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THR Ginny's Recovery Thread (LTHR)

Another day begins, @Ginny12 along this slow and tedious recovery journey. But focus on the fact that you ARE in recovery and each day will bring you closer to your goal of 100% recovery. I think my swelling began within a few days of being home, but it didn't last that long thankfully, although it felt very weird when I hobbled along with my thighs brushing each other with each step! I think icing was very helpful to help bring down swelling, and I've never developed the dreaded bruising, thank goodness--I did ask about that on the forum and was told some get bruising, some don't. Hope medication schedule is working to keep pain at bay, you have a rotating supply of ice packs, and as positive an attitude as one can have in these early days. Deep breath--you will get through this and within weeks you'll be feeling so much better. Hang in there!
 
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Hi All,

Good day overall but i think i may have overdone the exercise bit as my leg is now a bit swollen and i am tired. I did go for a walk outside which was lovely and generally feeling a bit more confident on my sticks. Pain well controlled as i am taking my medication regularly.

As ever, thank you for all the advice, support and encouragement.
 
I hope you're feeling better today @Ginny12
Rest and ice should help.
Easy to overdo and sometimes slow to recover.
I found the Activity Progression, Jaycey left as a rough guideline helpful.
Wishing you a great weekend!
 
Hi, Day 4

I don't feel up to writing much at the moment but generally feel fine. My husband is not being as servile as i would like, but working on that! The swelling has gone down a bit.

A couple of queries if anybody has time to answer please:

Is it safe to walk outside for the first week?

I have been prescribed codeine 30mg tablets and can take them up to 4 times a day. I have been taking x3 doses of the codeine and x 1 500mg of paracetamol ( not sure of the American brand name) 3 times a day too.

They did not give me that many codeine tablets and i will have to get some more off my GP. I am not worried about getting addicted but not sure when to cut down. Is it at the end of the first week or trial and error?

Thanks in advance for any answers and the amazing ongoing support. x
 
Hi, Happy Saturday!
You need to take your pain meds for as long as you need them.
One week post op is very early days.

You could walk outside, but depending what you'd need to navigate to get out there is questionable.
You shouldn't be climbing inclines, walking on uneven ground that may have unforeseen holes, divets that could trip you up. You're only 4 days post op. I think you're safer indoors right now. At this point in time you don't need to walk more than 5 minutes or so every couple hours which can most often be accomplished on a bathroom trip. Take it slow and easy. Hope today is a good one!

Please read this article to use as a rough gauge -
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/activity-progression-for-thrs.13187/
@Ginny12
 
Dear @Layla,

I am glad i asked now because the physio at the hospital said i must walk till i get tired. I also live in a very hilly area. My 2 walks have been on small inclines. Not far less than 75metres. You know what a worrier i am, would that have caused any damage?

Thanks for your reply.
 
Ginny12 said:
the physio at the hospital said i must walk till i get tired
Click to expand...
Well that's just plain silly. If you walk until you are tired then how do you get back from where you started. You should not be tiring yourself - no need to push. Walk half as much as you think you can and then build up the distance very gradually.

You won't have caused any damage walking on an incline. It's just that walking in inclines engages more of those recovering muscles and soft tissues. Please don't worry. Stick to the small inclines and build up very slowly.

I would ask your GP for more medication if you need it. It's still very early days for you to be even thinking about reducing your meds.
 
:hi:At only four days out, a walk to the bathroom and back would tire me out:umm:
You are doing well...
Your body will tell you when it's enough.
All temporary...hang in there :friends:
 
Please--four days out and walk until you are tired?! That sounds nuts to me. Schleps to the bathroom and back, and maybe a short stroll down the hallway just to stretch out my upper body was all I could manage at that point, @Ginny12. I agree with @Jaycey, do half of what you think you can do and pat yourself on the back. It's not a race, just a slow, steady progression forward. Be gentle with yourself, and your body will respond.
 
@Ginny12 I am in the uk and had no problem getting a repeat prescription for the Codeine and was on the same dosage as you. Best thing I did when knowing the op was coming up was to take the year prepaid NHS prescription card as it has saved me quite a lot of money!

I came off the codeine once I realised the brain fog v pain relief was not an equal equation. Cut down to one dose in the morning and one at night and then tailed off. I have a few left for emergencies if I overdo it!

