THR 2nd Hip Replaced

[kattyaz]

It is 2:40PM. I have been in my rom since 12:30. I have had lunch, done my breathing exercises and can finally wiggle my toes!

I feel great, I had a spinal this time and have no post surgery issues so far.
Waiting on PT and if all goes Welty doctor says I can go home tonight instead of 10am tomorrow. He says I won’t get any rest here.

I checked in at 7 am and surgery was at 9am.

Looking forward to recovery and pain free walking.

 

[Layla]

Welcome to Recovery once again!
Here are the Recovery Guidelines as a refresher. Almost a year to the date of your last THR.
Safe travels home if you're discharged. Let us know how you're doing once you're settled in at home.
Wishing you all the best!

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity progression for THRs​

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each, member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice. @kattyaz

 

[kattyaz]

Modern medicine is truly amazing. Less than 12 hours since I checked in this morning for hip replacement surgery I am in the car heading home!
I had lunch, meet with and walked with occupational therapist and Physical Therapist and was cleared to go

Anterior with no restrictions.

My doctor suggested I wear bike shorts as the compression will help with swelling. I currently don’t have bike shorts but I do have spanx

Tomorrow is recliner, walk, ice, repeat.

 

[kattyaz]

My first night was pretty good. With the anterior surgery I can actually shift between sleeping on my back and my side.
I am wearing compression yoga pants to control the swelling and I had a shower this morning.
The only discomfort is the front of my thigh feels tight but I am able to stretch it out.
My new OS only allows 7 days of Tramadal and I am also taking ibuprofen and extra strength Tylenol at various times.
Happy to be pain free and recovering

 

[Mojo333]

Yay...new double hippy in the house
You know the drill...on the way to healthy and happy!

 

[kattyaz]

I had a wake up call today and it was scary! I have been walking around the house without my walker, getting coffee, puttering around.

Yesterday I went with my sister and got a manicure and picked up my new glasses from Costco. I did use my walker in Costco and did not walk around much. Easy peasey, life is grand.

Today we were going to Costco to get my second pair of glasses and then a pedicure. Then it happened. I got out of my sisters car and turned and reached for my walker when I had a pop or crack in my groin and I felt something. It wasn’t pain but I still feel “it”.

I did pick up my glasses but I was moving very slow, expecting something more to happen. It scared me and I called my husband to come pick me up in our SUV as I was afraid to get in my sisters car again.

He came and got me and I am home without incident. I was super upset and crying (all better now). I am reevaluateing and slowing way down. I am using my walker, turning carefully. I think I was a bit too cavalier due to my anterior surgery post op lack of restrictions and how much easier everything was compared to last years posterior post op recovery.

I expect tomorrow to be a good day, I will be taking it slow and elevating and icing.

 

[Layla]

I'm sorry you were frightened and upset by the whole incident. I don't blame you, I would have been afraid also. It's good you're resting and icing. In all honesty, the outing sounds a bit ambitious for only 5 days post op.

I'm going to leave you the Activity Progression to use as a rough gauge -
http://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/activity-progression-for-thrs.13187/
It was included in the Recovery Guidelines but possibly you haven't gone through the articles yet.

I hope you recover from the incident quickly. There is still so much healing to take place from surgery.
Have a great Sunday and week to come!
@kattyaz

 

[Bionic]

@kattyaz,
That does sound scary. No wonder you were crying. It is a major operation though so you need to take care of yourself and be more patient with your recovery. It's very early days to be joining the ODIC (over doing it club)
I hope it all settles down with some rest.
Best wishes

 

[Jaycey]

@kattyaz Please slow down! You should not be doing any shopping trips so early out. This is major surgery and no matter what approach you had you do need to give that hip time to heal. Please read the article Layla left for you and use a walking aid until you are totally stable on your feet.

 

[kattyaz]

Thanks for the feedback. I read the activity progression and will take it to heart

 

[Mojo333]

Hope things are easing for you.
Exercising that patience muscle
Can Be Exhausting!

Hope you have a great day, double hippy friend!

 

[kattyaz]

Update.

