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THR Bilateral changed to Single

@Lea61 Poor you, you are having a rough time :groan:, and that groan is an understatement I know! I'm hoping that by staying on schedule with your meds, as already advised here, and icing and keeping your legs up (will really help with the swelling), you will start to feel more comfortable. I was religious about that and it made a world of difference.

I use the activity progression for THR that @Layla just sent to you as my guide. My OS has told me to only walk. At my 2 week check up he said the same, only walk but as much as I could, that I wouldn't over do it (he didn't know me!). I forgot about keeping to the guide, and promptly over did it when I moved onto crutches in week 2, by just walking too much! Took me four days to recover :gaah:.

I've read so many threads here, and one can almost see the soft tissue issues (that come up from doing too much too soon) coming. You see folks forge ahead of schedule, and it doesn't seem to hurt until after the fact....and then boom, they have tendonitis, bursitis and all the other nasty soft tissue issues that come along from doing too much too soon. As I read on, it takes a long time to get rid of those issues, which really are things we can avoid. It is a real struggle for me to not over do it. I get it. I takes all the patience I have, and more, to stay on track:tantrum:. We both have another hip to do, so have more to lose if we go off track :bignono:! I'm sure you are also wrestling with your concern for your sister, going back to work and the rescheduling of your life, that has had to change yet again with the change in surgery. I don't have as much to wrestle with as you do, but do have some stuff....and it leaves me feeling :headbang: !!!

Can you have your lap top on the bed with you, instead of the kitchen counter, for now?

Thinking of you while you shake out how to find what works best for you! Hoping you are more comfortable very soon! :SUNsmile:

:flwrysmile:
 
Hey, there, @Lea61, it's yet another day of recovery and thus another day closer to the ultimate goal of living life comfortably and normally, the way it's meant to be lived. I know you and lots of others, myself included, are just setting out on this recovery journey and we'll all have fits and starts (glad to read that you got some much needed "talked down from the ledge" support when you needed it). It's a beautiful, sunny day here in my neck of the woods, and my husband has suggested that maybe we go down to a local park nearby with flat, paved walking surfaces. Not sure how much walking I'll be able to do, but it will feel nice to get out there in the fresh air for awhile. Have a good day, it's so early on for you--just focus on getting your medication schedule sorted, getting up if you can for a short while (my only "walks" the first few days were tottering with my walker to the bathroom!) and before you know it, every few days I'm betting, you will see small, incremental but very satisfying steps forward. Cheers, and happy Friday.
 
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Ha, ha, @Lea61, I am sure I probably got Progresso soup for a few days, too! Totally, our husbands attended the same chef school. But, I will say that as time has gone on, and with a bit of gentle nudging, my husband has branched out a bit. When I was able to sit reasonably well at our kitchen island, I talked him through two actual recipes (!) which both turned out pretty well. Okay, he forgot a critical ingredient in the first dish, and in the second the fettuccini sauce was a wee bit thick, but he managed well and I lavished praise on both occasions as an added inducement for further forays into cooking land!

The walker I had did have two wheels on the front, and rubber tips on the back. As I mentioned, I really hated it although I used it for the first week. After that, I tried tentative, brief walks without any assistive device (made my husband nervous, and he walked closely behind me the whole time) and then I got the walking pole and haven't looked back. I think everyone has to find out what works best for them, what they are comfortable with and provides them the support and reassurance they need. I was lucky in that I always felt fairly secure walking on my operated leg. Sure, when I first stand up I need to take a few seconds to restore my balance before taking that first step, but focusing on posture (suck in that gut!) and trying to walk naturally has been a focus for me.
 
