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THR 12 days post-op & 1st post here.

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@ShellBell727 - OMG, yes I definitely misunderstood about the amount you had to cut down. 84% is insane !!! How are you doing? Have you been able to cut back without any major pain, or is it excruciating? Definitely speak with your Doctor about this... They cannot expect you to be almost completely pain free at this point. It is still early.

As for going back to work, you will cross that bridge when you come to it. Finances are definitely an added stress to the situation, but you have plenty of time to stress about that in a couple of weeks :)... no need to jump the gun when you have other challenges right now.

Sending positive vibes your way... don't forget, you rock, even if you can't rock everything you want to right now !!!
 
OMG What an emotional mess I must be if posts from total strangers make me tear up! Thanks to all for your encouraging words! :friends: I need to find your recovery threads so I can follow your stories as well.

I'm so glad I found this site. Without it I think I would feel so much more alone and anxious! I'm surprised to read how many people had problems like hip dysplasia that weren't diagnosed until later in life. Also how common it seems to need both hips replaced. I myself was not diagnosed with dysplasia until I was 37. I had pain off and on over the years but was always told it was muscle problems and given physical therapy exercises which didn't help. Then 3 years ago the pain got much worse and consistent. They x-rayed me and sent me to the orthopedic department, who said "You have about 3 years till it needs replaced." I was totally in shock. Then because of my age they made me wait until I couldn't walk without a cane, and had to use a wheelchair for any sort of distance. My husband had to help me tie my shoes and cut my toenails. I slowly lost the ability to do many things I love and my world seemed to shrink in size. Even once they finally gave the green light for surgery, there was an 8 month wait list! Hopefully I can get a few more years out of the left hip but this time I am not going to be made to wait so darn long next time!! For one thing, that wouldn't be good for the new hip. Recovery is hard work. But I can't wait to do all those things my bad hip stopped me from doing the last 2 years!
 
Being emotional goes along with surgery and pain meds - it's not just you! I'm 63 and have had mild problems with my right hip (which it turns out had a congenital problem - formed at the wrong angle) for quite a few years but not pain. For about 2 years I limped and was in pain - couldn't tie shoes, etc but was able to have surgery within 2 weeks of saying enough - at that point I could still ride a bike and walk _ although with pain and ibuprofen. So, point is, I feel very bad for you young people not being able to get help earlier! Hope doctors start to see that hip replacement makes sense sooner in cases like yours and many others here! Hope you have a quick and very successful recovery
 
@ShellBell727 So glad your OS appt is Feb 10, so you can strongly request some type of pain relief; perhaps they would agree to some type of step-down drug that could be adequate? Best.
 
@ShellBell727 Hi there! I am also a dysplasia sufferer and our stories sound similar with late diagnoses :(. I am also really sad for you that your medical staff are being so mean about the pain meds. You did just have a major surgery and are trying to learn to walk on a new joint! Stick to your guns and if need be, bring someone to advocate for you. I found the tears were just under the surface for quite a while. I remember also thinking I would bounce back because of my age...not really lol, it seems these bones take time no matter what we want or think. I am having some issues since I've been walking on my own with the adductor muscles being reallllllyyyy sore and the PT says it's from the dysplasia (yay - the effects are STILL there, even with a new hip!). My surgeon also said, "Yes, of course you are having a hard time, your muscles are half the size of a normal persons." Hopefully this will not be the case with you. Wishing you a good day :)
 
Welcome @ShellBell727 - yes, the roller coaster if emotions is a big part of this surgery, pre and post - stick with us we won't always make you 'tear' up, we will through in some humor for you to help make you smile about your life coming out of shrink wrap and expanding like a butterfly xx
 
I had my first follow up with a NP (nurse practicianer) at the OS's office yesterday. He says my incision looks good and I dont need to keep it covered anymore when I shower. Yay! I hated being all wrapped up in plastic to shower. He said to keep exercise to walking 5-10 minutes 3x/day and work up to 15 minutes in the next few weeks. I'm still using a walker but he says as soon as I feel ready I can switch to a cane.

@Josephine He told me to forget icing and elevating at this point. But I still feel like it helps. How many weeks do you recommend people continue to ice and elevate?

After all the trouble one of the nurses gave me about refilling pain meds, he seemed very relaxed about it. I've been cutting down how much I use but he said to just call if/when I need a refill.

I'm still not sleeping well. It's not always pain that wakes me. Sometimes I just wake up and don't feel tired. I just try to sleep whenever I do feel tired, and usually nap at least once/day. Went out for lunch yesterday and definitely needed a nap afterwards! It wiped me out.
 
ShellBell727 said:
He told me to forget icing and elevating at this point. But I still feel like it helps. How many weeks do you recommend people continue to ice and elevate?
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After only 3 weeks? Is he mad? Most people carry on for many weeks, sometimes months. Do it as long as you feel it helps or is necessary.

Interesting thing I heard the other day. I was at a meeting and one the committee members was a very experienced knee surgeon. We were talking about recoveries and this surgeon related how shocked he had been when his father had a knee replacement as he'd had no idea how tough it was - how about that? And I'd warrant that's true of all knee surgeons the world over, except for those who have actually had the surgery themselves, of course! This surgeon also said how tremendously it had changed his attitude towards his patients.
 
