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Chronic pain following total hip replacement

Posted , 55 users are following.

sue87388_UK
sue87388_UK

Hi,

I'm Sue and I had both hips replaced in Feb and Sept 2011. Prior to this I had many years of pain and a great deal of difficulty with medical fields trying to determine what was causing my pain. Anyway once it was decided to replace both hips I was happy they had at last found a cause and what I thought was a solution. My first his replaced was my right and this seemed to go okay, it was a total different story with my left. I have been in excruciating back and leg pain since, I cannot walk any distance or stand for any more than five minutes. I need to use a wheelchair if I go out and crutches also, I am stuck at home all day while my family go out to work - I am frustrated and feel useless.

My pain is across my lower back and generates down my legs, my last three toes on my right foot go numb constantly. The pain is tingling, numbness, sharp, deep pulsating pain and electric shock type pain. The more I try to do the worse the pain gets. I spend most of my time with my legs raised as this helps, the pain never goes away but does ease when resting. I have painkillers and muscle relaxants but they do not really help. My hip surgeon like most of the forums I have read told me my hips are fine according to the MRI scan. He then referred me to the Spinal consultant, after nearly a year of seeing the spinal people they have now turned round and said the pain is not coming from my back and there is nothing they can do to help. I asked them what I was supposed to do and they said they had no answers!! I have attended all the physio appointments and even did a three week intensive course along with hydrotherapy - nothing has made a difference.

I lost my job due to all this pain and I am now registered disabled. I had more mobility (although painful) prior to my surgery than I do now. It was nice to read that other people are going through what I am experiencing (although I would not wish this on anyone) it somehow makes me feel better.

I have had numerous cortisone injections in the hips, nerve block of the L4/5 nothing has worked for me post surgery. I had cortisone injection prior to my surgery and guess what it helped - work that one out. I am now being referred to the Pain Clinic (again) and Rheumatology as it was noticed on one visit to the hospital that I had a butterfly like redness on my face and they queried Lupus (still waiting for those appointments - surprise, surprise).

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if anyone would like to respond I would be very grateful.

12 likes, 174 replies

174 Replies

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  • eamonn1973
    eamonn1973 sue87388_UK

    Posted

    Hi sue

    I have chronic back pain as well I had this prior to hip replacment.  I have been told that this is a result if my body compensating for both damaged hips.  It was made very clear to me that my replacements would not help back as damage was done.  I have so much sympathy for people with this condition because it is awful.  Sciatic pain is some if the worst I have ever experienced with numbness and sharp pain.  I have been taking amitriptiline at night and this seems to help a lot I have also been prescribed gabapentin and baclofen which has helped a lot.

    Good luck 

    • sue87388_UK
      sue87388_UK eamonn1973

      Posted

      Hi Eamonn, Sorry to hear you are suffering with pain too.  I know some of my pain is due to not walking correctly for such a long time.  Unlike yourself I did not really suffer with back pain this only happened since THR.  I am due to have further injections this Thursday and will be posting the outcome on this site, fingers crossed they work.  I hope you find some relief in the future.
  • sue87388_UK
    sue87388_UK

    Posted

    Hi everyone,

    Well everything went ahead yesterday and I had my remedial nerve root block injections, three in all.  I was advised that the pain afterwards could get worse before it got better (if it does at all) and yes it did get worse so I took more painkillers and went to bed.  Anaesthetic and painkillers gave me a lovely sleep, something I have not had for quite a while.  Told not to do anything for the first day and to take it easy for the first few days.  Well to date nothing has happened cry  The consultant told me that the injections can take up to two weeks to work.  Not what my Pain consultant told me, he told me same day approx 4-6 hours at most I would get relief.  I wish these people would speak to each other!  Anyway I have two weeks in which this may or may not work.  I am going to do a few jobs around the house today and see what happens with my pain so fingers crossed rolleyes 

    Sorry I don't have any positive news for you all but will keep you all updated as time goes on.  Will post in a few days time when I hopefully will have some good news.  Good luck to everyone experiencing these issues

    • edarlingb
      edarlingb sue87388_UK

      Posted

      Afraid I had the same experience with this procedure. It, and numerous other interventions had no effect whatsoever. 

      Ive been on morphine patches for 7 years. 

      I would be really interested to know if any of these procedures have actually worked for anyone. 

      I do hope you have a positive outcome and manage to get some respite. 

      All the best. 

      Elaine

      N E England

    • sue87388_UK
      sue87388_UK edarlingb

      Posted

      Hi Elaine,

      Thanks for your kind words.  Sorry to hear you have been through so much, I have read many of your comments on this site.  Do the morphine patches actually stop the pain (not that I want to go down this route)?

