Swelling of my leg and problems with arm when using a crutch.

Hi, see your GP ASAP. Or go to A&E dept or out of hours.

Are you taking blood thinners - if not you need to contact a medical person now & tell them what's going on, if your stuck phone the nhs 24 out of hours service

I don't want to frighten you but this could be something or nothing but you need to find out.

At worst it could be a blood clot in the calf & this is serious at best it's just a swelling coz your not elevating it enough or you took your stocking off too early

Don't take any chances with this.

The arm issue is less urgent try padded cycling gloves, make sure crutches at the correct height but this can be dealt with later

Hi thanks for the advice. I dont have any transport unfortunately and it would be Sunday.i will ring NHS direct. However i dont have a lot of confidnce in anyone at the moment as it took a week of hell just to get a district nurse to come and sort out my dressing. Twelve phone calls at the last count and no one prepared to accept any responsibility.Got so frustrated and i am generally a patient person. I honestly wish i had never had this done.. Its been a dreadful experience all round. I havent been told to elevate my leg at all by the way...

Hi John, I can totally empathise how your feeling, my in hospital experience had it's issues but please don't mess about with this get on the phone to nhs direct and tell them about the swelling. Good luck

Hi John you need to go to A and E ASAP your symptoms could be blood clot. I had pain in my chest a week after op and because my literature sent home with me mentions pain in chest to go to A and E I did . They were bery good and took all tests to make sure not a clot in my chest. Kept in overnigjt and had ct scan. Luckily I wad clear and pain went from chest after a wee. They told me I did the right thing. Please do not hhesitate better safe than sorr. Call a dr if not sure he may call ambulance if you have no one to take you.You have ssymptoms in your leg that need urgent checking. Please let us know how you get on

Hi John you need to go to A and E ASAP your symptoms could be blood clot. I had pain in my chest a week after op and because my literature sent home with me mentions pain in chest to go to A and E I did . They were bery good and took all tests to make sure not a clot in my chest. Kept in overnigjt and had ct scan. Luckily I wad clear and pain went from chest after a wee. They told me I did the right thing. Please do not hhesitate better safe than sorr. Call a dr if not sure he may call ambulance if you have no one to take you.You have ssymptoms in your leg that need urgent checking. Please let us know how you get on

Hi John, don't worry, I have the same as you, my ankle and calf and knee have been swollen ever since I got my hip 5 weeks ago. I went to docs Friday morning and she sent me to the DVT unit at the hospital. They measure the leg against the other. While they were pretty sure it was because of the op, I got a scan which showed nothing. I go back for another one this week just to make sure, but I have been trying to elevate it as much as I can. I too have had the pain from the arm crutch. I am now trying to walk on my own but not proving too good. Like yourself I have had no support at all so I am now going to a private physio tomorrow night to try and get some help. I can wait till next week when I don't have to lie on my back, for some reason, I think I will get on a lot better lying on my side.

Hi folks thanks for the support. I couldnt face dealing with health professionals at all .. The swelling is somewhat better today and i have elevated my leg at times today and worked my foot to stimulate circulation. I havent been told to elevate at all before.If there was a driver in the house i think i would feel different and would have sought advice but cant deal with all the arguing i get on the phone when i state that i cant get to wherever they want me to go. Its now six and a half weeks and i still have another week until i can even start to walk on my new hip. I feel like i have shut down my life for two months and i may very well have to go through all of this again before too long. The thought of that fills me with horror...i slept all of four hours last night... Its not great lying on your back and trying to sleep. Also lying in my bed awake night after night for hours on end has been depressing beyond belief. I suppose i may have got five hours sleep all round today and after six weeks i just dread going to bed..

I must admit that I too dread going to bed. I get about 2 hours at a time. My hip which is sore during the day but Isn't much of a problem, seizes up overnight, and the swelling under the scar seems to get worse. Whereas the swelling in my lower leg and foot gets better. Elevating. My leg in bed doesn't' ease the discomfort in the groin. I have managed to sleep on my good side with a pillow between my knees.

I find my kindle is a godsend. I can read without waking my husband. I ice my scar too. This afternoon I was tired and lay on the bed listening to the radio and fell asleep for 2 hors. I decided to snatch sleep when I can I think keeping a diary is good. You may not feel you are making progress, but when I look back, I can get in and out of bed , and in and out of the car more easily. So movement is definitely improving even if the morning stiffness and pain Don't seem to be. Tho some days are better than others.

Walking with crutches is hard work! My hands are quite painful over my palms. I feel I am better when I am making a conscious effort to keep upright. It's easy to strain your shoulders and neck particularly if you can't weightbear.

I havent slept other than on my back yet. I would like to try but havent seen anyone for so long to ask if thats okay to do. I would like to stop wearing these stockings too after six weeks but dont think i am ready yet. They have given me athletes foot as well as i dont react well to artificial fibres.. I seem to be applying different creams to all areas of my body.....I tried a couple of days without the stockings but then a load of swelling again.I was sleeping a lot better last week but its all back to four hours again. With this lack of sleep i get migraines and mouth ulcers too... Fortunately my leg and scar arent painful but they werent that bad anyway..i have had two naps today of about ten minutes each time.. I have been a pain in the arse i know... I have so been thankful for my ipad which has kept me from going mad. My wife has moved into the spare room from the start so we dont disturb each other. I cant say that that has made me feel good either..

My experience with the crutches and my right arm are troubling me a lot. I started with a lot of stabbing pain in my upper arm for a week or so. Then i had discomfort all along my lower arm even when i just try and pick something up.. I could stick a pin in quite a big area of my lower arm as its very numb. These last few days i have had a lot of discomfort around my wrist.. Hauling myself up the stairs seems to cause some of this but i cant put weight on my right leg yet..yes i have made progress judi but then repeatedly i get to feel that i am going backwards so much...sorry to be so negative but thats how it has been...

