Hip Bursitis

[KathyInIowa]

OK - I feel like I'm asking a lot of questions lately! Sorry to be a pain....

No pun intended - but now I have a pain question. I am 41/2 weeks post op. I have been doing my walking schedule which is 2 walks a day working up to 30 minutes per walk, but it stared out with 10 and 15 minutes walks.

Everything was fine until about 2 or 3 days ago my right hip starting hurting really bad. I have had bursitis before (in my left hip before surgery) so I know what it feels like. This pain feels the exact same, and the location on the hip is the same (except for now it is my right hip).

My husband said he remembers Dr. Perra mentioning that bursitis is common after this surgery, but I don't remember him talking about it.

Has anyone else had this type of hip pain this soon after surgery? Part of my surgery entailed him tilting my hips back to a normal position and he said it would be a 44 degree difference. I don't know if that's alot or not, but would that be causing this pain?

I can hardly put any weight on that leg when it is flaring and sitting is hard. Needless to say, it is messing with my walking which I know I need to do to heal! Ugh. It's always something!

Thanks again.

Kathy

[titaniumed]

Kathy

Linda has posted about trochanteric bursitis in the past....you might slow down a bit till it blows over.

30 minutes is a lot.....I was doing around five, 5-10 minute walks per day at 4 weeks. Shorter walking times, more often.

Sitting can be really hard for a long time, many months. I was 10 minutes max for probably 6 months....

Ed

[KathyInIowa]

Hi Ed. 30 minutes does seem like a lot. I was following my sheet but I agree, more short walks is better. That will be plan now.

I do remember Linda's posting, but I didn't know if she was referring to an existing bursitis she had going into surgery or is she got it after her surgery.

BTW. John said I talked to you for 30 minutes on the phone. I have NO memory of talking to you! I hope I wasn't too stupid! We spent 4 days in a hotel and I don't remember even being there. I don't even remember him driving me to my son's apartment. I hate the amnesia part of surgery.

Kathy

[leahdragonfly]

Hi Kathy,

I had some transient trouble with hip pain in my first 1-3 months after my last surgery. I'm sure it was bursitis, but I never went to the doctor for it. It was too painful at one point to lay on that side. Luckily I took it a little easier and it faded away.

Remember all the post-op info given are merely guidelines and your results may vary! Always listen to your body. There will be days you are wiped out or extra sore, and maybe all you can manage is three walks of 5 minutes each. This is completely normal and is perfectly ok. I agree with Ed that sitting is challenging for months. It gets better slowly over time. I still can't tolerate chairs with metal backs, or bleachers.

Keep up the good work, and keep those questions and updates coming. We are here for you.

[LindaRacine]

Hi Kathy...

I had a pretty severe bursitis episode right after surgery. I don't know if I had it prior to surgery (not sure that makes any difference anyway). I was pretty miserable, because I couldn't lay down (I had it on both sides). My physical therapist diagnosed it, and gave me some exercises. They helped a little, but not enough to allow me to be comfortable. One day, while I was still out of work, I went to a work event. I was sitting at lunch with several of our docs, and I mentioned the bursitis. One of the docs told me to go see his wife (a physiatrist) immediately. I went, she gave me an injection on the worst side. I was back at work the next day.

Things that seem to make the pain worse are walking, climbing stairs, and standing. I agree with Ed, that it might be wise to back off on the walking a bit.

Hang in there.

--Linda

[titaniumed]

This happens.....Heck, sometimes I have no memory of posting here! Before you know it, this thread will be forgotten. (Smiley face)

Many years ago, I had an Osteopath diagnose me with bursitis of the buttocks....you know what that means? It means I broke my Bum. LOL (I hope that wasn’t too corny)

Ok, time to stop now....Do I hear a gong sounding? Sometimes I will roll the crappy jokes till people leave my office. It keeps them away for days.... LMAO.

Even though our bodies are great at filtering many pollutants, medications and chemicals can and do have quite an effect on us. After you finally quit, it still takes time to filter out.

I had horrendous trochanteric pain before my surgeries from sciatica, or low lumbar nerve root inflammation. Once you get inflamed, you really need to slow down so healing can happen. Pain is a signal that something is wrong. Its nice to know what’s wrong. At least in surgical recovery we have some sort of clue but healing dictates our activities....It’s a see-saw recovery, and it takes a really long time.

You should set up your signature at some point. I keep forgetting when everyone had their surgeries. I can help with this.......Here is an example

Full fusion
Talked to Ed Last month.

I need coffee

Ed

[jackieg412]

Hi Ed you make my day. Right on with the coffee

[KathyInIowa]

Hi Kathy...

I had a pretty severe bursitis episode right after surgery. I don't know if I had it prior to surgery (not sure that makes any difference anyway). I was pretty miserable, because I couldn't lay down (I had it on both sides). My physical therapist diagnosed it, and gave me some exercises. They helped a little, but not enough to allow me to be comfortable. One day, while I was still out of work, I went to a work event. I was sitting at lunch with several of our docs, and I mentioned the bursitis. One of the docs told me to go see his wife (a physiatrist) immediately. I went, she gave me an injection on the worst side. I was back at work the next day.

