THR 9 months post-hip recovery!!!

[Trudijane]

Oh, PS. I bought the 2 recliner chairs after getting rid of my couch. They are really comfortable for my back and great for watching TV in the living room area. The only thing is that my legs are short (I'm 5'1) so when I'm sitting upright, my feet don't reach the ground; but a pillow would solve that plus I won't be sitting like that too often.

 

[Layla]

Hi @Trudijane
How about you look at the Activity Progression for THR and see if you feel you're where it reflects you may be at 8 weeks post op. It's only a rough guideline, you may be further along, or lagging behind a tad. Either is fine. Look and see what you think of your progress...since you're questioning it.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/activity-progression-for-thrs.13187/
Happy Sunday to you!

 

[Layla]

In regard to PT, keep the BIG TIP in mind -
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.

 

[Josephine]

OMG, It's June 1 which means I'm going on almost 2 months of recovery! And, I'm still not feeling back to normal - whatever that feels like. So, it still concerns me or frustrates me. I'm not even sure I know how to describe it.

Waking up and getting up after sitting are the hardest. I have to stretch to feel as if I can even walk. I can walk w/o a cane, but I do so only in the house; when I'm outside walking (for exercise mainly); I still hold onto the cane just in case. It's probably my imagination, but sometimes i feel as if my right hip is too fragile and after 2 months it should be much better.

My back is often stiff along with the muscles in the area. The problem is I don't know what to expect or when, and I'm so anxious to just walk without worrying or being cautious.

I am still using my sock prop, and I use my shoe prop for my car (moving the seat back & foward) so as not to strain the muscles of my legs. Just feeling a bit low.

Trudijane, I moved this post from "So many questions" because it is another members recovery thread and your post contained only detail about your own recovery. We call this 'derailing'. You can check if the thread is yours or somebody else's because your posts will be a different colour. Other people's - like mine - will be white.

I am still at a loss as to what recliner chairs I should get or should I wait until there are less restrictions during my recovery? My question now is should I wait another several months or but when I'm still recovering?

You will need it most from the get go. And look at this for advice Recliner chairs: things you need to know if buying one for your recovery.

 

[Trudijane]

I'm sorry...I get a little confused as to where I should be posting or if I'm posting on a site where I shouldn't. Correct me if I'm wrong; but there is one thread per person? I think I started this one, but not sure about the others.

I read your link about recovery stages and it seems that I'm doing the right things (as far as driving, walking, and resting) and while it says it actually takes the hip a relatively short time to heal - that makes sense; so what I think I may be feeling is healing of muscles that were cut into. Just a guess. The hip replacement may be solid, but tissues all around the area are still healing so I'm feeling what is not "pain" but discomfort (especially when sitting to long or stiffness in my back).

One thing I have been doing for 2 weeks or so is making my bed. And I have a lot of comforters/pillows on my bed so I do the best I can w/o putting too much of a strain on myself. One thing I don't feel ready to do, ie. there is storage space under one of my beds..I can't seem to figure out how to get close to the floor...pull out the plastic thing that holds the comforter and put it back. Also, putting on a fitted sheet beneath a mattress feels impossible at this juncture. I do not know the dos & don'ts about lifting at this point. So, I may be able to do something, but not without discomfort; I guess you could say that I'm being cautious since the aches/stiffness are still hanging around despite how much my hip has healed.

 

[Layla]

Hey sweetie, it's okay. It can be confusing. Following is a link that may be helpful -
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/how-can-i-find-my-threads-and-posts.14732/

To answer your question...in recovery we are only allowed one thread. This is your thread. When you come to the forum and go to the Hip Replacement Recovery Area you can run down the list and look for your avatar (picture)
If you haven't been on the forum for several days, go to the second, third, fourth page etc, until you find your avatar / thread, tap on your thread title and then you can post, leaving us an update. Feel free to visit other's threads also and join in on the topic of conversation they're engaging in.

I believe the discomfort you've described is all part of the healing process. You're not quite two months post op yet and it can take up to a full year for complete healing, even longer for some. Take it easy and only do what you're comfortable doing. If anything hurts, stop. You're still in the early days of recovery considering the life of your implant. Take it slow, as you continue to heal and gain strength the activities of daily living will become easier.
A great rest of the weekend to you.
@Trudijane

 

[Trudijane]

Hi @Trudijane,

I would trust your surgeon...he sees this everyday. All of your discomfort is normal; some people heal more quickly than others, but YOU WILL GET THERE. I just wouldn't add formal PT to the equation right now. HTH

Hi,
it is going on 8 weeks now, and I keep on wondering - how am I supposed to feel? Is there something wrong? Am I moving the wrong way? I've read everything here about expecations, etc. but I know that things aren't exactly normal yet. I just took my 20 minutes walk in front of my house and got very tired and had to stop. Various muscle groups start aching (including my back).

