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THR 10th of January LTHR

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Hi Guys somerset and north wales sounds delightful with snow etc. i cant wait for my '
forgotten hip' so i can finally venture there one fine day!. Cati sounds like you are doing really well!, keep up the great work and cannot wait to hear of your progress slowly and surely!!! Must be wonderful to have the operation BEHIND you and your whole bright pain free future AHEAD of you! :yay:
 
Love your horse picture - is it one you own now? My Dad had a RTHR at Oswestry when he was 78, now just turned 93 and the hip is fine. He did not have any physio advice apart from the no bending (and also not to ride his bike but that may have been an age thing - they didn't say anything about skateboards, he fell off my nephew's in the garden when in his 80s and sprained his wrist). The family have been amazed at the pre- and post-op care and advice I've had from an NHS hospital , see my own recovery thread. I don't know how I would have managed without the raised toilet seat I was given (along with a trolley/walker and perching stool for bathroom/kitchen which are on loan). Why do things differ so much between NHS hospitals?
Don't try to rush recovery!
Best wishes Anne
 
Glad to hear everything went ok! I know how frustrating it can be to want to do things. This recovery process is a great exercise in patience! I am only 6 weeks post and the OS says I have another 2 months. It is a long process but I believe it will be worth it. One of the best advice I got (from here actually) is to measure your progress by the month or every few weeks instead of every day because the process is slow!! My PT told me of a patient she had that was feeling great by week 5 so decided he would vacuum and dislocated his hip. It's rare but it reinforced how careful we have to be. 2-3 months of taking it easy will seem like nothing when we look back on it years from now!
 
Welcome to the other side Cati! Please don't worry about the ups and downs of recovery. Just take things slow and steady and don't forget to stay ahead of the pain. Take those meds around the clock for now. They will help you to get more and more mobile.

Here's a link to our Library about Home physio (PT) At this stage I wouldn't worry about exercise. Walk around the house as you are doing to gain the confidence. And you are so right - the weather is horrid. Please don't venture out until things are dryer. You don't want the risk of falling on ice.

12 weeks does sound a long time. I would ring your OS office and ask his med secretary if they can see you earlier. My post-op followup was at 6 weeks.

Hang in there - you are doing fine!
 
Hi Cati

So glad you made it over and on the same date as me. It sounds like you're doing really well - you must have some energy to be feeling bored. Most the time my energy is zero and if I manage a couple of 30 mins a day with just a little energy I think I'm doing really well!

Like you, I found the support from our little group of ladies in Room 3 to be amazing. We were a hotchpotch - I was the only hip - but going through the surgery experience together made it so much more bareable. Humour is the best painkiller and we could keep giggling over one thing for hours. Just little things such as the day when I acquired a grabber that could be attached to my zimmer frame. One lady had been asleep at the time and when she woke up said, in all seriousness 'Oh, Diane you've got a new zimmer with a brake!' Another time, I'd been trying to get out of bed but got stuck like a beetle on it's back - when the nurse came she very kindly helped me get back in again!

You are on the same pain meds as me but seem to be coping much better with the pain. All through my pain has been pretty awful and for some reason is so much worse at night. It's a strange pain in my thigh that can only be releived by bending at the knee but then I'm so scared of it falling across the midline if I doze. That happened once and I really thought I'd dislocated it for a moment!

I know what you mean about being left to your own devices - I haven't seen anyone medical since returning home but the district nurse will come on Wednesday to remove the staples - not looking forward to that! Do you have stitches - that's what I was expecting.

Anyway, enough for now - wave of exhaustion coming - take care of yourself

UK Diane xxx
 
Nannieannie i had mine done at RJAH Oswestry. They were wonderful there. I have a great surgeon and the nurses were so kind with me, i was so terrified and they did everything they could to put me at ease. Will have a look at your recovery thread now.
I had a trolley (which is fab) and a raised toilet seat from them, bought the other gadgets myself.

Yes, i still have the pony in the picture, she is also in foal. I had to sell my riding horse last year as i couldn't ride and she was being wasted. But still have my section a ponies, with three foals due end of April. I to be back showing inhand in the summer (though now that almost feels impossible!)
I did a few inhand classes last spring through terrible pain despite painkillers and had to admit defeat and it really felt like the final straw, i couldn't be 'me' anymore.
Not dancing rightnow, you are right, it's definitely good for training your patience!
Jaycey, i think i had expected the check to be at 6/8weeks. As that's what the nurses in pre op had said. I don't know if the fact i can't return to work for at least 12weeks anyway made it different? I may ring his secretary to find out properly in a few weeks.

