THR Lateral entry, no restrictions!

I bought a 6 pack of gel ice packs and rotated throughout the day. They are small, flat and freeze quickly.
gel packs.jpg
 
I was able to get a used Breg polar kodiak with a hip attachment on e-bay for $69 plus shipping. It works great! There are usually more advertised on e-bay on the weekend.
To just buy the hip attachment retail is about $100.00.
Maybe a medical supply store would have something?
Does your community have a local lending society for medical equipment?
 
If you purchase a used ice machine, it is a good idea to plan to purchase a new pad for it. They can wear out quickly. You don't know how someone cared for their equipment and contamination is always possible with the pads. The gel packs may be your best bet. As Jaycey said, they will freeze faster than the ice you'll need for a machine. Get several so you can always have some in the freezer and ready for use.

Your recovery sounds very normal to me so far. "Normal" has a wide range when you're talking about joint replacement surgery. Everyone reacts differently to the procedure. Surgeons are different. The amount of tissue manipulation required to get the job done can be different. There are just way too many variables to enable meaningful comparisons with anyone else. Hang in there....things will start to improve for you soon.
 
I bought a 6 pack of gel ice packs and rotated throughout the day. They are small, flat and freeze quickly.
gel packs.jpg
I did the same. For the short time you may need to ice or even if you have to for a long time at least you don't have a machine to store . These are compact. In my case I had to ice for about three weeks.. Others of course have a different path.
I tried to minimize the equipment I would buy that was single purpose. There is a day when you want all that stuff of recovery to be gone!
 
Lingering question. I was told at joint academy that microbes love artificial joints.

I get, and have hot spots on my face. Treat them with hot compresses and triple antibiotic topical. One in the spring turned puss-y, and tested positive for MRSA. A pre-surgery nose swab was negative. While under preop stress, I got two. I showed them to the surgeon, and he was not concerned.

Should I be concerned? Yeah that sounds stupid, but my sixth sense says otherwise.
 
I didn't use ice cubes for my icing machine. I used 4 water bottles frozen. Kept another set in the freezer to rotate out when the ones in the machine melted. I stored the machine with the rest of my hip stuff for my next THR, once that's over I'll donate all of it.
 
@Mutwa Have you seen a doctor about the hot spots? Maybe a dermatologist? I understand your concern, because I have had experience with them, but not on myself.
@Eman85 Yes, it takes quite a few trays of ice cubes for the icing machine, I found out and bought the 8 oz water bottles as someone on Bonesmart suggested.They work great.
 
Best to keep in touch with your surgeon over this, as you did.

Hopefully you've recovered from the PT pushing you too far prior to discharge. Keep up the icing, it definitely helps ease pain. With any luck things are falling into place as far as settling in at home.
Have a great Friday and a peaceful weekend!
@Mutwa
 
Mutwa,
Glad you are in touch with your surgeon, if you are not satisfied with the response, call your GP or dermatologist.
 
Mutwa,
Glad you are in touch with your surgeon, if you are not satisfied with the response, call your GP or dermatologist.
He didn’t call back. The pustule appears stable, so I’ll wait until Monday, continuing hot compresses. If it doesn’t reabsorb or drain , I’ll see a GP Monday.

OR might go to urgent care. I’ll see how I feel. I get the feeling that lack of a response means I should use my own judgment.
 
Constipation was another issue at discharge. I should have gotten a strategy for dealing with it. Fortunately, a visiting nurse told me that stool softener is key, because narcotics steal water from the guts.

While an in patient, the hospital only gave one softener pill, when adult dosage is 2-4 pills. I finally took two, and that did the trick, along with temporarily stopping the narcotic. I’m also cutting narcotic doses in half.

Strategy: What do I take? If that doesn’t work, what do I do? If that doesn’t work...
 
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Irony.

In the middle of a long nap yesterday when RIIING! Glasses off, I scrambled to get the phone thinking it was my doctor.

It was the hospital on a follow-up call.

I tell ya, they come in at all times, and it doesn’t stop when you get home!
 
:gaah: I remember that! I also had numerous calls from a nurse affiliated with my Insurance Company.
 
Constipation is a challenge for most of us, opioids slow down out intestines.
Here is an article in the library that may help.
Constipation and stool softeners

Caution on cutting back pain medications, be sure you have adequate pain control in theses early days. Finding a balance can be challenging.

I was give oxycontin for pain, it stopped me up completely. I asked to be switched to Norco, it made a big difference.

Glad you have a plan for your pustule, if you are concerned, urgent care is a good option.
 
Keep up with your meds
For me I drank a gallon of water a day
And some stool softener
There is a tea called Smooth Move
for me it worked too well
 
Constipation is a challenge for most of us, opioids slow down out intestines.
Here is an article in the library that may help.
Constipation and stool softeners

Caution on cutting back pain medications, be sure you have adequate pain control in theses early days. Finding a balance can be challenging.

I was give oxycontin for pain, it stopped me up completely. I asked to be switched to Norco, it made a big difference.

Glad you have a plan for your pustule, if you are concerned, urgent care is a good option.

Went to urgent care when it looked like the dressing needed a change. Turned out that the dressing could go on a few more days, but got the pustule lanced, and chatted about constipation.

Beginning to forget that I need a cane. Can walk around the house without one.
 
It sounds like you're working things out. Just be sure you don't cut back on your pain meds too quickly. It shouldn't be an "either-or" situation with them and constipation. Keeping things moving can be handled with the resources given in the article Pumpkln linked for you. As long as you're using a stool softener (not anything that has the word "stimulant" on the package or in the instructions), you can take as many as you need. Miralax is an excellent thing to use and also can be increased if needed while you're on prescription pain meds. This is a temporary problem and you'll be able to reduce your dependence on prescription pain meds here soon.
 

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