I did make a p/t appointment in a few weeks. I figure some gentle exercises won't hurt. As for sleeping, I have always slept on my back or on my right side, but now i just sleep on my back with no problem. Every once in awhile, i wake up in the middle of the night and take an ibuprofen because everything seems to 'ache' - and it helps me go back to sleep.

I can walk w/o a cane now, but I don't trust myself to do so when I am outside; I don't want to fall!! so I use it as a "crutch" so to speak. I wish I knew what normal felt like and would I be wrong in requesting another x-ray to see if everything is OK 1 month earlier? Or am I being paranoid.

Hope everyone is doing as well as they can be.

 

[Layla]

Hi @Trudijane
Eight weeks post op is still early recovery. My guess is you're supposed to feel, just as you're feeling.
Your body recently experienced an assault through major surgery. It was basically "controlled" trauma.
Your leg may have been manipulated aggressively in an effort to dislocate your hip, your flesh was sliced open muscles and ligaments separated, soft tissue disturbed. Then power tools were used to saw your bone and router it out so a prosthetic could be placed within. Your body is trying to heal and it is slowly healing.

You're tiring easily because you're experiencing Energy Drain which is normal. You're certainly not alone in experiencing this. Our body's energy supply isn't limitless. So when we're in healing mode after major surgery our energy will be used for healing first, not leaving a great reserve for all the other activity of daily life. It is completely normal to feel tired for quite some time. How long....most likely relates to your body's rate of healing. Making our best effort to get adequate sleep and rest is beneficial.
Our body does it's best healing while we're sleeping.

Your not alone in using pain relievers at this point either, if you're needing them. If you can walk without your cane in the house, why are you any more likely to fall outdoors? Maybe you need to try walking outdoors without your cane while someone else is walking along side you. Try to wean yourself off of it outdoors if you're walking around indoors all day without it.

If you think you'll obtain some reassurance by phoning the office of your OS, I say go for it. I'm sure through some questions they'll be able to determine whether your appt needs to be bumped up. Hopefully in doing so you'll receive the peace of mind you're seeking.

One more article you may have missed - https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/where-are-you-in-thr-recovery.13960/

Hope you have a peaceful evening and week.

 

[Trudijane]

Hey sweetie, it's okay. It can be confusing. Following is a link that may be helpful -
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/how-can-i-find-my-threads-and-posts.14732/

To answer your question...in recovery we are only allowed one thread. This is your thread. When you come to the forum and go to the Hip Replacement Recovery Area you can run down the list and look for your avatar (picture)
If you haven't been on the forum for several days, go to the second, third, fourth page etc, until you find your avatar / thread, tap on your thread title and then you can post, leaving us an update. Feel free to visit other's threads also and join in on the topic of conversation they're engaging in.

I believe the discomfort you've described is all part of the healing process. You're not quite two months post op yet and it can take up to a full year for complete healing, even longer for some. Take it easy and only do what you're comfortable doing. If anything hurts, stop. You're still in the early days of recovery considering the life of your implant. Take it slow, as you continue to heal and gain strength the activities of daily living will become easier.
A great rest of the weekend to you.
@Trudijane

Thank you Layla,
I guess I expected the healing process to be a little quicker. Today a took a 20 minute walk, showered, and just relaxed in bed watching a movie with ice on my hip, etc. What I did not expect was when I bent my knee, it really hurt today; and I know I have done it before w/o it hurting or maybe I tried to go a bit further.

It is SO difficult to explain what aches & where exactly. I wish I had a mirror so I can see what's going on inside my joints so at least I could look and explain my progress. My goal is to be able to walk without thinking about it, and not be cautious with every move I make.

I told my Dr. this, but I just noticed that my incision area is very hard/tender to the touch. He said that was normal and in time, it would soften.

Thanks for the reassurance.

 

[Trudijane]

All you need to do is put the date in the next post you make to anyone. We will see it and put it in your signature, so we can see it at the bottom of every post you make.

i don't know if this will work. The date of my hip replacement was 4/3/19.

 

[Trudijane]

Hi @Trudijane

Your not alone in using pain relievers at this point either, if you're needing them. If you can walk without your cane in the house, why are you any more likely to fall outdoors? Maybe you need to try walking outdoors without your cane while someone else is walking along side you.


Hope you have a peaceful evening and week.

Often people give different advice! I can walk outdoors w/o my cane; I just feel better with it at this point, especially since it does start aching more at times. I presented this to my Drs. Assistant, and she told me to take my cane outside with me, even if I'm not really using it...which i do. I will not use the cane for 5 minutes; and when i tire, I start using the cane for a little while. But, more & more...I'm not using my cane outdoors. And sometimes, I forget to use it!!

 

[Trudijane]

Just wanted to thank everyone who made me feel better (in the head!). It is so hard for me to be patient. But I am walking now with no acute pain (altho the aches are ever present). I also wanted to say that I have 2 new recliners coming on Tuesday (the green ones). I tried them again, and they are so comfortable. I'll take a photo when they come.

