I am 51 year old woman in good physical condition. i had oupatient anterior total hip replacement 4 days ago. I have been running a fever at night. 101.5. Called dr and they said just to watch it. Also. I've started having shooting pains in the affected leg. Still don't feel good enough to get up take shower etc. is this normal?
Hi Kristy I'm presuming your in US because you said outpatients op, were you out same day?? You are suffering from a low grade temperature so it might just be because of the op, but you say you have not been up and have shooting pains in leg, have you any redness or swelling, I personally would want to see Dr if it was me, even if only for reassurance, hope you feel better soon
Kristy:
I also had outpatient, anterior apoporoach for my LTHR (November 14). Important to manage your pain with the meds that were prescribed. I slept alot. I did the beginning PT exercises that were designed for the home. I only started formal PT on the 18th January. My doc said that early on "less is more". It is a major surgery.
My incision had a big hematoma (fluids that were escaping from the interior sutured incision around the joint capsule) that went away in a couple of weeks. It felt like a hard lump over the incision and immediate area but was not painful. I didn't haver a fever that I was aware of. You should be able to take a shower. That will make a world of difference in how you are feel mentally. I took one the next day and it felt the best!
You want to make sure an infection is not starting. Your incision will look exceptionally red. If it is infected you'll see liquid oozing and it will be painful to touch. That is not a good thing and you should get back in front of the doc asap. Otherwise shooting pains should be controled by your meds. One thing I would say about my THR was how unremarkable the pain was. I guess I was expecting something much more traumatic. I had a shoulder resurfaced 2 years ago and felt that was more painful and a more difficult postop than this THR.
Watch your condition closely these next few days. You should see your fever residing. Check your incision. If it doesn't look right call the doc immediately. I took a picture of my incision/hematoma and emailed to doc. They were able to tell a lot from that picture. It reassured me that nothing was out of the normal recovery process.
You are on the way to recovery!!
Hi Please remember you have had a major op.I couldn't have a shower for 10 if not more.I also had injection site to stop blood clots.I hope you've got family who you can call on.Regards Amanda
Depending on where you live you need to a doctor without delay or go to your local a and e department
Fever that high is not normal. Can you see the incision on your op leg?
Loo fir redness that feels warm to touch. Look for drainage from the incision.
This could mean infection.
Continue to call your doctor.
If it goes higher go to the emergency room asap.
It is normal to not be able to get up and do very much by day four. However I would be worried about a temperature that high. I think you need to ask a dr to come out and see you. Does the incision feel warm to touch?
I agree that I'd want a doctor to see you as soon as possible. The anterior approach is supposed to be much better - that's why it can be done as an outpatient in some cases. Not being able to get up for four days is far from normal. The vast majority of posterior approach patients are up the next day. It may be that you are just one of the unlucky ones for whom it just isn't as easy - but I think you need the reassurance of a doctor to see you and tell you that that's the worst of it. 101.5 is not, in itself, a worrying temperature, but it may indicate an infection is being fought, plus the operation will have weakened you so you aren't quite as capable of dealing with high fevers.
Just get a doctor to see you and check you over. Then you can rest a little easier that nothing is wrong and you are just one of the unlucky ones who take it hard, at least for now. In the longer term you've done the right thing, and I'm sure you'll be fine! Do let us know how you get on.
The combination of the temperature and the shooting pain is not good. Call the Doc on call.We recently had a member that required rehospitalization and she had pink at her incision site with a low grade fever.It went downhill fast.Error on the side of safety .
Hi Kristy , I am a survivor of many hip replacement surgeries, four to be exact and I am in my late 50s.
All of my surgeries were complicated for various reasons, and some quite serious...but I've never run a temp post surg and am thinking it's a sign of some infection starting in your system. I would insist on being seen by your doc, having some blood testing done and also fill the doc in on the pain you're experiencing! Your body is trying to tell you something and you have every reason to listen to it… Especially this soon after surgery.
you should be evaluated for possible infection either in the surgery site or somewhere else in your body! Sometimes we have to be our own best advocates.
I hope that you will do this and please keep us posted.
in all the protocols of any joint surgeon the presence of a fever is cause for concern – the presence of a fever along with new or persistent pain even more so. Hang in there and please be assertive :-)