THR BruceH After THR Recovery

[BruceH]

It took me 20 minutes to write the last post, I kept nodding off while typing.

Except for taking meds and the bathroom wakings I slept for 16 hours. I was prescribed an anti-hystamine to potentiate the oxycodone, I think this might be contributing to the sleep.

I now understand "log leg". It just doesn't want to move. It should but it just feels like it's 10x heavier. If I do a few heel slides prior to getting out of bed it moves a little easier. Our bed at home is taller than the hospital bed, It's requiring a different approach for getting in and out. I had the hospital bed down pat.

 

[Prem1234]

@BruceH

Yes I do a few heel slides and calf pumps to get the leg engaged before getting out of bed which seems to help.....

 

[VSlowLife]

I slept for 16 hours.

Fantastic!
Hope you continue to sleep well.

 

[Layla]

Bruce, Do you mind if I ask if you're icing? Haven't noticed you mention it and while some find it unpleasant, or a nuisance, it really does help. Please consider it, if you're not already. As you ice and elevate not only will it help ease pain, but also the swelling contributing to the heaviness and stiffness.

IN and OUT of bed helpful hints -
Leg Lifter or simple tie from a bathrobe will suffice to lift log leg which will soon lighten.

If you have difficulty getting into the desired position in bed, you can sit on a garbage bag making it easier to swivel into position, then remove once you're satisfied with where you want to be on the bed.

Hope this helps
@BruceH

 

[DesertDiva]

Except for taking meds and the bathroom wakings I slept for 16 hours. I was prescribed an anti-hystamine to potentiate the oxycodone, I think this might be contributing to the sleep.

@BruceH - It goes without saying that your body has gone through a major trauma and sleep is incredibly healing.

I now understand "log leg". It just doesn't want to move. It should but it just feels like it's 10x heavier. If I do a few heel slides prior to getting out of bed it moves a little easier.

"Log leg" resolved completely for me somewhere between recovery weeks 2 and 3, and it's basically the same this time. I bought a Vive Leg Lifter Strap from Amazon.com and it's one of the best $10.00 I've ever spent. I figure that when I'm finished using all of my adaptive equipment I'll take them with me to Mexico and donate them to a senior home facility.

Good wishes and healing thoughts to you...

 

[Eman85]

Interesting about taking an antihistamine with the oxy, never heard of that before. I bet if I asked some of my local pill dealers they would know! I guess you've discovered the cure for not being able to sleep the first days.
Our bed is high and I could back up to it and lift myself up and in far enough that my thighs were on the bed. Then I could pivot and get in position. I didn't have log leg with my left but had it with the right. It took time but slowly the ability to lift it came back. Getting the blood flowing and the muscles warmed up a little helps.

 

[BruceH]

@Layla

Yes, I'm icing as much as I can, did it in the hospital too. Icing makes a big difference for me.

I have a leg lifter they sent me home with. It's basically a wide belt. Sometimes I use it.

The garbage bag idea will be tried out soon! My wife had suggested using one of her slips but I was thinking it wouldn't be big enough.

@Eman85 It's called Vistaril. I just read the pharmocology on it. It's main use is for allergies but it's also used as a sedative and is known to increase the effects of other medications.

 

[FCBayern]

Bruce, looks like you made it through the ride home in the snow without commenting on your wife's driving since she is still taking care of you! Embrace the sleeping, not only are you healing but you aren't experiencing pain or discomfort when you are out.

 

[BruceH]

Just made the next milestone, number 2! Things were getting very concerning, lol.

I've mastered getting into and out of our tall bed and have accidentally gone to the bathroom without a walker or cane. I was half asleep and forgot all about support until I was there.

Based on that experience I tried just using a cane, no walker. It worked but I'm better off with the walker for now.

 

[VSlowLife]

That is a wonderful issue to have resolved!

Based on that experience I tried just using a cane, no walker. It worked but I'm better off with the walker for now.

This sounds encouraging.

 

[Layla]

have accidentally gone to the bathroom without a walker or cane

It's kind of a scary feeling when you realize you walked away from an assistive device. I'm remember my first time thinking. "Oh great, now what?!"
Well, duh....I got to where I was without it, guess I can get back to it.

