Bangradancer7
new member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2022
- Messages
- 6
- Age
- 68
- Gender
- Female
- Country
-
Canada
Hi,
It is good you have a date set. I was in your situation - not fun!
The shot of cortisone in the hip worked extremely well for me. The first time they went in from the side and it helped a bit but not for so long.
The second time was from in the groin area, I believe, and it really made a huge difference. The problem is, the cortisone can cause a problem within three months of the surgery (I think I was told it makes the bones weaker or something). So I think your surgeon is being cautious.
I am now recovering from my hip replacement. By the time I got the surgery, I was taking Naproxen twice a day, prescription strength. I was taking the full allowable amount of Tylenol Arthritis. I was also taking Gabapentin for the sciatic nerve pain that was a result of the hip problem. I was taking codeine at night so I could sleep.
Many doctors now won't prescribe that, so maybe I was lucky. I actually promised my doctor I wouldn't get addicted! So, that is a lot of pills.
For after the surgery (and if you need it before) a walker with a seat is nice. My husband taped the bottom of a cardboard box onto the seat so I could transport food from the kitchen counter over to the table.
I don't know where you are located, but here in Alberta and BC you can get help with certain equipment from the Red Cross. They will loan you things like toilet seat extenders, so you don't have to struggle to get up. Arms to put on the sides of the toilet that go to the floor, so you can use them to push up with your arms. You might want to make sure you have a shower nozzle that has a hose extension on it, and a bar on the outside of the shower or tub so you can hold on when getting out.
The sad part of this is that I ended up spending an awful lot of time lying down. As soon as dinner was over I would go and lay down in bed with my eReader, which I read lying down. You can prop it up so that you can read while lying flat! I am still doing that but am able to sit up a bit. I don't know if any of this is helpful to you.
Just make sure if you take any pills that are hard on the stomach, to take them with food every single time. Good luck! Oh, also, I don't know about you, but I hate sounding whiny at the doctor so sometimes don't describe my pain levels properly. I try to sound brave. But I have had to start making it clear that I couldn't sleep, was tossing and turning in pain in constant motion, etc. It is ok if you go back and discuss all of these things again. Oh, my goodness, one more thing. You can get Voltaren in a prescription strength of 10 (mg?) or 10%? I can't remember which. I used it in a few places when in agony.
I should add that it has been almost two months since my surgery and I am now taking half the pills I was before. I am slowly weaning myself off the gabapentin, and I am not taking any codeine, also taking Aleve on occasion, about once a day. I swear that is all I have to say!
It is good you have a date set. I was in your situation - not fun!
The shot of cortisone in the hip worked extremely well for me. The first time they went in from the side and it helped a bit but not for so long.
The second time was from in the groin area, I believe, and it really made a huge difference. The problem is, the cortisone can cause a problem within three months of the surgery (I think I was told it makes the bones weaker or something). So I think your surgeon is being cautious.
I am now recovering from my hip replacement. By the time I got the surgery, I was taking Naproxen twice a day, prescription strength. I was taking the full allowable amount of Tylenol Arthritis. I was also taking Gabapentin for the sciatic nerve pain that was a result of the hip problem. I was taking codeine at night so I could sleep.
Many doctors now won't prescribe that, so maybe I was lucky. I actually promised my doctor I wouldn't get addicted! So, that is a lot of pills.
For after the surgery (and if you need it before) a walker with a seat is nice. My husband taped the bottom of a cardboard box onto the seat so I could transport food from the kitchen counter over to the table.
I don't know where you are located, but here in Alberta and BC you can get help with certain equipment from the Red Cross. They will loan you things like toilet seat extenders, so you don't have to struggle to get up. Arms to put on the sides of the toilet that go to the floor, so you can use them to push up with your arms. You might want to make sure you have a shower nozzle that has a hose extension on it, and a bar on the outside of the shower or tub so you can hold on when getting out.
The sad part of this is that I ended up spending an awful lot of time lying down. As soon as dinner was over I would go and lay down in bed with my eReader, which I read lying down. You can prop it up so that you can read while lying flat! I am still doing that but am able to sit up a bit. I don't know if any of this is helpful to you.
Just make sure if you take any pills that are hard on the stomach, to take them with food every single time. Good luck! Oh, also, I don't know about you, but I hate sounding whiny at the doctor so sometimes don't describe my pain levels properly. I try to sound brave. But I have had to start making it clear that I couldn't sleep, was tossing and turning in pain in constant motion, etc. It is ok if you go back and discuss all of these things again. Oh, my goodness, one more thing. You can get Voltaren in a prescription strength of 10 (mg?) or 10%? I can't remember which. I used it in a few places when in agony.
I should add that it has been almost two months since my surgery and I am now taking half the pills I was before. I am slowly weaning myself off the gabapentin, and I am not taking any codeine, also taking Aleve on occasion, about once a day. I swear that is all I have to say!
