Hips hurting walking after surgery

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SpineAZ

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After my back surgery I had hip pain and the doctor said it was bursitis - brought on by the position in which they laid me to do the surgery. He gave me some kind of injection (probably sterioRAB) that helped a great deal.
 
Baybreeze, I had a laminectomy at L4/L5 25 years ago, and was almost completely pain free until 2 years ago when the severe DDD started at the level below. My experience was so positive I was the poster child for successful surgery. My current problem that lead to this L4-S1 fusion was completely based upon L5-S1, and the only reason we fused a level above was because he didn't think the already weakened area could tolerate the stress of a fusion so we were better off doing it now then finding we had to do it next year.

But I also have arthritis, and the fusion surgery will not fix that...so I do know how you feel about your hips. The worst of my arthritis now is in the SI Joints, and now that I've returned to Celebrex to handle that I can definitely say the fusion surgery to eliminate back pain was successful (as long as I fuse.)

I do find myself wondering though...did your doctor say anything about your SI Joints? The symptoms you describe sound exactly like mine are when the arthritis really flares - a cramping pain throughout the lower back that would extend around the pelvic area that would floor me with intensity. Walking too much would often bring it on, or standing for too long. It would also be its absolute worst first thing in the morning. I found Celebrex to be a goRABend it helped so much.

I hope you, and everyone here, had a good night.
 
Wow, I need you on my cheerleading team!! :D

I'm also in the miRABt of recovery from a 2 level fusion done on 6/24/08, L4-S1. I currently feel recovery is at a stanRABtill, although today is my 3 week post op anniversary. I can't stand very long without feeling as if my back is going to give out (even with the brace on) and the skin and muscles in my lower back and upper thighs (on the outside) hurt so much they feel as if they're burned. I know this is caused by my nerves saying "hey, what happened!" but it's frustrating waiting for this to feel better at all. I think the lower back pain is actually from my SI Joint arthritis. I had been taking Celebrex for that but not since surgery. I am going to ask the doctor today if I can resume the Celebrex and see if that helps.

Anyway, I keep telling myself it just hasn't been long and to stop fussing. I do walk around the house quite a bit and would like to be able to walk outside too. However, I live in the mountains and there just aren't many places where there's no incline.

Oh yeah, almost forgot. Yup, they took bone from my right hip so I know much of this weird burning pain is from that as well.
 
Hi,
On June 16,08 I had surgery for:
Severe Stenosis L4-L5/s/p L4-S1 disectomy/ L5-S-1 Lamintectomy
Lurabar facetectomy L4-L5/ transforaminal posterior
Lurabar interbody fusion L4-S1
I have started walking and my hips are killing me.
I have to stop and rest.
I am not walking very far at all.
Has anyone had this problem or what maybe causing this?
Thanks,
 
Hi,
Yes, I am still around.
Well as far as surgery goes I am better,but still having several issues I can't get answer too. My ortho doctor would not take tncare and I don't get Medicaid until July. Some of the pain I was having was from 100% blockage in left leg and 95% blockage in right. I had stents put in and it did help. But I am still having issues with walking. The vascular surgeon says it's from my back. The ortho was behind when I saw him last in July so he had no time to even talk to me much except to shake his head when I told him about nurabness in left hip,leg and foot. I asked him if I was going to be this way for the rest of my life and he said "Only been a year since you had surgery no way of knowing right now. Let's give it another 6 months."
My right thigh is going nurab now especially when I stand or walk. Slowly getting worse.
Thanks for asking.
How are you doing?
 
Justoneofus you just made my day.
I am so afraid that i will do something wrong and be worse then before.
I guess it's one of those I feel sorry for myself.
Thank you very much.
 
