THR AJinNH’s recovery RTHR

[AJinNH]

I think one of the hardest things about recovery right now is trying to figure out what caused that new ache, twinge or spasm that wasn’t there before. Or is it just a normal part of the process to develop new aches as we heal and increase activity? Last night I woke with a groin spasm that was pretty intense, I almost woke up my husband to take me to the ER. After it past I was pretty sure it happened because my op leg is so tight and I had been having little spasms throughout the night in my leg, I couldn’t find a comfortable position. Fortunately it hasn’t reoccurred.

Fingers crossed that was a one time occurrence.

 

[Jaycey]

Or is it just a normal part of the process to develop new aches as we heal and increase activity?

All part of this recovery. Muscles are being asked to work now and they may complain. Any new activity or increase in activity can cause all kinds of aches and pain. Ice and elevate and try again other day. It's all about building up gradually.

 

[Mojo333]

Absolutely normal, AJ.
A month and a day, you impatient little thing. I would have killed to have been where you are at one month out.
Go read some of my old posts from one month out...I think I was still whining incessantly.
Hope your weekend is wonderful.

 

[AJinNH]

Patience is definitely not one of my strengths @Mojo333 , thanks for helping me keep this in perspective once again. It’s the lack of a decent nights sleep that’s making it hard. I can take the other stuff. I will go read your posts, but then again, you had a bilateral THR, you certainly earned the right to whine!

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

[Layla]

Unfortunately there will probably be another to replace that fleeting pain, then another and another.
I recall giving up and telling myself what's here today will most likely be gone tomorrow....and it was.
Might not feel like it, but it's still very early days in comparison to the length of time that prosthetic will
be in your body. You're in the infancy of recovery. Pain happens.
Try not to let it throw you. I wasn't good at it either
Hope you have a happy day!
@AJinNH

 

[AJinNH]

Thanks @Layla you are right, it’s a process. Now if only there was a cure for impatience, not to mention perfectionism and a control freak. Oh, and don’t forget overthinking!

Enjoy the sunshine!

 

[SaraK]

If you find that cure, be sure to let me know. While patience is something I've never had a problem with , I do know a few people who could use more (usually because they have to deal with me).

 

[Eman85]

I think diet has a lot to do with healing. Be sure to feed the muscles and bone what they need to rebuild. Activity increases blood flow and helps them begin to regenerate but they need the right nutrients.

 

[AJinNH]

I just past 5 week postop on Monday. I’m forgetting my cane more frequently. At this point it serves mostly as a security blanket and to keep my hip from getting tired too soon. I’m not in a hurry to ditch it, but it seems to want to ditch me.

Presurgery I had a very tight psoas muscle that required a lot of stretching and massage therapy or else my groin was very painful. I still have the same issue, but now it’s even tighter. PT is helping with the massage and stretching. I’ve also discovered that elevating feeds into the tightness because it shortens that muscle when my leg is raised, keeping it tight. So I’m not elevating anymore, I really don’t have any visible swelling, but I’ve stepped up the icing to compensate. I’m also going to hit the pool once all of the steri strips are off. I think I’m going to have to wait for my post op visit on the 8th to have them removed, only one has fallen off so far.

My husband asked me last night when I thought that I’d be fully recovered. I had to stop and think about how I’d define fully recovered. I’m still not sure except to say that when I’m no longer thinking of my hip, nothing left on my recovery checklist and when I’m sleeping normally and able to be active without pain, maybe 6 months to a year? How do you define fully recovered, and how long before you got there?

 

[Layla]

Hi @AJinNH
I most often hear a year but have also heard two years several times. With that said you are continually improving. Some of the things you haven't been doing for a time due to pain and limited flexibility take longer to return. At least for me. Example: Doing a pedi. It's not as easy as it was pre OA. I don't know if I'll ever get there. I guess time will tell. I believe it was Irish Joe who said if he's only ever 99% better, he'll take it. I agree! This is a second chance that many with other ailments or illnesses don't get. If my flexibility doesn't return to pre OA levels it's okay. The pain is gone and to me that's everything!!

I think you're doing great! You went into this better prepared than anyone I've ever read on BS. You are recovering in a sensible way also. May it only get better and better!

 

[jaydub63]

@AJinNH that's a really good question and I think you'd probably get 10 different answers to what is "fully recovered" if you asked 10 people that have had a THR. I'm about 4.5 months post op, and while I am back to doing many things that I physically couldn't do for a last couple of years, I'm waiting until at least 6 months to try some new physical activities or ones that are higher impact. There are some things I used to do, like play soccer, that I'll probably not ever go back to doing, but I won't look at that as meaning I haven't fully recovered. It's just a reality that it's no longer a good activity for me.

Going back to 9th grade geometry, I feel like my recovery has been a geometric line, which initially had a steep slope in the early stages when all the dramatic physical improvement takes place, but now has a gentle slope in which the signs of recovery are more subtle. For example, I'm trying to remember that I no longer have to climb stairs right next to the handrail, since I don't need to cling to it to drag myself up the steps anymore. My husband recently told me he could tell I was feeling good because of how I was crossing streets - that I was now crossing even if the "walk" light was close to changing, whereas before surgery I was waiting until the next cycle because I wasn't confident I could get myself across in time. That was a surprise to me since it was something that I hadn't noticed or thought about myself, but obviously he had. I think recovery has both physical and mental aspects to it, more heavily weighted on the physical stuff to start, and the mental stuff later.

