Hello, this is my first post on this forum, but I've been reading it for a few days and found a lot of interesting and useful stuff. I had a RT THR two weeks ago, Up till yesterday I've been taking 8xparacetemol every 24 hours plus up to 4x50mg tramadol. The tramadol given to me at the hospital have now run out, and I've swtiched to taking 15mg codeine phospate which I took pre-op. Last night I found it really hard to sleep due to the awful constant ache in my hip - I couldn't get comfortable for more than a couple of minutes. Is this normal? Should I try and get more tramadol? Is it just part of the healing process at this stage and not related to the change in medication? Any advice appreciated.
Hi I am 3 weeks post op . Been able to cut tabs down to one 30/500 co coda mol at night . Doing really weill ( I think ) but am getting an ache from time to time in hip . Hoping it is normal . Friend took me shopping yesterday and have had a shower ! Still very tired . Roll on 3 weeks when I go for check up it will be good to see someone . Good luck
Coming off strong pain killers will amke you feel a bit uncomfortable. Your body has relied on them and you may have a dependancy, it will cause uncomfort, sweating, head chills/heats, not being able to sleep.
Best if you can do without, but if you are in pain go straight to Dr for a few more. Remember the actual hurt is still there, the pills just stop the message to the brain, so sometimes it's better to have a little pain and know you can move to control it, rather than moving into a more painfull position and not noticing!
Have you tried lying on your back with a pillow beneath your kness to raise your legs slightly? Everyone is different and you need to find your comfortable zone.
Best of luck and keep up the exercises.
I think it is all part of the process. Sleeping can be difficult but try cuchions under your legs - it helps some and not others but its all a bit trial and error for the individual.
Good luck
Hi,
2 weeks is nothing.....I would sy its normal but I was told "keep on top of the pain dont play catch up with it. In other words while you need the pain killers stay on them
Discuss it with your GP.
I cant tealk about tamadol because I couldnt take them.....I was in a little world of my own the 6 weeks after the 1ste THR......the consultant took me off them at the 6 week visit. I hadnt realised how much they had affected me.
See your GP about some sort of meds even if its not the tamadol
Love
Eileen UK
Hi Maggy.
I am 7days post op and get the same nagging pain from the joint area.
Your taking a high cocktail of pills there,and they can mess with your body system..I would try to reduce those and see if the pain stays at the same level, and if so it shows the high dose isn't really necessary. I've had to stop the painkillers due to severe constipation,so the choice is made for me.
Sleep deprivation is tough,but as the weeks pass and the pain subsides it does get better.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Dear Maggy, I am glad you brought this up as I, too, am 2 weeks out and have been given enytham and tramacet for pain. Two days ago, I had chills all day, no fever and researched this and found it was one of two things a vit B deficiency or withdrawal from the tramacet, version of tramadol. So I am in the weaning process of the remainder I have left. I remember back to the time I had a bunionectomy and had renewed my pain meds, seemed to have alot of pain. Upon seeing the doctor, he said I should not be taking anymore and when I stopped, the pain also stopped. So I do feel that some of the meds somehow contribute to the pain cycle. The pain I have now seems normal, achy at times, but nothing like before the operation. So I write this to caution others about pain medication, if it is a pain one can tolerate then perhaps to discontinue. In reading about tramadol, it is a medication that one cannot just stop cold turkey, but has to be weaned. Sometimes, physicians prescribe us medication, but do not take into consideration how the effects can be. Best of luck to you and all of you in your healing process.
Hi Eileen, what do you mean by you didn't realise how much the painkillers had affected you ? I'm on co-codomol 8 x or day again as well as anti inflammatory that I was on prior to my op but have a lot of pain in my unoperated leg.
I had bilateral THR on Jan 27th .... I think surgeons use different medication here across the pond 
1 night and 1 morning before surgery i took Lyrica, Tylenol, Warfin, and Celbrex --- no clue what they gave me in the hospital (two nights) they just kept coming in every few hours.... slept well in the hospital but it was a softer mattress and I could adjust height.
For one more week I was on the same combo and then last week just Tylenol 4 times a day ... now just asprin at night and in the morning.... they did give me a pain medication if needed - so far I have only needed it at night....
After going home sleeping was a challenge... I am a side sleeper curled up in a ball, every time I rolled I could feel the staples.... doc said it was safe but NOT at all comfortable, first few nights hardley slept ...eventually gave up and slept on the sofa.... it was softer and I could lean against the armrest, made my knees and back feel better.... after they took out the staples, I am now at my parents house... the mattress here is very firm.... hard to sleep, tried a rolled towel under my knees but that did not help much.
Three nights ago, the swelling had gone down enough that I could roll on my right side -- that was so much better and last night I could tolerate a short time on my left side....
Yesterday I went back to using ice on the incision... that seemed to help a lot
I am learning that one side definitely effects the other All along I was told the right hip was much worse than the left.... I was feeling tension in my right thigh but not the left... however, in order to walk, I was compensating significantly on the left leg (the right bone ball was worn about half way down) ... now that everything is balanced again, the left leg does not seem to be so happy The right feels great (2 1/2 weeks post op) the left hip feels good, but the top of my left thigh feels tight and I cannot do the exercises as easily on that side....
BUT each morning is better
Hi Debbie, since the op I have had loads of pain in my unoperated leg from hip to ankle. Operated leg is fine.
I am having difficulty doing my exercises as I can't stand on my in operated leg for long enough because of the pain.
In bed no ptobs with operated leg only unoperated leg which is why I decided to continue with meds I was on prior to op to try to reduce the pain in my left leg. Maybe I will reduce the pain meds and see if that reduces the pain in my in operated leg. I am 3 wks post op. I wondered what you meant by how the meds affected you ?
Christine, I think someone else made the meds comment... I have been lucky there, my surgeon gave me only a few medications that were done a little over a week after surgery. I do have pain medication on an as needed basis... I only need one pill at night
Sounds like my left leg "complaints" are normal They replaced both hips but the right was in far worse condition than the left, I guess the left leg was doing most of the work for a long time and has now decided it is it's turn to be "rested" ...smile
both my doctor and PT told me not to push the exercises.... if there is pain, then stop. Do you have any that you do lying down that you can do to strengthen the operated leg?
Hi Christine
Its specifically the tramadol that I didnt realise how much it had affected me
It was my first THR and I was pretty dopey
more so than normal
If I hadnt had my husband about I would probably have take wrong meds at wron times but I thought it was just the after effect of the operation.....as soon as he took me off the tramadol I was fine....on paracetamol and naproxen and condeine {smallest does} to fall back on.
Love
Eileen
Ah OK thanks Eileen. I've not been on tramodil.