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4 weeks post op hip replacement

Posted , 10 users are following.

sadie25554
sadie25554

Hi - I’m after some advice or Info from someone who’s had a posterior THR like myself. I am 25 years old and live in the uk. I was 4 weeks post op yesterday & so far it has been the most horrific recovery. The day I was discharged I ended up back in hospital as basically I was discharged a few days too early as they hadn’t got my pain relief under control and so when I got home my body went into shock as the muscle pain was that severe I stopped breathing twice! After speaking with the surgeon and a doctor my pain relief was changed drastically and for the first week and a half I was near enough on the highest of highest you could take. 

Anyhow that is all sorted now I have my pain, i take an odd paracetamol if I need to. 

What I’m after asking is has anyone else experienced the stiffness ? Since the pain went my groin and thigh feel so tight and stiff and it’s worse in a morning and at night. I do suffer with it during the day but not as bad. I appreciate I’ve just had major surgery and my body is still recovering. I went to the doctors yesterday as I have a slight wound infection (not ideal) but I’ve got antibiotics to sort that. 

I have my 6 week follow up slightly earlier at 5 and a half weeks as the surgeon is on holiday at 6 weeks and I’m hoping he will be able to then give me exercises or refer me for physio, because as of yet I’ve not been given any and I wonder if that’s also a factor as to why I feel stiff. 

My surgeon explained to me that the older the patient - they have their nerves cut, whereas under 25 you need them so instead what he has done is stretch all three of my muscles and that is why I’ve suffered with the muscle spasms. 

I am so fed up of lying on my back, hopefully two more weeks I can turn on my none operative side with a pillow, take these compression stockings off and hopefully be confident with one crutch inside and out.

Has anyone at 30 or under experienced anything similar with the stiffness ? I just want to talk to anyone who’s had it done as I feel google tells you all sorts of stuff .

2 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

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  • madeleine40297
    madeleine40297 sadie25554

    Posted

    Gosh Sadie you really have been through the mill!    I am at the same stage as you and also will be seeing the consultant at 51/2 weeks post op.  I had the first 3 weeks feeling great no pain (although still on a lot of painkillers).. I have had hydrotherapy from 10 day post op and its brilliant.  I think I got too cocky and started walking with one stick then  while without.  Since then I haven't been able to walk properly at all and have really hit a wall. Really stiff and sore and I am supposed to be back at work in just over a week!  I can't believe that you haven't had physio at all.  It might be because you are so young but I can't see why. Whilst I am a very active (usually) 61 I am hoping to go back to all the things I love but I now realize its going to take a lot longer than everyone told me. I listened to all the people who said it was fab, no pain and back to exercising within a few weeks.  After going onto this forum I think the reality is we just have to be patient and everyone is different and I'm  not the superwoman as I thought I was.  Good luck and hope you get sorted

    • sadie25554
      sadie25554 madeleine40297

      Posted

      Its all different for everyone isn’t it. My grandma had her surgery done 3 years ago and she was given exercises from day one but ive spoke to my surgeon and another surgeon and they both said the first 6 weeks are literally just to get better and then they will discuss physio and exercises.  I use two crutches outside but in the house just one as my walking has improved really well. I wonder when you go back to walking up stairs normally instead of good foot bad foot both on one step. If anything that’s more tiring ! I definitely didn’t realise how much of basic skills you are stripped of and it really gets you down! I will be so happy to sit on normal chairs and stop using the raised toilet seat ! Hope to hear your walking improves soon, as it’s rubbish not being able to feel you can do the basic things! Thankyou for replying
  • Caz83
    Caz83 sadie25554

    Posted

    Hi Sadie sorry that you have had a rough time. Im 34 and had my uncemented thr 3 weeks today. Like you I had complications in the first few days so I feel your pain. Pain relief doesnt agree with me so Im not taking anything but the pain is minimal right now. I had physio a week ago and have been given exercises to do daily which I think helps with the tightness that you are experiencing. Like you sleeping on my back is not good as Im getting back pain and the socks are horrible.... Im wishing the weeks away. Everyone heals differently and at there own pace so just go with what your body tells you. If you want a chat Im here 😁

    Caron

    • sadie25554
      sadie25554 Caz83

      Posted

      Thankyou for replying smile just wanted to see what other people are like at different stages. I know everyone’s different but I just get frustrated with myself that I can’t do the simplest things and then I have to tell myself I’ve only just had major surgery and it’s only been 4 weeks. 

      Because I’m 25 I just feel at the minute I’ve been stripped of everything and although I do most things for myself it’s just rubbish when you’ve to ask your boyfriend or Mum to help put your pants on. I didn’t think recovery would be as tough as it’s been. I think I came into this a bit blind sighted as my surgeon never really explained aftercare and when I went to see him a week after surgery he sat there and said ‘I’ve educated myself on this one and I can only apologise I didn’t explain how bad it would be afterwards for some one so young’ 

  • Rocketman_SG6UK
    Rocketman_SG6UK sadie25554

    Posted

    Sadie, 

    Wow, you have been 'through it' with your recovery, and at such a young age.

    I suspect that that like you my muscles were divided and stretched

    Upper thigh pain (on the front of the leg) is pretty typical for posterior, groin pain seems to be more typical after anterior operations.  I would guess that the infection is probably contributing to the pain too.

