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Bilateral THR Doing the double!

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Good day one and all,

Not a lot of major change for me over the last few days, just small things, but they all add up.

- the little bit of work I did on the exercise bike proved a bit too much and the energy drain of that coupled with normal gentle recovery activities just took everything out of me and left me feeling rather unwell. So that's back on the shelf for a while.
- feedback on the other exercise stuff e.g. Press ups, planks etc is that they need to wait as well. Too much too soon.
- I've tried one day of shifting from 2 crutches to 2 sticks for indoors movement only and whilst the basic walking motion felt really good the other bits such as stairs didn't feel stable enough yet so I'm sticking to crutches for another week.
- my mental faculties are making small steps towards normality, I usually spend hours reading, on my computers and neck deep in my maths stuff; since the op I haven't had the slightest inclination to touch any of it, but today I've picked up a few little bits and feel better for it.

It's feeling a bit like the operation recovery is one of those optical illusions, everything on the outside has healed up so well and relatively quickly it's lulled me into that false sense of security and progress. Luckily the sense checks I somehow appear to have been able to apply coupled with the information from this forum has stopped me jumping over the edge to world of pain and set backs. Long may it stay this way.

Have a great recovery day


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AndyH99 said:
The little bit of work I did on the exercise bike proved a bit too much and the energy drain of that coupled with normal gentle recovery activities just took everything out of me and left me feeling rather unwell. So that's back on the shelf for a while.
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I did wonder when I saw your post. Take heart @AndyH99 recovery is all about finding your limits, scaling back and trying again another day. Yes, it is SO easy to say everything has healed when you are up and about and feeling relatively OK. But every added activity means more energy spent. The darn energy drain is sometimes the hardest part of this recovery!
 
Hi Andy
How are you doing? When you mentioned the stairs/crutches/sticks, I just want to say in a very paranoid way - don't take any risks on the stairs! I just looked back to see when your op was thinking it would be 2-3 months ago and saw it's one calendar month today. So congratulations BilateralAndy.
[Bonesmart.org] Doing the double!
 
hello Andy! You know what? You had two...2!! hip replacements at the same time and I think you are doing super duper great!
Your interest in the books and other intellectual things is a positive sign. Keep on plugging away.. soon you will be gliding along and will stop and realize that you forgot to pick up your sticks and are "flying solo".
 
Good day one and all,

It's been a few days since my last update and things are slowly moving forwards, albeit stymied by the seemingly never ending energy drain.

@copsham, @CricketHip & @Jaycey thank you for your thoughts and comments, they are appreciated and do help in keeping my head level on my shoulders whilst the seemingly slow plod of recovery wends its merry way onwards.

So, what has changed this week

- I've progressed to using one crutch indoors unless really tired. No planning behind this step at all, it just felt right one day so I went with it. The strange thing is the leg I tweaked in week 2 is the strongest and I have no clear idea why. I can't use one crutch on either side as yet as the right hip isn't stable enough but it will come.
- PT on Wednesday was significantly better, once he realised my background in sports and determination we got on a lot better. Hip stability is improving, I can balance on my left leg for 10 seconds now with no support so a massive improvement from last week. The right still isn't stable enough to balance on without support but it will get there. All the other exercises are progressing steadily, not that I'm pushing them, so all good news on that front.
- I took a slightly longer walk with my wife on Wednesday and felt really great during and after it (about 3/4 mile total with a break for brunch half way ). No impact at all on the afternoon or evening outside of my usual snooze. Next day though was payback, my left calf has a minor strain and my energy and nervous system felt shot to pieces. Luckily no major swelling or damage showing elsewhere but it was disappointing given how good it felt at the time. So it's back to the drawing board and build up slowly again.
- Overnight sleep patterns still elude me, though I can now manage 4 hours at a time so there is hope. The up side is there is no washing up left for the mornings and I've managed to start reading a bit as well.
- The really good news is my mental focus appears to be returning, I managed to complete part of one of my courses yesterday and my focus on reading is improving. I'm only hoping when I finally get to cut down the tramadol things will return to normal as that has been the main culprit with such things before.

Outside of that my major worry is around my progress towards returning to work. I'm currently only signed off for another two weeks and I can't see myself progressing enough to cope with my office environment in that time. Some work from home might be viable but I'm seriously concerned about being able to perform my full job. Given that in 2 weeks it will only be 7 weeks since the operation I think I'm going to have to talk to my GP or OS and get the time extended slightly otherwise it could cause a major setback in my progression and potentially a bit of a problem at work, even though they are extremely helpful and understanding. Fingers crossed that the steady progress continues.

Upwards and onwards & thank you once again for the ongoing support
-


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Almost forgot @pamac, I did check with the PT about press ups, planks, pull ups, dips and mountain climbers. Mountain climbers are a major no-no for many months yet. Press ups and planks should be ok in theory so long as you can fix your body position without pain or twinges, suggestion was that if I did want to try them start from on my knees first and build up slowly over the weeks. He was surprised at the question though and wouldn't recommend starting even on the knees until a month or so further on. Caution was also advised around pull ups and dips, even though in theory you have no weight on the hip during the exercise there is still the need to stabilise during the motion and the biggest challenge is getting up and down from the bars to perform the exercises. Once again not recommended for a number of months to come.

