THR Hip #2 In situ

[Bfam85]

Hi @Kim22....I am waiting with baited breath for Downton Abbey to come to America starting in January....it's such a very brief season though .... is it a good one? Sounds like you are enjoying it, even though sadness for the last episode will be coming soon enough....

 

[zauberflöte]

@Kim22 hooooraaayyyy last Clexane!! In a week you'll be able to wear clothes with a waistband :lol:
Thanks for the name of the show--I'll look for it. Meanwhile, Netflix just got "the new season" of Doc Martin!! It looks like I've missed all of 2013 and now 2015. Goody! Something to watch after Dr Who runs out :( :(


My phone sent this using BoneSmart Forum, clever phone!

 

[Kim22]

@Bfam85 I am I enjoying it very much and I have been very emotional at the end of each episode I am sure that you will enjoy it.They are making a Christmas one which they will screen on Christmas night and I believe it is being filmed up at Alnwick castle again which is very close to our little caravan by the sea.
@zauberflöte I no longer dread bedtime now the injections are a thing of the past thank you.Another good thing is I am down to 15 mg Codeine and I plan to stop those altogether over the weekend.I will try Naproxen now that I am finished the blood thinners to see if they help the muscles.I will continue with paracetamol as well.
I remember that you are not a fan of Downton but glad you like Doc Martin.I would love to visit that beautiful place in Cornwall where it is filmed.

 

[Doodles51]

So glad your stomach pokes are over. Keep up with your slow and steady approach. I'm at 5 weeks and am increading walking but find my quads so tight it's hard to get in and out chairs and start to walk stiffly again. It's hard to find a balance of enough and too much.

 

[Kim22]

Hi @Doodles51 I will be 5 weeks on Monday and my tight muscles seem to be on the outside of the thigh involving the knee, where I imagine the IT Band to be It may be due to me having a posterior and your tight quads may be due to you having an anterior approach.Of course I don't really know that is just my theory.You hit the nail on the head when you mention how difficult it is getting a balance between doing too much and not doing enough.I am just walking really and doing a few basic exercises and I am following the mantra recommended on here but I also figure that at some point I will need to build up more strength and flexibility in those leg muscles.My plan is to carry on with this regime until I reach the 3 month mark and then see a private physio to recommend some safe exercises. I would love to get back to my Pilates class by next spring.The other thing I want to try is pool exercises and swimming but I will need to be given the go ahead from my OS who I am seeing on the 13th November.Are you still taking strong pain meds or have you got down to over the counter stuff now ? One last question is are you massaging your scar with oils ? I haven't done this yet but I have ordered some Bio Oil for this purpose.I hope you have a great weekend and you get rid of those tight quads soon.The sun has come out here for a change as we have had a dull and wet week.Yesterday I noticed a new hazard whilst out walking in the form of slippery wet leaves on the pavements.I recovered during spring last time so I didn't have this problem.Take care

 

[Doodles51]

@Kim22 Slow and easy is the way to go. I don't have much pain, just the stiffness. I was hoping having both done it would be easier at this point, but I know I have to get everything working together this time. My PT says it just takes time to strengthen everything. I'm on the treadmill for 5 mins and doing a couple weight machines at PT. I think the IT band is is in the middle of your outer thigh. I had posterior also. There was almost a big bulge and felt so bruised but didn't look bruised. My PT works on that and it has helped so much with both surgeries. As far as incision, with my first surgery, I only saw the nurse practitioner at PO visit. She said to massage Aquaphor on incision up to three times a day. I don't know why, but this time my incision still seems to have a few stitches scabs or glue popping through. The surgeon said its fine, that what is left will come off and it is slowly. It just frustrating because with the first surgery it was completely healed by 2-3 weeks. My PT massaged it once after first surgery and it did wonders just that one time. There were little lumps, scar tissue I think and they disappeared. She said I didn't need to do any massage at home. Hopefully it will be clean enough she can do it with this incision next week. It's my last week and I'll be on my own. I can't wait to get moving more again. About a year before my surgery I joined the gym at our local high school which is great(other than all the students are in there sometimes). I was using the elliptical and loved it. They also have a current pool which I couldn't do much walking in because of my bad hips. I will probably avoid the gym for a couple more months. I am a germaphobe and am so afraid of infection, but feel like I'm losing all the strength I gained before surgery. It has been over 3 months and 2 surgeries so I expected that, but not easy now that that the time is here. I hope you continue to strengthen and eventually get back to Pilates and swimming. Have a great weekend. We had it very cold and windy here in Michigan the past few days, but should be warming up again. I'll take that. Watch out for those wet leaves.

 

[Kim22]

Sorry @Doodles51 I didn't realise that you had a posterior too.I wouldn't worry too much about stiffness at this stage as you rightly said it takes a while to rebuild the strength in those muscles and it is early days.Every hip is different and because I kept a weekly log of my progress on my first hip thread I am able to compare my recoveries and I was further on with my first hip at this stage.I did far too much too early because of how good I felt and ended up doing too much and with tendinitis.I feel this was understandable as for over two years my activity was very limited so as soon as I was pain free I wanted to be back to normal.So it may not be a bad thing in my case that I still have discomfort as this is reining me in but It is not easy as I can't wait to get out there, living life and taking lovely long walks again.Patience, patience and more patience is required on this roller coaster ride and I wish I had more.

