Hip replacement complication

Yes! Yes! Yes! to this comment: “There is too much hype about how there is little pain and swift recovery which may be the case for many but isn’t for everyone.” Hyde3357! It seems that everyone from PT folks, friends, even a famous meteorologist on national television said that it is a piece of cake! It wasn’t and hasn’t been a “piece of cake” for 10 months! Even my PT said in the pre op exam, “you will be back in the gym in a month!”😳 I am now back in the gym at 10 months post surgery but it’s painful and I don’t yet trust my hip to “stay put.” I’ll get there with perseverance, but not because someone told me it would be a “walk in the park!”

I know that it’s a bit of a tight rope walk in encouraging others through hard times, so let’s be careful that we are frank in our conversations, saying what we know to be true and compassionate without placing expectations on others that might not be within their ability to reach.

I am stepping down off of my soapbox, now! 🤗

It’s so much more beneficial to the patient to say things like, “it’s not easy,”
“ you will need to go at your own pace in recovery,”
“it looks differently for everyone, but you can get through this,”
“I want to support you on this journey. How can I help you?”

My hip replacement and subsequent revision surgery was 3 years ago. The last PT I worked with discharged me after 6 sessions and told me that he did not know why I walk the way I do and that there was nothing more he could do for me. I decided that I would continue to do my own re-hab doing the exercises I was given and working out at the gym. At 3 years post surgeries, my hip is good and my leg works OK. I know that it is weaker than prior to surgery. I use a walker now because I am unstable walking. (I also have neuropathy which is not helpful for walking and balance etc. and do exercises for those issues as well.). I have learned two things which may be helpful for your sister. One is to work toward the pain and to not give up. The second thing is I have learned acceptance. It is difficult sometimes. I named my walker "PITA". most know what that stands for. A little humor goes a long way. I have a dear friend with ALS which helps me put my problems/issues in perspective. I wish your sister the best and am sending tons of support.

My hip replacement and subsequent revision surgery was 3 years ago. The last PT I worked with discharged me after 6 sessions and told me that he did not know why I walk the way I do and that there was nothing more he could do for me. I decided that I would continue to do my own re-hab doing the exercises I was given and working out at the gym. At 3 years post surgeries, my hip is good and my leg works OK. I know that it is weaker than prior to surgery. I use a walker now because I am unstable walking. (I also have neuropathy which is not helpful for walking and balance etc. and do exercises for those issues as well.). I have learned two things which may be helpful for your sister. One is to work toward the pain and to not give up. The second thing is I have learned acceptance. It is difficult sometimes. I named my walker "PITA". most know what that stands for. A little humor goes a long way. I have a dear friend with ALS which helps me put my problems/issues in perspective. I wish your sister the best and am sending tons of support.

PITA: Pain in the A...!

My x-ray shows moderate to severe osteoarthritis in my left hip, not quite bone on bone though. I can function fine during the day. There's often some soreness and often, I'm told, a very slight limp in my walk but I can still walk relatively long distances and even ride my bike. It's at night when I'm sleeping that the pain, which often goes down to my knee and sometimes lower leg often wakes me up. I find that two arthritic tylenols doesn't do anything for me, and I am reluctant to use Aleve and prescription naproxen very often given the damage that NSAIDs can cause with long-term use and because I'm also on a statin and aspirin. I'm scheduled to go back to the surgeon that I've seen to discuss my case and possibly re-schedule the replacement surgery that I previously postponed. But I am having a lot of second thoughts when I read about the complications some people have post surgery. I question whether I'm really debillitated enough for the surgery since as mentioned above I function fine during waking hours. I think surgery should always be a last resort. I've tried acupuncture, take supplements, work out and do hip-related stretches and exercises and I'm a fit 72 year old. Maybe I'm just postponing the inevitable but as time marches on surgical methods improve. It's cathartic writing this. Thanks for reading through it.

My x-ray shows moderate to severe osteoarthritis in my left hip, not quite bone on bone though. I can function fine during the day. There's often some soreness and often, I'm told, a very slight limp in my walk but I can still walk relatively long distances and even ride my bike. It's at night when I'm sleeping that the pain, which often goes down to my knee and sometimes lower leg often wakes me up. I find that two arthritic tylenols doesn't do anything for me, and I am reluctant to use Aleve and prescription naproxen very often given the damage that NSAIDs can cause with long-term use and because I'm also on a statin and aspirin. I'm scheduled to go back to the surgeon that I've seen to discuss my case and possibly re-schedule the replacement surgery that I previously postponed. But I am having a lot of second thoughts when I read about the complications some people have post surgery. I question whether I'm really debillitated enough for the surgery since as mentioned above I function fine during waking hours. I think surgery should always be a last resort. I've tried acupuncture, take supplements, work out and do hip-related stretches and exercises and I'm a fit 72 year old. Maybe I'm just postponing the inevitable but as time marches on surgical methods improve. It's cathartic writing this. Thanks for reading through it.

I had my first hip replacement two years ago, age 72, normal weight and fairly active. I have no pain in walking or moving my new hip, so cheers to that. However, I had more side effects than I think I should have. I would be curious if anyone experienced any of these effects. My new hip caused a 1/2 inch length discrepancy (like walking after your loafer heel falls off). I have to add an adjustment to every shoe I own. My leg blew up about two weeks after surgery and PC sent me for scan and Doppler. All ok, but no explanation for extreme swelling. Then UTI that required three rounds of antibiotics, but strangely after starting them, I peed like crazy all night and the leg swelling was gone in the morning. Don’t know why this happened. I have a large pad of numb flesh on my hip that never went away and the scar, which was done horizontally across the top of the front of my leg collapsed because it was right where I bend my leg and is tender if I bump anything. Has anyone experienced any of this, as my Dr has apologized, but I have no explanation.

I had read from this site about leg lengthening. So I asked my surgeon prior if he would be doing this and replied no. I did have significant amount of swelling in entire leg by week 5. So much so, that I could not bend my knee. Quite painful. Per doppler, no blood clots. Since I'd been having knee problems prior to hip and was contemplating TKR, I was given a steriod injection in knee. I also slept with wedge for elevation, swelling subsided for the most part, with much improved pain relief.
Btw, when I had shoulder related, surgeon did lengthened my arm. I realized this when my bra strap kept sliding down. Again, information from this group alerted me their same experience. Did your leg stay lengthened? If so how are you adjusting? Best of luck!