THR THR

[CricketHip]

@Dee62 Gosh, I am so sorry that you are worrying about your workplace and about your return.

Not so sound discouraging or negative, but it sounds like very difficult work for someone who's been through an injury and surgery.
Is it possible to talk to your surgeon now about an extension for your time off?
It sure would ease your mind, and your body will thank you!

 

[Layla]

I'm very nervous about it, and my boss is unapproachable.

Can you try to approach the boss anyway? What do you have to lose if you’re already of the mindset you’re going back? It’s worth a shot. CryScream Bite...no, don’t bite. Just do what you have to do, you never know, you may pull on Ol Mr, or Mrs Unapproachable‘s heart strings and get more time off, or a lighter load upon your return.

Good Luck, hope you have a nice weekend!

 

[Hip4life]

Hi, Dee. I worked in healthcare on my feet for most of a 12 hour shift 3 days a week. It could be brutal with bending, lifting, walking, etc. much like your job. I was NOT ready at 6 or 8 or 12 weeks. It wound up being 14 with reduced hours and days the first 3 weeks. My doctor was behind me 100%. I am lucky to have had a very understanding boss but I had to communicate with her and let her know where I was in recovery. She really didn’t want me back unless I could do the job safely and she didn’t want to set me back by going full tilt at first. It’s going to take some negotiating and if your OS backs you up, then it gives you a little more leverage. 1. Talk to your OS. It took a little bit to get exactly what I needed in written for form for release to take to work. 2. Set out an actual phased schedule that you two can look at and talk over. Make it doable and reasonable for a win- win. Sometimes it’s easier when you deal in the concrete instead of I need more time off and I don’t know how long. I agree with Layla, you have nothing to lose to try and talk to your boss. This is the time you need to advocate for yourself so you’re not paying for it later. Educate him about how 6-8 weeks is the minimum but 12 weeks is recommended. Usually OS don’t want their heavy physical labor patients going back before 12. A little more time and your boss gets a better, healthier, more productive employee in return. I would certainly play up that angle. This is a very stressful part of the recovery. I remember it well. The extra negotiating paid off for me. I wish you success in getting the best resolution here. Keep us posted.

 

[Dee62]

Thanks to all who replied. I have two phone consultations on 21st July - one for fracture clinic, the other for physiotherapy - so I'll discuss with them and go from there. I am still very anxious about it.

On a different note, how soon can I start to use E45 cream on my scar?

Many thanks, Dee

 

[Layla]

Hopefully things all fall into place and work out for the best for you, Dee. We’re all rooting for you. To answer your question about applying lotions or creams to your incision -

Sometimes the skin around your incision becomes dry and itchy while healing. Although it is okay to put lotion or cream on the surrounding skin if it is uncomfortable, you should not apply anything close to or on the stitches or incision without the approval of your surgeon. It normally takes four to six weeks for the incision to fully heal and close. You don't want to risk infection by applying a product near an open area before that time. Some of the more common creams and lotions used on a healed incision are Bio-Oil, Vitamin E Oil, E45 Cream, Palmer's Cocoa Butter Lotion with Vitamin E, and Coconut Oil.

The one exception to this guidance is a product called ACTIVE Skin Repair Hydrogel. This gel contains hypochlorous (HOCL), a compound made naturally by your body to promote healing. It can be applied to your incision at any point during recovery - it's a germ fighter as well as a healing and moisturizing agent. But you still should discuss its use with your surgeon before using it.

Hope this helps and hope you have a nice evening!
@Dee62

 

[Dee62]

Hi everyone

I'm now just past 8 weeks post op and mostly doing ok.

I just want to ask because I haven't had much pain for a while, is it normal to feel a bit of pain at this stage? Feels sore on actual hip and a niggle from knee to ankle on outside of leg and couldn't get comfy for very long last night. I don't think (I hope not) that it's an infection as temp is normal.

Any advice gratefully received.

Dee

 

[Jaycey]

is it normal to feel a bit of pain at this stage?

Definitely! As you get more and more mobile you use muscles and tendons that have not had to work for quite awhile. They will complain. Ice and elevate - even at night.

 

[Schaargi]

Oh my gosh! I am at 7 weeks and have pain. It's been sneaking up on me for a week. I just posted a question about the same thing. Is you skin warm or red around the places you are hurting?

I'm sure mine is not an infection but I was wondering if anyone else was having pain at 7 weeks.

 

[zauberflöte]

@Dee62 and @Schaargi oh I had pain, on and off, here and there, for.... well, I'm me and I push things to the max these days, so I will say, until now. But it's all old, familiar, "68-yr-olds really should be nicer than this to their bodies" types of pain. What you're feeling, I was definitely there and did that.

