Ant. Approach THR Pain Management?

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JoeMax

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I am having an anterior approach THR in October. I am curious about what your pain control regimen post discharge was. Medication? How long? Your satisfaction? I would most like to hear those with anterior approach.
 
Welcome Jo Im a knee. but Im sure others will post as they get up....Good Luck to you..People are here are amazing you will get great advised..........Post anytime we have all been thru it one way or another....:)
 
Hi Joe--I had anterior bilat surgery. Not much pain, really bearable, but I was on pain meds for about 7 weeks, and I occasionally still take one when I know I will overdo it. I also take tylenol from time to time. I took tramadol almost exclusively for my prescription pain meds. I had vicodin, but only took it once and didn't like it much. As I said, I took pain meds for a full 7 weeks or so before I stopped and I tailed off gradually. I also took an extra doese of meds, prescribed by the hospital, for the ride home.
Best of luck.
 
Hi, JoeMax. Welcome to BoneSmart. We have plenty of folks active on the forum who had the anterior approach for a hip replacement, so you should receive several responses to your questions. Be sure and post any time you have a concern or even just to pop in and say hello! We'll be here for whatever support you need.
 
Welcome from one Jo to another Joe!
 
Forgive me for not knowing, but is the anterior approach from the buttock? If so, Ive had that done and Im on day 17. I had ibuprofen, paracetamol and codine, but Im now back on my codydramol just twice per day, which is paracetamol and codine mixture. This works well, but the bone and muscle ache is still bad - I dont like to completely drown out the pain though, if I can feel the pain I know I wont overdo things or twist or bend either!! How much pain are you in? xx
 
Tracy, the anterior approach is from the front. The entry from the buttock is called posterior.
 
Hi Joe,

I had TRH using an anterior approach. I was completely satisfied with my Dr.'s approach to pain managment.

I had OxyContin for the day of surgery and one follow up day in the hospital (my option to stay or go home), and the first three days at home. Then I went to Percocet every 4 hours as needed for 4 weeks, but your use naturally tapers off. Since then, it's just been extra strength Tylenol in the morning, and at 10 weeks I just take them "in case."

Plus, I had "spinal anesthesia" which really rocked! It's not the same as "an epidural", but most people think it is. Look it up online, but not only does it work perfect for the surgery, they can mix in some long lasting stuff in the spinal block that really helps for the rest of that day and night.

All the good pain meds will cause constipation, so take lots of stool softeners, and don't worry about not going for a couple of days. Jo has a sticky about this whole topic, but they do disrupt your peristoltic rhytyhm and such.

I had to get a cathater becuase I couldn't urinate, but that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Hospitals are being more and more deligent about sterilizing everything, and I wouldn't let anybody even touch me unless I witnessed them hit the Purell dispenser on the wall first!

Good luck, and don't worry, it's really really not that bad!
 
This illustration shows you the traditional lateral and the traditional anterior approaches for hip operations. There is one that is done about midway between these two and is therefore called the antero-lateral.

[Bonesmart.org] Ant. Approach THR Pain Management?
 
Hi Joe, I had an anterior thr on April 28th. ....and dare I be so bold as to suggest that I don't know what the big deal is......
Day 1: IV narcotics on a self administered drip
Day 2: oral morphine (Endone)
Day 3: Paracetemol and one endone at night because I thought I should...just in case
Day 4: Paracetemol because I thought I should
Day 5: Paracetemol only as needed......which was rare....the rehab nurses kept telling me to stop being so stoic.....but I promise I wasn't .....I simply didn't have much pain

3 months on I have occasional sciatic pain and occasional ITBand pain....nothing too severe that requires more than a few paracetemol. I feel better now than I have in years and so much more active.

I hope all goes very well for you in October, you'll be rapt.....well after a few weeks .....
Rachel
 
Is there a big deal? I thought the anterior was the simplest, least painful approach. Unlike the posterior (see the scars thread) where you get a great big curved incision on you buttock that you then have to sit on! Oye!
 
Well, I guess I thought it would be a big deal, I thought I'd be in masses of pain, I thought that I'd be really disabled......amazing how wrong you can be!
Rachel
 
Well, all surgery is a big(gish) deal so ....

~ you will be in some pain but it's controllable.
~ you will be restricted for a while, not allowed to bend hip beyond 90 degrees and all that.
~ and you will find it disabling in that after surgery you'll feel a bit weak, easily tired and
~ have appetite and sleeping problems.

But all of those are temporary and ultimately you will get back to a perfectly normal, active life, doing pretty much what you want when you want.
 
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