Re: Unexpected pain

[Guest guest]

Hi Mike,

That comment, quoting de Smet, about weather changes as a trigger for

sudden pain was interesting. I had a right BHR on THR stem (for a

femorl neck fracture) on 27 August 03. From day 1 post-op, when the

epidural finished, I had absolutely no pain in the hip and no pain

whatever in the 22-cm scar. Not a twinge, although I briefly did have

some squeaking on certain movements for a few days at 3 1/2 months.

So it was a *big* surprise on Friday when I had sudden burning pain,

localised in my scar, on plopping into my seat on the bus. It was a

dreadfully hot and humid day, and I had made a sideways motion across

the seat to the window side as I plopped down onto the seat. The

moderate pain lasted only 3-4 minutes before disappearing. I then

stood up to see if there was any other symptom, but there wasn't.

When I reached my destination, I walked down the hill as per normal.

I've subsequently been out on hot days walking, have also lifted hand

weights, and have felt great. My belief is that the sideways

movement pulled on the scar tissue (not as flexible as other tissue)

and the heat contributed. It has not recurred.

Anyway, that very few minutes of pain was the *only* pain anywhere

near the operation site since my surgery 4 1/2 months ago. I did

have some minor ache in my left knee (other leg) at 6 weeks - this

was after I started being more erect when walking and had discarded

the crutch. Obviously I was asking the knee to do things it hadn't

been asked to do and it needed to be built up! (That left knee, which

had had a total knee replacement in April 03, hadn't given me a

twinge from when it was done till then. Love my new knee!) So I

resumed doing physio exercises on it, as well as on my right side,

and it is as good as gold again.

Both knees are coping beautifully with the fact that I'm walking even

straighter now. The artificial knee has a greater range of movement

(ROM), a whole 120 degrees, but the other knee, which is my own but

which has faced major surgery twice, including in August, is

consistently better in other ways.

Cheers,

Virginia (left BHR on THR stem, 27/08/03, Brisbane Australia)

> Hi All

> I was resurfaced by De Smet 7 months ago, and progressed normally

> until August, when I started experiencing quite a bit of pain – not

> the muscular type, but more from weight bearing and usage. This

went

> after a couple of weeks but returned just before Christmas. I

> naturally started thinking in terms of the possibility of

infection,

> so I arranged for X rays and a blood test at the local hospital. In

> fact, with the recent talk of records, I was X rayed at 10.30.a.m.

> and was given the X rays on a CD free of charge, got home half an

> hour later, then I Emailed them to Koen De Smet, who replied later

> in the afternoon with the reassuring news that everything looked

> perfect with no sign of infection, but said that for the first year

> to year and a half, quite a bit of pain can occur, and just to take

> non steroidal pain killers. He said this can be caused by a change

> of activity or even the weather. Has anyone else experienced

> anything similar?

> Mike B. RBHR 17.06.03