Leg Pain at Ten Weeks

[tennisgirl]

I'm starting a new thread to my recent leg pain woes.

Short recap:  Had surgery November 9th, did very well and was walking without any support at 3 1/2 weeks.  Was cleared to do phase ll exercises, which included an elliptical and stationery bicycle plus easy stretching.  I joined a gym at the first of the year and started using the elliptical, stationery bicycle and treadmill (did different machines not on the same day).  I worked out three days the first week, and then one day last week.

I started having pain in my groin, top of my leg and rear and was advised to stop using the elliptical, so I moved to the treadmill.  My pain level escalated last Sunday, and I started taking Celebrex again plus short and long acting Nucynta per Lee Webb.  The Nucynta made me extremely nauseated (and Zofran did not help) and I think made me more agitated about my leg pain.   

So the latest is I am to stop the Celebrex and Nucynta, and take another anti-inflammatory med and have strict instructions to basically not do anything except walk around the house for the next seven days.

I write this as a warning to others who may try to do too much too soon.  I thought I was ready to go with exercise, but I apparently was too aggressive, which Nancy Smith told me is what I did is not uncommon.

Mindi

[Pat Walter]

Thank You for your post.  It is easy to get carried away.  Our bodies are healing and doing fine while the mind thinks it has already healed.  Anytime you start to get pain after doing an activity or exercise early in a recovery, you should listen to your body and not push on.  Back off a bit.  2 1/2 months is still early in a recovery for most people. 

Hopefully, the rest for the hip will help to return things to normal.  Sometimes when you push too hard to quickly, it is more difficult to get things back to normal - as you experienced.

Thanks again for reminding people that we need to be patient and go easy for a few months.  We can't push our bodies to heal, they have their own timeline.

Keep in touch and let us know how things are going.

Pat

[Aerial]

Mindi-  So sorry to hear this.  I hope your "re-recover" quickly and are feeling better soon.  Take care.

[newdog]

Mindi,

Don't underestimate walking as good exercise after HR surgery. It might seem a little lame compared to running and other more aggressive forms of exercise, but for post op therapy I think it's the best. I hope you get to feeling better.

[tennisgirl]

Hey Everyone,

Just checking in since my last post...I'm at a standstill in terms of improvement.  I've been pretty much sitting around for the last few days and icing my hip.  The pain is not good, and it's frustrating that pain pills make me nauseated.  I would love to have some relief.  I've tried hydrocodone, tramadol, and nucynta with no luck...does anyone know of any pain meds that don't have that wicked side effect?  I saw my PCP the other day and she couldn't seem to offer any other meds that I wouldn't get sick from.

[Luanna]

Hi Mindi,
I did exactly the same things at 11 weeks - joined the gym - did the stationary bike, swimming aerobics, leg press, etc. Wham! I'm still not back to where I want to be but I'm moving forward again. Took me 4 weeks using baclofen (muscle relaxers hit GABA receptors in brain), neurontin, and resting. Not good at resting. I really tweaked my back - muscles very weak everywhere at core.

I also take a bit of nasal ketamine (compounded at pharmacy) when pain gets past a certain level - to knock it before it can take hold. Not needing it very often these days. Took it 3-5 times a day prior to surgery. I also get really nauseated with the meds you mentioned.

Now, I'm doing chiro, massage, and PT and will only do light stationary bike, leg press (10 wimpy lbs), walking, and PT exercises for the time being.

Luanna

[Aerial]

Mindi- I am following your story because of the awful experience I had with nausea afte surgery.  I sure hope that there is a pain alternative that does not have bad side effects.  Is there a chance you have scar tissue that needs breaking down, hence causing pain? I been more aggressive with stretching and using the foam roller since my six week appointment.  I have had several instances of actually feeling or hearing what I believe to be scar tissue break down.  While it "smarts" a little at times with stretching and the foam roller, it seems to push me a little further along in terms of ROM. Also, maybe you should ask Dr. Gross prescribe PT.  Have your headaches improved?

