Bilateral THR Doing the double!

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

Okay, thanks. My incisions look really good, but they are still healing. I guess I'll wait to be safe.

 

[AndyH99]

Good day one and all,

I'm struggling a bit to describe what's happened over the last couple of days as I can't make a lot of sense of all of it - yet. I was trundling along nicely, not doing anything daft ( for a change ) and focusing on the steady progression when "Bang" Friday morning I wake up with horrible aches and pains in the hips, down both femur, and in the knee joints and in my quads and calves; on top of that someone had pulled the plug on my energy reserves before I even started the day! Normal pains are expected but these weren't even close to the norm.

I've crawled over my medication records, food info and exercise notes and the only thing that was out of kilter was my breakfast timings for a couple of days as I'd had a chance to sleep in past the usual 5:30am mark. Even my sleep pattern hadn't changed, it was still lousy overnight but nothing different to what has become normal.

So, upshot is I've gone back to two crutches indoors, cut out the outdoors walks for the last few days and cut back the PT whilst upping the food intake slightly and hitting the rest, ice & elevation cycle more intensely again. As of this morning things are a little better so hopefully it's just an as yet unexplained blip on the recovery and normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

One thing I have learned from this though & whilst potentially obvious to some the impact was quite considerable on my system. If I have a lay in bed in the morning eg take my meds at 5:30am, doze till around 9:00 then grab breakfast at around 10:00 my energy system takes a big hit in spite of the extra rest. So, to keep things on track I now consume a breakfast bar of some form when I take the pain meds if I'm not getting up immediately and prevent things going screwy before the day starts.

So to wrap up, it's a bit of a whinge fest for me on this update, pain, tiredness, generally feeling lousy and I'll be very glad when this corner turns and I can get back on track.

I hope you all have a great recovery day and I can join you soon

{grabs crutches and wanders off towards the freezer in search of Ben and Jerry's}


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[CricketHip]

Oh, Andy. Sorry to read this! By reading copiously on BS I gather this kind of set back happens, just as you have read also.
It must be difficult to keep your spirits up on days like this so I hope the Ben and Jerrys helped!
I'm curious, had the weather changed? Barometric pressures and all that?

 

[Jaycey]

@AndyH99 I call this the one month slump. You see very noticeable and progressive changes in your recovery in the first month or so. Then things seem to plateau - even slide backwards. This too shall pass. You are doing all the right things. Take a step back, rest, ice, elevate and meds. Using 2 crutches if you need them. Limit your activity and add back slowly. Just a slight blip in the recovery.

 

[Suzette]

Oh @Jaycey and @AndyH99 I had completely forgotten about the month slump. I had it too made me feel really dispondent and depressed. ...until I realised it was about 4 weeks post op.

Luckily it seems once that is over with, you forget it happened, as I did.

Mind you I had a painful night and morning, so know how your feeling right now, Andy, not sure if I was lying funny in bed or whether its just the after effects of a deeper massage and acupuncture. .. or my stupidness of thinking yeah no pain then did too much without realising. ..I was behaved yesterday I think!!

Andy I hope the 4 week slump goes as quickly as it came and things just get going again x

Keep on resting icing and medicating

 

[Cynthia777]

I'm so sorry to hear you're in pain Andy. Hopefully the wonderful wisdom on the previous posts will lift your spirit! It's sure comforting to know we have the others on BS who can say, "Been there, done that"! Helps knowing the "one month slump" is to be expected. Feel better!

 

[AndyH99]

@Jaycey, @CricketHip, @Cynthia777, @Suzette

Thank you for the quick and extremely helpful feedback. I'd forgotten completely about the 1 month slump despite reading loads, and, whilst I realise I can't do a lot about it, it helps massively knowing what it is and that nothing else is going wrong, plus I've not inadvertently done something daft (again )

It really is fantastic to have such great people involved with BS who support you through the journey. Thank you all once again & I'm going to curl up in my cocoon for a couple of days till I can emerge as a, well, I was going to say butterfly but I'll go for well groomed sloth.

Have a great recovery day


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[Hip Hip Hooray!]

Sorry to hear you were in so much pain Andy. It's weird how our energy can go up and down. Glad to hear you are resting, icing and elevating. It's good that you are listening to your body. I know I seem to need protein in the morning. Hope the energy bar is doing the trick.

