THR bone infection

[Riaisbad]

Good morning all. It’s been a while since I posted regarding my abcess. Well it turned out to be a sinus coming from a deep bone infection in my hip. 4 weeks ago I had part one revision surgery & had the THR removed and an antibiotic spacer inserted. Post op & on the ward I stopped breathing (due to morphine causing respiratory problems they think) and had a cardiac arrest and luckily was resuscitated with cpr!! A slightly more dramatic operation than I had anticipated but I’m here to tell the tale.

I wondered if any of your lovely people had experienced a spacer and could tell me if they also found the painful excruciating? My surgeon assured me they are extremely painful as it’s just cement and a metal stem rather than a nice smooth articulating ball joint, but Jesus Christ I’ve never had pain like it and I’ve had both hips and knees replaced and also 5 of my neck bones removed and 2 metal rods in my spine so I’ve had pain before …..but this spacer is something else. 😬

[medway-lady]

I don't know but am sorry you're in so much pain. It sounds dreadful xxx

[Riaisbad in reply to medway-lady]

The trouble with RD disease are all the associated problems but we learn to deal with them all don’t we?! 😃

[medway-lady in reply to Riaisbad]

Mine have all really blood related, never bone so am lucky so far. xx

[springcross]

Goodness, what a terrible experience for you. I can't help but I wish you well and hope the pain goes soon. x

[Riaisbad in reply to springcross]

Thank you for your kind replies everyone xx

[Kags1068]

Hi Riasibad

My goodness, that all sounds horrific. I'm so sorry you have had to go through all this. I've had JIA 38 years now, (since 14), so I do get what it's like to have it for so long and all the associated complications that come over time.

I've had many ops too, and you are right, you do get used to what is an expected kind of level of pain following surgery (if that makes sense). I can't imagine how painful this must be for you. I had my hips replaced initially at 19 and one revised in 2016. The revision was harder and more painful, but certainly not to the degree you are experiencing. (Obviously, I never needed a spacer as thankfully, no infection). Was it a long standing infection in your original replacement? How long does it have to stay like this? I hope you have morphine at home for the pain? Are you allowed to fully weight bear, or having to be partial?

I'm sorry I can't offer any more useful insights, but I hope you don't have to remain in this situation for long, and you can get some good pain relief. Best wishes xx🤞

[Riaisbad in reply to Kags1068]

Hi like you I have JIA since I was 10. I had my initial THR 8 years ago and it’s been problem free until just over a year ago when I experienced pain over 3 days then it went leaving me with a tight bruised feeling inside my thigh. I now know this is a sign of something going on. The problem was it masked itself and didn’t show up on x rays until May this year. Unfortunately I can’t have any morphine as that caused the respiratory failure post op so I’m coping on paracetamol and NSAID. I’m able to weight bear as pain allows & I'm hoping the pain eases soon. Hopefully in a couple of months I will get another hip and life can resume as before. 🙏🏻

[Riaisbad in reply to Riaisbad]

Thank you for your kind words Xx

[Kags1068 in reply to Riaisbad]

You are very welcome. I realised you'd had JIA practically forever when I peeked at your profile. That's so unfair with your hip (as always). We can get strange pains and sensations for few days or so regularly, so you tend to try and brush them off. So hard to know when it could be something more serious. That was really unlucky. I suppose by the time it was discovered it was obviously too entrenched to treat more conservatively. Just to make it harder, you can't have the good drugs either! What a way to find out. Does that rule out Tramadol or codeine too? Just paracetamol sounds hard going. As you say though, hopefully it will get more comfortable as time goes on. I hope you don't have to wait too long for the new hip. xx🤞🤞

[Riaisbad in reply to Kags1068]

I was told in Addenbrookes that they were reluctant to offer any stronger pain relief. I have never missed a swig of Oramorph so much!! 😂😂😂

[Kags1068 in reply to Riaisbad]

I bet you are! I'll have an extra sip for you!! X😉

[hatshepsut]

So sorry you've had to go through all this, I can't even imagine how painful that must be. Such bad luck that the infection started, and then wasn't discovered straight away. I do hope the pain eases, and that you can get some relief. Fingers crossed that the infection clears up quickly. Good luck! x

[Riaisbad in reply to hatshepsut]

Thank you for your kind wishes XX

[Mmrr]

Hoping things improve for you soon, what a terrible time you have had.

[Sops]

So sorry to read your post, you really have, and are suffering,I do hope things will improve and they can use another form of pain relief.

Wishing you all the best.

[ABwn]

Sorry to hear you're in so much pain. Would like to think it will ease with time, but not having experienced it I have no idea. Take care and good luck.

[Riaisbad]

Thank you to everyone for taking time to reply to my post. Each day is one closer to getting stage 2 hip revision and getting back to my old life. I’m not counting or anything 🤔😂😂

[Sheila_G]

Sorry I can't help you but I do hope your get some comfort soon.

[Mumcon]

Sounds just awful I hope you get ease soon 🤞

[Riaisbad in reply to Mumcon]

Thank you 😊