feeling hip pain post surgery- is this normal?

[PistolPete]

I had my surgery on Monday Nov. 7th and six days later im having hip/groin pain.  I have a lot of bruising around my groin where it hurts.  Im a bit nervous cause I've read so much about no hip pain and only incesion pain post surgery and want to make sure nothing is abnormal.  I feel like my healing progress as stopped a few days ago and im starting to get a bit nervous.  Im also only taking Tylenol for ain and am thinking of trying the narcotics I came home with.

Thoughts?
Pete

[sdunn4]

Pete,

I am at day 20, so not far ahead of you.  I have seen the recovery go in "fits and starts"- not necessarily a straight line situation.  I too only used the narcotics for 4-5 days post-op and discontinued them because of the "loopy" feeling and some naseau.  I took Tylenol just like you, but Dr. Gross also prescribed Celebrex; 2 per day for the first 14 days.  Apparently that anti-inflammatory medicine not only helps to keep inflammation at bay, but it inhibits unwanted bone growth (ossification) in the muscles or other soft tissue post-op ("heterotrophic ossification").

My pain level had been nearly non-existent until the Celebrex prescription ran out earlier this week; since that point I have taken Tylenol twice a day on two occasions.  My point is that you probably will feel some pain and need to manage your activity level / medications to deal with it.  The old "OA pain" for me is gone!  Needing to walk with my butt stuck out and a lurching gait due to no ROM is gone!  I can feel something in my new joint; just not necessarily what I would call pain- it's likely the stretched ligaments / tendons / soft tissue getting used to not being inflamed and starting to become more normal.

Hope this helps and that your recovery continues to progress well!

Steve

[PistolPete]

Thanks Steve I appreciate the insight.  It's not the same pain I had prior to surgery but there is def. something there.  I'm assuming it's from all the trauma and the dislocation etc.  The pain is at the front of my hip and it hurts when I lift my leg up etc. 

[dwbitt]

Good Morning Pete,

I'm 15 days post op, I tried to wean myself off the Norco after the first week, sleeping became pretty miserable. I went back on the Norco but only one tab every 6 hours, I feel no other side effects from the drug other than pain reduction.

Most of my discomfort has been in my operated leg, from the hip down to the knee on the outboard side. It's tender to the touch and feels just like overused quads do after a rather intense workout. It makes sense since muscles on this side haven't been used correctly for quite awhile now. I ice all the time!

My hip pain is limited to range of motion issues that I'm working on with PT, heel slides (with the operated leg suspended) are difficult at the beginning and end of the maneuver. Also abduction is challenging for me.
Took a mile walk yesterday, plus some puttering around, and my body responded accordingly, it hurt.
As Steve said this recovery will have peaks and valleys, hopefully your hip pain is just in response to the muscles/ligaments repairing themselves.

Dave

[Pat Walter]

Pete
You are still very early in your recovery.  If you were 6 or 8 months out with the same problems, then you would start worrying.  You don't heal and feel even normal for 4 to 6 weeks or more. Then that is just the start.  It takes 6 months for most healing and a year for full healing.

You are expecting too much too soon.  Just take it easy and let your body heal.  Yes, some days will be bad and most pretty good.  One step forward and sometimes 2 back, but eventually they will all be forward and without crutches. 

A lot of people have bruising and some over the groin.  I think that is because of the way they dislocate your leg over your groin.  My bone was sore for a long time.  You had major surgery and there will be many places on your body complaining.  It wasn't just your hip that was stressed, dislocated and put back together.  The rest of your body was still attached   ;)  You will have sore spots and bruises in different places sometimes.

If you are getting back into pain, by all means take your narcotics - that is what they are for.  Some people have pain and others don't.  This is not a contest to see who can stand pain the best.  If you have pain, take care of it.   Some people do have a lot of pain while others don't. 

7 days out is just the begining.  You won't be able to do normal stuff for quite awhile.  That doesn't mean you will sit at home in a chair, but it takes a long time to heal completely and get back to a normal life.  Meantime, be patient - give your body time to heal and plan what you will do next summer.

Pat

[obxpelican]

Pete,

Groin pain is a warning sign but not this early in your surgery.  Most people have pain by this time, ice and relax you are very early in your recovery.

Now if you come back in 6 months and complain of groin pain then we'll worry.

Things you want to watch for now are symptoms of blood clots.

Chuck

[Anniee]

Pete, I agree with Pat, Chuck and Steve.  You had major surgery with a bunch of things done to your hip bones and muscles.  Definitely take the narcotics if the pain is bad - everyone is different.  I am almost 4 weeks post-surgery on my left hip, and while I do not have any bruising, I do have intermittent groin pain, as well as pain in other muscles around the incision.  Some days I have hardly any pain, and other days, I have to take a pain killer. 

After the surgery on my right hip last April, I panicked when I felt the groin pain in the first week or two after the surgery, so I called Dr. Gross and was reassured that everything I was feeling was normal so early in the recovery process.  I am confident that this is the case for you also.  :)

[PistolPete]

Thanks for the support everyone.  I just want to make sure everything is progressing normally.  I'm feeling a lot better today which is fantastic.

[obxpelican]

I've heard of many patients complaining of being lightheaded post-op even up to a week post-op.  Your body has gone through some really serious trauma (at least that is the way your body feels about it) and different people will react differently to that trauma.

Do you have a way of checking your blood pressure?   I would do it, I would not be surprised if it's a bit low.   Many people have issues with working the meds they gave you out of your system. 

Make sure you are properly hydrating, if your blood pressure is real low call Lee and your doctor, but again I've heard of folks being light headed post-op.

Chuck

[hernanu]

Sounds pretty normal, Mindi. Remember you're still working the anesthesia, etc. out of your system; that along with the shock your body went through and lightheadedness is not unusual - I had a little bit. If it persists, call the doctor's office. I called several times a week at first, any time I felt weird or needed information.

I tried to keep hydrated, continually kept a mug filled with water next to me.

[curt]

    Pete, had the same twinges in about the same areas.  My forward hip and quad pain was the worst when I would try hip flexion and raise my operative leg.  The groin pain stopped first (3 weeks) and the quad pain finally quit around 5.  He said all of those were related to the operation and dislocation.  Sounds pretty standard.  Curt

[23109VC]

You are super early in recovery
Everyone heals at a  different rate
If you read posts about people claiming to be skiing at 1 month post op....or,other amazing feats...don't buy it..l..

I was able to walk around without much limp around 6 weeks...but I was far from 100%.... I think at 2 months I was trying the exercise bike, and other non impact stuff.... I ran at 6 months but it still felt weak.

I'm at 9 months post op...and I would say it wasn't until 8-9 months post op that I really started to feel like my hip was almost as good as new...it's not ...but it's close.  I still get weird twinges and there are certain movements or positions that my hip still doess not like.....but overall...I'm god.

One tho I learned over the last 9 months...recovery is not linear.  You have ups followed by downs....so don't let momentary pains freak you out.  I had so e spells where after being pain free I would have a weird pain for two weeks...the it would go away..... You learn what works for you and what sets you back...... Keep up on whatever pt or exercises your doctor tells you to do....

And be positive.  Good luck.