Night Time Pain

[hernanu]

May be your body adjusting to the muscles moving a different way. Before the surgeries, my feet were significantly pointing outwards, now they point forwards when I walk, so the muscles, the supporting feet had to readjust, and some muscles that I think were very weakened from my limping, etc. needed to come back to life.

I'm 1 year / 9 months along (two hips) and have some pain under my left foot (slowly receding) and some ankle pain because of some gait issues. I think it goes away, maybe stretching the muscles in that area will help.

[ScubaDuck]

I am only at 5 weeks post op but I have various pains from my lower back to my feet.  I believe most of these pains are due to muscles being stretched and strengthened that have not been used in awhile.  Specifically I have had pain like you describe in my gluteus maximus, around the knee, and lower outside calf and ankle.

I changed my posture and gait with the arthritis pain.  Those muscles that were no longer used atrophied and weakened.  Now that I don't have hip pain my body is starting to realign.

I can only suggest stretching and strengthening your leg muscles.  And don't forget the small muscles.  A physical therapist can give you stretches and exercises to do.  Also deep massages will release muscles.

[Jimdg]

4 months into my recovery.  62 years young.

The hip pain thing at night has continued but less annoying as time has gone on.  Shortly after surgery till about 8 weeks, I could only get relief by getting up and walking a few steps around the bed.  The pain would go away with in a few steps and I could lay back down pain free.  I could only get relief by applying full weight on the hip.  Now at 4 months, I just have to roll over or flex my hip a bit and the pain goes away.  Hope in another few months, I will no longer have the pain as it is not every night as it was early on.

On a further note, other than the night pain, I have no pain in the hip no matter how much walking or other exercise (no running) I do.  The non BHR (good hip) well, not the same with it.  After about 3 miles at a quick pace, it has just about had all it can take.  The BHR hip leg is still saying Go, Go, Go!  I can hardly wait to have the doc say it is arthritic enough to get a BHR on it.  I love my BHR.  I cant believe I put it off for 2 years, taking meds and doing physical therapy trying to maintain only marginal flexibility and mobility.  Still can't flex my leg high enough to touch my knee with my nose.  My doc said I may never get that flexibility back but I plan on proving him wrong.

[lswall46]

Now at 4 months post op and still having difficulty sleeping.  Just like for others I go to sleep pain free but often (9 of 10 nights) I awaken around 3am with the dull toothache in hip.  Sleeping position, pillows strategically placed, etc help, but I haven't found the magic solution.  Once up and moving the pain goes away and I feel GREAT all day.  If I take a brief nap in the afternoon there is no pain, so this is definitely something that comes on after a few hours of sleep.  I see the surgeon for a followup visit next week and I will definitely discuss the problem with him.

[John C]

I don't know if you will call this good news or bad, but my 3 AM toothache in my hip has finally gone away, I hope. The good news is that I hope it is finally gone; the bad news is that it took about three years. In my case, it definitely got better over time, and had improved at the one and two year marks, but it was about three years before I can say that it has mostly gone away. Still have the pillow for between the knees, just in case.

[newdog]

John C,

I too get the toothache pain if I sleep on one side for more than about two hours. Not a bad pain at all, just a mild achy sensation. But then I am just over 9 months post op and had both done. I figured it is normal at this stage of recovery for some people. I too still use a pillow between my knees most of the time. I used one before surgery for about two years and I think it's mostly a habit now. It just feels really comfortable.

[John C]

I almost never need to use the pillow anymore. I just keep it next to the bed, just in case. I think that the good takeaway from this, is that even at 3 years, things can still keep improving in small ways.

[hernanu]

That's great news about the pain having left, John. I know I've still got a few things to deal with that I think will evaporate with time:

• A (I think gait related) pain in the left metatarsal that has been slow to leave, but is much better than it was.
• Still some weakness in the right (last) hip when walking or running. No pain, just can feel it's less 'reliable' if you can make sense of that. I'm also pushing it a lot more, just did an hour's worth of Salsa dancing at a club filled with 20 year olds (my niece was DJing and insisted I come, she wanted my take on her efforts). I went non stop for an hour+ and my knee felt it mostly after, my right hip was not so much sore as tired, my left was right as rain. Everything is good now, but the day after my knee was a bit sore. I think the hip was causing me to rely on the knee for support and that caused it to get sore.

I think you're right - most of the things clear up, but we can still improve over time.

[Anniee]

Iswall, I'm wondering if the pain in the lower leg may be related to your using your body in a different way from before?

I have less problems sleeping this time compared to my first surgery, but I think one of the reasons is that I got used to sleeping with a pillow between my legs. The first time, I was not used to it, and had problems with the pillow falling on the floor.  The problems were more related to not being able to get in a comfortable position than actual pain.  This time, I have noticed that I tended to get some night time aching in the leg (not the hip), and even some cramps in my lower leg and foot on days when I increase my walking.  After my first surgery, I don't remember having cramps, nor did I have any pains bad enough to keep me awake at night after the first couple of weeks.

[lswall46]

Hi all.  I wanted to update my experiences with night time pain.  I am two days shy of 6mo. post-op and I have no night time pain 9 nights out of 10.  There has been rapid progress during the last six weeks, and especially in the last 4 weeks.  So, those of you out there who are still struggling with this, keep the faith. 

[OtterDriver]

Hello Iswall- 

Good to hear of your progress.  Hope you get to 10 out of 10 real soon!  Have a great New Year!

Bruce

[Dan L]

Almost 11 weeks after and I also get the dull ache, in the am hours, maybe 6 nights out of 10, that does make staying comfortable enough to stay asleep difficult.  Low level pain, that  8 hour tylenol completely eliminates for me, taken before bedtime.

It has lessend over the weeks in terms of pain level and number of nights where this happens.

Dan

[lswall46]

Okay, I am eleven days shy of 10 months post op.  I am pain free day and nighttime.  I can sleep on my back, sides or stomach without setting off any pain.  I just finished the 2011-2012 ski season with 100+ days on the slopes and I could not be happier.  My skiing has never been better.  To those of you still rehabbing I say keep the faith!

[mslendzion]

Thanks Iswall, that is awesome and just what I needed to hear.

[luann again]

Hi rcaxtell,

  As you've probably already figured out, sleeplessness is practically a given for most recent HR patients. I remember taking a long HOT shower, reading all night, using 1,000 (or close to it) pillows to get comfy... etc. It did finally pass. I am 2 years out almost, and I forget (thankfully) but I'm thinking at about 2-3 months I was back to normal. Now I can sleep without pillows and even on my HR'd side. Keep the faith. It'll come. Good Luck, Lu