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Extreme pain after total hip replacement

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markbeekmans
markbeekmans

Hello everybody,

I am hoping that some one can help me. But before I start I am want to express my sympathy with all of you in pain and suffering. It must be devastating to live each day like that and I feel genuinely sorry for all of you. I hope you will find a solution soon.

Please try to help me. My moth has doen surgery for a total hip replaceent 1 year ago and is still in extreme pain.

I personally think she has two problems. First with her wound/scar and second with the hip itself.

The first because her scar/surroundings of the wound is still extremely painful and sensitive. Even looking at it already hurst and this makes it almost impossible even wear clothes. This problem I suspect must be related to nerves maybe encapsulated by the scar tissue or something. I am not sure.

The second problem must be her hip or the prothese or something related. She has extreme pains which start in the morning. While still lying in bed, she is almost without pain but then getting up and even walking to the bathroom is enough to invoke the pain again. Then during the day active or inactive the pain worsens till a point where she can´t do anything anymore. Sit, walk, stand it all hurts. Riding a bike is still best for her and walking small distances also but sitting is terrible. So why if in inactive stae in the morning is she ok and when she starts moving the pain incurrs? This must be because of the hip or prothese which must invoke the pain. Either the replacement is too big, wrongly placed, causing whatever. Right? I am not sure but still after 1 year no one, even a second opinion was able to shed some light on her state. No one is able to find a casue of the pain nor for the wound nor for the hip.

It is terribly frustrating that after 1 year no one seems to be able to help and give up on her. I kindly ask anyone with similar sympthoms to contact me, it might help a lot and we would be eternally grateful.

Thanks in advance. 

9 likes, 66 replies

66 Replies

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  • paula12767
    paula12767 markbeekmans

    Posted

    I have the same symptoms...I am only 7 weeks post op and thought that these would eventually subside. They have not and recently developed a pop in my joint, like its trying to dislocate popping back in. The outside of my thigh is so tender I can't wear jeans and even hurts to barely graze it. I made appt with my Dr. tomorrow so I will let you know what I find out. I can't imagine having to deal with this as long as your mom has. My heart goes out to her and hopefully I can get some answers tomorrow.
  • Sredni393
    Sredni393 markbeekmans

    Posted

    X-ray? Ask gp or hospital where OS did the surgery.... That's the first step.  I had similar feeling for 10 months under the scar. Realised it was the underlying muscle which had been stretched over the prosthesis which is clearly too wide fior my frame.  Massage would gave helped but it's not offered over here. You can guess and guess but it won't help til you have sound medical facts. She may also have underlying troublesome scar tissue causing that....
  • Tweetz
    Tweetz markbeekmans

    Posted

    Iam the opposite I will only be 3 wks post op on weds and lying in bed after 1-2 hrs causes pain getting up relieves this. Sitting down is the same as its like your sitting on something extremely hard so after a short period I have to get up to move around. Im so sorry too hear your mums in such pain and even more so that they havent managed to get to the route of her problem.
  • markbeekmans
    markbeekmans

    Posted

    Hi everyone, thanks for the comments so far. Really a relief to at least get some responses. The desperate feeling is the worst of all. I feel sorry for all of you and I am convinced that a lot of people who got this type of surgery have the same symthoms and problems. It´s plain crazy that after so many years of experience doctors all around the world are not familiar with this and can come up with solutions. I think it´s true that part of the problem must be scar tissue, creating an extreme sensitivity and pain. On the other hand a misplaced hip prothese or a prothese with the wrong size must also be a fairly common problem. Not sure but you´d expect that won´t you?

    Paula lots of luck to you tomorrow. Try to focus on when the pop occurs. With what movement for example. i know my mother has fairly little trouble walking but turning her hip sideways is practucally impossible. The better you describe your feeling and pain, the better your doctor should be able to pinpoint the problem. The popping should relate to the hip replacement, its position and/or size. But then again what do I know. Anyway goodluck to you!

    As to Gentilleschi´s reaction, yes she already got all kinds of scans. Nothing came up. Nos end of this month she´ll get another MRI scan but on the previous ones nothing showed. In january excactly 1 year after het surgery she is scheduled for a bone or PET scan. It seems you need to wait at least 1 year after surgery before doing this type of scan. nevertheless it seems the best scan, most accurate and precise to see how the hip is. the prothese and how it is positioned. We hope and almost pray that something shows on this scan but we have to wait till January. Of course I will report back here in any moment something new unlocks. Hoping that our story and expriences might help other pople in a similar situation. Goodluck to all of you and my best advice so far is to never give up or give in. Don´t let any doctor send you home telling you to accept your bad luck and pain and start to learn living with it. That´s unacceptable for anyone.

