Does anyone else have to take anti inflammatories two years after their resurfacing just to be able to get through day to day? I don't get it, the pain now is worse than before my surgery. The pain is in the groin and at my back side where the top of my thigh meets the buttock. My ion counts are fine (Cobalt = 1.2, Chromium = 1.0) and nothing significant shows up on x-rays and MRI. My doctor doesn't seem to know what's causing the pain. He put me on Celebrex which reduces the pain but doesn't fix what's wrong... Anyone with some suggestions?
That is discouraging. Was the pain there from the time of your surgery, or did it come on some time later?
I've been telling my doctor ever since just after the surgery that something in the groin didn't feel right. But, because I was on anti inflammatories until Jan of this year the pain was tolerable. In Jan I had to go off the medication for a week - that is when I knew something is really wrong in my hip because the pain was awful! I've always told him that I felt that the mechanics of the device are fine but that maybe the soft tissues surrounding the implant might be rubbing on the edge of the acetablular cup...
Quote from: Windie1 on April 23, 2011, 09:18:50 PM
My doctor doesn't seem to know what's causing the pain ... Anyone with some suggestions?
Get an opinion from an experienced resurfacing surgeon, one that
does seem to know.
A good, experienced HR surgeon would know what is causing the pain. To me it is inexcusable that he/she is not helping you. Keep us posted on what you find out.
So my doctor has me scheduled to aspirate the joint to check for inflammation. Dr De Smet said this procedure is rarely performed these days because it almost always gives the wrong answer... Anyone else had an aspiration lately?
Quote from: Windie1 on April 24, 2011, 05:25:01 PM
Dr De Smet said this procedure is rarely performed these days because it almost always gives the wrong answer... Anyone else had an aspiration lately?
Windie1,
You have been in pain for two years, your doctor does not know why, and all he can suggest is a procedure that will probably give the wrong answer.
Run! - or at least hobble - away! Preferably in the direction of Dr. De Smet.
D.
Windie1,
Listen to Dr. De Smet. Please!
I guess I asked too many questions because he has stopped replying. Who here in the states can I ask for a free, long distance second opinion? I was thinking maybe Dr. Gross but I don't know how to get in touch him. My doctor came highly recommended to me by other doctors and is supposed to be the best in town so now I'm thinking I might have to travel elsewhere to get this straightened out...
Quote from: Windie1 on April 25, 2011, 08:40:28 PM
... is supposed to be the best in town ...
Best in town is not good enough. You want best in world.
Quote from: Windie1 on April 25, 2011, 08:40:28 PM
... so now I'm thinking I might have to travel elsewhere to get this straightened out...
Many of us have traveled around the world to get it done.
Windie1,
I just put a packet together for Dr Gross,he said he would be in touch within 2 weeks. He did request a copy of my insurance card. I am sure there is a charge but I need help now. 20 months post BHR , have taken anti Inflammatories and viccodon , but the pain is still there. Dr Gross has a very easy web site and I did talk to Lee his assistant on the phone just to make sure my packet is right.
stano
Unless he has changed his policy within the last 8 months, Dr. Gross does not charge for a telephone consultation. Dr. Bose, Dr. Clarke, and Dr. Pritchett also do not charge for the initial consultation. Dr. Bose will email you, while Dr. Clarke and Dr. Pritchett will do a telephone consultation.
Mac
Thanks Mac and Stano for the info! I called Dr. Gross's office and the secretary confirmed that he doesn't charge for a phone consultation. I'm curious though. I know Dr. Gross's office says no MRI images should be sent in the packet but, how do they diagnose a problem post hip resurfacing without them?
Stano, is your pain also in the groin area? Did your doctor aspirate your hip to check for infection?
Windie 1,
I am not a doc and I don't know everything Dr. Gross looks for on the x-rays. I do know he checks for correct placement of the resurfacing components especially the angle of the acetabular cup. He also checks the condition of the bone in the proximity of the components. If you decide to send him your info, be sure to have a list of your questions and concerns ready for when he calls you. He is very honest and easy to talk to. Good luck and please keep us posted.
Steve
Windie 1,
MRI's are for the muscles and tendons, etc. and the X-ray shows the joint, so I assume that is why he says no MRIs. Good Luck to you!!!!
June
Windie1,
I do have groin pain, but the really bad pain is on the side of the buttocks that has been operated on. My doctor ordered a three phase bone scan to see if something is loose, all good, he did mention the next step is a arthrogram ? I am waiting on Dr Gross, in the packet I sent was a stand up X ray, lay down X ray and the X rays my first visit after surgery.
