THR GibsonGirl's Anterior THR Recovery

Good to see you found the culprit of your pain @GibsonGirl1948. The ODIC lures us like the Sirens of Ulysses, "I feel fine, I can do this!" we don't even realize we have passed through the door to the ODIC until the middle of the night or the next day. Hope you stay is short and you can be more aware of that "invisible" door. :plugging-in-xmas-tree-smiley-emoticon:
 
Good to see you found the culprit of your pain @GibsonGirl1948. The ODIC lures us like the Sirens of Ulysses, "I feel fine, I can do this!" we don't even realize we have passed through the door to the ODIC until the middle of the night or the next day. Hope you stay is short and you can be more aware of that "invisible" door. :plugging-in-xmas-tree-smiley-emoticon:
YIKES! I must rely oh my intuition or telepathy or maybe just good sound judgement!!! Thanks.
 
If you stick to the THR activity guidelines you will be fine @GibsonGirl1948, it's just that we start feeling like we can do much more than our hip is ready for. At pretty much anytime in my recovery if I ended up in the ODIC I could see why when I looked back at the activity chart.
 
Hi, hippie friend! Just wanted to touch base to see if those nightly pains are gone or are still giving you trouble? Hopefully, they are a pain in the past.
 
Hello, Sunny girl! I felt your advice was just the thing. It makes sense that the pain stops when I get into my recliner. For a couple of nights I used a pillow to elevate my legs as I waited for the elevating pillow. Did not spend the money on the Lounge Doctor. While this pillow seems to help, I am so "bloomin" short that the pillow seems too tall for me. I have not been able to sleep in any particular position for very long; then must move!! I continue to feel soreness in the bend of my leg and on the side below the hip. Yet, I know I am doing really well. I thought I'd be able to give up my cane at 6 weeks out but I just can't other than for very short periods of time!....So as I have gone on and on, it is wonderful to hear from you. I must look at your thread and see if you are reporting anything. I know you must feel relieved to have your surgery behind you and now the healing begins!! I am so hoping that this is not so difficult and trust that you don't have that horrific hip pain.
 
Here's what helped me think about the right amount of exercise during recovery and even now!

Just because you can walk a certain distance one day and be OK afterwards does not mean your body is ready to walk that distance everyday. It's so tempting to see a personal best as our new normal or worse, as our new expected minimum. But the body doesn't magically work that way. Speaking personally, I have noticed over the past ten years that the pain from overdoing it doesn't necessarily come the next day. For me, and I told my surgeon this, I feel like I suffer the consequences two days later.

So after a personal best day (especially if that best is a substantial jump) a good goal would be to walk a less on the following day. See how the body responds. . Maybe a few days later, try to approach that personal record again.

I'm a runner and there's a similar challenge that runners face even outside of recovery from surgery. You can increase your distance and time duration as you are getting into shape. Or you can increase the speed that you run while holding the distance constant. Guess what people do? They often increase the duration of their run (distance) AND speed at the same time. Perfect recipe for entering the ODIC.

It's totally normal to be freaked out by the random aches and pains we go through as we recover. BTW: I wasn't off the cane until 8 or 9 weeks. And at about 12 weeks I got in a pretty fast walk of about a mile, maybe mile and a half. Felt so great, so powerful, I was moving so fast and so easily. And the next days ... you guessed it! ... pain and soreness humility.

You'll get there.
 
Last edited:
Going4fun: So glad you responded and your advice speaks .I know I am expecting too much too soon. I'll just bet everyone who has been down this road can recall the early days of thinking, "Oh gosh, is this normal?" The one thing that I was not informed about prior to surgery is the time it takes to recover and heal. The thing that I am bummed about most of all is the stiffness that I have when I get up from a chair. If you were to observe me you'd think that I am ready for a wheelchair. So far, after about 10 or 12 steps, with my cane, I get past the stiffness. I suppose this might be my norm because I had this prior to hip surgery. I could hope that the stiffness was caused because of needing hip replacement but only time will tell. As I was having a pity party today, suddenly I realized, yeh, I have some stiffness but I sure as heck do not have pain!
 
Hello @GibsonGirl1948! I'm sorry to see you are still having trouble with that nightly nagging pain. I experienced that somewhat with my knee whenever I would slide my leg off of the pillow during the night. It definitely was not ready to lay flat on the bed while sleeping and it would "tell" me that in no uncertain terms. I'm the same as you - never got around to ordering the Lounge Dr (kind of wish I had, probably a good investment), but I have been using the 3 tiered stacked pillows you see on BoneSmart especially since my hip surgery. I can see how being shorter might cause an issue but if you have thinner pillows to test the height variance, maybe you'll find a good height combo. (Sort of reminds me of the princess and the pea story.:yes:)

I believe the stiffness you're feeling is a normal part of the healing process. Seems to be a common aspect from the hippies on here. You are definitely farther along on the road to recovery than I am, but you sound as if you are doing great! Patience is what I have to keep telling myself.
 
