pins and needle /numbness

Hi sue I don't think I had pins and needles, but the area around my wound site has been numb and irritated almost since my op. Nobody seemed concerned when I asked, but it drives me nuts. I'm 9 weeks post op and it is gradually improving, but if the p/n and numbness are in your actual leg, s you should see your doc. My feet were swollen for 3/4 weeks, had to wear my husbands slippers but that should resolve itself. Recovery has many facets and from what ive read on the forum generally sleepless nights are the in thing. Good luck with the leg.

I've had tingling now and again, my swelling under the scar is over the top of a major nerve at the front of my groin, and the warmth in bed makes it worse, mornings before getting up are a trial. Are your symptoms there all the time?

Hi sue don't worry about it people react different ways when having surgery I did have pins and needles in my operated legs it lasted about 6 months plus I had numbness in my right hand little finger as well which is going slowly don't forget when they operate they got to cut through so many nerves etc and it takes time to heal longer than it takes them to cut through however if you get to concerned go back to your surgeon they will understand your concerns and put your mind at rest hope you have a speedy recovery

I don't know if any of you were told to wear knee length support stockings, from your toes to your knees, I was told to but to take them off at night before bedtime. They kept the swelling down and helped the circulation, I wore them for six weeks on the advice of the surgeon up until my follow up.

Just remember to keep doing the exercises and keep moving about and look at the exercise videos for hip replacement patients on YouTube.

Hi Sue I am 8 weeks post op as soon as I was back in the ward I felt numbness in my inner thigh knee and below to ankle. Prickly feelings and electric type shooting pains no problem with my wound area. I unfortunately have no control over part of my leg which gives way when not expected and cant lift my lower leg onto bed into car etc unless I pick it up with my hands or a belt! I am having physio but surgeon has confirmed I have femoral nerve damage so I am having nerve tests in a few weeks. It is difficult to sleep I am taking tramadol for pain. Inside my knee I get pain if I walk on crutches. My surgeon says that I should recover from this but takes time sometimes a few years. You should mention this to physio and surgeon about your numbness etc. If you have no control over your foot and pain there it would be foot drop which is related to sciatic nerve. The n er ves can be stretched during surgery which can cause the symptoms although it apparently 1 in 100 affected. My surgeon has done over 1000 hipreplacement but only 1 other patient with the problem who recovered feeling after 9 months. Hope my post relates to you.

Hi everyone thank u all for your comments makes u feel alot better when u no other people are experiencing the same problem my consultant just says all the feelings in my foot should come back it's just hard walking early days

Hi, I am now into the sixth week and I am getting nerve like pins down my front and back operated leg also it feels very achey around where the wound is. I feel somehow I should feel better than this. I walk with my arm crutch which is digging into my hand, even though I wear gloves. I had swollen knees, calf ankle and foot for 4 weeks but got it checked out for a blood clot and was clear. My hospital gives the Clexane jags so I never got stockings, apparently they are being phased out in favour of the jags. Even though I now can sleep on my unoperated side, I have tried doing this but my hip doesn't like it. I am walking about a mile a day but apparently at this stage should be crutch free, well sorry, when I try to walk on my own I look like John Cleese!!!. Can anyone say if I can now try and sit on a normal seat at 6 weeks, I wish I could feel more positive but right now, I honestly feel worse than I did before I got it done. I managed to get a follow up appointment with a physio for next Thursday. Everything is probably fine - just wondered is it normal to feel like this, anxious incase Ive done something or twisted something and wondering why I cannot walk unaided at 6 weeks.

My physio told me that although 6-8weeks using crutches is general it is just as long as you need them. I'm 9 weeks and some days I have pain and also walk like John Cleese and like you I question whether its something I have done. Its only about a week that I've been able to lie on my hip and then only for a short time. I don't actually think there is a comfortable way to lie. Its all trial and error and everyone recovers differently in their own time. Try not to worry too much because it does get better on a weekly basis. Chin up.

