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3 years post Surgery - STILL thigh muscle pain with ANY activity

Posted , 6 users are following.

chunda2
chunda2

I'm wondering if anyone was in a similar situation and can provide some insight. About 3 years ago I had a total hip replacement. The first attempt was botched and they had to re-do the replacement about 6 weeks later. Because of the trauma of the two surgeries I was ordered on bed rest and was told NOT to exercise or do any physical therapy.

Well, now here we are 3 years later. I'm 50 lbs heavier and trying to get some sort of exercise plan started. I do low impact exercises and I start off VERY slow - need to build up my strength. It doesn't hurt while I'm working out. But the next day I'm in excruciating pain. The thigh muscle just aches all day. Sometimes there's stabbing pain. It throbs. Massaging or lightly beating the thigh helps temporarily. I have to start using a cane again just to get around. Sitting hurts. Standing hurts. Moving positions hurts. I can't sleep because it throbs all night.

Is anybody else not able to do any physical activities post surgery? Prior to the surgery I was a 40 year old ACTIVE mom of 3. Now I've pretty much been reduced to taking Ibuprofin and muscle relaxers if there's a visit to the grocery store on the agenda. This can't be normal right?

Side note - the first few times this happened I saw my surgeon who confirmed there's no loosening of the hardware. Another doctor did bloodwork, bone scans and radiographs to confirm there's no infection. It all appears to be a muscle issue.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Rocketman_SG6UK
    Rocketman_SG6UK chunda2

    Posted

    Why no exercise?  Surely exercise is needed to build the muscle strength back up.  

    I had a botched THR 22 months ago, and revision on it (which failed) 10 weeks later, I had the same exercise regime both times, and was back to work just over 12 weeks after the revision.

    Graham

    • chunda2
      chunda2 Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      I was told that the trauma of ripping out the hardware from the first surgery would weaken the bone(s) significantly. Therefore they wanted me on bedrest to allow the bones time to heal & regenerate around the shaft. I returned to work 6 weeks after the 2nd surgery and normally I function ok as long as I don't do any type of formal exercise. Introduce any formal exercise and I'm done for. Or maybe I'm just a nutjob and it's all in my head. lol

    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK chunda2

      Posted

      I guess you had the metalwork replaced - that would explain a lot.  My revision was supposed to be only on re-aligning the ceramic bearing.

      Makes sense for you to need total rest to allow the bone to grow into the new metalwork.

      Best  wishes

      Graham

  • suzie58
    suzie58 chunda2

    Posted

    Hi there Chunda,

    I'm so sorry to hear that you are having such trouble post surgery. I can appreciate how you feel as I suffered terribly after mine. I had a revision of a revision in 2012 and unfortunately ended up getting an infection in surgery. I was  in the worst pain I have ever been in and spent a good 4 months in hospital and 8 months off work. I  have now been left with chronic pain and take a huge amount  of medication to deal with it. My activities are limited and it has changed my life completely. But, having said  all this , I haven come to terms with it  and try not to let it take over my life. It's certainly no fun and it's hard work to keep on top of my feelings sometimes . But I am feeling the best I have felt for so long.  If the pain  you are feeling is muscle pain, might I suggest some pool exercise. Because my scar is so awful, I didn't feel I could go to a public swimming pool for a long time after but I plucked up the courage one day and decided to join an aquarobics class and I loved it! It is such good fun and so gentle on you body because your weight is supported by the water.  Gradually you tone up your muscles and have a lot of fun in the  process. I also put on a lot of weight because of my inactivity and was very self-concious about my body but once you're in the pool nobody sees your body and actually nobody takes  any notice of you anyway. I hope this helps you Chunda, good luck. 

    Suzie Q

  • renee01952
    renee01952 chunda2

    Posted

    Hi Chunda, 

    Warm welcome to the hippies forum - 

    wow ... revision surgery 6 weeks after the surgery and then you went back to work 6 weeks post op 2nd (revision) surgery ?????  Isn't that very early in the healing process ?

    How long were you non-weight bearing, not allowed to do exercises ?  

    so you have no problem when you are working, but have problems with thigh pain after exercising?

    Is there any way you can have physical therapy? Someone who can assess your muscle strength and posture, or something ... or what Suzie Q suggests sounds great to me too --- 

    Get some help, darling --- it is not easy to ask for help, I know ... people assume that you should be okay by now, but you are not -  

    How about making an appointment (again) with your GP?

    please come back here, okay

    big warm hug

    renee

     

  • linda81469
    linda81469 chunda2

    Posted

    Morning chunda2.   I'm so sorry  that u are still in pain after so long.  I too had to be non weight bearing and no hip exercises or hip flexion past 80 degrees 3 weeks after my first hip replacement last year, because I dislocated it and had to have a total hip revision.  Dr wanted bone to grow into new hip.  It was tough.  I'm now battling nerve pain and sensitivity in my thigh for about 6 months now.  I function ok but not to the fullest because of this pain.  I'm still stiff and all along side of thigh and hip is still tender.  I have tendonitis and bursitis as well.  Have you been checked for that?   Where exactly is your pain on your thigh?  The IT band can also cause pain.  Do you ice the area?  Maybe you should ask your dr for a referral to a physical therapist.  I'm working with a pain dr and neurologist.  I just had MRI of my hip and a Doppler of thigh to check veins deep inside of thigh.  I go Friday for those tests.   Next week I go back to neurologist to see if blood work shows anything.  He really didn't give me much hope on my nerve pain.  It's a sensory nerve and is hard to treat.  I'm trying to make the best of it but some days it's just hard.  You get this operation to get out of pain, move better and have your life back just to wound up in the same boat again now with different issues.  I really hope you get to feeling better soon!!   God's blessings to you.   Hugs 🤗Linda 

  • mike_NY
    mike_NY chunda2

    Posted

     Hi Chunda, was your surgery  interior or  posterior , l had same issues  , and a lot of other people, my was posterior, when was your last surgery done? God bless mikey 
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