THR April 12 - Second THR

[Layla]

What a wonderful update! You are doing amazingly well!

I hiked the evening before each of my surgeries and got up and walked a mile the morning of each of my surgeries. I had to check in at 5:45 am so that was about all I could muster at that early hour. I never limped before or after my surgeries.

Wow! Just WOW!
Have a great holiday weekend, Miss Fanny! Happy Six Week Anniversary!

 

[MissFanny]

Thank you, @Layla! I am so darn happy with how good I feel and how much I am able to do already. Enjoy the weekend! I took Friday off so mine is four days!

 

[MissFanny]

Saw my orthopedic surgeon for my 6-week follow up.

I am released from care with some restrictions lasting from 6 weeks to 6 months.

I asked if my hip problems are inherited and he said, yes, there is a familial link. I had a form of hip dysplasia that causes arthritis. He said there isn’t much my kids can do about it except be seen if they have pain so a specialist can keep an eye on it. I have been seeing the orthopedic surgeon since my early 40s.

I go back in a year for follow up x-rays.

I can expect the implants to last about 30 years.

Whew. The hardest parts are behind me. As long as I don’t get any infections or dislocations.

 

[djklaugh]

@MissFanny Congratulations on an excellent post op visit! And those pictures - so pretty and perfectly lined up

 

[nasruddin]

That's interesting - I will have to ask about inheritance. My younger sister also has some joint & hip problems but seems to be keeping them at bay with an experimental treatment (& women, generally, age a little slower). She also told me that our mother need hip replacement but didn't do it (I think I may have known that problem existed but forgot it - I was more focused on some of her other problems).

I have been ruminating about what I could've done to prevent this problem & it's possible that the answer is precious little. We'll see.

 

[MissFanny]

@nasruddin, I think knee problems are more strongly inherited from what I have read. But I know my maternal grandmother had hip problems. My mom is full of OA but she never goes to the doctor. She definitely needs knee replacements but she won’t do it. Idk if there’s anything wrong with her hips but the knee problems are visibly obvious.

 

[MissFanny]

I am going to share a few things about my surgeon I think are strange. It has been on my mind since my visit.

• I have seen him 6 times in less than a year and he had no idea who I was and didn’t bother to look at my chart before our 6-week checkup. When he reviewed my x-rays and saw that this was my second THR, he asked, “Oh, did we do that one?” If I was quick on my feet, I would have said, “Uh, yeah, you did it a few months ago.
• When I told him I had bad knee pain the first 10 days after surgery, he acted like that was super strange. “Oh, really? You’re okay now, though?” It’s like he only wants to hear, “I had the best recovery ever! You’re a total genius!” And btw I did tell him I had great and fairly easy recoveries.
• When I told him and one of his staff members I still have to ice 1-2x/day and take ibuprofen a couple times a day, they acted a little surprised and asked if I was okay otherwise. Again, this may be related to only wanting to hear what a fantastic recovery I had.

He is clearly a great surgeon and for a surgeon he has a pretty good bedside manner generally. But I was taken aback by the fact that he didn’t even seem to know who the heck I am and found normal aches and pains that are part of healing curious. My husband said I wouldn’t believe the number of people who were in and out of the surgery center in the few hours he sat there. And I know they are extremely busy. But geez, he’s not even old (late 40ish) and he can’t remember someone he’s operated on twice and consulted with numerous times?

Oh, well. I don’t know what I am fretting for. It’s done and I had good results. I don’t need to see him again for a year where it can be just like we’re meeting again for the first time.

 

[Layla]

I am sorry you had that experience, because it does cause you to pause and reflect, but thankfully you can separate your surgeon’s lapse in memory from his skill as a surgeon. I will agree that I’d find it mildly unsettling that he doesn’t glance at the chart before entering the room so he is better informed. If he doesn’t remember you by appearance, at least he’d know from the chart he performed your first THR less than a year ago!

I do not understand his bewilderment when you commented on your post op knee pain. How many accounts have you read here of others experiencing the same? It’s a very common complaint on BoneSmart post THR. Also, for his team to act as though it’s not normal for you to find relief from ice when you’re only 6 weeks post op and to feel the need for an ibuprofen is confusing.

Aside from agreeing with you on the above, it sounds like you had a nice visit. Your x-ray looks good and he‘s obviously satisfied with your progress to realease you from his care until your anniversary. So great….you’re on your way!
@MissFanny

 

[MissFanny]

Yes, @Layla, you are absolutely right that things went well and I am on my way! But I do feel better getting the parts that unsettled me off my chest and that you agree it’s strange feedback. Thanks for chiming in! I know I am not crazy or my expectations are too high. And now I will move on and enjoy my new hips!

