other hip hurts

[ginnie]

Has anyone known that they had 2 bad hips ,, and went and got the worst one resurfaced only to note after a couple months recovery that your new hip feels great now but the hip you thought you could put of getting resurfaced hurts worse then you ever knew or felt ??  I feel like someone that has gotten new carpet in my house only to see how bad it makes the walls look ?? Feeling a little depressed about it now ,, my "good" (or non surgical) hip is really causing me alot of pain.

[Pat Walter]

Hi

Your unoperated hip really takes a beating after surgery and during recovery because it is almost doing the work of 2 hips.  Mine really got much worse those few months after surgery.  I was sure I should have gotten them both done, but my doctor said my other hip was not ready to be done.

It takes a lot of time for the new hip to heal and start carring it's complete load.  Meanwhile the other hip is doing so much extra work and your body is not in balance yet.

I ended up with more bursitus in my unoperated hip and had to get a shot to get it settled down.  I would just give yourself time.

How many months post op are you?

Pat

[ginnie]

2 months yesterday. My surgeon told me  I would need the other one done, I can see in the x-rays that there is still some cusion left, but I suffer from dysplasia and I can see the ball touching the bone of the cup on either side. It feels like I have excellerated the degeneration by having to realy on it so heavily, I used to sleep on that side but now it is to painful to do so. I will try to rest it a little more and see if that helps. What kind of shot did you recieve .. cortizone ? Also is it safe to go back to taking normal suppliments, ie. vitamins, and glucosamine after 2 months post op ? thanks

[wallypedal]

I don't want to hijack this thread, and I'll try to stay on topic. Prior to LBHR on 3/14, I felt a couple strange short-lived 'twinges' in my right quad. I even recall feeling one or two during the first couple days post-op. So I didn't think the right side was bad, and the x-ray showed nice even cushion. Post-op went well, and then about mid-July I started getting stiffness and some pain in the right side. Also a little lower back pain, which I'd never experienced before. Even a little strange soreness near the left hip and down the leg.

Three weeks ago I went to walk 9 holes of golf (which I'd done several times before) and the last couple holes were tough, with pain very similar to my first hip. Then I had to go overseas for two weeks and that trip included a lot of walking as we were spectating at the Paralympics. I was miserable the first couple days. THEN I got to remembering some of my previous health experiences, which included several of the statins for cholesterol. I quit them once due to - guess what? - muscle pain.  So I just flat quit taking the ones I've been on this time for over a year. No huge immediate improvement, but some. Now it seems to be getting better and better.

Moral of this novel: some very similar muscle pain like we have with truly bad hips can happen to some people who take statins. I'm seeing my statin prescribing doc next week to see what he thinks we do next. I will report back.
Tom

[ginnie]

Thanks Tom,, thats good to know,, but Im not taking any meds other then my advil and occassional painkiller before I try to sleep at night,, trying not to take anything during the day although the occassional advil is needed. I know this last week I have pushed it a little to much.. I rested last night and that helped. I came back to work after 7 weeks post op but I am on a college campus so everything is a hike. I also went back to teaching water aerobics last week,, I think that might have been a little to soon. I will take Pats advice and rest a little more and remember when Im standing to try to put more weight on the new joint and see how I feel in another month or two. BTW , ,this site has been a life saver .. thanks Pat !!

[Pat Walter]

Hi Ginnie

You are really a busy person.  You are giving that new hip a real workout. 

I would think the water aerobics would help, but I found out if I did too much water walking and exercises in the pool - both my hips would complain.  That was at about 6 weeks post op.  So I backed off a little.

I am sure you will continue to improve. Just give yourself a little time.  It takes a year to get completely healed.  Usually at six months you should be doing pretty well so you have a ways to go yet.

Good Luck.

Pat