life after hip replacement anxiety

steve46

hello everybody .
I have been on here before but can login?
I had a THR on right leg may /14 age 46
been back to work since July,still got a limp and pains around hip area. I have been seeing physio,but she said its bursitis and over doing it.i drive 100miles a day to work and spend all day walking around supervising.i must say that I do work 7 days,over the last months my feet are hurting more and more. saw the doctor he said inflammation in my feet?
what do I do,also in the proses of separating from my partner.
ps kid have got Elhers Danlos syndrome
excuse the grama
Steve

stickywicket

You seem to have been going through the mill a bit, Steve - several mills in fact. I'm sorry things are so tough.

Hard as it will be I think you must listen to your physio. She says the bursitis is caused by your overdoing things and, as you describe your working day, that does sound likely.But, what do you do? I don't know. The driving alone could cause the problem but all that walking won't help either. Is there any way your load can be lightened?

As for the foot problems, I'm afraid that can happen with arthritis. It doesn't just stay in one joint. And stress doesn't help. Hard as it may seem, I think you need to find a way of taking things a bit easier.

barbara12

Hello Steve..I am sorry you and your partner are separating..it must be hard all round especially having the children wanting more looking after..like SW says you have been overdoing things...the driving alone will put lot of pressure on that new hip, but I suppose you have to work, is there no way you could cut the hours until that hip is stronger..

dreamdaisy

A new joint does not mean that we can return to our old way of life without care - it can make it easier but we have to ensure that we do not place any undue strain on the new joint. Needs must, though, and you have some tough needs to satisfy.

The deeper healing involved in a joint replacement can take some time - did you have a phased return to work or did you just plunge straight in? Your other joints may be feeling the stress that you are placing on the hip, hence the reaction of swelling etc. Can anything be done about the bursitis? And can you adjust anything work-wise so that you have some recovery time built in to your working day (whatever it might involve)? DD

steve46

Thanks for the replys .the problem I have is that I am selfemployed .
I tried doing something else, but driving plays it up.
physio told me today not lift to much weight ,and avoid to much driving,some days I can do 15000 steps a day.
what do I do ......

stickywicket

Steve, I really feel for you. I have a son who is self-employed and I know how much hangs on the balance of good health.

I think you need to do some serious thinking – and preferably talking …. and listening to someone like your physio. OA doesn't go away. We can try to slow its progress but the more pressure we put on damaged joints and the more stress we are under the worse it gets.

I hope you can somehow make some – maybe small – changes that will help.