Leg, knee and wound pain

mjking

Had a hip resurface 3 weeks ago and at first was in very little pain anywhere. Then on Monday this week I started to get quite strong pain in the knee and thigh areas of my operated side. Then yesterday my wound was quite painful though it looks fine.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this pain flair up in this way?

Thanks!

marion1952

HI Mike

I wondered how you were getting on..

I think you should call the hospital and ask to be seen - or at least see you GP today.

You might have been overdoing it, but better to be safe than sorry.

I often had twinges in the early weeks of my hip replacement - usually after I had bent too far or twisted sideways - I was constantly worried I had dislocated my new hip. The hospital will be used to people phoning up for advice about things like this.

Let us know how you get on.

Marion

elnafinn

In my humble opinion you may have overdone things. It is not at all unusual and quite easy to do because when we feel quite good after an op we are wanting to run before we can walk, :roll: if you know what I mean!

If you are worried, can you call the hospital and speak with someone there perhaps?

Wishing you well,
Elna x

mjking

Thanks Marion and Elna for your replies.

I've taken ibu. pills this morning and rested my leg and all the areas that were painful have much less pain now.

From reading up on the net it seems what I'm experiencing is quite normal so I'll see how it goes today and ring the hospital tomorrow if its got no better.

Thanks again

Mike

elnafinn

I think your body may well have been telling you something, don't you think? Good idea to rest up today and see what tomorrow brings.

Elna x

marion1952

Hi Mike

Glad it is easing off. Are you still on painkillers? I think you should be taking them regularly still.

You do get various twinges and little pains in the first few months and you will get used to knowing what sets them off and how long they will last, etc. The wound area can also start to feel 'tight' at 3 weeks.

I used to worry a lot about the new joint dislocating, but actually the twinges are usually the tissues surrounding the new joint letting you know that you need to be more caeful!

It's still early days for you at 3 weeks post-op and at that stage it is sometmes one step forwards, two steps back..

Apparently it is EXCRUCIATINGLY painful whenthe joint dislocates - you would certainly know something was very wrong!

I remember in an earlier post you said the wound had bled a little when the staples were removed. Is that OK now?

Marion

frogmorton

Hi Mike

I hope it continues to improve with anit-inflams and rest.

Poor you.

Love

Toni xx

dorcas

Hiya Mike,

sorry you're suffering but sounds as though you've worked out the cause which is good.

take it easy and don't rush at the exercising...early days. :!:

I don't have much patience either with my post op progress but please be careful and if you are worried or have wound probs then phone in to your ortho peeps... they will give you good advice and see you if need be.

good luck!

Iris x

speedalong

Hiya Mike, I think the better you feel, the easier it is to over do it ... and you never realise you have overdone it until it is too late. At about the same time after my op as you, I was feeling great and I over did one Sunday and it took me two days to recover!! The more you can do, the more you do do and the more you are likely to ache .... My scar used to pull and feel tight too and at one point I was over zealous in massaging in some oil and I made it sore ....
It is easy to worry, but if you don't improve - get it checked out/seek advice.

I agree with Marion - I was still taking regular painkillers at 3 weeks to manage any pain/discomfort rather that treat it after it was escalating.

Are you sleeping ok?

What's the story on the TEDS?!

Speedy

dreamdaisy

In my experience feeling better is dangerous. It leads to over-use, over-exercise, and the over-indulgence of happy feelings. Be careful! Rest a little more, do a little less and I hope things ease. DD

mjking

Hi Marion

Thanks for your comments - pain is better today and I'm now taking pain killers (Ibuprofen and Paracetamol) as were perscribed to me by my Dr. He said to take them both if I needed to as they do diferrent things.

I'd more or less stopped taking both of them but have started up agin yesterday.

The blister round the wound had gone when the nurse came back fo a 2nd check last week and was very happy with the wound.

Mike

mjking

Hi Speedy

How you doing mate?

Pain is better now I'm taking the pain killers again.

Wearing stockings all day from about 7. am to 10 - 11 pm, when I go to bed. Take them off then. Do exercises if wake up in the night - which I do frequently.

Not sleeping that well which I think is why I sometimes feel a bit dizzy during the day, esp. in the afternoon.

Mike

mjking

Thanks Iris

I'm feeling a bit better today, having resumed taking the pain killers.

Pain in wound is much less so holding off ringing the wound people at the hosp. See how it is later today. I think its actually the wound healing!

Mike

speedalong

Hi Mike,

you might sleep better if you are taking regular meds - early evening and hour or so before going to bed. I found it was not good doing physio too close to bedtime (though the flexing your feet up and down one is not included in that sweeping statement!)

