THR Cpollock Surgery June 19, 2017<

[Horseshoe]

Thanks for the explanation Josephine!

@cpollock first noticed the knees changing almost two years before hip OA was diagnosed in 2014. I had been trying on sundresses at Macys (three-way mirrors) and noticed knees looked deformed, were caving in. I was quite thin at the time and thought I just needed to gain some weight. I did have unexplained femur pain which of course, we bonesmarties know is usually hip OA. No knee pain, then or now.

When did you first notice any changes? Did you experience any knee pain?

 

[cpollock]

@Horseshoe I'm overweight too unlike you being thin. I never noticed my crooked leg till a year ago.

I had been doing exercises at the osteostrength clinic a year prior to surgery to build muscle strength etc. It's called osteogenic loading therapy and there are 4 each of 5 second exercises. If you Google this therapy you may find it of interest. I'm going back in 9 months again after some acute healing. There is 1 exercise where you put your legs out on a platform and my legs were not even so that's when I noticed. I thought for sure it was from my hip and it would resolve after surgery.

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[Horseshoe]

Thanks @cpollock , I'll look into that therapy, it sounds good. I have an OS appt next month and will press him for more info on the knees. I also thought it would resolve after surgery, perhaps it's just a matter of time

Happy Canada Day to you and our BS friends up above

 

[cpollock]

@Horseshoe how long have you been post op now For? I am interested to investigate what's going on with my leg. I strongly believe I wasn't born like this with a crooked leg. I thought for sure it was the OA

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[Horseshoe]

@cpollock most recent -second- thr was six mos ago, other hip was a year ago.

I was startled when I first noticed my legs were caving inwards prior to surgery. I read on here that some people's legs bow outwards from bad hips and thought it would resolve in time, perhaps it will.

I took a look at some old photos when I was wearing shorts and standing with legs together. Legs look fairly straight though I can see a slight inclination of knees moving inwards as opposed to outwards. Nevertheless, there's a marked difference between 10 years ago and today

I dearly want to avoid knee OA and surgery so will def ask OS for an xray and assessment on my next appt

 

[cpollock]

@Horseshoe I'm in the same thought frame as you. I'm thankful for @Josephine offering her opinion on this. I have no knee issues so hopefully my issue is the muscles and ligaments. A Gait issue is what I thought it may be but seems that's only one cause it may be. Has your improved at all over the last hip replacement?

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[Horseshoe]

My gait is back to normal though it took awhile, very happy about this

Bought new shoes, tossed shoes with old wear patterns from bad hips.

 

[cpollock]

Day 13 post op...... what a difference this last week has made. I'm doing a few 10 minute walks around the house. I think I will be ready to increase that tomorrow to 15 at least one of the times and see how I do. Sleep is still an issue but I'm not on a schedule and know it will resolve in time. I still have to get up to the washroom 2 or 3 times a night too. I slept an hour on my non operated side last night and it helped my low back then onto my back then onto my side again. I kept a big firm pillow between my legs and a body pillow in front and behind me. Baby steps forward. I hope you are all doing well. Cheryl

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[cpollock]

Hi all. The last few hours I have been getting a stabbing twinge in the area of my incision. Not sure if it's internal or staples pulling or what. I'm elevated in bed now and took tramadol for pain. I've been just on extra strength Tylenol since last Saturday and that's been fine but now this. I'm going to move the ice soon to the side where the incision is as soon as I roll onto my side. I'm hoping that by not laying on the incision and icing it will relieve the twinges. Anyone else get this?

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[MyAussieGirl]

Sweetie I don't think you're supposed to lay on the incision I'd call the doctor tomorrow or his cell!!! I only laid on my NOT operated side per my surgeon. I am concerned for you...ice it....The nurses always told us ice on the operated side....cover it with cloth don't put ice packs right on it.... I am yelling for @Josephine for you @cpollock

 

[cpollock]

@MyAussieGirl thank you for your concern. I never laid on the operated side. I laid on my good side and put a gel ice pack inside a pillow case on my incision area. I laid like that for half an hour. I took tramadol 50 mg along with 1000 mg Tylenol. I am back on my back. I got pain after half hour on my side down to my ankle so back to my back. I also took 3.75 mg zoplicone for sleep. I did a couple extra walks today too at 15 minutes each along with my 5 minutes an hour. I'm hoping for some sleep now.

