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Bilateral THR DashingHippie Diary

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That's interesting about the drugs. I thought I was ready to go off them after two weeks, but woke up in pain last night. So, I've added a diluted dosage back in at night. I'm taking Motrin during the day. Still trying to find the balance. My hips feel stiff, too. It seems like part of the healing process for many of us.
 
Hi .@Dashinghippie ...well, I used to have a bit of a butt but now it has disapeared!! That also does not help matters.

So the rather bad pain in the right thigh that started as soon as the spinal wore off, caused me to find it difficult to walk with it properly, that has caused my muscles to atrophy.

Although the new hip is great, what ever they did with my right leg really damaged the soft tissues. Whereas left leg, which was the original really painful leg, so was already withering away pre op, is now my good leg and has had very little pain right from the start. If only the right leg had the same pain free start.....
So...
It's the piriformis muscle. No problem before op. It's a smallish muscle but the sciatic nerve runs near or through it, so some of the pain in leg is probably from the butt. So the idea is to massage to loosen and relax it , then I stretch it. Then it is REALLY painful and it's tricky to sit on it too. The elbow in it didn't help, it's a lot better today though.

So if I didn't have the bum ache and the right thigh wither, all would be super duper. Since starting the medical acupuncture and deep tissue massage to break up all the knobbly bits in my muscles, the pain in my outer thigh has gone completely, unless I lie on my side or sit for too long.

Am beginning to realise that having a good muscle structure pre op would have helped a lot. Even though my legs are naturally muscular. ....I have my dad's man's legs !! But too late now for that bit of knowledge of building them up more..

@Hip Hip Hooray! hope you get your meds back on track again. It is so easy to trigger that over do it pain , it will go again. Trouble is, it always seems worse at night....
 
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@Suzette, Yes, I'm learning that what I'm going to feel at night is unpredictable. I have to be cautious during the day, or the pain will come back with a vengeance at 2:00 a.m. It's making me more conservative with chores and household duties.
 
@Suzette @Hip Hip Hooray! @Joey D @agileHippie
hope you're all well and working at it!

Week 12 this Wednesday.

Still working out 2x/week (whole body, but emphasizing movements to work the small muscles and flexibility of both hips and my recovering right shoulder).

Walking 5k 3x/week.
Riding bike and shooting hoops, on way to pool 2x/week - and swimming/running 20 laps at the pool, then bike home (~6k bike).
Doing 2-4 hrs/day of yardwork ~2 days/week - cutting/trimming, bending, stooping, crawling to weed, climbing up/down 20' ladder a lot. All good calesthenics for whole body.

Still have front incisions numbness - in skin, not in underlying thigh muscle.

Still have some small pain in front hip 'lifter' muscles...they are stiff when I wake up and after sitting. They warm up and get smooth and strong when working out.

I sometimes walk with a little 'wobble? a bit limpy?' if stiff, but use the surrounding leg muscles to walk normally if I think about it, with free-swinging gait (force of will); until they loosen up and walking becomes normal. Left more than right. Immediately post-op for ~2 weeks, it was right more than left. Funny how it switched!

Still no running fast nor jumping. Only short slow jogs now and again.

Still no drugs.

Going to northern VT in 3 weeks for peak leaf season and lots of hiking...
goal is to be able to walk and hike at pace with stamina and flexibility, minus any pain (in other words...normal).
:)
I have 3 weeks to "work it baby, work it".
 
Hey Dash, forgot to mention Happy Birthday! To me age is just a number. When people ask me how old I am I reply "biological or chronological" ha-ha. I may have just hit 56 chronologically, but with my new hips, once fully healed, believe me, I'll be back in my 30's again!
 
Hi @Dashinghippie and @Joey D you are both doing great, I am at the 13 week mark, I just had to check as had lost track!! All ok with me too, besides the nerve tingles. I certainly do not manage to do what you guys do, but then I didn't do it before new hips either :):wink:

keep on doing what you are doing and keep on improving too. I am back at work full time and my word it majes me tired, but as soon as home I am wide awake again, very strange.

xx
 
Hi @Dashinghippie, Wow...you are a real go getter! I'm amazed at all you are doing. Congratulations. You're at week 12, so it's interesting for me to hear. I was at 4 week on Tuesday. It's pretty incredible how the body heals from this surgery. I've been adding more activity cautiously. It's really exciting to be able to swim again, and to be back at the gym.

Seems like the very athletic bilaterals on this forum. are having good strong recoveries. I am so glad that I had both done at the same time. For me, it's easier to heal. I feel like I can work both sides evenly, and that I am strengthening the muscles at the same time.

