6 Month Update: RTHR, Anterior, MoM

[workbill]

Hey Gang!
As is common I suppose, as I recover, I come here less and less. I got a lot out of this site, and want to keep trying to give a little back...

As the title says (in abbreviation codes), my anterior approach, DuPuy hip is coming along fine.

I still have some soft tissue healing, and a surprisingly large numb area on top of my quadricep. Nobody seems to mention how much nerve damage can come with a hip replacement, but several folks at work nod their head and say, "Oh yeah, that happened to me too." What the hell, man??!!

I'm envious of everyone who says they're in absolutely no pain. I still have to take at least two Tylenol every morning, and often a couple Aspirin or Advil after work. The hip joint doesn't hurt, and that's of course the whole reason to have the surgery, but sometimes it seems like all I've done is transfer the pain to my back or knee or quads, or....

Somebody call the Whaaaambulance...
:D

I have a follow up visit with the Orthopedic Surgeon in December, and I'm sure I'll still have a little numbness, no joint pain, and be on "his" schedule for a full recovery.

The good news is, I'm dancing better than ever, ride the Harley every chance I get, sit anywhere, anytime, for as long as I want, and sleep like a baby. There's no doubt that this is an amazing experience, but don't want to mislead anybody into thinking it's anything less than major surgery. It's damn near an amputation, luckily they can hide the prosthetic where it doesn't show...(I have to admit, I kind of like my scar.)

I bought a cane just like Dr. House uses on TV, and even though I don't need it anymore, I leave it out as a trophy and a conversation piece!

Best wishes to all, and I'll keep posting up whenever I have anything of value to say!

Bill
:wub:

 

[Texas]

Well sorry you still having pain but they so say it can take up to a yr to recover ........Bit glad your riding and ding things you love....Make sure you tell you OS everything he can still check it out or reassure you..........Thats right same as our scars battle scars. Nice to hear from you again and your getting on with your life thats what its about.............thanks for posting...........ck in every once in awhile !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Judles]

Keep up the great recup, Bill! It DOES get better every day!!:thmb:
:p

 

[shugaplum]

Thanks for posting and keeping us all updated! I wonder if the numbness as something to do with the incision placement. I had a surgery 18 months ago to remove cysts in the hip and they did an anterior incision. My OS said he has to move the nerve to get in the right spot. I had a TON of numbness across my entire quad and up into my groin. It has however disappeared since then. Nerves can heal and you should get feeling back eventually. My PT also warned that as nerves heal they tend to fire off wrong signals. I would just be sitting on the couch minding my own business and suddenly have a sharp shooting pain or feel a burning. Perhaps thats contributing to some of the extra pain you're having in your knee and back?

 

[JudyS]

Hi Bill
Thouroughly enjoyed your post. Love my new hip, much better than my new back fusion!!
judy

 

[Jamie]

Bill, it is so good to hear from you. Your post was really fun to read. I am sorry to hear you still have some soft tissue pain, but it can hang on for some folks. 'Course it would have NOTHING to do with all that activity you're doing now, would it??? It will lessen with some time. And I agree with you that your doc will be very pleased when you see him next.

Don't stay away so long....how 'bout some dancin' and Harley stories???

 

[Josephine]

You should stick with one painkiller and not mix them up. And you can take Tylenol and ibuprofen(Advil) together, you know. The mix is an excellently efficient pain killer.

 

[workbill]

Wow.
I'm confused...

 

[Josephine]

About what, my friend?

 

[workbill]

Oh, I think I got it.

You meant not to mix "painkillers", which must mean Percocet vs. Vicodin, vs. etc...

You went on to say it's okay to mix Advil and Tylenol, which I took to mean painkillers.

So, I thought you said don't mix painkillers, but go ahead and mix painkillers...

 

[Josephine]

Ah I see! What I meant was, don't take different ones all through the day. He said he took Tylenol in the morning and aspirin or advil in the evening. He would be better taking tylenol all the time but he could top it up with some ibuprofen alongside it! Sorry for the confusion.