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Excrutiating pain after total ceramic hip replacement

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chris.b
chris.b

I had a ceramic total hip replacement 6weeks ago and I'm in agony. I'm 40 yeats old and had avascular necrosis of the rigjt hip.I had a titanium disc replacement 6 years ago in my lower back so I was aware going into surgery it would not be easy. However, when the epidural wore off after the hip repkacement I was in agony, in fact I was in tears and did not sleep a wink until after 5 days when sheer exhaustion set in I have pain in my groin when I move my leg it feeks like it's grating on something.I also have pain down to my knee including my knee. My lower back again is in agony also my right buttock feels like it's being pinched all the time all the way down the back of my leg which I guess is sciatica. I saw the surgeon who preformed the hip replacement today, he says all my pain is coming from my back. What I can't umderstand is why am I in more pain after the op then before. My surgeon was very unhelpful saying I need refered on for my back by my G.P. Has anyone else had excrutiating pain after a total hip replacement. I can't believe the surgeon dismissed my pain and said the hip is fine when the horrendous pain im in only started after the operation. Like I say I'm looking for people with similar situation or knowledge and advice.

18 likes, 376 replies

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  • kathlyn72890
    kathlyn72890 chris.b

    Posted

    Have you tried PT?  There is an exercise where you lay on your side with your legs both bent up about 90 degrees.  You lift the top leg up and then down keeping the ankles together several times.  Once that becomes easy, after the leg is in the lift position, also lift the foot and extend leg back then return ankles together and lower knee to rest on other knee.  This helps the butt pain quickly.  I think the exercise is called crab lifts.  Your butt pain might be the pinafore muscle in your butt.  I had the same thing but it went away.  I have two different leg lengths now, so have terrible back pain.  Do you have a limp?  Mine is about one and a half inches.  I am having surgery premptively on other hip to even out the limp next month, by a different surgeon.  If there is lots of pain, go for a second opinion I would say.
  • Hermionie109
    Hermionie109 chris.b

    Posted

    After surgery you're supposed to take meds to stay ahead of the pain! I was given generous pain meds for several days after the surgery. Your surgeon does not sound sympathetic of helpful. So if you need a referral for back problems, he/she should connect you with someone immediately. 

    The pain in my hip joint was gone completely in the joint. I just had discomfort and tenderness from bruised bone and supporting musculature. It was certainly pain that paled in comparison to what I felt from walking bone on bone! That pain radiated all down my groin and legs. The surrounding area pain faded with time.

    You need to go to your primary caregiver, physical therapist, or somebody else who will take you seriously. 

    • charles02368
      charles02368 Hermionie109

      Posted

      Yes, I took Oxycoten for two week which did not substantially help the pain and got phyisically addiccted! Went off it cold turkey, 

      Your experience is NOT like mine! Pain killer and PT have not help me.

      I agree I need to find someone who has treated someone who has similar symtoms than mine, So far I seen 3 Orthopodic surgeon and 2 Reumitologist and none of them know what wrong?? They're clueless!

      So anyone who has a Dr. who has seen symtoms like mine: 13000 white blood cell count where it should only be 1000, let me know? Thank u smile

       

    • ginger47520
      ginger47520 charles02368

      Posted

      Greetings charles, here in the U.S.white cell count normal is five to ten thousand.
    • charles02368
      charles02368 ginger47520

      Posted

      That's what 3 of my Dr said?? And they have seen me and are lliciensed to practice medicine are you?
    • ginger47520
      ginger47520 charles02368

      Posted

      No I was a comunity health nurse in the Army Nurse Corps. For many years.worked in the infection disease dept.So I do have experience reading blood studies ect.
    • charles02368
      charles02368 ginger47520

      Posted

      All I can say, is that this is what 2 prominate Ruemitogist and my 2 othropetic surgons have said, i.e., in my case 13000 is highly inflamed and that is consistent with what I feel!

      They did the test metal - none present and it's not infected. Maybe it's the glue?? Right now, I'm in exutiating pain & very depressed. My life is gone sad

  • julie73914
    julie73914 chris.b

    Posted

    Hi, I had replacement sept 2013 due to a vascular necrosis, I had pain from day 1, I knew something was wrong (you know your own body), I even started my own discussion but didn't find any answers. My consultant eventually admitted the cup was 'maybe' loose therefore causing the pain and my name was put on the list for a revision.

    i have decided to wait for a bone scan which I can't have until 2years post op?! but why I'm joining this discussion is because I went to see a skeletal expert (I've exhausted most other sources ie PT, massage, injections all to no avail). This chappie watched me walk, studied me whilst I went through my symptoms, he laid me on his couch and said my femur head wasn't sitting in the socket correctly, he manoeuvred my leg, a bit of twisting pulling & pushing didn't hurt one bit, my pelvis wasn't in line either, I can now walk without a MAJOR limp, yes it still hurts but I can control with paracetamol and can walk further without stopping. I'm not saying I'm cured but I can't believe the consultant or physios didn't notice this when now to me from the way I was walking then to the way I am walking now it should have been obvious to a professional?

    anyway I'm hoping I'm on the mend without a revision. Still waiting for that bone scan. But do try other avenues before you give up, I know we're all different. My pain after op was buttock front of leg and into my knee so badly I thought my leg would give way.