      To date I have had no change whatsoever with my pain, but still got some time to go yet so not giving up.  I keep trying to do things around the house but after about 10 minutes I have to give up as the pain is so bad.  It takes forever to get anything done!  If anything does change I will post the outcome.

      Good luck with everything.

    • edarlingb
      edarlingb sue87388_UK

      Posted

      Hi Sue

      I'm going to find it v difficult to answer you question re morphine (opioid) patches. Mine were Fentanyl. 

      I started using them in about 2009, after having had no success with many, many other painkillers. Of course, you have to start with the weaker ones and move up. I did this and got to the point where it seemed they were effective. I have to add that I was still taking 4 other painkillers during that period.

      Over the years, it became slowly obvious to me that my mental faculties were deteriorating: at first, I put this down to ageing (I'm 64). However, as time went on, I began to question this. 

      I was all too aware of what this substance must have been doing to my body. It's poison, after all  and became more concerned about it. I was becoming more cynical about whether it was actually effective in pain control. 

      The crunch came several months ago. In retrospect, I can only think that one particular patch was faulty. Within a few hours I experienced the worst few hours of my life. From indirect sources, it seems I experienced what is known as a 'bad trip':  it was horrendous and I'd never wish it on my worst enemy. I still had enough about me, after several torturous hours, to suspect the cause, and removed the patch. 

      The next evening I put on another one and within 30 minutes could feel the same thing happening. Ripped it off. Tried a third time the following day, with same effect. 

      By this time , had probably gone through cold turkey withdrawal and haven't touched them since. 

      Didn't experience any increase in pain, so justified my suspicions. 

      An v well aware that my way shouldn't be recommended but it worked for me. 

      NB: Fentanyl is many times stronger than morphine and is the leading cause of unintentional prescription drug overdose in US. 

    • sue87388_UK
      sue87388_UK edarlingb

      Posted

      Thanks for the info.  I have taken things in the past that have caused me horrific nightmares so I know what you mean.

      I hope your quality of life gets better at some point smile

  • don_320
    don_320 sue87388_UK

    Posted

    Boy does this sound familiar.  Five years ago I had an L5 to S1 fusion and I knew instantly it worked.  One year ago I had to have my left hip done with the Birmingham hip resurface and my life is now a living Hell!  I experience most of the same symptoms.  Constant pain in my left hip, some days it feels as if I have a sharp dagger in my hip as I try and walk, sit, or sleep.  I too have nerve burning and tingling that goes throughout my left leg as well as up to the left side of my face sometimes.  I have also had the cortisone injections to the make for the year, and my doctor’s want to go in and extend the hip flexor muscle to see if that will help.  It’s just frustrating when you go for surgery and your pains is a 100 times greater than before the surgery.   Even though I know I can't, somedays I want to just pull my leg off!
    • sue87388_UK
      sue87388_UK don_320

      Posted

      Hi Don,

      Sorry to hear you are suffering with pain like so many of us here on this site.  I recently had remedial nerve root block injections but they have done little to get rid of my pain.  Your pain goes up to your face at times, that can't be very nice for you.

      I hope your surgeon has some answers for you and if you have further surgery I hope this will be successful for you.  Good luck.

  • eileen64__UK
    eileen64__UK sue87388_UK

    Posted

    Hi Sue

    I've just been skimming through your thread. I've got to admit I havent read it all.

    Have you had the latest injections yet......its now November 6th

    What happened.? Did they work?

    I've just had a cortisone injection in the top of my leg......four weeks post op THR {2nd one} doing an NHS exercise there was a crack, long story short.....hospital said i had fractured my greater trochanter bone, nothing they could do about it and it would heal itself. 9 months later I'm still on 2 crutches and in pain from the fracture as well as other things I have. The consultant has now said it wont heal so is working on the pain......I'm hopeful this cortisone injection might work. Its been almost 3 weeks now and I'm not pain free {I'm realistic LOL} but it is a lot better ....how long it lasts I dont know

    Hope to hear from you about your results.

    Love

    Eileen  UK

    • sue87388_UK
      sue87388_UK eileen64__UK

      Posted

      Hi Eileen,

      I had the remedial nerve root injections (three in all) on 24 October, to date not much has changed.  These injections went into the facet bone area of the back (where the nerves are), you can google it and it will explain better than I can.

      Sounds as if you have your own problems, I like you had both hips replaced and I had major problems after the second one.  Its good in one way that they can see what the problem is and hopefully correct it for you. 