Therefore from my perspective I think I'm going to be walking lots and not touching the other bits for a few months yet.

Have fun


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Oh my goodness @AndyH99. You had the double dip done! They can't possibly expect you to return to full duty in 7 weeks. I would definitely talk to GP and/or OS and get it extended out to 10 weeks. With that said, though, you are doing remarkably well! The fact that you have already ventured out is a feat, in my opinion. I am chomping at the bit, to get out. My sweet husband won't let me though, which does have its benefits. He is just an extremely cautious person and doesn't want me to take any chances being out in public, yet. Keep up the good work and even though you may be suffering a bit today, tomorrow will be better!
 
@AndyH99 at only one month out from BTHR I am amazed at your progress. Just keep trying the things that seem impossible. Very quickly they become easy. Plan a day of activity and then allow a rest day. Those rest days will quickly become shorter as well.

And as for returning to work - well you know what I am going to say. Far too soon! Don't forget there is the whole getting up, dressing, out the door and commuting as well as the hours of work and getting home. Even patients who wait until the 10-12 week mark still experience energy drain. Wait until you feel fully ready and then plan a phased return. A short space of time for a lifetime of pain free living.
 
Hi @AndyH99, I had my bilateral on the 15th June so now nearly 11 weeks. I still can't sleep, without drugs, which make me weird, they are Zopiclone. Anyway, my first 6 weeks were very up and down , the first 2 weeks PAIN, the next 2 less hip throb, but it was still requiring regular pain releif and morphine at times..still tired and sleeping a lot, well more like nodding off a lot. Up to week 6 getting frustrated at no sleep and still that nagging throb that would not go away. I decided not to go back at 6 weeks as I really couldn't face it, pain from the throb in the outer thigh, no sleep, no stamina, depressed and then I had to accept I had 2 new hips and it was not a quick recovery...as I was expecting, silly really, thinking that.
Dr gave me a sick note for another 4.5 week. I asked for 2 weeks so I could go back at 8 weeks. They thought that was not on. What I did though was to go back at 9 weeks for just 1 day spread over 3 days!! I was shattered after an hour and it hurt to sit.
This week I have managed 3 days of 5 hours. Today, Friday, I am shattered, and my butt hurts. I am now in bed chilling. I am actually dreading next week as I am working a whole 22.5 hours spread over 4 days. My stamina at keeping focused is terrible. First 2 hours is ok then I can't concentrate on any thing. It is weird. ... and awkward too.
I have to say the pain is going, still take cocodamol. I am having the deep massage and honestly it seems to work.

If you can take more time away from the office, do. Try a few hours at home and build it up. I am definitely getting the drain. I don't know how to explain this to the boss who is not interested, as I look fine. A visit to the GP is required I think to sort out the fit for work.

I am going to have to consider keeping my hours down a bit longer , I don't think I can do a full week mentally. May be that part of recovery will suddenly change as the pain levels did.

So after my waffle. I would suggest trying to take longer off to recover just that bit more....
 
@Suzette It is so sweet of you to come and share your experience when you are so shattered from returning to work. Can I suggest both you and @AndyH99 share this link with your employers Energy drain for THRs Energy drain following THR is a major issue and after bilateral it's like hitting a brick wall!
 
Hi @Jaycey Thanks, this recovery experience is very eye opening !! I will print that off and take it in. HR lady back from hols next week too, so I am going to ask for a meeting to discuss all this and her expectations and mine .

I am going to Rhodes in 3 weeks .... booked ages ago and luckily I am fit to fly. I am going to do nothing whilst I am there other than a bit of water exercise...and not a lot of that either, just in case !!
X
 
@Suzette Thank you for sharing all the information, it's greatly appreciated and emphasises all the more how careful I need to be & how I'm best off handling my next stages of recovery.

@Jaycey Thank you and I will pass that along with some other key reference articles along to my boss and his support team. It should all help make the transition back to health and productivity easier and less painful.


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Andy, I just finally caught up with your thread. It must be stressful to feel pressured to go back to work. I was thinking, maybe it's the caffeine from the tea and coke that was causing problems. I know I do better when I cut back to one cup of caffeine a day.

I also had the slamming thigh pain. Mine hit me in the recovery room. It was this intense, strong energy hitting the backs of my thighs. I didn't expect it to hurt so much, since I was just out of anasthesia. They gave me an anti inflammatory through the iv and that relieved it. From there the pain moved to the sides of the thighs. They were very tender. i felt like my femurs had been beaten for hours with a baseball bat. It's better now. I really got aggravated when the PT and orderly told me, "It doesn't hurt, that's just fear." I told them how it felt. If they had gone through the bilateral surgery, then they would understand.

