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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2013
    Posts
    1

    Hard case (No joy after hip replacement)

    I'll keep my long sob story short. I'm 68 years old and have always been active. Five years ago this past January, I slipped and fell on ice at S. Lake Tahoe -- in the evening après-ski -- and shattered my right hip socket. I was taken to Reno where I underwent open-reduction/internal-fixation surgery to repair the damage. I was off my feet for the next 12 weeks and didn't experience any pain during this time. Pain first came on when I resumed weight-bearing and walking at the beginning of April '08 and hasn't quit since. I received a diagnosis of "high-grade cartilage loss" in the "lateral aspect" of my hip socket last winter and underwent total hip replacement at UCSF last August. My pain slowly backed off for a while but it has ramped up again to the point that I can't bear to be on my feet for more than 5-10 minutes at a time. This is not the way I thought things would go THR post-op, but then there are not many hip-replacement patients who've gotten things rolling by busting their acetabulums.

    So far we haven't been able to figure this out. A three-way (three-dimensional) bone scan failed to reveal anything; ditto for a "metal-suppression" MRI. The next step, Tuesday, is a diagnostic injection of a fast-acting anesthetic directly into my hip socket. If this resolves the pain, at least we'll know that it's coming from there. I guess that would be the good news. I don't want to think about what the bad news could be.

    I'm sharing my abbreviated story in hopes that maybe there's somebody out there who's been in my situation, or knows somebody who has, or who has treated somebody who has and who might shed some light on what I've been experiencing. (And I've substantially abbreviated my story; I went through a lot of intermediate steps before I finally got a diagnosis of osteoarthritis and underwent THR in 2012, including many physical therapy sessions, a hip arthroscopy, multiple cortisone shots and epidural injections and back surgery.)

    So anybody? Anybody?

    UPDATE: The injection totally relieved the pain -- immediately. This confirmed that the pain is coming from the socket. The orthopedist ordered more x-rays and now thinks that the metal socket may be loose and subject to "micro movements." He thinks that bone failed to grow into it the way it was supposed to. So it looks like revision surgery to replace the socket is in order. The doctor said he would replace it with one made of "more porous" metal to better promote bone growth this time. And he may clip off one of the pins that were originally screwed into my shattered acetabulum more than five years ago to hold it together while it healed. Of course, I have no idea if this will work. But as long as it won't leave me worse off than I am now, it's worth a shot because the alternative -- being in pain for the rest of my life -- is unacceptable.
    Last edited by Aptos Gimp; 07-08-2013 at 11:30 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    69
    bit out there this one but any possibility you could have an inguinal hernia of sorts? I only pose this as i know my inguinal hernia(s) have at times caused significant hip pain that felt like it was deep in the joint.

    If its OK first thing then gets worse with standing/walking then its a possibility, maybe.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    alpha centauri
    Posts
    686
    Unfortunately I know a lot about hip pain. In my case the problem was/is persistent muscle spasms in my hip due to some nerve damage to the glut max. It's slowly getting better, but the doctors were never any help in either diagnosing or treating the pain.

    I'm not saying that this is your problem, but I thought I'd share my experience on the off chance that it could help you. My muscle spasm pain is a constant ache that will fluctuate in intensity but never go to zero. Worse with sitting or prolonged standing. Often bad at night although I think I'm particularly sensitive to it now after almost 5 years. Stretching and massage of the damaged muscle (glut max) help but it took a long time to get to this point...there were many adhesions that had to be released before I could get a good stretch. There is always a slow ramp up then a slow ramp down of the pain. It never comes on suddenly and never diminishes suddenly. In the early days it would stay at a very high level for maybe 5 days in a row, then diminish for a day or two and then come back. In the early days it was really maddening as there was nothing I could do to find relief when it was bad. Now at least I have stretching and acupuncture.

    As far as diagnosing persistent muscle spams...it's a very difficult thing to do in the hip because the muscles are so deep. Before stretching became effective I could some get relief with powerful muscle relaxants. Eventually I switched to a natural muscle relaxant that worked even better than prescription but with no side effects (Floradix liquid Ca-Mg). I guess my best advice is that if my pain description sounds familiar then try the Floradix for a week and see if you notice any difference.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    SW Colorado
    Posts
    67
    i was going to suggest the epidural, glad it worked. i just had another one last friday and am functioning again. my cousin had his hip smashed in a motorcycle wreck. they had to reconstruct the hip using bone from elsewhere in his body. he's doing great now. hang on... j

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    2
    I had a "Birmingham Resurfacing" done at the Rothman Institute in Phila. Talk about pain! I thought my skiing, biking days were over. I ballooned up to 252LBS. Through desperate research and talking to EVERYBODY I was directed to a woman who's brother is a physician. At the center of it all I found a group of physicians and scientists that invented a supplement that put me back on track. I can now ski, run, tennis etc WITH NO PAIN WHATSOEVER and I am 63 years old.
    If you want more info I'll put you in touch with one of the doctors.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    33,440
    A two post jong in a multilevel marketing arrangement based in SLC preying on injured maggots?

    http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/...-to-buy-water/

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    The Mayonnaisium
    Posts
    10,467
    Whose only other post also promotes his magic water. Presumably to go along with his wife's magic panties.

    This thread is old but I'm wondering why the screws from the original surgery were left in.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    SW Colorado
    Posts
    67
    i misunderstood that the injection was to the hip. i had one to my hip and it just hurt like hell, didn't help although my hip was worn out and painful. i get shots in my spine that helps a lot. i am now wondering if my new hip may be off a couple of degrees as i felt like i would trip over my left ski my first run, then a few days later i caught an edge and high sided, slamming downhill onto my new hip and face. a bell ringer but nothing was seriously messed up. reminded me of my snow boarding days. glad to get that out of the way. j

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