[hernanu]

Sorry to hear about that, Mindi - I think each one of us has pushed too far, then the body pushes back. You'll improve, your muscles are going to get stronger.

[tennisgirl]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for some feedback on this leg pain issue...I've been sitting around, trying to stay off my feet and icing alot since last Wednesday.  What I'm trying to find out is for those of you that did too much and then had leg pain, how long did it take for you to show some improvement?  I still don't feel well at all (lower than the underside of a cockroach's belly).  I tried a quarter of a pill of short acting Nucynta again today with disastrous results (nausea) so I'm convinced no more pain meds for me.

I'm going to call Dr. Gross' office tomorrow morning and check in with them to make sure it's nothing serious, and bring up the subject of PT also. I do have pain I near the scar area and had just started using a foam roller when the groin, buttock, and top of thigh pain kicked in too.  I am just feeling rather yucky and it's mentally trying being in pain constantly.  Still having headaches...no fun, but am going back to the neurologist on Tuesday.

Mindi

[Aerial]

Sometimes it might not be as related to activey level but to being active with the hip/muscles functioning properly.  It might be that you had so much compensation prior to surgery your body is really having to adjust.  I have had a sinus infection for almost 5 days now and even though I am doing very little (a couple of short walks on Friday and today) I have a soreness in my hip flexor that I haven't felt to this point.  Perhaps we both need to remember that in the scale of a year to recovery both of us are very early in the recovery phase.  I do agree that soreness is different than pain.  If it is pain then definitely it needs to be addressed.  Good luck!

[manyworries]

Hiya Mindi!

I am NO expert as I am pre-op but have suffered horrific leg, groin, lower back pain for years. Having tried everything under the sun, I finally resorted to Aleve (don't know if I am allowed to use a brand name here?) Being on morphine and all the other heavy pain meds did not kill the pain like this simple over-the-counter med!  I actually started asking friends that had extensive surgeries, veterans, bikers etc. and I kept getting this recommendation. The thing is, you have to have it in your body all the time. You can't take it like you would for a headache.  You take 2 in the am and 2 in the pm, every day.  It only took a few days for me to be able to walk again, as I was bedridden from pain.

Does your pain feel like sciatica (if you have ever experienced that?)

Feel better soon sweetie !!
Elle

Need bi-lateral... still deciding on who/when/where

[bilateralbliss]

Hi,  glad to see I`m not alone! Started swimming pool exercises yesterday as instructed, very disappointed to hurt so much today. Made me realise have a long way to go yet. Rested today, muscle pain in legs was very bad. Aiming to go again tomorrow, think I definately overdid it!
I`m now almost 7 weeks post op. Strange  to have pain behind knees which feel swollen when bending, has anyone else had this?
If it`s any help I was prescribed extra strength Ibrupofen 400mg. At least they don`t make you feel sick etc.!
Wishing you a better day!!
Suze

[mslendzion]

Bilateralbliss, I have the same issue with the knees. Weird.

[Pat Walter]

manyworries

The reason Alleve works well is because it is a NSAID.  Non steroid anti inflammatory drug.  Celebrex, Maloxicam, Alleve, Advil and even aspirin are all  in this category.  They not only help with swelling and inflammation, but are pain killers too.  The opioid pain killers just kill pain and don't help with the swelling.  So sometimes the NSAIDs work well.  Usually if you are really bad, you can be given both.  When I had bad sciatica in my back they had me taking Advil, Vicodin  and a muscle relaxer.

Tramadol is one of the least strong pain meds that works for many, but is not a real narcotic.  Acts similar to one as I understand it.  Then Vicodin is used, then percocet, then morphine.  Pretty much in that order for strong pain. These types of meds are considered narcotic medicines.  Tramadol is not a real narcotic.

As with most things, some meds work well for some people while others work better for other people.  It is very much an individual thing.

I am glad you found something to help you.  You do have to be careful using Alleve long term.  People have ended up with bleeding problems from it.  Celebrex is suppose to be the safest of the NSAIDs because it is a cox 2 inhibitor and doesn't cause as much bleeding. Everyone just needs to be careful with pain meds.

Pat