Keep us posted on your healing. It's inspiring to read. Enjoy Vermont...I have friends there. It sounds lovely.
 
Hi all, @Suzette @Hip Hip Hooray! @Joey D

Week 15 right this moment.

Last checked in week 12...wow, time flies.
In prepping for my week of hiking in VT, I've been doing all stuff. Bike, walk, swim, run in water only, sit, eat, rest, and more of the above, several times per week.

Yesterday, for the first time, I decided to finish my warm-up and do the treadmill with a real purpose...walked a mile fast, but jogged (like one-third sprinting speed) for 0.3 of the 1.0 mile. Jogging is *VERY* difficult still, tho I'm strong pushing dead rack weight. I completed the mile in only 14 minutes, which is horrid for me, but it was really (no, *really*) tough.
I still have a tough time with the flexibility and elasticity of the upper thigh lifter muscles, above the 2 scars....landing and pushing off again while jogging or running is exponentially more difficult (and painful) than just pushing weight in a rack (I can do ~as many multiple lifts of 500 lbs as I want).

Question:
Is it possible that the scars "scar down" and/or "grab" the underlying muscle a bit, so reducing flexibility and causing a bit of pain when moving fluidly (like running requires)?

If so, are there things I can do myself to speed up the "un-scarring down" of those muscles. I need them, man!

and I'm obviously impatient. My PT guy (who I've been officially finished with at week 7 or so) looked over at me yesterday and said, "you were running (eyebrow up) pretty fast there, bucko - how'd that *feel*!?!" Not great, Mike, not great. I want them back...I want them back *NOW*.
;)
 
Yes, that Scar / adhesions, I want to know the same, as if my thigh is stretched, in exercise or fast walking, the pain radiates from that area down the front of my leg. I too am getting rather fed up not knowing what to do about it
 
I can't really imagine running. I'm at 7 weeks. Walking fast has gotten easy. I find it helps to go very gradually, and see how the body reacts. I've been itching to go hiking in the mountains again. I feel like the flexibility is going to take a long time. I do very light stretching now, but I have to be careful. The strength stuff is easier for me. The tissues still feel sensitive.
 
Hi all, @Suzette @Hip Hip Hooray! @Joey D @Bluebell53 @agileHippie
Hope you're all well and improving!

Week 18 Thursday
Last checked in 3 weeks ago!

Finished my week of hiking in VT;
1st day, hiked up Smuggler's Notch 'sterling pond', 1400 feet to the summit at 3400 feet and back down, took a leisurely 3.x hours. On the way up, all systems were a champ.
Only felt a few twinges in my left upper hip front tendon (the usual painful and inelastic 'lifter' spots on both legs that act up when trying to run or do too much with "knees up" and power) towards the bottom third of the way down. Resolved it by taking long steps with right leg and short with left.
Hiked like that, but without that elevation gain, all week.
The leaves and weather were gorgeous (50-75 degrees F)
No problems.
Hot tub every night. No drugs needed.

I still have a tough time with the flexibility and elasticity of the upper thigh lifter muscles, above the 2 scars....landing and pushing off again while jogging or running is exponentially more difficult (and painful) than just pushing weight in a rack.

At home this weekend...had a busy Saturday. Biked, walked 3 miles, ran in pool, shot hoops. finished the hoops with 2 full length 'suicides', but can only jog them (NO way can run or sprint yet)..quite tiring!

Need to be able to run (maybe not sprint) by xmas...will be with 4 nephews & 2 nieces, all play school basketball, and *must* *beat* *them*. Beat them last Nov on hips that could no longer walk...so we'll see how much better these new ones are, but they're all a yr older and mostly bigger than me!
:)
 
Glad the hiking went well. Nice weather makes such a difference. I don't lift my knees up very high. I can see why that would give you trouble. You are definitely dashing around! Good luck with the basketball.
 
Hi sounds lovely, we now have autumn and rain and it's cold and I don't like it. Your hips will be great, mine feel great, it's all the soft tissue stuff goung on around the thigh . So I bet you may get those twinges, the ones that drive you mad with frustration, so fingers crossed that your twinges are gone by the time Christmas is here.

X
 
@Dashinghippie Since it looks like we live in the same area, would you be willing to share the name of your surgeon? I'm trying to find one who does bilateral hips, as that is what I really need and want. Your progress has been amazing - I'd be thrilled with less, but first need to find a surgeon with whom I feel comfortable - so far I've only found a couple I like for one hip - neither of them do two at a time. Appreciate any help! Thanks.
 