@Alitm @Barbaraj .... you are both so funny ... you make me laugh while I’m lying here trying to nap .... but Buster (my dog) is along side me and had no trouble at all. He is actually snoring ! He also had been crying all morning because he was confined to the kitchen so he exhausted himself !!
So, yes, last night was very scary for me. I think like @Mojo333 and @Layla said I was also under medicated. Now that I went up to 100 tramadol and Tylenol in between the pain has been more tolerable. Also taking Mobic 1x daily. I was fooled into believing that how I felt the last two days in the hospital was going to be my starting point of recovery. But my OS Did warn me that the injection he gave me during surgery was probably helping me more than the pain meds I was on and once that wore off, things would change (He wasn’t kidding and I will certainly be prepared for round 2 ) !! I guess I hadn’t been at the point of where recovery would take place yet and needed to hit the bottom before climbing my way up.
Thanks again for your support. And @Barbaraj , your husband must have taken the additional advanced chef class because I am expecting take out, canned soup and jar sauce for a pasta (Classico, which is pretty good). Lol. I won’t even push that button ( pick and choose your battles like I do in preschool ) !! Plus, once my sister comes home, she’ll be something else on his plate, although we had both agreed that she will also be a help in getting me things (like ice packs and cups of tea). !! Ok... will try that nap again.
 
@Lea61,

This is wishing you a speedy and less painful recovery.

What has worked for me thus far is using upper body strength for virtually everything (levitating on my crutches/walker, scooching up or down the stairs on my behind), icing like crazy, elevating legs and as encouraged on this forum keeping weight off my legs.

First two days were somewhat difficult as my body purged itself of fluids and made me apprehensive of soiling myself before I could make it to the bathroom.

Hubby got me an elevated seat for the toilet and some depends (adult diapers). Today (day8) is the first day that I am without them and not scared:yikes:.

You will be all right. Hang in there and soon you'll be on your way to full recovery.:ok:
 
@bonaventur ... thank you for sharing your journey with me. Honestly, i think what threw me off was how well I felt post surgery the first two days. I figured that was my starting point .... boy was I wrong ! I was just talking to my cousin today and when I told her what happened last nite, she shared with me that when we spoke on the phone during my hospital stay, she thought to herself “wow, she’s doing so well after a 3 hour surgery on her hip” lol.
I do find it easier to use my arms and even the side if the bed to pull myself up. I can get my leg off the bed by using the foot of my good leg under my bad, and bring it down. I still someone to lift them up to get back onto the bed. And the elevated toilet seat with handles has been well worth it and will probably be used for a long time ( and through another surgery)!
Thanks for your suggestions. You sound like your recovery is now going in the right direction which is the way we all want to go now :loveshwr:
 
@Alitm @Barbaraj ..... one question for you. I don’t know exactly how to describe it, but did you ever feel like your hip slides or a feeling of it clicking into place (without the sound lol) ! Mostly when I’m standing and /or weight bearing but now it sometimes just happens spontaneously while I’m laying down. It is just a strange occurrence. I asked the nurse and PT today who came to the house, and they both said that I will have strange feelings, etc. But you know..., I want to hear , oh yea, Everyone describes that feeling, but that was not the answer I got from them. Also, now when I place my foot on the floor, it feels bouncey, as if I was standing barefoot on one of those cushioned mats. What do you think ? Is it anything that sounds familiar to you ? Thx. :console2:
 
No, can’t say I have ever really felt anything like that in my new hip, @Lea61, but I think that others have described that sensation also so I don’t think you are alone. I do sometimes get that spongy “standing on cushy mat” feeling when I first stand up and shift my weight in preparation for that first step. I hazily recall being told by my OS at the hospital something about a slight lengthening in the new hip to restore it to its anatomically correct length, only a bit, as I recall. That might be why it feels a bit weird at first. But I’ve gotten used to it quickly. My first pre-op visit is next week so I will asking about that. I suspect as recovery continues you might experience all kinds of slightly odd sensations. But, if it were me, I wouldn’t worry unless it’s painful.
 
Thank you @Barbaraj .... the dr mentioned that I might feel the difference in the leg length until I have the next surgery. I didn’t know how that would feel and thought somehow one leg would just feel longer than the other ... not this spongy feeling upon standing (it is not painful, just strange) The other feeling, I also thought I had read about that, but I searched and couldn’t find anything so I figured I would just ask. That pain has improved since I have increased the tramadol to 100mg with Tylenol in between. Since days 1 and 2 were so good, I thought it would remain that way and I would improve from that level as long as I followed with what I was doing.
Thanks for sharing ....
 