 

[Jaycey]

Patience, patience and more patience is required on this roller coaster ride and I wish I had more.

Yup - and at this point nearly every new hippie starts to get impatient. But you learned well from your first THR. Pushing only results in more complications. You will get back to living life to the fullest again.

 

[DeepBreath]

LOL, there must be something about that 5 week mark. I was 5 weeks on Friday. My op leg thigh is quite stiff. I just keep telling myself that it will loosen up with time and gentle exercise. The lack of pain in my op hip is worth the recovery period!

 

[Kim22]

@DeepBreath You are right it is far better to have muscle stiffness than the Preop pain we had a few short weeks ago.The stiffness should gradually get less and less as time goes on.

 

[DeepBreath]

@Kim22, not gonna lie though, I look forward to the stiffness going away.

 

[Kim22]

Me too @DeepBreath and the sooner the better.

 

[Doodles51]

Sounds like we are all ready to go. We'll get there eventually. We just have to remember how far we've made it.

 

[Kim22]

@Doodles51 We have come a long way in just 5 weeks and it is good to remind ourselves of this from time to time and to be grateful as it is easy just to focus on the things we still can't do.I have just had a 0.4 mile walk along the disused railway line which is now a walking/ cycle track and is right on my doorstep.The weather is lovely and very unseasonably warm for the 1st November and the trees are still very colourful.We reached the bridge which crosses the river which was our turning around point and I cant explain how wonderful it felt to be out there seeing nature in all it's glory.I allowed myself a glimpse into the future of being able to take longer pain free walks in the country and it felt good.The walking feels so good and although I am stiff when I first set off I now notice that this discomfort gets better with walking.This is amazing to me as for so long It was the opposite in that the longer I walked the worse the pain would be.I have been forgetting my cane when indoors which is a good sign but I still need it.I can walk a few limp free steps without it but not very far.The other amazing thing that happened yesterday was I found myself walking normally downstairs I didn't plan this and just noticed when I was half way down.I tried again this morning but it didn't feel right as I was too stiff and there is no way I could walk upstairs just yet.I will allow my hip to dictate when it is ready to move forward with these sorts of movements.This is my second day of just taking paracetamol as I stopped the codeine on Friday and so far so good.I hope all my hip buddies are having a great weekend.

 

[Doodles51]

That is great @Kim22. It is a beautiful day here also and supposed to be near 70 the next few days. Unfortunately the couple of cold rainy windy days we had blew most the leaves off the trees. Now I'm looking at them wondering is it too soon to be raking if I can get my husband to pick the leaves up. I also went for the longest walk yet this morning, almost a mile total. We have a lot of hills so I'm afraid to tackle those yet. You are correct that the stiffness sometimes gets better as we walk. I'm beginning to think the damp weather is a factor as today is sunny and the stiffness is not as bad. I also hope everyone has a nice day to go for a walk.
It is a gift to be able to walk any distance at this time.

 

[Kim22]

@Doodles51 I hope your husband managed to pick up the leaves so you won't slip on them.The only thing is there will be a load more by tomorrow.Well done on your one mile walk, that is a big deal but I agree that it is too early to try any inclines right now and we need to stay on level ground.My hip is a little sore now and I have probably done too much in the kitchen today making breakfast,lunch,my sons packed lunch and a roast dinner so I will back off a bit tomorrow and hubby can resume more kitchen duties again. He did clear away after each meal today.We are so lucky to have such great support and I am so grateful for this.

 

[Legin]

Well done you and hubbers

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[CricketHip]

Hello! I enjoyed the recent posts about stiffness and walking and wet leaves! Had some of that 2 days ago after a rainy period and was very nervous about my walk. The wet pine needles on the sidewalk seemed to be the most treacherous.
As for walking, I can easily walk a mile but have noticed something interesting and that is if I walk a faster pace? then I get more stiffness later. Tried to keep up a good pace with hubby and dog and thought it was going well but I think my hip still enjoys a bit less push. On the positive note, walking uphill isn't painful! That was my nemesis pre op. I grin like a loon with every little hill..
Have a great start to your week, hippies!

 

[Legin]

Same applies to most life go a mile ad fast as you can, ouch. Walk a mile at OK pace all OK

Legin THR Sep 14

 

[Kim22]

@CricketHip Congratulations on managing hills already I am still trying to avoid inclines except for a slight one at the entrance to the walking trail.I know that I will be grinning like a loon once I accomplish hills too.I remember walking on the beach for the first time after my first THR with tears of gratitude.It was truly an amazing experience.I came to the same conclusion as you that my new hip prefers a slower pace as walking quickly makes it sore, not at the time but later.I find this difficult as for most of my life I was a very quick walker and used to walk very quickly for fitness.I find it is so easy to pick up the pace without realising how fast I am walking but my husband keeps me right during our walks.I haven't been great today as hip and knee have been in discomfort probably from doing too much yesterday so I decided not to go out today and have cut back on kitchen duties.I am also wondering if the increase in pain maybe due to codeine withdrawal as I read this can cause muscle pain so I have added Ibuprofen to my paracetamol but I will only do this for a couple of days.It has been another sunny day here so a walk would have been just the ticket but common sense prevailed.