Hi anne thanks for ur comments.when you leave hospital your not prepared for all the other things that come up its good to have some where like this where u can discuse yourproblems that seem to pop up on a daily basis i find that no 2 days are the same i appriciate all the comment that have been made and to no other people are having similar thing and different thing will help me along the road to recover thats after iv over come my aches and pains

hi,

I agree with debbie...could well be nerve damage,i had a bi lateral with metal on metal about

9 years ago with metal on metal,6 years in and one failed causing tumors(non cancerous)and metal

debris in bloodstream buts thats another story,i was getting the numbness,pins and needles and cold

feet...went for pbysio but ended up having injecrions for piriformis muscle synddome bur did not work,

they have now found arthritis in lumber and waiting for more needles in facet joints,so as debbie says best

ro get it checked out just in case...

I think that everyone varies as to when they can walk without anything. The Joint nurse said that they would far rather you feel safe and continue to use 2/1 crutch than try without and put yourself at risk. I'm nearly 4 weeks now and can manage well on 1 crutch. In fact at times I feel as if it hardly touches the floor and is a stabiliser. But like yesterday, we went shopping, and after going round the supermarket, I really needed it. I have at times found myself stranded in the house because I've just got up and gone without my crutch.

I think we all feel the pressure to conform to times, but with the human body there are so many variables it just isn't realistic, if only we were cars!

I find I can now tolerate about 2 hours on my good side at night, but it took trying 3 different pillows between my knees/lower legs to do it. I have had 6 hours sleep in 2 hour stretches for the past 2 nights which is bliss, tho I find my hip is really quite painful for about half an hour first thing.

We were told to wear our Ted stockings all the time, even with the blood thinners. That would be ok if they had given us 2 pairs!

Hi Rusty, think we are mostly talking about us having ours fairly recently. I forgot to say that I am only 58 and was in great shape until last January when I just couldn't walk, it took a long time to realise if was my hip. I have been walking all that time with a limp and crutch and think it take a bit of time to retrain your brain not to walk with a limp. Also, I have an uncemented hip which knits in with your own muscles etc. so its slightly different. I have just read that its far better to keep the arm crutch for another 6 weeks to protect the hip which does help to try and reduce the urge to limp. Also the younger you are it takes a bit longer because of the muscles tone and strength (you just cant win!!!). The metal hips are obsolete now they did cause a lot of problems.

What do you do then if you want to go for a coffee or sit down because the seats are too low, do you carry our cushion with you and go to the disabled toilet.

yes anne my bi-lateral was a while ago but my revision of left hip was only 10months ago and all i was trying

to point out was that i had the symptons of numbness etc etc only after the revision surgery,i had trouble for 2 days just trying to get out of hospital bed with physios and it seems to have been an indication

of further things to come where i am physically now,just saying best to get it checked out i think personally from my own experience,the metal on metal was taken out of circulation a while ago now after the capital bip,de puy and 4 or 5 other devices and i appreciate that we are not talking about a MOM implant but nerve damage can happen during surgery

kind regards anne

I agree with rusty we all progress different time it can take up to a year to feel normal. I think walking a mile a day is causing pressure on your hands. I have had to use crutches for 22 years as I had pelvic fracture and walking caused me pain but I have never wslked that far since my injury too painful. My current situation with the leg giving way means I have to use 2 indoors. I had been using 1 for the last two weeks and over confidentI am able to stand with out them to shower and cook. Big mistake I fell on floor when I held my grandsonto put him in his chair . I had to hold him tight so could not break my fall. Very relieved he was not hurt as he was on top of me. Then I checked I was alright worried my hip would pop out. If I did not fall next to settee I would not have been able t pul myself up ! So after very scary fall no carrying babies or pushing my limits. I need a leg brace to stop me falling. No warning leg just wobbles and collapses! We all need to listen to our bodies and ignore time tables. Especially with complicatio of nerve damage. I am now sitting on normal chsirs but need leg supported. Push myself up with good leg first. However I am quite short hospital chair too uncomfortable for me when waiting to see physio. Good luck in your progress eveyone. I was in less pain and less disabled then pre op