THR BruceH After THR Recovery

@Eman85

Looking at my swollen thigh and hip would lead me to believe tissue damage, swelling, and subsequent pressure are part or even all of it. I would say the pain is different than it was pre surgery.

So far the pain has been going down every day and it's only been 4 days. Today might be the transition to mostly cane, I can make forward progress without the cane or walker but my body tells me it's not a good idea and I would have no protection from a slip or trip. I hesitate to call it walking, lol.

Once I'm back to semi regular the laxatives will go. I've only used laxatives for a bowel prep, until now I've never needed one but I sure do need them now!

Lol, yes many trips to the bathroom.

@ceezee That's good info. I'm hoping that the bowels will come back either once the narcs are stopped or even during the taper.
 
It is amazing how the joint pain is gone, also amazing the trauma your leg has been through and the resulting pain and swelling. The burning pulling sensations I believe are from the internal stitches, I didn't have any external stitches or staples just tape.
Both times I was hungry immediately post op and every day after, had to keep the snacking to a minimum and concentrate on healing foods. Need to feed the furnace to promote healing. I guess I was very fortunate as the opioids didn't do anything out of the ordinary to me but I know it effects everyone differently.
I would pick up my walker and carry it across the new floor I had just put down until I could get tennis balls for the back legs. I could walk but it was more of a waddle. Better to stick with the walker for safety. I kept it near the bed for a while even after I started with a cane as in the middle of the night it was safer.
 
You sound well, have to agree with @Eman85 about keeping the walker near the bed for a while for those midnight treks, really need to play it safe, especially when half asleep.

Didn't see you mention icing. If you're not icing, you really want to start and try to do it anytime you're not up and moving around. It really does help with pain, swelling and bruising.
 
Day 6 post surgery:

I've gone from 10mg oxycodone every 3 hours at discharge to 5mg every 4 hours. The plan at discharge was to increase time between doses, then decrease the dose and go back to 3 hour dosing, repeat until I'm down to 2.5mg as required.

I'm also taking tylenol, gabapentin, vistaril, celebrex, and 81mg aspirin. Icing most of the time. Icing works. I want to be done with oxy as soon as possible. The taper has already freed my imprisoned bowels, :) :-) (:. BTW, it feels very odd sitting on the toilet with my right leg out.

Now I wonder if I tapered too quickly. Everything was fine yesterday but last night was tough, pain relief was only lasting 2 hours. I did not change dosing, kept it to 4 hours. I might of been thrashing in my sleep and causing issues, don't know. I also did a whole lot of walking yesterday, with and without the walker and cane.

Typing all of this out has cleared my thoughts somewhat. I think I'll just idle today. Take it easy, do the exercises that feel good like ankle pumps and heel sliders.
 
hmmm sounds like a lot of activity plus the reduction in pain killers could be taking their toll.....There's nothing wrong in upping them again especially at night so you are comfortable and then looking to reduce again. Sleep is great healing time !!

If nothing else at least you've managed to get your bowels moving.

I was dreaming in bed last night which made me flinch including my operated leg which hurt....

Hoping things settle down for you
 
Bruce... not to discourage you but walking a whole lot with and without the walker and cane only 6 days post-surgery is potentially calling for troubles.
All you need at this point is to rest and ice and allow your body to figure things out.
There will be plenty of time to exercise and strengthen those muscles... but right now they are just trying to heal
 
Everyone is different but if I sat or laid still I didn't have any pain. I only had discomfort if I moved and pain only came if I tried to do something my leg wasn't ready to do, and the pain didn't remain when I stopped.
The sitting on the toilet is great fun, I had restrictions so I had a raised toilet. It was adjustable and just lowering it a little made it very uncomfortable, cleanup is a challenge too.
 
Bruce, I do agree with holding onto an assistive device for now. Six days is still so very early into the healing process.

It sounds like you're staying well hydrated and when you feel like eating, try to take in some protein. Following surgery your body needs protein which helps repair muscle damage by regenerating tissue and speeding up wound healing.

