THR Hip Number 2

Caison113

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Okay here we go. Last time I didn’t post until a couple weeks in and I want to use this thread as an equal parts journal and overall discussion.

This morning I had my right hip replaced using the mini-posterior approach with same doctor as last time. It’s about 9 hours later and overall doing well. Obviously painful but I’m managing with some meds. Have walked around a few times in my room and I’m remembering the awkward pace. Surgical center is great and I’m staying the night. I could have gone home but each time I get an allergic reaction to something in the anesthesia— just hives and itching— but they like to keep me overnight to just monitor.

Funny, yesterday I had the typical second thoughts that maybe I’m rushing into this as I’m on the young side and could sort of fake my way thru this for a while longer. Then sometime in my sleep I jolted my hip and spent the next hour wincing in pain. Haha my body knew what my mind didn’t.

So tonight I probably won’t sleep much but that’s ok. Will be nice to give my wife a break and then go home around lunch. I’m fully bionic now!
 
@Caison113 Welcome to another session of hip recovery! Ah yes the body frequently knows what the mind wants to deny. It is very good that you listened to your body and now are on the way to having another pain free hip. You probably remember all this but I will leave you our recovery guide lines as a refresher.

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
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
elevate
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 these
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
Activity progression for THRs
6. Access these pages on the website
Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Care In Hospital

The Recovery articles:
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.
 
Welcome to recovery, Caison113!
I wish you lots of comfort as you begin the journey. I hope you get in a few Z's overnight. :sleeep:
Until next time...all the best!
@Caison113
 
:wave:

Back on the Healing Side:elevate: but Last One and Done.

I am glad to have both my hips replaced at age 53 so I could heal and get back to healthy and happy.

I was a pretty good faker but that is painful business.
Healing Mojo coming your way:ok:
 
Well getting ready to go home. Just finished talking with Nurse Practitioner and the attending doctor. Everything looks normal for where we are which is about 24 hours out from surgery.

Pain is moderate and mostly sticking with Tylenol and occasionally a 5mg of Oxy when trying to sleep. Was able to walk down hall and up and down the rehab steps.

Very much looking forward to being home! Thanks all for checking on in me.
 
Safe travels home, Caison! As you know, there's no place like home for recovery. Let us know how the journey home and getting settled in went once you're resting comfortably and feel like updating.
@Caison113
 
Checking in now about 48 hours since surgery and after a night’s sleep at home. I’m feeling pretty well all things considering and even took a shower this morning. I’m scooting around with the walker pretty well and expect to be onto the cane in a day or two based on how I’m doing.

I’m definitely on the younger side of things when it comes to hip surgeries so that works in my favor for recovery but I also have to remind myself to keep to slow and steady progress and not try to jump ahead of the queue as it were.

Stopped the oxy after taking a dose before a nap yesterday and just did Tylenol which worked ok as I got about 7 hours of sleep albeit not uninterrupted.

My doctor does internal sutures and then glue without a dressing so I get a good look at the incision. It’s ugly but in a healthy way and compares favorably to how my other hip looked. Will keep monitoring as the bruising and swelling continues to shift around.

Biggest difference already is the length of my leg so to speak. Before, if I stood with both legs together I had to bend my knee as my femur wasn’t fitting properly into the socket and so it was artificially “long”. Now they match up much better and I’m sure will continue to improve as I heal.

So all in all no complaints. Looking forward to the first week being behind me.
 
You're doing amazingly well!
I also have to remind myself to keep to slow and steady progress and not try to jump ahead of the queue as it were.
Yes, I agree. It could be tempting for you to push it since you're doing so well straight out of the gait, but you know through experience that it doesn't take much for that to go south. Go Slow. :yes: :wink: Happy Saturday!
@Caison113
 
96 hours post-surgery: Not much to report but want to keep updating as a record of my recovery. I’ve been sleeping pretty well which is nice although I do wake up sometimes in pain due to being in a position for too long.

I’m getting around well with the walker and expect I’ll be on to the cane in a couple days. I’m definitely sore and not entirely stable yet but each day I get a little stronger. The incision is not pretty but it is healing properly and ice and elevation help in that regard.

It’s very boring sitting around most of the day but I keep reminding myself to be patient and I’m lucky to have a spouse who is so helpful and caring. I also remain inspired by everyone’s stories here (those for the better and worse). I just want to fast forward a month!
 
Hi, @Caison113 - just popping by to sit and count time impatiently with you for a minute and let you know I'm selfishly glad to have someone else so close to my surgery date on the recovery trail for company. :wave:

I understand you're a kickboxer/martial arts athlete? Man, that sounds great. I really loved the kickboxing classes I used to do (kickboxing for ordinary mortals, of course) but those classes aren't offered as often - have fallen out of favor for things like CrossFit and rolling tires around, LOL.

Really glad to hear a cane is likely on your Week One menu! Take good care and let's watch out for those punches in the mouth (to paraphrase Tyson)!
 
Glad you are doing well. I had my Right hip done on 1/30/23, and my left THR on 10/19/20. I too hope to be on a cane in a day or so. I forgot how weird it feels to walk without a limp, and pain...well better pain than I had as I know it's temporary. Take it easy, don't over do it. I too wish I could wiggle my nose and fast foward 6 weeks from now!
 
