3 weeks after hip replacement

Status
Not open for further replies.

NannyJoan

new member
Joined
Aug 7, 2011
Messages
6
Age
73
Location
Australia
Wow. 3 weeks later and I barely walk with a limp. Recovery has been amazing and I have to pull myself up when I want to bend over and pick up things on the floor. I still can't put on a sock on my surgical side but everything else has been a breeze. However. I have had to recommence Oxycontin and panadol as the pre-operative muscle spasms have reared their ugly heads big time. I never know when they will hit so now have to be prepared as the pain is worse than the surgery. I don't know how to manage the spasms and have read heat to the area helps -not for me unfortunately. Massage will help - not for me unfortunately. All I can do is medicate to reduce the tears and tough it out. Does anyone have any other solutions I can try?
 
Hallo, Joan,

I would say keep up with your pain medication as a minimum. Then you need to convince yourself that what you are going to do is not going to hurt, and then go ahead and do it. There will be some failures at first, but gradually I believe you will be able to train your muscles not to go into spasm, because you will be able to demonstrate to them that they didn't spasm last time round and there is no need for them to do it now. I know this may sound a bit weird to you, but it is something that I have learned to do in a lifetime of subjecting my body to silly pressures and it seems to work for me.

Just relax and say to yourself that you are in control. It is in fact possible to convince your body to do the right thing.

Not easy but possible.

All the best with your recovery. It sounds as if you are doing fine.

Alan
 
You haven't provided a lot of details, unfortunately. However I can tell you this... Very often, when people in the first few weeks of THR recovery complain of muscle spasms and uncontrolled pain, it is because they are trying to be too active, are no longer taking pain medication exactly as prescribed, and/or are not icing and elevating enough. Do you think any of those could apply to your situation?
 
Hi Nanny ..what type of surgery did you do?
I am glad to hear that you are doing well so far!
 
Hi NannyJoan, I still suffer from muscle spasms at times. What works for me is very gentle stretches. Hamstring, thigh stretch, etc. Very gentle and often. Things will ease off - but I know at first it really hits!
 
Hi Jacey, thank you for your reply. I had full right hip replacement just over 3 weeks ago and didn't realise how easy the surgery would go - once over the high then low blood pressure events. I left hospital walking on one stick as the physio said I didn't need to use two as I was so fit and recovery was excellent. I have been given exercises to do and find them very easy. I practice them 3 times a day but when the spasm starts I do them again as required. So far I am not able to stop the spasms and just have to tough it out which is very daunting. I went back onto pain medication as I thought I had come off them too early but again felt over medicated and groggy so reduced them. Now I take 2 panadol and 5mg oxycontin at night and just hope the spasms don't start. They can come on during the day or night and the medication, as prescribed by the hospital or my reduced self set dose, does not make any difference. I have tried a heat pack but still find it difficult to work out where the spasm is coming from as sometimes it is high in the thigh and other times through the hamstrings. Yesterday I spent more time sitting and lying down and less time doing exercises and walking and last night I was rewarded with a relatively good sleep with only 2 loo visits. I am going to try this out again today and tomorrow and see it perhaps I have been doing too much and the muscles are trying to tell me to slow down. It is hard to do so when I barely notice any discomfort. I guess I am lucky in that respect. Joan
 
Sounds like you have come off your pain meds too early and are doing too much as well. I know you don't like the groggy feeling but unless you get that pain under control you won't progress. 3 weeks out is way too early to reduce meds.

If you don't like your reaction to your current meds can you go to your GP and get something different?
 
Feeling groggy is part of the deal with strong pain meds. It's one way of making sure you're not too active! Taken them - you need them right now. It's not going to be for too much longer. Don't deprive yourself because of a few hours feeling zonked!
 
Hi folks, thank you for your responses. At 4 weeks post operative I again went off the medication as suggested by my GP but within two nights I experienced the painful spasms. After 10mg Oxycontine to regain my sanity and reduce the pain I have realised that at 4 weeks I still need to continue mediction. I now take 5mg oxycontin and 2 panadol every night and I am coping very well. The other situation I am having that I would like you to comment on is a continual pain at the base of the operation site. I feel there is a bit of heat and some swelling so not sure if this is normal or am I getting a reaction to the inserted prosthesis? Is anyone else experiencing this?
 

Attachments

  • Swelling at base of implant.jpg
    Swelling at base of implant.jpg
    80.7 KB · Views: 1,055
Nothing to worry about. Being cut open with a surgeon's scalpel does funny things to your body like that!
 
NannyJoan, please do not decrease your meds yet. Far too early. When it's time you will start to forget doses and decrease naturally.

Are you icing and elevating? It might help decrease that feeling you have on your op site.
 
Hi NannyJoan, shouldn't worry too much about the pain near the incision site (unless you start running a temperature!) - it's a big cut the OS has to make & it'll take quite a while to heal properly, don't forget there's a big distance from your outer thigh to your hip bone & every single bit has to heal not just the outer cut.
My 1st THR site still feels a bit sore at times (9months post op) & the 2nd THR site is just the same - in fact, this site also has the sensation as if its wet sometimes but when I look at it it's perfectly dry & healthy. Weird!

Keep taking the pain meds, you'll still need them for a while longer.
 
It's so funny you say that Sharon...last night my incision site felt like it was wet yet when I touched it, it was perfectly dry. I thought I was losing my mind.

~Dawn


Hi NannyJoan, shouldn't worry too much about the pain near the incision site (unless you start running a temperature!) - it's a big cut the OS has to make & it'll take quite a while to heal properly, don't forget there's a big distance from your outer thigh to your hip bone & every single bit has to heal not just the outer cut.
My 1st THR site still feels a bit sore at times (9months post op) & the 2nd THR site is just the same - in fact, this site also has the sensation as if its wet sometimes but when I look at it it's perfectly dry & healthy. Weird!

Keep taking the pain meds, you'll still need them for a while longer.
 
Re: 6 weeks after hip replacement

Thanks, Jaycey. It is surprising how just another couple of weeks and your prediction has transpired. I am almost pain free and felt like coming off the medication. Unfortunately I tried to do it too quickly and had to go back to my GP for advice. I will be changing to Endone on a decreasing scale over 9 days to complete the withdrawal process. My hip is feeling fine, the swelling has all but resided and apart from a "corking" feeling down my leg I feel fantastic. I am just waiting for the natural sleep to re-occur but I am sure this will happen when I am clear of OxyContin in my system.:sleep:

Yes I am still icing and elevating my leg and it does make a difference. The Rehab Aids have now been returned to the hospital (their request) and I was worried how I would go without the Ortho chair and loo seat raiser. Took a day or two but now feel fine without it. 6 Weeks post-oerative and I feel like a new person. I realise that I was expecting too much too soon but I guess if you are a fit, active person this has to be one of the things harder to control than medication. I have been given the all clear to start on my stationary bike and walking ONLY on the treadmill. I am just happy that I can finally start a proper rehab training schedule as I have had to miss the Bridge to Brisbane Fun Run 2 years in succession through injury. Watch out for me next year. :dancy:
Thank you to all you wonderful people who have offered such great advice.
 
Glad to hear you're doing so well!!!
 
Congratulations on your improvements Joan. I wish you well in the weeks and months to follow, and hats off to planning and achieving your fitness goals.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

BoneSmart #1 Best Blog

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
65,181
Messages
1,597,074
BoneSmarties
39,365
Latest member
Dave4562
Recent bookmarks
0
Back
Top Bottom