Stano
Windie1,
how are you doing ? I talked with Dr Gross monday and he thought that I had a tear in the abductor tendon, tuesday I will get a shot and start therapy. Let me Know how you are doing.
stano
I went ahead and let my doctor aspirate the hip and guess what? There was no fluid in the joint ergo, per my doctor, no infection. Yet another test comes back negative. He said he was going to consider my case further over the weekend and for me to go back on my anti inflammatories (don't think I'm going to do that yet - I'm not interested in just covering up the pain for another year). I want to hear what he has to say this coming week but, I am going to start putting together a packet for Dr. Gross. See what he has to say... This is all sooo frustrating it just makes you want to scream! ???
Stano, So glad you got to talk to Dr. Gross. How do you tear the abductor tendon, how does he see that from x-rays, and what kind of therapy do you get for that? Hope it all gets better!
Windie1,
When I talked to Dr Gross about the x-rays he said that everything looked good. He said the angle of the cup and all parts looked good also. We did not talk about how or why there might be a tear but on the steps to heal it. Tuesday I get a shot and the following Monday I start therapy. He said that I need to do abductor strenghting. I also sent him my
chromium and cobalt results 1.2-1.0. This was also good for a BHR .
Stano
Stano,
Now that you have a plan, will your ortho or Dr. Gross direct the treatment? How does that work?
Hey Windie,
I have a few other posts on this site. I still have pain 4 yrs post op on my RBHR. Pain is mostly centered on my upper thigh, when I exercise, I get a tightness like a belt squeezing around my thigh and trocanter area. I have occasional pain in groan and buttocks. I have asked thousands of questions, Dr Bose, Dr DeSmet and my new doctor, Dr. Marchand in RI. No one knows exactly what is wrong. My metal ions are normal and I had a CT scan to see if soft tissue issues are present. My doctor performed a Ganz procedure while doing the operation to preserve my muscle mass and blood supply. So, I firmly believe I have pain by my trocanter that I can't seem to get by no matter what I try. I know when I don't have heavy work at work, it doesn't hurt and when I don't exercise it doesn't hurt. So, basically if I sit on my butt and don't do anything, I feel fine. But, I don't feel whole unless I exercise and feel good about my life. I need my left hip done sooner rather than later, and I just had a cortosone shot in my right knee as arthritis is getting that as well. I have tried the exercises in the book Pain Free by Peter Egoscue, and that helped some, but basically from my hips down I need some intervention. Pain is no fun, I pop Liqui Gel Advils everyday and they give me some relief. But hey, there is always tomorrow.
Windie1,
My new ortho Dr Gross sent me his notes per our phone conversation. I will take these to my regular doctor to forward to the pain specialist, I go tomorrow for the shot, I will let you know if my system works.
stano
Windie1,
How are you doing? Did you send a packed to Dr Gross? I get my second shot friday, I also complete my second week of water rehab the same day. I am leaving the area for two months so I will be doing at home therepy untill I get back. Hope all is well,
Stano
Windie1, how are you doing ?
stano
Hi Stano. Thanks for asking - unfortunately, things are still not good. Even though I did one month of physical therapy in June, I'm still needing to use a cane most of the time. Because I was not progressing well enough at PT, they released me. I am continuing to do the exercises on my own for another month to see if things get better before I send my packet to Dr. Gross. This morning though I was looking for answers on the internet and came across Iliopectineal bursitis - it seems to match my symptoms pretty closely so I started another thread on this web site hoping someone out there has experience with it and might be able to give me some good advice.
How was your experience with Dr. Gross, was he able to tell you what was wrong? Is the shot you mentioned for bursitis? Anyway, good luck with your rehab - hope the pain goes away! ;)
Hi Windie,
I just found this Post. I have been searching for others like me...like you. I have pain 4yrs post op. It never felt right. I sent my xrays to Dr DeSmet and Dr. Bose and both said about the same thing...the two components were not set at "more perfect" positions, meaning everything was a little off, but no real concerns. My main concern was my doctor performed my surgery using the Ganz procedure, where he breaks my trocanter to bring the muscles over without cutting them. Then he sets the bone with a plate and two screws. I had irritation right after surgery, the screws were already loose. Long story short, he said the loose screw would not damage anything. Bull-Twinkies. Anyway, I have had xrays, blood tests and a CAT scan on the area and nothing is out of the ordinary. I have switched doctors and he doesn't know the root of the pain. It feels like a band tightening around my upper thigh when I do a lot of activity at work or exercise, also get some groan and buttock pain, as well as pain by my trocanter. My last remedy may be a cortozone shot to the trocanter area. It doesn't help that I need my left hip done, (scheduled for Oct with Dr. Marchand in RI). And my right knee will get arthroscopic surgery in August. I am still optimistic that it will all get better, I am 52 and not giving in. I only take Advil gelcaps when my left hip hurts, maybe 3 in morn and 3 at night.
