THR bye-bye femoral head! my post-op recovery thread

Bergame

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Getting this thread started today before my 7:30AM surgery tomorrow. Thanks in advance for the help I know I will get from Bonesmart in the days/weeks ahead, just as I have relied on your knowledge, experience and kindness in the months leading up to this big day. Off to CVS now to collect my cornucopia of post-op drugs!
 
Best Wishes! We'll be thinking of you and will look forward to your first post once you're feeling up to it.
Wishing you comfort and hope you get some sleep tonight :sleep: :yawn:
See you here again soon! :)

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
6. Access to these pages on the website

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask the at each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Good luck tomorrow morning! 7:30 is nice and early and then you have the day to recover and adjust..
Check in when you are able!! :ice:
 
All the best today! See you on this side soon!
 
We will be rooting for you.
Bye bye hip pain!:ok:
 
Sending positive thoughts for smooth sailing at the hospital, and your start of recovery!
 
Back home by 2:30 PM after early AM surgery. Feeling more weird from the anesthesia than from the hip surgery. Such a miracle of modern medicine, though, that you can walk into Surgery Center at 6AM with arthritis limp and walk out, literally, with the arthritis gone.

I know it’s way early in my recovery, but I now understand why forum members often say: “I waited too long. Get it done.”

Compression stockings look to be from the 2019 summer fashion collection as they are bright white and very light material with open toes. Glad I got that (probably not recommended) pedicure a few days ago!

Eating a bunch of fiber, drinking a bunch of water and taking Colace with a goal of you-know-what

Nap time!
 
Helloooo!!! :wave:@Bergame , you sound marvelous! Just marvelous! It is indeed a wonderful time to have hip arthritis, isn't it? My goodness, you were in and out in record time, I think I've had my car in the shop longer than that!
Im so happy for you and look forward to watch your progress, remember, the recovery isn't a linear line.. there are ups and downs.. hopefully more ups! I am at 3 weeks and feeling rather spunky today!! There's a nice light at the end of the THR tunnel!
Rest up, drink your water and pump those feet! :loveshwr:
 
@CricketHip “ It is indeed a wonderful time to have hip arthritis, isn't it?“
Your comment made me smile. I would estimate your glass to be not half-full, but rather filled to the brim. Good way to approach life!
You are so right about the timing. I remember quite a few people from my grandparents’ and parents’ era who just lived their lives with pain and limp.
 
:hi:
Drive through THR. Crazy, isn't it! But so awesome we've come that far.
It's good to hear you're home. Rest up, ice up and stay in touch, we're looking forward to following your recovery.
Happy Wednesday!
@Bergame
 
Thanks, everyone, for your kind thoughts.

Got a very good sleep last night. I’m already forgetting how frequently the arthritis interrupted my sleep. Only got up once last night for a pee that seemed to go on for about a minute and a half - probably a bunch of IV saline juice working its way down and out.

Going to PT this afternoon armed with the oft-repeated Bonesmart mantras of:
(1) hips don’t really need much exercise
(2) if anything hurts, STOP

Hoping to just gear the PT session around occupational therapy stuff like how to use assistive devices properly. Get in and out of car,etc

For those of you who had outpatient PT after THR, what did you find valuable?
 
Going to PT session today already will be your PT. It will most likely wear-you-out just getting there and back home. That will take an awful lot of energy from a body that's fighting to use every ounce toward healing. I can't believe they have you doing that. Thankfully you slept well last night.
Wishing you the best and a comfy happy nappy when you get home. :yawn: :sleep:
Safe travels.
@Bergame
 
Outpatient PT already?! :wowspring:
 
The occupational PT I had the day after surgery was geared to making sure I could do steps, get into a car, and get into bed. They rolled us down to the big OT room each in a chair! It was in the morning, apparently I passed, and then that afternoon I went home. The day of surgery I never even got to stand up due to my low blood pressure. They do rush you out.
 
:wave:So happy to see you on the healing side and doing well.

Slow and steady will win this race...but the payoff is Huge!:dancy:

Healing vibes coming your way!:thumb:
 
Outpatient PT already?!

Yes, @Elf1 , even the therapist was surprised that my surgeon recommended PT within 48 hours of surgery, but the session was more geared to precautions and transitions into and out of chair/bed. He did ask me to do a straight leg lift, and I nixed that after one twingy rep. The therapist also suggested the ankle pumps and heel slides, which seem to be geared as much to avoiding blood clots as to gaining strength.

In other exciting recovery news, the Colace + antibiotics + Aldi grocery brand cinnamon fiber bars have my digestive system back in the game.:yahoo:
 
Hello :wave:
Yay for digestion / elimination functioning as it should. :happydance:
It's good you weren't afraid to say no to PT after realizing the straight leg lift hurt. Please continue to say no to anything that hurts while engaging in PT.
I hope you have a lovely Thursday...stay cool! Awesome days for lots of this > :ice:
@Bergame
 
Hi @Bergame :) :-) (: I just wanted to peek in and see how you are healing. You sound like you have things under control.. so glad to read about you nixing the straight leg lift. All of this makes me very happy for you!! Remember, if you get to feeling blue about your progress, just return to the great links above that Layla left for you; they give some great details about the healing process. This is my second THR and I still read them, too.
 

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