Sounds like you have it all under control :yes!:
 
Hi @Ginny12
I too live in a hilly area. I didn't venture outside for at least a couple of weeks although did sit out on the patio as it was during the heatwave in July. I did very little walking at all to be honest and my recovery has been very good.
As for the codeine I stopped mine at the end of the first week as advised by my GP because one of the side affects is constipation which I was suffering from. I didn't miss taking it from a pain point of view. So I would use your own judgement. If you feel you need it then continue and as @SurreyGirl has said your GP will give you more.
 
Semi dried figs were my answer to that and it helps that I love them...
 
Walking won't cause "damage" but you will feel the effects if you push it. I would walk down my drive to get the mail and back in the first days which was good just to get out, probably 75 meters round trip. Very hilly around here and walking hills taxed my leg and would hurt more then flat ground. The secret about walking is not going past the point of no return. You just have to be able to judge and when you go too far you just have to sit or stand where you are until you can make the trip back.
 
Morning All,

Thank you all for your very helpful replies, I am telling everybody i know (well to people it might be relevant to) about this forum. Instead of me worrying and obsessing about a problem, i get loads of constructive advice and support. It also stops me constantly seeking answers from my husband when panic kicks in. So now, if i start worrying, the crafty man says 'go and ask your mates on the internet'.

My friend has recently had her knee done and suffers from anxiety worse than even me. We are a right pair, but what is so weird is that because she suffers so i am able to woman up and be calm and help her. I think that that is probably the heart of the matter and why this forum is so wonderful. If somebody has a problem one can be much more objective if not directly involved and see the big picture. Combine that with kind people wanting to help then what a combo!

Thank you

#testimonials
 
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My husband was a bit awkward the first few weeks I was home and I put that down to him panicking internally as I was not bouncing about as he expected.. I suspect he may even have done some reading up on this forum as his attitude changed!
 
@SurreyGirl

You are a perfect example of what i was talking about in my previous post. Even tho your recovery (from what i can gather) is not going as fast as you hoped you still take the time to be positive and help other people. You have definitely helped me!

For example, just by stating that you are still taking pain killers has taken a lot of the pressure off me to ditch them ASAP!

In the hospital, you may know of it, The Horder Center in Crowbourgh, i was basically told just to take paracetamol post op. The codeine was for extreme pain. Now i know that this advice was meant well, but blimey, paracetamol didn't even touch my arthritis pain so i didn't bother pre-op. I am not criticizing the excellent hospital staff, they were so busy that they had very limited time to explain things, but still...

May i ask how long many weeks/months that you stayed on the codeine 30mg 3-4 times a day please? Also did you take 500mg or 1gm paracetamol at the same time?

Yes i do have constipation (oh the oversharing) but i am taking psyllium husks which are really helpful. Luckily no brain fog yet.

If anybody else wants to chip in with their post op pain regime please do.

At the post op physio class just before discharge i attended with three fellow hip replacement pts who had their op the same day as me. I was OK doing the exercises but they struggled. I realized (potentially) why, firstly they were considerably older and clearly had other health issues. I found this out by talking to them. I also started to feel annoyed on their behalf as it was totally unrealistic to expect them just to bounce back and do the exercises. So without forums like this with a strong emphasis on education and realistic expectations, one could feel somehow lacking/not doing well, when, all that is happening is we heal at different rates and make progress similarly. Again, i am not criticizing the physio's as they have to have guidelines and goals. But i could see that my class mates really felt discouraged and two could not be discharged as planned. If they knew what i have on this forum i am positive it would have boosted their confidence.

I know for a fact that i would have found having the two hips together would have been too much for me. And i am not saying people older than me do not sail thru the op, but if i was 76 as opposed to 56 i can only imagine how hard that would be.

I am twittering now, not really sure what i want to say, except perhaps when people such as yourself give an honest account of everything not being perfect it takes all the pressure off.

Thank you.
 
I agree that as much as the medical technology and techniques have greatly improved...after surgery expectations and aftercare protocols are all over the place.
One size fits all just won't work with human beings.
You are doing wonderfully...and are definitely not behind the curve.
Hope you are having a Sweet Sunday!
 
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