Excrutiating pain after total ceramic hip replacement

Oh I can relate to you so much. Everything you have said I have been told. Like you I am unable to lead a normal life and play with my granddaughter how I would like. At least on this site you know you are not on your own. Keep posting and if you get any solutions to the pain let me know and I will do likewise.

I definitely will do the same cause as you know day to day living is not easy and if I can find some comfort from knowing that I'm not alone thats a good thing (mentally) not physically. I will keep updating. :-)

I am 44 years old and very active. I was a marathon runner and had a hip replacement done. My hop replacement was not caused by running it was because I had an arthritic hip. It has been almost 1 year since my replacement and I feel worse than before I had it done. I kept going back to my doctor and he said I had really bad tendinitus. I kept going back because I would get worse and worse. He has tried everything from injections to physical therapy to medication. I was disturbed why he would do injections because there is nothing to inject. He was not very helpful and he continued to tell me he would have not did the replacement if he knew I was going to have this much of a problem. Wow! that is nice to hear. Now this has affected my lower right back and also my top part of my buttocks. I am in so much pain I try not to think about it. I take an aleve everyday and it seems to help some but not much. Because I workout all the time I have tried my own healing process. The best thing I do that feels good and eases the pain is swimming. Instead of running I have taken up swimming and I do love it and it is very good excercise. I did go see another doctor for a second opionion and he told me that the only thing he could see was that because I am so small framed it looks like he stretched my hip out far to put the plate in so he then recommended me to a pain management clinic. Well I do not do very well on medicine so I knew that was out of the question but I went anyway because I saw the neurosurgeon there. He advised the only way to relieve the pain was to put a "Neuro Stimulator" in my spine so that would mean another minor surgery. He did verify that I had nerve damange and that is why I am hurting all the time. So after all of this I am still hurting to this day and fight every minute of the pain. I definitley am not active like I used to be and my lifestyle has changed alot. I am not going to give up and still looking at other possibilities because I do not want to live with this the rest of my life.

Its terrible how we go into surgery and come out worse. I am so shocked reading all these problems aftr surgery for hip replacement. It seems that a lot of the surgeons dont like to admit that they have caused damage during surgery. Just left to deal with our new situation that had left us more disabled. I am nowabout 16 weeks post op. Although I no longer suffer with excruciating muscle spasms which I had the first few weeks I have lots of different sensations in my leg which are not assevere due to high dose of Tramadol. I had accepted my limitations because of my previous accident damage. I was

not prepared for the instability of my leg. I also have gone back to swimming but it is strange not knowing what my operated leg is doing due to the numbness. I am hardly doing any walking ad it is difficult and painful. I personally would be reluctant to go through any more operations. I almost definitely would put up with psin than have a spinal implant it could cause further problems. So much for all the testimonials I heard or read prior to the op of how marvellous new hips are. Thats all I used to hear never heard anyone have a problem.

Hi Debbie, Chrs b and all newcomers,

My hip surgery was done in 2011 (both hips). Ongoing pain particularly on left side ever since, my first op was on my right leg under normal anaesthetic, second op on left was done under epidural. Someone mentioned this may be the problem - how?

I have just spent the past year seeing the spinal surgeons as my hip surgeon did not know what to do with me. After admitting I have degenerative L4, L5 problems and all the symptoms of a trapped nerve they have discharged me. I asked him what am I supposed to do now and he shrugged his shoulders and said he did not know. Apparently my symptoms on the MRI do not look severe enough to correct - they did not take into account that I cannot walk anywhere or stand for any length of time and my pain is awful, I have now been back to my GP to discuss this with her, she has changed my medication to Gabapentin, to date no change. She is referring me to the Pain Clinic, I have done all the physio routes so no need for them again as I do exercises at home. She is also referring me to Rheumatology as the spinal surgeon noticed a butterfly rash on my face at one particular visit - this could be a sign of Lupus - what joy if it is something else to add to my symptoms. I have an appointment for this on 28 April so will keep you all informed.