Hope you are doing better and getting the rest you need.
 
@Hip Hip Hooray! "i felt like my femurs had been beaten for hours with a baseball bat." Well yeah they were sort of - not for hours and not with a baseball bat - but a surgical mallet is standard equipment for hip replacement to pound the implant firmly down into the bone. And YES no one who has not gone through a hip replacement can understand what it's like - and double that for BTHR!!! Even the "minimally invasive" and approaches said to be the easiest or least painful involve cutting through skin, moving muscles out of the way, sawing away deteriorated bone, hammering in the femur part of the implant and screwing the cup socket to the pelvis. I've heard (and read) that hip replacement surgery is just as much carpentry as it is surgery! So of course there is going to be tissue trauma, odd pains and sensations, bruising, etc. And also of course all the muscles around hips (and quite a few further away) have to get retrained back to the way they are supposed to function - particularly if one has been limping for quite a while. BTHR involves 2 MAJOR surgeries done at the same time.

So listen to your body, slow down, rest, don't worry about having to take a nap during the day, and relax! In a couple of months you will be back to doing what you enjoy.

@AndyH99 My experience of the Energy Drain situation was that it went on daily (for me any way) for about 2 months .... and then would crop up every couple of days for another month or two. Eventually it went away completely. I looked back at my thread here on BoneSmart today and yup at a month out I was about where you are now. It really does seem, at this point in the process, to be taking forever to get back to "normal" .... but remember what normal was just before surgery? Ugly pain! Now you are moving toward a new "normal" with pain free hips :) I sure hope you can work out a way to be off work a while longer!
 
@AndyH99 Thank you for the info from your PT person. Makes sense. I remember the modifications and issues I had pre-op so I'm sure they will be similar for a while. Like you I'm finding that the payback for overdoing it doesn't come for about 12 hours so the lessons are slow to learn!
 
Andy, I'm answering a couple of the things you asked earlier in the thread. As far as 2 crutches, and then 1 crutch, I've just gone from the walker to walking normally. I just haven't felt like messing with the crutches. I don't walk that far without the walker, but I will in time. I feel fine putting weight on both legs, and (like you,) I had the bilateral surgery. I only weigh 111 lbs. I think that might be why it doesn't bother me. I'm also solid muscle. My guess is that you have a similar body type.

I asked my surgeon's asst. if I could start going to the gym right away, and working around the hips. I wanted to do upper body, abs, and arms. He told me to wait for four weeks from the surgery. He said I would still be using my hips, and that people were coming back to the office in pain, because they were doing too much. He said the stationary bike with no resistance is okay. (I don't have one of those, and I don't feel comfortable taking Dial a Ride to the gym right now.) So, I just walk, do the PT exercises, and do housework. He calls that PT, too.

I also think my surgeon's asst. is being more conservative, since Dr. Matta is on vacation. The paperwork says you can immerse yourself in water after two weeks, but when I asked the asst. about swimming, he said to wait for four weeks. I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.
 
@Hip Hop Hooray Hi, I think we are on similar lines in terms of thinking about our progress and getting back to full health and fitness. I'm just a tad heavier than you, ie, just over double your weight but reasonably solid before the op at least, so the crutches are a necessary step for me given the extra strength that will be needed to stabilise the extra mass. The good news is the work with one crutch is progressing and the single foot balancing work is improving so hopefully over the next few weeks will see me able to walk unaided indoors at least.

I'm looking forward to getting back in the gym as well, not to mention back to using the kettle bells, parallel bars and pull up bars in the back garden. But, till I get further along in my recovery I'm going to attempt to be good and take things steady. In terms of the exercise bike you'll see further up in my thread my little toy for my recovery work as I improve. Fingers crossed I can continue to behave - lol.

Good luck with your team, I hope you get some clarity on the swimming as I'm told it's one of us hippies best exercises.

Have a great recovery day


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That makes sense. Glad to hear you are comfortable with the crutches. I'm finding that the housework is plenty of exercise for me right now. Plus, I just feel so much happier at home when things are neat and clean.

I saw that photo on your thread. It's interesting. My PT suggested the bike that leans back when I return to the gym. When my hips were bone on bone, it just felt wrong to use the exercise bike. I'm interested to see the difference now, since the bone are in the correct position, and the joints glide.

What did your doctor say as far as bathing? My surgeon's notes say after two weeks, but his asst. said to wait four weeks.
 
The recumbent bike is a common suggestion for us hippies when we return to the gym, supposedly a lot easier for us. I look forward to trying it

As for bathing, personally I'm a shower and wet room man so I've been ok from almost day 1 with waterproof covers, but the advice I've seen is dependent on the approach but usually just states that you're ok once the wound has fully healed. So two weeks, wound allowing, sounds sensible.

Have a great recovery day, time to finish my tea and to try and sleep again - 3:45 am here atm. Have fun


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I was told once the incisions had healed too....soon as they had I was in the bath, except I too am a shower person, but had a bath cuz I could...
 
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