Hi all, @Suzette @Hip Hip Hooray! @Joey D @Bluebell53 @agileHippie @larks hips
Hope you're all well!
I never get emails from the site anymore, so don't get remeinded to come look.

Week 32 this week (>7 months already!)
Last checked in 4 MONTHS ago!

I *still* have a tough time with the flexibility and elasticity of the upper thigh lifter muscles, above the 2 scars....landing and pushing off again while jogging or running is exponentially more difficult (and painful) than just pushing weight in a rack.

*Still* can only jog (NO way can run or sprint yet)...

Anyone else making better progress with the damned tendon soreness? If so, how so?

You may remember this paragraph:
"Need to be able to run (maybe not sprint) by xmas...will be with 4 nephews & 2 nieces, all play school basketball, and *must* *beat* *them*. Beat them last Nov on hips that could no longer walk...so we'll see how much better these new ones are, but they're all a yr older and mostly bigger than me!
:)"

Well, I played hoops in VA on xmas day, 3 on 3, in the rain, in a bathing suit and tank top (what bizarre weather!). It was a blast, but I had no quick first step (upper tendon pain, as usual). So, I cheated! lol
Nothing like pushing off of a nephew with one hand while grabbing the ball with the other!
pouring rain...the great speed equalizer...they couldn't move too much faster than I could, so it was ok for competition (I shoot better than all of them still).

Going to Jamaica for a week shortly. Suit on a beach, body surfing, hopefully a hobie cat.

just donated $100 to this site since they asked. Hope all do, it's a worthy site to keep running for new people.
 
@larks hips
I found and used Carl Freeman, who now works at Jax Ortho institute. He was very good, as he was receptive not only to my questions and ideas, but eventually agreed to do BTHR simultaneously when he really only wanted to do one and let me wait ~months for the other (because of tough thigh quads...tough for him to work through).
He did a great job....you maybe read about my fast recovery?

You're probably already scheduled...sorry, the site never sent me an email to alert me to your question.
Good luck the 17th! I'll check in to see how you're doing.
I hope you're working out your legs to reduce your weight, strengthen your muscles, and increase your flexibility pre-op! Ignore the current pain, work through it, it'll pay big dividends after... 2 weeks of working out can gain you a lot.
 
Hi @Dashinghippie, Which tendons are sore? The hip flexors? I get pain in mine if I do too much, or lift something too heavy. Otherwise, no pain. I'm not pushing it as hard as you are, though. I was afraid of getting bursitis or tendonitis. So, I'm just doing exercise that is low impact. If I use machines, I keep the weight low.

I'm not sure which upper thigh muscle you are referring to...so you ice? That really helps me if I'm sore. Have a great time in Jamaica. Thanks for checking in with your update.
 
@Hip Hip Hooray!
Howdy!
upper front hip flexor and the "slightly to the outside upper hip flexor" on both legs.
They are touchy. I have ALL kinds of power, but not if I run (at anything more than what I'd call a lumbering controlled jog...like maybe 3-5 mph jog)...they are very sore only when I run.
Before xmas, I ran, on the treadmill, a 10 minute mile, which would be slow for me, but *fast* for current condition. I haven't done it since, not even jogging, wanting instead to let them 'rest'.

Never need ice, there's no muscle issue at any time.
I can easily leg press, with each leg alone, 220 lbs, 12 reps, 3 sets. but if I open up my leg spread a bit more, like we do when we open up our running stride, the tendon pain hits, and hits harder as I try to go faster...so I don't.

Everything else is just dandy.

Still have the front skin 'numbness' under the thigh scars, both sides. That's pretty innocuous tho.

I just don't get why I can do all this stuff, but the upper tendons are still whacked, so to speak.

???
 
@Dashinghippie Thanks for the info, though you are right, I'm scheduled for the 17th. When I was doing research, none of the docs at JOI was willing to do both hips at once. The best I got was Dr. Picerno, who said he would do one, keep me in the hospital for a week and then do the other. Too much hospital time for me. I ended up with Brian Hatten, who is in Daytona Beach and has excellent reviews. He'll do my 2nd hip in 6-8 wks, depending on my recovery with the first. My biggest concern is how I'm going to do with no good leg! However, I'm open my operated leg will become the good leg soon. I have been doing strengthening exercises, suprisingly my flexiblity is still pretty good, but I'm working on that as well. Weight is not an issue as I'm already down about 5 pounds from my ideal weight. Hope all that will help. Yes, I did read about your incredible recovery. If I can do half as well as you, I'll be happy! Enjoy Jamaica
 
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