Yesterday in barre class, I discovered that if I leave my hamstrings out of the "demand equation", my hips have about a 160+ degree ROM with one front and the other back, (turned out of course for safety). The only pain was the hamstring on the front, and the flexor on the back. So I bent the front leg a tiny bit, and wowee almost a real split!

 

[Layla]

Hello Dee,
Stopping by to wish you a Happy Two Month Anniversary.
Best Wishes for a great week...stay in touch, we like hearing from you!
@Dee62

 

[Dee62]

@Layla , thank you!

Still getting used to it at the moment. Odd pains and niggles, but managing. Mostly no crutches now although stairs are still a bit of a challenge.

Dee

 

[Layla]

I didn’t like stairs, Dee. Hubby pretty much pushed me daily to do about eight, then turn back around. You know the old saying, practice makes perfect. You’ll slowly get there!

I‘m sure those odd pains and niggles will ease soon, only to be replaced by others. That’s the way I felt anyway. After awhile I just ignored them and would normally realize a few days later that the discomfort was gone. Remember to take things one day at a time.
I think you’re doing great!

A clever recovery reminder in case you haven’t spotted it around here -

 

[Dee62]

Hi
I've been loitering recently, reading posts, etc. I'm just coming up to 3 months post op (12 weeks + 4 days), and am experiencing some odd pains. I have a dull ache that seems to be around the right sacro iliac joint, radiating round my groin and into my right outer ankle. It niggles when I walk, sit and also in the night becomes uncomfortable. Can anybody help please?

I'm still not back at work as Dr and physio are concerned about the amount of stairs in the shop and how tired I still get.

Dee

 

[Dee62]

Anybody?

 

[Mojo333]

Hi @Dee62
I had SI joint issues prior to my BTHR and it continued to be an issue for months after...
Not sure if the problem was due to the years of bad hips ..leading to bad gait, posture, etc?
We have to not only recover from hip surgery, but the period of time before surgery when we likely were not able to walk and stand properly.

I have a dull ache that seems to be around the right sacro iliac joint, radiating round my groin and into my right outer ankle

Sounds like this could be signs of sciatica which is back telated, and hippys have used chiropractors to make adjustments that have been very successful.
@Jaycey comes to mind.
I was nervous about trying to do much early on...and yes, 3 months is still early.
I did however go to a Physical Therapist who worked with me on posture and gait training and also showed me some exercises mostly for tight hip flexors that eased alot of my SI joint pain.
Much later in my recovery however.

It took almost a full year for my come-and-go niggles to go for good.
New shoes helped my gait, and mindful walking and stretching too although it still took time for my body to bounce back from the years with rotten hips.

I would definitely discuss this with my OS and see what his/her suggestions might be and get the okay before engaging in PT

 

[Jaycey]

@Dee62 Sounds like the beginning of sciatic pain. I have a chronic case of this and my LTHR really aggravated my sciatic nerve.

Check out this article from our Library on Sciatic nerve pain . In the diagram you will see just how close the nerve comes to the hip joint.

I found hamstring stretches ease this. Start very gently as your hamstring may be very tight.

I also worked with an osteopath post LTHR. He did very gentle manipulation including easing my locked SI joint.

 

[Layla]

Happy Three Month Anniversary, Dee.
Fingers crossed things are feeling better for you. Hopefully you’re catching up on rest and feeling less fatigued. Best wishes that you begin feeling steadier and stronger week by week.
@Dee62

 

[Dee62]

I am now 4 months post op and mostly been doing well.

Today was my first day back at work, 7.5 hours on my feet with half an hour lunch break. Consequently, I am now very tired, but what worries me more is that I've now got a fair amount of pain at the incision site with one localised spot. It's been a little tender on and off but since finishing work it's got more painful. Is it normal to feel more pain at this stage into recovery?

Many thanks, Dee

 

[Elf1]

@Dee62 happy 4 month hipaversary!

Going back to work, considering the time to get ready, the commute, then working the whole day can be very tiring. If there isn't any redness or not feeling around the incision site where you're experiencing pain, it's probably just your body letting you know you overdid it. Trying elevating tonight and ice, ice, ice. If you can take ice packs to work with you to use during the day it might be quite helpful. And try to elevate.

If the pain gets worse, you see redness, the area gets hot or you are just overly concerned, please reach out to the surgeon's care team.

 

[FCBayern]

I found it really helped me to be able to ice at work. I took reusable ice packs and a large ace bandage and I could wrap the ice in place with the ace wrap and be able to sit at a desk or get up and walk all while icing.