I'm doing fine really, as long as I focus on how much I've improved and not where I finally want to be!! I'm one of the impatient folk!!

How is the walking going?

Speedy

mjking

Hi Speedy

"How is the walking going?"

Pretty good - still mostly using the 1 crutch though don't always use it around the house. I'm totally steady on my legs its just currently I have some pain and so use the crutch.

Pain is much better today as I've mostly been sat down watching the TV!

I think I've been too quick to walk about too much but that's partly thru fear of getting DVT if I'm too static!!

Mike

dorcas

mjking wrote:

I'm feeling a bit better today, having resumed taking the pain killers.
Mike

great news Mike! it's a difficult balance.....exercising enough to aid progress but not overdoing it.

pleased to hear you're doing better.

Iris xx

marion1952

Hi Mike

It sounds as if you are doing really well.. I think we have all overdone it in those early weeks!

I was just a bit worried because of your earlier concern about the wound healing - but that seems OK now from what you say..

I was also a fully paid up member of the 'Worried about getting a DVT' club - but again as the weeks have passed for me that worry has subsided.. you do get more confident/less anxious as the weeks pass!

best wishes

Marion

dreamdaisy

Take it steadily over the next few days, don't exacerbate things by rushing about! I'm glad you are / it is feeling better - painkillers are useful things! Take care. DD

speedalong

Probably watching TV is what you should be doing today and lots of those foot flexing exercises too of course!!

Do you have a lie down and a short nap in the afternoon? I used too, now I tend to just have a lie down and read a bit. I notice the difference if I don't fit one in.

As my leg got stronger I found I naturally used the crutch less and less in the house.

I still use it when out and about - it means I can walk further, faster and better ... but I often find myself on my way out and it is not until I've locked the door and am about to set off down the path that I realise I've forgotten it...

Maybe you'll get back to the walking again tomorrow.

Speedy

mjking

Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to reply - it really does help!

Took it very easy today and wound pain is MUCH less. Same for leg pain though still quite sharp when I walk on it.

Did manage and hour lying in bed reading/dozing this afternoon and watched about 3 hours of telly. Rest of day spent pottering about - probably still too much on my feet but the DVT thing really worries me!

Took pain killers thru out the day and remembered to use my ice bag!

Thanks again everyone!

Mike

elnafinn

When relaxing, as long as you exercise ankles and move/stretch your legs I was given to understand that was good enough. Also to have the legs elevated as much as possible when sitting/lying down. It is good to hear that the pain is easing and you are taking the pain killers and "icing" regularly.

Elna x

marion1952

Hi Mike

I was still using 2 crutches until 6 weeks post op and then gradually tapered off to just one. If you are feeling pain when you put weight on that operated side then best to go back to 2 crutches .. ..

I'm 11 weeks post op now but am still using one crutch when I go out...



best wishes

Marion

dreamdaisy

I can understand the worry about DVT but you do have to balance it against overdoing it: doing your exercises regularly will be enough, I am sure. DVTs are triggered by sitting in a cramped seat and not moving for hours, plus being at altitude. You are moving regularly, but you also need good-quality rest. You are doing fine, Mike, carry on the good work! DD

frogmorton

Hi Mike

Well done!!

Glad things are improving and as Elna says you can do the foot circling type exercises etc while you are resting (if you are awake and haven't been bored to sleep by daytime TV!!!)

Hope it continues

Love

Toni xx

mjking

Thanks again for the new replies. I've actually contacted the hospital today as the pain in the wound and leg was quite bad when I woke up. They have a special number you can ring M-F so as today is Friday I thought I'd best ring rather than wait for Monday.

Of course, no sooner have I rang them than the pain has subsided!

Anyway, they were great. Said probably nothing to worry about but they'd much rather be called on a false alarm than wait for it to become worse. They are going to get one of the out reach workers to call in on me sometime today.

I must say service I've had from the NHS has been 100% fantastic!

Mike

marion1952

That's a great service Mike. Better to be safe than sorry.

Let us know how you get on.

My new hip is always stiff when I get out of bed but it passes off fairly quickly.

I bumped into a guy this week who had had his 7th knee operation 5 weeks ago and he had had a DVT about 2 weeks after .. he had developed severe pain and redness/hardness in his calf and then a burning pain in his groin area (which was the clot travelling up the vein).. he was only in his 40's and apart from his 2 crutches he looked fit BUT he had bad circulation in that leg and had been told that being a smoker since the age of 14 had not helped...!

Marion