  • DawnDedee
    DawnDedee markbeekmans

    Posted

    My heart goes out to her.  I am 14 months out from my second hip replacement and my pain remains excruciating.  At times it is provoked by sitting and getting up.  Sometimes wakes me up in the night.  Sometimes it becomes so bad that I am couch bound for 4 & 5 days with my only activity struggling to get to the bathroom.  I have yet to figure out what makes it worse and what makes is ease up.

    I wish I could help.  In two days I go for a second opinion And am hoping for an answer and a solution.  I will post what I find out whatever I find out.  

    I suspect nerve pain.  

    Dawn

  • markbeekmans
    markbeekmans

    Posted

    Hello Dawn, devastating post. I am truly sorry to hear about your pain. Please let me know if your second surgery is on the same hip or if it is on the other side? I am curious to know if the first time had been successful or not. Stange that your pain in invoke in different ways at different times. This makes it harder to pinpoint I guess. Does your surgery scar also hurts still that much? is it also over sensitive or is the pain "inside" or comiing from within? I suppose they did all kinds of scans also? Did they perform a bone or PET scan? This seems to be possibl after 1 year of surgery and seems to be the best way to see if the hip is ok. That is to say to see if it is not misplaced or too big or moved ao anything. I hope your second opinion will be fruitful but again, don´t give up. It is abnormal and should be fixed somehow. No one should live in such pain 24/7 the rest of their lives. Goodluck!
    • joy47826
      joy47826 markbeekmans

      Posted

      There are good outcomes and then there are the many from this group...which are not so good....I'm in the US and went thru the Anterior which is supposed to be better outcome, but I deal with nerve damage and shorter leg and now a mess knee and foot ankle all a result of the hip surgery and I must not forget the messy back and spine which are all worse since the hip replacement....everything is connected....

      My pain is tolerable and manageable, but not what I expected for sure...  

    • DawnDedee
      DawnDedee markbeekmans

      Posted

      Hi again,

      Just wanted to add an update to my former reply to you about my devastating THR experience. After seeking a second opinion, it was discovered that the source of my excruciating year and a half of pain was caused by a device that had come loose, twisted around and was projecting out forward. All discovered by a plain x-Ray straight on both hips side by side.

      The fact that my prosthesis was not stable, can explain why different positions and movements would set off different pains and at different times, ultimately to end up constant.

      The original THR was done with the anterior approach and that same approach had been very successful on my right hip, so I had no reason to suspect that the left hip would end up being the opposite.

      I chose a surgeon who specializes in joint replacements AND revisions at Vanderbilt University, Nashville Tennessee in the USA. 300 miles one way, far away from my local doctor culture of doctors who are friends and who, because of this, will not step on each other's toes which makes it impossible to obtain a fresh second opinion, thereby rendering the patient to suffering without the hope of finding the answer and solution.

      Keep in mind that a large part of my story is caused by my own surgeon who seemed unable to detect that the prostheses he installed had come loose.

      My revision was completely successful and I am now three months post operation and pain free! I did require extensive bone grafting and had an 8 week delay in bearing weight down on the new hip but that was more bearable than the excruciating pain from the first failed THR.

      I hope there has been progress with your poor mother's situation. Is there an update you could share?

      Sincerely,

      💛 Dawn, USA

    • Leigh56
      Leigh56 DawnDedee

      Posted

      Dawn: Just coming upon your posts after searching the web. Like you, I had anterior TRH. All went very well and I had no issues--I was walking unaided at 10 days post-op. In fact, all went so we'll that, at 6 weeks post-op, I then had anterior TLH surgery.

      It's now 3+ months since the left hip surgery. I've had constant pain in left joint/ groin area when bearing weight (standing, walking, particularly when lifting foot), & occasionally wakes me when turn over in bed. My Ortho surgeon says all looks great on X-rays. He did send me to musculoskeletal radiologist for a joint fluid aspiration to test for a joint infection. All tests came back negative. The awful pain continues in left hip joint and, because of my limping gait, the right joint is now beginning to give me issues as well! My OS says he is 'at a loss as to what to do next' , then tells me I should get a second opinion.

      I am at a loss as to what to do. Should I be patient, give it more time and continue to grit my teeth in pain each day to (try to) stretch, exercise, walk, etc. although I can hardly stand it? Is it too soon to get a second opinion?