 

[AJinNH]

You went into this better prepared than anyone I've ever read on BS.

Well that’s quite the compliment @Layla! Thank you. My family calls me the Maven, they joke that I don’t do anything without finding out everything about it first. I won’t be devastated if I can’t do my own pedi’s again, and you’re so right, we’re fortunate that we’ve been given a second chance. I count my blessings.

@jaydub63 that’s a great explanation of our recovery, I like your visual of a graph. And I agree that it’s both physical and mental.

My son’s running coach ran the Boston Marathon last week, in the pouring rain and freezing cold. It was the coldest marathon in 30 years and they had to treat hundreds of people for hypothermia. It was his coach’s 39th consecutive completion of running the Boston Marathon, including the year he had heart valve replacement 13 years ago. And this year he had a THR at Chicago’s Northwestern hospital, 4 months ago. Yes you read that right, 4 months ago, and last week he ran, and walked, 26.2 miles. I’m not promoting what he did in the least, but it is an example of how different each of us would describe what we consider recovered. I’m with @jaydub63 and will be looking for the little things like crossing the street!

 

[Cassidy]

@AJinNH I research everything just like you, which can be a mixed blessing. I ran a couple of marathons back in my 20's (yes, the Dark Ages!), and I fondly imagined I might get back to some gentle running in retirement. I mourned the loss of my earlier achievements whilst watching the London Marathon at the weekend. In my mind I thought I'd never be able to run after the op (or, at least, it's not recommended) whilst not appreciating that I wouldn't be able to without the op either. I tend to be blaming all my future limitations on the op, not on the fact that it's the bad joint that's stopping me. I suppose we all live in the past with its future expectations at some point. What would be really good would be to be able to walk distances again - I can leave the running to others! I can try fast walking! I made the mistake of reading an article in the Daily Mail yesterday that said that hip replacements were all right for oldies, with the heavy spike in the femur to hold them back, but that younger people wanted light, plastic resurfacing - that made me feel written off too. It's like that old joke - I read that eating too much chocolate makes you fat, so I'm going to give up reading!!

 

[Cassidy]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/...ip-keeps-younger-active-patients-running.html

 

[Mojo333]

I do think a full recovery needs at least a year behind us...and I too have activities that yes, I have decided they are in the past for me, are not missed too much.
I remember that ever present pain and absolute inability to sleep pre-op. The limping, the limitations on how far I could walk without almost dragging myself...the pulling myself up and down out of cars and chairs.
The decline of my overall health due to my failing hips.
All the little things are so much sweeter now.
Who knows what we may do in the future, but I am certain my life is better.

 

[AJinNH]

My cane keeps trying to make a getaway. I woke up this morning and it wasn’t in its usual place near my bed. I finally found it in the bathroom where it apparently wanted to stay during one of my trips in the night. I’m trying to convince it to hang around a bit longer, I’m having a little separation anxiety, but I know eventually we’ll both go our separate ways, it just wasn’t meant to be. I’ll hang on to the memories.

I made my first truly independent outing yesterday and drove myself to the hairdresser’s and back. I even made a quick stop on the way home to pick up some fish for dinner. We didn’t end up having the fish last night because it was a beautiful day and the local ice cream stand was open, so dinner was one scoop of strawberry and one scoop of chocolate walnut fudge. Fish tonight.

Still can’t sleep on either side, but I keep trying. It’s a little more difficult getting comfortable on my back now that I’m not putting a pillow under my knees, I have to try to keep that psoas muscle stretched. I wake up a lot. On a positive note I am noticing that my op hip is less tender overall and one steri strip fell off, so maybe things will improve soon. I find massaging my hip throughout the day is helping.

I’ve also been walking outside, weather permitting, usually 20-30 minutes. I let my hip dictate. One day I got to the end of the driveway and it refused to go much further without complaining, the next we took a 30 minute stroll around the neighborhood, just me and my cane. I don’t know why it is insisting on ditching me. Maybe because it didn’t get any ice cream

 

[Layla]

What a great update! Love your sense of humor. So happy to see you healing and moving forward.
It's all good!
@AJinNH

 

[Mojo333]

Forgetting your cane..I remember those days. Good sign. But I would hunt it when I Needed it at work, and inevitably it would be down the green mile - hallway at old school where food bank is located.
Hope all keeps getting better and better

 

[AJinNH]

I’m wondering how long it took my fellow hipsters to lower yourself into a bathtub again? What was it like getting out?

I can’t think about getting into the tub until after my postop on the 8th, and I still have most of the steri strips intact. But I think about it every day. Can’t wait!

 

[Layla]

Happy Thursday!
I was told 3 months! No baths, pools, hot tubs, lakes etc. Another one of those restrictions that widely varies.
I shower anyway so that wasn't on my list.
Hope you get permission @AJinNH especially if it's something you enjoy and are looking forward to.
Here's to many leisurely soaks in the tub A great day to you!