Bilateral THR Happy Birthday Hips!

Shenick

junior member
Joined
Jul 2, 2022
Messages
31
Age
58
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Country
Ireland Ireland
Gender
Female
So glad to have found a site with so many stories of recovery and look forward to having somewhere to come with all my worries and celebrations :):)
 
Hi @Shenick , welcome to this Forum! I am a newish member myself and just had a Total Hip Replacement Surgery about 4 weeks ago. The support on this forum is fantastic, and there is so much to read up on and so many other experiences to learn from.

I am from Hong Kong, and the time difference between HK and Ireland is about 7 hours I reckon. When did you have your surgery? What approach did your surgeon use? Mine was a lateral approach.
 
@Shenick Welcome to BoneSmart! What date was your BTHR? I'll put the information in your signature for you.

My colleagues @djklaugh and @Mojo333 both had bilateral THR. I've tagged them so they can come and chat with you here.

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
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

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.
 
:wave:@Shenick

:welome:to the forum and congratulations on getting two new hips so you can get back to a healthy happy hip pain-free life.

This recovery is definitely a process but I am 5 years postop and have never regretted my BTHR.
Endstage osteoarthritis diagnosed at age 53 really had me looking and feeling old!

Hope you are taking things slow and steady.
The articles Jaycey left you are really helpful.
Would like know what led to you hip replacements and how things are going...
Lots of great help, advice, and encouragement here.
 
Hi all!
Thanks for the lovely welcome to the site :loll:I had my surgery on 26th May. I also had end stage OA @Mojo333 so hope I get on as well as you did, I have been reading up on your experience! I was really active until about five years ago (running, swimming, hiking) when things got really bad and just before surgery was struggling to walk any distance.
At five weeks + post op my recovery is going well overall and I am walking about 2km a day . However this week I felt stiffer and would love to feel that walking was getting easier. Still a struggle at times :sad: and I am hungry for progress. I also still have some swelling around the wound site and feel I may be returning to work later this month in baggy track pants!!
This is the first time I have ever contributed to a forum like this so hope I am 'doing it right' .....!

Looking forward to hearing about all the recoveries and having a place to check in with my frequent questions and worries
 
Hi Shenick, I am one week ahead of you, and am also a bilateral. Once I hit 6 weeks, for me the tenderness and stiffness suddenly went away. I am not yet walking as far as you in one go. I do walk often though and it’s feeling better every day. Also, in just the last few days, my speed has naturally really sped up, without me trying.

At 6 plus weeks I am just now venturing back out into the world. I went back to my once a week volunteer job. It’s just two hours and I love it. I went into a grocery store alone for the first time, just for one item, which had to be on the lowest shelf. I wasn’t sure if I should squat down or bend over to get the item. I bent over. I also met my sister in law at a restaurant for lunch. My daughter drove us as I still haven’t been brave enough to drive!
 
Hi Zoebichon,
Well done on your recovery! It is really great to hear that you saw such a difference at 6 weeks - I will be hoping for the same but just nice to know it might happen at some stage. I probably should not walk so much in one go but my partner has been taking a break from work to walk with me and I like to make it worthwhile for him. I think I will consider going out more than once though and doing a little less.

It's really good that you were able to go back to your volunteer role. I really miss the social side of my work and plan to go back one day a week from next week and build from there. I work at a university so am lucky that it will be quiet until September and I can take extra time off.

The bending down thing is hard..... I never know if I should risk picking things up beyond a certain level and can't wait to tie my own shoelaces! Don't know when I will be brave enough to drive either.
 
I probably should not walk so much in one go but my partner has been taking a break from work to walk with me and I like to make it worthwhile for him.
While this is thoughtful and considerate of you, this recovery is about YOU. You’re healing from major surgery and there is no reason to push it. Consider breaking your walk into two walks as opposed to one. One with your partner and the other by yourself, or with someone else.

It’s good to read you can ease back into work. I hope it’s an easy transition for you and wish you all the best. Please stay in touch, we’d love to follow your progress and cheer you on from the sidelines.
 
Hi, thanks so much for your advice on the walks Layla.

Yesterday and today I have been having painful tightness and some spasm in muscles on the back of my right calf. This is the first real pain I have felt since surgery and seems so strange that it is my calf that is the problem.....
It does not improve with movement and although each episode only lasts minutes the spasms have been happening every twenty minutes or so. Would love to know if anyone has experience of this or any advice? (Have tried icing, drinking more water so far)
 
Yes, have had spasms off and on. Seems like they come and go. Not so much now but the other night I woke up with such a Charlie horse in my left calf. I just kept saying "ouch, ouch, ouch!" Like that would make it go away!!!
But I flew on Monday and even though I drank a ton of Vitamin water and stuff with electrolytes I think flying dehydrates you so much.
You are still very early in your recovery so listen to your body.
Stay well.
 
Hydration is important in recovery.