 

[MissFanny]

I did my first hilly woodland hike this morning. I was out on the trail 84 minutes but I was moving at a very leisurely pace, photographing wildflowers, and listening to and watching birds. That was absolute balm to my soul. I feel really good physically, too. I did use hiking poles but I generally do at this park because there are some good sized hills.

I am a spring wildflower enthusiast. I was laid up most of the time the woodland flowers are in bloom. The canopy is in pretty thick now, but I still saw (abundant) wild geraniums, False Solomon’s Seal, Virginia waterleaf, wild blue phlox, parsnip, and beautiful white flowering blackberry brambles. I sound IDed over 20 bird species within a few minutes but didn’t spot any new ones. I was wearing sunglasses and moving most of the time, so it wasn’t conducive to bird watching.

Beautiful morning. What a great way to start my long weekend. The hip did really well, too, although I was stiff getting out of my vehicle.

 

[MissFanny]

I think it was Chickens/KittensMom who expressed a fear of speaking something into existence and now I know what she means. I woke up this morning with buttock pain. My hip and my buttock hurt. I literally feel exactly like I did before surgery. The buttock pain was gone for six weeks following surgery and now it’s back. Trying not to be scared. I know there are ups and downs with recovery.

 

[Mojo333]

I'm sorry you seem have to ventured into the dreaded Overdid It Club.... which is hard not to do when we get to the second phase of recovery when alot of the surgical trauma appears to be clearing out.

I am trying to improve my distance and speed without poles or breaks.

Respectfully, this may not be the best strategy for less than 2 months post-op.
Those traumatized muscles and ligaments and tendens need slow incremental coaxing with recovery time.
I used to get so tight when resting, and walking really felt so good...but it seems it never hurt until I stopped.
I converted to shorter walks and stuck to flat terrain.
Slow and steady .... you will get back on track.

 

[MissFanny]

@Mojo333, I wondered about the hills. That is what I did yesterday and maybe that’s what triggered it. I am sitting on an ice pack pondering it now. The flat walking hasn’t bothered me so far. But I will definitely ease up! It’s hard not to get excited when you are an active outdoorswoman who is starting to feel better. But I know I still have a lot of healing to do even if that surgeon acted like I should be doing cartwheels by now.

Another thing I wondered is if the buttock pain is related to something other than my hip since it was gone for six weeks following surgery. But since my hip also hurts this morning, I know that is unlikely.

Hubby wants to go for another woodland hike this morning. I guess I better tell him I need to stick to flat ground.

 

[Mojo333]

Flat land would be the best idea...lots of breaks today too... sitting out it nature is definitely very healing.

Yeah, sounds like possibly an aggravated piriformis...
and can be a common complaint post THR.
I aggravated mine with excessive stair climbing too early on...and it was
A for real.. real pain in the butt.

 

[MissFanny]

“Piriformis” thanks for putting a name to it. I will read up. I had any angry piriformis before surgery. My butt hurt all the time.

 

[MissFanny]

Yup, that is definitely the problem. Presurgery, I even had the tingling and numbness described with Piriformis Syndrome.

I have been doing the right things intuitively. Massage, ice, stretch. Now I need to add “rest.” Doh!

 

[Mojo333]

Recovery
well worth the time it takes to get through it - hopefully without creating smaller fires to put out like self-induced tendonitis
I am six years out, and very active and loving my hips!

 

[MissFanny]

Can’t wait to get where you are! But I will try to be more patient.

 

[Mojo333]

You are going to do tremendous!
Hope your Saturday is sweet

 

[MissFanny]

I am a slow learner. I walked 3 miles around a lake today. BUT it was a flat, smooth crushed limestone trail. There are lots of benches and our plan was to stop every mile/20 minutes so I could rest 5. We rested after the first mile but the benches were too hot after that. Walking felt good, though, tbh. It was not uncomfortable and it loosened up my tight hip. Hubby kept trying to instigate off-trail adventures: “I wonder where that trail into the woods leads?!” To which I would respond, “Probably somewhere hilly and uneven where I shouldn’t be walking.” I will do another round of heat, massage, stretch, ice tonight and see what that does for me. I am icing now post walk and I took an extra dose of ibuprofen. We’ll see how I feel tomorrow, but rn I feel much better.

I can avoid hills. But I will be honest, it will be hard for me to go backward on walking. I think walking on flat, even surfaces is helpful. But we’ll see if that holds up when I get out of bed tomorrow!

I am also going back to using my sock aid for a few days. When I put my sock on my operated leg this morning, I could feel the pulling and pain in my hip and buttock.

Trying to find that sweet spot of enough activity to feel well without causing myself pain or setbacks. I have to be honest, I can’t wait until everything doesn’t require so much planning and consideration. I feel like I am consumed with trying to keep myself healthy, exercising, relatively pain free, eating healthy, sleeping enough, etc. It’s a lot of work!