THR Finally home

[WhitePaw]

Hi folks,
I am home from the hospital after an unexpected second stay overnight. My blood pressure is low to begin with and dropped too low for them to send me home once they started giving me my medication. I am glad I stayed because me and my family would not have know how to help me. My doctor actually asked me if I wanted to stay another night. Since I was having uncontrolled shivering with the pain still, it was an easy yes.

Now that I am home, I feel like I am able to manage the pain and that things are progressing. I have to remind myself to take it easy and not overdo it, which is typically how I go about life. Practicing mindful appreciation of the messages my body is giving me and doing a lot of resting, icing and elevating. Thank you BoneSmart!

 

[Jaycey]

@WhitePaw Welcome to the other side! Low BP is very common post op as are shivers. All due to the body coping with the trauma of surgery. It's good you stayed in hospital an extra night. I'm glad your pain is managed.

Here are your recovery guidelines:
Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
We are all different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for YOU.“ Your doctor(s), physiotherapist(s) and BoneSmart are here to help. But you have the final decision as to what approach you use.

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 this BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for THRs
6. Access 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 that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[WhitePaw]

Thanks for the reassurance. I was curious about the shivering. I think it is also my typical pain response. It has happened before when I am in pain without surgery or meds. It is so uncomfortable because all my muscles tense, which only makes the pain worse. Deep breathing helps. Luckily, I am past that now.

 

[JohnWilky]

10 weeks tomorrow after 5 full nights in hospital ( no complications everything was ok ) needed them all, and I’ve found Bonesmart the go to place for immediate, experienced, caring and expert advice . It’s reassuring to know that your problems have been experienced by the vast majority of hip patients.
Good luck I’m confident you will be fine.

 

[WhitePaw]

Well, I just had my first PT, Allison. The young woman was very kind and gentle. She listened. I was able to go up and down the stairs and do a dry run figuring out how to get in my bathtub shower. It continue to have very tight IT bands, hip flexors, psoas and piriformis, but I knew that all that would not be fixed by the replacement. What is gone is the pinching and catching catching of the bone spurs, tearing through the labrum. No labrum left. My doctor did showed me a picture of the ball of my femur he cut off. He explained that there was no cartilage left, which is very validating for the pain I was experiencing. The best part of today was learning that my PT can continue to come to my home for the duration of my recovery so I don't have to drive somewhere. Allison will be working with me through the duration.

 

[Layla]

Hello and Happy Tuesday!
Good to hear you like your PT and all went well.

What is gone is the pinching and catching catching of the bone spurs, tearing through the labrum.

Ugh! That sounds awful. Thankfully you’re on the mend and so far, so good.
Stay in touch and thanks for updating.