RE: What a pleasant surprise.... Plus--did/does anyone else still have pain at 3+months?

[Guest guest]

Dear Tom,

Thankyou so much for your e-mail and for all the most welcome detail you

shared with us---complete with the wonderful description of the snow

that took me well away from stories of hip pain. It made me realize

that if we're not careful, our hip pain can stop us noticing and

experiencing all the wonderful things going on in the world around us.

Like you, at 13 weeks, I am still having a lot of aches and pain, in

fact at present, it feels like more pain that I had at 7 or 8 weeks,

although I could be mis-remembering. The pain can be in my groin, pain

shooting down to my ankle, a tightness under my wound in spite of lots

of wound massage, and a 'clunking' feeling in the hip when I am tired.

I've started back to work (4 days a week, going in late, coming home

early) which involves an hour drive each way. This does not hurt my leg

at all. But does my operated leg on the gas pedal for an hour without

moving much make me feel more pain afterwards???? Then at work, I have

to sit for up to an hour at one time before I can move, but I can put my

leg up and wiggle it, etc. And even get up if I have to, although

absorbed in my work, I tend not to notice my leg. But yesterday, as I

walked out to my car, I had tightness in my wound area, pain for the

first time in my good hip and an achy back. Guess I am tensing up more

than I think at work. People keep saying 'you must be doing too much',

but it feels like I am doing almost nothing. How does one know? I do

know I am getting very tired of being in pain, and this is more and

different pain than I had pre-op.

And, like you, x-rays show all is well. Fascinating (and reassuring)

description of your 'live time' x-ray.

Am curious if others out there are still having pains or aches at this

stage? Or if much further on, had pains at this stage that then did/did

not get better? I am usually optimistic, but am feeling more

pessimistic today.

As I posted before, I swim---am curious what water exercises you were

given, by the way---have started back to my osteopath and my

Technique teacher. My osteopath thinks it is all related to the trauma

of the op and the total body needs to readjust. But nothing he is doing

so far is having any fast results. Do '' tomorrow---which

again is holistic---stretches out the body and usually is quite

relieving. Haven't been for 3 weeks, because couldn't get there, but

now can drive myself. That at least is good.

Frustrating. Do keep us posted about any changes in your condition, new

insights, ideas. Sharing is certainly useful.

Eleanor

What a pleasant surprise....

....I woke up and checked my E-mail this morning and was pleasantly

surprised

by all the people who sent me their thoughts. I really appreciate it. So

I'll

bring all of you up to date.

At six weeks, when I went to one crutch, the pain in my hip started

again. Dr Mont sent me a prescription for more aggressive therapy on my

abductor

muscles. I did that to no avail. I finally realized that I needed to go

back to

Baltimore to see him in person. I feared the worst, that the prosthetic

was

coming loose and I'd need another surgery, which I would have to pay for

myself

being B/Cross wouldn't pay again so soon after my first surgery. The

good

news was Dr Mont said the surgery was a total success and the prosthetic

looks

perfect. So the pain must be coming from soft tissue. He had me talk to

his

specialist who would try to figure out which muscles were causing the

pain.

He narrowed it down to 2 muscles on the side of my hip, the gluteus

minimus and medius. I did 2 days of therapy while there and they sent me

home with

an electronic muscle stimulator. Twice a day I hook it up to the side of

my

hip while I do a particular movement that helps strengthen the 2

muscles. I

also was given a list of particular water exercises that I do 3 times a

week in a

warm pool.

Dr Mont called after 2 weeks to see how I was doing, he's very

concerned, and I said let's give it another week. So we had a conference

call with Dr

Mont, the specialist and me a week later. I said I felt a slight

improvement

and hoped it continued. They said that's good for 3 weeks of work and to

continue. Later that week I realized the improvement I felt had brought

the muscles

back to pre-operative shape but I still have the same pain when I stand

or

walk. So I went through the surgery and recovery to get me right back

where I

started.

Now I need to figure which type of doctor to go to next. It could

be my

back, although I've never felt pain in my back. There are 3 types of

back

surgeons alone, not to mention other types of back doctors. I'll bring

this up

with Dr Mont the next time I talk to him. So I'm stumped at this point.

