I’ve been in so much pain for the last 5 days
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hi not sure what I did. But it happened when I was making my bed. I’m 8 months post op having a thr and I did something. I’m really worried. Dr said X-rays looked good and blood work good. Waiting on bone scan results from today. I could walk or sit or even go to bathroom. The first 2 days. Excruciating pain on outside of hip. Sometimes it radiates down to my ankle but seems more localized in outer hip. I do have my range of motion back but it irritates it when I bend and such. It’s worse at night time. Any one have any ideas or have you experienced this? I’d love to hear from you
2 likes, 15 replies
judy08415 lori25353
Posted
Hi Lori,
At 8 months exactly (1 month after my 2nd hip in Sept 18'
, my "original" hip started hurting so badly, just like you right now, that I was in a borrowed wheelchair and on a walker at work. I was being treated at P.T. for "soft tissue" stress given that my "first" hip was taking the brunt of my total body weight as the "new" hip replacement began to heal. I DEMANDED a CT Scan after 8 weeks of futile PT for "bursitis" and guess what. The screws had begun to wiggle loose from my pelvis in hip #1, the one that started hurting at exactly 8 months. Only a CT Scan showed that. The fallacy of a simple xray is that it's akin to looking at a whole loaf of bread. A CT Scan/ or maybe an MRI (in your case a bone scan) is like slicing that loaf of bread and looking inside of the loaf (leg). My CT Scan showed that no natural bone had merged through the holes with the MicroPort (brand from China) titanium socket and the socket was moving out of place. I have NEVER hurt like that. Ironically, I travelled all over the U.S. on business by my 7th week but boy by MONTH #8, like you I knew that P.T. was a joke. Night time was the worst. I cried in 40 minute increments, ate Vicodin/Aleve and slept in 20 minute increments. I literally dreaded bedtime. Only if I actually walked did I get some relief. I suppose because it was moving around so much that once in a while it moved back into position.
Did you have an anterior (front) cut or a posterior (buttocks) cut? The movements that are allowed are diametrically different although like me, 8 months is a long time. I've got cutting Horse friends who were riding 11 pound cutters in their 5th week after both.
As in a plane crash, there are three things to consider when evaluating what happened- #1) the pilot (surgeon), #2) an Act of God (bad weather etc.) and #3) mechanical failure (your brand).
Get that CT /Bone Scan. MAKE VERY VERY SURE THAT YOUR SURGEON AND HIS RADIOLOGIST COMPARE ALL X-RAYS FROM MONTH #1 TO MONTH #8 SO THAT THEY CAN SEE ANY MOVEMENT. That will be tell-tale if they are incrementally different month to month to month.
God Bless You. I know EXACTLY how badly you hurt.
Judy in Memphis
hope4cure judy08415
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I hope you are back to business as usual and Life is good!
judy08415 hope4cure
Posted
Thank you. I am not allowed to use my leg at all until April, not even to tippy toe so far, so the day by day mental trauma, inactivity and depression is the battle at hand but I'm fighting the good fight and waiting to put this wheelchair and walker in the attic and get back to work in sales. I sure hope you're not going through anything like this. Blessings from Tennessee.
lori25353 judy08415
Posted
I had the anterior cut. I was doing so well. Also I’ve had a bad left knee. Dr seems to think that because of me compensating for the knee and walking different probably messed with my right hip. Recouping from my hip surgery really screwed my left knee up and now my knee is messing with my new hip.
I agree that this is stress related. I’m still going to Florida. We’ve had this planned for a long time. Going to have to bring my cane. I’m babying my pain meds so I can have them when I go... yes the pain is horrific. I’m just now have range of motion but boy howdy does it hurt afterwards. I figure if it gets real bad I’ll go to Er for some relief. I’ve got Fibromyalgia too. Pain has been my middle name for many years but this as you know is terrible.
