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nerve damage after hip replacement -excrutiating

Posted , 32 users are following.

norma32314
norma32314

I had my left hip replaced 4 weeks ago -hip is now fine...

When I woke up from surgery I had a terrible pain in my ankle which went away with painkillers. The next day I had no feeling below the knee on my left side. They left it another day in case the spinal block was still lingering but agreed it was sciatic nerve damage. I was in surgery for almost 4 hours which was surprising and they said it was really stiff and hard to get the old hip out. Everyone seems pretty much agreed that the sciatic nerve is stretched and that the feeling should come back. I have a drop foot which makes it difficult to walk normally but the worst thing is the pain. I have a 'pain in the bum' which is sciatic and all down my leg. The parts which are numb to touch bizarrely also hurt. I'm not usually a winger but this is destroying me. On a scale of 1 -10 it's a clear 10. I am on a raft of drugs including tramadol, naproxen, gabapentin and diazapam but nothing is touching it. I've bought a tens machine on advice and that helps a little but because I hurt in so many places its hard to know where to put it -also it hurts in its own way ( I seem to have becomne hypersensitive to touch on that leg)

I'm at my wits end -I haven't slept more than an hour at a time since the operation and really feel I can't go on. The consultant has referred me to a neurologist but they won't see me before 6 weeks as usually it goes away by itself. It's not that I don't think it will recover I do -I have a flicker of movement in my toes which wasn't there a week ago -it's just I can't cope with the pain any more

Anyone got any advice?

3 likes, 58 replies

58 Replies

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  • Mary8610
    Mary8610 norma32314

    Posted

    So sorry Norma about your problem . I am sorry I don't have any advice but wish you well . Hope you have family and friends who support you .
  • georgina1957
    georgina1957 norma32314

    Posted

    Feel for you Norma I am 17wks post op,first ten weeks slowly getting better then all of a sudden so much pain top of leg shooting pains down my leg,physio people think static nerve,surgeon has said it is were stitched muscle has overlapped muscle so got to wait now to have some injections.just starting to get so depressed. Work won't let me back to work till can do my job properly. Anyone else hadx any trouble like this. Good strt then downhill

  • Paulus1949
    Paulus1949 norma32314

    Posted

    I can empathise with you Norma..Ive had 3wks post op pain and lack of sleep,which thankfully is beginning to ease day by day.

    Pain and sleep deprivation is a horrible combination,guaranteed to send you crazy.

    Im no expert but all I can suggest is some kind of distraction methods,which are known as cognitive behavioural therapy..which is designed to help your mind focus on something other than the pain your in, and that things will slowly get better...it does work for some people,hope it works for you,anything is worth trying when your at your wits end.

    As a last resort I might ask your doc for some strong sleeping tablets,so at least you get some sleep,long term sleep deprivation can become a serious issue.

    Hope that helps. Paul UK.

     

  • edarlingb
    edarlingb norma32314

    Posted

    OMG Norma. This is EXACTLY my experience of my first THR since 2004. I can relate 100%.

    Mine first started after first op in 2004. All involved refused responsibility. Went through all physio/pain management, to no avail. I was pronounced, to all intents and purposes, beyond help.

    Still with major symptoms now, I have to say that's it has very gradually receded, but I'm still left with significant residual effects. Calf/foot numb but mega sensitive, festiculations, ultra cramps, can't move toes, foot is black and always freezing cold. It's horrendous. Only vvv slowly learning to live with it, very bitterly, very resentfully. Pain management said I just had to deal with it. Years on morphine, but managed to come off it myself.

    No joy from neurological tests only recently has 2nd opinion surgeon conceded sciatic nerve damage the cause. Dreadful.

    Other factors leading me to consider legal action.

    I so, so feel for you. It's an awful condition, which no-one who hasn't experienced can possibly imagine.

    Much empathy. Keep pushing and hope for the best.

