8 months post op w/pain

[RK]

The pain was to be expected, and it came.  For a month after surgery, I could live with that.  Three months after surgery, it was getting a little tiresome, but still to be expected.

Now I am 8 months out from my BHR.  My leg throbs when I go to bed; it throbs when I wake up.  My hip flexor feels about as tight and weak as ever.  Shoes and socks are still a challenge.  I feel dull clicks and thuds as my hip moves.  At its worst (around a month ago) I even had the dubious pleasure of hearing my hip squeak at certain angles. 

My life's ambition was not to be the Tin Man. 

In fact, this is really discouraging.  I used to do triathlons and loved to run.  I am a black belt in Taekwon Do.  I'm 49 and I feel like I'm 80.  Then I read that one should feel normal 6 months out.  That's even more depressing.

I did PT for the first several months.  I would do aqua therapy on my own, with an Aqua Jogger and paddles for my feet to strengthen my legs (Aside: I highly recommend this regime, and do not believe it contributed to my problems in any way.)  Overall, I tried to be rather disciplined about my rehab.

Anybody have a clue what might be going on? 

[Pat Walter]

Expecting pain for months after surgery is not normal.  Some people do have problems, but most don't have great pain 3 months post op.  I took no pain meds after leaving the hospital at 2 1/2 days except Advil for a week for incision tenderness. 

Who was your sugeon?  What device did you get?  What surgical approach was used?

Has your surgeon done a x-ray to make sure your cup position is proper?  Were there other problems before surgery?

Most people just recover without a great amount of PT.  Many surgeons don't even recommend PT other than walking, walking and walking.  I did some water walking about 6 weeks post op since I was very stiff after sitting.  After 2 weeks, the stiffness left and never came back.

I would ask some questions of your surgeon about why you are having pain now.  It is important to get input from a doctor.  We are not able to see your x-rays and are not medically trained. I know athletes running marathons at 3 months and 6 months post op.  YOu should be well on your way to recovery by now.  There must be problems of some kind and you need to find out what it is.  If it is muscles, then more PT would most likely be used.  You need to find out if your hip device is placed properly.

Clunking does not mean there are problems early on.  Usually it goes away after 6 months or more.  Mine is 4 years post op and now and then if I move just right - it will still clunk a bit, but I am 65 years old.

If you need other opinons, you can contact a few of the top surgeons by email and send your x-rays to see if they can tell if there are any problems.  That would be my suggestion after asking your own surgeon what the problem could be.

Pat

[RK]

Thank you for your advice, Pat.  I think your website is a tremendous service to patients.  I'm calling my PT and doctor today!