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THR Am I dreaming? Not anymore!

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I had RTHR posterior too. Ice for any and all pain helped. My knee and calf were sore too after surgery. Knee still is sometimes. If you ever saw the surgery, you would understand the why of the pain. The really move your muscles and bones around. So ice and elevating will help all the pains. If you feel pain in knee and calf and hip, Ice all the areas. As for laying on your sides, everyone is different. I could not lay on any side for 2 weeks. At 2 weeks, just the left side. I was not comfortable laying on the right side until around 5-6 weeks. But everyone is different. It could happen sooner or later. You will know when you can. It has been that way this entire journey. You will suddenly feel confident to try something. If it hurts, stop. If not, ok. Good luck and welcome to the other side.
 
Thank you texting for your comments, I don't know why I didn't think to ice my knee buut it did work. I am curious to know how long it took you to start driving with each hip? I was hoping to go back to work as a cab driver at 4 weeks. I didn't really appreciate what everyone was telling me pre op that it was doubtful I could at that time. Not in tell 9 days post op and it still hurts to sit down anywhere. I hope you respond, I don't know how to tag someone.
 
Hi there...I had to wait until 8 weeks to drive until I was cleared by my surgeon (as per my insurance).... But others are different...but sitting down for any length of time is difficult for quite a few weeks.....do give yourself enough time...also the energy drain hits you hard at 4 weeks and concentrating on driving could prove difficult.

To tag someone just put @ before the name..as in @Midchild54. Xx


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I was able to drive before 4 weeks post-THR. That was just for errands though. I don't think I would have been able to tolerate driving all day at that point. I did, however, drive four 10-hour days at 11 weeks and it was fine.

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My doctor didn't want me to drive until 6 weeks because it was my right hip. Even at 6 weeks, I didn't like driving. It was uncomfortable. I am at week 7-8 and I am good to drive comfortably. I hate getting in and out of the car. It can be painful.
 
This is all very bad news for me. I'm feeling that my OS purposely misled me in order to perform the surgery. When I first went to see him for a consultation, I'd already told him I didn't want the surgery right now because looking it up online, I couldn't afford to be out of work for 6 to 8 weeks. He just said matter of factly, you'll be walking the next day and will be driving in 2 weeks, although probably not my cab. So realistically, I figured a month off. That's what I told all my customers. Now I'm laying here trying to figure out how I will pay bills for another month. I'm praying for a miracle. Maybe someone out there will know of a way to get the extra income that I need?
 
[Bonesmart.org] Am I dreaming? Not anymore!
@ Midchild54, To tag a forum member, all you have to do is to type @ directly in front of their user name with no space between the @ and the user name. Be sure that you correctly type the user name or it will not work. While you are typing, a box will appear in the bottom right of your screen; you may click on the correct user name there rather than continue typing. To be sure that the member is tagged, look at your post after you have clicked "Post Reply"; if the tag worked, the user name will now be blue and underlined.

Do not follow the user name with a hyphen (-). The computer recognizes this as part of the user name, which it is not, and the tag fails. Also on occasion if the @ is the first thing on the line, it may be necessary to indent a couple of time to get it to work. This is why it is necessary to check your post after you have clicked "Post Rely" to be sure the tag has worked.

When the tag works, the member will get an alert at the top of his/her page, and by clicking the alert will be taken directly to your post.


 
Midchild54 said:
will be driving in 2 weeks, although probably not my cab
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Sitting for long periods of time after THR can be challenging. You will also need to be totally off any pain meds except over the counter like Tylenol. Finally, you need to be officially released to drive by your surgeon. Depending on your insurance there could be an issue if you were to have an accident and were not officially released to drive. I would call your surgeon's office and ask. Sounds like they were being a bit aggressive.
 
Thanks for responding @Jaycey. Who knows, I might be ok. I am amazed at how well I'm doing after only 10 days. Sitting is getting a little easier and I'm sleeping through the night. I feel like the only reason I'm still using my walker is because I walk normal with it, so no limping. You wouldn't believe how many times I've walked off without it. I usually catch myself before I get too far. Still elevating and icing, only not as much. The spasms have all stopped. I keep thinking of all the things I should be doing and remind myself to take it easy. I'm amazed at the movement I have now with the bad leg compared to right after surgery. Do you think it's ok to walk around a bit outside? I also want to make sure it's normal that my skin is numb around incision? Thanks. I'll try to stay , more positive.
 
Midchild54 said:
Do you think it's ok to walk around a bit outside?
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Yes, but only go half as far as you think you can. Remember there is the walk back as well. Do start with your walker outside - surfaces can be uneven.
Midchild54 said:
I also want to make sure it's normal that my skin is numb around incision?
Click to expand...
Yes, this is normal. Lots of trauma goes on during THR. This will ease - but it's still very early days for you.
 
Definitely get out as cabin fever is not good, but pay heed to advise re distance I massively underesr estimated and was 2 miles from home v v sore but you are doing well

Legin THR Sep 14
 
@Poppit I was curious about your CKD that was caused by NSAIDS. Before my surgery, I was taking a lot of NSAIDS for back pain and had been for years. I would take 800 to 1000mg of ibuprofen 2 sometimes three times a day. I never thought too much about it because I didn't have any stomach problems that are normally associated with it. Because it was originally taken for back pain (but also helped with hip pain), I naturally assume I will be back on the same amount after narcotics and blood thinner has been stopped. I never thought it could possibly damage my kidneys. Would like your thoughts or experience please.
 
