Bilateral THR Excited to get two THR!

[Zoebichon]

Today is my surgery day! I was told to expect a check in time as early as 5:45 AM so I was shocked to find out my check in time is at noon!

That just gave me more hours to clean! I have been more stressed about the home health people coming to my house and have been cleaning like mad. Yes I washed windows the morning of surgery!

I am now in the surgery waiting area a full hour early. I have been allowed to drink black coffee, water and gatorade and pre surgery clear carbohydrate drinks until 10 AM. So am well hydrated.

I thought I would get my recovery thread up now. I am having same day surgery if all goes well!

 

[Layla]

Best wishes! You’ll soon have two shiny new hips. We will look forward to hearing from you when you’re feeling up to it.
Following you’ll find the BoneSmart Recovery Guidelines -

As you begin healing, please keep in mind that each recovery is unique. While the BoneSmart philosophy successfully works for many, there will be exceptions. Between the recommendations found here, your surgeon's recovery protocol and any physical therapy you may engage in, the key is to find what works best for you.

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary

2. Control discomfort:

rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. Here is a week-by-week guide

Activity progression for THRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask the at each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Elf1]

@Zoebichon hopefully surgery went smooth and you're resting comfortably. And thinking the cherry on top would be if you're already home resting. Drop us an update once you're feeling up to it.

 

[Zoebichon]

Thanks Layla.

Everything went so smoothly at the hospital. The spinal took about 10 minutes to get in due to lumbar spine degenerative disc disease but it worked and I didn't feel or hear anything. I had propofol. I woke up still in the operating room. No nausea and good blood pressure.

PT was a breeze.

I went into surgery at 2 and got back home before 9. Two ice machines included! And ice packs for the trip home. Plastic bag was great for swiveling into the seat.

I was sitting at the kitchen counter drinking a Gatorade and a protein shake and took my Tylenol and Dilaudid. Within a minute or two everything started to go black and I was sweating. I was terrified but after a couple minutes, hubby helped me up and over to my nest where I am elevating and icing and feel fine. Luckily I still had on the thick safety belt around my waist.

Very little pain, just an ache in the joints and heavy thighs.

 

[Mojo333]

@Zoebichon
Glad you are all done and on your recovery path.

Glad your husband was close by when you had your spell....we double hippys experience twice the time under anaesthesia and twice the blood loss so your body is working hard to recoup.
Do be cautious as I had a few "out of the blue" dizzy spells and the number one recovery rule is No Falling!

Take all slow and steady and stay chilled...All Temporary.
Healing mojo coming your way

 

[Layla]

Sounds like you were doing great…until you weren’t. Thankfully hubs was close by! I’ll bet that little episode was scary, but it happens. I hope you’re feeling better and today is a good one. Rest, Ice, Repeat.
@Zoebichon

 

[Zoebichon]

They said I lost a half liter of blood, which they said was good.
I'm writing down every pill I take and when because it's so easy to get mixed up. I did buy a nice one week, 4 times a day pill box.

PT is coming soon and then so is a nurse. After they leave we are going to put the pills in the little boxes.

I had a rough night filled with extreme stiffness and sweats and back aches and snoring on my back! I washed up using a disposable washcloth and brushed my teeth and feel better. I was able to eat breakfast.

 

[Klassy]

Great to hear from you on the happy side! Home already! I’m sorry to hear that you had a rough night, but that is one night behind you now. With Hip 2, knowing from Hip 1 to expect some rough times at the start but rapid improvement, I ticked off the days on a wall calendar, knowing that each night I got through was another step towards feeling a whole lot better.

That safety belt sounds like a great idea, especially when accessorised with an attentive husband.

I had a fainting and falling spell after my first hip. I only had the one hip done, but I have naturally low BP. Plus I was standing, not sitting, at the kitchen counter - you were wiser! My husband was in the room but didn’t realise what was happening until too late. Fortunately nothing was damaged. I learnt from that. Fainting is nature’s way of improving blood flow to the brain. Effective, but with obvious disadvantages. So in the early days of Hip 2 I did my best never to be out of range of a chair where I could sit and get my head down in case of faintness. That definitely saved me another accelerated journey to the floor on one occasion.

 

[Zoebichon]

Day two post-op

I got some decent sleep last night even on my back. Broken up for my meds. I'm taking one Mobic daily, two ES Tylenol every four hours, zofran and Dilaudid every four hours. But I still have pain getting up. Walking gets a bit easier all the time.

My biggest thing right now is itching!

I have no staining on my two bandages.

 

[Klassy]

Your progress seems very good. Out of interest, where is the itching?

 

[Zoebichon]

My entire body! From my scalp down to my toes. No hives or even redness.

 

[Ocean]

You seem to be doing so well, shame about the itching.
It might be a reaction to one of the medications, maybe you should consult yo ur doctor.

 

[Klassy]

All over? So sorry to hear this, it must be awful. Ocean may be right about it being a reaction to medication. I agree, contact your surgeon ( or their office) to see what they suggest. You may be able to switch medication, or take antihistamine. It might be caused by something in the cocktail of drugs you had during the op, in which case it may go away as the drugs clear your system- I hope so.

 

[CricketHip]

I agree with the others and think you should call your surgeon's office. That sounds pretty miserable. Luckily they usually have someone on call and maybe they can offer a quick fix.

 

[Zoebichon]

I just woke from a deep nap and felt hot.
My temperature is 100.3 F. I know from reading here that low grade fevers are fine in the first week. Back to sleep!

 

[Lyla]

Dilaudid can cause itching. Keep an eye on it as some drs will consider this allergic reaction. I have had the reaction when I first took it for pain years ago. It went away. However any hives , throat swelling contact dr ASAP. If it’s not allergic it’s what someone told me is the bugs? Idk lol that term makes me laugh and I don’t know why they call it that other then your itchy like something crawling maybe?
2 hips! Wow! You sound like your doing fantastic. I hope my one is as good as yours

 

[Jamie]

@Zoebichon ... don't hesitate to contact your surgeon's office about the itching. It's sometimes caused by prescription pain meds and they can give you something to counteract it. In the meantime, try Benadryl.

 

[Zoebichon]

Thanks. The total body itching was bad on Saturday and is already much better

Today my thighs are feeling much less stiff so I can get into and out of bed without gritting my teeth,

But now I am nauseous and did the dreaded emnisis. Then I felt immediately better. The hospital sent me home with zofran, and also a patch behind my ear to help. Also a little nauseous kit containing a peppermint tea bag, a lemon and ginger tea bag, two pieces of real ginger candy, two peppermint candies and a “ease sniffer” to sniff whenever I get nauseous.

 

[Klassy]

Itching less, stiffness less, that’s good. Nausea not so good, but hopefully only a temporary bout. The nausea kit is a kindly thought, I hope it is effective.

 

[Lyla]

Your body does not seem to like those pain meds. It is very common though. Keep that peppermint handy! It works wonders for nausea. I’m so use to the pain meds and can’t wait to leave most behind !