THR Clairebella’s recovery journey

[Clairebella]

@myglasshalffull oh no, sorry to hear you ended up here after an accident on ice.
Hope you are now all fixed and enjoy the retirement! I have another 15 years of working ahead of me at least

 

[Clairebella]

Can anyone relate?

I wake in the morning and log leg feels much less tight and the (hopefully perceived only) leg length discrepancy doesn’t appear as evident. Weight bearing equally when first up feels ok on op leg. Within an hour of being up and moving about a small amount and lying on the couch it’s back to pain of weight bearing, tight pressure and the leg appears longer again. It’s really freaking me out.

 

[myglasshalffull]

Part of your recovery. I had similar days. Get up and feel good, sit and have a cup of coffee and then sore again, all part of this process.
Your what, 10 days post op??? It's normal to try and dissect every little twinge or ache, let your body heal, it is doing its job.
Have a good day

 

[Eman85]

Remember that part about them removing your leg? After rest, like sleeping, Your muscles are happy, but it doesn't take much activity to make them sad. Every day the happy time will last a little longer. What usually happens though is when they feel happy we do too much and then they get angry which is when you join the ODIC. This will go on for months and in some cases years. Listen to your body and understand what it's telling you.

 

[Esmeralda]

Can anyone relate?

I wake in the morning and log leg feels much less tight and the (hopefully perceived only) leg length discrepancy doesn’t appear as evident. Weight bearing equally when first up feels ok on op leg. Within an hour of being up and moving about a small amount and lying on the couch it’s back to pain of weight bearing, tight pressure and the leg appears longer again. It’s really freaking me out.

I agree that everything just seems to hurt less when first getting up in the morning, unfortunately it doesn't last that long at the moment. The tight presure you feel, is it around the scar area ? The area around my scar just feels really solid and super tight, it's as if everything is pulling against each other and it doesn't like me moving or sitting down, in fact laying down is the most comfortable position at the moment. How is your swelling as that might be adding to the tight feeling, has it started to settle down ?

Also my husband told me this morning that I too have a bruise at the back of the knee on my operated side, the same as you.

Hopefully the sensation of one leg being longer than the other is just that, only a sensation and as everything settles down it will go away. On my day of discharge when I was finally allowed up and able to walk with crutches I saw that I was dragging my left foot and worried that this was due to the leg on my operated side being shorter but I'm pleased to say it didn't last for very long and is no longer a problem.

 

[Clairebella]

How weird, the bruise at the back of my knee is large and seems to appear a few days after the op.

The area around the scar doesn’t feel tight as such, the right pressure feels internally around my entire joint and top of thigh. I still have sweeping buttock/around scar and swelling around my knee.
When I walk I notice that I’m still limping essentially.

 

[Jaycey]

the bruise at the back of my knee is large and seems to appear a few days after the op.

All normal. It can take a few days for bruising to appear and it is often quite dramatic - but harmless. Ice any very sore areas.

I still have sweeping buttock/around scar and swelling around my knee.

Ice, ice and more ice. All post op trauma.

When I walk I notice that I’m still limping essentially.

Use a walking aid until you are no longer limping. You don't want to get into the habit of limping.

Still very early days for you!

 

[Clairebella]

@Eman85
I’m starting to understand the happy/sad muscle situation and need to learn to strike a better balance! I think I’m generally at times doing to much even with pottering around the house.

Question re meds folks If that’s ok. I’m on day 11 and still taking codeine 4x daily. I’d hope that I could reduced that soon but my leg is still bruised and swelling up and my entire thigh when I wake up and the meds have worn off feels so sore and touching the skin feels like their should be a massive bruise there type sensation.

 

[Layla]

Hello and Happy Sunday, Clairebella
Your leg endured major trauma, in a small area, albeit it controlled. Your muscles, tendons, ligaments and other soft tissue is going to cause you discomfort and pain for a while yet. Take the meds for as long as you need to in an effort to be comfortably mobile and able to rest easy.
Wishing you a good week as you continue your healing journey!
@Clairebella

 

[Eman85]

Can't say on meds, everyone is different.
Are you icing and doing it long enough? It will relieve pain and swelling. Some of us get visible bruises some don't but we still get the pain from the soft tissue.

 

[Clairebella]

@Eman85 yes I am icing and I keep the ice gel pack on until it’s melted. The swelling is a lot better now, I noticed my knee is still swelling up, well goths tissues around it and I have more bruising around my knee that’s come up so give that a good icing last night.