Hello @Lea61 just browsing through the Oct hippy forum and and found your surgery date one day after mine. Just had meds & vitals and wide awake. I had a very busy morning w OT & PT. I am so happy to get moving and feel things opening up even now. Unfortunately I forget patience and want do too much. Glad you are on the other side. Best wishes for a good recovery. :ice:
 
Hi @wcgirl .... I found your posts after you had posted on my thread. Interesting that you were able to stay in rehab. I was originally scheduled for both hips at same time and then would have been approved for 4-5 days of acute rehab. Since I ended up having (only) one hip done, I was no longer approved. I guess it’s an insurance thing. The hospital I was in happens to be an orthopedic surgery hospital so everyone I was in contact with were all so knowledgable and helpful since their only patients were orthopedic. It also helped in cutting down the risk of infection since drs, nurses and aides were not tending to “sick” patients, and then entering a room to help a surgical patient. So I guess in a way, it was like being in a rehab post surgery. I felt very well taken care of. One of the recovery room nurses requested a private room for me (with no guarantees) but she was successful with her request. That enabled my husband to stay overnight in the room with me. Once on the floor, my nurse even found him a recliner chair. I ended up staying an extra day ( instead of being discharged the day after surgery) because my blood pressure had been very low and i felt safer staying one more night.
Well, it’s 3am, :yawn: and you helped give me something to do, so I thank you ! Lol.
It sounds like your recovery is going well. I understand when you talk about stressful times (as I had one last nite). I found this site to be amazingly helpful ! Have a good nite..... :yawn:
 
Hope you're waking up to a better day, @Lea61, and you're doing okay with ice, rest, meds, etc. It's the start of a new day, one day closer to full recovery, so keep your chin up! I hope the increased dosage of the Tramadol continues to work well for you, and you're relatively pain free and comfortable. Carpe diem!
 
Yes, thank you @Barbaraj ... Increasing the tramodol to 100 and staggering it with the 1000 of Tylenol seems to have helped manage the pain. I also take Mobic once a day. When the nurse came to the house, I showed him my schedule and told him my plan to set an alarm for the middle of the night He said that I didn't need to do that and it was ok to sleep through a dose. I remembered when you were trying to cut down on the tramodol and endured a setback because of it . You got back on track by setting your alarm! So I think you saved me from having the experience of what happens when we don't stick to the schedule.
I am icing and elevating ( not too high) but it must be working because (so far) I have no swelling anywhere that I can see.
How are you doing? What's for dinner tonite? I have no idea what we're having LoL
 
Hi, @Lea61--I think it's a bit early in the game NOT to be following your medication schedule religiously, even if it involves the hated early morning cell phone alarm. And, yes, I did have a problem once and that is all it took to "remind" me to be more diligent. At some point, of course, you may make the decision not to wake yourself up for medication but I suspect you'll have a sense of when that might work. For me, I weaned off the 2 or 2:30 dose, I'm guessing, at just shy of 2 weeks. I would like to say it was a conscious, well thought out decision but the reality is that I put the Tramadol pill out on my bedside table and forgot to set my alarm. When I slept through the night I realized I was probably okay to skip this dosage and now I've cut out the bedtime dosage as well, but I am doing well on the 1000 mg of Tylenol first thing in the morning and then sometimes at night (like last night) when I'm stiff and a bit sore. Great that it all seems to be coming together for you, and glad elevating works. I could never really get the hang of it, it was uncomfortable and it didn't seem to work at all so I kicked that to the curb pretty early on.

Today's agenda was open until about an hour ago. Friends invited us to come check out their new house, just purchased, and after checking to make sure there were places for me to sit down at the house, we'll be leaving here in late afternoon after the football game. My husband is currently glued to on our television. I think dinner tonight is going to be take-out pizza and salad!
 