I've

visited the totally hip website just to see if anybody there has this

problem

since no one on this site has such a problem. I found a few posts on

that site by

people who continue to have post-operative pain, also ones whose surgery

didn't help reduce pain either. They're as upset and confused as I am.

One thing that was interesting while I was with Dr Mont was the

pod-like

apparatus in the examination room where I was to have my hip joint

aspirated.

You lay under it and look up onto the screen and see the xray view of

you hip

in real time. So as I moved my leg I could see the metal piece and all

the

bones moving. When he put the needle in to drain it, which wasn't

painful, I

could see it sticking into the joint. It was really interesting. The

liquid he

pulled out was clear, as he suspected.

Also my wife and I got to see a beautiful winter storm while back

in

Baltimore. It was like someone took one of those globes filled with

water and

snow and turned it upside down. Everything was white. We grew up near

Cleveland

so we enjoy snow when we can see it. Of course it shut down Baltimore

for 2

days so the people there didn't enjoy it as much as us!

I also had a nice long chat with Moulton in Baltimore. She

lives

there and has a BHR from Dr DeSmet. We would have gotten together if it

weren't

for the weather. My wife said she never heard me talk to someone on the

phone

for so long. enjoys talking!

So that's where I stand, in pain! Thanks again to everyone who

emailed

me. It was greatly appreciated.

Tom in San Francisco

[Guest guest]

Dear Tom,

Thankyou so much for your e-mail and for all the most welcome detail you

shared with us---complete with the wonderful description of the snow

that took me well away from stories of hip pain. It made me realize

that if we're not careful, our hip pain can stop us noticing and

experiencing all the wonderful things going on in the world around us.

Like you, at 13 weeks, I am still having a lot of aches and pain, in

fact at present, it feels like more pain that I had at 7 or 8 weeks,

although I could be mis-remembering. The pain can be in my groin, pain

shooting down to my ankle, a tightness under my wound in spite of lots

of wound massage, and a 'clunking' feeling in the hip when I am tired.

I've started back to work (4 days a week, going in late, coming home

early) which involves an hour drive each way. This does not hurt my leg

at all. But does my operated leg on the gas pedal for an hour without

moving much make me feel more pain afterwards???? Then at work, I have

to sit for up to an hour at one time before I can move, but I can put my

leg up and wiggle it, etc. And even get up if I have to, although

absorbed in my work, I tend not to notice my leg. But yesterday, as I

walked out to my car, I had tightness in my wound area, pain for the

first time in my good hip and an achy back. Guess I am tensing up more

than I think at work. People keep saying 'you must be doing too much',

but it feels like I am doing almost nothing. How does one know? I do

know I am getting very tired of being in pain, and this is more and

different pain than I had pre-op.

And, like you, x-rays show all is well. Fascinating (and reassuring)

description of your 'live time' x-ray.

Am curious if others out there are still having pains or aches at this

stage? Or if much further on, had pains at this stage that then did/did

not get better? I am usually optimistic, but am feeling more

pessimistic today.

As I posted before, I swim---am curious what water exercises you were

given, by the way---have started back to my osteopath and my

Technique teacher. My osteopath thinks it is all related to the trauma

of the op and the total body needs to readjust. But nothing he is doing

so far is having any fast results. Do '' tomorrow---which

again is holistic---stretches out the body and usually is quite

relieving. Haven't been for 3 weeks, because couldn't get there, but

now can drive myself. That at least is good.

Frustrating. Do keep us posted about any changes in your condition, new

insights, ideas. Sharing is certainly useful.

Eleanor

What a pleasant surprise....

....I woke up and checked my E-mail this morning and was pleasantly

surprised

by all the people who sent me their thoughts. I really appreciate it. So

I'll

bring all of you up to date.

At six weeks, when I went to one crutch, the pain in my hip started

again. Dr Mont sent me a prescription for more aggressive therapy on my

abductor

muscles. I did that to no avail. I finally realized that I needed to go

back to

Baltimore to see him in person. I feared the worst, that the prosthetic

was

coming loose and I'd need another surgery, which I would have to pay for

myself

being B/Cross wouldn't pay again so soon after my first surgery. The

good

news was Dr Mont said the surgery was a total success and the prosthetic

looks

perfect. So the pain must be coming from soft tissue. He had me talk to

his

specialist who would try to figure out which muscles were causing the

pain.

