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Complications from a total hip replacement

Posted by robinb504 @robinb504, Mar 14, 2024

I had a total hip replacement in Aug of 22 it has hurt ever since my surgery have been to multiple Dr's had mri its x-rays bone test have gotten 2nd opion have been to pain management have done therapy my white blood count is sky high I'm sick of seeing Dr's and getting no where anyone else had these problems

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Joint Replacements Support Group.

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pb50 | @pb50 | Apr 9, 2024
In reply to @robinb504 "I've asked my dr if I should of been taking antibiotics incase it is infection he..." + (show)
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I've asked my dr if I should of been taking antibiotics incase it is infection he said that wouldn't take care if problem they would have to take hio out put in antibiotics straps until infection is gone then put in new hip at this point if that's what needs to be done do it but they don't want to say it's infection to do that

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But remember, if the colonized bacteria is on the apparatus itself, it doesn’t have a blood supply - so antibiotics carried by the blood stream won’t work.

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pb50 | @pb50 | Apr 9, 2024

I wish you could get an infectious disease doc.

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robinb504 | @robinb504 | Apr 21, 2024

I have a new dr on Wednesday hopefully he can do something

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just3secondsfall | @just3secondsfall | Nov 29, 2024

It's now seven months to surgery. Now a days walk 45 minutes morning and evening. The pace is slow comparison to other walkers in park. An obvious limp is embarassment. Not sure additional issues like itching, indigestion, variation in sugar levels related to surgery. At moment ignoring stiffness and pain

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Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Nov 29, 2024
In reply to @just3secondsfall "It's now seven months to surgery. Now a days walk 45 minutes morning and evening. The..." + (show)
Profile picture for just3secondsfall @just3secondsfall

It's now seven months to surgery. Now a days walk 45 minutes morning and evening. The pace is slow comparison to other walkers in park. An obvious limp is embarassment. Not sure additional issues like itching, indigestion, variation in sugar levels related to surgery. At moment ignoring stiffness and pain

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Welcome, @just3secondsfall. I moved your message about hip joint replacement to this specific discussion in the Joint Replacements support group so you can connect with other members recovering from hip replacement:
- Complications from a total hip replacement
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/complications-from-a-total-hip-replacement/
It's great that you are walking 45 minutes twice a day, albeit at a slower pace. Have you been continuing with physical therapy since your surgery 7 months ago as well?

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Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Nov 29, 2024
In reply to @just3secondsfall "It's now seven months to surgery. Now a days walk 45 minutes morning and evening. The..." + (show)
Profile picture for just3secondsfall @just3secondsfall

It's now seven months to surgery. Now a days walk 45 minutes morning and evening. The pace is slow comparison to other walkers in park. An obvious limp is embarassment. Not sure additional issues like itching, indigestion, variation in sugar levels related to surgery. At moment ignoring stiffness and pain

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I hear you - I had 2 hip replacments and 3 major revisionsover a 5 year period. Each recovery was different. After the last 2 surgeries I deveolped a persistent limp, which was also causing knee and back pain. My surgeon detrmined that I needed a more comprehensive PT regimen to learn to walk properly.

The rehabilitation therapist (highly trained PT) diagnosed a problem with my gait and an imbalance in strength on the side that had 3 operations. We did a lot of gait training, I was given exercises to do at home, in front of a mirror to be sure I was balanced. In addition I had a strengthening routine that I did daily for a couple months, then 3 times weekly until my legs were equal again. I also do back stretches daily to stay as flexible as possible.

She explained that I had limped for so long on bad hips that I had to completely relearn how to walk correctly. Now I know if my knee begins to hurt for no apparent reason to ask my husband if I am walking crookedly again.

Do you have access to PT to help you?

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winterhawktexas63047 | @winterhawktexas63047 | Jul 28 4:25pm
In reply to @sueinmn "Sometimes I feel like a recording, but bear with me please. When you have major joint..." + (show)
Profile picture for Sue, Volunteer Mentor @sueinmn

Sometimes I feel like a recording, but bear with me please. When you have major joint or back surgery and are "clinically healed " there can still be a long road to complete healing. When joints are replaced, not only so you have bones, muscles,tendons and nerves that must heal, but your body mechanics are altered and you need to get everything working together again.

Let's compare getting a new hip to getting a new computer. The machine is only part of the deal - then starts the fun of setting it up, putting your own stuff on it and learning to use it.

Replacing a worn hip or knee can change leg length, the angle of the joint and the mechanics of how the it interacts with the rest of your body. For example my hips were"frozen" so it was difficult to lift my legs, so I had a stiff waddling gait and my back hurt. After the initial implants, I was never coached on how to walk properly and my back continued to hurt. I spent 2 years in back and neck therapy with no relief.
Fast forward 4 years. Hips were recalled and had to be replaced again. Back still hurt, but new ortho said "You need rehab" - not just a sheet of PT exercises but complete evaluation. I ended up at a PT that specializes in ortho rehab after accidents, amputation and other catastrophe.

There my gait, posture, foot position, flexibility and leg/back strength were all assessed. A series of exercises and stretches were designed for me - land and water. I spent many appointments walking up and down a hallway being coached on foot and body position, movement, learning to look forward and not down. After 8 weeks I continued on my own for several months. Back and hip pain gone.
Now, 12 years after all of that, other parts of me hurt due to arthritis and other issues, but I seldom think about my hips except when scheduling my annual x-rays.
And I still do many of the stretches daily because a few years ago I quit them and soon got bursitis and sciatica from muscle imbalances.
Sorry this is so long, but surgery is only about 20% of a successful joint replacement. The other 80% is prehab and rehab, which only the patient can do!
Can you get a referral for rehab therapy?
Don't give up-you already got the new hardware, now you need to learn to use it to your bast advantage
Sue

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I had a full hip replacement and also the femur bone in my leg replaced because it snapped in half when I fell a year ago March 28. I was in rehab for awhile and then continued on my own and was doing great. Some hip, leg and low back pain but not too bad.

My husband became ill and passed away on Dec. 30 and I lost my focus. Have been basically blank until just recently when I caught sight of my legs and ... the loss of muscle I had gained. I was down to 72 lbs. in the hospital and had gotten up to 95 and the pain was lessened; I think by more padding (fat and muscle) but went back down to 80. I have a friend who has an implant that causes her trouble and I suspect that weight .. too much or too little may affect the implants.

I want to thank you for taking the time to write that. I reminded me of some things I already knew and gave me new insight into other things.

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