Things that seem to make the pain worse are walking, climbing stairs, and standing. I agree with Ed, that it might be wise to back off on the walking a bit.

Hang in there.

--Linda

Thanks Linda. I too had a terrible case of hip bursitis last March. I couldn't lay on that side at all, it even hurt just to touch that hip. I ended up getting an injection in that hip and that took care of it. But, since it was before my surgery, the pain didn't go away completely as my left hip socket was out of whack from my scoliosis. That is one thing that I'm hoping this surgery took care of. So, you can imagine my frustration to have the same thing now on my other side!

So far today I did just one 10-minute walk. I'll do a couple more, but am definitely taking it easy. It does still hurt though.

I'm hanging in there. My 6-week follow up is Aug 4 and I'm making my list of questions for Dr. Perra!

Kathy

[KathyInIowa]

Even though our bodies are great at filtering many pollutants, medications and chemicals can and do have quite an effect on us. After you finally quit, it still takes time to filter out.

I had horrendous trochanteric pain before my surgeries from sciatica, or low lumbar nerve root inflammation. Once you get inflamed, you really need to slow down so healing can happen. Pain is a signal that something is wrong. Its nice to know what’s wrong. At least in surgical recovery we have some sort of clue but healing dictates our activities....It’s a see-saw recovery, and it takes a really long time.

You should set up your signature at some point. I keep forgetting when everyone had their surgeries. I can help with this.......Here is an example

Full fusion
Talked to Ed Last month.

I need coffee

Ed

Thanks Ed. It is always good to hear a "reminder" about taking it slow, listen to your body, this was a BIG surgery, chemicals mess with our bodies, all of that. I will definitely need more reminders!

I will change my signature. I thought I would wait until after my check up so I could put my before and after degrees and all of that. You'd think I'd know that info now..... well, I'm sure it's been told to me, but as usual, I have no memory of it!!

I am slowly but surely cutting back on the Dilaudid. I have stretched it to (1) every 7 hours. Sort of by default, I forget to take it, even though I have alarms set on my phone. I shut the alarm off and then forget until an hour later. But, I feel like if my pain is tolerable with the 7 or 8 hours stretch, then I'm giving it a shot to go more time in between doses. Like I said before, my hip is more painful than my back.

Kathy

[KathyInIowa]

I did change my signature, this is just to test it to see if it shows up correctly.

Kathy

[titaniumed]

Kathy

That looks good.... I would remove your name.....We all know you as KathyinIowa....

I post as Rod Stewart on the British forum only because Jose Cuervo was taken. It was a harder decision than having my scoliosis surgeries. (smiley face) Username selection takes a lot of thought!

That last post of mine was a doozie....I hope nobody fell off their chair. LOL These sorts of posts happen since I don’t like being too serious here and scoliosis surgery involves some extremely serious things...

Remember that there are no races. Our bodies dictate what we do in recovery and while weaning off meds. If you don’t feel you can reduce, just dwell....Its not an easy thing and uncomfortable feelings can happen....

If you cant walk because you are sore, do heel lifts in the kitchen. Move your arms. Keep the blood flowing. It helps prevent DVT. Clots are no good.

I see you are 33 days. Still very early. Easy does it.

Hang in there

Ed

[KathyInIowa]

Thanks, Ed. I did edit my Signature - Took my name off.

I only did (1) 10 minute walk yesterday, which hurt, so I didn't do any more.
Funny that you mentioned the other movements, I actually am doing those things! I also lay in bed and do the ankle pumps, thigh and butt squeezes like that had me do in the hospital. And, when laying down, I mimick the motion of shoulder press ups and other arm exercises I do in weight training but with nothing in my hands. I just figure any movement is better than nothing.

Today, so far, my hip pain is gone! I can feel just a slight amount, but it's barely there. So, I think I will try 1 walk today and see how it goes. I did NOT like having pain on top of everything else.

I appreciate the reminders for anyone about how this isn't a race and to keep taking it slow. I used to be a competitive runner (just on a local level), so to me, everything is a race. It's hard to change that mindset, but I do believe I'm getting better at it.

With the hip pain gone, I do think today might be a good day!

Kathy

[mabeckoff]

Glad to hear that you are feeling better!

[LindaRacine]

Kathy...

I've always thought that the non-back pain is much harder to deal with than the back pain. We're used to back pain, and even expect it. We don't expect things like hip or thigh pain, and even if it's not bad pain, it seems much harder to deal with.

--Linda

[Jjohnsonphd]

Hi Kathy,

I just wondered how you are doing? Is the hip pain better? How have the nights been? I read a bunch of old posts last night and lots of people complain about insomnia.

I am returning home tomorrow which I can't wait for, although I will be on my own with my 3 kids. My husband is taking next week off but I am going to have to find some help with cooking and laundry after that for sure. If I lay around, I am fine but my lower back has really been hurting when I walk. I had to take shorter walks today, it just hurt too much. Walking will be very hard at home, today the high was 117 degrees!! It will remain uncomfortably hot until end of October so I need to learn to deal with it. No more perfect La Jolla weather.

Onward!!

Jana