Difficult Recovery

[dickson7]

I am now in 4th week of hip replacemrnt. Taking 4 mg methadose every 4 hrs and 4 mg hydromorphon for pain with little comfort. Pain too strong for any PT. Surgery went well with x-ray only last week.Am waiting for pain to subside to get into any pt. Pain ok at leisure only. Can anyone shed any light on recovery time?

[Earl B]

Have you told the Dr. about the pain? I had my hip replaced and didn't have to take any pain medication at all. I had the surgery on Tuesday and was out of the hospital on Thursday evening. Are you using crutches or a walker? I was told not to put extra weight on the hip "overuse it". Your Dr, should be able to narrrow the cause of the pain down to either something wwrong with the hip or something else wrong. It should not be hurting like you derscribe.

[Sonia S.]

Hello Earl B, I am curious to find out how you were out of hospital so soon after hip replacement and no medication for pain? Are you Superman? Just kinding ofcourse but i hope that my operation will be the same as yours but then again i'm having two hips done at the same time! Best wishes and well done. Sonia S.

[Mr.Valery Korobeynyk]

Dear Dixon 7,
How are you now? Is Your pain still strong or after doctor and with some time after operation it is less? I've heard from many patients here that there isn't practically serious pain after Hip replacement. Isn't that true?
I am only planning my Hip replacement and Your message rather dislusioned me a little.
If You can tell me something about Your Hip-problems before operation and about operation. Was it difficult ?
I wish You full and quck recovering.
Mr.Valery Korobeynyk from Ukraine.

[Chuck Orman]

You did not mention if you had resurfacing, MIS or the traditional method. A assume you had the traditional method where mussels were cut? If you had either of the newer methods I would think it was unuasual to have this much pain. Anyway, I hope you are doing better.

I am now in 4th week of hip replacemrnt. Taking 4 mg methadose every 4 hrs and 4 mg hydromorphon for pain with little comfort. Pain too strong for any PT. Surgery went well with x-ray only last week.Am waiting for pain to subside to get into any pt. Pain ok at leisure only. Can anyone shed any light on recovery time?

[hipsearching]

I had my THP (traditional, not MIS) on Jan 16, so it will be 4 weeks in two days. I did not have any pain after surgery unless I moved on it. I had no need for painkiller and the rehab started the day after surgery. I am concerned for you and your pain. One thing that caused me some pain that was unexpected when I got home was the swelling. For 2 days my leg was at least 50% its normal size. My rehab therapist told me to put my leg "above my heart" ( I did it twice a day for two days and almost ALL of the swelling went away and I lost about 8-9 lbs if water weight, peeing my brains out.) There are so many things that could cause pain and I agree with those that say get yourself seen by your doctor. I did "hurt" during rehab exercises, but did not hurt very much any other time. I am walking(gingerly and with some hip "sag") without aid now on the level, on stairs I use a cane.

You do say that the "pain ok at leisure only". I think that's a good sign. My worst pain was when I started PT, sometimes it was excruciating. I would talk to the PT and she would change the exercise to halve the pain. In a couple of days, invariably, I could do what had been excruciating. There were times that it was muscle pain (work through that) and other times it felt like nerve impingement in the groin (we worked around that). As I got stronger the nerve impingement pain has greatly diminished.

Bottom line, talk to your doc, talk to rehab PT, but do not just sit and wait; that's my suggestion.

[bill1931]

I am 75 year male. Had THR on the 15th. Got up on the evening of the 15th and started pt big time on the 16th and everyday since. Came home on Monday the 19th. Walking outside(on sunny days) and everything is coming along ok. I do not experience any pain that is not associated with movement and that has greatly diminished.

I therefore agree that you pain is hanging on far too long and is more severe than should be. I hope your Dr works this out for you soon. Would like to see your results when you find out.

[Breeze530]

I'm a little over 6 weeks out from THR. I still have alot of pain in my thigh, but I do the PT exercises anyway. Is that the kind of pain you have? I think it's the bone growing into the implant in the femur bone. It is sometimes excruciating to do the exercises, but you have to do them to get any better if that's the problem.
I also have back pain because the operated leg is shorter than the other one. I'm getting my shoes built up so that should help with that.
Good luck!