I took my bandage off on Thursday and was surprised to see stitches! My first hip was glued, I thought this would follow suite. The ends are poking through my leggings

I do miss my prescription drugs, sleep was so wonderful then. Now I am alternating between ibuprofen and Tylenol extra strength. Not the same effect (sigh). I don’t nap during the day, bout still find it difficult to sleep. Last night I was up between 2-4am and then slept in until 8:30. This pattern will not work when I do go back to work.

I have my post op OS appointment on Tuesday-i anticipate to hear thing are normal and expect a release to return to work. I plan on taking advice about not rushing back to work, for me this means returning on the 13th.

I have the ability to do some work from home and that has been great. I put in 12 hours last week working at my own pace and timeline.

I am icing and elevating and doing walks in the house with my walker. I still have that tight feeling but apparently that is normal.

Slow and steady.

 

[Layla]

Hi
Nice update! Thanks for sharing.
I'll bet your sleep will regulate once you get back into a scheduled routine with work.
Would love to hear how your post op with the OS goes on Tuesday, if you'd like to share.
All the best until next time.
@kattyaz

 

[Mojo333]

My sleep was all over the place with no more than two to three consecutive hours for months...even after return to work.
Was exhausting...not to mention brain fog.
Definitely not uncommon...but super frustrating!
I just relented as not napping didn't help with night sleep and napped whenever possible.
You might want to do this while you can!
Hope today is a Good Day

 

[kattyaz]

Day 17 post op
Saw the doctor on Tuesday. Had the stitches removed by his lovely assistant Jenni and then had to drop my drawers again for the PA Tim and then the doctor! I now have sterile strips that stay on until they fall off. No bathing or soaking until then.

Everyone agreed the healing was looking good, and more importantly that I was walking exceedingly well. I can ditch the walker and use the cane or a walking stick for outdoors. Just to provide a bit a stability. I can ditch the cane when I am ready. OS says this is usually when you start forgetting that you have and just go about your business.

XRay was good, hips are aligned. OS thought that the popping I heard and felt may have been me pulling the scar tissue and no with is healing again.

I wore a really cute pair of "Medical" inspired leggings to my appointment, got lots of compliments. They also are snug so they provide the support my doctor wanted me to have to keep swelling in check.

No PT needed, just like Bonesmart the OS says that hips heal themselves and the best thing to do is walk. I am allowed to do what I am comfortable with and if I want to expand to the stationary bike or elliptical I can. So far I am not feeling the need to walk about too much. I navigate the house fine, today I drove and got my hair highlighted, tomorrow I think I will get a pedicure.

The incision is still a little bit achy, clothing can be an irritant, but otherwise everything else is great!

I have a follow up in 6 weeks, but if things are great and there are no set backs I was told to cancel the appointment and just follow up at the one year mark.

I anticipate things to continue to improve and I will be able to walk around Munich at Christmas without any issues, And be able to navigate up and down the stairs to various relatives apartments we will be visiting. Only one lives in a building with an elevator. That is the beauty of Europe.

This OS does not believe in the need for antibiotics for dental work and gave me a letter for my dentist to that effect. I agree completely.

Cleared to return to work with no restrictions, but should I experience issues let them know and they will revise.
I plan to return to work on Tuesday and see how it goes. That will be three weeks since surgery.

This is a good time to return to work as next week is only a 4 day work week, and the following is only 3. Love the November holidays. I have been keeping my hand in by doing some work from home and using the time to learn Visio for future projects (By this I mean watching tutorials)

I am also icing while watching the Hallmark channel, but his is not as often as it used to be.

All in all things are fabulous, I so appreciated the information and support from Bonesmart. It is reassuring to see others with the same issues and concerns healing together and moving on to a improved and pain free life.
Thanks
Kathi

 

[forbesy]

Nothing worse than getting a freight kattyaz glad to hear you have slowed down and that was a fabulous feedback very positive. Think you went out shopping slightly early keep icing and keep that leg up onwards and upwards.

 

[kattyaz]

My medical leggings

 

[forbesy]

Well done

 

[Mojo333]

Love the leggings!
Love the update.
Onward and upward @kattyaz

 

[Layla]

Happy One Month Anniversary to Lefty!
Happy One Year Anniversary to Righty!
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Happy Happy Happy

Leave an update next time you stop by. Would love to read about your progress.
@kattyaz