Pain after hip replacement
Posted , 22 users are following.
I had a hip replacement 6 days ago and have been surprised at the level of pain I am experiencing. I am so glad I found your forum as I was beginning to think there was something wrong as everybody I spoke to said they were painfree almost immediately, now I know otherwise. I have a cocktail of tablets but would love some advice on the best way of keeping the pain down. I am currently taking paracetemol regularly with tramadol and ibruprofen inbetween but nothing seems to help. Nights are the worst as i can only manage an hours sleep before the pain wakes me up and I have to wait until i can take something else, then wait till it works before i can get off to sleep, consequently not much sleep is achieved and I am tired before I get up
0 likes, 23 replies
roadglide1959 jennifernz
Posted
Everyone experiences different outcomes from a THR. I had my first THR on my left leg in April of 2013. I have pain on a daily basis, 18 months post surgery. My primary care giver tells me that I shouldn't be having any pain after this long. And his remedy is 'pain management through drugs'. Since the x-rays indicate no issues with the implants. I for one, do not want to be narcotic dependent.
I am scheduled for a THR for my right leg in mid November. And I am a bit apprehensive about having it done. Although, this time they will be doing an Anterior Approach through the front of the thigh. Claiming it is 50% less intrusive on the muscles and other tissues. And the recovery time is also about 50% less. I certainly hope they are right!
roadglide1959
There is a better way of dealing with the pains. Although it is illegal in some states. And the medical community does not endorse it totally. Even though we know it really does work.
patricia63357 roadglide1959
Posted
I can only give you my story but it may help. After 18 month Still.needed a stick just for short walks. Changed surgeon to find answers. Had my first MRI which showed muscle and tendon completely off hip. Lesson for me: demand MRI. Expensive but will show muscle tendon probs. I am recuperating gently to allow healing from prev damage and optimistic. If you think something is wrong it probably is.
milliejean jennifernz
Posted
steven07363 milliejean
Posted
I read your blog today, that was written 3 years ago. I am 17 weeks. I can sleep at night, but wake up a few times. In the daytime, I feel much better, but still feel the THR. I was wondering how you feel today, 3 years later. I would love to hear your comments!
Regards,
Steven
larthurs steven07363
Posted
Can relate mine almost 2 years and am still in severe pain and to me this is not successful surgery!!
Have been back to the doctor numerous times and he repeats the same thing, Do my exercises blah balh, always done so now in fact have bursitis. I mean if you are still experiencing pain after 3 years..have nothing to help only to relate and nice to meet you
Whalie jennifernz
Posted
Jodi-France jennifernz
Posted
I was in a French hospital for a week that did not have internet, so it wasn't until I got home and found this forum that I found what I needed, information. I was determined to stay off the Tramadol, even though I was in severe pain, I did it. In the morning I called my general physician he made a house call and prescribed Codeine, OMG codein is GREAT! I was on (2 pills) of 400mg Paracetemol + 25 mg of Codeine three times a day. For those of you outside of Europe Paracetamol is Tylenol. I needed that from day 8 then for about anohter 10 days. After anout 10 days I was able to cut back to (1 pill) of 400mg Paracetemol + 25 mg of Codeine three times a day, except at night I still took the 2 pills not 1.
Eventually I got a prescription from my general physician for a pill with only 20 mg of Codeine in it and I was able to cut that pill in half so that half a pill had 10mg of codeine in it, the other pills that had 25mg of codein in them they didn't really cut in half well. So I worked my way down to taking a pill that was only 10mg of codeine.
The pills with 400mg Paracetemol + 25 mg of Codeine really controlled my pain very well. I can't take morphine, I found that out in the hospital. On this same website search for information on Tramadol, you might be surprised.
Codeine is very constipating, and I didn't even know that, I found thout out from people here, so I drank a full glass of prune juice every day and took a stool softner.