 

[Suzette]

@AndyH99 that is exactly what I did, curled up like a sloth and stayed in bed with a flask of tea....I don't think I looked well groomed when I reappeared though!!

Have a good rest while you continue your recovery x

 

[Suzette]

Hi @AndyH99, just checking you are ok a d that horrid slump is going away x

 

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

Yeah, I've been thinking about you, too, Andy. I hope you're okay.

 

[copsham]

Hi @AndyH99 just catching up with your thread. Sorry to hear about your pain and exhaustion. Hope your absence on your thread means that you are being very gentle and kind to yourself and doing a waltz with Ben and Gerry!

I have been trying to be "normal" for past couple of days, visited relatives and having a pizza and I am now exhausted!

Take care

 

[CricketHip]

Hi Andy.. Wishing you the best of days ahead. Just remember "momma said there'd be days like this"
and "this too shall pass"
For some reason I have always relied on those to get me through some really tough times, hoping it helps you too.
Because truly,, this too shall pass.

 

[AndyH99]

Good day one and all,

Well, I'm finally coming out the other side after battening down the hatches for a few days. First off @CricketHip , @copsham , @Hip Hip Hooray! , @Suzette - thank you for your thoughts, comments and concerns whilst I've been tucked away in my cocoon, greatly appreciated and it's good to know there are others out there rooting for you.

So, what has happened over the week whilst I've crawled into the hole and shut out the world. The short version is quite a lot, the majority being ultimately positive leading to me crawling out of the hole over the last day and a half and resembling something human again (as much as I ever do). But, unaccustomed as I am to long posts (no laughing) the longer version is below given I'm using this as my recovery diary/blog as well.

The one month slump & energy drain stage is officially a nasty, horrible, ugly, soul draining, debilitating, cursed , {insert expletives} and down right awful period of the recovery. Irrespective of food, snoozes, ice, elevation, rest, massage or attempted sleep I felt like someone had stolen the plug that retained any energy in my whole body, even the smallest exertion left me slumped in the chair with the aches and pains amplified and any ability to focus just dribbled out of my ears. I'm noting this for anyone that reads this thread for an idea of what happens during the recovery, be prepared, if it hits you you're not going anywhere for a fair few days, it will pass, but just curl up, dose yourself up on the pain killers and let it pass. If you try to push your way out of it you will just dig the hole deeper, trust me, I tried, it hurt and set me back further.

That horrible piece aside the good bits, and luckily enough there were some!

The enforced rest appears to have helped my healing more than I anticipated, the things I've been able to do over the last couple of days have mildly amazed me. For brevity;
- I can now balance on my left leg for more than 20secs (eyes open) with no stress or wobbles. Beforehand I had only managed 10. I can't balance for more than 5secs on the right leg yet, but that one has its own problems.
- I can walk efficiently with two sticks inside the house and I'm trying it outside today. I've even been walking with my trainers on as opposed to lightweight slipper type shoes. Quite a step forward from my perspective.
- I've managed my first dozen clean steps with no aids indoors, though this has uncovered a different problem with my right leg (see later)
- Possibly the biggest step forward, over the last two days I've not gone to bed till 01:30 as I'm just too wide awake, but, baring waking up at 05:30 for my first pain meds of the day, I've slept through till 10:00 each day! If this continues I'm going to be a very happy bunny. On top of this I've got rid of the wedge on the bed and started sleeping on my side again with a pillow between the legs some of the time. Fingers crossed.
- Naturally the fact that I have some energy and can finally get on and do things again is my favourite progression step of the week. I so hope it stays this way now and there isn't a hidden 8 week slump I've yet to find out about!

All in all a rather painful week and I'm glad it's behind me, now to start building forward again and get moving.

I've been in contact with my work this week as well and advised them of my progress to date and I have an appointment with my GP on Tuesday and my OS on the 23rd, so, I should have a clear medical assessment of my capability to return to work this week and my structural recovery assessment in a couple of weeks. Personally I don't feel ready to return yet given the limited distance I can move unaided and the relative energy drain that's still haunting me; also coupled with the fact that I can't drive yet and the thought of having to try and use public transport whilst still challenged with my stability causes a few concerns - I can't really imagine having to stand on the bus or tram for 30-40mins at this point, hell I can't imagine standing and ironing for that period not to mention in the scrum of a packed bus!