@Josephine Did you ever see that old movie "The Doctor" with William Hurt? It's an awesome movie about a doctor who ends up getting cancer and going through treatment. It changes him forever because he sees what patients go through. I think all doctors should have to watch it! I'm glad to have a lot of people's stories here to read through, as well as your (and others') expertise.

I forgot to ask at my appointment... I read on this site about nsaids, tylenol, and aspirin and got worried. They have me taking aspirin 2x/day, naproxen 2x/day, and Tylenol 1000mg 3x/day. They want me to continue this for 6 weeks. Is this safe for my stomach? My kidneys? I also have oxycodone for pain and verapamil I was already taking for non-dangerous but annoying supra ventricular tachycardia.
 
I wouldn't personally want to take aspirin and naproxen at the same time as they are both NSAIDs. However, you've most likely been prescribed aspirin as an anti-coagulant and since the naproxen is such a mild pain med, it's really not worth the risk of taking it. The main risk here is detailed in this article NSAIDs, acetaminophen (Tylenol, paracetamol) differences and dangers. You can take the Tylenol 1,000mg 4 times a day assuming the oxycodone does not also have acetaminphen in it. If it does, then you should make sure you don't exceed 4,000mg per 24hrs.

Are you taking the oxycodone to the max - as prescribed - as well?
 
I cannot believe how the nurse treated you @ShellBell727 I'd like to ring her and ask her if she'd like to report in to someone and beg for pain meds after the top of her leg bone had been cut, drilled, hammered, scraped, sliced and had a metal implant put into it??? And be told she needed to cut them by 86%. Maybe you feel tired and emotional because your in pain after major surgery. Arghhhhh.......
I feel so angry for you!!!!! And then to have the actual Dr say getting more meds wasn't a problem!!!! Arghhhhhh:headbang::tantrum::hissy::hairpulling::gaah:

Ok rant over....so sorry to hear a few of you have been going through this. You naturally wean yourself off the meds when the pain decreases because they make you feel tired or you forget to take them

So glad you are getting support here...it's a life safer isn't it?????

Take care
 
@Josephine, thanks for the naproxen & Tylenol advice! I stopped the naproxen due to the risks and noticed no difference in pain. The Tylenol guidelines here in the US were recently changed from 4000mg/day to 3000. However, I've used 4000/day my whole life and feel safe doing so now so that's what I'm doing. Well, not that I've taken it my whole life, but whenever I have needed it.

I've been able to start stretching my oxycodone doses out a little farther apart as instructed by my doctor. I can go 5 hours between now, except when I take my short walk it hurts more so I end up more meds. I'm only doing 5-10 minutes 2-3x/day. At a slow pace with the walker. I have been able to be up a little more doing very light tasks like putting a few dishes in just the top of the dishwasher. I can't load the whole thing yet. I stop when I get tired, which doesn't take very long at all. It's funny how I can walk in a straight line for 10 minutes but other tasks I can't handle more than a few minutes before I start to get all sweaty.

Some milestones I'm excited about- I can walk to my girls's bus stop to meet them after school and bring them home. And for 2 nights in a row I have been able to sleep in my own bed most of the night! This is huge because prior to surgery, I haven't slept in bed with my husband for months! Although at this point most definitely ALL we did was sleep. My surgeon never told me and I haven't asked yet... How long do most people wait before trying to have sex again?
 
AlanInAZ said:
Unusual and not necessary. The PA for my surgeon encouraged the use of the pain meds. She said pain would hinder my healing. I had a very "boring" and uneventful recovery, but I did take pain meds with a gradual reduction in duration and dose.
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I disagree here...everyone has different pain levels. Mine was minimal, only took tramadol after surgery and was off the tramadol after six days. Just an occasional Tylenol for aches now...and even at that only once or twice a week. I'm at 9 weeks post op now.
 
@BMWDavid No offense, but not sure how your comment is supposed to make me feel better? What exactly do you disagree with? Like you said, everyone's pain levels are different. One thing that has served to DIScourage me is to read the very unusual stories of people who say they had virtually no pain, or went golfing a week after surgery, or went back to work after a couple of weeks. For me, reading too many of those stories is depressing and makes me silently cry "That's not fair! I'm so young! Why am I so slow to heal!?"

Last night my pain increased A LOT (to the point of tears even) and I started along that path of thinking and was getting down on myself. I read on someone's thread that somebody here had forced themself to watch a video of the surgery they had. (Think it was someone who had a knee replacement.) I don't know if everyone can stomach that but I found one on YouTube and did the same thing. Wow. My body has been aggressively physically assaulted! It's way worse than the black and white gentle version I imagined in my head. They cut an 8 and 1/2 inch hole from thigh up onto my abdomen, yanked it open with lots of retractors, sliced up and sawed and hammered and yanked things out and then shoved temporary parts in! Then took those temporary parts out and hammered the real parts in! Then put it all back together and stitched, glued, and steri stripped it all back together again! It's a violent surgery and I need to be patient and gentle with my body as it tries to recover.