I noticed that when sitting, my legs don't reach the ground by a few inches, but that's OK, since I will mainly be leaning back in the chair slightly to watch TV and relax which I could no longer do on my sofa for the longest time. I love redecorating, so this is just a start.

 

[Layla]

Often people give different advice! I can walk outdoors w/o my cane; I just feel better with it at this point, especially since it does start aching more at times. I presented this to my Drs. Assistant, and she told me to take my cane outside with me, even if I'm not really using it...which i do

Hi again,
If your surgeon's PA told you to use your cane outdoors, then that's what you need to do. I don't recall you mentioning that anywhere on your thread. Possibly you've mentioned it elsewhere? If it makes you more comfortable...hang onto it awhile longer.

If you're not already, please consider icing on a regular basis. It will help with pain and inflammation. Since you're still suffering discomfort, consider icing several times per day for 40-60 mins each time you ice.
Target 4x daily.

You may also want to consider Josephine's recommendations for Extra Strength Tylenol for a couple more weeks. She recommends 1000 mg every 6 hrs, not to exceed 4000 mg within any 24 hr period. If you're currently taking anything else that contains Acetaminophen you'll need to figure that into your calculations not to exceed the 4000 mg within twenty four hours. This is something you may want to run by your surgeon, or his PA .
@Trudijane

 

[Layla]

The communication from Celle you quoted earlier, four posts up, re: a surgery date for your signature is a two week old post.
No worries on that. Your signature was created back then.
See it...at the bottom left of all of your posts? It reflects - Right THR April 3, 2019
You're good to go!

 

[Layla]

Happy Two Month Anniversary!
I hope you have a lovely day
@Trudijane

 

[Bfam85]

But, more & more...I'm not using my cane outdoors. And sometimes, I forget to use it!!

This is progress @Trudijane! You aren't the only one who can get impatient....I am now 5 weeks out and have a case of the "poor me" syndrome right now. We have to be careful not to allow ourselves to read other people's recoveries and wonder why ours isn't as quick as theirs....Why do I have all this swelling still? Why do I have to limp still? etc., etc. I noticed that I feel more achy when I have a negative thought life. The article Layla posted above is wonderful. How very true about what was done to our bodies! I think I will appreciate how great I feel!!!

 

[Trudijane]

I have a new question related to my back.

In 1995, I had a very bad herniated disc which caused me to have to go on disability. I almost had surgery, but at the last moment decided against it after research saying that in time, the disc recedes on its own - and for me it did. I was lucky!

Now, I'm getting little reminders of what it felt like back then (not as painful, but hard to sit and aching when I walk, in the same general area as my herniated disc (L5/S1). I felt and still do that maybe I had 2 problems vs. 1 osteoarthritic problem with my hip.

The best way to see how my back is doing is to have an MRI. How many here have had trouble with your back being stiff after having a hip replacement? I can't help but wonder if I have 2 separate problems.

Thanks
Trudi

 

[alexthecat]

@Jaycey knows a lot about backs. Maybe she'll have some useful info for you. I don't, but I hope your troubles clear up very soon.

 

[Ryesgma]

@Trudijane good evening to you and hope you are doing well , I had my surgery the day before you and wanted to let you know that you are not alone in feeling like you should be further along in your recovery.
I'm in more pain now than I was right after the procedure , I have a lot of pain in my thigh that radiates down to my knee then to my calf , I also feel like my toes go numb . It hurts when I walk (which I do quite a bit , with no walking aids) I still have a limp as well. I however have been going to physical therapy and don't feel like it's helping . So I don't think I will be finishing my last 2 visits

I've been trying to be strong about everything but today I broke down and called my os , talked to the nurse and she said she will talk to the Dr tomorrow and give me a call. Hoping that they can figure something out and I can get to the business of being pain free

 

[Trudijane]

Ryesgma,
I feel for you. I really do. There seems to be a fine line between what may be in our heads or worrying unnecesarily and what may really be going on - or not be going on.

This forum has been very helpful for me. Someone asked me why didn't I continue to use my can outside, if I'm not using it at home. I thought about it and it occurred to me that it was just my confidence; so since that time, I have not been using my cane (except for grabbing my car door so I can close it!).

I have had no pain; but after a fairly active day (for me), I'm so very very tired. This I really expect; I know I'm still healing and will be healing for along time. So the activity leaves me exhausted. But, my back still hurts afterward or I should say 'aches' similar to the way it did when I had the herniated disk.

I wrote my surgeon to suggest to him that maybe I have 2 problems; one with my back and one with my hip or is my back stiffness related to my hip recovery??? I don't know but I don't think it does any hard to get it looked at again with an MRI.

I was the one who insisted upon an MRI for my hip pain; if I hadn't asked nobody suggested it for me - so I've learned that yo have to ask and not be ashamed to ask if there are doubts in your mind. For me, I want to be sure that my back is not a separate problem (not that I would have back surgery); but i just want to know.