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7 months post op after 2nd ceramic hip op and having horrid nerve pain

Posted , 12 users are following.

sherry55387
sherry55387

Hi there.

I had my left hip replacement on August 16th 2016 and I'm in way way worse pain now than before the surgery. I had my right one done in 2010 and it went perfect. They are both ceramic and done by the same surgeon in the same hospital. I truly would rather live with the pain I had before than the pain I have now. I have seen my surgeon a few times and he knows that I'm in agony. This past visit ( 2 weeks ago) he did a cortisone injection into the incision area and it has done nothing for the horrid nerve pain and spasms. I had a few complications in hospital and I fainted and I had blood pressure problems and they needed to do a blood transfusion so the last thing on earth I want is a hip revision or another replacement. I think that there is nerve damage and the pain is in the front of my thigh coming from the top and I have horrible spasms around the incision area into my butt cheek and down the back of the thigh. I was wondering if anyone else had had this and what did you do for it? He is treating it as an infection but as far as I know I have no other symptoms of infection.

Thank you

Sherry

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • steve86482
    steve86482 sherry55387

    Posted

    Could it be caused from the long stem pounded into the femur? Did you have a X-Ray? Not sure what good cortisone will do in the incision site. Get a second opinion
    • sherry55387
      sherry55387 steve86482

      Posted

      Hi Steve thank you for your response!

      I had just said to my sister that I bet it's from the post being slammed into my femur and hit the nerve and permanently damaged it. I was thinking that the cortisone shot would maybe help the spasms but it did absolutely nothing but make that area more sore. I see my family dr this week and when I had talked to her about getting a second opinion she was quite hesitant because of who my surgeon is. He is supposed to be the best in BC and people travel from all over the Province to have him do their hip replacement. She said that another surgeon probably wouldn't help because I was done by him and he's known as the best.

      I really am completely terrified to go through this again in case the pain gets worse. Every time I see him I have an X-ray right before my appointment with him and he says the X-ray looks great. I am going to ask my family dr to send me for a CT scan.

    • Soldier3
      Soldier3 sherry55387

      Posted

      The 1st time l dislocated my hip,came home from hospital felt asleep in my lazy boy,woke up tried to get out of chair could not my leg was looking real funny.

      When l got back to hospital the surgeon said l had slammed the metal rod into the bone.

      He said that he had to use a hammer to get it back up

      I mostly get the pain where the incision is,groin pain but not as bad.Think it's a good idea to get a private opioid! Hope it works out for you!!

    • paul19337
      paul19337 sherry55387

      Posted

      Hi Sherry from your description it sounds like the lateral cutaenous nerve has been affected during your hip surgery (just like mine) I too had my left hip rep no bother, but my right side was a complete mess they fitted the wrong size stem resulting in a revision 8 months later. During the first op the LCT nerve was damaged creating Meralgia Parasthetica which is beccause the LCT is a sensory nerve from the L2 vertebrae down thru the pelvis into the thigh and joins the femoral nerve. (i have been studying this for 2 years) Everyone is of course different yours may rectifie itself mine is still bad nearly 2 years on and I have spent thousands seeking a solution as the NHS seem incapable of helping me. The Meralgia is like prickly heat where you cant stand anything touching it? The nerve pain that I get comes out of the blue and is like an electric shock so bad you gasp! It also gets worse when I walk. But there have been days when I have no pain although they  are rare. Gabapentin, amytripatylin, pregablin are all supposed to help but I couldnt handle the side effects. See your surgeon and as him about MP and how he intends to help you. Good luck fro a fellow sufferer
  • hazel14263
    hazel14263 sherry55387

    Posted

    Yes Sherry I can relate to this.Worse pain than before the op and seen the surgeon three times.6 months in. No infection .Took the ball into my own hands as most people have to and saw and paid for a private sports massage and osteopath who all diagnosed damaged and weakened muscles rock hard like leather.The surgeon said he did not think it  was the muscles but never even examined me.Seek out a private physio/osteo/chiro/ massager who will examine your thigh muscles and DIAGNOSE YOU.Mine was the huge long sartorious muscle running  down  the thigh  and the lliopsoas muscle  near the groin.I bet you this is the answer to your pain.....good luck.
    • sherry55387
      sherry55387 hazel14263

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your reply and awesome info. I will definitely talk to my physio therapist about this and will check into seeing a sports massage therapist.

