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THR Depression...Surgery 7/2/18

@Jan1956 I concur with what everyone has said above. Know that THIS WILL PASS. But, if you are not eating, yes, you are going to be really REALLY exhausted! Again, your body is taking a lot of energy to heal and you have to replenish that. I agree with Layla, try making yummy delicious smoothies with your favorite ingredients. Make ice cream shakes and throw in some protein powder.

I do hope at this point you are feeling better and are seeing that light at the end of the tunnel. You will get there and you will be able to do everything you could NOT before and even some new things!

I am recovering from my 2nd THR and had both knees replaced relatively recently before. For the past couple years, I have been walking in the pool. Very boring but at least I was doing something and that activity really did help both physically and mentally. I loved doing my PT exercises in the pool -- it hurt less doing them and afterwards. I am now walking 1-2 miles in the pool and I actually get in a meditative state which does wonders for my mental health. My goal now is to start swimming more than walking and my goals for NEXT year are a century (100 mile) bike ride and the swimming and cycling part of a half tri. And of course back to white water kayaking!

Get on this forum when you are feeling blue and especially read up on how those people are doing a year or more after their surgeries. I rarely think about even my right hip anymore! So many times over the past years I have wondered if I will EVER be able to stop thinking about my legs when I want to do something. Even at this point, only 4 months out from my right THR, I now believe I will. Sure, not up to that 10 mile hike yet but once this heat breaks, I'm eyeing a three mile walk around a local lake and of course, back on my bike!

Best wishes in your continuing recovery!
 
One of the biggest clues to how major this surgery had effected me was how pale and colorless I was post surgery. It took a solid 2 weeks and suddenly my color came back to my body. I was eating right and felt great but was very tired and pale. The fact you're seeing progress shows your body is healing, but it's going to do it slowly and it needs good fuel.
 
Jan1956 said:
Hubby John made a small portion of Mac and cheese w/broccoli which I didn’t have a whole lot of trouble getting down!
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Can Hubby John come over to my house and cook? That sounds delicious! (My specialty is hot water. I can make it boil and everything! Then I turn it over to my lovely and talented wife to make actual food.)

Jan1956 said:
You can’t imagine how comforting it is to know that what I’m experiencing isn’t necessarily strange. Why don’t we get this information from our physicians?
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I've thought a lot about this - while there are individual differences in recovery, there seem to be common patterns that just aren't mentioned, or even seemingly acknowledged. Maybe it's our system's focus on the disease and not the recovery - the surgeon does some cutting, PT gives you some exercises, and off you go, good luck with that, thanks for all the fish. There's nobody left to help us with ... us. The residual aches and pains, what's normal and what's a warning sign, the depression, the energy drain, all of that we're left to deal with on our own by design or omission.

Layla said:
Read NanaMama or Bone-obo's threads. Both are very funny. You'll have a few laughs.
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Yipes! Pressure!

kayak59 said:
Get on this forum when you are feeling blue and especially read up on how those people are doing a year or more after their surgeries.
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Word. And post whenever you feel like it!
 
So —taking the suggestions that many have given me (paraphrased: your engine is going to continue sputtering until you give it premium fuel) — tried a homemade “banana—protein powder—Ensure” protein shake ( no, we don’t do anything halfway). While it kind of smells like PlayDough, it’s drinkable. We’ll see if there’s any difference after a few days of this, re: lack of energy and fatigue.
 
What are some of your favorite foods? Stay away from the feel good stuff and go with the it really is good stuff. A good steak or burger with veggies, drink fruit juice, eat mixed nuts, yogurt, anf fruits of all sorts.
I don't mean to come off as a wise guy but it ain't going to be instant results. I think some of these OS's could use someone like me as a pre-op consultant, the voice of reality. I've been lucky as my OS from 30 some years ago was straight up, which is why I waited, and my OS that just did my THR was much the same. He didn't hold back on telling me the truth about expectations and my recovery.
 
Problem is I have no appetite. I don’t eat meat (do eat fish), and the only thing I’ve been craving is sherbet, and juices. Lot of sugar, and not much else.
 
@Jan1959 Do you have a Costco membership? My Mum was drinking Ensure and I got her the Kirkland equivalent -- vanilla. She said it was better than Ensure. I drink the Chocolate. You can also try those Breakfast shakes -- the powders that you mix into your favorite drink. Nothing wrong with ice cream shakes for breakfast! It is definitely hard to eat when you are not hungry but something liquid is easier -- and not being hungry never stopped me from eating ice cream!
 
I had surgery the same day. I had a good first week, I was off my cane, swear I didn't over do it. I had to take zonfran a lot, I guess to counter the oxy.

But Saturday I injured my adductor, it finally settled yeterday, but I've slept 2 days in row all. day. long... I'm weepy.

My therapist didn't tell me really she was out for these 2 weeks.

And it's a mess now I have another set of muscles gripping... And I still can't walk without a cane.

Anyway, this is harder then I expected. I wish I had found this board sooner, just to realize we are all so different.

I don't want to eat yet either... But I think it's all the meds and the doctors confuse how successful and routine their surgeries are to how much our bodies are impacted.

I hope this gets better soon.
 
