@Lee0521 - I am sorry to hear of the loss of your loved one. I had a cat pass away last year. She was 15 and much loved. There is never a "good" time for it to happen, I suppose, but I know the loss during your recovery has to be particularly difficult. My condolences to you.
I did not mean that you will be using the cane for another year. In fact, my intention was the opposite. Not to discourage, but encourage. I am sorry to hear you are in such physical discomfort.
Feeling frustrated is perfectly normal. But feeling "bad" for not being "normal" is counter productive, as "normal" is anything but clear cut.
No one can tell you with precision when things will improve. For me it has been very gradual and subtle. Even the general guidelines about improvement from source to source aren't consistent.
My surgeon said full healing of the tissues takes a year. But obviously, we have functioning restored before that.
When is your next follow up appointment with your surgeon? Is this person easy to talk to?
I remember one appointment where my surgeon asked how things were going. I was in pain and frustrated, so I replied, "I know this healing pain and the trials of recovery are only temporary. But I am having episodes of 'buyer's remorse.'" (As in why did I do this?)
My surgeon put my pre-surgery x-ray up and said, "Look at THAT. Buyer's remorse? I don't understand that at all."
Obviously I don't know the fine details of your particular orthopedic needs, Lee0521, but you had the surgery because you needed the surgery. And yes, it stinks that recovery has not been smooth, and I wish there was an Express Lane for you. But you could not have continued the way you were and achieved well being and pain free living.
Here's how our BoneSmart site has addressed the topic of hip replacement recovery time in excerpts below:
There is no definite answer, as each individual’s situation differs significantly from anyone else’s ...
To be more specific, health care providers refer to a patient’s
hip replacement surgery recovery time and rehab into two segments – short-term and long-term ... Long-term recovery involves the complete healing of surgical wounds and internal soft tissues and a return to normal life activities. There are many factors that can contribute to recovery time, but typically patients can return to normal life activities within 3 to 6 months.
Short-term Recovery
Short-term hip replacement recovery involves the early stages of recovery, such as the ability to get out of the hospital bed and be discharged from the hospital. On days 1 or 2, most total hip replacement patients are given a walker to stabilize them. By the third day after the surgery, most patients can go home. Short-term recovery also involves getting off major pain killers and having a full night’s sleep without pills. Once a patient no longer needs walking aids and can walk around the house without pain–in addition to being able to walk two blocks around the house without pain or resting–all of these are considered signs of short-term recovery. The average short-term recovery time for a total hip replacement is 10 to 12 weeks.
Long-term Recovery
Long-term hip replacement recovery involves the complete healing of surgical wounds and internal soft tissues.
When a patient can return to work and the activities of daily living, they are on the way to achieving the full term of recovery. Another indicator is when the patient finally feels normal again. The average long-term recovery for total hip replacement patients is approximately 6 months. According to Dr. Ian C. Clarke, medical researcher and founder of Peterson Tribology Laboratory for joint replacement at Loma Linda University, “Our surgeons consider that patients have ‘recovered’ when their current status has improved much beyond their arthritic pre-op pain level and dysfunction.”
There are a number of contributing factors that influence recovery time. Jo Fox, orthopedic nurse of over fifty years and Lead Administrator of the
BoneSmart.org hip replacement forum, says that a positive attitude is everything. Patients should be prepared for diligent work,
some pain and an expectation that the future is going to be bright. Having access to information about hip replacement surgery and a
strong support network is also important to recovery.
Generally speaking, hip replacement patients do recover sooner than
knee replacement patients, for example. It should be noted however, that recovery time for a total hip replacement can differ vastly from patient to patient. Some patients may recover in 6 to 8 months; while others may require a longer recovery time.
United States