I am fed up of being stuck indoors, my family go out to work and I cannot get out on my own. I wish everyone good luck in getting a diagnosis and lets face it if you get one they probably won't do anything about it!

Forgot to say I wasted just over a year going back and forth to the spinal surgeon!

This is very upsetting to know so many people are suffering after total hip replacement. I had this operation January of 2013 on my left side. I have arthritis, fibromyalgia and degenerative disc problems. After over a year and loads of pain medication (which I should not have needed after surgery), I still have pain and burning in my hip. Believe it or not I have been embarrassed to tell my surgeon that I have not really gotten any better. I was thinking I was just a wimpy woman. Now I know different. Thanks to all of you for giving me the courage to speak out (not that it will do any good). After all surgeons are always right......right?

Hi Phyllis, I found that joining this site did me a lot of good as I could speak to people who really related to my problems. You need to speak out and should not feel bad in doing so. I hope you manage to get your pain resolved, keep going and don't give in.

Thanks Sue so much for the reply. I was so active before even with the hip pain, more so than now. It took

two years for the surgeon to persuade me to have this op. I should have listened to my own body and what it was saying. Somehow you are convinced the pain will go in a year. Not so much....... Live and learn. I promise I will not give in. I am just sick of doctors, surgeons and medications. I now have a meniscus tear in my knee and have been approved to see the same surgeon. I suppose now is my opportunity to just speak up.

I am also fed up of doctors, surgeons and of course all the medications! I wish you luck with your knee problems and hope the surgeon manages to repair it without any issues. You are quite right in what you say, you do need to speak up (can't promise they will listen though), sometimes just saying what you need to makes you feel a little better

Had ceramic hip operation done almost 4 years ago and have been constant pain every since. Had been disagnosed with bursistis and now having tests done to see if i need new hip.

I know exactly how you feel. Bursitus was also mentioned with me but they have not addressed this as yet. Let me know what tests you have to go through and the results, good luck and I hope you get sorted out.

Hi Chris B,

I've only just seen your blog so I hope you have got some improvement. I am six weeks post THR on right hip and it is a gradual improvement daily, although still a lot of tenderness as described by other bloggers.

The main pain I STILL have is my left thigh. It's like a bad sunburn feeling all over but with added hot stabbing pains 24/7. As I have blogged previously, my GP has diagnosed Meralgia Parasthetica. Basically, a nerve which feeds the surface of my thigh has become trapped, just after it exits the pelvis.He says that he has observed this symptom before and that it is due to a build up of fluid in the pelvic girdle following the operation. Hmmmm. I am not convinced yet. But it is possible that you have a similar condition, but instead the sciatic nerve, (which passes through the same hole in the pelvis) is being compressed similarly. My GP reckons that the condition will improve with time, but that it could take a few months! Other than that, he has suggested a steroid injection to 'freeze' the nerve and alleviate the pain.

Of course, when you signed the pre-op forms as we all have to, you acknowledged and accepted the warning that there could be nerve damage as a result of the procedure. I sincerely hope that it not the case with yourself. I will follow your blog to see how you are progressing. Take care.

John

Hi all.

I am now 7 weeks in after THR .

I was out of hospital after 3days,which was good progress..The first two weeks were painful but controllable with painkillers

Week four I can walk a mile with one crutch,but this tires me out a lot.

Into week seven and I still can't put my weight on the new hip,and get pain in the area of the joint.

As others say a full uninterrupted nights sleep is impossible.

I'm not as bad as some other contributors on here but was expecting to be pain free by now as some of my friends with the same op have been.

Off for my six week check up and X-ray so we will see what they come up with.

I totally understand the frustration.I had a depuy hip put in 4 years ago and have nothing but problems ever since. I t ruely wish I never had the surgery. And talking to surgeons is like talking to a brick wall.I was told to sit and wait for a recall or until my metal counts in blood are life threatening. Yes this is the medical professionals we put our trust in.Pretty sad.