He narrowed it down to 2 muscles on the side of my hip, the gluteus

minimus and medius. I did 2 days of therapy while there and they sent me

home with

an electronic muscle stimulator. Twice a day I hook it up to the side of

my

hip while I do a particular movement that helps strengthen the 2

muscles. I

also was given a list of particular water exercises that I do 3 times a

week in a

warm pool.

Dr Mont called after 2 weeks to see how I was doing, he's very

concerned, and I said let's give it another week. So we had a conference

call with Dr

Mont, the specialist and me a week later. I said I felt a slight

improvement

and hoped it continued. They said that's good for 3 weeks of work and to

continue. Later that week I realized the improvement I felt had brought

the muscles

back to pre-operative shape but I still have the same pain when I stand

or

walk. So I went through the surgery and recovery to get me right back

where I

started.

Now I need to figure which type of doctor to go to next. It could

be my

back, although I've never felt pain in my back. There are 3 types of

back

surgeons alone, not to mention other types of back doctors. I'll bring

this up

with Dr Mont the next time I talk to him. So I'm stumped at this point.

I've

visited the totally hip website just to see if anybody there has this

problem

since no one on this site has such a problem. I found a few posts on

that site by

people who continue to have post-operative pain, also ones whose surgery

didn't help reduce pain either. They're as upset and confused as I am.

One thing that was interesting while I was with Dr Mont was the

pod-like

apparatus in the examination room where I was to have my hip joint

aspirated.

You lay under it and look up onto the screen and see the xray view of

you hip

in real time. So as I moved my leg I could see the metal piece and all

the

bones moving. When he put the needle in to drain it, which wasn't

painful, I

could see it sticking into the joint. It was really interesting. The

liquid he

pulled out was clear, as he suspected.

Also my wife and I got to see a beautiful winter storm while back

in

Baltimore. It was like someone took one of those globes filled with

water and

snow and turned it upside down. Everything was white. We grew up near

Cleveland

so we enjoy snow when we can see it. Of course it shut down Baltimore

for 2

days so the people there didn't enjoy it as much as us!

I also had a nice long chat with Moulton in Baltimore. She

lives

there and has a BHR from Dr DeSmet. We would have gotten together if it

weren't

for the weather. My wife said she never heard me talk to someone on the

phone

for so long. enjoys talking!

So that's where I stand, in pain! Thanks again to everyone who

emailed

me. It was greatly appreciated.

Tom in San Francisco

[Guest guest]

Dear Tom,

Thankyou so much for your e-mail and for all the most welcome detail you

shared with us---complete with the wonderful description of the snow

that took me well away from stories of hip pain. It made me realize

that if we're not careful, our hip pain can stop us noticing and

experiencing all the wonderful things going on in the world around us.

Like you, at 13 weeks, I am still having a lot of aches and pain, in

fact at present, it feels like more pain that I had at 7 or 8 weeks,

although I could be mis-remembering. The pain can be in my groin, pain

shooting down to my ankle, a tightness under my wound in spite of lots

of wound massage, and a 'clunking' feeling in the hip when I am tired.

I've started back to work (4 days a week, going in late, coming home

early) which involves an hour drive each way. This does not hurt my leg

at all. But does my operated leg on the gas pedal for an hour without

moving much make me feel more pain afterwards???? Then at work, I have

to sit for up to an hour at one time before I can move, but I can put my

leg up and wiggle it, etc. And even get up if I have to, although

absorbed in my work, I tend not to notice my leg. But yesterday, as I

walked out to my car, I had tightness in my wound area, pain for the

first time in my good hip and an achy back. Guess I am tensing up more

than I think at work. People keep saying 'you must be doing too much',

but it feels like I am doing almost nothing. How does one know? I do

know I am getting very tired of being in pain, and this is more and

different pain than I had pre-op.

And, like you, x-rays show all is well. Fascinating (and reassuring)

description of your 'live time' x-ray.

Am curious if others out there are still having pains or aches at this

stage? Or if much further on, had pains at this stage that then did/did

not get better? I am usually optimistic, but am feeling more

pessimistic today.