The other thing that helped me a real lot was Voltarene cream. It is a topical pain reliever, rub it on the skin. I used the Volterene on my back and butt. For some reason most of my pain was in the butt. I never experienced any bruising nor did my leg swell at all, I had no swelling and I understand from readers here that swelling can be quite painful, but boy did my butt hurt. If you have a good relationship with your general physician there is no need to bother or wait on the surgeon, your general physician should be able to prescribe you codeine. Just tell him/her that the Tramadol is giving you dark thoughts, it is a well known side effect of Tramadol.
In order to heal you need your sleep, the body does the most healing while you sleep, in order to sleep you have to get on top of your pain and control it. And don't worry about becomming addicted, although it is highly addictive, when you are in pain you won't get addictedc to it, one day I took a normal dose and I was like drugged up and I was extreemly tired, that is when I realized that it was to much and I needed to cut back. As long as you have pain, you don't get drugged up on the Codeine, it does what it is supposed to do, it cuts the pain, but once your pain goes down your body will tell you, "hey that is to much codeine" and you will get that druggie feeling. I never felt druggie like taking the codeine as long as I had pain.
I am a big fan of codeine ;-) eventually you will work yourself down to only taking paracetamol during the day and codeine at night. I tried to cut back to early worried about addiction, it was miserable, I put myself back on it and when the pain went down then and only then did I cut back on the codeine. You have to be careful not to overdoes on paracetamol. The hardest was at night trying to decide if I could make it through jsut taking 2 paracetamols, I would try it, it would NOT be enough then I had to wait at least 6 hours to take the codeine because that pill has 400 mg of paracetamol in it also. There is a real danger to your liver if you take to much paracetemal, my friends daughter had to have a liver transplant because of it so I personally know this as a fact. So after I had taken the 2 paracetemals at night and regretted not taking the pill with the codeine, I did tough it out for 6 hours and then took the codeine pill. It is hard to gage your pain and self medicate but we all have to figure that out, not to much, not to little. But I do knwo one thing for SURE you have to have pain medication that in fact does work for you and takes away the pain. Codeine did that for me very very well.
jilliboss123 jennifernz
Posted
I hope your pain gets better. I wish I knew more about the meds you're taking, perhaps you could talk to your DR and get something stronger so yummy can sleep.
Where is your pain? Is there a certain spot or are you talking about all over?
It should calm down and get better everyday.
Will be praying for you!
carole76433 jennifernz
Posted
I had a right hip replacement 4 years ago, I remember when I first had it done I was in quite a bit of pain myself. You must exercise that will help you in the long run, and if you have swelling try sitting down and putting a bag of frozen peas on your hip. As the swelling can make it feel more painful to.
Have they given you injections to inject your self in your stomach every day? That has to be done for 6 weeks I think?, that is to stop any blood clots.
Hope your feeling better soon?, but if you are in a lot of pain then go back to see your doctor. C
mkwins63 jennifernz
Posted
eileen64__UK jennifernz
Posted
You are very early on in your recovery As you've no doubt discovered now from the posts we all recover at different rates. I was told.......dont play catch up with the pain.....stay on top of it
The sleeping I found awful........mostly because of sleeping on my back
Can you back and talk to your GP?
Tell him what you have told us
Love
Eileen
linda71867 jennifernz
Posted
pat85215UKGlos jennifernz
Posted
Pat
linda71867 jennifernz
Posted
I spoke to a few who had THR and people who had a friend or family member who had it done but no one mentioned the after pain.
I wish someone had because it would of saved me a lot of stress. I thought my op had gone wrong or I had sat or turned wrong. When I phoned the physio he said "oh yeh don't worry it's normal" Keep your meds up and keep doing the exercises. I did expect pain but not like that.
If you take tramadol and codeine also have lots of water and prunes, figs anything that keeps your body functioning.
Like Pat said the first few weeks are the worst and then you do suddenly begin to see light at the end of the tunnel.
keep the faith you doing great
linda71867 jennifernz
Posted