Bilateral THR Anteriors 15th June 2015 - my recovery

[Suzette]

Well, Sun was shining sat in the garden, watched the rabbits playing, listened to the birds tweating and the dog snoring, I cut down my pottering about....am now lying down, icing, pain meds and my ankles have swollen up and itch instead....just can't win sometimes!!
Think I now need to elevate
xx

 

[Suzette]

And put my nice green socks on.....My lower legs feel weird now too, must be the heat!!

 

[donor]

I am in the ice and elevation position too. I hope you call the doc tmor and hopefully get some answers . At least you got to enjoy the weather and little bunnies playing. Today I must feel better I did Costco, Walmart and Trader Joe's all in one day. Or I need my head examined. Lol xoxo

 

[Suzette]

Hi @donor, you have been really busy! I am sure your head is ok though. Do you think that groin pain is easing, since your injection? I hope your feeling better lasts a good while x x

Am going to call the gp surgery in the morning, but the trouble over here is you have to call at 8am, along with everyone else also calling at 8am, to get an appt in the morning. Or at 2pm to get one in the afternoon. Then what tends to happen is you see a trainee GP. They have had about 4/5 yrs training, but they also get a bit confused and stressed, as they dont think they know what to do. I suppose its a confidence thing. When I went the first time about my hip. Half hour later I was still there and had to suggest an xray...oh yes she said. Mind you, it must be scary, even more scary when its me !! You can pre book, but then have to wait 2 or 3 weeks to see a specific Gp.

So I need to get lucky and hope to see one of the GP's that has been there a while, or maybe try for a GP telephone chat first.

Both hips/thighs are throbbing tonight and my bum muscles, plus that nerve pain and I thought I had been good by sitting down more. BUT the new hips feel fine and I forget I have new ones ..

It was quite a novelty to have sunshine, there seems to be a lot of cloud and rain lately. Most depressing.

I hope your groin and hip/thigh behaves itself after all your walking and shopping and the ice and elevation helps and pain meds.

It really is 2 steps forward and one back, sometimes, feel good...do too much...feel bad again. But we must be positive but that can be tricky at times...

Well lets hope we sleep ok tonight and not still awake at 2 am .

Xoxo

 

[Suzette]

Week 7..update. I thought I would be back aboutrk by now, but am not!! But am going to try for the gradual approach in the next few weeks. Am not using sticks. My original bad bone on bone left hip is great, very little muscle aching. The right is STILL driving me mad. Made the mistake today, of cutting down my meds, as still taking 2 x 30mg dihydrocodeine and paracetamol.

Ooh , now not sure if it was just a coincidence or because I dropped down on pain meds, but my right hip, butt, knee and incision area were really giving me quite a lot of pain. So I am really going to make a massive effort to get into see the GP to try and get a steroid injection sorted out.

Made me feel rather depressed and fed up, as I have not had that amount of pain for some time now. Plus today, I kept falling asleep , in the car, I wasnt driving though ! on the sofa, went to bed at 5 pm woke up at 8 pm, felt drained and exhausted.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a good day like most of the others in the last few weeks. I don't have many more paid sick days left now, so need to get back on track and back into the swing of life.

My mom made me laugh today. Although I did not do this in front of her. I don't see her very often as she lives quite away away, so we met up in the cotswolds, in Stratford on Avon county, where she is on holiday , besides telling me about my inner thighs spreading, as in with fat, I was showing her my scars at the time, she gave me loads of tubes of ibuprofen gel. Use by date....July 2007, now I thought I hoarded stuff!!

See, theres always something to giggle about, even in times of pain

 

[copsham]

Your inner thighs are the least of your problem! Maybe the cheese is causing it but so what you need calcium for healing! Ibuprofen 2007 might make your leg fall of LOL. From several posts there is something strange about mothers relating to their daughters who have had hip/knee ops don't know why!

 

[donor]

@Suzette get that apt if u can. But I know how awful it is to sit and wait to be seen by a doc. ARG! so hoping that will help you feel better. I understand the frustration which makes us depressed.... wow been there. As for the cheese legs....cover those suckers with a lovely SKORT! LOL. Sending love and hugs from California from me and my girl . Xo. ♡

 

[Suzette]

Hi @copsham yes Mothers...I have yet to check expiry dates on the other 7 tubes!! I reckon my cheese obsession, I have at the moment, is for replenishing my calcium levels! Mom made me have a ham sandwich today and banned me from the cheese, but then gave me a 'lardy cake' main contents of which is lard/fat... mmmm...