As I posted before, I swim---am curious what water exercises you were

given, by the way---have started back to my osteopath and my

Technique teacher. My osteopath thinks it is all related to the trauma

of the op and the total body needs to readjust. But nothing he is doing

so far is having any fast results. Do '' tomorrow---which

again is holistic---stretches out the body and usually is quite

relieving. Haven't been for 3 weeks, because couldn't get there, but

now can drive myself. That at least is good.

Frustrating. Do keep us posted about any changes in your condition, new

insights, ideas. Sharing is certainly useful.

Eleanor

What a pleasant surprise....

....I woke up and checked my E-mail this morning and was pleasantly

surprised

by all the people who sent me their thoughts. I really appreciate it. So

I'll

bring all of you up to date.

At six weeks, when I went to one crutch, the pain in my hip started

again. Dr Mont sent me a prescription for more aggressive therapy on my

abductor

muscles. I did that to no avail. I finally realized that I needed to go

back to

Baltimore to see him in person. I feared the worst, that the prosthetic

was

coming loose and I'd need another surgery, which I would have to pay for

myself

being B/Cross wouldn't pay again so soon after my first surgery. The

good

news was Dr Mont said the surgery was a total success and the prosthetic

looks

perfect. So the pain must be coming from soft tissue. He had me talk to

his

specialist who would try to figure out which muscles were causing the

pain.

He narrowed it down to 2 muscles on the side of my hip, the gluteus

minimus and medius. I did 2 days of therapy while there and they sent me

home with

an electronic muscle stimulator. Twice a day I hook it up to the side of

my

hip while I do a particular movement that helps strengthen the 2

muscles. I

also was given a list of particular water exercises that I do 3 times a

week in a

warm pool.

Dr Mont called after 2 weeks to see how I was doing, he's very

concerned, and I said let's give it another week. So we had a conference

call with Dr

Mont, the specialist and me a week later. I said I felt a slight

improvement

and hoped it continued. They said that's good for 3 weeks of work and to

continue. Later that week I realized the improvement I felt had brought

the muscles

back to pre-operative shape but I still have the same pain when I stand

or

walk. So I went through the surgery and recovery to get me right back

where I

started.

Now I need to figure which type of doctor to go to next. It could

be my

back, although I've never felt pain in my back. There are 3 types of

back

surgeons alone, not to mention other types of back doctors. I'll bring

this up

with Dr Mont the next time I talk to him. So I'm stumped at this point.

I've

visited the totally hip website just to see if anybody there has this

problem

since no one on this site has such a problem. I found a few posts on

that site by

people who continue to have post-operative pain, also ones whose surgery

didn't help reduce pain either. They're as upset and confused as I am.

One thing that was interesting while I was with Dr Mont was the

pod-like

apparatus in the examination room where I was to have my hip joint

aspirated.

You lay under it and look up onto the screen and see the xray view of

you hip

in real time. So as I moved my leg I could see the metal piece and all

the

bones moving. When he put the needle in to drain it, which wasn't

painful, I

could see it sticking into the joint. It was really interesting. The

liquid he

pulled out was clear, as he suspected.

Also my wife and I got to see a beautiful winter storm while back

in

Baltimore. It was like someone took one of those globes filled with

water and

snow and turned it upside down. Everything was white. We grew up near

Cleveland

so we enjoy snow when we can see it. Of course it shut down Baltimore

for 2

days so the people there didn't enjoy it as much as us!

I also had a nice long chat with Moulton in Baltimore. She

lives

there and has a BHR from Dr DeSmet. We would have gotten together if it

weren't

for the weather. My wife said she never heard me talk to someone on the

phone

for so long. enjoys talking!

So that's where I stand, in pain! Thanks again to everyone who

emailed

me. It was greatly appreciated.

Tom in San Francisco

[Guest guest]

Dear Edith,

Thanks so much for this. It is good to hear from someone who has gone

through the same thing and is so much further down the line. I have

just written a longish e-mail to Sunita/Lari, which echoes some of the

things you say. Encouraging. My osteopath also says massage. (I

may have got my op on the NHS, but all these alternative therapies do

add up---but shouldn't grumble)

Eleanor

Re: What a pleasant surprise.... Plus--did/does

anyone else still have pain at 3+months?