Hi @Midchild54 - thanks for your tag :)

My kidney function deteriorated very rapidly due to the NSAIDs the OS had me on for over 18 months. In the medical world CKD is a well known identified side effect in relation to NSAIDs. It is often called the 'silent disease'. There is a lot of information regards the gastric side effect of this class of drugs, but GP's and Surgeons do not discuss the side effect regarding the kidneys.

Essentially, in my case, my kidney function was being tested, but sadly the path reports were not monitored by either the surgeon or the GP and my eGFR and Creatinine levels deteriorated very rapidly with in a couple of months. I was placed in the permanent care of a Renal Specialist for the rest of my life, who now monitors my kidney function closely. Yes, I now have CKD for life. There is NO kidney function recovery for me. The main aspects of this disease is to ensure my kidney function is monitored closely, along with my BP and weight.

At my worse stage, my eGFR was sitting just 1% above the severe stage. Had it dropped to the next level, I would have been placed immediately on dialysis and the kidney transplant list. This was identified just weeks/days before my original surgery date. My original surgeon refused to continue with the surgery until it was investigated. This resulted in my surgery being cancelled 3 times in the space of 2 weeks. It was a very stressful time of my life.

I stress this is my personal story and is not necessarily the case for you.

My advice is to ensure that your medical team are testing and monitoring your kidney function and reevaluating your NSAID meds accordingly. My medical team let me down!

Continuing ongoing discussions with my Renal Specialist over the past 3 years has resulted in a total ban on me taking NSAIDs in any form, not even 1 dose and close scrutiny of the class of antibiotics I may require for future infections. By the way, this was also taken into consideration as part of my surgical procedure. My Renal Specialist was part of my surgical team and at the first hint of any renal deterioration I would have been placed on short term dialysis - although I spent 5 days in ICU and 1 day in HDU, this was unrelated to my CKD, so I didn't have to go onto dialysis.

So what is my future prognosis regards my CKD - monitor, monitor, monitor.. and I do no take any NSAIDs, prescribed or over the counter. Watch my weight and self (and GP) monitoring of my BP and of course blood tests for my CKD.

Although, this disease is potentially life threatening for me, I do not focus on it.. I stress a little until I get the results of my blood tests, but other than that as it is a silent disease I have no obvious symptoms, maybe I get more tired than I did before. I can live a normal life and be conscious that I must have my tests and keep copies of the results myself and I have educated myself sufficiently to be able to discuss it at the medical detail level with my new team of medicos..

Please don't hesitate to tag me if you have further questions - happy to share my experience. :)
 
@Josephine @Jaycey What is the normal/average time that someone may be in need of narcotic pain meds after a posterior THR? I called in for a refiLL of my Norco 5/325 and my Tramadol 50mg at day 10 post. When my daughter picked up the script and filled it, it was only the Norco and only 5 days worth. I tried for a day to take only the Norco but it wasn't enough. In the hospital it had already been shown that the Norco and the Tramadol was needed for pain relief for more than a few hours. Today I called the Dr office. A nurse returned my call and said she didn't get the message to refill the Tramadol only the Norco. She did tell me that she will refill the Tramadol. I asked her why it was only for 5 days. It doesn't even cover me till my post appoint on Dec 11. She said most people only take pain meds for a few days. From most of the threads I've read, it seemed to me that people took their meds for at least a month. Could someone please shed some light on this? I don't want to take narcotics for longer than needed, and I know I have be off them to go back to work. But I also don't want to be taken off them too soon so that it makes it hard to do what I need to do to recover.
 
@Poppet I am so sorry about what happened to you. Your medical team most definitely let you down. I have had many customers that I have had to take back and forth to dialysis so I know what that entails. I will always keep you in my prayers that it never comes to that. I would like to ask you what and how much NSAIDS you were taking that led to this. When I've told any Dr about the amount that I take, they just raise their eyebrows and ask me if it upsets my stomach. Their was never any mention about testing my kidney function. Do you know if a total blood count, like you get at a health fair, would show kidney blood count. I get those on a fairly regular basis and the only red flag I get is my cholesterol count which I take meds for.
 
Thanks @Midchild54 for your kind thoughts. I feel really well and am confident that I will remain so. As a Natural Medicine Practitioner, I am conscious of my nutritional needs and that helps.

Regards your blood test screening, I am not sure what is included in your general test - different countries etc.. Are you able to ask for kidney function testing to be included? Here in Australia we are able to ask for specific tests, not that I have to ask anymore, they are automatically included. There is a standard set of kidney function blood tests and also urine tests here in OZ.

My Renal specialist has told me it doesn't matter which NSAID they all carry the same side effect. Hope this helps, don't hesitate to tag me :)
 
Pain is different for different people. Tis true some people only need it for a month but in my professional opinion, not a lot! I would suggest that a posterior approach would be more needy than, for instance, an anterior but no nurse or doctor should try to dictate how long you 'should' need pain meds for.

I would also ask you how much of what you have you are taking and how often? Sometimes the schedule is key.

And if your OS proves unhelpful in this, perhaps you could see if your GP would be more supportive.
 
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