THR Gazelle's A-Z - Anterior Hip Replacement Recovery Thread

[gazelle7777]

Poppet, I am writing this from bed, ice pack on...feet raised..taking your suggestions. Thank- you for the great advise and reading materials. You are RIGHT! Joan

 

[gazelle7777]

DAY 6...October 5, 2014

Good Sunday morning to everyone! If feels like fall this morning here in the Seattle WA area... foggy and grey. Cool. Still, we should get to 70 today which is lovely for fall! The leaves are showing more and more color each day... so beautiful! I had a restless sleep last night. Had a nightmare that I lost my iPad and woke up my Husband crying out about losing it.... shows you how dependent I am on that darn thing! LOL!

I skipped a pain med time last night by mistake. Slept through the 2AM pill time... I woke up in PAIN. It was the first time I have felt any real pain since surgery. A deep throbbing from my incision area. I guess it shows me how much I still need the oxycodone and that my "feeling good" is very dependent on taking that little white pill at this time. I am doing one low dose Oxycodone 5 mg every 4 hours. I add two Tylenol 500 MG every 8 hours. It seems that this dose is working well and I should stick with it through next week. I go see my Physicians Assistant on Monday the 16th. I can ask her questions I have and she will look at my incision. I will take off my bandage Today..... yea! Let it just be open to the air is what I was told to do, not to cover it. Take a peek at my incision.... curious how long it is. I can shower, just not do tub baths. That is a question I will bring up also at the PA meeting On Monday the 16th, when I can soak in a wonderful hot bath! I love my Epsom salt bathes so much!

Today I just plan another day of rest, icing, elevation of legs, up walking some and more rest. Next week probably the same. Give this area operated on time to heal and mend. Best to everyone! Talk to you again tomorrow! Joan

 

[hopefulm]

Good morning, Joan, from your neighbor to the south. It's sunny here in Portland, so I suspect you will be enjoying a gorgeous fall day later today. Sorry you awakened in pain, but it's good to hear that it was controlled with the oxycodone. Guess it once again proves the BS mantra of regular pain control is well-founded!
I too am a daily bather, love my long soaks in the tub. . .not being about to soak has been one of the things I dread post op . I read in the tub, even have fashioned ziploc cover for my Kindle! Hopefully you'll be cleared to bathe before too long. (Although I can't imagine I will be able to for quite some time, since I will have the restrictions of a posterior approach.)
Enjoy your day, rest, and take care!

Mary

 

[MajorHeidi]

@gazelle7777 Joan you are doing extraordinary!

Don't try to do too much too soon, and do get some good rest. You are having an amazing recovery.

 

[toohip]

Hi @gazelle7777 - sounds like a good plan - lots of rest leads to a smooth recovery...as for the weather report, it's definitely autumn-like weather here today in NY...WOW, straight from beautiful warm weather...to straight jacket weather...i'm just not used to the cold again!! Everyone enjoy the day! and lots of new fall shows/seasons starting tonight!!

 

[bottomshollow]

Even in the southeast, autumn has arrived. It's crisp and cool with sunshine here in eastern North Carolina. Perfect for a short walk to admire the changing leaves. Just continue to take it slow and easy---you'll be surprised how quickly you'll begin to feel "normal" with your new hip.

 

[Carriemay60]

@gazelle7777 Sounds like you are doing very well. I can't imagine how you are managing to get socks on without breaking restrictions, I still don't have a hope of doing that. I learned the hard way my first night out of hospital to set my alarm for pain meds when I slept through a dose ~ oh the tears! The weather here is like someone flicked a switch and I think we generally feel the cold more when we have aches & pains. Our cold in Ontario is a bit drier than yours but we live very close to the lake so do feel it. I was raised on Vancouver Island & that cold just goes right through me. Our oldest daughter lives in Vancouver, WA.

 

[gazelle7777]

Good Monday Morning Bone Smart Hippies! October 6, 2014..... DAY 7

Sleep ok last night... having to wake up every 4 hours to take a pain med disturbs my sleep some.. but, not taking it when I should would REALLY disturb my sleep so it is well worth it to wake up. I am continuing to do the every 4 hour 5 mg Oxycodone.... and will probably through this week. On Monday when I talk to my PA for my Post op to look at stitches, I will ask her what is normal to cut back to on pain meds and how. I am hoping with PT starting on the 20th, that my pain will be limited more so, and I will not be as dependent on them at that time. Also want to know at what point I can take a soaking Epson salt bath Oh my goodness, I need my soaking bath to ease the arthritis in my body!

Just going to take it easy this week. Yesterday I spent a lot of time on the bed with legs elevated and ice... even took a nice nap. I may venture out to somewhere with my Hubby towards the end of the week depending how I feel. Does anyone know how much walking is OK moving toward week 2? Would going shopping and walking with my crutches be too much? I just do not want to hamper my healing of the wound area at all.

I took off my bandage yesterday before my shower. It has the steristrips still on it, wound is about 3 1/2 inches long. A little bit of swelling just where the incision is... it is dry..no redness or any thing thank goodness. No bruising at all.