You've hit two milestones, not just one.
Have a good night!

 

[Mojo333]

Glad things are "going" although I was judicious with my meds so stool softeners (didnt soften that toilet riser one lick, lol) with lots of water was the protocol for almost the whole first month. Sort of an on and off again issue and many trips to bathroom with all that liquid...at least it kept me moving.
The walker will be shortlived and does make one feel ancient, but all temporary and necessary so please stay with it these early days.

Hope today is a good day, @BruceH

 

[Prem1234]

Hi @BruceH I hope things are good but I was wondering how are you finding the pain and where are you feeling it ?

 

[BruceH]

Hi @BruceH I hope things are good but I was wondering how are you finding the pain and where are you feeling it ?

It is hard to describe beyond saying it hurts but I will try.

I think I'm feeling where the acetabulum was reamed in the pelvis, sometimes I feel pain down my leg, like where the femur was shaped and stem inserted.

The first day home I would feel the incision tear (sharp burning pain) when getting in and out of bed.

However, I am only certain about the now gone incision tearing pain. The rest could be the bones rebelling against being cut, reamed, and broached. It could also have something to do with how far the muscles are distorted just to dislocate the hip socket, and it could have something to do with the localized swelling (from incision and muscle distortion) pushing on nerves, etc.

It always hurts more after I've been walking or getting in and out of bed. Sometimes I wake from a dream and am in pain. I think that's from thrashing around a bit in the dream.

How about yourself?

 

[VSlowLife]

However, I am only certain about the now gone incision tearing pain.

Glad to hear one type of pain is gone, and hope each day, will bring more diminishment of what you aptly described.

 

[Prem1234]

@BruceH.....Yes so similar to me I've got joint/hip/bone pain and hip flexor pain when moving about sogetting in and out of bed and walking. My incision pain is pretty good and i think the icing has definitely helped.

When I'm resting in bed or the chair the pain meds are doing there job and I'm reasonably comfortable. Yesterday the pain was really getting to me, but today is an improvement and I'm a bit brighter and hope you are too.

It's early days for both of us but fingers crossed it's going in the right direction.

 

[ForumUser]

Yeah ... it’s gonna hurt a bit. Lots of work done.

I found this to be the most helpful:
- lay down on short sofa
- pillows under knees to elevate hip above heart
- rotate op hip up a little higher
- thin cotton (pants, robe, etc)
- silicon ice pack directly over highest part of hip
- heavy towel over the ice pack to seal cool and prevent ice pack movement
- 45 min to an hour
- get up and walk about
- hit the bathroom and look out the windows
- smile because it hurts way less than it used to
- back to ice and elevate

Stay engaged in life, don’t think about the operation as an engineer would - trying to isolate every component of the op is a dead end.

 

[BruceH]

Glad things are "going" although I was judicious with my meds so stool softeners (didnt soften that toilet riser one lick, lol) with lots of water was the protocol for almost the whole first month. Sort of an on and off again issue and many trips to bathroom with all that liquid...at least it kept me moving.

Hope today is a good day, @BruceH

Yep, taking ducolax, sennakot, miralax, metamucil, along with lots of water. I'm finding it difficult to eat more than a banana or piece of toast at a time, the appetite and desire for food has gone downhill since leaving the hospital. The thing I crave the most is water, I've already had 2.5 liters and it's 8:23am.

Narcotics have been tapered down to half of what they were at discharge and I'm getting the same relief. I hope that once I'm not using narcs everything will fall back into sync.

 

[Eman85]

I don't think you're feeling bone pain, the tissue pain is generally it all around and down your thigh and butt. Odd the loss of appetite but everyone is different. I'd say too much plain water will give you your exercise walking to the bathroom! I'd say taking all of those things for a laxative must be exciting too. One dose of Miralax in the AM with breakfast was all I ever took. Are you still taking antihistamine?, they bother me more than any painkiller did.

 

[ceezee]

Narcotics have been tapered down to half of what they were at discharge and I'm getting the same relief. I hope that once I'm not using narcs everything will fall back into sync.

That was my experience. Almost immediately after I stopped the opioids my appetite returned and made up for lost time!