Bilateral THR Bilateral Hip slow progress!

[Josephine]

Re: Bilateral recovery question

hi oh great knowledgable ones

Good start! :th_heehee: :wink1:

I had a simultaneous Bilateral Hip Replacement 4 weeks ago. One leg is doing rather nicely however, my other is greatly lagging behind, feeling much longer and causing me to walk with a very uneven gate and causes considerable lower back pain.

As Jamie said, you can't expect them to progress the same, not no way! And one feeling longer is due to pelvis tilt which happens during the months of pain and disability when your body is doing its best to adapt to the pain. LLD (leg length differential)

I would also suggest that your lower back pain is actually still post-op pain. What pain meds are you taking? How much and how often? Tell me this and I can tell you if it's adequate.

The doc says that's normal and at 6 weeks he can give me stretches but I am not so sure this is normal!

He's quite right, it's all perfectly normal. You don't need stretches just yet. You are still in the early days of recovery. Let me give you some reading to show you where you are at in the process
Pain management and the pain chart
How Long Does Healing Take ......
Chart representation of THR recovery
Some suggestions for home physio (PT)

 

[laurilf]

Re: Bilateral recovery question

Thanks for the information! I am not taking much pain meds, just Advil which seems to do the trick most of the time along with ice.

Lauri

 

[laurilf]

Re: Bilateral recovery question

ps, the LLD (leg length differential) link was very interesting as my visiting nurse pt measures my legs in exactly the same INCORRECT way! Saying my legs are uneven when my surgeon promises me that they are even.


L

 

[Jaycey]

Re: Bilateral recovery question

Please don't worry Laurilf! I went through the same issues for many months post-op. But eventually this all settles.

 

[Josephine]

Re: Bilateral recovery question

Advil actually isn't that great a pain killer. I personally prefer Tylenol (1,000mg per dose) which is much more commonly used in the UK. Advil (ibuprofen) is mostly an anti-inflammatory. I suggest you give Tyenol a go and see the difference. It's also safer in relation to stomach problems which aren't always obvious.

 

[laurilf]

Re: Bilateral recovery question

wow, I had no clue! Thank you!

Lauri

 

[Jamie]

Re: Bilateral recovery question

Lauri....just be sure if you use Tylenol that you get the Extra Strength version (500mg per tablet) and take them 2 at a time. One alone just doesn't do the trick. You can take up to 4,000mg (four doses of 2 pills) in a 24 hour period, so space them out accordingly.

 

[MaryJane]

Re: Bilateral recovery question

Lauri, I had bilateral hip replacements on June 15th and am experiencing the same symptoms. It's been over 4 months and my right leg is much weaker than my left, and much more painful. My back has also been giving me a lot of trouble. The back issues have been with me for a long time, but have been aggravated, I think, by the surgery and the months of limping before surgery. It has gotten worse in the last month, and I'm told that part of the pain in my right leg is the IT band. Anyway, I called my primary Dr, and am going back to PT starting next week. From what I hear on this forum, the issues we are having are not unusual. Keep your chin up, and I'll try to do the same.
Mary Jane

 

[Jollyroger]

Re: Bilateral recovery question

I have to admire hippies who have simultaneous bilateral replacements. It must take a lot of guts to effectively face being 'legless' post surgery, even if only for a few days, and all the associated pain.

I needed both my hips replacing but opted to have the worst (pain) one done first and then decide if I can face having the second one done. I have now made that decision and am scheduled for the second one early in the new year. However, it means that I face the trauma of surgery and recovery all over again, whereas for you, it's all over and you are well on the way to a full recovery.

Even if you get minor setbacks on the way, just think about us 'wimps' who have to face the whole thing again.

I think I'm jealous. :wink1:

Best wishes for a speedy return to full mobility.

 

[laurilf]

Re: Bilateral recovery question

I guess everyone heals differently and somehow I think, with Bilateral, we tend to baby one hip more than the other. I think pt is a key!

L

 

[Poppet]

Re: Bilateral hip recovery question

When I got the results of my x-rays the radiographer said the other hip needs to be done soon... I am now wondering about a bilateral. I think pain is pain and recovery the same so maybe do it once and be over with it!

Also with reduced kidney function I would only be exposing my kidneys to one set of drugs..

Decisions, questions, decisions... Life is tough sometimes!