Hi John glad you are feeling a little better. Yes they do say elevate your legs. I have slept with a pillow under my leg when on my back and betweeny legs on my side. I have been suffering pain since fracture of my hip joint 22 years ago. I Have had pain since I had my joint reconstructed with screws and plates. I had my replacement becsuse of post traumatic Arthritis on 19.11.13. I have suffered so much pain since the opand cant lift my leg and it gives way ad myleg is numb in places. This has not been a success I suspect through reading on the Internet I have .nerve damage I am more disabled than before. We don't seem to get enough information when things are not right. I am seeing my surgeon for the first time since the op tomorrow. H e will be expecting me to be without crutches. I used them for years because walking was painful for me. Yes they do hurt especially if you are non weight bearing ad you are carrying your body weight through your arms. I have managed to sleep most nights although I wake up a lot. I have had to double my previous Tramadol intake since the op as the pain was having me in tears. It is normal to feel low. I have my ups and downs but gradually feeling better mentally. I have not had two ops one after other like you. This takes a while for your body to recover from. Good luck with uyour appointment but please ring you gp I still think you need to be checked out. Take care.

Hi debbie, i hope your appointment does well too. I am sorry you have had such a dreadful time.This business is far from straightforward i am afraid. I am talking to a doctor about another thing today . We dont have a set doctor so no relationship with any either. We'll see how it goes. I come to most nights about five and thats it then... I am not a late sleeper so once awake i know thats it.. Everyone else in the house gets up much later...as for elevating my leg well i was told distinctly NOT to raise my legs by the physio. I had put my feet on a small stool and she said not to do that.. I have not been told to put a pillow near my legs in bed either.. When i siad it was hard to sleep she suggested taking more paracetomol before i went to bed.. Needless to say i didnt bother with that.. I can get to sleep fine its just staying that way...my body just seems out of sync..a little like jetlag that i cant throw off too. Anyways i hope it al goes well for you too. Sorry if i have been ranty and miserable but my wife seems as sick of all this as much as me..

Hi John So surprised about not elevating your hip. I would imagine it is something to do with your fracture. Having said that when I had my original op years ago I elevated my legs. But each case is different. Apparently elevating your legs higher than your hip helps reduce swelling. I have the opposite problem with sleep I am sleeping longer than before. Although I wake a few times. I was always first up. Who wouldn't be miserable ! Its a major op and you had two. I had to take antidepressants 3 years after my accident as I couldn't cope with not being physically fit and able and eventually I had to admit how I felt. No shhamme. I took them for about 10 years and weaned myself off them. I have a more positive attitude now and cope well. My husband has to put up with me too. But who else can you turn to? I saw my surgeon and was pleased with his attitude he was concerned as he only had one other patient with my symptoms. He confirmed it seems to be the femoral nerve and is referring me to specialist to test exactly what is going on. He said because I am getting electric shock type pains it means the nerve is not cut. So he thinks it will take time but will eventually repair. All the literature I have read says to sleep with pillow under your leg to support it when on your back. When on your side to put between your legs to support the hip. I am able to drive from today as my car is adapted for left leg drive in automatic so get some independence back though not up to really going out and about. My doctors don't know me as my surgery wad closefd suddenly and was transferred to one a few miles away. Hard for a new dr to have empathy when they don't really know you and just lok at records. Try and keep positive think of your blesssings no matter how small. I have my grandchildren that put a smile ony face.

Hi Debbie i was glad to hear that your appointment went well and that your surgeon was supportive.. It looks hopeful anyway that the nerve will recover in time. My wife had a nerve stretched in her face after an op. Her lip drooped a little and felt numb. It has recovered and took quite a few months to do that.. Hopefully things will improve with time. I feel ready to start walking and driving again to be honest and hope they find the fracture has healed properly so i can do this..i have put my feet up twice these last couple of days and that has helped thanks for that advice. I will ask the physio on Friday about sleeping positions now that seven weeks have past. I prefer to move about a lot really...but would mostly like to sleep on my right side...not my operated side..but....

I know that i am a lucky man and have a good life too. I dont need to work any more and am a very young untypical 61 year old.. So i want to get on with my life and expect it to return in the next few weeks hopefully. We have four grown up sons but no grand children yet. Our third son is getting married in August. We will have 2american daughter in laws then. He met his when he was best man and she a bridesmaid at our youngest sons wedding in Nashville.. We have much to look forward to.

Hi John thanks for reply. You certainly sound more positive that is good. I have son and daughter. Mu daughter has 2 girls and a son who was born last April. My son had a girl on 27th of December despite my difficulties how can I stay down for long I don't want them to know me as grumpy nan. My first granddaughter is 9 and she gave me a reason to enjoy my life although my son and daughter also give me happiness. Nice to hear your family is expanding and hopefully you will have grandchildren to enjoy. Good luck with your physio. I am a young 55!

Hi i saw my physio today. She looked at my swollen leg and said it was fine...it is still swollen.. She said she couldnt do anything as i hadnt had my follow up yet.. I could have been sleeping on my side since week 3 apparently!!! She says that it says that in the literature.. But it doesnt at all. It says six weeks in both booklets i have... I tried to turn onto my new hip tonight but it feels very uncomfortable....i asked if the surgeon send on their advice to the physios but she said no........they go on what we report back to them....i suppose we could tell them anything and she will see me after my appointment next week.. It all depends on whether i can weight bear but after seven weeks hopefully i can.