Hi Eleanor,

Sorry to hear that you are feeling a bit pessimistic today............

those

times seem to come and go............

It is interesting that you mention later and different pain post

op.............. I often have to smile wryly when people say to me that

it

must be great that I am no longer in pain since I had my hip

replaced............ They look somewhat startled when I tell them I

think I

have had far more pain since the operation than in the years leading up

to

it............. They then look confused and say 'but you look so

well'............. and yes I do.......... as the freedom to exercise is

doing wonders for my general health............and the general joy of

the

freedom of having a hip joint often makes me shine with

pleasure...........

However the body seems to take a lot of adjusting back and in my case I

guess more than most............. I am now starting to get the back pain

under control - lower spine issues along with simple adjustment to

walking

again......... the good hip aches from time to time......... expressing

its

displeasure too........... it seems mostly muscular so I am keeping my

fingers crossed..........

I guess it all has something to do with the state we were in before, how

long we put up with that hoping a magic wand would fix it, the resultant

damage to our spines and other joints etc........... and how many

muscles

have to be rebuilt/strengthened.......... Few people rushed straight off

to

have a hip replacement the day they felt their first pain and most took

quite a few years to get to that point.......... thus have years of

miswalking/body holding etc to undo it seems.......... And even I get

frustrated by how long it seems to take.......and I have 35 years of

misuse

to sort out............smile. And you have the added extras of going

back to

work and putting the body in another set of postions for extended

times........so even more adjusting...........

May we all get there in the end though............. it sounds like you

are

doing a bit to help with chiro/ etc.......... I have found a

good

massage also helpful in soothing unhappy muscles.......... and I suspect

it

always remains an issue of being kind to oneself as much as

possible.........and simple acceptance that the body has its idea of

limitations even though we mentally feel we are not doing much..........

It

has taken me quite a long time to learn that one........smile

Edith LBHR Dr. L Walter Syd Aust 8/02

>

> Thankyou so much for your e-mail and for all the most welcome detail

you

> shared with us---complete with the wonderful description of the snow

> that took me well away from stories of hip pain. It made me realize

> that if we're not careful, our hip pain can stop us noticing and

> experiencing all the wonderful things going on in the world around us.

>

> Like you, at 13 weeks, I am still having a lot of aches and pain, in

> fact at present, it feels like more pain that I had at 7 or 8 weeks,

> although I could be mis-remembering. The pain can be in my groin,

pain

> shooting down to my ankle, a tightness under my wound in spite of lots

> of wound massage, and a 'clunking' feeling in the hip when I am tired.

> I've started back to work (4 days a week, going in late, coming home

> early) which involves an hour drive each way. This does not hurt my

leg

> at all. But does my operated leg on the gas pedal for an hour without

> moving much make me feel more pain afterwards???? Then at work, I

have

> to sit for up to an hour at one time before I can move, but I can put

my

> leg up and wiggle it, etc. And even get up if I have to, although

> absorbed in my work, I tend not to notice my leg. But yesterday, as I

> walked out to my car, I had tightness in my wound area, pain for the

> first time in my good hip and an achy back. Guess I am tensing up

more

> than I think at work. People keep saying 'you must be doing too

much',

> but it feels like I am doing almost nothing. How does one know? I

do

> know I am getting very tired of being in pain, and this is more and

> different pain than I had pre-op.

>

> And, like you, x-rays show all is well. Fascinating (and reassuring)

> description of your 'live time' x-ray.

>

> Am curious if others out there are still having pains or aches at this

> stage? Or if much further on, had pains at this stage that then

did/did

> not get better? I am usually optimistic, but am feeling more

> pessimistic today.

>

> As I posted before, I swim---am curious what water exercises you were

> given, by the way---have started back to my osteopath and my

> Technique teacher. My osteopath thinks it is all related to the

trauma

> of the op and the total body needs to readjust. But nothing he is

doing

> so far is having any fast results. Do '' tomorrow---which

> again is holistic---stretches out the body and usually is quite

> relieving. Haven't been for 3 weeks, because couldn't get there, but

> now can drive myself. That at least is good.

>

> Frustrating. Do keep us posted about any changes in your condition,

new

> insights, ideas. Sharing is certainly useful.

>

> Eleanor

>