@donor, what a great piccie, and now I can put a face to the name. I like that . I must find one of me and Arnie, who has finally fell asleep next to me and isn't snoring!! Yet

It's strange, these skorts, I have been looking at UK sites and it seems, they are in fashion in all the clothes shops. But all designed for what seems like , teenagers and are Very Very short skorts!!

I think I may take a look in some of the sports shops as the length looks better. Also need to see what size I am, as my waist is now also a different size to my bottom!!

Bet that's the cheese as well ! Or cakes made from lard...

Will let you know how I get on at the Docs. Fingers crossed xx sleep as well as you can xx Lots of love from me to you both xx

 

[Suzette]

Well off I went to the Drs. Was very careful not to tell the lady dr; who I am not that keen on, but only one available; what the diagnosis of my pain was.
After waiting ages, even though no patient was in her room. Got called in, explained had had a bilateral THR, she didn't know so hadn't read my records whilst I had been waiting.

Still, I smiled, and explained my symptoms and said I felt it was trochanteric bursitis, and that if I lie on it at night it is really painful and my butt muscles cramp then I get pain down to my foot. It's sciatica, she said. I said I didn't think it was, although I know the sciatic nerve passes near or through the muscle in the bottom. So she focused on changing my dose of gabapentin and increasing amitrytilline.

I asked if I could have a steroid injection as I still feel it's bursitis, and nothing I am trying helps. She then said you can not have an injection as you have had a hip replacement and it can cause infection and anyway.....its sciatica.

Eventually had an examination, where my legs were twisted, turned etc. She said you don't have sciatica you have bursitis. I am to rub ibuprofen gel on it, take Co Codamol as taken me off dihydrocodeine, as I will get addicted to it, and to increase the amitrytilline so I sleep. Even though I had said it makes me feel drunk in the morning.

I am not too happy, have quite a lot of pain in thigh, hip and now bottom muscle and looks like I need to go the hospital route instead or try a different GP.

Oh the joys x

 

[donor]

@Suzette how maddening that doc didn't know you had hip repl????? Pardon me but what? We know our bodies so well at this point it's ridiculous. I wish you got better news. My doctor initially said no joint injections for 3 months but after so he saw me at about nine weeks he felt it was perfectly safe. All of these doctors have their own rules and regulations which is another thing that is upsetting. I hope you are in less pain tonight somehow. I have several of those anti inflammatory rubs in for me they do nothing but I hope it does help you we are all different. Sending you love and hugs and hoping that you sleep well. I am at 12 week anniversary today so bizarre.

 

[lalo]

After reading your post I just can't wait to go to doctors office this coming Friday. The appointment is with another doctor and not the operating surgeon; I suspect I won't see my surgeon again.
Wishing you the best hang in there
And by the way my good friend convinced me that Tylenol is good for 2 or more years beyond its reported expiration date ( bought a big bottle years ago) so far I have taken it without any problems.@Suzette

 

[Suzette]

Hi @donor

well, annoyed wasn't the word! ! Although I slept longer , once I managed to get to sleep, so that was something. I increased the gabapentin to 400 mg at night. Didn't feel too bad when I woke this morning. I have tried the gel, it does nothing for me either. Am taking ibuprofen instead, is that your tylenol? to see if that helps. I am taking a tablet to protect my stomach just in case. I have emailed the surgery with my concerns on the change in meds, although Josephine did say there was little difference between dihydrocodeine and cocodamol. But she, the GP, has only given me 12 days worth, so that means I will have to keep asking for more, rather than ordering a 'repeat' prescription.

I can't believe you are now at 12 weeks. Are you in full time work now? has the groin pain eased?? How are you feeling in yourself? Maybe I will have to wait until the 12 week mark too, for an injection. I will try the surgeons secretary tomorrow though.

Found out today my sick pay runs out just before my return to work date. So really will have to get back to work ASAP and before I should go back officially on the 1st Sept. But If I work part time, before 1st sept, they have to pay me part time pro rata on full wage and the other half full sick pay. If that makes sense !!

