Chronic pain following total hip replacement
Posted , 55 users are following.
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
Stacee sue87388_UK
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What a waste of time going to rheumatologist to not even have any tests done to rule anything out.
Interestingly my hip with the pins in it is the one that has been bad for almost 2 years. It was replaced in July '12. The pain I had prior to the replacement is gone, but replaced by a new and as bad pain. Initially I couln't do a straight leg lift for about a year, this accompanied with groin pain. However, not iliopsoas tendon. But I wonder if it is something to do with the screws. I am convinced it is something to do with the replacement joint that is causing my new pain. I have had a full body bone scan and nothing else was picked up in my back or anything, it must be my joint replacement. I've got my fingers xd for you. Oh to have an answer that will take your pain away forever! Keep in touch.
sue87388_UK Stacee
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Its Feb & Sept 11 mine were replaced and I did not have this back pain after the February operation only after the second operation was done (like you the one that was pinned). I like you had a full body bone scan and nothing else was picked up apart from degenerative wear and tear. I know my second replacement is what is causing my pain, it was not there before. I believe they have stretched my muscles/ligaments which in turn have damaged the nerves. I am not blaming anyone I just want the problem resolved.
I will keep you posted, keep your fingers crossed these injections work!
simonJ78 sue87388_UK
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This thread was one of many hits I got when googling "Pain flare-up during THR recovery". Thought I'd post in case this strikes a chord with anyone and, if my problem recedes, then it may encourage others. Ok, long story as short as I can make it..:
I suffered back pain for years (low down, mostly right of spine). Docs attributed it to my age (40+ at onset) and my occupation (plastering). Pain was always worse after a hard day so their diagnosis made sense. It was nagging rather than debilitating so I lived with it,
Then out the blue I began to get the type of groin pain which I now know to be a classic symptom of osteoarthritis of the hip. Again, it wasn't agonising but I was assured that I would need a THR sooner or later so i decided to pre-empt any further deterioration and have it done then (last October) .
My recovery was slower than docs had expected but not worryingly so and the follow-up X-rays showed all was well so I resigned myself to just having to wait a bit longer than average for a full recovery.
After 6 months I was able to walk a couple of miles unaided and was cycling again. But the one thing I realized was that the back pain - in exactly the same place - was worse and constant rather than only after hard work. Also, I could now distinctly feel a phsical link from the back pain site to the residual post-op hip pain, and I now believe that my back issue was actually the first symptom of the hip osteoarthritis.
I had an MRI for the back and the neurology and rheumatology depts gave the all clear. Again I just hoped that all would be good in the end and carried on.
Further improvements were slow. I was able to get around with comparirively minor discomfort in back and hip; the degree of discomfort varied but it was never agonising and sometimes so slight that I hardly thought about it (the original symptomatic groin pain had gone). I usually had a slight limp but walked without a stick or crutch and was impatient to be 100% fit again rather than actually worried.
Then, about a fortnight ago, I suddenly got a bolt of pain down my thigh. It happened so suddenly and was so fierce that I actually cried out. I had done absolutely nothing to bring it on, merely got up fro a park bench and then shifted my position slightly. For a full minute i was afraid to try to put any weight on it but it eased slightly and I was just able to limp home.
Since then it has eased a bit more (or maybe I've just got used to it) but it's still painful. The symptoms are different from before. The back pain remains the same but the new pain now seems to radiate all over, down through my thigh and all the way to my knee. As others have asaid, at rest or sitting it's not there, only when I try to put weight on it. Interestingly, walking DOWN stairs is almost painless, level ground is worse.
Also worth mentioning is the fact that (almost) every morning when I get out of bed the pain has disappeared overnight. I cross my fingers and try to walk as carefully and gently as possible but then always within an hour some slight movement will suddenly bring it back on again. Sometimes even after just sitting for a while I can get up (carefully) and walk several paces with almost no discomfort at all. Then I might bend slightly, or turn around, and it's back to painville.
I've seen the pain management team who want to give me injections into my back, and yet the osteopathy dept want to inject my hip! I have follow-ups with both departments but I'm not hopeful that they will communicate with each other and I don't know which, if either, injection site to choose. Is my hip/thigh/knee pain starting in my back, or is the back pain referred from my hip?
Sorry for the long first post, look forward to reading any follow-up comments from the rest of you, especially Sue87388. Sue, if you dip back into this thread, I - and no doubt others - would be grateful for an update. Hope you're improving.
