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4 Wks post cementless Left THR

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Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

Congrats, Letsdothis! I am familiar with that glorious feeling of freedom when he sets you free from the crutches. I thought I would be tossing the crutches behind me and taking off. I didn't. It was a very strange feeling. I was very tentative. My leg did not feel like it belonged to me. I wanted it to do things and it would not cooperate. And I had only been nwb for 4 weeks.

I have now been weight bearing for ten days and still using a cane. Do you have a leg length differential, Letsdothis? I thing that discrepancy is messing me up.

Good luck. I agree with Joan. You deserve that martini!
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

Hooray!!!! Another giant milestone met and conquered!!!
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

:dancy:
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

I am so happy for you:yes 4:. How does the leg feel now? This is indeed a big milestone. Did you get new exercises for the weightbearing?
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

Hello to everyone on this beautiful day.
Clear blue sky, warm sun and after this post I'm going for a walk round the block! So exicted!!:dancy:

All in all my hip feels just great! No pain and it moves in all kinds of ways that had become impossible!! I get the odd twinge in the front but nothing much to speak of.

It was just brilliant talking with the surgeon. he gave me so much reassurance by explaining everything.

They put in a large ball 36mm, which has given me a world of confidence. It's a mighty meaty implant that looks and feels so solid and strong. Now that I can visualise that it is big and strong I gain more and more confidence every day. It's not going to break!!

He explained that they had various things to cosider due to my previous surgeries and the damage that was there due to the Perthes disease.

He said that I didn't have a socket, the wall of my acetabulum was just flat bone. It became like that because the Perthes caused my head of femur to become just a flat mushroom and so my acetabulum had conformed to the shape of the mushroom!

He showed me that they had used a number of components to overcome the odd shapes and angles of my bones.

I think he was as relieved as i was to see that the cup had not moved at all. This was their major concern and the reason for the extended non weight bearing. I was so chuffed that despite struggling with the nwb I had done the right thing by being patient.


I'm seeing the GP tomorrow to discuss going back to work and to get Physio, (waited to see him until the hospital letter came through to them.)

My biggest concern is about what to say to him about going back to work.
:scratch::scratch:

I did pop in to work last week, just to check out the Loo's and my desk and chair etc. My manager appreciates my eagerness to get back to work but also understands that I can't rush back yet.

My Gp surgery is good in as mch as you get an appointment easily, but I never see the same one twice. I 've never been a frequent visitor and so I don;t have a GP that knows me or my history.

How do they go about assessing whether you are fit to return?
Should I be the one to say I think I'm ready or do they have a set of criteria that you have to meet to be given the ok?

Given and accepting hat it's the tiredness that will get to me, do you just get to a point where you "know" you are ready?:scratch:

The surgeon said two weeks with two crutches and then two weeks with one and then could start driving. But is that just a guideline?

I am in IT, so I'm desk based and the only walking is to the coffee machine or the photocopier!!

I'm just over 8 weeks now and just under a week of starting to weight bear with two crutches.

I can walk a few paces indoors with one crutch and that feels fine.
But don't want to overdo it.

Oh well, I'll just have to continue with the patience thing and let it take it's own time.

Off for that walk now and having read a few threads this morning I am going to keep saying the heel toe, heel toe thing so that I am doing it right.

See you all later:thumb:
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

You say - not the doctor. He can advise you but he shouldn't tell you. Basically it's up to you and the occy health at your firm (assuming they have one!).

In my 'spare time' from BS, I am an occupational health nurse and it falls to me to assess people for return to work after prolonged sickness or surgery. For joint replacements, I always say 12 weeks because a person needs that much time to regain their stamina and strength, never mind what's going on with the hip or knee. I also impose this phased return to work which works really well for most kinds of jobs.

You should also read this article Why Does My Knee Hurt So Much when I Have Been Sitting for a While? because people always adopt the attitude that it's 'only' a desk job when it actually poses more problems than a manual job.

Don't rush or let yourself be pressured to return too soon.
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

I've just started back at work. Did 2 half days last week and also this morning - exhausting!!!:sleepz: I needed a nap in the afternoon after the first day. So far I have just had catch up meetings and been mainly listening but that has wiped me out. I am on a phased return that is slightly amended from Jo's template as my HR woman was quite keen for me to start at normal time 0745hrs! I'm not sleeping brilliantly as I'm scared of missing the alarm. Having been taking it easy for a few months in the mornings it's a killer to get up.

As far as sitting is concerned (I'm primarily desk based too) I noticed today that my chair didn't seem that comfortable - bit of pressure around the scar and that felt uncomfortable.

Make the most of the time off, you'll really start it enjoying now you are more mobile. (I know I did!) Work won't go anywhere and if you go back too soon it will be harder to take time off again. If you can afford to stay make the most of the lovely spring weather:flowerysmile::flowerysmile:
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

what a great report, LetsDoThis. So glad to hear that all is progressing well. Ah, yes, patience. It does pay off in the long run. This is so not a surgery to push through the recovery. Continue taking good care.
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

Many thanks for the RTW advice from Jo and from Lisa.

The Gp has given me a certificate to be off initially until 8th June. (4 wks since I saw the surgeon last week.)

But I will see him again just before that date to see how I am doing. It's another 3 weeks away and as i feel I'm getting stronger and more stable and feel safer every day, I hope that I would be looking at a phased return from 8th June.

I can imagine that because no-one can see the physical effects of the operation , when I am back at work and sitting at my desk normally, everyone will very quickly forget what I've had and will very soon stop making allowances if I get tired etc. So, I am definitely going to take as long as it feels right to take!