@lalo I hope your appointment goes better than mine. I just got really frustrated with knowing what was going on with my hip, and the GP not even being aware of the hip replacements, and then was more bothered I had both done at the same time, than sorting out the pain....which she eventually agreed was bursitis, and that was only because I questioned her diagnoses and she looked at my leg/hip.

So today I have tried heat. Tomorrow I will try ice. See which one helps the most. Fingers crossed ...

keep on going, that's what we all must do xx have a good sleep and lots of hugs from me xx

 

[donor]

@Suzette I think I'm 11 weeks, I guess.I'm trying to hurry this along. Feels like 11 months. :^) I have been released from disability which must be like the program you have...I was working half time and disability was making up the day's hours. I'm not staying all day at the office going home in the afternoon. Groin is slightly better or I am just working life around it. I think the injection helped some. Im so sorry you had such a miserable experience and that you still feel pain. And not to give.you enough meds????? So unfair all around. I hope things resolve. I'm only walking for the most part...a few exercises here and there but nothing big. Sleep is still a.problem for lots of reasons. I hope you got some tonight. Xo

 

[Tweefishy]

I just caught up on your thread and wow, how on earth did you make it out of hat doctors office without going postal?!?! Hopefully the surgeon gets back with you quickly. I also feel pressure from work, and yet no pressure. It's weird they say all the right things, but my gut has me worried. Since my job is partially physical and partially desk work, I am off until September too, with only a 2 wk phase in of part time hrs (4). I really do not know what to expect when I return. Hang in there lil' rabbit! You are a champ for doing both at one time!!!!!


RTHR, posterior, 15JUN2015

 

[Suzette]

Hi @donor I know what you mean when you say it feels like months....such as drag...I managed 6 hours sleep, so it's creeping up, but am still awake at past 2 am, that part is worrying me, getting to sleep at past 2 am and then having to get up early for work ...and then trying to stay awake. I think I will have to start work a bit later in the morning. Yes, it sounds like your disability is like my work sick pay. I was lucky that I had enough weeks on full pay to cover the time off, especially as in my head I was going back at the latest by 6 weeks.... it didn't happen, but if I can do some part time , I can acrue that time back as full sick pay, as long as I do that before the 27th August!
I am glad some of your groin pain is easing, but you're right, is it the same pain as before, or are you now used to it. I am thinking of you and your friend too x x puts things in perspective ....

I am hoping the drs surgery sort my meds out as per the email I sent them. They haven't replied to me yet, they probably won't.

@Tweefishy, I like your new avatar, is it a photo you had taken ? and it's good to have you back. Hope you are recovered from your trip. I have yet to test out my new shewee. I sent a link to a shewee website, to my young work colleague, except she thought it was a shoe horn???!!!!!

Yes, I am still peed off about that Dr. I am waiting for some advice from hospital , I will chase tomorrow. Today I have tried strapping my thigh a bit with that sports tape, my theory is, add a bit of support. But I have created a lovely design out of pink sports tape all over my thigh and knee, that is still making cracking noises ..don't think I have actually created anything useful, but it looks pretty...now have to get it off again without ripping all my leg hairs out..ouch.
Spoke to a pharmacist about the bursitis, he just said take ibuprofen rather than rub it on. Will try that along with cocodamol and gabapentin, until I get more help. It's just depressing that My new hips are great and I can swing them about all over the place, but everything is held back by this constant throb reminding me....

My job is office based and out on the road too. So will start off in the office. Although they had booked in a full day medical terminology seminar in my diary for next week, at a gp surgery approx 150 miles away. So 7 hours standing and a good 4 to 5 hours drive as well, in the week I was originally due back at work...they have moved this one plus 3 others to October. Hopefully I can drive and stand that long then.... talking of October? ?? already ???

