussed on this site. Hope this will help someone.

HI Colleen ,

just to let you know i have posted my experience on BIONHIP thread and Jann freeman too

so if you would like to take a look your welcome , and if you have any queries please dont hesitate to post

Sorry to all sufferers on this site

Vanna

Hi COLEEN

If you can locate the back pain specifically, ie; between the joints and not just an ache i would advise asking to be referred by your surgeon for a cortisone pain injection. After my first hip two years ago my surgeon suggested one in my Si joint where i was having a problem and lo and behold it actually helped with the hip pain too and helped me become more mobile .

Thing is its very difficult to build ones muscles up after surgery when in constant pain.

Both consultant and physios dont seem to take this on board. I think it would serve us all well if both could suffer our pain for a day or two and then they wouldnt be so keen to tell us we are letting ourselves dictate what our hip can do !!!!! COME ON , its the hip pain that stops us in our tracks for sure and prevents us all doing all the wonderful things we should like to do ,!

im five months post op now and am dosing naproxen and pain gel , Feldene to try and work through pain but its very depressing and confusing to say the least . IF you want to read more on my experience , i have posted on other threads here too Coleen. I am currently awaiting on a request for cortisone pain injection, heres hoping.

BEST WISHES Vanna .

I'm 12 weeks out. At about 6 weeks things were looking good. Didn't need the cain, little pain. Then, things started regressing. Pain increased, had to go back to using the cain. I had to go back to lesser things at Physical Therapy. I had an x-ray, then CT scan and bloodwork to rule out fracture or infection. A week or more ago, my back started hurting. It progressively got worse until I could barely roll over in bed, get out of bed or walk. I went to my regular Dr. She ordered back x-rays; nothing. Muscle relaxant; nothing. Lidacain patch helps. Ive had physical therapy 2x a week since surgery. Very disappointed with results. Has I known, I would not have had it done. Im no better than before surgery; actually worse.