Lea61 said:
Weight bearing hurts a lot and this time I had a pain that went down side of leg to the knee. I also get a weird sensation (weight bearing) on the bottom of my foot...almost feels like I was standing on a soft mat that gives a little. ????
Click to expand...

Yes the weight bearing comes and goes for me too. I can for the most part stand up straight and bear my full weight pretty well but today have found the some swelling in my left knee causing some weakness. It’s still early so I think all of this is pretty normal.

Lea61 said:
i think what threw me off was how well I felt post surgery the first two days.
Click to expand...

Me too! Aside from nausea I was sleeping all the time day of and following day. Once I got home and the feeling started to return to my thighs as the anti inflammatory medicine wore off, it was a bit of a rude awakening so to speak!

Barbaraj said:
I think it's a bit early in the game NOT to be following your medication schedule religiously,
Click to expand...

Agreed!
 
Hi @Lea61 Sorry to hear you've had some bumps with the pain management. I followed the Tylenol Tramacet schedule that Josephine posted for me on my thread. I had to adjust it slightly as it is dispensed in slightly different doses..37.5 mg tramadol with 325 of acetaminophen. Once I got it all on board, it really helped. My day 4 was when my leg swelled up after my first shower. It was crazy, I had the ice machine pad on my hip, a large ice pack under the back of my entire thigh, another large ice pack (I purchased them for the bilateral I never had!) on top of my entire thigh another smaller one on my knee and another one on the side of my calf...those were the areas where I swelled. Anyhow, it felt really good! My hubby was kinda giving me a odd look, but was helping me pack them on! It really helped bring the swelling down. I think I did two round of that.
Hoping your pain levels are manage and the icing is helping any swelling you are having.

Thinking of you and sending you lots of positive vibes from the west coast! :flwrysmile:
 
@Layla .... Thank you for the article re: pain meds. I remember reading it pre-surgery, but it all makes a lot more sense now, being able to better relate to it. I don't have any issue with continuing the tramodol. Luckily, it is not causing any adverse symptoms, i.e. I am not dizzy, nausaous or groggy. It seems to do what it is supposed to do in managing the pain. It is certainly Not helping/making me sleep ! (It's 2:30 am, and here I am)!! But I did sleep during the evening.
I didn't know how long to expect to be on the tramodol, but I won't rush coming off it ( hopefully my dr won't have issue refilling it, but I'll cross that later). I just realized that if I continue pain meds for 2 months, it will almost be time for the other hip and back on pain meds schedule again. When the time comes, I know I'll have lots of questions about that continued use and effectiveness.
One last question, as of now at day 5, I do not have any swelling. Still inevitable ? ( I'm assuming any day now) !
Thanks again for reaching out...listening.... Supporting......
 
@MrDIY .... Thanks for the comparing of notes. It is helpful knowing that I am not alone with some of these odd feelings and sensations. You must be feeling everything times 2, having had bilateral. At this point, I can honestly say that I am happy that I did not have double. Being able to have the opposite leg for support so I don't have to be totally weight bearing on operated side has been helpful. I'm also able to push myself up and move in bed using the unoperated leg. I can't even imagine having both. How are you managing ? I will have to go over and look at your post surgery thread.
I had been concerned that I wouldn't be able to depend on my opposite side and that as a result of now needing it, that it would become worse. That has not been the case (yet, anyway), because the day after my surgery, my OS scheduled me for a cortisone shot in the unoperated leg to help it get through the next 12 weeks. So far, so good.
Off topic... Have you always lived in Nevada? We have a friend who lived here (NYC) and moved to Nevada at least 5 years ago ( can't remember right now the area) but he loves there.
 
@Alitm .... You mentioned swelling at Day 4. It was your whole leg, calf and thigh? How uncomfortable! So far, coming into day 5, I don't have swelling (yet). I wonder if the 20 hours with the leg pumps are serving a dual purpose (??). Will see, I guess.
Getting :yawn: now. Hopefully I will :sleep: now !!!
 
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