I too, do not know what to expect when I go back either, it's a bit scary, as don't know how my hips will behave..
@donor how did you feel and manage when you went back to work, as you did that ages and ages ago. How is it now that you have been back a while?

love and hugs to you both xx ooh I keep meaning to ask you both. We are seeing on the news a lot over here about the draught and fires in CA how is this affecting you?? Xx

 

[donor]

@Suzette it is very dry here...so scary. Everyone's lawns are dead and brown. The Inland areas are hardest hit. It's just sad. :( so odd that other parts of the country are swimming. I started back to work half days for a few weeks and only on 8-1 was released from OS to work full days. I was ok honestly. I came home, took a walk and for in the position with my ice packs. I am lucky my commute is not bad like @Tweefishy. I sure hope you're OS gets back to you about meds! !! I manage a doc's office and if we let a concerned patient stew about anything let alone pain meds.....well, we wouldn't. I cracked up that your coworker thought the Female Johnson was a shoehorn. ....so funny. I hope tonight you sleep!!! Hugs from dried up California.

 

[lalo]

Hi @Suzette
Read your post where you tagged me and the subject was the infamous pain in the butt.
In your post you mention you have the pain in the buttocks and in the right hip due to bursitis ....
Im confused and want to understand
Did you have the pain in one or both places before your hip replacement?
Do you think the pain was caused by surgery?
In my case, until I broke the femur neck I didn't have any problems so I want to blame everything on the surgery
However, my pain in the butt actually started about 1 month before the THR when the previous surgery which was the 3 screws (ORIF) started to go bad. To be specific the femur neck was dying from lack of blood flow and the screws started to back out.
Thanks

 

[Suzette]

Well, I popped into work today, to sort out a phased return to work. I was worrying about how to go back without going straight in full time.

I also had no idea I would get half pay if I continued being off work and on sick leave, until I was told the other day. That means I could work part time on full hourly pay and the other half on sick pay at half my hourly pay. I wanted to avoid that as I still have a mortgage etc.

So starting Aug 17th I start with a small amount of hours at work that week, just 7.5. But I am sure I could do more, but HR lady friend said not to. The following week double those hours, week 3 up to about 28 hours and week 4, I reach 37.5. Felt good at this as this takes me into mid sept and no half pay and no shock to the system.

I was rather annoyed, though, to find out that my gut feelings about owner boss were correct, and the '...don't you worry about work, you just recover..', was, as I thought, just lip service.

I was told, by my friend, that it has been said '...she better not come here the first week to talk about her op, as she will be there to work..', and that I would be kept an eye on, so to speak. She went onto say that it had also been said that I was only returning to work as sick pay had run out.... Funny how the gut feelings tend to be correct. I hope @Tweefishy your gut feelings are not correct too, as that will be rubbish.

I was quite hurt that she even thought these things about me, when I planned and wanted to go back earlier, but just couldnt and even asked to have work sent home for me to do.....no no she said, you are off sick..

To be honest, and in theory, now I know that I can get half pay, rather than no pay at all, that's more of a reason not to go back yet! ! But I am not that kind of person. I just knew she was not happy I was off sick for longer than I thought I would be, I knew she would not be happy to be paying me as well, when I wasnt even working. But for her to visit and sit in my house pretending to be compassionate, is just not funny. How very 2 faced that is.

There are only 5 of us in total in the office, so I can't even just merge in as you can in a bigger office. I feel very awkward about it now, but also my friend told me this, as she didn't want me to face the Roth of the boss......who has terrible mood swings

You know that feeling of just wanting to change jobs.... hey ho.

But I have been reading up on using kinesio tape for bursitis, so have tried that today and I have put it on properly and it seems to work , have no idea why to be honest, but I don't care if it works even a little bit for relieving the pain. The 'scar' tissue under the incisions is rather sore these last few days too.

well that's my moan of the day

 

[Suzette]

Hi @lalo my pain in the butt and the bursitis, which is on the right thigh, started after the THR. I am sure it's from having the legs pulled about and muscles being stretched etc and irritated. Plus inactivity then walking about again after. There's that piriformis muscle in the cheek that can start hurting and the bursa on the bony bit of the thigh/femur. Donor has the groin pain.

Maybe your original break and then that operation and screws would cause the same sort of muscle problems etc as the THR op? Maybe josephine or jaycey could shed a light on your cheek pain post femur break but pre THR.

What ever causes it, it really is a pain in the butt and thigh and it makes me miserable, how about you?

 

[copsham]

Oh Suzette I would hate to work for your boss. If I was you i would want to settle back to work to get confident and then if poss look for alternatives. I see you are still not sleeping though which is such a drain! I slept from midnight to 5am last night which is very good for me! Take care