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[MyAussieGirl]

Sweetie above you said...well read the post I replied to. I am wondering too much walking too soon ?? I love ya girl I worry....get some sleep I won't tag you so I don't wake you.

 

[MyAussieGirl]

I'm hoping that by not laying on the incision and icing it will relieve the twinges. Anyone else get this?

Note the last 2 sentences thus what worried me.

 

[cpollock]

@MyAussieGirl thank you for your concern. You are a caring person. I had an OK sleep. I took more medication at 3 this morning again any went right back to sleep. I got up at 830. I had a nauseous spell but it's passed. Just had a hard boiled egg and some yogurt and 2 Tylenol. The stabbing twinges have gone away for now.

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[Josephine]

I'm elevated in bed now and took tramadol for pain. I've been just on extra strength Tylenol since last Saturday

as soon as I roll onto my side

I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?

 

[cpollock]

I sure am @Josephine I value your opinions

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[PS46]

Sounds like a real gourmet meal, @cpollock - almost as good as my microwaved scrambled eggs! I did have an excuse though, as I needed to rush back to watch the tennis from Wimbledon on TV. We are going a week tomorrow, so I need to get into tennis mode ...

You seem to be doing very well, so best wishes for a continued, positive recovery

Peter

 

[Josephine]

Here y'go then!

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are

1. what approach did you have for your surgery? Anterior, posterior, lateral? You can look here to see the various types THR approaches or incisions

2. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine)

3. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

4. are you icing your painful area at all? If so, how often and for how long?

5. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

6. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

7. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

 

[cpollock]

1. Lateral. I never asked and thought it was posterior. I can send a picture of my incision but it looks shaped like Lateral.
2. Most of the time it's around a 1 but I get zingers by the incision area that can spike to around 5. This is new the last couple days.
3. I was given tramacet on discharge, 325 mg tylenol/37.5 mg tramadol. To take 2 every 6 hours. I took these for a week as prescribed then constipation hit bad. So since day 7 I have been taking 1000 mg Tylenol every 6 hours which seemed to work great the last week.. I missed by a few hours a couple times the last couple days. I also have straight 50 mg tramadol that I took last night at 9 and again at 3 am. I have lots of tramadol tablets in the 50 mg. I also take zoplicone 7.5 mg for sleep if needed and start with a half.
4. Yes I have gel packs i put on and change out a lot. An hour in a spot at a time.
5. Yes I elevate in bed a couple times a day and at night. At first for over a week I elevated even when I slept. Now I lay flat on my back with pillows to keep my leg in align because it seems crooked. The last couple nights I have been laying on my good side for a half hour or so with a pillow between my legs and a body pillow on either side. When I'm up I'm in my recliner so legs are up.
6. I don't do any housework etc... just walking. Use a wheeled walker.
7. Ankle pumps, 60 every hour when awake. Butt clenches, 10 reps 3 times a day. I did assisted heel slides for 2 days on day 10 but stopped. I walk 5 minutes an hour plus a couple extended walks around the house for 10 minutes. I did a couple 15 minute walks yesterday but back to just 5 minutes an hour today.
I go to my first PT session tomorrow and also staple removal.

Thank you @Josephine.


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[GrannyC]

@cpollock. I have to say that you are doing a lot more PT and walking than I ever did. The first week or two I did trips to kitchen for drinks and snacks and to make my breakfast and lunch and then trips to the bathroom. I did a few foot pumps to prevent clots and I don't recall any other PT. In fact I've don't little PT. Josephine said we don't need exercise for hips and my OS said the same thing. I did go for several PT sessions but when I went for my 6 week check, my OS said I'd didn't need any more PT. Apparently all we need to do is a little walking and even then not too much.

But it sounds like you are progressing well and making good progress. I wish you well...