Now my current challenge, which maybe someone has some ideas for handling outside what I'm doing (not seeing the physio till Wednesday). I've found that I am not planting my right foot correctly when walking and this is impeding my ability to walk with either no aids or one stick on the right, I can walk with one stick on the left but the foot fall in still wrong. I'm finding I'm walking on the outside of my right foot, causing my knee to misalign - almost as if it bending outwards but not causing pain in the hip. If I focus and force my right foot to do the proper heel/toe roll and I concentrate on my big toe when completing the step then the foot it great, the knee is properly in line, I haven't unconsciously turned my foot out - but - I have pain in the hip as if I'm compressing something and the groin protests (though I suspect that's just having to adjust to the stride difference). At the moment I have a plyometric band I'm using to work on that foot/let in lining up any force I put through it and to help strengthen up the balancing muscles a bit, plus I'm doing the old Sumo thing of focusing keeping my weight consciously through my big toe whenever taking a step or standing (the old school Sumotori were supposed to focus so much on their big toe that they wore away that spot on their shoes/sandals/geta before any others and they got in trouble if they didn't). It appears to be working so far but I'd be grateful for any other ideas.

Have a great recovery day & Upwards and Onwards.

Have fun

 

[Jaycey]

If you try to push your way out of it you will just dig the hole deeper, trust me, I tried, it hurt and set me back further.

Give this man a big fat gold STAR! You got it @AndyH99 ! Just roll with it and this too shall pass. Well done!

Personally I don't feel ready to return yet

Please apply the same wisdom (above) to your return to work. If you don't feel ready - you aren't ready. Keep listening to your body. You will know when it's time for a Phased return to work .

I'm finding I'm walking on the outside of my right foot, causing my knee to misalign - almost as if it bending outwards but not causing pain in the hip.

I have this same problem post RTHR and I am still working on it. I did do some physio but frankly it did not work for me. Walking using the method you describe (heel, toe and slowly moving through a stride) is the only way I have been able to get this under control. I also saw a podiatrist who fit me with custom inserts for my shoes. This helped to correct that walking on the outside of the foot that you describe.

This all takes time. You are basically relearning to walk correctly and your body is still adjusting to a better alignment. You'll get there!

 

[AndyH99]

@Jaycey Thank you for the affirmation, somehow I've acquired some common sense along the way; I hope to somehow keep it long after I've recovered.

In relation to the footfall, I deliberately booked a podiatrist appointment before the operation to assess pre-op gait and foot problems (joy of being a diabetic as well so foot care when you can't reach them is a problem). I have a follow up appointment with them in about 8 weeks time on the assumption that I'll have a few problems to solve after the op and initial recovery - kind of giving myself a pat on the back for that one now. Let the fun begin.

Thank you and have a great day

 

[Hip Hip Hooray!]

Sorry to hear that slump was so painful, Andy. Glad to hear you are sleeping more hours. Sleep is so healing. I think that the pressure to go back to work is a strong force. I've noticed any stress seems to affect my hip. I didn't know that you were diabetic. That must makes things much more challenging.

Keep taking care of yourself. I've learned a lot from your thread.

 

[djklaugh]

@AndyH99 Another suggestion about the walking problems? Are you wearing shoes that you wore a lot before your surgery? If yes, you need to get new shoes or have old ones resoled! The wear pattern on old shoes is from when you were limping alot and wearing those after BTHR will keep you in that same maladaptive pattern.

 

[Suzette]

Hi @AndyH99 glad to see you have come out the other side of that horrible 4 week slump, pain etc. I wonder why we get this at 4 weeks. It's also brilliant that you came out of it and had progressed without realising it. Walking etc.

I too have right side problems, mainly that bloody pain when I sit. But I haven't had any problems walking, lucky enough. Hopefully you can sort this out and get the stride working ok.

Yes, get some new shoes too.

Have a good sleep
X

 

[AndyH99]

@djklaugh thank you for the suggestion, at the moment I've just progressed to a brand new pair of trainers I bought as a treat for my recovery so hopefully they will be ok short term. You have reminded me though that I need to get all my works shoes re-soled and heeled asap so they are ready when I need to head back to the office, now that will be fun! Prior to this point I was using a lightweight pair of new deck shoes with a nice grippy flat sole.

As a side thought from this I've just changed all the rubber ends on my crutches and sticks just in case

Thank you




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