Zimmer Hip—Constant Pain and Oxycontin

Renton, WASuchendra says he had a Zimmer Hip Replacement in August 2009 and he has been in pain ever since. “I have constant pain in my thigh and groin pain, including the hip itself and even pain down into my knee,” says Suchendra. “I went back to my orthopedic surgeon and he just said it takes time to heal, maybe a few years. That doesn’t sound right to me."

"Sometimes I hear popping and grinding sounds, like metal-on-metal,' He adds. "I think it is time to see another surgeon and possibly a defective products attorney.

I’m in more pain now than before; I think I was better off without the surgery. I’m 40 and in good shape; I worked out before my injury but now I try to walk but it causes even more pain, and naturally I’ve gained weight because I can’t exercise.

I have three kids and it’s tough trying to play with them. I don’t have any activity in my left leg and right now I’m lying down in pain. All I get from my doctor are painkillers and oxycontin so now I’m addicted to this narcotic—I take 4-6 pills a day—and sleeping pills every night.

I was hoping that this Zimmer hip would get me back to work because I can’t afford this; I have to support my family on my disability check and I have lost my home and car because of this hip replacement.


I honestly think this hip is defective and they weren’t thoroughly tested, but I don’t know who to see. My primary physician doesn’t want me to go back to work because he sees how much pain I am in but my insurer is pushing for me to retrain for another job and cut off my disability benefits. Then I will be nowhere.

I’m going to ask my doctor to send me to another orthopedic surgeon outside the hospital where I go now. There are only a few hip replacement doctors in that hospital and they likely all using the same Zimmer products. They took x-rays and said it looks good, but I also heard that an x-ray may not show anything untoward; perhaps an attorney can help me arrange to get an MRI.

I went online and googled ‘zimmer hips’ and I was shocked at what I read: so many people are complaining about Zimmer. Even though my particular hip is not on the recall, I think it should be added to the list.”

For more information on the Zimmer recall, click the FDA product recall notification (September 2007).