Bilateral THR Anteriors 15th June 2015 - my recovery

[Suzette]

@agileHippie I hope I have will be testing it out later. And thats not fair to get woken up by a storm. Typical x

 

[donor]

@Suzette I see my OS Thursday and I have a list I want answers for. I asked his PA the other day why he doesn't rx even just a few sleeping pills for a giant surgery like this. She said he doesn't believe in them. He also has two good hips. It might have helped me sitting on my porch in the pitch blackness last night. You are doing so well @Suzette and I thank you for your ever kind words. Xo

 

[copsham]

I was awake as is becoming routine at 4 am. There seems to be a lot of us out there doing this. I do not like seeing the sky getting light when I haven't been asleep yet. Still as with everything it is a phase which will pass.

 

[copsham]

@donor I hate when surgeons or anyone for that matter doesn't believe in something. On Bonesmart we have Surgeons or physio who don't believe in:

1. operating on younger patients
2. giving sleeping tablets for times of necessity
3. don't believe walking is enough exercise post op
4. don't believe in operating on overweight people

It makes this whole challenge a lot harder. Oh well ....... need a sleep now!

 

[Suzette]

Hi @copsham and @donor , honestly, can't believe we were all awake at the same time ! I managed to get more sleep from about 10 am, but then didn't wake up until 1 pm, so now I am thinking I wont sleep tonight. You know I might sit outside myself, if it doesn't go cold!

Agree with the list, it's just so true, plus another one
5. You will be up and about in a few weeks and back at work not long after. Piece of cake!! Yeah, right!

I only have pills to help me with sleep because they gave them me for back problems and as a muscle relaxant, So I am lucky there, phew, I don't take them often, but I am going to give them ago tonight to try and get sleep patterns back to normal, as much as possible, and to try and stop the muscle spasms.

I hope the OS listens to you @donor on Thursday and gives you something to help, and to answer your questions.. Lack of sleep effects everyone around you too. I keep waking everyone up by accident when roaming about and putting lights on.

Proof that walking is a form of PT, I discovered muscles in legs and bottom I forgot I had, from over walking yesterday. Will pace myself from now on.

I feel for both of you with the different problems you are having. I just had the throb last night and that was bad enough, let alone a broken foot, mending hips and groin pain. @donor I wish I was near you to be able to sit on the porch together and have a good old moan, but will be thinking if you xx in fact shame we all can't sit on your porch..and thanks for your kind words too

ooh @lalo I tried sitting in a higher chair and after 10 minutes my thighs were really painful and had to stand up. Will have to try something else like a different chair. Found that rather disheartening.

Well goodluck to us all for getting sleep when we have our repective sleep times, may also see you later xx

 

[Suzette]

Ohh it's 23.33 in bed preparing to try and sleep and if I don't... I don't...humph. ..
and the bottom cheeks feel like they are cramping again..I have not over done it at all today and have rested, but here they are a throbbing.

Getting on me nerves, so will go and have hot chocolate x

 

[donor]

@Suzette I hope you are zzzzzzzzing away by now. Xoxox I'll check my porch before I go to bed and attempt sleep.....to see if you are there!

 

[lalo]

@Suzette
Sorry your attempt to sit did not work out.
Let me know when you make progress
Hopefully you are catching zzzzz's as I write this

 

[Suzette]

Hi @donor I wish you had found me on your porch, managed sleep by about 2.40 am then got woken at 7 am, just typical. How was your sleep, I think you are about 8 hours behind on times.
Have my pedometer now, so I can monitor my walking steps. Not doing too many today as have the thigh/hip/behind knees/ calf throb/ache again. Must be that post op stuff going on, my meds aren't really helping today either. Not sure how this pain effects you, besides your groin pain, but it seems to happen every few days.
Are you still getting into work ok? Do you have problems sitting?
I have my appointment on Friday at 8.50 am so I too will be taking a list.

@lalo, yes, it was a bit of a pain ! I need to get my office chair bought to my house to see if I can get a comfy position, and try again. I may go and grab some zzzzz soon , as feeling tired again. How are you getting on sleeping and tiredness? Do you have the muscle throb and ache?

Keep well both x

 

[Jaycey]

Sleep whenever you can! Sleep problems are a real part of this recovery. Don't fight it - but nap when you can. Here's a thread about this Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

 

[donor]

@Suzette hello my tired friend....I mamaged better but took half a sleeping pill. :( I think I got 6 hours or so. It's crazy as night before I probably got 2. I also had pt yesterday and had to take a tramadol after that. It's 9 weeks today but feels like 9 years. Im so sorry you are having the throbbing and sitting issue!!! I also have butt cheek pain off and in which truly was one reason I did the stupid hip. OS said it was all related. Sadly I still have it........which is pretty upsetting. I hope you have a good list is questions for your OS too. I am working half days but try to get up often!!! I manage a doctor's office so I'm up and down but I do sit on a padded chair wedge, which helps reduce the hip to thigh angle in the chair. I pray that we get all this pain and sleeping drama resolved sooooooooon. Xoxoxoxo

 

[Suzette]