Muscle spasms can happen as you’re healing and they should ease with time. If they become particularly troublesome you can call your surgeon’s office to see if they will temporarily prescribe something.

Magnesium is an alternate option to research - Magnesium supports the following:
Bone health
Healthy blood sugar
Cardiovascular health
Muscle relaxation and nerves
Promotes healthy sleep (falling asleep and staying asleep)

An article on Magnesium -
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/magnesium-is-a-star.20301/

I've also heard that drinking 4-6 oz of Q-Tonic before bed which is a water that contains quinine. Read the label as some of the waters do not contain quinine, but quinine flavoring instead.

I hope you find relief soon.
 
Diet is very important for recovery. Spasm's and cramps can be a lack of something in your diet. Many of us don't like the frequent bathroom trips and cut back on water.
 
Thanks a million all! Will look at trying magnesium and paying attention to diet in general.

Really do appreciate being able to get your advice

:)
 
Best Wishes for your appointment today (read elsewhere on the forum)
Let us know how it went, if you care to share. I hope you’re doing well and have a wonderful week!
@Shenick
 
Hello all! Just a quick update
I had my appointment for six week check with OS (at just seven weeks in fact). He was very happy with his work and said I could 'back to normal life'
I am happy about this of course and overall do feel I am slowly getting back to normal. I had a long list of questions including a query about the swelling and tightness I still have around my hip area. He says his will go in time but didn't seem to be able to even guess when that might happen! It is probably not a big issue but does make my legs feel heavy and my movement more difficult. It also means fitting into pre op clothes can be difficult! I am interested to hear about anyone else's experience of this?
He also said I could swim which I did for the first time this week - lovely as Ireland is having a rare heatwave at the moment ...
I tried sleeping on my side over the last few nights now that it is allowed but have found it almost impossible to do in comfort - really hope that changes for the sake of a better nights sleep,
Would love to know how 'normal' others felt at this point. Did you enjoy a walk or was it still just an exercise as it is in my case? Really looking forward to being active in comfort!
Hope everyone is staying well and getting better all the time :)
 
Thanks for stopping by and sharing info on your post op update with your surgeon. Swelling can last for months for some. Side sleeping will definitely get easier with each passing month. Glad to hear you’re getting back to swimming and all you love.
Here is a link to other bilateral threads, if interested -
https://bonesmart.org/forum/view/hip-surgery-recovery-area.5/?prefix_id=141
Have a wonderful weekend! :SUNsmile:
@Shenick
 
I’m envious you are swimming! At 8 weeks and 2 days, I still have scabs on my right hip! The left side has been fully healed for weeks. I’m not to go swimming until the scabs have completely fallen off.

When I first tried lying on my side in bed, which was at 5 days, it felt wonderful - for about a minute. Then not so good so I would ease back onto my back and try the other side. Same thing.

After 12 days of slowly increasing the minutes, I found that by 12 days I was able to actually fall asleep for an hour or two, then I’d switch sides. It gradually became longer.

I don’t think I have any swelling anymore. But when I gently stroke my upper, outer thighs, and the upper front thighs just below my incisions, it is still a bit numb. Also it feels bruised although I haven’t had any visable bruising for weeks.

As for the walking, the first 6 weeks, I had discomfort walking after just one third of a mile. After that, it seemed I was suddenly able to increase my distance and speed. Twice just this week, I walked a 2 mile consecutive walk, which included a block long hill! No problem at all. I would call that an excersise walk. Once a week, for 2 weeks now, I take a “ fun” walk with my daughter, with our dogs. I use my hiking poles then so I can go a bit faster with her.

My 6 week checkup was also just shy of 7 weeks! Sounds like we’re both coming along just fine!
 
I'm 5 months post op and just began sleeping on my surgery side these last few nights and boy does it feel good.
It's my preferred sleeping position, however, I did get used to back sleeping.
At 4 weeks post op I was put on light weight bearing because when they did X-Ray I still had small fracture. Fortunately it healed on it's own, otherwise they were talking about more surgery which I definitely wanted to avoid so my walking wasn't as soon as I would have liked it but I'm walking several miles now, not everyday, but I do manage at least 5,000 steps even on days when I take a rest day.
We are all in a hurry to get back to our normal way of life but I've found patience is the key in this recovery.
All my best.
 
Thank you both for your reassurance about recovery and side sleeping in particular! I feel I certainly need the swelling to go down more before I find this at all comfortable.
I hope you will be able to go swimming soon Zoebichon, I have actually bought a swimsuit with shorts style legs. This covers my scars exactly so that I don't frighten anyone. The Irish Sea was cold but refreshing yesterday and it was great to be back in the water:). I just have to stop fretting about the swelling that remains and as you say patience is key!
 
Happy Two Month Anniversary!
Have a good week and enjoy the swims. Feel free to update as time allows.
All the best to you!
@Shenick
 

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