Hi everyone, i am now 8 weeks post THR and up until now everything has been great, could feel my progress improving each day, but now,in the last couple of days all of a sudden i am getting that horrid groin pain again as well as my new hip area feeling very sore, i am walking indoors without a stick, but need one when out and about, i am driving again ( surgeons permission ), also lying on my sides again at night although the new hip side does feel slightly sore, so its usually only 10 mins at a time, so was wondering what i have done thats started this up again, any suggestions ?
Hi, rather than worry what you might or might not have done why not speak to your GP? He is the expert, those of us on here can only tell you what has or has not happened to us but can't tell you what you should or should not do now.
I really hope that your situation soon improves, keep in touch and let us know what happens next.
I found that right up until 6 months post op I was occasionally having days where almost for no reason I'd feel really sore. For example, I could walk several miles one day and have no side effects, but something simple like doing the hoovering would leave my feeling really sore (groin or thigh pain) for a day or two. I wouldn't worry too much if the pain isn't too great, I'm sure it will pass after a day or three. I think the range of movement involved in some seemingly simple tasks can exacerbate a new hip joint more than rigorous activity!!
Over 7 months post op now and I still get occasional thigh pain, but bizarrely now it's only when I've spent too much time sitting down doing very little!!
thanks for that, bit of a relief i have to say, and yes i have groin pain after sleeping all night ! and sitting with my laptop on my knee, i thought perhaps i had overdone it on the walking stakes, making up for the staying in for 6 weeks !, its a bit annoying because i was thinking i was doing really well, then bam , back with a vengance !, so thanks for your input, makes me feel a bit better
I think it depends a lot on what we do, hoovering and ironing apparently are not good as your going from side to side, whenever I has not so good days I would go back on my stick even indoors just to relieve the full weight on the leg, also depends on if you had cemented or non cemented THR x
Hi Christine
Your just past the 6 week deadline. I wouldnt worry but if you want to set your mind at rest go and see your GP or possibly the hospital gave you a number to ring if you had any queries.....do one or other of those.
Even after a long time I find you have to pace yourself. Do you have oA anywhere else or any other problems?
I had one hip done but the other needed doing and I also have spinal problems so I find that if I over do it I am so sore the next day but it goes.
The way I look at it now is that if I overdo it by doing something I enjoy like going out with friends or I'm an arthritis care volunteer which I enjoy but on the days when I do that I'm sore the next day......I know I will be sore the next day but its been worth it because I enjoyed the previous day. If I overdo it by doing too much house work....that isnt worth the pain the next day
You are bound to be a bit worried about it because its so soon after your THR but if you see your GP and he sets your mind at rest you'll get used to it and learn how to pace yourself.
Love
Eileen
Regarding seeing a GP i always feel that once you have had an op they seem to refere you back to the surgeon as its not their ' field ', they are not really familiar with the after affect so they only seem to want to dish out more medication, i would go if i was in real drastic pain, but will proberbly hang on for my next specilist appointment in November, which will be my last one as it will be three months by then. no i dont have any other problems to contend with, so pretty lucky really, thanks for the reply.
Hi Christine
Your GP should be more sympathetic {admittedly mine isnt} Its the GP that copes with people with OA and people with RA tend to see a rheumatologist
It was only to set your mind at rest.....I'm sure you'll be OK but I'm not a doctor!
Love
Eileen
Maybe you just over did things. Maybe you could use the cane indoors too. That helps with how much weight is being placed on the hip.
Do you used a pillow to help support your hip when you turn over?
Hi Christine...i found i had the same issue at 8 weeks too. Groin area sore and when i walked the hip area was sore. For me it was trying to walk without the cane and i was excercising more. I listened to my body and rested from excercise and started using cane again. My pain disappeared. Keep pillow between your legs at night. I still use one and my right hip is 6 mo. Left is just 9 weeks. Iam feeling much better this week. If it continues i would call your doc. Good luck 😊
Hi Denise, yes, your right, i have been trying to do too much, also trying too hard to discard the cane, i should know better because up until just latley i have listened to my body and slowed down when it was aching, i reckon now i'm getting cocky, thinking i,m back to normal but of course i,m not, also been climbing the stairs also without a cane, so thats made it pull, and yes, useing a pillow at night, also i dont think my operated side is ready yet for to lie on it as it protests a little bit, last night i didnt lie on that side at all and didnt feel fo achy this morning, we live and learn thats for sure, thanks everyone for your comments, its definatley ' Listen to your body ' !!!
Hip Christine
just wondered if you were at the stage where you can do some glute and lower abdominal strengthening exercises? These muscles, particularly the glutes support the hip joint and weaker quickly after short periods of inactivity.
To read this Christine you would have thought i had written it.I am 7 weeks post THR and everything has been great with all that familiar pain from before the operation gone.Driving again,no crutches indoors and only one outside and generally starting to feel great.Until yesterday when after a short walk to the shop and back i started to get groin pain.Took some pain killers that i havent needed to take for weeks i went to bed.This morning pain as bad and needed my crutches again around the house.This has really shaken me up and like you cant think what i have done wrong??
Hi Debbielou
Whatever you do dont try to be brave by thinking "i should be able to walk with one crutch" and forcing yourself to or by not taking painkillers if you really need them. Keep on top of the pain, dont play catch up.
Check with your doctor even if its only to set your mind at rest but 7 weeks is very early
Take care
Love
Eileen
Hi Debbie, if its any consulation i feel better today, i just put it down to overdoing it, doing something that your new hip dosnt like ! i started doing stuff i always did before, going out in the car and doing two or three errands in one day, must slow down, its easy to get complacent, i figured out that i was climbing the stairs without a stick and i could really feel the strain, i also had to go back to painkillers for a couple of days, have a little think Debbie and work out what you think might be straining your hip, let me know in a couple of days how things pan out, chris
Take it easy for a few days. Probably over did it.
For me, the slight leaning forward to reach for that laptop is what can cause pain in my groin. Yes speak to your doc but also know that one cannot expect to feel normal again for about a year.
Wish you the best!
Dawn
Can you call your specialist and give a report? That way if he thinks you need to be seen, you could get in sooner. My fear with my 2 THR's was to wait too long to let my surgeon know what problems I was having, would cause me to heal incorrectly. And then sometimes when I cough hard or become startled and jerk my body which jerks my leg and hip, it feels as though I have damaged something and it can cause pain, but it ends up alright the next day.
My best to you!
Dawn
I have to grab my headboard with both hands in order to turn over and I am 11 months out. If I try to roll over any other way, it seems to pull and hurt really bad.
In our eagerness to return to some sense of normalcy, it is tempting to over do it isn't it?. I still use a pillow between my legs after 11 months.