     

    • charles02368
      charles02368 julie73914

      Posted

      Julie thank you. That's very interesting. My hip if it's turn a certain direct is excurtiaingly painful but the rest of the time OK? Maybe your situation is smilar to mine??
  • alison99282
    alison99282 chris.b

    Posted

    I had a double femur replacement 2 years ago ,was in and still in pain, was in itc for two days hospital for two weeks,  they could not find a place for the epidural eventually did, i woke up several times re operation, coming out they said i shoudnt have seen the mess, now i`ve been told  i need two new knees and hips, i was origiannly operated on when i was 12 re lower shins re rickets, next op is a dye inplant on right hip , i walk on crutches every day, cannot drive my car,i am so angry and upset with the situation,after femur replacement i thought everything would get better
  • mark38570
    mark38570 chris.b

    Posted

    Chris I see you had your hip replacement over 12 mths ago and I do trust that your a lot better now. My name is Mark and I live in Sydney Aust  and after reading your sorry story I felt compelled to write to you and let you know of my experience. On 30/12/14 I entered hospital for total right hip replacement. It was done under what is termed Superpathhips which involved no cutting of muscles or tendents or dislocating of the hip. Anyway at 7pm that night was up walking unaided and discharged from hospital next day. It's now 2 weeks and have no mobility problems. I feel very lucky to have found a surgeon who operates this way. I haven't replied with any sense of gloating but only to let you know about this new form of surgery. All the best for the future
    • Paulus1949
      Paulus1949 mark38570

      Posted

      Hi Mark..

      thanks for your post which I'm sure will be of great interest to any one here in the UK waiting for THR,including me.

      Ive never heard of this approach being performed in the UK

      Research seems to show this new approach is only performed in the US.

      and only by a few pioneering surgeons.

      Im waiting for a2nd THR and would love to have the super path surgery,but guess I'll be having the tried and tested posterior approach

      Knowing what to expect Im not looking forward to it.

      If I could wait long enough super path could be available in the UK, but apparently as with any new techniques it takes time for surgeons to learn new methods and they are wary of changing something they know works.

      Time is unfortunately not on my side either.

      great to hear of your success.

      .

       

    • ginger47520
      ginger47520 Paulus1949

      Posted

      Can you choose to have lateral approach instead of posterior? That seems to be more painful.With lateral it doesn't hurt to sit on the loo.. I wish I had lateral than Anterior. Ilk never have that one again.

      Send to Dawndee a more about supra path surgery and what happened to her friend. It's not good having a new surgery with surgeons learning the technic.With little experience doing them.smile

    • mark38570
      mark38570 Paulus1949

      Posted

      Hi Paulus

      Yesterday I had a post op with the surgeon Dr Sol Qurashi who did my THR and he is very happy with the way things are going. That's not the main reason for writing to you I asked him if he knew of any UK surgeon operating under the Superpathhip method and you were right nobody over there is using this method. I can't understand why this is the case when it is head and shoulders above the current way. Just one amazing thing I was driving within a week of the op. Have you Poms thought of jumping on a plane and flying here for the op, guess the price would outweigh the benefits.

      I truly hope tha your op goes better than you expect.

      Mark

      PS you can lookup his website where all is revealed re Superpathhip

       

    • Paulus1949
      Paulus1949 mark38570

      Posted

      Thanks Mark..

      Not only don't they do super path, it's even difficult to find any one who does the anterior approach.

      The joint hospital I am attending which is one of the best in the UK say they prefer the old tried and tested posterior approach...saying the anterior approach requires a whole new set of skills,and although less invasive and with less chance of post op dislocation carries more risk of nerve damage.

      Either way we have to go with what's on offer.

      Just got a date today for my 2nd THR....30th January,depending on my prep 

      op results...sqeaky bum time already haha.

       

    • Paulus1949
      Paulus1949 mark38570

      Posted

      Driving within 1week is pretty incredible..

      I couldn't drive til week 8 after my first THR.

      Our UK posterior approach is pretty invasive with a lot of pain and discomfort for at least 6wks.

      We always say over here, what the U.S. does one year we do 2yrs later.

      Great to hear of new successful THR methods,and hope your good recovery continues.

    • cheryl1022
      cheryl1022 mark38570

      Posted

      Thanks for sharing that. Very few doctors are practicing that new font anterior apprroach. My friend had hers done that way and the healing was faster then cutting thru the muscles on the side.

      Cheryl from Michigan

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