    Usually, it's just a matter of more (gentle) exercise to get the muscles moving again and to get them to knit back into the same position they were before the THR.

    I was given exercises to do from day one, and then physio exercises at 2 weeks post-op. You need to do these religiously, but not so much that they cause pain. If they cause pain, you have done too much.

    I know what sleeping on your back for weeks is like, I had to have revision on my leg 10 weeks after my THR, so I had yet another bout of enforced back-sleeping, exercises, physio, compression stockings, everything for 6 weeks.sad

    I was able to sleep on the operated side after the initial THR, but the other side was uncomfortable. After the revision it was exactly the opposite!  It wasn't that I was told I could only sleep on one side or the other, it was just so uncomfortable.  It was nearly two years before I could sleep on the operated side after revision.  Every operation and recovery is so different.

    I was a bit wink older than you ... ok I was 63, but I hope this helps a bit.

    Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

    • sadie25554
      sadie25554 Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      I can’t believe you had to have revision surgery just ten weeks after. I feel sorry for you that must have been horrific !!

      Thankyou for your advice x 

    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK sadie25554

      Posted

      Yes, it was not a pleasant Christmas in our house. sad

      Worse came when in the middle of the revision, I realised he was having problems and could not move the ceramic. He had to stitch me up and leave it.

      I'm now with RNOH Stanmore, who can do whatever is needed in the future, even if it means cutting the titanium shell to remove and replace it.

    • Ducksoup
      Ducksoup Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      I often wonder what happened to my old titanium road bicycle.  Maybe it was eventually recycled as hip prostheses?
  • claudia95892
    claudia95892 sadie25554

    Posted

    Hi Sadie. I had my first hip replacement at 31. I was so stiff and could not bear weight for 6 weeks. Are you doing the exercises they gave you at the hospital. The nerve, muscle pain is debilitating and I was on strong painkillers, morphine based. Once the swelling goes down and the physio starts, then things get better. My hip lasted 21 years, then came loose and I had it resected a year ago. I have no hip joint pain. Just muscle fatigue as I am trying to train for a 30 km bike tour in September. I can walk, dance, bike, work, swim and keep it to no impact activities. I got a lot of massages which really helped with the muscle tightness. Good luck and hang in there. It will get better.
    • sadie25554
      sadie25554 claudia95892

      Posted

      Hi. I haven’t been given any exercises or physio at all ! This is what I’ve been concerned about, but my surgeon keeps saying that when he assesses me at 6 weeks that’s when he will take it from there. But I will definitely be asking for some as I can feel how weak my muscles are. I can weight bare my operative leg but if I’m stood longer than 10-15 minutes I know about it! 

      I was on morphene originally as the pain was out of this world, but I’ve not been taking anything apart from gabapentin for nerve pain and if I am in agony I take a small spoonful of orimorphe! 

    • Ducksoup
      Ducksoup sadie25554

      Posted

      I wasn’t given exercises or phisio either so took to the internet for information and exercises.  .  I did lots of different exercises but mainly walked.  I am about 9 or ten weeks now, swim an hour hard (with fins),bicycle to and from the gym on hills and walk about an hour a day.  My main rule is that If it hurts, don’t do it.
  • margot50
    margot50 sadie25554

    Posted

    Hi Sadie, 

    Wow, I'm sorry to hear you have had a very rough time but I'm glad at least your pain is resolving. I am older than you, in my 60's, so I apologize if my experience isn't helpful to you. I don't know why you haven't been given simple exercises at this point, but perhaps your surgeon has a reason.  I had extremely easy "physio" from the very beginning just to learn how to get in and out of bed. Then at two weeks, I was given very easy exercises without which I can't imagine how I would have progressed. The exercises slowly increased in difficulty as I progressed. I was not one of those fast recoveries. However, if you have a slight infection, I don't know if that changes what activity you do and I'd advise asking your surgeon about that. Hope your infection resolves quickly too. Stiffness is normal as I understand it even 4 weeks out after such a major, invasive surgery.  Having to lie on my back was agony for me too, so I sympathize with you on that one. I was SO glad when at 6 weeks post-op I was allowed to lie on my good side with a pillow between my knees. It sounds as though you will appreciate that too . The bottom line is that you definitely need to ask about your stiffness and about exercises at your follow-up. It is so true that everyone's recovery is different and patience is required. Best wishes to you !

    • sadie25554
      sadie25554 margot50

      Posted

      doesn’t matter what age you are I’ve appreciated everyone who has replied smile it’s great to talk to other people who have had it done!! Yes I will definitely be asking about the exercises . The surgeon said he had drastically stretched my muscles because of how much I relied on my good leg so I think initially that could also be a contributing factor as to why I feel a bit stiff, probably because I’ve not used the muscles properly for a long time !!

      Luckily the doctor said it was just the start of an infection as it had gone slightly yellow where a bit of a scab was so I got on antibiotics as soon as I noticed it so hopefully when I next take my dressing off it will have healed even more. Definitely can’t wait to lie on my side , I’ve tried it once and it felt un natural so won’t be doing that again until a few more weeks when I actually can. 

      Thankyou for replying 

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