Pain before and after surgery

[PaulUK]

I'm booked in for a right hip resurfacing in a London UK hospital on 30th March. I have a question about pain that I can't find anything about on this otherwise wonderful site.

I have bone-on-bone arthritis only in the right hip, but I feel a lot of pain all down my leg. Sometimes at night it feels like someone has smashed my hip, knee and ankle joints with a hammer. Now even my good hip is getting aches! I'm beginning to lose faith that the hip resurfacing will fix all these pains.

Has anyone else any experience of whether these are 'referred' pains that will go when the hip is fixed, or does walking with a bad limp throw out your other joints and muscles and they take time to recover after the op? Any suggestions gratefully received.

[resurface]

Paul

Hello.  I am having similar "refrerred" pain that comes and goes.  Many on this site have told me that their "referred" pain goes away following surgery or sometime thereafter.  As an example, I have had no knee pain for weeks nor pain in the soft tissues between my tibia and fibula.  No patella tendon pain.  Again, I am hopeful since "comes and goes" I am hopeful that surgery will stop this.  I am scheduled for May 6 so I can't yet speak to the post-operative aspect.

I am sure others will.  A speedy recovery to you...

[saa115]

I had years of this referred pain (10 years of arthritic pain before my resurfacing on March 3rd of this year).  I'm 36, actually 37 now.  I can only speak for my situation, but ALL of the arthritic pain is gone.  I have stiffness in the leg muscles that I'm told with improve with time and PT, once I'm approved for outpatient PT with no range of motion restrictions after week5.  The throbbing in the ankle, thigh, shin, etc., is all gone.  Now, I had bone on bone as well as a significant amount of bone-like growth around the joint.  Dr. Mont removed the bone growth as well as installed a Stryker Cormet HR.  How much of my pain was related to the bone growth and how much was related to the bone on bone, i don't know.  However, all of the aches and pains that I had related to the joint prior to surgery is gone.

[Tekka]

Paul,

I am 14 months post LBHR, it is a weird feeling when you come round from the operation mate, obviously it is major surgery and you have drugs inside you that effect what your feeling. But....you will sense a difference !! no more bone on bone pain, it has gone.

I can honestly say it has changed my life, 90% of the time I forget a have a re-surfaced hip...you just need to watch the re-hab and take your time.

Good luck and see you on the other side.

Terry

[PaulUK]

Many thanks for your replies and support. It gives me confidence that I will be free of these pains after the op, even if I get a new set of pains for a while!

Looks like I will have to wait a bit longer to find out for myself, as the NHS has cancelled my op scheduled for 30th March because of an emergency case. Hopefully some time in April ...

[SFHip]

Paul,

I had similar issues with my knee until I got on a stationary bike to try to strengthen the leg overall. This really helped, but I still had the referral pain occasionally. I just got out of the hospital yesterday from my procedure and I can tell you that the other issues should subside. I also hopped back on the bike today for a test run and it felt great. Keep in mind that they also give you some pretty high-quality pain meds in the hospital. I'd never taken these before and now I get why people can get addicted to them. When I found myself thinking how absolutely wonderful everything was in my dreary hospital room - without having any particular reason or cause - I realized I need to back off on the meds!

Good luck on Tuesday! You will do great!

[Margie]

Paul,
I also had pain that went down my leg. It always felt any where from a toothache sort of pain to a burning pain making it very hard to sleep at times. I had been told I had Bursitis in my right leg for 4 years before it became so bad that I could no longer put on socks or tie shoes. After shots for the bursitis over the years my orthopedic doctor became concerned and did x-rays. I was at that point bone on bone with bone spurs.

I am now 10 days post-op and the pain down my leg was still there the same for the first few days. In the last days it has become better and better. I spent a lot of time doing foot flexing and that really helped a lot.

Good luck with your pending surgery. You will not regret it!

Margie

[PaulC UK]

Paul,

Fellow hippy from Uk, Lh operated on late 2008, (BHR) for me one of the weirdest things post Op was the lack of pain, having been in pain for some 14 years both hip and referred knee, particulalry at night. A remarkable transformation awaits, a patient recovery is key to success, don't push to hard, NHS offers no physio. But this worked for me. Just walking as and when, able to hand crutches back after 6 weeks having not used tham after 4 weeks.  Can now do all that I want to, refereeing Rugby, Tennis etc, Just got through 2 year check- next is 5 years!

Good Luck Paul C

[doris]

I also had referred pain - it was so bad the last 4-5 months - I could barely walk even with the assistance with a cane.  I will be 4 weeks post-op on Monday and from the minute I woke up after my surgery - I have felt no pain.  I had not expected this much relief - it's like a miracle!  Good luck with your surgery!