      Any help would be most appreciated. Btw, I too am about 300 miles from Nashville.

      Thank you!

    • knowledge757
      knowledge757 DawnDedee

      Posted

      DawnDee.... It seems like my story is following along with your story. Prayerfully, I eventually have a similar outcome.

      Excruciating pain; 1 year out; X-rays, MRI's; bloodwork all reveal nothing. My surgeon is reknown in the area for this procedure. So absolutely no one will go against his office's prognosis. (wont even try) His office has given me the:

      - Blank stare

      - What are you doing wrong?

      - You sure you didnt fall?

      - This stuff takes time

      - Are you elevating and icing?

      - Still in pain? Yes, we can put you on the schedule for an appointment, but it would be a waste of time....

      When asking my pain management doctor (separate offrice) about attemptting to get a second opinion (as a stated earlier), she said no one in the entire area will touch me, I have gotten every re-assuance that he is the best. I am so sure he is....

      However the pain I deal with day-to-day has changed my life. It is totally demoralizing and worse yet has taken my family through hell. It takes an hour and a half to get dressed to leave in the morning... every move, especially when changing horizontal levels is a loud grunt and groan. I get to work and sit until time to go. (I know the worse plan but the lease pain) The hardest part is the lack of compassion or action from the medical professionals, leaving me to deal with my physical pain on an emotionally crushing level. True Story.

    • sue87388_UK
      sue87388_UK knowledge757

      Posted

      After 6 years fighting the system and being bounced between hip/spinal and pain clinics I demanded a second opinion. I am now at the stage where we think we have found the cause and this can be confirmed with in depth injections. It appears it is my sacroiliac joint that is causing my pain (I'm now in a wheelchair if I go out as I cannot walk any distance). I have constant pain which increases on standing/walking/sitting upright to the point where it becomes unbearable. Anyway I would recommend googling sacroiliac joint as it appears to be quite common for this to get damaged during surgery. Good luck everyone and I hope one day you all become pain free.

    • knowledge757
      knowledge757 sue87388_UK

      Posted

      This is great information... the first six months, every time I attempted to jump on my bike, the iliopsoas muscle would strain and pain would reign.... (lol)  After that, I just gave up doing anything that would cause that pain. (yes, I was in therapy) and Yes, it still kicks in on any  adductor movements. But afterward the entire anterior joint area fires off pain on any movement. I am not so sure the sacroiliac joint area has ever been part of the conversation. *** In Depth Injections*** I am wondering if that is the same as joint aspiration. We did have that done very recently. Thanks much!!!
  • markbeekmans
    markbeekmans

    Posted

    Well said, everything is connected. Indeed a difference in leg length can cause again all types of new problems also.

    Nerve damage is something you hear and read a lot about. I don´t understand why in some hip replacements no nerve is damaged and in others are. Is it possible to detect and find nerve damage in some type of scan? Or is it one of those assumptions after they can´t find something else? Is nerve damage constraint to a certain area and always present or is it provoked more when active or if the affected area is touched? Are there any treatments for nerve damage o medicine?

    I can´t help wondering that so many thousands of hips are replaced every year and some people have no problem at all afterwards while others like here have such tremendous problems and even worse almost impossible to resolve. Very frustrating but still unacceptable to me.

    • DawnDedee
      DawnDedee markbeekmans

      Posted

      One rather silly yet true analogy could be, how often can one get a good haircut from the same stylist twice in a row?

      It must be the inconsistent human factor.

      Dawn US.  😒

  • joy47826
    joy47826 markbeekmans

    Posted

    I wanted to add more to my comment but had trouble posting....I'm sure by now your mother has been do the surgeon's for check ins etc.....

    It's really pathetic but these surgeries are a real crapshoot and we are left with picking up the pieces, broken or however things turn out.

    I'm 4 yrs+ post op and some days want to scream, cry and get real angry....

    I take a lot of supplements to HELP everything on this body and this experience makes me dislike surgery more than I ever did from the beginning of my adulthood.   I do a LOT of alternative work, like acupuncture, massage, PT and don't depend on my life for the health insurance world.....I get the impression with your insurance you are left with no options to speak of....I go "out of the box" for many of my health care treatments.    

    Hope things will turn around for your mother......sorry she is having such a tough time.... Joy 76 US

    • DawnDedee
      DawnDedee joy47826

      Posted

      Those out of the box treatments are so wonderful and so effective that perhaps this is why insurance will not cover them.  They NEED people to remain in bad shape.

      Just a little anger burst...

      Dawn US

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