judy08415 lori25353
Posted
Your good Doctor said exactly what mine told me for 4 months and in good faith. I have a great Doctor with an impeccable record. I researched dozens before choosing him, but I had a problem. In your case, he's probably right and your scan will tell all unlike an x-ray. I observe the knee patients in P.T. and during office visits and they do suffer so badly. My surgeon assumed that I was in so much pain as well but only temporary because of over-compensating with the first THR. In I had my hissie fit after weeks and weeks of indescribable pain and futile P.T. maneuvers. Thus the CT Scan and the real diagnosis. The socket had moved out of place and never fused with my pelvis. I hope you do not have to have a revision like I did 7 weeks ago after only 8 months. The risks of infection, etc. that you signed off on before your surgery can go to near double digits- 8%-9% vs. 1%-2% for the original THR. If, in the unlikely event that you too have to have a "revision", GET YOUR OLD PARTS from the lab. I also suggest that you ask now the make and model of what has been installed in your body. Likely MicroPort or Depuy. Maybe you would want to be proactive and research that manufacturer's legal history. Also ask how many screws he used in the socket and how many revisions he has done on his original patients that were not related to the implant just aging 20 years later. That's fairly common. Please post the results of your scan for everyone to learn about your diagnosis and HEALING!!! I'll bet you a dollar that your knee is causing all of this hip pain. You'll be fine but be prepared in any case, to understand his answers. It's a very enlightening learning. Just think how much fun you'll have on the beach reading about hip implants!! For others I also learned to ask up front when interviewing doctors how many THR they do each year. The consensus was at least a Doctor doing 50 or more. My Doctor does 220-250 a year and I'm only the 2nd revision he's ever had to do so early at 8 months so the "jury" is out until I am better coached by my sources.
judy08415 lori25353
Posted
Lori,
By the way, I was in so much trouble that I had emergency "revision" surgery Christmas/New Years. Spent 23 nights in the hospital and a nursing home. Believe me....I am discussing my "pilot", my "body/act of God" and the potential "mechanical brand" failure with very qualified sources. A "re-do" at 11 months is very unusual and horrible. You probably made a wrong move making your bed. Give it some time and remember "R.I.C.E." Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. You'll be okay soon.
Ducksoup lori25353
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lori25353 Ducksoup
Posted
hope4cure lori25353
Posted
If it is determined that your difficulties are due to a hip injury while bending and pulling on bed cloths and every effort should be made to resolve the problem and retain the strength / preservation of your hip replacement. A logical conservative approach is physical therapt= P.T. and a treatment regime can’t be outlined until the diagnosis is understood and you see improvement. Sometimes it takes time which can be very frustrating. Be sure to ask for tramadol to help you get they the tough times as pain is not constructive and can hinder healing.
I wish you all the best in figuring out what is wrong and how to resolve it.
lori25353 hope4cure
Posted
lori25353
Posted
I have googled this and they say P.T. could help it too.
I hope everyone is doing well
lori25353
Posted
lori25353
Posted
I’ve got Celebrex and have been elevating and icing. I’ll have to keep working on it!!
Thank You so much for your info everyone
hope4cure lori25353
Posted
HI lori, I hope before you leave for FL. that you have a small script for pain meds from your surgeon i.e.: tramadol & even just extra strength Tylenol helps break the pain cycle & o yeah the trusty Ice packs. And with a little luck you will feel better. Pain is a slippery slope can cause interference with healing / depression . I found wearing a simple soft elastic Velcro closure back support took a lot of pressure off my hips when a lot of walking and up and down sitting motion, & public seats restrooms are usually too low. Used handicapped a lot. I also used a stretch hip support from a online company OK'd by my surgeon that was a lifesavor and really helped. Ask your doctor for more info. Try to stand up every so often on the plane will keep from becoming stiff.Ok enough tips.
I went to Disney universal bush gardens you name it and did fine. Resting was a big part of not becoming exhausted . A margarita was also nice to have and in a warm climate plus all of the sights and scenes nice weather all lifted my spirits and it will be a huge lift for you too!
i hope that the hip pain is not a serious injury and in time will get better!
I'm jealous your going to a warm climate I'm so tired of snow and cold weather. burr!
lori25353 hope4cure
Posted
Thank you for the tips. I’m babying 16 Vicodin for my trip from a prior surgery. I have some tramadol too for when my Fibromyalgia flares up but it’s a low dose and frankly this pain is worse right now. Nite is really bad. Almost thinking of cancelling trip but we’ve waited so long and if we would cancel our family’s plans will be ruined. I’ll look for one of those back supports.
I know I can get through this with a lot of crying. Walking gives me some relief and standing. I guess if it gets really bad maybe an ER can help me.
We’re going to sea world and I am going to rent a scooter. That will help. I’ll get results of my bone scan Monday. I will call. I tried to get some pain meds from my surgeon but he wouldn’t do it cause of these new laws now. I thought maybe because he just didn’t know yet til the test comes back. But not sure.
Thank you again for your tips .