Hang in there Laurilf, I am sure we will get answers

 

[Jamie]

Re: Bilateral hip recovery question

It would be something to discuss with your surgeon. Doing both does mean only one round of the drugs, but sometimes when a person has health issues the surgeons feel it is better to not extend the length of time you are under anesthetic. Even if you didn't get them done at the exact same time, it is usually possible to do one surgery and then follow on in a few weeks with the other. In that case, you really do have basically one recovery period.

 

[Poppet]

Re: Bilateral hip recovery question

Thanks Jamie

But the problem is the multiple hits of drugs on the kidneys. Have a look at the info I provided on my own thread about Gentamycin with regard to kidney function.

One surgery, one set of drugs would be my preferred option. Certainly something to discuss on Thursday when I see the new OS.

Sorry to highjack your thread Laurilf

 

[Josephine]

Re: Bilateral hip recovery question

Contrarily, this is one occasion where a bilateral would be most unlikely to be considered as though the idea of one lot of everything would be good, it would be a big lot of everything and that's not good. It's the duration of it, you see. The doctors will be anxious to get you done as quickly as possible to stop giving the anaesthetic drugs. Under these circumstances I would think that two shortish procedures would be safer than one long one. And it would also be twice the amount of gentamycin at one time as well.

Though of course, I could be wrong! :wink1:

 

[sharonann]

Re: Bilateral hip recovery question

Hi Laurilf,
although I didn't have both my hips done at the same time there wasn't a very long time in between the ops & I had to stay on crutches from one op to the the other & the recovery from the 1st THR was held up somewhat. So my main recovery for both hips took place after the 2nd THR when physio was approved.

There was a definite discrepancy in leg length but I was told by OS & physiotherapist that this was normal & after a few months would settle down, once everything inside was starting to get back to normal & swelling started to disappear & strength began to return.
Physio also said that strengthening the core muscles in the abdomen as well as the IT band & abductor muscles helped with walking straight again - so we did exercises that involved all of these & now both legs are same size & rolling gait has gone.
Lower back pain is pretty normal too - it should ease off as your muscles get stronger.
However until you've had your 6 week check up & OS has given go ahead to do extra physio exercises (under supervision from a physio) just continue to do the very gentle ones that you've been given in hospital - no need to overdo it at this early stage!

I think when you're having both hips done whether at the same time or seperately, there's always going to be one that's weaker than the other. My 1st THR was more complicated than they thought but the 2nd THR was straightforward.

I'm sure everything will be fine it just takes time & patience!

 

[laurilf]

Re: Bilateral hip recovery question

very helpful post! Thank you!!!

 

[MaryJane]

Re: Bilateral hip recovery question

As one who had both hips done at the same time, I would recommend it, however, it is an individual decision. While I agree that it is probably more difficult than one, I don't think it is twice as hard. I was never really legless, they got me out of bed the day after and made me walk to the bathroom. I sure didn't want to, but I had no choice.

My surgeon did not bring it up, I did, and I think that is probably what usually happens. He asked me which one I wanted to do first, and I asked him if he could do both at the same time. He said he could and that he had done it before but that I would have to get the approval from my primary care doc, and my pulmonologist. I have a lung disease/infection called Non Tuberculous Mycobacteria and am on 3 strong antibiotics, perhaps for the rest of my life. They both thought I could do it. Even so, I was told by my OS that it would be up to the anestheologist whether to proceed with the 2nd hip after the first was complete, depending on how I was handling the surgery. Before surgery, when he came in to mark my hips, he asked which one I wanted done first, in case they had to stop after the first. I told him, and he marked them 1st and 2nd. I would not know until I woke up whether I had had both done.
Luckily, everything went well. Now after almost 5 months I still have problems with the right hip, but have learned from this forum that it is not unusual. I am hoping that it will get better with therapy.
Mary Jane

 

[Jollyroger]

Re: Bilateral hip recovery question

As one who had both hips done at the same time, I would recommend it.

:wow2: You are braver than I am - well done.

I thought about having both done together, but not for long!

I have a heart condition so they would probably have turned me down if I'd asked.

I had a phone call this morning to arrange the date for my second - Weds 1st Feb. If all goes well I should be fit again by Spring. I'll be glad when it's all over.

 

[MaryJane]

Re: Bilateral hip recovery question

Good luck to you!

 

[Anitawants2tango]

Re: Bilateral hip recovery question

Hi laurielf, I hope your recovery is going well. I am having a LTHR in 9 days and I see that you are at about the six week mark (Congrats!). How is it going at this point?