Chronic Pain 2 years Post op- Hip Replacement

@steveinarizona
Thank you for the recommendation. We are traveling to DC in July to meet with the surgeon in person. We've already had a phone consult and he's willing to do the revision surgery, unlike the past 7 surgeons we've had consults with. We might just travel to AZ to meet with your surgeon.

I would recommend seeing a different surgeon and get a second opinion, third opinion. We've seen 7 surgeons, trying to get my husband's pain diagnosed. I've learned through this process, that few surgeons will admit they've made a mistake, either through fear of law suit, and/or pride.

@bellatheball
Wow. Well, I didn't think I am the only unicorn with this problem. As I told Dr. Howard in London ON yesterday, sometimes there will be an oddball like me. Dr. Howard did give me a script for cefalexin yesterday. I started back on it last night as soon as I was back in town. I go back to him in a month. I am confident that I will be pain free and on the golf course by mid June. I also had a consult with Dr. Wayne T North at Henry Ford in Detroit who also was prepared to write the script. But I could only fill that script in Michigan. My Canadian drug plan won't pay for it. My GP would have to sign off, which he said he was willing to do, given a full set of info from Dr. North. I think that it was the video on my iPhone showing my leg shaking uncontrollably, that helped Dr. Howard to consent. I am so glad I had the presence of mind that day last week to grab my phone and take that video because two bone scans, two white cell scans, a MAR CT scan and an aspiration with culture demonstrated nothing. Neither the multitude of blood tests. It puts the doctor in a tight spot. Also, I had a bad COVID19 during surgery. And the iV antibiotic fell out when I woke in recovery. The nurse couldn't put it back in as she was unqualified so I lay in bed with a high fever sweating for 7 hrs waiting for the next nurse. I think I got screwed from the get-go.

@bellatheball I would consult with my primary physician and see if they would order a Cobalt / Chromium blood test or seek a second opinion from another orthopedic surgeon. Had to do that from my wife, and she ended up finding that she had toxic levels of both chemicals. Best of luck

@dannyandebbie I have had both knees replaced and both hips replaced. I have been having problems since I had my left hip replaced in September 2024. They fractured my ankle during the surgery and I left the hospital in a boot. When I saw the doctor for my two week checkup, he said they did not fracture my ankle and I didn't need to wear the boot. I could hardly walk, had to have help taking a shower, and my surgeon did not order PT. He told me to just walk. My GP looked at the x-rays of my ankle and said yes, he fractured your ankle. It is a different type of fracture and hard to see on an x-ray. My GP told me my surgeon had fratured the ankle of another one of his patients. They also lengthened my left leg and my GP said this happens. He told me to get a heel lift. My GP has ordered PT that I will start next week. When the pain is really bad, I take two Celebrex a day plus Tylenol which helps very little. Use lidacane patches. I wish I had not had my left hip replaced because I still have the pain in my groin I had before the surgery. My right hip has not caused me any problems. I have also had a lot more lower back pain since the surgery. I wish I could find relieve. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and am used to pain but this one is driving me crazy.

@ldean31 when my wife had her total bilateral she was black & blue from head to toe, chipped tooth and broken toe. She was in intensive care for 7 days before transferring her to rehab facility. Her third day there they dropped her in the shower, extreme pain and on heavy pain medication for 9 months. That was when her orthopedic surgeon said that she had a fracture pelvis on her right side and required surgery immediately. There was no new pain outside what she experienced from day one. We alway felt she was dropped during surgery but because they compressed the nerve in the left leg and as soon as it started to wake up (9 months later) she had this fractured pelvis. One doctor covered for the others……not even 1 apology! 2011-2022; 6 hip surgeries! Hips do not seem to bother outside of leg length difference but now, lower back, where the did the epidural, severe pain!

@ldean31 I don't intend this as criticism but as information. Before you started with the replacement, did you ask your GP for his opinion? The medical community, even in large cities, is fairly cohesive and the members know who is good and who is not.

From your post it seems clear that your GP has seen bad work come from your surgeon.

A while back my neurologist had sent me to a rheumatologist to make sure that my problems were not in his domain. My rheumatologist is the top rated one in greater Phoenix. I am sitting in his office when he gets a phone call and apologizes and explains that the caller is his wife and she is getting a hip replacement the next day so he has to take the call. Who is the hip surgeon...Dr. Chow of course. The other members of the medical community know who is good!

@steveinarizona The same surgeon replaced my left knee in 2015, my right hip in 2017, my right knee in 2019, and my left hip in 2024. He was brought into the practice to replace knees and hips and he has an excellent reputation. I have rheumatoid arthritis and all my joints are bad.