Lovegardening, the company on the ward made it so much more bearable, you are right laughter is the best tonic.
I didn't get a chance to say good bye as two of them were fast asleep and the other two had to go into private rooms due to feeling unwell with a migraine and the other lady had a flare up of her crohns disease.
I have dissolvable sutures, but the nurses are coming to take the dressing off Tuesday. So i've been having flannel washes and washing my hair in the sink to avoid dusturbing it in the meantime.
I bought a pillow trough,which is a great comfort for sleeping at night, as i was worried of moving it in my sleep. I miss those fabulous electric beds in hospital!
I do feel really well in myself, even in hospital my pain score post op was mostly 1/10, at worst i think the highest i felt was 4/10.
I do feel sheer boredom though and i'm a terrible patient for my husband!
But trying to behave and take it steady. The pain i had the other day let me know i had overdone it.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
 
Forgot to say,i definitely have had post op blues (prematurely?) through feeling trapped in the house.
 
Wow, all those babies coming! Used to spend school holidays in Tregaron with Dad's parents, it was a big pony trekking centre in the 1950s and 60s. Sitting up on the top of a hill eating a packed lunch while the ponies grazed was brilliant for us kids who were growing up in London!
Also going stir crazy from being stuck indoors but at least our electricity has held out so far and we are warm. (We are prepared with oil lamps, candles and fuel for the open fire!)
Remember - slow and steady gets there!
Anne
 
Thanks all.
I thought i was 'well prepared' with what to expect. But, i never thought resting would be this hard! Lol

I'm having a slight hiccup with sleeping.
Pre op, by the end i ad back pain at night, lower back, sacroiliac area and couldn't sleep on my back and only on my sides for short periods of time, as my hip hurt then too.

While in hospital and for at least 4/5 nights home, no problem and i slept fairly well. But it's back with a vengence now! I go to sleep ok, but wake about 4am, with a seized up feeling in my lower back. I take my meds consistently.
I'm pain free during the day.
If i prop myself up with pillows making me sit up more in my bed, it's not so bad, but then i get a stiff neck.
Missing my beauty sleep! Is this due to my wonky pelvis realigning walking on a correctvleg length during the day?
 
Hi Cati Glad to hear from you again - sounds like you are moving on apart from the back pain. I recognized everything in your description of it and it's driving me batty too! I'm sure if I could just lie on my side it would feel so much better. In fact, last night I caught myself beginning to turn over and curl up but fortunately my dislocation detector was on alert and I woke and stopped myself. I find it so scary what I might do in my sleep when the temptation is so intense when I'm awake!

I don't know why it's so bad but my whole body just feels like it's seizing up - all stiff and achy. But when I think what I was like before then maybe it's no surprise. I was one of those people who never sat still for 5 minutes - my favourite position for watching TV was lying on the floor and I would just be doing a few back bends,leg stretches, thigh extensions etc just for pleasure. I feel some back bends would do me a world of good and have tried doing it on the bed but it just doesn't work - you really need a hard surface. I look longingly at the floor and can't wait to get down there again!

Anyway, enough of my ramblings, if I come up with anything that helps I'll let you know

Take care

UK Diane
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Cati, the sleeping in my back and the horrible backache was the worst thing for me post op. I tried using built up pillows but they slipped and were just too soft for support so I bought a foam wedge from Amazon, then used two pillows lengthways and one across the top for my head and it was brilliant. Took a little getting used to sleeping like that but there was no more back ache.
 
try putting some pillows under your knees to help relieve pressure on your back. If it helps, I think most of us can relate to the night time back pain! Do you have anyone that can give you a massage? Your recovery sounds like it's going really smooth otherwise which is great to hear! I'm at 6.5 weeks and still using a cane & pain meds to get through so your progress really is remarkable!:SUNsmile:
 
Ah! This is great advice!
I have my leg in a pillow trough, bought one after using it in hospital, i like the security of knowing i couldn't move it in my sleep.i'm like you lovegardening, so wish to curl up! I used to lay on the floor loads too. I also miss a warm bath!
So, i guess i could do your pillow lenghthways under neath the trough and other leg Anniepops? I have a 'v' shape pillow that may work.
Or would just putting pillows under back of knees work with the trough?