Let me know how things turn for you,
Rolls
What I find so terribly discouraging is that everything was great with my doctor until he realized that maybe I was not another easy in, easy out patient. Do these doctors honestly expect that they are all so good at what they do that they'll never have a less than perfect outcome? They need to get over themselves!!!
Sorry, can you tell I'm a little upset at my doctor? :-[
Windie1,
I did have 2 shots in the bursa sack and 2 months of therepy, I am going to see
Dr Gross at the end of august, yes, he is my new Doc. I still have the same pain with any activity, Rolls comments on the area of pain hit home. Not the way I wanted to spend my 2 year bhr anniversary. Hope it will improve soon for all of us.
stano
Hi Stano,getting any better? How long was your relief from those injections into the bursa? Would you recommend them if my pain turns out to be bursitis?
Windie1,
The shots helped for maybe 2 weeks, therepy did not help and yes I put the effort in. I go to Dr Gross the 23 of this month, MRI the 22 at a outfit right down the road from him. I will let you Know what he says and what the MRI shows. Went for a walk last night , not bad until I started to jog , maybe 25 yards, then It felt like I got rammed in the side of the buttocks, extreme pain, limped back home. I am waiting now till the 22-23 to do anything.
My records were received by Dr Gross' office yesterday, Wednesday so now I'm just waiting to hear from him. Hope all goes well on the 23rd Stano. By the way, are you still on anti-inflammatories?
windie1,
I have been off anti-inflammatories for 2 months, they stopped working, I do take vicodin but that is only on bad days, 6 days a week. Make sure you have your list of questions ready for
Dr Gross , I think he called me in 5 or 6 days. Take care,
stano
Stano,
Just wanted to wish you good luck next week with Dr. Gross.
Windie.
Windie1,
Thank you, I will be leaving Sunday for a Monday MRI and a Tuesday app. with Dr Gross. How did your phone conversation go with Dr Gross? Hope all is well, take care.
stano
Stano-
Best wishes on your visit. If anyone can get to the bottom of your pain, it will be Dr.
Gross.
TinSoldier has his second BHR on the other coast that same day.
Dan
Stano,
I still have not heard from Dr. Gross. His office called me a couple of weeks ago about my x-rays, but not him. If I don't hear from him by next Wednesday, three weeks after they received my records, I'll call him.
Good Luck.
Windie.
Hey Stano, how did your visit with Dr. Gross go? I heard from him Monday evening. He feels that my psoas tendon is probably rubbing on the edge of the acetabular component of my implant, irritating the psoas. I asked my doctor several times over the past 2.5 years about exactly that possibility and every time, he said it wasn't possible because of the way he had positioned the cup. Anyway, Dr. Gross and I now have a plan so I might actually get this resolved before the end of the year.
Hi Windie,
Please share the plan for the psoas problem. I have not had any problem, but some studies have shown incidence of groin pain, possible psoas, as being as high as 18%. The solution that Dr. Gross suggested might be of interest to many others. Please let us know what you two came up with.
John,
Dr. Gross said that we're going to do this stepwise:
1) Even though I did PT throughout all of June, he wants me to do one month of strengthening (while lying on your back, do straight-leg raises, raising your foot off the floor 12 inches, hold, then repeat), stretching (stand with one foot about 10 inches behind the other, bend knees, and push hip forward until you feel the stretch though the groin, hold, and repeat), and deep tissue massage (use a massage roller to massage the groin area - the massage rollers are about $15 at most sporting goods stores and on line).
2) If, after a month nothing has changed, he will order an ultrasound-guided psoas injection. I will give him the name of a competent radiologist in my area and Dr. Gross will initiate the order. The radiologist will inject a pain agent in the area where the psoas crosses the edge of the implanted cup. If the pain goes away, it's a good indication that we're on the right track.
3) He can then do a psoas tenotomy (lengthening of the tendon), clean up the edge of the cup where the psoas is rubbing (there could be extruded cement or bone growth at the bone/cup interface), or reposition the cup (if the edge of the cup is too high, extending beyond the surface of the bone).
Because of the metal interference (from the implant) on both MRIs and CAT scans, you can't visualize what is actually happening at the bone/metal cup interface so the doctor won't know the actual problem until he gets inside the hip.
This is how I understand his plan so I hope this helps. Obviously, this plan is based on what he saw in my records/x-rays and his and my discussion (what hurts, what doesn't, can I do this, can I do that, etc.) so it might change for someone else... ;)
A very interesting discussion. Windie, thanks for sharing this information with us. I hope you will continue posting on your progress.
Mac
Windie-
Now you have a plan. That must be a relief to be moving forward. It sounds like a great course of action.
Best wishes. Give us updates if you wouldn't mind.