CarrieMay60- I am able to just barely reach my left toes with this new hip.... I am much stiffer in the morning.... hubby had to help today. I think I have long arms and my body is use to stretching from years of bad hip joints and knees that would not bend. Now my new knees bend real good and that gives me a bit of an edge. PT person at hospital was OK with me bending to put socks on in a seated position since I had Anterior replacement. How is your recovery doing? Do you have a thread ongoing in recovery section?

Bottomshollow- right now I do not feel too much improvement with the bionic hip since I am so stiff... but, hopefully as the days go on and the healing progresses, I will notice changes in how I feel when I move.

To all those Hippies having surgery this week, wishing you everything good and smooth sailing! Thanks everyone for all your good wishes on my thread... I read them and feel hugs and encouragement. It really helps during these early days. Talk to everyone tomorrow! Love to everyone! Joan

 

[Me2]

I'm all for walking until just before body says no .... Like when it says maybe I should stop?


Sheryl from Pittsburgh
LTHR on 4/2/2014
Sent from my iPhone using BoneSmart®

 

[bottomshollow]

dear @gazelle7777, I'm not suggesting that "normal" will come in the nest day or two, but it will come long before it did with your knees. You're doing great. Just follow the mantras!

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[Jaycey]

Does anyone know how much walking is OK moving toward week 2? Would going shopping and walking with my crutches be too much?

This is totally dependent on what that hip is telling you. I would not commit to a major shopping trip. Being on your feet in a strange area may be a bit too much. A short trip to pick up something is what I am thinking might work next week.

Regarding the stiffness, it's all swelling and it's a constant fight. Keep up with the mantras. The areas are angry and any time on your feet will aggravate this. My knee swells constantly. Ice, elevate and try again.

We will get there my fellow hippie!

 

[Carriemay60]

@gazelle7777 I guess I should take into consideration that I do have short arms - always have to get coats, etc. altered and inch or two and a knee that doesn't bend just yet. I'm okay, unless I am really cold, I like my feet bare (I think it's a menopause thing

No matter where you go walking, even in the local convenience store - remember every step you take you have to take twice to get back to your starting point!

I do have a recovery thread: https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/happy-for-any-advice.25850/

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

@gazelle7777. I found walking around shops the worst for my hip ( I call it museum walking) it made it stiffen up. The best was when (with crutches) I really stepped it out on a flat surface doing proper heel/toe walking...it really helped with the stiffness.
It was week 4 for me until I felt comfortable at the shops...and even then only for a short while. X


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum

 

[Jaycey]

@gazelle7777 just checking to see how you are doing on this one week anniversary. My big event was the arrival of some pretty colourful bruising. Guess they have probably been there all along but just noticed them today. Ice is my friend!

 

[gazelle7777]

Hi Jaycee! Happy a hippy one week anniversary! I am in bed, feet elevated, ice on incision...watching a lame daytime Tv show. I do not have bruising at this time....just a little swelling right over the incision. My incision is about 3 1/2 inches long. I took the bandage off on Sunday...just have steri strips on it that are suppose to fall off on their own. How about you? Next Monday I go to see the PA to make sure my wound is healing well etc. At the end of month I have my first Post OP with my Surgeon. I am still doing 5mgs OxyContin. Every 4 hours and Tylenol every 8 hours. What do they give you for pain in in the UK?

Thanks for checking in!... ((Hugs)) Joan.

 

[Jaycey]

@gazelle7777 Sounds like you are doing great! Haven't seen my incision yet as it is covered until day 14. Seems very minimal - maybe 4 inches. I have dissolvable stitches and glue so will have a wound check to remove the dressing on 14 October.

I am only on my normal pain drugs that I would take for my back pain - tylenol and aleve. Really have no major issues with pain unless I twist wrong (OUCH). My biggest frustration is mobility - having to slowly address every move I make. One day at a time - right?

Keep in touch!

 

[MsFit1]

Hi @gazelle7777 and @Jaycey !
7 days out! We've made it ! So glad to hear how well you all are doing!

 

[Jaycey]

@gazelle7777 hope you are doing well. Your other two Musketeers want to hear from you!

 

[Me2]

So happy to hear the 3 Hip Musketeers are doing quite well and you all are well on your way to the grand life of no more pain!

 

[zauberflöte]

I have swelling just over the incision... it looks and feels like a goose egg. Is this what most of you had at day 11?

Oh I had this for a few months!, and I think it showed up at about a week and a half, when some swelling had gone down. My incision was anterior-- I can't tell on my phone if you are the same?
Mine was not painful, and I figured it was swelling. It was, but it was also redistributed fat! The groin side of my scar is perfectly flat, unlike the non-op side, and all the fat somehow migrated to the outside side of the scar. It is much smaller now, and I can flex muscle under it-- so I am still taking it for normal outcome! For awhile there it was visible under jeans, and still is if you know what you're seeing.


My phone sent this using BoneSmart Forum, clever phone!