“this is harder than I expected “

No truer words were ever said. I had a bad night and feel like ****, but it’s another day. I’m back to a cane. My physical therapist had indicated to me that the months of presurgery pain most likely changed the way I walked, and it’s important that whatever I do, I do correctly. Therefore, in a fit of enthusiasm, I probably overdid walking. Again. And ended up with cramping/swelling that made sleeping almost impossible. I maintain that the physicians, after performing surgery, pretty much leave us on our own. I need a guide that tells me just how much to do, how far to walk, on day 10, on day 15, etc. (On the bright side, my post-surgery depression may be letting up a bit — I’m sounding a bit more angry, and a little less pathetic!)
 
Aww, Jan :console2:
You're going to be okay. I can just tell. We're seeing little glimpses of your humor poke through
and that's a great sign! It can be more difficult for some than others. Just like your PT shared, we all come to this party in different shape. Some suffering for years resulting in a horrible gait.

You may not have read the Recovery Guidelines yet but I'd suggest you try. I found it difficult to absorb anything and it took me many starts to get through the info. Then....I don't think a lot of it registered. You may, or may not, be feeling the same.

Two things - Read the article below as a rough guideline of how you should be progressing.
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/activity-progression-for-thrs.13187/

And also, please go back and read the BIG TIP toward the bottom of the Recovery Guidelines to give you an idea of the BoneSmart philosophy on PT. It's a personal choice but continually overdoing it will only stall your recovery and could possibly set you up for chronic problems.

You've landed yourself in the ODIC (Over Did It Club) as we refer to it around here. With a lot of rest, icing and elevating, you may make a hasty exit. Wishing that for you!

Hope your day is peaceful and your appetite improving!
 
I’ve been reading other posts, and I keep seeing things like “elevating your leg, and icing.” Again, I’m a total beginner at this, but, can someone explain what—how to elevate? (I do not recall anyone at the hospital or physician’s office telling me this).
 
Hi again Jan,
I accidentally posted the wrong article above, but just changed it to the one I intended so please go back above and read it. I truly believe you'll find it helpful.

Please forgive....not trying to sound like a broken record here but the Recovery Guidelines on the first page of your thread have an article on "Elevating" which should help. Go take a peek.

Let us know if you have questions....
@Jan1956
 
To all—

The fog is lifting; I am cautiously optimistic that the depression/anxiety/assorted crazies are lifting (I know —“told you so” —but when it’s happening to you, there is only now, and now sucks). I can now start paying attention to things like: (1) Don’t overdo it (already been there, done that, and will try to avoid doing it in the future— we “type A personality” people have to be reminded “it’s not a race, it’s not a competition” — kind of like a mantra. (2) Elevate/ice. While my physical therapist mentioned icing, I don’t recall anyone telling me anything about elevating. Started that today — we’ll see if it makes a difference. Can’t hurt to try. (3) This is merely a bump in the road. With all my whining, you’d be surprised to know that I have a very supportive husband (and two — adequate— children. 25 year old married daughter was disappointed that we weren’t planning on going out tonight for dinner, like we do most Fridays. Hasn’t occurred to her that this is major surgery. Ah, to be 25 again. She better hope this isn’t hereditary). Spending more quality time with hubby is a good thing (since before this, I was seldom home). I have amazing friends. I have new respect—and empathy— for a friend who, out of the blue, was stricken with major heart issues. She’s been so supportive— and until now, I kind of put her on the back burner. AND, I’m getting my appetite back!
 
Knitquilt said:
The good news - right now you are almost certainly experiencing the energy drain and exhaustion from the surgery. Your whole body is putting ALL its energy into healing that hip after major surgery.
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@Knitquilt is spot on.
My appetite was the pits for a few weeks.
I liked grapes. Red ones, green ones, sweet ones, tart ones...ice cold in a handy cup to nibble.
People can't understand that haven't done it.
Good thing is, we do.
Healing hugs @Jan1956 :loveshwr:
 
What great news, Jan! It is hard to believe it's temporary when you're in the throes of it.
Spending more time with hubby, having a grateful heart and new respect, empathy and appreciation for friends is refreshing. Look at the good qualities adversity can bring out in us. And last but not least....Hooray for the return of your appetite. Hope your days continue to brighten. Wishing you a nice weekend!
@Jan1956
 
Good news @Jan1956! I do think the hardest thing for me was doing “nothing”. Before surgery I thought I would use the down time to read, sew, knit - boy was I going to productively use the time while on the sofa. The only problem was I didn’t feel like doing anything for weeks, the tv remote got quite a workout! Two things were enjoyable - visits with friends and browsing BoneSmart.

Hang in there - if you let your body heal and don’t rush it, recovery time will be shorter
 
No appetite and don't eat meat, I can't relate. That part worked great for me including the bathroom part.
What about grilled shrimp or fish for protein? Dairy products milk,cheese or yogurt? You've got th idea that your engine won't run without fuel.
How far to walk? I had one friend that had a THR tell me don't walk any farther from home than you can walk back. I went too far down the road one day and had to just stand there leaning on a fence post for some time until my leg stopped screaming at me. You don't know how far it is to overdo until you've overdone. Then you find out how long it takes to undo the overdone so you can go a little further and overdo once more. It's the only way you know.
 
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