@Caison113 Yeah the boredom can be *yawn* boring! Time to read some good books, or watch those programs you've been meaning to catch up on, or spend time on a hobby or project that does not involve too much exertion. I knew I was healing well when my backside was getting numb or sore .... not from the surgery, just from sitting too much!
 
just popping by to sit and count time impatiently with you for a minute and let you know I'm selfishly glad to have someone else so close to my surgery date on the recovery trail for company. :wave:

I understand you're a kickboxer/martial arts athlete? Man, that sounds great. I really loved the kickboxing classes I used to do (kickboxing for ordinary mortals, of course) but those classes aren't offered as often - have fallen out of favor for things like CrossFit and rolling tires around, LOL.
Glad to be on the same timeline as well! Misery loves company. ;)

And yes, I'm involved in martial arts/self defense plus some other sports. I did try CrossFit a few times and while there's no doubt it's a very tough workout, I didn't much like the competitive nature of it. It's not really sane to judge your own fitness by the standards of someone else.

Glad you are doing well. I had my Right hip done on 1/30/23, and my left THR on 10/19/20. I too hope to be on a cane in a day or so. I forgot how weird it feels to walk without a limp, and pain...well better pain than I had as I know it's temporary. Take it easy, don't over do it. I too wish I could wiggle my nose and fast foward 6 weeks from now!

It is strange to be in this in-between period. Old pains replaced by new pains, so you can't fully appreciate the difference yet. But It is nice to be in certain positions where you knew you would have pain and well, you don't!

Yeah the boredom can be *yawn* boring! Time to read some good books, or watch those programs you've been meaning to catch up on, or spend time on a hobby or project that does not involve too much exertion. I knew I was healing well when my backside was getting numb or sore .... not from the surgery, just from sitting too much!

Yes, it was nice the first few days, but now I'm just itching (literally and figuratively) to get moving again, but I know I'm weeks away from any real mobility. Oh well, I will count my blessings.

Overall, things are still progressing ok 6 days later. My main pain is in my mid- to lower quad whenever I push off on it. It's fairly painful. Doesn't hurt while resting, but when I try to get ambitious and take a step without assistance, it lets me know to back off. And because it's my right leg, to use a cane I would have to rely on my non-dominant hand, which I don't trust as much, so sticking to walker until that pain subsides some more. Overall, no other complaints worth mentioning.
 
Day 8 Update: I've moved to the cane! I'm a couple days behind where I was after my first hip replacement due to the rather intense quad pain that I experienced. It's still there, but probably 50% intensity, so I consider that good progress. I'm still sticking to just puttering around the house however; no test walks outside quite yet.

The swelling has gone down a lot, and the incision looks great. Still a good spread of ugly bruising all along the back of my thigh, but it too is starting to recede. Sitting in a chair remains uncomfortable, even with cushions, so I try to keep those stints to 30 mins or less and then back to the couch or bed.

My sleep is still mediocre as I can't quite settle into a truly comfortable position for sleep. I can side-sleep for a while, but then I wake up in a good amount of pain so back to my back from which my sleep is fitful. But I'm getting probably 6 hours overall which isn't too bad considering I don't do anything all day so it's not like I'm worn out from exercise or manual labor.

My follow-up visit is on Tuesday, so will be eager to see the imaging and consult with the doctor's team.
 
Day 11 Update: Still using the cane, but can manage short distances (like one end of room to other) without the cane if I need to, but my gait is still very awkward and stiff as you can imagine. The pain is now mostly in the buttock region when I sit on anything other than a soft couch or bed. Get the occasional flare up of pain, including last night at sort of the upper groin area when I fully stretched out flat. I guess my muscles didn’t like it. Overall, it’s minor and the healing is doing well.

Tomorrow I go for my follow-up visit. Hopefully everything will look good. My only issue now is the knee on my opposite leg is cracking a lot. It’s been that way for many years off and on, but now it’s about 1/3 of the steps I take — sounds like someone is cracking their knuckles. I’m sure my terrible posture and compensation for my hips hasn’t done my knees any wonders. There’s no pain or limitation of movement, so who knows. Probably something to look forward to, but hopefully just minor clean up and not yet another new joint!

I sleep decently now, but not for real long stretches. Probably 4 hours before a little pain will make me shift, but much better than it was 4-5 days ago. My leg is still not stable (or maybe strong is the better word) in certain angles, but again, slow improvement is noticed.

Looking forward to when I can drive again. Probably another week for that.
 
You're doing great! Best wishes for your follow up visit tomorrow!
@Caison113
 
Day 15: Forgot to update on follow-up visit a few days ago, so will do so now.

Had visit with my surgeon’s PA who I remember well from my first hip. Did the imaging and he said everything looked great. With my first implant, my doc didn’t need to use any screws to seat the metal cup, but this time he used one. PA said the first one was a “home run and this one was a triple.” I’ll take any extra base hit I can get! Leg lengths looked great which agrees with how it feels. We talked about my meds and how I was moving and pain. All seemed normal, but certainly different from first hip recovery — each one is truly unique.

Talked briefly about my knee cracking but he said without pain there was no need to do intervene yet. Let’s see how things progress when I get to having a normal gait and then can do some exercises to re-align things. I can only imagine the compensation that has been going on with my joints the past three years or more. I will go back for a three month follow-up with the surgeon, so in the May timeframe.

Now two weeks and a day after surgery, I can’t complain too much. Still sore and have pain while sleeping in the same position for any extended period of time. But I’m also down to just Tylenol for pain, so I’m going to feel it more for sure. Icing a couple times a day still, but the incision is really cleared up. Just mild swelling overall. Not using the cane in the house anymore; trying to build up strength and use a more natural walking gait, but certainly not there yet.

Doing some upper body workouts with kettlebells but trying not to engage from waist down and that will have to suffice for now. Really looking forward to being mobile and independent again, but remind myself to keep to a moderate pace and not expect too much. Everyone here is a good reminder of that! Thanks to all for the support!
 

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