I really hope it all improves, am now at 5 weeks and I know there are still chances that I could trigger something off, so now I walk really slow every where and try to watch what I am doing. But saying that, it hasn't helped this pumping throbbing feeling.
its all just so very depressing. xox

 

[Suzette]

Thanks @Jaycey tried to sleep, but what with the throb, ice packs, pillows and what feels like a hot thigh, I couldn't get there. Ooh I hope this wears off soon x

 

[lalo]

@Suzette
Regarding pain
I have 2 sources
Coincident with the incision I have needle like pain that is
intermittent; seems to get worse later on in day
In the middle of the right check I have a fairly continuous dull pain ( I think is decreasing but not sure)
They put 2 screws to secure the socket ?? and I wonder if that is the source of pain
Also note I'm on crutches for 2 more weeks (6 total)
I take Percocet to manage pain and it works good
I'm a light sleeper and even before surgery I seldom sleep more than 4 hrs straight
Now I seem to get 3 hr intervals and sometimes Ill sleep 6-7 hrs other days 8-9
Its just a little beyond my normal sleep pattern
I listen to radio or watch TV during awake periods
Take care keep healing and keep posting

 

[Suzette]

Hi @lalo that cheek pain is same as mine, a dull ache that seems to be there all the time in the back ground, then it gets more noticeable as the day goes on and turns into a deep throb.

I used to get the incision stinging pain but thats nearly gone now. I have thigh ache quite a lot. Assume or am hoping thats the soft tissues repairing themselves, its when it goes down my leg to the back of the calf, its gets annoying.

Thinking about it, I am geting too obsessed about sleep and maybe should just go with the flow and get sleep as and when I can, instead of trying to do it at night !!

Think I worry more now as I need to start getting the work sleep pattern/ routine in order, or I will never get up in time!

I am stick free in the house, so that bit is going really well.

Take care too

 

[donor]

@Suzette I hope tonight is better for you and your throbbing pain.....sending hugs from CA.

 

[Suzette]

Hi @donor well Thank You and big massive amount of hugs to you from Worcestershire .

Well as I have spent a lot of time this evening/ night on my back with legs up on pillows and my horrible green socks on (legs/feet aching) now got lower back ache LOL , so gave in and just had some oromorph. Thought stuff it, it hurts am having it . Might sleep too. Its 2am here and will attempt the eye shut routine again soon. ...... have those US forensic crime programmes on the TV, so will watch that for a bit and hopefully the eyes will close down.

I do hope you are able to get some rest, it really is so unfair that you are going through all this and are feeling so blinking fed up. There seems to be an awful lot of hippies with this groin pain, tendonitis, bursitis, psoas pain etc. I have been reading loads of old threads on here and it seems a big part of THR. it would be nice to have been pre warned of this seemingly commonish problem and the OS should be more aware too.

I am truly petrified of the same thing happening to my groin etc...I realised today I have only left the house 6 times in 5 weeks, this is because I dont want to over do it and do damage! I just keep walking around the house...then still throb and hurt any way. I must try and go out before I get a phobia!!

Whoops morphine kicked in and am now waffling ....I dont talk to my husband much about any of this either..I have decided he wont understand. He makes nice tea though

Love to you and fingers crossed you get some respite xxoxx

 

[Cynthia777]

I swear by Trazadone!!!! I was a chronic insomniac for many years. I tried sleeping pills of all sorts, but after a short period of time they would stop working. My GP is very conservative with addictive medications, but he did prescribe Trazadone with no hesitation. He said they are not addictive like sleeping pills and they "keep" you asleep, rather than "put" you to sleep. I have been on a very low dose for years now and most nights I sleep like a baby. I don't get that drugged up feeling the next day like sleeping pills cause. May be worth a try?

 

[Shhh]

Wow, I wish I had found this forum before having my surgery. It sounds like we may have had the same nurse. I came to after surgery not being able to pee but having the urge. My nurse didn't explain anything to me and left my room. My poor husband put me on a bedpan and my incision started bleeding. I asked for help and the nurse said they were getting ready for a shift change! Long story, short, I just made it to the toilet and 900cc later, I had relief! The nurses aide was visibly upset with the nurse who, if it weren't for her, would have made me wait. I don't know how people have both hips done at the same time. You must be a very strong person!

 

[Suzette]

Hi @Shhh I wish I had too, I thought my legs had been irreversibly damaged with the pain I had when I got home I went to bed and stayed there depressed in pain for nearly 2 weeks, then I started reading bonesmart and @Kay9 story and I realised there were more of us out there in agony and scared.

I perked up then and started to be proactive in icing pain meds etc. Now week 5 although I now have this throbbing pain, I know this is post op pain, but I am also aware of other possible problems ie bursitis etc. At least I am aware now.

AND so much for bladders holding about 350 cc when we both managed to hold 900cc and more, mine just wouldnt come out, thank heavens for a nurse putting a catheter in...phew. I will be changing a seminar, I run at work (medical terminology) about the potential for huge bladder volumn!!

I hope you are doing ok, look forward to reading about your recovery

ps thank you for saying I must be strong, at the time I seriously questioned what I had done...feel loads better now and beginning to feel strong x