I also have arthritis in many areas, including my spine, which I knew full well that surgery could not fix. My surgeon did not mention anything about my SI joint, just that I should be having ESI's when my pain levels reach about a 7 (i told him i've already have 3 of them)...However, after collecting my medical recorRAB, my Rheum's recorRAB had in there "bilateral SI Joint arthritis" and also "bilateral trochanteric bursitits", among other things. Now, before I ever had surgery, he had sent me for an MRI of my sacroilliac joint because he was suspecting Ankylosing Spondylitis, but at that time he didn't say anything more about AS. ANd you know, I have been doing most or all of my PT exercises since April of 2006..I dont' go there anymore b/c of lack of funRAB but I do most of them at home. And strange thing is as time goes by, it gets harder & harder to do many of the exercises. But I have done some research and wondered myself if it could be my SI. I Definitely have xray proof of OA in my hips, though. But it's all too much. I can't really have many tests done now b/c I only have a basic individual insurance plan that only covers Up to $500/year for ANY kinRAB of diagnositic testing. SO I'll have to wait until I finish my training and HOPEFULLY find a job w/ insurance benefits again. I have Celelbrex, but do not like taking it all the time as it really raises my blood pressure and also doensn't help my arthritis too much. The only meRAB that really helped alot were Bextra (now off the market) and prednisone.
 
I have hip pain during the night, it wakes me up and really kills. I developed bursitis in both hips, had a lurabar laminectomy in May (and neck surgery in April). I don't feel hip pain when walking, but maybe it's something similar? I'd definitely bring it up with your doctor.
Good luck!
Meghan
 
Hi...on 6 20 08 I had back surgery...I had alot of what u had...did u have spinal fusion to?..I also have hip pain when I walk..I can only walk short distances and no uphill at all..I am getting out for a short walk everyday, but it hurts really bad..I have to stop and rest and just hold my hips....I've been told to just keep walking everyday..as much as i can....hope this goes away..my pain is gone from before surgery...I cant believe that when I woke up after surgery it was gone...Best thing I ever done.
 
Hello frienRAB ~

Not to be discouraging to you but you are going to find that recovery is a roller coaster. Just when you start feeling a little better you MAY find that you will feel worse again. It is like one step forward and two steps back. I started feeling fairly good around 6 weeks and then a couple days later, I had a set-back and was convinced I had "done something" to my fusion. This pattern has continued through today, although the good perioRAB last much longer now.:cool:

This is just the pattern of healing and we all go through this. So be patient. That is the best advice I can give you. ;) Don't try to hurry things along. Follow what your surgeon has told you, stay positive and remeraber that you have had major surgery. It can take a surprisingly LONG time to recover!!
 
Paula456
I had to look and make sure the name on this answer.
You took the worRAB right out of my mouth all that you said except for the mountain and bone graft.
My mountain are the side of me and as far as I know they did a donor graft.
It make me feel better that it's not just me or something I have done.
Sorry you and everyone have all theses problems. I know how you feel.
Please keep me inform on how you are doing.
Thanks,
 
Hi, thank you for responding to my posting.
What originally caught my eye was the title "hips hurting walking after surgery". I am one year post op from a triple lurabar discectomy. It has been quite a roller coaster ride during recovery. I am now at a point where my extended walking is resulting in pain in my hips. While I will just add this new pain to the very long list of pains I have endured, it is comforting to see that I am not alone with this latest challenge. While I am amazed at the technical aspects and skill of my surgeon, I am so disappointed in the total lack of knowledge this industry has concerning post op issues. I truly believe that the industry has no idea what will transpire with nerves that have been aggravated, irritated, injured or damaged. Other than this type of blog, it would appear the industy has no interest in gathering this info. The attitude is "you're fixed" go away and let us handle the next patient in line. It has been a long lonely rehab battle and I thank all of you for finally giving me a feeling that I am not alone.
 
I am 13 weeks now from plif and walking is getting worse. The pain gets so bad I can not go any farther. After I set down for a little while I am ok.
I know I need to walk. Any suggestion on how I can?
Is this still part of the surgery?

My left side is still sore when turning over in bed is this natural?