Dan
Windie,
Thanks for sharing that. It sounds like a great plan to move forward with; starting off conservatively, and moving on with each step after testing where you are at. It must feel good to be moving forward on a well thought out path towards a solution.
John
Yes, it does feel good to finally have a plan. Too bad my doctor couldn't have listened to me better and been as proactive as Dr. Gross - thank goodness for him.
Windie1,
I am so glad that you talked to Dr Gross , I was there last week and what a thrill to meet a Doctor that talks to you and is there for you. I am happy that you have a plan and I hope it will fix you. My results are not quite the same, my problem is the abductor tendon, the MRI showed fluid which is the inflammation in the hip and I did receive a shot from Dr Gross. Stretch and strengthening the tendon is my goal that might help, if not it did not sound like a plan B was available.
Take care,
Stano
Hi Stano,
Glad your visit went well. Did Dr. Gross suggest what happened to the tendon? You said there isn't a plan B - does that mean that if the strengthening and stretching program doesn't work, you'll have to rely on shots for relief? Let's hope the exercises work! Hang in there.
Windie
Windie1,
Thank you for the support, it does not look good from where I sit. The shot has done nothing to this point so I do not know if it will kick in or not, the plan B would be enhanced blood plasma not sure of the official name PRP I think. I will start a new workout routine and see where it goes. Hope all is going well for you take care.
stano
Great discussion; thanks for sharing. Any news from you two? FYI; I'm looking for a groin pain solution also, 4 years post BHR.
Stano and Windie,
Can you update us on your progress? I hope you are both finding relief.
I have my first resurfacing with Dr. Gross in January, and have yet to hear anything but the best about him.
-Andy
Hello Hippies,
It has been five weeks since my PRP injection no relief yet. I was hoping by this time I could share some good news.
I will keep you posted with any changes.
Take care, Stano
I went to see Dr. Gross the end of November and, after a very thorough exam, he doesn't yet know what's causing my pain. I left him my MRI which he was going to discuss with a radiologist then get back to me. I'm still waiting to hear back from him...
Windie
I'd drop him a line, Windie. No reason not to.
Windie,
Im up north, net bad to communicate , I will be home next week, will be in touch. take care
stano
Windie,
How are you doing? I will be home thursday maybe I will have some good news, take care
stano
Hi Stano,
I don't know what happened over last weekend but, starting this past Monday, my hip has been feeling remarkably better. I can finally put my weight on it without the awful pain I had been experiencing. I finally heard back from Dr. Gross and he is still suggesting the psoas tendon injection. I told them that I am going to postpone the injection to see if the hip continues to get better but that I will be on board if things go south again... Enough about me, how are you? Have you noticed any change since the PRP injection? You mentioned that you might have some good news today...
Hope everyone has a merry Christmas!
Windie
Excellent news, windie. Keep it up and build on that. I'd keep the injection in my back pocket, but see how this goes.
Windie,
Merry Christmas, hope all is well, I am in the same boat, no change after six weeks. I will start the new year with another exercise program and hope there is some relief. How are you feeling? What are your plans with Dr Gross? Take care,
stano
Windie, how are you?
stano
Hi Stano,
Things got better for a short time in December but then returned to pain-as-usual even though I'm back on anti-inflammatories. I've tried riding my bike but that didn't work out so well. I've been thinking about asking Dr. Gross for help in getting the psoas injection that he recommended but, I'm not really convinced that this is about the psoas and not something else. Everything I've read about the psoas says that it causes problems with lifting the leg which isn't my problem. Anyway, that's been my new year so far. What about you, did you see any relief from your treatment, any better at all?
Take Care,
Windie
Hi All,
I had my left hip done on October 25, 2011 with Dr. Marchand in RI. It has been going much better than my right one ever did, but I still get a lot of annoying pain that seems to take forever to get rid of. It always seems to be the upper thigh area as when you try to lift your leg up at 90 degrees in front. I try biking, hard walking, stretching and rest you name it I have tried it. Somedays it goes away but most of the time I have some pain, not enough to lay me up but enough to know that I never feel comfortable. I basically live with two Advils in morning and two at night. It is very discouraging but I will keep plugging away. My right knee still hurts from surgery last August, it hurts to the touch and the doctor basically says you need a replacement. I am not buying it, something else is going on.
Hi Rolls, good to know the left is better. Have you been checked for bursitis on the front area? I know that can sneak in and complicate things. Glad that you like the second more.
I just has a reply on another topic. I found some exercises on the internet for the illio tendon and I am feeling some good relief so far. I don't know why doctors and PTs don't have the knowledge to throw at you without injections and further surgery. I just hope I am on to something and that I can move without the nagging pain all the time. For being so active, the body sure is fussy sometimes.
I hope so too, that would be great news for you.