      Not sure what the next step is for me, they Pain Clinic did say I may just have to accept it and live with the pain - easy for them to say!  No one will accept that something has gone wrong and I just keep getting passed around the different departments, like so many other people on this site.

      Good luck with your treatment and I hope you find a suitable pain relief smile

    • edarlingb
      edarlingb sue87388_UK

      Posted

      Oh dear, Sue

      Been through this and many other interventions, all to no avail. 

      My pain clinic and I agreed to part company and was left to cope on mega strong opioids. 

      Do hope you find some sort of relief. 

      Elaine 

    • eileen64__UK
      eileen64__UK sue87388_UK

      Posted

      Hi Sue

      I had a root nerve injection and also facet joint injection....this was to do with my back.  Neither of those did any good whatsoever. But everyone is different and injections work differently with people.

      They are great at saying live with the pain relief.......its not them is it !!!!!

      At the moment the cortisone injection seems to be working...like I said its only 3 weeks now so its hard to tell if it will last but its better than any of the others

      Good luck with your treatment....I hope they realise that you cant be left to live with the pain......I dont expect the pain to be gone completely.....I'm realistic but if it helps to me thats a result!!!

      I know they can do nothing for me but try to ease the pain so I better get used to these crutches.

      Love

      Eileen  UK

    • eileen64__UK
      eileen64__UK edarlingb

      Posted

      Hi Elaine

      I havent heard from you for a while.....possibly because I'm having problems with the site....not getting  notificationsfrown

      Who is treating you now?  If you have left the pain clinic???

      Love

      Eileen  UK

    • sue87388_UK
      sue87388_UK eileen64__UK

      Posted

      Hi Eileen,

      Sorry to hear your injections didn't work either.  I know exactly what you mean when they say "live with the pain" pretty much what I will have to do anyway now.  I like you use crutches and a wheelchair if I go out as cannot walk very far without.

      I hope they keep your pain under control - I would love for the consultants to spend one day of their live with the pain we have and see if they then say "you have to live with it"!  Good luck to you.

    • eileen64__UK
      eileen64__UK sue87388_UK

      Posted

      Hi Sue

      You use a wheelchair outside.....I use a mobility scooter most of the time outside

      Good luck to you as well....let me know if anything works question

      Love

      Eileen  UK

    • Jayive
      Jayive sue87388_UK

      Posted

      Hi,

      I also have to use crutches indoors and a wheelchair outside and, like you, I live with constant pain which is excrutiating each time I put my foot to the floor. I've also had steriod injections which gave no relief at all and am now waiting to see the consultant again to hear the result of an MRI to see if I have nerve damage.

      Yes, if he could only have 1 day, or even 1 hour, of my pain he'd really understand what it feels like but I wouldn't wish it on him or even on my worst enemy.

      Take care, keep smiling.

       

    • sue87388_UK
      sue87388_UK Jayive

      Posted

      Hi Jayive,

      You are right none of us would wish our pain on anyone but it would be nice for the consultants to have a taster so they know what we are talking about!

      I was led to understand that you cannot see nerve damage on an MRI, maybe I got it wrong.  Good luck with your results, let us know what happens next.

    • eileen64__UK
      eileen64__UK sue87388_UK

      Posted

      Hi Sue

      I was at the pain clinic last week....and the consultant said something no other consultant has said to me.....but its so true

      "It doesnt matter how many X Rays or MRI's you have they dont show up pain"   that is so true and I think some consultants forget it.

      Love

      Eileen  UK

    • edarlingb
      edarlingb eileen64__UK

      Posted

      Hi E

      sorry. Thought I'd already replied to you. May be site problems again. 

      No-one is treating me. Left to painkillers and own devices. 

      Due for follow up after latest THR on 18th and will be discussing pros and cons of 3rd op on right hip. Have a feeling it's going to be a v difficult decision, given the original surgeon said he'd 'never go in there again because it's a mess'!  Also, this one wants to lengthen it to match other: am assuming this would involve stretching the nerves, which I'm terrified about, given that I've had 7 years of pain from the original nerve damage. 

      Does anyone know if this is what is involved?

      E x

    • eileen64__UK
      eileen64__UK edarlingb

      Posted

      Hi Elaine

      You might have answered.......I dont know if you saw but I wasnt getting any notifications for over a week.....I came on and tried to find things that appied to me but it was hard.

      I'm sorry you've been left to your own devices.  Lets hope the follow up later in the month sheds some light on whats going one and what will happen.

      If it was me iI would find it a very difficult decision as well.....still the same hospital?

      I dont know whats involved and possibly someone more knowledgeable than me can throw some light on it.

      Love

      Eileen  UK

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