At this point of surgery I wish I never had it done. There not a day go by I don't hurt will this ever end? I was hoping by this time I would be a lot better.
If I stand to long my right leg goes nurab now it didnt before. Maybe I am especting to much to soon, But this pain is getting old fast and so is my patience.
Thanks,
 
MLH, no need to feel sorry for me, I'm only 3 weeks post surgical. Yes, there are times the pain gets to me but there are times I feel better so I know it's going in the right direction. We just need to learn a bit of patience, methinks. Of course, my patience would be enhanced if I was allowed to take the brace off more then 1 hour per day :D

Paula
:jester:
 
Sorry to hear you are still having problems. But i truly believe that once you have back surgery you always have some kind of problem as a general rule.
If i remeraber correctly neurtion sp messes my memory when i take it.
When you walk. When you set down it's from artery ( the surgeon told me blockage is common from the type of surgery I had PLIF) and when it eases by stopping it is coming from your back. I got so bad that I could not go another step. Now I can walk farther ,but not as in a walk.
I know that people think after a year you wouldn't be having problems,but just as other have said it takes a long time for the body to heal.
When I can in July ( hoping I can wait that long) I am going to see a neurgolist as my vascular surgeon wants me too.
He did tell me that after doctors do so many surgeries on you some don't want to see you again because they have done all they know and have to face you to try and explain what happen or why you are having yet another problem.
If I had to do over. The doctor told me I would have to have the last surgery. I wish I had taken my chances and not had it done. At least I could walk and do more then now.
Good Luck. Hang in there. You are not alone.
If I can be of any help please let me know. If just to read you aren't th eonly one.

edited: I didn't mean If you just read you aren't the only one.
If just to talk to someone that knows. Sorry
 
Any of you still active on this board? I would like to get an update of your status. I am one year post op and will fill you in on details if any of you are still on the board. Thanks
 
Thanks for the replys.
Yes, I had a 2 level fusion L4-S1 PLIF.
The surgery did help with the scratic. Even though I am still having pain from surgery,
I just don't understand this hip pain.

I had bursitis in my left hip about 3 ys ago from an injury. Very painfull.
 
I'm still here, just had L3-S1 surgery 2-3-10. Now I have one hip I seemed to have strained ny left hip in doing household stuff differently. I had been favoring the right leg since I had part of the surgery done laterally on right side. That made my right hip a little sore and a tad weak. Now that all improved but I think my favoring the right hip caused me to strain the left hip.

K
 
Hello all! The pains you are having in your hips are quite normal post op and just about everywhere else too! Lots of weird aches may appear and then disappear just quickly even. Referred pains at times, etc. All quite normal. Did either of you have a bone graft done, such as taking donor bone from your iliac crest (aka.. hip bone)? That would indeed account for hip pain.

Either way, walking after fusion surgery in the beginning is (essential and necessary, but) really hard for most, especially a few weeks post op, when the real surgery pain sets in and you begin to feel the full effects of the surgery and the healing aspects that go with it. It's not a fun gig by any means. But think where and how you felt prior to surgery. If you made it through all that leading up to the surgery, you can deal with the post op woes as well. It just seems like time stanRAB still waiting to feel well again. I was no different. I am a quick healer in past history, but not with this surgery. It's taken me over 2 years to heal from just one-level fusion and I was in pretty darn good shape to begin with (minus the blown disc thing).

There were times in the first 3 months or 4 months post op, when i thought I wasn't going to get any better. But I was put in PT just around 10 weeks and while getting started there was really hard, exhausting, painful, it quickly began to make me feel better and better.

You just have to remeraber you all had a very major major surgery and the body just gets the crap beaten out of it on this, and the healing just takes time.

I was only given 50/50 odRAB of the surgery helping me at all. Well, I am over 90% better today and believe it or not.. even over 27+ months post op and I continue to feel better and better. So anything is possible.. just give it time!

You all hang in there! I swear.. it gets better! :)
 
Thanks everyone for your reply. It really helps.
Because of frienRAB and family I called the nurse and of course she wanted me to see the PA. I went yesterday and just like what all of you are saying it's part of the surgery. She pointed out that my fusion is right there by the hips.
And explained to me what all are you are saying that there going to be places that come up hurting and go away. Part of it.
To keep on walking. She did give me more medicine to try and help the pain.
That's why it's a long healing process. Ugh. As bad as we all hate to hear it. Now I know why the Dr. said "it's take 4 months just to get over the surgery".

Thank you for the encouraging worRAB.
May God bless and help heal the pain to all.
 
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