Lisa hit the nail on the head, I cannot tell you just how much I am now enjoying it all now and how glad and grateful i had this done :biggrin: :egypt-dance::hapydancsmil:. the freedom, the flexibility,

How cool it felt this morning to be able to stand without my crutches and iron my husband's shirt, taking one or two safe but totally unaided steps.
Absolutley marvellous after all this time!!!
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

So happy for you taking your first unaided steps. Here's to many, many more! :yay:
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

Great report!!! Boy, you have the right idea about your coworkers, though. It's so true that they will see you as totally healed from the moment you walk through the door. So be sure to advocate for yourself when needed until you really ARE back to normal.
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

It's true.......once you are back its as if everyone is already running around a race track and you are on the outside lane trying to slot back in. You can't run the race at the same pace as everyone else and need time to get used to running again......they can't slow down to your pace.........its very tempting to put a bit of an extra spurt on to get up to speed but realistically you know that you can't sustain it just yet and need to build up gradually. I'm living it at the moment!!

I feel a fake as I'm leaving work at lunchtime while everyone else is still at it, but I was very tired again this afternoon and needed a nap on the settee. It is extremely easy to just answer one more email or make one more call.....I haven't managed to leave on time yet!!

Good luck
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

LDT

This is my second week back at work and I would have managed better apart from the bug I caught on the first day back.
My office is two flights up and no lift:rolleyespink: I still have to hold onto the railings to get up and down the stairs as it can be hard going with the two flights.
I am back full time with a bit of flexibility, if I have no work in mid afternoon my team leader has told me just to go home.
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

Hello to all

Many thanks indeed for all the advice re going back to work.

I am sometimes torn between thinking I should be going back sooner, perhaps in two weeks instead of what will be three weeks time. But that extra week could make all the difference. (I'm amazed at what I can do this week compared to last week.)

The surgeon had said 2 weeks with 2 crutches weight bearing and then 2 weeks with one crutch and then off on my own.

But at the end of the first two weeks I am doing fine around the house with just one crutch and in fact can potter around any room I'm in without any crutches!!!:yes 4::yay:

I still haven't had the referral to the physio through yet so I'm doing my own rehab. Which mostly consists of doing the hospital taught exercies and daily walks that I increase each day in duration.

My leg definitely feels stronger and more flexible each day but I'm thinking that perhaps there are other exerices I could/should be doing that will increase the strength? Or is just getting on with the day and doing more and more each day just as good?

Pain wise... well I'm just not getting any. but is that because I' m not pushing myself hard enough? I don't know.

The only slight thing I get is a twinge in the front of my goin. Feels as if it is a tendon or ligament that is not wanting to be stretched. But it is only very intermittent and most of the time I expect it to happen when I walk and it doesn't happen !!

My lower back sometimes gets a bit grumbly when I'm walking, but not half a patch on how it used to be.

All in all I think it could all be described as an unevenful , normal and steady recovery? And at just 9 1/2 weeks out it's still early days isn't it?
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

Hi I had a cementless MIS a month ago and there were no limitations at all? I did ask for a wheel chair the day after surgery and got told off by the PT and ended up on just one crutch, as has been said, everyones different and techniques are as well, good luck!
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

LDT - give it all the time you can! If you read any of the post-op threads you will see the first weeks back to work can be very tough. It's different talking about doing it and actually getting there (please read the thread Jo suggested). If you are still on crutches it will be even harder.

And no - there is no need to push yourself to recover. If you are not in pain - fantastic! Long may it last.

9.5 weeks is still very early out - relax!
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

LDT, your pain level seems about the same as mine at the same time. Everyone's pain threshold is different, they say, and underlying health issues are unique. Occasional groin pain and muscle soreness and stiffness still were present even at 4 months for me, but overall my pain level fell pretty quickly compared to many. As for not pushing too much -- NO! It's not time to push your body when it's still healing from such major surgery, and I'm of the belief that "no pain, no gain" is BS!! :biggrin:

Glad to hear of your good progress!
Joan
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

I am sometimes torn between thinking I should be going back sooner, perhaps in two weeks instead of what will be three weeks time. But that extra week could make all the difference. (I'm amazed at what I can do this week compared to last week.)
Click to expand...

Be careful LDT don't rush things I don't know what kind of job you do but be cautious and take things slowly.
You don't get medals for rushing back and I do realise you feel imprisoned when in the house for so long.
 
Re: 4 Wks post cementless Left THR - sorry it's long!

Thanks again so much to all for the encouragement. It makes such a huge difference to come here and get the support.

It's the understanding of the psychological / thoughts/ concerns /benchmarking aspects as well as getting the reassurance on the physical side of things.

I think for me it is the fact that I was nwb for longer than most on here. So now that I'm actually walking again, my experience of it feels a bit different.

I got over the immediate/short term post -op recovery and healing etc a few weeks ago but that wasn't at the same time as walking again and so I'm only just now experiencing the muscles/tissue reactions to putting weight on it.

I found out that I had a Delta Motion implant. The letter says Delta Motion with S-Rom, but I can't find out what the S-Rom bit is?

It was quite funny to google Delta Motion because I came across the surgeons manual for the implant.
https://www.finsbury.org/documents/DMOptech_web.pdf

It reads a bit like a step by step guide for assembling flat packed furntiure.. :th_heehee::th_heehee:

I envisaged the surgeons, unpacking and checking they had all the bits and pieces... having to phone IKEA and ask for the missing part A1-09 to be sent over...

Perhaps it's a wonder it went so well as I don't know many men who actually read the assembly instructions!! I could have ended up with a rather nice bedside cabinet instead of a new hip!!!:biggrin::biggrin: (Only joking!!)

All the best to everyone today. Anotehr sunny day and another day of progress for us all.

:thumb:
 
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