Day 5 Posterior hip replacement nerve pain

@delconian: Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect and the club I myself will be joining soon as I'm scheduled to undergo a posterior total hip replacement (THR) in early September. I am of similar age with a few comorbidities but very much looking forward to the surgery as it has been delayed since last year during which time my hip discomfort and mobility have declined.

As a retired RN, I have had some experience with post-op THR recovery so I'm trying to prepare myself. I can tell you that from a nerve regeneration persepective, days 2-5 usually are the worst in terms of greatest inflammation often resulting in pins and needles sensation or shooting pain - some people refer to these as "zingers". While it is definitely helpful to discontinue narcotic pain relievers as soon as possible as you have, there is generally not an issue with taking Tylenol for pain as long as you keep daily intake under the recommended limit of 3000 mg/day. Is there a reason you'd prefer not to take Tylenol or has your surgeon provided an alternative?

Using diapers was a smart way to take the stress off your first few days. Now that you are moving a bit more, renting a bedside commode might be a great next step to help you get back into a normal routine safely and improve your mind set. Some double as a shower chair so this could provide a dual purpose.

You're still relatively early in your recovery as your body works to utilize energy to heal and restore function. I know we may feel great for our age but some biologic and physiologic aspects do tend to slow as we advance in years, such as cellular repair. Focus on small goals and with each one you attain you'll be able to see that you're making progress. Try not to push yourself to overdo or you'll risk a set back so listen to your body to set the pace it craves. I imagine you have someone assisting you throughout the day?

Thank you so much Susan. I was only prescribed the Tylenol and Oxycontin for the pain and Valium as a relaxant. I was not prescribed anything such as gabapenatin or Lyrica specifically for nerve pain

@grammato3 My wife is here to help me around the clock, and I've been sleeping in a downstairs recliner, while she sleeps on the couch. I have a downstairs bathroom. I had to buy a raised toilet set with handles, which at 30 bucks was a godsend.

I had anterior THR in January 2025. My nerve pain stopped after about 4-5 months if I recall the timeframe correctly. I'm 1.5 years post op and only lately have I felt confident that I will not dislocate or mess up my new hip, even though someone in the orthopedic department a few months ago, told me I would be okay because scar tissue was built up enough that I could be active. I'm glad I had it done and I am swimming and I bicycle ride outdoors without overdoing it ( 30 - 45 minutes at a moderate pace). I took Lyrica a few years ago for the nerve pain associated with that arthritic hip and I gained 17 pounds on it and was feeling scatter brained on Lyrica, which made me not be able to concentrate very well at work in a highly detailed and stressful job. I retired nearly three years ago due to a job layoff. As well, I developed plantar fasciitis (PF) in my foot on the opposite side of the operated hip. The PF isn't getting better quickly. It started about 4 or 5 months post op of the hip. My foot doctor doesn't know if the PF is related to the hip surgery and I never have asked my surgeon or his assistant if it's related. I'm 70 years, 11 months old .

@delconian: I see you're familiar with medicatiions that are associated with treating neuralgia (nervepain) and are sometimes prescribed post-op in cases when surgical incisions have irritated nerves. How are you feeling today? If your nerve pain persists, you may want to consider contacting your provider's office to inquire if either of those would be a short term option. This may be in place of or in addition to the Valium, if the purpose of that medication was to muscle spasms, cramping or the nerve pain you're reporting - if the latter, it may not be fully effective.

Hope you and your wife have been getting adequate sleep and nutrition. Were you given any other post-op instructions such as icing, elevation or bending restrictions?

I had an anterior right hip replacement. I had burning pain in my thigh for quite a few months after the surgery. My surgeon told me that the pain was from the nerves regenerating. It did lessen as time went on until it finally went away .

@itnoc Thanks so much for the feedback. Congratulations on still being so active, post-op. Something I aspire to. Also it gave me pause about Lyrica, I'm only 6 days out, and went from- " I absolutely need something specifically for this nerve pain" on Friday, to " Maybe it comes and goes enough that this Tylenol is good enough" today on Sunday. There is progress each day, in some way.

@walk4life Thanks for the feedback. I'm sure my pain is also from regenerating nerves and increased activity. It's reassuring to hear you're doing better.