    Elaine UK

    Elaine UK

    • kath63
      kath63 edarlingb

      Posted

      Hi there Elaine ... Sorry to read of your experiences...but I also had problems after my THR last Feb...I was left with foot drop...that's the inability to raise the foot at the ankle .... I also have numbness in my calf and down into my foot...had quite a lot of pain to start with but has eased since...I'm still finding it  hard to come to terms with what has happened to me and I must admit I did go down the route of legal action..but I was told by a solicitor that its very hard to prove negligence in these sort of cases...so would not be worth pursuing...I also have to walk with a splint ..(so I don't trip over my toes) so wearing girlie shoes is out of the question..I must admit I do feel rather cheated...but..when I look at these poor guys that come back from Afghanistan without limbs it does seem to put my problem into perspective...take care...x
    • edarlingb
      edarlingb kath63

      Posted

      Thanks Katsorry to hear you've had similar experience.

      Yes, I considered legal action, since consultant denied it was anything to do either op! But realised I'd get nowhere.

      However, new consultant discovered the device has come loose and is moving up into pelvis. This was, he says, apparent on xrays from 2012. He 'can't explain' why his colleague didn't notice it. I'm having 3rd op on it in May. Im seriously considering legal action on this. Has meant 3 years of even more pain and forced retirement.

    • kath63
      kath63 edarlingb

      Posted

      Oh my word...that is a totally different ball game..!! I definitely would consider legal action in your case...I do hope things work out better for you after your op in May....where abouts  are you having your op? 
    • edarlingb
      edarlingb kath63

      Posted

      Thanks, Kath.  I'm hoping so.

      All of my ops have been at the Queen Elizabeth in Gateshead, England.  (Not sure where you are.)

    • kath63
      kath63 edarlingb

      Posted

      I had my op in Wrightinton orthopaedic hospital...it's near to Manchester....well as the crow flies!! 😄 good luck..do keep us up to date on how things go in May x
    • william68758
      william68758 kath63

      Posted

      I had a hip replacement 5 months ago and have foot drop and numbess all through out my foot and leg. They way you described it is spot on. Its so horrible. I was in a head on collision with me 2 yeat old. She is okay and thats the only thing that makes my condition okay. I just cant seem to come to terms with it. It has affected my relationship with my girlfriend too. Which she could never really understand. I was just wondering how your healing has came along since you posted this 3 years ago. Hopefully you can reply
    • kath63
      kath63 william68758

      Posted

       Hi William...so sorry to read about your foot drop...my foot drop has improved immensely .... It took allot of exercise and shear determination....but  I can now walk without any support and never trip over like I use to...I still have tightness across the top of my foot, which is there all the time, and nerve pain down the outside of my calf..I can flex my foot more or less the same as my other foot...although it isn't as strong...

      try and stay positive....I know it's difficult...if your nerve hasn't been severed there's every possibility that it will improve...it does take time and patience....there were days,  I must admit when I could sit and cry...but now 3 years down the line I feel very positive...please let me know how things turn out for you....Kath

    • catherine12084
      catherine12084 edarlingb

      Posted

      Hi Elaine.

      I know it has been a while since this post but I was wondering if you had any updates?

      I am in exactly the same position as you and 2 months forward, I'm feeling pretty frantic.

      Please let me know

      Cat xxx

    • william68758
      william68758 kath63

      Posted

      Thanks for replying back to me. Yeah I trip over my toes around the house all the time lol. I’m doing much better now it’s been over a year but I still have foot drop and wear an AFO brace. Did you have any surgeries? They are wanting to do an exploration surgery on my hip in a month. I have done emgs and everything and they said they will have to explore around and see what’s going on. Your post made my day and you give me hope to get better. I still can’t move my foot up or feel about 70% of my foot. Life is a lot better for me now tho. I’m living again at least and that’s good. Thanks so much for the reply it has been a lonely journey.
    • Guest
      Guest kath63

      Posted

      Hi how long did it take for you to see footdrop improvement?  Its been 7 months for me and nothing has changed.  Although, my EMG shows regeneration and sprouting in progress.  
    • michelle84462
      michelle84462 Guest

      Posted

      Good morning. I wore it afo brace to keep the foot up for maybe eight months. The foot is still a little drop but barely noticeable. I pray that yours improves and heals completely.

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