Thankyou @Layla

 

[Newhip_Pol]

Hi @Clairebella and welcome to BoneSmart - so glad you found it. Much like everyone has said, the first few weeks can be difficult but it does get better as healing proceeds and the swelling goes down. I didn't get much visible bruising but plenty of aches and pains in various places but all different from the joint pain and all temporary. Getting ahead of the pain and not over doing it will help those traumatised soft tissues to heal.

I'm in the UK too and if I understand you correctly you are just taking dihydrocodeine? I was on that plus regular paracetamol plus nefopam for the first few weeks. The GP renewed the prescription painkillers after week one. I soon reduced the nefopam to night time only and gradually did the same with the codeine. (I took Laxido daily for the first week then added flax seeds to breakfast to ease constipation).

As others have said, it's the patience muscle that needs the exercise during healing! Wishing you well during your continuing recovery.

 

[Hippie Chick]

Hang in there- this operation is the hardest thing I think I have ever been through. Being able to share that with people who have been where I am helps enormously. I decreased one med from 4 a day to 3 a day. When it wears off, the pain is worse. I am worried that I won’t be able to get another refill thus the tapering back.

My caregiver knows a gentleman who was in worse shape than I was, off meds in 7 days, driving a week after surgery, and repairing roofs at 7 weeks. This forum is keeping me grounded and sane.

The struggle is real but worth it.

 

[myglasshalffull]

I always love the stories of folks who had hips replaced and ran Boston Marathon 2 weeks later. I'm not saying these stories aren't true but I think most are fictional.
I was off pain meds soon, maybe after first week, they made me nauseous. Extra Strength Tylenol seemed to work well and the ice is a lifesaver.
Everyone just beginning this journey...it is a journey. And some days are better than others. But it all works out after awhile.
Hang in there and just keep posting and reading, it's a wealth of information.

 

[Eman85]

I saw some bruises with my 2nd and you could basically see where they grabbed my leg with their hands to pull my leg, that's was what caused my visible bruises.

 

[Clairebella]

Thanks everyone!
@Newhip_Pol yes I am taking paracetamol and dihydeocodine 30 mg 4x daily. I feel like I maybe could start to reduce now actually. I am on celecoxib twice daily so I can’t take any other anti inflammatorys.

@Hippie Chick yup everyone I know knows someone who had a hip replacement who was at their allotment the week after or starting training for a marathon!

@myglasshalffull does extra tylenol contain paracetamol and dihydeocodine? How long did you need that? I’m still worried I’m at close to 2 weeks post op and still sore and needing pain relief. I’d like to get soon to only needing paracetamol regularly with dihydeocodine only as required if I over do it.

@Eman85 yes they clearly grabbed my knee to yank my leg around, it’s bruised and swollen still now!

 

[myglasshalffull]

Clairebella,
Extra strength Tylenol is acetaminophen. It's not considered an opiod. You can buy OTC. Extra strength is 500 mg. per tablet, you take 2 which is 1,000 mg.

 

[Jaycey]

I’m still worried I’m at close to 2 weeks post op and still sore and needing pain relief.

You may need pain relieve for months. Please take the medication. It will allow you to get mobile again.

And please reset your expectations. This recovery can take 12 months or longer depending on the condition of your hip pre-op. Very early days for you!

 

[Clairebella]

Ah, yes, so that is the strength of paracetamol that we take here as a norm, 1gram.

@Jaycey yes, I had a terrible night and was up 3 times and needed to take pain relief. I definitely over did it yesterday so today is a rest day. I need to reset my expectations. I have a slight stress about others though to me. When I left work I had everyone and their dog telling me
“My auntie Sheila is 80 and after 2 weeks was back up at her allotment” or “ my friend was driving at 4 weeks and back to yoga at 6” you are young ( best compliment for a women in her late 40’s mind) you will be back up the hills walking the dog in no time.

I am a nurse and the surgeon signed me off work for 12 weeks initially but I need to be strong and able to cope with long shifts so if I need longer I will take it. The great thing with having the NHS as my employer is I will get 6 months full pay which is a relief to have that buffer in back of mind. I can’t be off any longer as have to fund my eldest teen who is now at University. No college funds here!

 

[Clairebella]

Can I ask everyone - with the “perceived” leg length difference, what does the perceived part of it actually mean??
Does it mean it’s just in my head?
Does it mean there is actually currently a slight physical lengthening due to swelling which resolves?

My leg almost certainly seems to get longer as the day goes on. If I stand in the morning I can have both feet flat on ground and it feels fine. Later on, if I put op leg straight out then no op, my heel is slightly off the floor.