I need to remember that everyone's recovery journey belongs to them. No two people will heal alike and I shouldn't try to push myself too hard to match someone else's story, whether it's how much pain medicine they needed, how fast they returned to work, or how fast they ditched the walker or the cane. I am grateful to this website for allowing me to see all possible recoveries along the spectrum of "normal.".

I also need to remember that a physical assault on the body definitely will have emotional effects as well as the body and mind can't be untangled. I have been too rough on myself and should know better since I'm a social worker!:gaah:
 
@ShellBell727 , did you do something different yesterday to cause that nighttime pain? Recovery is all about taking two steps forward and quickly learning 2 steps were too much. One day something seems impossible. Wait a bit and try again. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

And yes, be kind to yourself! This is major surgery and recovery can be tricky. You'll get there! :console2:
 
@Jaycey That is part of what's frustrating me. I can't really think of anything I did differently. Only thing I can think of is, my other hip (which will need replaced at some point) has been hurting more the last couple of days. Maybe that's it. I'm going to ask my OS to x-ray that side at my 6 week checkup. It hasn't been x-rayed in a couple years so I'm not sure how bad it is now. I'm hoping it can last me until January at least, when my protected FMLA leave clock restarts so I can have the time off for recovery again. Not sure how it works in UK but here your employer only has to give you 12 weeks off per year for medical leave.
 
@ShellBell727 , by any chance are you wearing the same shoes you wore pre-op. We recommend buying new, flat shoes post op as old ones will have worn down as you compensated for that sore hip. The more you walk around in old shoes the more irritated you whole torso can feel.

Things are a bit better here in the UK in terms of medical leave. If your surgeon signs you off for 12 weeks - that's what you take. But unfortunately I have heard many stories about employers finding "other reasons" for dismissing staff on medical leave.
 
ShellBell727 said:
@BMWDavid No offense, but not sure how your comment is supposed to make me feel better? What exactly do you disagree with? Like you said, everyone's pain levels are different. One thing that has served to DIScourage me is to read the very unusual stories of people who say they had virtually no pain, or went golfing a week after surgery, or went back to work after a couple of weeks. For me, reading too many of those stories is depressing and makes me silently cry "That's not fair! I'm so young! Why am I so slow to heal!?"

Last night my pain increased A LOT (to the point of tears even) and I started along that path of thinking and was getting down on myself. I read on someone's thread that somebody here had forced themself to watch a video of the surgery they had. (Think it was someone who had a knee replacement.) I don't know if everyone can stomach that but I found one on YouTube and did the same thing. Wow. My body has been aggressively physically assaulted! It's way worse than the black and white gentle version I imagined in my head. They cut an 8 and 1/2 inch hole from thigh up onto my abdomen, yanked it open with lots of retractors, sliced up and sawed and hammered and yanked things out and then shoved temporary parts in! Then took those temporary parts out and hammered the real parts in! Then put it all back together and stitched, glued, and steri stripped it all back together again! It's a violent surgery and I need to be patient and gentle with my body as it tries to recover.

I need to remember that everyone's recovery journey belongs to them. No two people will heal alike and I shouldn't try to push myself too hard to match someone else's story, whether it's how much pain medicine they needed, how fast they returned to work, or how fast they ditched the walker or the cane. I am grateful to this website for allowing me to see all possible recoveries along the spectrum of "normal.".

I also need to remember that a physical assault on the body definitely will have emotional effects as well as the body and mind can't be untangled. I have been too rough on myself and should know better since I'm a social worker!:gaah:
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I'm so sorry...I did not think things through when I made that post. I was saying that I think some Doctors push the use of pain meds more than might be needed for some. In my situation the morning after my THR the nurse came in and basically said here is some LoriTabs. I said I don't hurt that much and after some back and forth they gave me some Tramadol. I was one of the fortunate that seem to have minimal discomfort and quick healing after such surgery and I'm not that young ( 59 year old male).

In your case I wish you the best! I know you are having trouble and your journey will be unique to you. That said I know people (personally) that have had THR's and some are like me and some are at the other end of the spectrum. I know one that had difficulties such as you are but are just fine now.

Again I'm very sorry that my posting came across in an uncaring way as I most certainly did not intent it to.
 
[Bonesmart.org] 12 days post-op & 1st post here.
I can assure you @ShellBell727, that most of us are not pain free from the very beginning, do not go golfing a week after surgery, or go back to work two weeks after surgery. Most of these stories (urban legends) are just that----stories. They are not based in fact. And several years down the road, people have often forgotten just exactly what kind of pain they were in after their THR surgery, so they may not be able to give a true picture of what they experienced.

There are the "lucky" few who do seem to have miracle recoveries---but believe me, for most of us it takes TIME and PATIENCE to fully recover.

And you have correct, your body has suffered a major trauma from this surgery and needs time and a lot of TLC to heal and recovery.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.
[Bonesmart.org] 12 days post-op & 1st post here.
 
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