I have not been on the site for quite some while due to husband having had another operation for Cancer. We have also moved to be closer to my daughter and new grandchild....
I am now 8 months post op but have numbness in toes and down side of one leg. I am waiting to see a Neurologist as Surgeon said it was not anything to do with hip replacements. Did not have it before.
I am also now awaiting my first Knee replacement op.... but that will be dependant on whether I can honestly feel ready for this. Would like to have seen Neurologist first.
Has anyone else had numbness,, its like little bubbles going up and down leg but toes are numb.....
Thank you.
Elaine
Hi Elaine
Your surgeon speaks with forked tongue and should be shot! It is a well documented part of THR 'things that can go wrong' although only 2% are unlucky. Unlucky for those 2% though. I had my THR on left leg last June and was one of those who had severe damage to the nerves. Specifically the popliteal nerves that run down the leg to the toes from the knee. It was not nice! Here I am almost a year later, and still struggling to walk correctly without limp or lurch, all down to the fact that everything slowly came back down to a point literally, and the right ankle and toes are still singing a different tune which affects my balance.
Having said that, the neurologist is the first step, then a nerve conduction test and do insist on this, this procedure is uncomfortable, but it will present the Neuro man with a computerised picture of what nerves are affected. Then you can find out prognosis.
I can assure you my original test some six weeks after the operation revealed a flat line rather like a heart picture, so i deduced the nerve was dead! However, nerves do grow again (clever little b-gg-rs) although one month represents one inch and it has to travel from the base of your spine all the way down to the ankle and yes, just when you think you have deducted how long, the surgeon whips the tape around the ankle once and adds those inches on.............. so two years before it either has come back to full recovery, or part recovery or never going to work again. I could not walk when i left the hospital. I can now and have done for six months - the intervening earlier months were physio, physio, physio and I still look back with sheer horror at what i went through but if you want to walk that is the price. You appear to have a mild form, so take heart there is more recovery to come even now.
Hope this helps, regards Dorothy
Hi Elaine, congratulations on the new grandchild, best of everything to your husband. I had my RTHR 33 days ago. It was the anterior approach and I have had total numbness 3 inches to the right and about 8 inches down the thigh. If I stand for a length of time I get numbness down the front of my thigh. I believe THAT is due to scar tissue but the other is 100% due to surgery!!! I also have a leg length difference. THR made my leg 1.5 inches or 38mm longer than the other. As a result I have a serious limp and will need a built up shoe. My back is killing me because of it.
I too, need a knee replacement in the other leg. Like you, I have reservations because of the after effects of THR.
Take care and fight on. Giving up isn't an option! Keep us posted and know you're not alone {♡}
Marie
Dear Elaine & Dorothy
I am so sorry that you are experiencing such problems,and it makes mine pale in insignificance. Elaine Dorothy was quite correct that your surgeon should not have fobbed you off with those lies, it totally is one of the very rare things that can happen after hip surgery and in your case has so don't take this lying down go back to your surgeon and insist that he does further tests such as Dorothy mentioned and I hope it can be sorted out in some way. With regard to you both needing a knee replacement I would wait a good while until you have got over the hip replacement. I have had both knees replaced and it is nothing like hip surgery, in fact it is a walk in the park compared to it and you should both benefit grately from this. Please let us know how you progress as this is a wonderful site where you learn so much and can ask questions that you maybe would not want to of your surgeon. Take care both of you. Brenda.
Dorthy you are a fighter and I am so proud of your progress and successful recovery. So many things can go wrong we never really know until we get there.
God bless.
marie you have a great attitude. Numbness is always concerning. I hab it for weeks to my run down my leg to my foot. I finally was able to shake it with time the swelling resolved the numbness and tickling sort of pain at the same time. Things like that are upsetting and I hope you get better with time.
i am grateful for hip replacement . I have Ben thru two and one revision. Things don't always go as expected in my case I had a recall on my second hip done in 2011 & revisions with complications Jan 2017.
I have improved quality of life of life I know it's never a easy decision but it better than the alternatives. Mobility and no pain has been worth it for me.
Best st wishes and hope ur thru this and on to a better quality of life soon.
I agree with the others - this sounds like berve damage due to the hip replacement: although, to be fair, it can also arise (and commonly does) from the back and the spine, and it is just as possible that it isn't directly related to the surgery itself. Whatever, it is what it is. There are certainly treatments available. I have similar problems which are from arthritis in the spine. I get tablets, a mild form of anti-depressant actually, which addresses neuropathic pain like this. It can take a bit of working through to get the right tablet and the right dose, and they don't always work for everyone (but there are other options available). So you will hopefully find a solution to this. And it will hopefully be temporary.
Sounds like you have a lot to deal with right now, so best wishes to you and hoping that your husband has a successful outcome so that you both have many years yet to enjoy the new grandchild.
hi elaine im 8 months post op thr right hip and 6 and half months thr left leg like you i have numbness down the outside of my right leg and pins and needles on the inside of the same leg i cant weight bear on that leg either and am still having to use a crutch to walk as without one i look like a penquin when i walk i also have some pain around the hip and find im extremely tired all the time im waiting to see my surgeon keep us updated on what the neurologist says xx
Like you the pain has not gone away.... but because I need knee replacements they put this down to bad posture.. I see the Neurologist in July... and will not have my surgery before this as cannot go through another lot of physio that really does not listen to the person.
dear elaine,
I am so sorry, darling - that is a difficult situation ...
You are right, see what the Neurologist finds and then you know more -
It could be bad posture of course ... but don't blame yourself for it - your body has been dealing and still is dealing with a lot of re-adjusting -
I just don't like your comment about Physio - They can be so intimidating and sometimes treat you like you are an idiot and doesn't know your body ... I had one like that and know how that makes you feel -
is there anyway you can change physical therapists? I did and it makes a big difference - you don't need this kind of stress ..-
It is not a One Size Fits All approach but needs to be personal -
Lots of strength and faith -
Big warm hug and let us know how you are getting on
renee
Renee,
I agree with your reply about physios. In my experience over the years and recent revision I had the opportunity to work with several different physios during my convalescent stay for 25 days and every day I did therapy twice a day and was walkin thrunthe building when pain pills were given no matter what time of day or night. There were 4 different therapists. Some were so disrespectful others we so kind and caring. I never pushed myself like some therapist our performance / advancements almost becomes a competition with the other physios in the system in my case we were in the same physio recovery area. As you say some are to aggressive and way to young to even understand the huge difficulty we are challenged from with age, surgery etc.