Good luck everybody.
sue87388_UK simonJ78
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I hope your pain improves and you get back to having a good quality of ife.
phxbarb simonJ78
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BTW: My other hip recovery took 5 weeks and I was in heaven. Could you please tell me if you have done anything to successfully get rid of this pain?? I do think its improving with some floor stretches, and heat.Thanks, Barb
sue87388_UK
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sue87388_UK
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MarthaUK sue87388_UK
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How did you get on? Did it work?
sue87388_UK MarthaUK
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Unfortunately these injections did very little for me and the consultant has said he will not repeat the injections due to this. I have now been discharged from the Pain Clinic and basically told I have to deal with my pain. I am now back to square one, just made an appointment with my GP to discuss a second opinion but unfortunately cannot get an appointment until May! I am not sure I will ever find any answers to my pain.
Do you have similar symptoms to me?
anne77555 sue87388_UK
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Hi Sue, I have only just come to this site so may be too late. I too have nerve damage (femoral, obturator and saphenous nerves) due to a hip replacement but my operation was done 8 years ago. Unfortunately the neuropathic pain doesn't go away sometimes, and we have to learn to live with it. I have been taking Gabapentin since 2008 and the dosage has slowly increased over the years. I now take 2,700 MG a day. What I am trying to say is that the pain, if it is neuropathic, does not go away and, in fact, gets worse. Three months ago I had a revision hip replacement on the damaged hip as it was metal on metal and the surgeon (new one) told me that he was sure that the size of the metal head was the cause of my problem but, unfortunately after this new hip replacement, I am still in great pain and couldn't cope on a daily basis without the Gabapentin. Thankfully the Gabapentin does help and I am still able to work (at age 75!) travelling in and out of London by train and underground. I had the 'other' hip replaced four years ago and have to be honest in saying that I still have pain with that, but put this pain down to the fact that I haven't been able to do too many exercises on that side. Ah well, having just nursed my husband through the final stages of terminal cancer, I can honestly say that I am doing alright compared to others.
mallory89587 anne77555
Posted
Hi Anne & Sue (as well as everyone else):
I am very new to this discussion. I just read thru everyones experience and I am so sorry that you are all, as well as myself are going thru all of this.
I am 32 years old and live in the states. 5 years ago I had a labral repair of my right hip. Almost 4 years ago a THR. 2 years ago an Ileopsoas tendon release. Physical therapy, pain clinics, ruling out GYN issues, spinal issues, sports hernias, GI issues and injection after injection from hip joint, back, ileopsoas tendon... I have done it all. Since my THR I have been in chronic pain. I had an anterior THR so I do have some femoral nerve damage from stretching that nerve. I was fortunate my surgeon admitted it as a complication. My other symptoms include groin pain, low back pain, radiating pain down my right leg etc.
After the 3rd orthopedic, I was diagnosed with SI joint dysfunction and been treated accordingly. I have been told this was caused from constant manipulation of my hip joint and traction from multiple surgeries. I have had injections (mildly helped) and also a radiofrequency ablation. This helped much more than the injection as it burned the nerve ending. Yes, I do have chronic pain still but it is 50% less than it was. I will take that for now. I can function, work and live my life with minimal restrictions only do-able modification.
SI joint dysfunction mimics spinal issues like herniated discs in your lower back etc and is sometimes difficult to diagnose. I would 100% look into it and also look into having the nerve burning vs. injections. Injections didnt work for me but ablation did.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.
Mallory
tracy_86068 mallory89587
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mallory89587 tracy_86068
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I apologize for just seeing this and getting back to you. I hope your surgery went well and you are hanging in there.
Following my replacement I was having terrible groin pain. Very similar to pre replacement. I was diagnosed after months of many doctors with tendinitis in my iliopsoas. After injections, I finally had the release. The release has helped greatly. Recovery was a little rough but nothing compared to the replacement. Let me know how you are feeling and what your symptoms are/were like. I feel like I have been thru it ALL! I hope this finds you well and helpful.
cassandra.21 sue87388_UK
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I am excited for you to have your hip injections and update all of us on your situation, only one more month to go! I joined this website/discussion because my mother (age 56) had a left hip replaced in Nov of 2013. Now I don't know all of her symptoms but I know for sure there is back pain, one Dr. said something about her sciatic nerve (not sure what came of that). Either way she is now in debilitating pain and has never been able to go completely free of a cane and is now using two! I am just a basket case now trying to help her figure out what is going on. She finally was scheduled for an MRI this coming Monday, but after reading through this dicussion I'm worried they won't be able to find anything. Anyways just wanted to drop a note and let you know that I will be following this in hopes of coming to a solution! Good luck!
sue87388_UK cassandra.21
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