As I was having a pity party today, suddenly I realized, yeh, I have some stiffness but I sure as heck do not have pain!


Stiffness sucks and hopefully it will get better, but not having that constant grinding joint is amazing! Hang in there @GibsonGirl1948, better days are on your horizon! :wreath: :santa-dance:
 
Time time time is all it takes to heal.. in a few more weeks you’ll be dancing :wreath:
 
8 weeks post surgery today! Time has slipped by so quickly. I am doing well and continue to make progress. I mentioned in an earlier post that I have stiffness in my legs when I first stand up after sitting in a chair. Because of the stiffness I cannot put my cane in the corner and forget it!! As I mentioned before, after about 10 or 12 steps the stiffness dissipates. I am thinking this might become a permanent way of life for me. If so, I can deal with it and that is no big deal compared to being pain free. Like all of you, I want a degree of normalcy to return in the world around us but I am so grateful that anterior hip replacement gives me a new lease on life and offers hope that encompasses many areas of my life.
 
I am thinking this might become a permanent way of life for me.
Still early days! There will indeed come a day when you forget about that hip. I know it seems impossible now. But the day will come.

For now, just keep walking and using that cane if you need it.

Be sure to join us in the Community forums for our New Years Party. You can even bring a virtual snack. Here is a link to the forum were the party will be held. Community Room Hope to see you there.
 
I have stiffness in my legs when I first stand up after sitting in a chair. Because of the stiffness I cannot put my cane in the corner and forget it!! As I mentioned before, after about 10 or 12 steps the stiffness dissipates. I am thinking this might become a permanent way of life for me. If so, I can deal with it and that is no big deal compared to being pain free.
No, it shouldn't become a permanent part of life for you. It's part of normal recovery and many people have been through it. It can take quite a long time to fade away, but it will eventually disappear. Your new hip is still in the early stages of this year-long recovery.

Part of the reason for the stiffness is because your new hip has been still for a while, so it hasn't been making the synovial fluid that lubricates the joint. Once your hip starts moving again, the synovial fluid is made again and your hip gradually becomes less stiff. It's a bit like putting oil on a rusty hinge.

Of course, your muscles get a bit stiff too, while you're sitting.
 
@GibsonGirl1948 It's often hard to tell where aches and stiffness are really coming from. Is it still from healing from hip replacement? Or is it just because as an older person the body is less resilient than it use to be? I know for myself it did take over 4 months for me to feel like the hips and surrounding muscles/tissue were normal and working the way there are supposed to..... and yet I'd also get occasional aches and stiffness if I did something more energetic than usual or some activity I had not yet done since having hip replacements. Also consider things like do you tend to feel more stiff if you've been sitting for a long period of time vs a shorter period of time? Does it happen more when sitting at computer or in recliner or softer chair/couch?

Once this dratted virus gets under control and businesses open back up you might consider getting a massage. I found that very helpful though I did not go for that until about 6 months after my surgery

Wishing you continued healing and a very happy New Year :happy-new-year-smiley-emoticon-4:
 
Hey @GibsonGirl1948 , it sounds like you are doing so well! While I did my hips a couple years "younger" than you, as others have mentioned, there will come a day when you don't think of them at all. You are at only 8 weeks. 2 months, 4 months from now, it will be a happy salute to the tech that gave you the reprieve from pain you are now able to enjoy. Mine are 17 years young and I never think of them ... or my 8 year old knees!
 
It has been a few weeks since I have posted. This speaks to how wonderfully well I am doing! I have not had the need to ask questions or ask for advice for some sudden pain.

My greatest problem is forgetting where I left my cane because I need it less and less! I continue to learn and gain understanding that this healing I am going through is definitely a process. I have good energy in the morning but by mid afternoon I can tell it is time to recline and rest.

At 12 weeks post I am feeling so positive and it feels so good to be pain free. The dark cloud that hovered for the past two years has given way to sunshine!
 
:happydance: :yay::dancy: What good news @GibsonGirl1948! It can be a tough early road but it's so worth it! Short term pain to be free to live your life again, we live in a time of modern miracles.
 

BoneSmart #1 Best Blog

Staff online

  • Jaycey
    ADMINISTRATOR Staff member since February 2011

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
65,167
Messages
1,596,863
BoneSmarties
39,356
Latest member
JanieMarie
Recent bookmarks
0
Back
Top Bottom