Question
I am a 44 year old woman, who had a left hip joint replacement surgery at the New England Baptist Hospital on September 15, 2003.  I am currently on my second medical leave; the first was 6 months in length; the current one is 2 months in length.  My hip has continued to hurt since the surgery.  The pain prior to the surgery is gone, however, the post-surgical pain is unbearable, causing me to use pain medication just to be able to move around.  I have no life, no ability to move freely, and have isolated myself from family and friends.  My surgeon simply states that the x-rays are perfect, and the prosthesis is perfect, so there shouldn't be anything wrong.  He will not work with me to identify the underlying cause of pain, which I desparately need help with.  Is there a diagnostic department in a hospital around Massachusetts?  I need help, before I decide to end it all; I cannot tolerate the pain any longer.  Can you help me?

Answer
Dear Debra

As someone who was in chronic pain for years my heart goes out to you.  I went to a pain managment person who did not believe me either.  All she said was "You don't look like  person in pain." and did nothing else.  So I believe you when you say you are in pain.  My x-rays were also perfect and they could not find the source of the pain.

In Massachussets, there are two large hospitals. I don't know the exact names of them, but one of them has a surgeon called Dr. Thomas Einhorn.  You need to get to that surgeon.  He did two of my replacements and is wonderful. He is one of the best surgeons in the united states.  If you tell him the name Sharon Stakofsky, he will remember me.

He will be able to tell you what the problem is, and if he can't he will recommend someone to you.  Just off the top of my head, I am wondering if you have nerve damage.  My pain was due not to the prosthesis, but to nerve damage and just because the pain is not bone pain does not mean it hurts less.

Like I said, I don't know which hospital Dr. Einhorn is in, but he operates out of Boston.  He may even be the head of orthopedics there.

Just one word of advice.  Be careful of narcotic pain meds.  I was on narcotic pain meds for over 5 years and recently was able to come off of them, and it was horrible.  I suffered terrible withdrawal symptoms.  

Find Dr. Thomas Einhorn, you won't be sorry.

Sharon Davis