I have been for a little walk round the front of the house today, wrapped up in layers! Fresh air was bliss! Snow has gone here and a bit warmer than it has been.
I do feel immensely lucky that bar the night time issues, my pain is minimal. Wish i could nap though, desperately need to catch up of some zzz! Lol
 
I have had my follow up date today, 16th of April!
This feels so far away to me with no one to tell me if i'm doing ok or how to progress? I'm not that bothered about the driving part. Not ideal with work either.
But i feel trapped almost if all restrictions are in place until then? I.e going to other peoples houses or out for lunch etc, if toilet seats and chair heights will be an issue? Or not being able to dress myself 'normally' for so long.
In all, this will be 13 weeks of not being seen by anyone since op. Surgeon's secretary not in until Monday.
 
Cati, 13 weeks is a long time to wait before being seen for a check up but if all is going well that should be okay anyway. When I had mine at 8 weeks...with a nurse.....post op patients don't get to see OS ever again unless something very wrong.....it was very quick, she watched me walk, checked my ROM, I had an Xray which she looked at and that was it......nothing indepth. It is very frustrating when all you want is to actually see a professional to see if all is going okay but I'm afraid this seems to be the way it is in the UK.

I had restrictions for 12 weeks but I was NWB for six weeks then starting from scratch which took me a good few weeks to get moving properly so I didn't really do much going out or visiting and those 12 weeks did fly over. And I relied on the bonesmarties for LOTS of advice...they were my 'at home advisers' and what a great job they did, moreso than the nurses could in my opinion, having been there and done that :thumb:


Perhaps you can ask for an earlier appt, explain about going back to work..it's worth a go....as we say up here 'shy bairns get nowt' :)

Take care

Ann
 
He had said in the initial consultation in August work would be 8-12 weeks, so i was prepared for that as i have a physical job. That i don't mind really except now i will need an extension of the sick note.
I remember him saying that driving would be about 6 weeks too, which contradicts what the discharge nurse says.
When he asked in the pre op if i had any questions, i said no, as i had asked what i needed to in August! Lol

The physio and ot in hospital said he had written "full weight bearing no restrictions" in my notes. I had no complications and all straightforward.
She got me going on crutches, up and down stairs, dressing etc and i was home within two days. She said no physio other than walking, build up gradually and throw away crutches when needed.
But i did feel a bit confused on discharge as nurse said two crutches till i saw surgeon. No driving, no bending until follow up with at 3months!So grabbed the lady who i had seen earlier who said, no it's as you think you can do without the crutches. But thst's all she would answer. So i'm majorly confused!
It just feels like a long time before seeing anyone at all. I'm feeling uspet at the thought of being restricted to only being able to sit in my own house for another 11weeks.
I had thought from our initial consultation in August, that after 6/8weeks i could start returning to normality.
 
Cati, since I am in the States, I don't know exactly how things are done in the UK. I am going to tag Josephine to address your situation. I certainly feel you need to know exactly what you should and should not be doing until your next consult; and maybe you should be seeing someone sooner than scheduled nowl
 
Hi Cati I had my surgery the same day as you and thought my follow-up date of 19th March was far too long!. There's no way we can be sitting at home until these dates and, like you, I have no guidance on where we go from here. I was hoping to go out for lunch the other day but couldn't cope with the logistics of going to the loo etc. I was still feeling extremely tired so decided to leave it until next week but I have every intention of getting out there! I've bought a chunky cushion with a handle that I can take places just to give me that extra lift. Toilet wise - I had to cope with that on the way home and did manage by sort of hovering. That was only 5 days post-op so I'm sure I could manage now.
The other thing is I'm seeing a physiotherapist next week. I've managed to wangle that because I was seeing him before the op to help me with problems with my pelvis which, incidentally, he thinks were the cause of my hip OA. I can't wait to see him and find out what I can work on - I'm hoping at some point that he'll be able to show me a safe way to get on the floor as this will open up the yoga work I can do. Anyway, it might be worth asking for a referral from your GP - there's one thing for sure with this game - if you don't ask you won't get!

Take care
UK Diane xxx
 
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