I'm going to leave some protein ideas with the hope something may appeal to you to snack on. If not now, maybe sometime soon.
I hope today is a good one! :)


Nuts
Trail Mix
Turkey roll ups (cheese or veggies rolled inside the turkey)
Greek Yogurt
Cottage Cheese
Hard Boiled Eggs
Tuna
Veggies & Hummus
Peanut Butter and Apple
Peanut Butter on Celery
Cheese Slices
Beef Sticks
Protein Bars
Protein Shakes
Canned Salmon on Crackers
Edamame
Chicken Salad
No Bake Energy Bites (many online recipes)
 
Hi Bruce well I’m 3 weeks Post op today so you’re doing great , don’t rush things just exercises , walk little and often, sleep when u feel like it ,you’re lucky I suffered really bad with my back until the physio gave me back exercises to do , unfortunately I struggle with my sleep so while everyone is sleeping I’m wide awake until 2/3am but the last couple of days I’ve had about 7 hours which is great .... I take ibuprofen, paracetamol during the day and try to spread it up to 4/ hours and then at night because after I’ve don’t physio and exercises everything just is so tight I shower , ice and take 10ml of oxycodone about 11/ 12 o’clock it’s amazing stuff it just settles all the pain down I hate taking medication and can’t wait to come off the lot , but it allows me to sleep and if you’re resting then you will heal , please be careful ref your walker if u feel u don’t want to use that then use the cane but my friends dad did to much to quickly and it never healed as well as his first THR because the first one he took the time he needed to heal....... I’m totally bored out my brain and can’t wait to go back to work but also I don’t want to Jeopardise the Final outcome good luck hippie friend k
 
Hi Bruce,
Your sense of humor will serve you will in this recovery business. :yes: Half way through the hardest part IMO. 1st weeks is hardest, 2nd improves, 3rd you get start to imagine life after recovery. Exercise too much will prolong your recovery. Sounds like you slept through the worst few days. Excellent plan!

Best wishes!
 
cleanup is a challenge too.

It is funny, but also true. I'm sure most will agree.
Two words....BABY WIPES

I have to say that pre-surgery I bought a couple of boxes of sensitive, unscented baby wipes. They're great for spot cleaning under your arms and those um... "special places." I actually carry some in my RV, and they're great for feeling fresh - especially on warm days...
 
@Sulliy I've been lucky in the sleep department. All I can say is that the hospital night was a lack of anything resembling continuous sleep. I'd also been in sleep deprivation prior to the surgery. I don't want to jinx myself but total night sleep has been from 8-10 hours. I wake up for the bathroom and usually fall back asleep. Vistaril might be helping, I'm sure my body healing is having something to do with it too. I hope I don't have to pay back to the sleep account when it's stopped, lol.

I just stepped oxycodone down to 2.5mg every 3 hours. I'm really looking forward to not taking it anymore, I also don't want to go down too fast.

@Layla @DesertDiva @VSlowLife So one of my big secrets is that after our kids were out of diapers we kept buying wipers. I can't believe there was a time before them, lol.

Thanks for the good thoughts and advice to those I didn't tag. It's all appreciated.
 
Sleep is very healing. You're lucky, many find it elusive early on.
Speaking of wet wipes, my husband bought so many when I had my surgery two and a half years ago that I only recently finished using them up.
Not sure what he was thinking. :shrug:
Have a great week!
@BruceH
 
Thinking of music today and you. I think you had brought up the idea of a playlist some time ago. Now that you are on the other side of recovery...

Mason Williams instrumental, “Classical Gas” came to mind as a joyous recovery composition. It starts out slow, then gets going.
 
Thinking of music today and you. I think you had brought up the idea of a playlist some time ago. Now that you are on the other side of recovery...

Mason Williams instrumental, “Classical Gas” came to mind as a joyous recovery composition. It starts out slow, then gets going.

@VSlowLife I had to look it up. Great song.

I ditched the walker for good today. Trying my best to not lean into the cane and instead walk fully upright with my shoulders straight, one foot after the other. My right hip and shoulder are higher than they were pre surgery. This is good because I had lost a little length on my leg. Hips and shoulders are level when I stand tall.

This must be the point where people over do it. I feel good. Every day I'm taking fewer meds, just about ready to be done with them. It only hurts when I walk and I have a great desire to work it all out.

I must remember moderation, keep it slow and steady.
 

BoneSmart #1 Best Blog

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
65,180
Messages
1,597,058
BoneSmarties
39,364
Latest member
All2Gd88
Recent bookmarks
0
Back
Top Bottom