      It's so very frustrating when you go in for this surgery looking forward to feeling great with no pain and then come out worse. I'm so glad that my right hip surgery was so awesome so I know the difference between a great outcome and this horrible outcome.

      Thank you so much

    • hazel14263
      hazel14263 sherry55387

      Posted

      Are you in UK? Once the metal work is done the surgeons are happy and I learnt off this site its do your own thing and pay to get better and they were right.Ask a private physio to EXAMINE your upper leg muscles.I have had awful pain still painkillers three times a day 6 months in and have had words bandied about at me like your muscles are 'horrible', 'Boy! Rock hard, like a piece of old leather and you must be in agony! Slowly and surely the muscles are softening and so is the pain....I used to wake at night with awful spasms and muscle contractions and the scar area was soooo sore,Now I can prod it happliy as my sports masseur is working on making the muscles  move again with his hands, palms and baby oil.Boy does it hurt but no pain no gain and  it took him five seconds to tell me what was wrong.So far I have spent £ 110  and counting....

  • linda81469
    linda81469 sherry55387

    Posted

    Hi Sherry! I too am having the nerve pain. It's in front of thigh just above the knee and on the side. It sux! And yes you go in hoping that all will go well and no more pain!! The nerve pain I have bothers me when I wear leggings and anything that touches it! Dr put me on gabapentin and I use Aspercream. Helps some not as intense. Going to check out what others are saying about getting massages. I know that a lot of my muscles were weak and short. I was 1 & 1/2 inches short. Born with dysplasia. So I am almost the same length and dr told me that all the muscles, tendons and nerves are stretched now that with time it will get better!! 😫😖. I'm 7 months in after I had to have a revision because I dislocated my hip first time around. That was tough. I hope you get relief and things get better. Hugs 🤗 LD 🤓🤠

    • paul19337
      paul19337 linda81469

      Posted

      Hi Linda from your description it sounds like the lateral cutaenous nerve has been affected during your hip surgery (just like mine) I too had my left hip rep no bother, but my right side was a complete mess they fitted the wrong size stem resulting in a revision 8 months later. During the first op the LCT nerve was damaged creating Meralgia Parasthetica which is beccause the LCT is a sensory nerve from the L2 vertebrae down thru the pelvis into the thigh and joins the femoral nerve. (i have been studying this for 2 years) Everyone is of course different yours may rectifie itself mine is still bad nearly 2 years on and I have spent thousands seeking a solution as the NHS seem incapable of helping me. The Meralgia is like prickly heat where you cant stand anything touching it? The nerve pain that I get comes out of the blue and is like an electric shock so bad you gasp! It also gets worse when I walk. But there have been days when I have no pain although they  are rare. Gabapentin, amytripatylin, pregablin are all supposed to help but I couldnt handle the side effects. See your surgeon and as him about MP and how he intends to help you. Good luck fro a fellow sufferer.
    • linda81469
      linda81469 paul19337

      Posted

      Thanks Paul for the info!! I can't fathom the idea of having to deal with that for as long as you have!! I've been going through mine for months and I'm at my wits end!! I cry about it and feel like I can't do this much longer!! It's so disheartening because i was hoping that all was going to be good after hip surgery!! Of course dislocating my hip and having a total hip revision after 3 weeks didn't help matters! 😩 Do you think that the stretching of the muscles have anything to do with this? I was almost 2 inches short and had been short since childhood but kept getting shorter as time went on. Born with hip dysplasia. Thanks again and prayers going your way for relief in your suffering. Linda

  • amanda1827h
    amanda1827h sherry55387

    Posted

    Hi Sherry,poor you.We are all at different levels.To be honest,I also have a failed hip op as I had no proper care at home.I had no choice but to care for my disabled Hubby.He had carers,twice a day,for six weeks,but it was only for half an hour each visit.Then I had to struggle with caring. So I am back to square one.I have Reflexology every other week.When I need it.Also if we go away,I make sure we have a spa in the hotel.I also suffer from awful anxiety.My Hubby is also very deaf & severely sighted So sorry to moan.regards. Are you from the UK? Regards Amanda h.

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