Hi
@JMACCA, great to hear from you after your marathon effort with two hips replaced consecutively. Phew. I'm not surprised you are a feeling a little in limbo - you are probably a bit stunned I imagine that it's all finally happened, and actually over. This phase (aftershock?) is likely just a natural mental and physical processing, it's been an intense time for you. Just approach all that you do with care. I think I'd be trying out your crutches now. Going by my own experience, I wasn't given a walker, just 2 crutches. I was encouraged to get off the two crutches and onto one at day 7. But I just tried that around the house, and if out somewhere I used both because I didn't want to affect my gait by listing/leaning until I was truly ready. It was handy being on one crutch in the house as I could carry my cuppa/survival bag/lunch in the other hand!
Practice your walking to the extent that you are comfortable, and just gradually increase each day if you can. I would walk up and down a longish garden path with two crutches, then the next day do it twice etc. If you don't feel like it, don't make yourself do it. There is no rush.
You may find the physio will give you a surprisingly challenging schedule, just be wary. Always err on the side of conservative. We trust these people, believing they know what they are doing! But they don't always. On the PT's second visit he made me lose both crutches, walk with a cane for 8 steps, said I'd mastered that then had me walking on an incline
without crutches for a return trip of at least 400 metres. All before week 3 anniversary, all in the one visit. I blithely followed what he said. I found I could do it, so it gave me some confidence but I suffered that night, and for two weeks took no exercise (even walking) and told him not to come back! He had also insisted I discard both crutches during week three. NO WAY. Please don't do bridge exercises - (as I was made to do) they're dangerous for anterior approach. My PT also at week 3 wanted me to use bands around knees to make exercises harder, and extend each leg out from bridge. Doing bridge this was something I found hard and dangerous for the back (let alone new hip) even when I was fit. There are more tales of horror from that PT experience, won't bore you further!
Most definitely get to your GP
pronto and get a back-up script filled. Do not on any account run out of your meds. I don't want to give medical advice, but my own experience was this:
I just tapered off the meds gradually. I asked my GP for 'lesser value' Targin, 15mg and 10mg (because you shouldn't physically split the slow release tablets in half). This way I could tailor things. Only you will know what your body needs. I was quite religious with the meds and could probably have reduced earlier. But the meds help the healing process by keeping us comfortable, so I wasn't in a rush. My GP recommended staying on over-the-counter Panadol four times a day and having that as the last med to come off. I think this is pretty standard medical protocol. Sorry, Josephine, if I'm overstepping the parameters by talking about this.
We have probably all experienced this sense of 'what now' - and 'what do I do' - THR recovery is not within our normal range of experience, and most of us have nothing personal to draw upon. While it is great having the forum, each journey differs wildly. You will have your own pace, your own expectations, your own needs for care, your own limits.
Take care, let us know how it all goes.
United States
